Closing thoughts on cooking, couscous and a culinary cruise

For many Americans, life is go, go, go. With never-ending to-do lists and hectic schedules, cooking a delicious and nutritious meal can seem like an overwhelming task—but it’s really easy if you know what you’re doing! It’s all about finding some go-to recipes, using all of the short cuts you’ve learned and getting comfortable in the kitchen.

When making my Louisiana Chicken with Creole Couscous, here are a few tips that’ll help you get this dish to your table in minutes:

• Use precooked chicken. It tastes great, and can speed up the preparation of any meal.
• Chop your vegetables into a smaller dice. This gives the veggies more surface area, which allows them to cook faster.
• Make sure to slice your celery thinly and chop into a fine dice to ensure that it cooks completely in a short amount of time.
• Use a tablespoon to scrape the seeds from your hot pepper—or leave the seeds in if you like your food to have a spicy kick.

Well friends, this is the end of my culinary journey with you around the world. I hope you’ve enjoyed my quick, tasty recipes featuring Near East couscous as much as I have. Over the last few months, I’ve seen some great recipe suggestions from all of you on our Near East Dish Facebook page—and I hope you to continue to share your ideas and keep experimenting with couscous!

Happy cooking,

Chef Bowen

P.S. Be sure to enter the Near East sweepstakes and answer our remaining weekly trivia questions to earn bonus entries through August 31 for a chance to win our grand prize, a Mediterranean Culinary Adventure Cruise! The winner will be announced in September.

Cooking in the melting pot

Back to the USA! We’re on the home stretch of our journey … and don’t think for a minute that because we’ll be cooking familiar foods that they won’t be interesting, delicious and packed with flavor!

Similar to my native country, Canada, what gets me excited about cuisine in America is that there isn’t just one true cuisine. Food in America is heavily influenced by the melting pot of people who live there—and where in the country they live! Think of the spicy flavors of the Southwest, the tasty gumbos of Louisiana, the sweet potato pies of the south and the creamy chowders of the Northeast—just to name a few. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine certainly is!

Growing up, my family and I would eat meals made from scratch with vegetables and herbs picked from our own garden—and this has shaped many of my own philosophies about food. I’m happy to see that many Americans are starting to see the value of eating fresh, local foods. They’re stepping out of their comfort zones to try something different—while still staying true to their own favorites and traditional family recipes.

So, where does couscous fit in? I’ve got a few ideas for you. Use couscous as a side dish—or, as a way to unite the flavors of your main dishes. Use it in place of another starch, such as rice or other pastas. The fact is, couscous’ quick cook time and flexibility make it easy to incorporate into your go-to American (or Canadian!) recipes. And, it’ll add variety to your diet and help introduce bold new flavors.

For my American dish, Louisiana Chicken with Creole Couscous, I was inspired by authentic Southern cooking. The combination of spicy Creole seasoning (you can find low-sodium versions in many local grocery stores) with the flavors in Near East Herbed Chicken Couscous is absolutely mouth-watering! Real home cooking in a hurry. Nothing wrong with that!

In my next post, I’ll show you how to get a sensational regional American dish on the table in no time. And, while this is the last stop on our world cuisine tour, I hope during the last few months you’ve been inspired to continue on your own culinary journey and create unique and creative recipes that incorporate worldly ingredients and the authentic flavors of 100% natural Near East Couscous!

Happy cooking,

Chef Bowen