Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Couscous

I made this for dinner tonight and it was wonderful. it was extremely simple and didn't have any bizarre ingredients (it calls for sun dried tomato vinaigrette but they give you the recipe for that too.) from start to the time i was eating was probably about 30 min, but that's partially because it was a new recipe and i was trying to calculate different measurements from cups to liters because my only measuring cup is a half liter. i ended up eyeballing most of it anyway.

i also used water instead of chicken broth. i used all the vinaigrette i made but like i said i was eyeballing it so i'm not sure just how much that was. if you want a fast easy dinner, this is a grand one. click on the link or i copied the directions to this post.

Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Couscous

Simple and quick couscous is flavored with sun-dried tomatoes, green onions, and basil. Using 5-minute couscous makes this fast and easy. This dish may be served hot or at room temperature. Use store-bought vinaigrette or make your own.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon dried garlic powder
• 1 package (10 ounces) 5-minute plain couscous
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (preferably oil-packed), drained and diced
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions (scallions), tops included
• 2 Tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomato vinaigrette (store-bought or homemade - recipe link below)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat chicken broth to boiling and stir in garlic powder.

Place couscous in a large heat-proof bowl. Stir in garlic chicken broth, cover, and let steam for 5 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork and gently stir in sun-dried tomatoes, green onions,basil, and sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Fluff again with a fork and serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Recipe

Vinaigrettes are simple to make. This salad dressing gets pizzazz from balsamic and red wine vinegarsalong with sun-dried tomatoes.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 sun-dried tomato halves
• 1-1/2 Tablespooons balsamic vinegar
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon fresh basil leaves, minced

Preparation:

In a saucepan simmer the sun-dried tomatoes in 2 inches of water for 3 minutes, or until they are tender, drain them, and mince them.

In a bowl wisk together the tomatoes, the vinegars, and the garlic paste. Add the olive oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the vinaigrette until it is emulsified. Stir in the basil.

Yield: about 2/3 cup