Productive day in the kitchen

Before my husband and I had kids, we loved cooking together. Saturdays and Sundays we usually entertained friends with yummy meals. Our speciality was good foods lovingly prepared - mostly healthy but sometimes indulgent. We love our veggies and lean protein - but we also love the pork ribs that fall off of the bones after spending 8 hours in the smoker.  

Now that the kids are a bit older and often like to be part of the food prep, I have enjoyed spending more time in the kitchen on the weekends - making good use of my recipe Pinterest boards (Hi, my name is Kim and I'm addicted to Pinterest and 60% Cacao Ghiardelli chocolate chips). Baking is still my favorite thing to do in the kitchen (mmm chocolate cup cakes), but lately I have been sourcing more soups, salad (thanks #HolidaySweat) and simple vegetable laden main dishes to make for the family on Saturdays and Sundays (or leave for my loving husband to find for a weeknight meal).

Today I made Almond Cherry Pie Oat bars from the book I just finished: Build Your Running Body by Pete Magill, Thomas Schwartz and Melissa Breyer. 

These bars include oats, almonds, dried cherries and enough chocolate chips to make them decadent. They are sweetened with a bit of apple sauce, brown sugar and honey. 

They crumbled a bit when I cut them so half are nice bars and the other half is more like granola (which will be so yummy on Greek yogurt for breakfast). Next time I make them, I will use a deeper baking dish (8x8) and bake them a bit longer. 

These are seriously yummy!

For dinner, I made a slightly modified Israeli Couscous with Chicken and Peas by a Family Feast. This meal came together very quickly and like the author suggests, could be made even quicker with a store bought, pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. I had time to bake a couple of skinless beasts in the oven. Rotisserie chickens from the market are great - but a little salty for our family's taste and something we reserve for when we really don't have time. 

My modifications: 

• Sauteed a leek while the cous cous browned in the olive oil. Ever since I put leeks in the stuffing on Thanksgiving this year, I have been obsessed and put them in anything I can.
• Used my own turkey stock from Thanksgiving (we roasted a fresh, pastured turkey and I used every bit of it!)
• Substituted frozen mixed vegetables for the peas and doubled the amount. 
• Topped it with toasted pine nuts

The best way to describe this dish is a cross between a deconstructed pot pie and a loaded risotto. Cooking the couscous in the broth (and the cheese) made it creamy and the lemon really brightened up the flavor. I wish I took a picture - but our bowls didn't stay filled for too long. 

Check out the recipe at a Family Feast and let me know if you try it!

I hope you are having fun in the kitchen this weekend!

Kim