Couscous Pilaf

Warning: The following statement makes me sound really old.

How do the days go by so fast?

I remember when I was younger (read: middle school and high school) and I wanted to be older so bad. I had a lot of older friends and I wanted to be doing what they were doing: driving, visiting colleges, going to college, etc.

But now that I am older (kids I used to babysit in high school as infants and toddlers are now graduating going off at college), there are some days I want to just push the pause button on my life (please tell me that exists and is not just a figment of my sleep deprived imagination).

I just feel that more days than not, when I finally sit down at the end of the day, the thought that runs through my mind is “Where did the day go?”

(Ok I feel like I am rambling a bit. So here’s the point.)

I feel like for every person walking on the face of this earth, their lives are busy. Busy working, raising kids, cleaning, driving ridiculous commutes to work, and every now and then just trying to relax!

And for most, when it comes down to gettin’ dinner on the table, that can be a struggle on more days than not!

Even for me!

I may be in the kitchen most days cooking, recipe developing, and cleaning my messes, but when five o’clock rolls around there are days when I am tired or just brain fried and want something quick for dinner so that I can get to important things, like watching Jax light up my TV screen on the season premiere of Sons of Anarchy tonight (EEEEkkkkk!!!!! Who else is uber excited about this?!?!)

Couscous is one of my kitchen time saving secrets! Instant couscous, a member of the pasta family, cooks up in mere minutes and is a quick substitute for recipes calling for rice or pasta.

Below is a simple and quick Couscous Pilaf that makes for the perfect side dish on busy nights. Pair it with some quick cooking fish, grilled steak or chicken and you can have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes!

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Couscous Pilaf

by Heather of Kitchen Concoctions: www.kitchen-concoctions.com
Printable Version

Prep Time: 5 Cook Time: 5 minutes Wait Time: 5 minutes Serves: 4

1 ½ tablespoons butter

½ small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup instant couscous

½ teaspoon cumin

1 ¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth

½ teaspoon salt and black pepper

Melt butter in a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until soften. Add in garlic and couscous and cook for 1 minute more or until slightly golden.

Stir in cumin, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Turn off heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with fork right before serving.