Yes. An Actual Recipe.

Atlanta Mom, perhaps noticing that not a single blog post this month has actually contained a recipe, sent me this over the weekend to post. Y'all enjoy.
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Once the weather is warm, our recipe options dwindle to very few. We are always looking for more light, cool dishes as opposed to the hearty heavy ones that we enjoy during the colder months. This is a new one I've discovered (Editor's note: from Ina Garten! Yay Ina!), and I've made it twice in 2 weeks already. For 2 adults or a family of 4 where the 2 younger members won't eat much, halve the recipe--not only it is plenty, but there will be a small-tupperware's worth of leftovers for lunch the next day.

Couscous with Teasted Pine Nuts
Serves 6 to 8

4 T. unsalted butter
2 cups chopped yellow onions
3 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 t. kosher salt (I always use less when cooking from Ina's recipes)
1/2 t. black pepper
2 cups couscous
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add the chopped onions and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender but not browned. Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper and bring to a full boil (I usu. have the stock hot in a separate small saucepan). Stir in the couscous, turn off the heat, cover, and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stir in the pine nuts and parsley, and serve hot.

**She has a make-ahead note that says to cook onions and add the stock, salt, and pepper, then set aside. Before dinner, heat to boiling, add the couscous, and wait 10 minutes for a delicious side dish with no stress.**

Christmas Morning

WHEW.

Is any one else completely tired of all things food-related? After all the planning, shopping, preparing, and of course EATING last week, even I don't want to give food another thought.

And yet here I am, already planning for Christmas morning.

When I was growing up, my Mom always made a fabulous coffee cake for Christmas breakfast, and I love it to this day. But I don't make it now because my husband isn't as crazy about it (though let's be honest - his holiday tastes are a little suspect, as he comes from a family that has cookies and diet coke for Christmas breakfast). I've tried doing cinnamon rolls, which are fine but nothing special, and big breakfast casseroles, which are great but too much work to put together on Christmas Eve now that we have to help Santa get everything ready for Christmas morning.

But now, I think I've settled on a new tradition for our family: chocolate croissants. My friend Leigh brought these to our last girls weekend trip (where the inspiration for this blog was born), and they were, in a word, Fabulous. I've just placed my order from them from Williams-Sonoma, and am feeling quite pleased with myself to have at least one meal in this crazy month planned.

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Another recipe from our supper club, this one from our French friend Lucie, who is so incredibly stylish that even her food looks gorgeous.

Roasted Veggies Couscous Salad (serves 6 people)
2 cups of couscous
2.5 cups of chicken stock
Roast half a butternut squash, 2 sweet potatoes (olive oil , salt and pepper in the oven at 350 for an hour)
Pour the boiling chicken stock over the dry couscous - cover and wait 5 minutes....add the roast veggies and as many blanched snow peas as you like.
Dressing: whisk together and pour over couscous 2 tbs of olive oil, 1/2 tsp of harissa paste (chili paste), 1/4 cup of chopped mint, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, 1 tbs of honey

voila! bon appetit!