Stuffed Eggplant, Peppers, Potatoes, Zucchini and more

Fall is such a beautiful season, with all of the vivid colors, snuggly sweaters and the smell of delicious foods.

The view from my window is just gorgeous on the first day of November and it reminds me of stuffed veggies.  There are so many choices to choose from such as potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, eggplant, and peppers.

For zucchini, squash and eggplant, choose something thin as shown below.  Cut the top off, but save the pieces for later use.

For potatoes, peel and cut one end off of the potato, saving the piece.
For peppers and tomatoes, cut the top open and scoop out the seeds.  Again, save the end piece.

Next, use a vegetable corer to scoop out the insides of the potato, zucchini, squash or eggplant.

In a dish, mix rice, salt, pepper, 7 spice, and a very small amount of olive oil.  After mixing well, add ground beef and mix well.   

Stuff the vegetables a little more than half full with the mix.  Do not fill all the way so the rice has room to expand.

Stand the vegetables upright in a large pot and add about 3 cups of water.  Then add tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce until the vegetables are covered and simmer until done.

This dish is filling, healthy and delicious.  Enjoy!

If you try it, leave me a comment to let me know what you thought.

Maftoul

Maftoul

Maftoul is one of my favorite dishes that Um Suleiman graciously taught me.  Hearty and tasty, Maftoul is similar to spaghetti.  And who doesn't enjoy a nice dish of spaghetti?

Important to remember, Maftoul must be made with chicken.  

To begin, you are going to need the following ingredients (remember, fresh is best):

• chicken legs and thighs, skin removed and washed
• dry chickpeas (soaked overnight), or for those who are short on time, canned will work as well
• large onion, half cut into chunks and half finely diced
• oil for frying
• sliced carrots
• salt
• black pepper
• cinnamon
• 7 spice
• cumin
• 1 chicken broth cube
• small can of tomato sauce, or you can use fresh tomatoes and make your own
• large round or Israeli couscous
• LOVE!! Most important!

So you noticed the last ingredient, right?  Yes, that's right.  Any real cook knows that Love is the main ingredient in any dish you create.  

Mix well the diced onion with cumin, salt, pepper, cinnamon and 7 spice.  Next, blend this mixture with the dry couscous in a glass or metal dish and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the oil and fry the onion chunks, chickpeas, carrots, salt and pepper until onions start to turn yellow.  Then add the chicken and fry a few minutes longer.  

Now add water and the chicken broth cube to the chicken and boil using the dish of couscous as the lid.  Yes, this is part of the love.

When the chicken is almost done, add the tomato sauce and continue to boil. 

In another large pot or rice cooker, heat oil and fry the couscous mixture and for a few minutes.  Add the boiling soup from the chicken pot and cook the couscous just like rice, until the water is gone.  

Finally, spread the couscous in a casserole dish evenly.  

Remember, the eyes eat before the stomach so this is where you show love when you top the couscous with the carrots, chickpeas and onions from the chicken soup.  Arrange the chicken on top of the maftoul and enjoy with family or friends!