1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup butter
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked white rice
2 tsp chicken bouillon
2 tsp grated lemon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard
dash of Tabasco
2-3 stalks celery, sliced
2 Tbsp parsley

Cook onion and garlic in butter in 3 qt. saucepan until onion is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients, except parsley. Heat to boiling, stirring once or twice; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 14 minutes. Do not lift cover or stir while simmering. Remove from heat; stir in parsley with a fork and let steam for 5-10 minutes. Great with chicken or turkey!

1 (14 ½ oz) can chicken broth
1 (14 ½ oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. basil
½ tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
10 oz. quick-cooking couscous
1 (15 ½ oz) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (or your favorite bean)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 green onions, sliced
½ cup diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 celery rib, diced
1 clove garlic, minced

Bring broth, tomatoes, salt, red pepper, basil, and oregano to a boil in a large saucepan. Remove from heat; stir in couscous. Let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with fork, and stir in remaining ingredients. Serve warm or slightly chilled.

(from America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook)

2 lbs. (3 medium) sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch of pepper

Combine sweet potatoes, butter, cream, sugar, salt and pepper in large saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork, about 40 minutes. (At high altitude, I had to add a bit more cream.) Remove pan from heat and mash with potato masher until smooth.

The potatoes I used weren’t very sweet, so I tweaked this recipe a bit and added a bit of sweetness with a teaspoon or two of maple syrup. They were creamy and delicious. I served them as a side dish to pan grilled pork chops with glazed onions and apple slices. Mmmm.

6 large potatoes, cubed and cooked until fork tender
1/4 cup milk
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place cooked potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Mash with potato masher until almost smooth. In separate bowl, mix milk, cream cheese, sour cream, parsley and garlic with electric mixer until smooth. Pour mixture over potatoes and mix until blended and as smooth as desired.

Spoon mixture into a lightly greased casserole dish. Cover and bake at 325° for 30-40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.