QUINOA-STUFFED PERUVIAN AVCOCADOS

Quinoa Salad:

1 cup water
3/4 cup quinoa
1/4 cup cooked fresh corn kernels
1/4 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup cooked, diced yams
3 tablespoons minced red onion

Lime-Jalapeno Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded
2 ripe avocados
Fresh cilantro leaves

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and add to pot. Cook, covered, over low heat for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and transfer to a medium bowl.
Add corn, tomato, yams and onion to bowl and mix well. Puree all dressing ingredients in a small food processor or blender and stir into salad. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
Cut avocados in half and remove pits. Place avocado halves on 4 small plates and top with quinoa salad. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
Serves 4.

THREE-PEPPER COUSCOUS

A versatile side dish! When served cold or at room temperature, it is perfect for a picnic or hot summer evening. Try it with chicken or lamb if you need something on the lighter side to round out a menu. The peppers add a dash of vivid color!

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium green pepper, cut into 1/4" dice
1/2 medium red pepper, cut into 1/4" dice
1/2 medium yellow pepper, cut into 1/4" dice
1 teaspoon minced shallot {about 1 small}
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, minced {about 1 tablespoon minced}
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 1/2 cups quick cooking couscous
1 1/2-1 3/4 cups chicken stock
2 pinches cayenne pepper

Heat the olive oil in a medium-size skillet. Add the diced peppers and the shallots. Saute over medium heat 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chives and cilantro. Set aside.
Place the couscous in a pan that has a tight-fitting lid. Bring 1 1/2 cups stock to a boil. Pour the boiling stock over the couscous. Stir and cover. Set aside 5 minutes. Remove the cover and stir with a large fork to separate the grains. Add the sauteed peppers. Stir and taste. If the couscous seems dry, bring the remaining stock to a boil and add it. Stir to combine. Cover the pan and let set an additional 5 minutes. Remove the cover and stir to separate the grains {if you have used homemade stock you may want to add some salt at this point}. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serves 6.

SEASONED COUSCOUS

Couscous has become one of our favorite grains to work with. It cooks quickly and lends itself to a variety of seasonings. Couscous may be served either hot, or in a cold summer salad.

1 1/2 cups quick cooking couscous
1 tablespoon seasoned olive oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
2 small garlic cloves, finely minced {about 1 1/2 teaspoons}
1/4 pound medium mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced {reserve stems for another use}
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, cut in 1/4" dice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme {optional}
Dash cayenne pepper
2 cups rich chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter

Place the couscous in a medium-size saucepan and set aside.
Heat the seasoned oil in a medium-size skillet. Add the garlic and heat to release the flavors, but do not let brown. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until limp. Add the diced sun-dried tomatoes, salt, thyme {optional}, cayenne, and chicken stock. Simmer 1 minute to allow the tomatoes to soften. Bring to a boil and add the butter. Immediately remove from the heat and pour over the couscous. Stir, cover the pan, and set aside for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and stir with a large fork to separate the grains and fluff the couscous. The liquid should all be absorbed and the couscous softened.
Serves 4-6.

MUSHROOM-BARLEY CASSEROLE

We love the texture and the nutty flavor of barley and often choose it as an accompaniment to barbecued entrees. Any leftovers are a wonderful beginnings for a hearty soup!

4 tablespoons butter
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups sliced mushroom caps
3/4 cup barley
1 1/2 cups beef or chicken stock {or water}
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and garlic. Cook 5 minutes and add the sliced mushroom caps and barley. Cook an additional 10 minutes, until the barley has started to brown. Stir in the stock, salt, and pepper and transfer to a buttered casserole dish. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45-60 minutes. Stir in the minced parsley.
Serves 4-6.

WILD and BROWN RICE PILAF

This is often our first choice to accompany Marinated Pork Tenderloin. The crisp texture and slightly sweet flavor are a perfect complement to the very tender pork. It also goes well with turkey, duck, and Cornish hens.

3/4 cup wild rice
Boiling water
3/4 cup brown rice, long or short grain
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons bacon drippings
1 cup chopped celery with leaves
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups apple juice
1/3 cup currants or golden raisins
1/3 cup dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

Place the wild rice in a saucepan 1-1 1/2 hours prior to cooking. Cover with boiling water and put a lid on the pan. Set aside. Place the currants in the sherry and set aside.
One hour before serving, melt the butter and bacon drippings in a large saucepan. Add the celery, onion, and garlic. Saute briefly. Drain the wild rice. Add wild rice, brown rice, salt, and pepper to the sauteed vegetables. Add the apple juice and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 40-50 minutes {check the liquid level halfway through the cooking and add water if necessary}.* When finished, add the currants and sherry. Mix well. Taste and adjust as necessary.
Serves 6.

* If wild rice has been stored for an extended period of time, it will take longer to cook.

MUSHROOM and PARSLEY PILAF

Many of our guests stay with us for a week or more, and we design our menus to avoid repetition {unless requested!}. This pilaf recipe was created to add the needed variety to our menu.

6 tablespoons butter
4 large shallots, minced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 pound mushrooms, caps sliced and the stems minced
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt {omit if using canned stock}
Pepper to taste
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan. Add the shallots, garlic, and minced mushroom stems. Saute 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the rice, cook, and stir until the rice begins to brown-about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes.
Melt the remaining butter and saute the sliced mushroom caps. Stir the parsley and sauteed mushroom caps {along with any pan juices} into the cooked rice. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serves 6.

WALNUT RICE

This recipe was developed after we had a wonderful meal at a friend's home. One dish that stood out was a nutted rice. We recreated the dish, which we serve with fish or chicken.

2 tablespoons butter
3 large garlic cloves, minced and divided
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups chicken stock
Dash cayenne
Salt to taste {omit if using canned stock}
1 tablespoon walnut oil
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the celery and half of the garlic. Saute 2 minutes, add the rice, and cook an additional 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the walnut oil in a skillet and add the remaining garlic and the walnuts. Saute, stirring constantly, until the walnuts start to brown. Remove from the heat.

After the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, remove from the heat. Add the sauteed walnut mixture and cayenne. Taste. Add salt if necessary. Replace the lid and let set to season 5-10 minutes.
Serves 4.

WILD RICE WITH POMEGRANATE SEEDS, HAZELNUTS..

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8

1 1/2 cups wild rice, rinsed
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 cup pomegranate seeds, about 1 medium pomegranate
1 cup lightly toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
Fresh ground pepper

1. Put wild rice in a large saucepan; cover with water by 1-inch. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is tender and most grains have popped open, 40-60 minutes. {Add a little more water during cooking if rice gets dry.} Test for tenderness. Pour rice into a strainer; drain well.
2. In the same saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add green onions; cook, stirring occasionally  until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cooked rice, orange zest and juice, pomegranate seeds and hazelnuts; fluff with a fork to blend. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Information per serving {for 8 servings}:
257 calories, 12 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 8 milligrams cholesterol, 33 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams protein, 296 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.