Dinner was never so easy and elegant. You could cut down on the heat in the kitchen and grill the vegetables on the BBQ.

Roasted Vegetables With Couscous

Ingredients:

3 medium zucchini
4 small eggplants
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 medium onion
1 bulb garlic,separated into cloves, peeled
2 Tbs olive oil
10 oz (250g) packet couscous

Spicy Dressing Ingredients:

2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chili flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbs white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400℉ (200C). Grease a baking sheet lightly with oil.

2. Cut the zucchini and eggplants lengthwise. Cut the peppers into quarters. Cut the onion into wedges.

3. Place vegetables and garlic in a single layer onto the baking sheet and brush with oil. Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Prepare couscous according to package directions.

5. Make Spicy Dressing by heating the spices in a skillet over low heat for 1 minute. Combine the spices with the remaining ingredients in a screw top jar and shake well.

6. Spread couscous on serving plate and top with vegetables and dressing.

Serves 4

Recipe from Easy Menu Planner Cookbook

Apple And Arugula Salad With Camembert Toast

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbs plus 1 tsp balsamic vinetar
3/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
8 slices hearty bread
4 oz Camembert, sliced thin
1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
1/2 pound of baby arugula

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉ (180C). Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with oil.

2. Combine sugar and 1 Tbs vinegar in a medium glass bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute or until mixture is bubbling. Add walnuts, toss to coat, and spread out onto prepared baking sheet. Bake until walnuts are deep golden brown, about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Set aside.

3. Whisk together remaining vinegar, oil, and shallot.

4. Heat broiler. Lay bread slices on a baking sheet and broil until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes each side. Top bread slices with cheese and broil until cheese is warm and starts to bubble, about 2 minutes.

5. Toss apple slices and arugula with dressing in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Top with walnuts and serve with cheese toasts.

Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen

One of my favorite bands, one of my favorite new albums out this year. The Mountain Goats. Pure brilliance. Lyrically amazing. I love singer John Darnielle’s unique voice.
The Mountain Goats-Damn These Vampires

Speaking of amazing lyrics, check these out. Feel the venom. This is my favorite Mountain Goats’ song.

“I hope that our few remaining friends
Give up on trying to save us
I hope we come out with a fail-safe plot
To piss off the dumb few that forgave us

I hope the fences we mended
Fall down beneath their own weight
And I hope we hang on past the last exit
I hope it’s already too late

And I hope the junkyard a few blocks from here
Someday burns down
And I hope the rising black smoke carries me far away
And I never come back to this town again in my life

I hope I lie
And tell everyone you were a good wife
And I hope you die
I hope we both die

I hope I cut myself shaving tomorrow
I hope it bleeds all day long
Our friends say it’s darkest before the sun rises
We’re pretty sure they’re all wrong

I hope it stays dark forever
I hope the worst isn’t over
And I hope you blink before I do
And I hope I never get sober

And I hope when you think of me years down the line
You can’t find one good thing to say
And I’d hope that if I found the strength to walk out
You’d stay the hell out of my way

I am drowning
There is no sign of land
You are coming down with me
Hand in unlovable hand

And I hope you die
I hope we both die”

And on that positive note, Cheers!

Oh, and don’t forget to visit The Mountain Goats website and buy their music.