Inspiration can come from the strangest places. Sometimes I’m inspired from a fabulous meal we eat out at a restaurant. Other times it’s from something I’ve seen on TV or another blog. Still others, it comes from a cooking failure…
The first half of this weekend started with a big cooking fail. I decided to make slow cooker apple butter on Saturday and started it on low while we headed out to run. By Saturday evening, it was almost done and my samples were delicious! I turned it up to high for a final few minutes, while Kirk and I sat down to relax.
Sunday morning I jumped out of bed….oh crap!…I never finished the apple butter!! I opened the bedroom door and immediately smelled burning apples. There was a pot of black burned mess in the bottom of my still active slow cooker. After both Kirk and I tried (and failed) to scrub it all out, he noticed a big crack down the side of the pot. Not only did I burn up the apple butter, I broke the pot!
Suffice it to say, not every cooking adventure goes well in our house. But don’t worry, I have a new slow cooker (with a timer!) on the way. And I already bought more apples. I will have apple butter this week!
With apples on the brain, it was time to redeem myself with an Israeli Couscous recipe that featured apple flavors. I wanted something light, but that still felt warm and alive with Autumn flavors. The light sauce lets all the flavors really shine through, which is what I was aiming for this evening.
- 1 cup Israeli Couscous
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 1/2 tablespoon walnut oil, divided
- 1 apple, diced, preferably a sweet variety
- 1/2 cup apple cider, divided
- 1 tablespoon non-dairy cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon sage, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- Boil water in small saucepan. Add Israeli Couscous and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. If water is not completely absorbed, drain, and add 1 tablespoon walnut oil. Stir to coat and set aside.
- In small saucepan, add apple and 1/4 cup of apple cider. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until apples reach desired softness.
- Meanwhile combine non-dairy cream cheese, 1/4 cup apple cider, and 1/2 tablespoon of walnut oil to blender and mix until creamy.
- **Note: If you want a creamier result, you can increase this mixture up to 4 times the prescribed amount.
- When apples are done, stir in couscous, walnuts, and sauce. Serve warm, garnishing with additional sage and walnuts, if desired.
And if you’re not a fan of cooked apples (Laura), feel free to reduce the cooking time and enjoy a crispier version!
I can’t wait to see what recipes you created today! Make sure you check out at least a few of these recipes:
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Questions for you:
- Do you like baked apples?
- What was your last kitchen disaster?
