Couscous, Stuffed Zucchini, & Chicken with Walnut Sauce

This happens to me all the time. I am in one season (fall) and I am thinking about another season (summer). As we get closer to the white stuff coming down I get desperate. However, my husband loves filling meals full of tastes and flavors. I love the simple dishes in the summer. So I compromised. I went on a vacation in my head. Morroco....Greece....Syria. Warm breezes and excellent cuisine.


This weekend was a cleaning frenzy. I can't stand a grubby house especially with the holidays coming up. I clean when things really bother me. Something has been on my mind. We got a call the other day that James is going back into the hospital. If you don't know by now James is my stepson. He was born with heart and lung defects and has had over 14 surgeries. James is considered terminally ill. There is too much scar tissue around his heart to do a transplant. He currently breathes on 1/4 of a lung. As you can imagine with the flu season we feel like we are treading on eggshells. Last week James got sick with a fever and lung congestion. While his fever may be gone his congestion is not. Think about how you feel when your lungs are filled with fluid...his is much worse because the rest of the 3/4 of his lungs are hardened up. It takes him a long time to get better. There is so much more to this but suffice it to say we are worried more than usual. They think there might be complications. James is only 14. I really would love to have James here for Thanksgiving....but I will take him feeling better. If some of you could pray for him I would appreciate it. James would appreciate it.

I really don't mean to be depressing..but it's hard to pretend something isn't on my mind.

Much love to you all, Christine Mack



















Maman and Gourmand's Mediterranean Couscous

4 tbs of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 pkgs of Couscous
4 cups of chicken stock
2 red onions
1 zucchini thinly sliced
2 cups of english peas
1 can of gorbonzo beans, drained
2 garlic cloves minced
1 carrot thinly sliced
1 cup of golden raisins
1 1/2 tsps of salt
2 tsps of cayenne
2 tsps of tumeric
1 tsp of cumin

Cook couscous as directed only use chicken stock (it tastes so much better that way). In a separate skillet gently saute the rest of the ingredients. When zucchini is flexible and slightly translucent pour the vegetables in the couscous and mix until incorporated.

Maman and Gourmand's Stuffed Zucchini

6 large zucchinis
1 cup of finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp of saffron crumbled (unfortunately I couldn't find any...but its lovely in this)
2 tbs of butter
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup sliced almonds
1 1/2 tsps lemon juice
1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1 tbs of fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash zucchini's and then cut them in half. Scoop out seeds but save them. Put seeds and rest of the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Put the zucchini boats in a glass pan. Drizzle with olive oil and fresh black pepper. Stuff the zucchinis with almond mixture. Heat for 10 to 15 minutes.




Maman and Gourmand's Chicken with Walnut Sauce

6 boneless chicken breasts
12 oz of chicken broth
1 red onion chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 black pepper
1/4 nutmeg
2 tbs flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 toasted walnuts.

Saute chicken in skillet with chicken all ingredients except flour, cream, and walnuts. When chicken is done. Drain on paper towels. Reserve the liquid remaining. Heat skillet once again and add remaining ingredients....stir till thickened. Pour over chicken.