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6/21/11

Couscous with veggies and shrimp

Little Bird and I are home for a sick day, the hubs had to go pick her up yesterday from daycare so it was my turn to stay home today.  She is feeling much better than yesterday but daycare has a 24 hour rule.  I wish I could do this everyday!  I enjoy being at home with them!  I can also catch up on some stuff I have been meaning to do here at home!  Anyway on to the point of the post!!!!!!!

Last night I came home and realized that no one had taken anything out for dinner, by no one I mean me and it's the story of our lives here.....So in my rush to think of something quick, I remembered a recipe I had seen a few weeks ago for a quinoa salad.  We love quinoa here, I have a whole container of the stuff but the more I thought about it I really didn't want to have quinoa for dinner.  I don't have any spinach or some of the other things I needed to make the salad. So scratch that idea.  Then I remembered I had Israeli couscous.  Big delicious pearls of couscous goodness!  I then quickly tried to come up with what would taste good with the couscous, hmmmmm.  I searched the fridge to see what was there, oh yeah, onions, peppers, garlic, carrots and tomatoes. It's my base for spaghetti sauce, and it tastes great together! I have shrimp in the freezer, they take 2 seconds to defrost under some cold water!!  A little cumin, salt, pepper and a little bit of chipolte chili peppers seasoning.  It needed some liquid......Water?  No, there is no taste.  Chicken stock? Nah not feeling it tonight.  Beer? I wonder what it would taste like.  It is a summer ale.  Eh I guess we will find out!  Glug, glug, glug!  Oh and you can cook the couscous right in the liquid so it is a one pot wonder!  So easy and so simple!  Filling and full of veggies! By the way, I never measure (except when I bake) I either eyeball it or add and taste. I included the recipe below, sorry there are no real measurements, feel free to use whatever you want!

We always say we will try something once and if we don't like it we won't make it again.  I got the nonverbal approval from the hubs as he went back for thirds!  He is also not picky like my children who barely touched their dinner.

Tonight I am better prepared, it's crock pot pulled pork with barbecue sauce, coleslaw and corn.  I smell it now wafting through the house!

What creative meals have you come up with when you forget to take something out for dinner?

Israeli couscous with Shrimp and veggies

1/2 of a large red onion, diced
1 medium julienne bell pepper
1 carrot
1 large tomato diced
1 bottle of beer (I used the brand that is the same name as the guy who signed the Declaration of Independence)
2 1/2 cups of Israeli Couscous
2 lbs of shrimp, peeled and deveined
Spices to taste, salt, pepper, chipolte chili powder, cumin

Saute onions, peppers, carrots and tomatoes until soft. Season to taste. I used a veggie peeler to cut up the carrots it was faster that dicing them all up!  Add the liquid cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the couscous and cook until tender.  Add the shrimp at the end, cook until done.  Taste, add more seasoning if needed.

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