A Good Dinner

 As promised I have a good dinner idea for you, and it really does take only a few minutes to throw together.
I haven't had any couscous in the house for months, and it was actually Lil Rascal who reminded me to buy some.  She's always loved couscous, she used to like it when she was little with grated cheese on top, very simple.
I wanted to create something super fresh and Mediterranean in feeling, so I bought some fresh herbs at the market (basil, parsley and oregano) and chopped them finely along with some colourful little cherry tomatoes.  I placed them in a bowl with some salt and left them to mingle with each other for about an hour.
Then it was on to the couscous, and this particular whole wheat version required measuring, then pouring boiling water over before putting a lid on it for a couple of minutes.  Done!

I layered the couscous on the bottom with the herb-tomato mixture on top, followed by a healthy drizzle of, once again, cashew cream,

I served this with a smoked salmon fillet from the market, it would be a little lacking in protein all by itself, but it does make a perfect main dish with a protein side dish.

Well, it's a Tuesday in February and there's nothing for it, I have to settle down to some paperwork today, it's time to start working on Year End.  I'm also getting a couple of care packages together today, mostly of food and vitamins, one to send to my Ole Rascal and the other to a friend.  Foreveruary is a good time for a treat!
Hope your day is a lovely one,
xoxDani

Month End

 How good is this olive oil bottle decorated for Christmas?  I definitely still cherish this Nigella cookbook year after year, if for nothing else than the relentlessly cheery cover.

It's month end today, that went by fast! I have to work today at my administrative job in my home office.  One of the problems with working at home is that it is so easy to procrastinate on tasks, there are always a million other things I could be doing, and want to be doing more than filing, paying taxes, doing reports and deciphering spreadsheets.
Month end tasks, however, cannot be avoided.  The little matter of deadlines and whatnot.

I found this really cute picnic basket at that big Michael's craft store place and it is just the thing for transporting a dinner to a friend:

 I added a big lasagna, ready to pop in the oven.  There are some little baguettes tucked at the bottom of the basket, a jar of lemon-shallot vinaigrette, some greens and a jar of chocolate raisin treats.  And wine of course!

The sauce I made for the lasagna ended up being the base for our dinner last night too.

Saute shallots, dried basil, thyme and marjoram with zucchini.

Chop up a good fistful of spinach.

Add the spinach to wilt slightly.

Add two big cans of chopped diced tomatoes.
I buy the organic ones at Costco.

Add an entire can of tomato paste.
Well, they are small cans.

 The secret ingredient is to add a big glass of red wine to the sauce before simmering away.  Then season with salt and pepper according to taste.

My friend M was drinking this wine the other evening.
She pointed out that it spells Pissed R U?

 For our own dinner I added a can of cannellini beans, rinsed well.

We had sort of a late dinner last evening, 7:30, but now that I think of it that seems typical for us these days.  What time do you have dinner?
I boiled up some fusilli pasta and we had that with this sauce, delicious.  So easy too.
Have a lovely day and if you're doing administrative month end I am with you in spirit!
xoxDani