Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes

It's grilling season! I'm not as huge of a fan as most people are, but I definitely enjoy using it this time of year when it's not really hot out yet. So I was pretty excited to learn that "grilling" was the theme for my most recent recipe exchange.

My friend Melanie submitted these awesome Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes, and I all but inhaled them. I added couscous to the mixture to give it an extra boost, and I'm glad I did. I ate two of them for dinner, and only let my husband eat one so I could take the other one for lunch the next day. Sorry, babe.


Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes
slightly adapted from The Novice Chef

• 4 medium tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of your favorite breadcrumbs
• 1 cup cooked couscous
• 2 tbl butter, melted
• 8 basil leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded (plus more for sprinkling)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Parsley for garnish

Slice off top of tomato, hollow out (leaving 1/2 inch thick shell), and chop pulp and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine bread crumbs, couscous, butter, basil, salt and pepper. Next stir in cheese and tomato pulp. Fill each tomato shell, top with extra cheese, and then wrap each tomato individually in foil.

Grill, or bake (at 400 degreeProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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29 for 10 to 15 minutes, until cheese is completely melted. Garnish with parsley and serve hot!

Asian Couscous Salad

Couscous has only been on my radar for a year or two and I'm sorry for the years I've missed out.  It's so easy to make and has such a distinctive flavor.

I've seen this salad on several different sites, and even though I was afraid my husband wouldn't like this, I added it to the menu alongside some meatballs.  It comes together so quickly, making it the perfect weeknight dinner.

Asian Couscous Salad

from Aggie's Kitchen

• 1 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous
  
• 1 1/4 cup water
  
• 3/4 of 16 oz bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix
  
• 2 carrots, shredded
  
• 3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
  
• 1/2 cup sliced and toasted almonds
  
• 1/3 cup crunchy chow mein noodles (optional)
  
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
  
• 1/2 cup olive oil (or oil of your preference)
  
• 1 TB hoisin sauce
  
• 1 TB honey
  
• 1-2 cloves minced or pressed garlic
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  

In small bowl, whisk together rice wine vinegar, oil, hoisin, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Bring 1 1/4 cups water to boil. Add 1 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous. Take off heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Once couscous has absorbed water, fluff with a fork and let cool.

In large bowl combine shredded coleslaw mix, carrots, green onion and almonds (and crunchy noodles if adding). Add cooled couscous to mixture and gently combine. Add dressing to salad and toss. Taste for additional salt and pepper. Can be served immediately at room temperature or refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Taco Stuffed Peppers

My most recent recipe exchange dish came from my friend Kelly. I admit I was skeptical - I only just recently discovered that maybe I DO like peppers, so I was nervous that this would be a bit too in-your-face for me.

This, however, was delicious. I learned that I like yellow peppers better than green, and the leftovers made for a great to-go lunch. And the fact that this is weight-watchers friendly (5points+ per pepper) is an added bonus!

I changed a few things to accommodate our palates as well as what I had on hand, so check out Kelly's site for the original.


Taco Stuffed Peppers
adapted from Running Mama Cooks

6 medium sweet bell peppers (I used red and yellow)
1 Tbs salt
1/2 C cooked couscous
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 green onions, sliced
1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 black pepper, plus more to taste
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
3/4 C Mexican blend cheese
tortilla chips, just a handful and more for serving if desired.

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare peppers by washing, slicing tops off, and removing insides. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Boil whole peppers for about 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Remove from water with tongs and place on paper towels to drain.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn, beans, green onions, taco seasoning, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir until corn and beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Place peppers in a baking dish. Remove skillet from heat and add couscous, tomatoes, and 1/2 cup cheese. Stir to combine well and give it a taste. Add additional salt, pepper, and taco seasoning to your liking. Then evenly divide mixture between peppers. Top peppers with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and desired toppings (sour cream, avocado, cheese, etc...)

Fluffy Cous Cous

Guess what. Until the other night, I have never consumed nor cooked cous cous.

I really don't know why.

I loved this little side, and have already scoured the internet from yummy variations. Feel free to leave your favorites in the comments.

Thank you, My Kitchen Cafe, for opening a whole carb world to me. I'm so excited to have other starchy side dish options besides potatoes, pasta, and rice.


Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups couscous
• 1 small onion, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups water
• 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Melt two tablespoons of the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the couscous and cook, stirring often, until some of the grains are just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the couscous to a large bowl.

Melt the remaining two tablespoons butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and salt and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the water and broth and bring to a boil.

Pour the boiling liquid over the toasted couscous and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let it sit until the couscous is tender, about 12 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and fluff the couscous with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.