Help! Has anyone tried these recipes?

[Maggie]

I'm having a cook out in a couple of weeks and rather than potato salad and/or cole slaw I wanted to do something a little different. I was thinking of making either the Antipasto Bowl or the Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil Couscous Salad. They are both Cooking Light recipes and I was hoping that someone out there had tried them.

Or, if you haven't tried them, do you have a favorite recipe that would be appropriate for a Saturday evening cook out???

Thanks for any suggestions!

[Peggy]

Maggie,

I LOVE the Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil Couscous Salad. I've made this several times when tomatoes and basil are in season. It tastes like "summer"!! Excellent Salad!

I haven't tried the Antipasto Bowl but I seem to remember some favorable reviews on the bulletin board. Try doing a search if no one responds.

Peggy

[mightyh]

The antipasto bowl is great--tons of veggies and a great dressing. My husband especially loved the pepperocini peppers http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif I used kalamata olives and probably more than were called for cause we love olives. I definitely recommend this.

Haven't made the couscous salad, but it sounds good, too.

[SusanJoy]

We had the antipasto bowl for one of our CL supper club dinners - it was easy to make and very good. Good for you for trying something different from the usual!!!!!

Susan

[mb]

another vote for the antipasto bowl - very tasty! i brought it to an office party and it was the only dish with no leftovers! i haven't tried the couscous dish, but i'm sure it is also very good. for a cookout, i think i would prefer the antipasto salad. plus, i've found that there's a lot of people who don't really like couscous.

[Wendy w]

Having been at the same supper club dinner as SusanJoy, I totally agree with her.

[dearamy]

The tomato/basil/mozzerella/couscous is a favorite of mine. I highly recommend it if you can find riper, flavorful tomatoes.

[kwormann]

Could you post the recipe for the couscous salad? It sounds great!

TIA

Kim

[catharine]

The antipasto bowl sounds perfect for my cookout next week. Would someone please, please post the recipe. I searched and found lots of great reviews, but no recipe. Thanks a million!

[valchemist]

the recipe is on the cooking light website. On the homepage, there is a link to recipes mentioned in reader letters. click on the link. it is at the top of the list.

[ashley]

Asparagus w/Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrettefrom 4/99
Grilled Corn Salad w/Tomato and Basilfrom 7/96

I make both of these recipes all the time during the spring and summer when the asparagus and corn are in season - they're both fabulous!

[Maggie]

Yay! The board is working again!


Thank you all so much for the reviews and suggestions! I was really curious, so I tried both recipes this weekend and decided to make the Antipasto Bowl for the cookout. I loved the couscous salad, but I'm afraid it might not appeal to others as much as it did to me.

I posted both below. After all these good reviews, I thought someone might want to try them.


CookWare™ for Cooking Light®

Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil Couscous Salad

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: 2000 ISSUE: June PAGE: 124

INGREDIENTS FOR 5 SERVINGS:
2 cups diced tomato
3/4 cup (3 ounces) diced fresh mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
1-1/4 cups water
1 cup uncooked couscous
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Basil leaves (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Part-skim mozzarella cheese can be substituted.

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; cover and marinate in
refrigerator 30 minutes.

2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in
couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with
a fork; cool. Add couscous and fresh basil to tomato mixture; toss
gently. Garnish with basil leaves, if desired. Yield: 5 servings
(serving size: 1 cup).

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 186 (29% from fat); FAT 6g (sat 2.5g, mono 2.5g, poly 0.4g);
PROTEIN 7.9g; CARB 26.5g; FIBER 2.1g; CHOL 13mg; IRON 1.1mg; SODIUM
308mg; CALC 99mg

Recipe Copyright © Cooking Light Magazine


CookWare™ for Cooking Light®

Antipasto Bowl

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: 2000 ISSUE: December PAGE: 100

INGREDIENTS FOR 20 SERVINGS:
3 cups (2-inch) sliced asparagus (about 3/4 pound)
3 cups quartered mushrooms (about 3/4 pound)
1 cup red bell pepper strips
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives
3 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, cubed (about 2/3 cup)
1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 (11.5-ounce) jar pickled pepperoncini peppers, drained
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced

INSTRUCTIONS:
This assortment of vegetables and cheese takes less than 30 minutes
to prepare, but if you want to get as much as possible done in
advance, make the vinaigrette a few days early. You can store this
appetizer in the refrigerator for up to eight hours, but don't go
longer than that, or it will affect the texture and flavor of the
ingredients.

1. Steam asparagus, covered, for 2 minutes. Drain and plunge into ice
water; drain well. Combine the asparagus, mushrooms, and the next 5
ingredients (mushrooms through pepperoncini peppers) in a large bowl.

2. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir
well with a whisk. Pour vinaigrette over the vegetable mixture,
tossing gently to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours;
stir occasionally. Yield: 20 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup).

Note: Can be served chilled or at room temperature.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 49 (50% from fat); FAT 2.7g (sat 0.7g, mono 1.5g, poly
0.3g); PROTEIN 2.5g; CARB 5g; FIBER 1.2g; CHOL 2mg; IRON 1.2mg;
SODIUM 263mg; CALC 50mg

Recipe Copyright © Cooking Light Magazine