Raisin Apricot And Couscous Stuffing Food

COUSCOUS-STUFFED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prick the eggplants a few times with a fork. Put them on a baking sheet, and bake until soft, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Scoop the flesh into a bowl carefully to avoid tearing the skins. Set the shells aside.
• Put the remaining ingredients in the bowl with the eggplant and stir to combine. Taste, and adjust seasoning if needed. Spoon the mixture into the eggplant shells, mounding it over the top. Either serve the stuffed eggplants whole or cut them in half crosswise. Place on a platter and serve.

COUSCOUS WITH RAISINS

Steps:

• Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover with lukewarm water. Soak for about 20 minutes. Drain.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and add the onion. Cook and stir until wilted but not brown. Add the boiling water, raisins, lemon juice and cumin. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and add the couscous. Add salt. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the couscous with a fork.

COUSCOUS WITH DRIED APRICOTS, CURRANTS, AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• In each of two 3-quart saucepans bring half of water, oil, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and apricots to a boil. Stir 1 box couscous into each pan and let stand, covered, off heat 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and transfer to 2 shallow baking pans to cool as quickly as possible. Cool couscous completely and with your fingers break up any large lumps. Couscous may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring couscous to room temperature before proceeding.
• Fluff couscous with fork again and stir in currants, pistachios, mint, and salt and pepper to taste.

OATMEAL POULTRY STUFFING

Steps:

• Dice onion to 1/4 inch pieces.
• Dice garlic to very small pieces.
• Dry mix oatmeal, salt, pepper, sage, onion, and garlic.
• Knead in the vegetable shortening, then knead in half of the butter. If consistency is not sticking together to form a clump when kneading, then continue to add butter in 1 tbs. increments. Increase amount of butter if necessary.
• Fluff mixture so it isn't hard-packed, and then stuff bird with mixture.
• On edit: I generally cook turkey slower and longer than most and add water to the pan for gravy use. I baste it several times throughout and shoot the water with a squeeze bulb type baster directly into the bird's cavity to keep the dressing moist.