Savory shrimp and couscous with cucumber-dill salad

1 c. baby shrimp
4 c. chicken broth
1 tbsp. butter
1 package couscous-orzo-garbanzo blend (such as Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend)
2 cucumbers
1/2 c. plain yogurt
2 tsp. dill
1 tsp. salt

Cook shrimp in chicken broth. Transfer to pan and sauté in butter. Cook couscous blend in chicken broth. Add shrimp to couscous. Practice acting as though you selected and blended the grains yourself instead of opening a pre-mixed package.

Peel cucumbers. Cut in long quarters and slice. Add yogurt, dill, and salt.

Striped chicken vegetable pot pie

2 or 3 chicken breasts chopped
2 tbsp butter or margarine
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 small carton heavy cream (1 cup)
1/8 tsp thyme
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 small bag frozen peas and carrots
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 rolled pie crust

To prepare roux, melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, pepper and thyme. Cook over low heat stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in chicken broth and cream. Heat to boiling stirring constantly. Stir in chicken and vegetables.

Pour into casserole dish. Place thin strips of pastry across top. Cook at 400° in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Be sure to eat a healthy portion to build up strength for the archaeologist-comrade dance party.

Philippine chicken adobo

4 lbs. chicken thighs
1 1/2 c. rice vinegar
1 1/2 c. coconut milk
1/8 c. soy sauce
8 peeled garlic cloves
3 hot chilies
2 tbsp. honey
bay leaves and black pepper to taste
green asparagus
white basmati rice

Combine all marinade ingredients. Add chicken thighs and coat. Refrigerate overnight.

Place chicken and marinade in pot and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through.

Heat broiler. Transfer chicken pieces to large bowl, raise heat to medium-high, and reduce sauce until it is the consistency of cream, about ten minutes. But even if the sauce separates, it is still delicious! Remove bay leaves and chilies.

Place chicken pieces on a roasting pan under broiler until sauce begins to caramelize. Remove, turn chicken, baste with sauce, and repeat.

Prepare the basmati rice. Cook asparagus in salted water with 2 tbsp. butter and 1 tsp. sugar. While eating, be sure to guard every bite on your plate so an archaeologist doesn’t steal the most delicious piece.