Just Some Minor Injuries and Couscous

I've spared you from some pictures in this post - primarily of my sliced fingers and a minor burn on my left index finger.  I've really been battling it out this week between kitchen injuries, sore throat, and unforgiving allergies.  There was also the flood caused by me opening the dishwasher while full of water and the burnt pans.  Burnt pans.  You read that right.  It takes someone truly special to burn something that's made to sit on fire. Basically, I have been a huge mess but managed to sew myself together to get you this post. 

What could be worth it for me to put myself together and write this post?  Feta-Chicken Couscous Salad with Basil.  It is definitely more of a summer dish, but, like I said before, I love anything that combines every aspect of a meal (Except my wine, I like to enjoy that separately as well as in the dish, even if it doesn't call for it.  I learned that from my dad). 

Feta-Chicken Couscous Salad with Basil (from Cooking Light)
1 1/4 cups water
2/3 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous
1 cup diced cooked chicken breast
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tbsp capers (rinsed and drained)
1 tbsp EVOO
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 cups mixed baby salad greens
1/4 cup (1 oz) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

1. Bring water to a boil in medium saucepan.  Add couscous; remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes.
2.  While couscous stands, combine chicken and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl, tossing gently to coat.
3.  Fluff couscous with a fork.  Add couscous, salad greens, and cheese to chick mixture; toss gently to coat.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

I very much enjoyed this but I did add a little more lemon juice when I served it for more flavor BUT the capers really came through - dee-lish!  I'll definitely make this again this summer.  The boyfriend and I ended up eating most of it so I didn't have any leftovers.  That would be my only concern is how it would save with the lettuce in it.  It was very easy, little clean up, and plenty of flavor.  This Cooking Light book is becoming my best friend!

Anyways... Stats aren't so great this week:
Bodily Injuries: 2 sliced fingers and 1 burned finger tip
Kitchen Injuries: 1 flooded kitchen floor and 1 burnt pan
Overall Satisfaction: 8 out of 10.  Good flavor but more of a summer dish. 

Orzo Salad, The Pasta Not The Rice

Absence makes the heart grow fonder and when it comes to being in the kitchen after lock-down in the 5x12 death-trap for 4 days, nothing else seems so true.  Now I’m back and ready to work on the relationship. 

I love dishes that combine all the necessities… the meat, the carbs, the veggies.  Paella, risottos, etc, are all so beautiful and so flavorful. I wanted to try this recipe for that very reason.  When combined, all the ingredients looked so colorful, tasty, and healthy (in the cookbook).  Time to see if I could make it look and taste that great!



Lovely serving bowl thanks to Molly and Jim!!! It makes my food look good!

Salmon, Asparagus, and Orzo Salad with Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette from Cooking Light

6 cups water

1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces

1 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

1 (1 ¼ lb) skinless salmon fillet

Salt

Pepper

Cooking Spray

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette (below)

1.       Preheat Broiler.

2.       Bring water to boil in large saucepan.  Add asparagus; cook 3 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Remove asparagus from water with tongs or slotted spoon, reserving water in pan.  Plunge asparagus into ice water; drain and set aside.  (I just put the asparagus in a colander and rinsed with cold water.)

3.       Return reserved water to a boil.  Add orzo, and cook according to package directions, omitting fat and salt (… or not… I kept the salt).

4.       While orzo cooks, sprinkle fillet with salt and pepper.  Place fish on a foil-lined broiler pan coated with cooking spray.  Broil 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.  Using 2 forks break fish into large chunks.  Combine fish, orzo, asparagus, onion, and Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette in a large bowl; toss gently to coat.  Yield: 6 servings about 1 ¼ cups each.

Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

1/3 cup feta cheese (I got the fat-free kind)

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp EVOO

Salt/pepper

1.       Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.  



Thanks for your help, Pierre!

All in all, I am very pleased with this recipe.  It wasn't overly lemon-y, salmon-y, asparagus-y and it tasted really light and flavorful.  I would recommend it!  Although I am very afraid of my broiler since my stove is so old and makes rumbling fire noises - the salmon turned out OK and I didn't burn down my apartment complex.  You're welcome, neighbors. 

Check out my final product below.  Also, note the table trays my parents got me for Christmas and the lovely flowers my boyfriend got me!  For no reason!  This is why I let him eat the amazing food I make.  Actually, I make him try it first in case the results are fatal.  Just kidding...