Here's my recipe which is pretty well a standard soup recipe and nothing original other than that I like to roast the bones, the garlic and onion when making the stock. Here packaged in twos in the supermarket, after they've removed most of the meat for their trays of wings, breasts etc. But there's still enough meat on the bones for a great and flavourful soup. Soup Ingredients: Homemade chicken stock - about 2 quarts 2 carrots - diced 2 stalks celery - diced 1 leek - diced 1 cup diced rutabaga or orange squash 1/2 cup fine soup noodles salt & pepper oil or chicken fat Ratio of solids to stock should be about 2 cups stock to 1 lb chopped vegetables. Add any more chopped veg if you don't have enough. Stock ingredients: 1 meaty chicken carcass or piece of whole chicken 2 heads of garlic 1 onion - cut in half celery stick - sliced 1 carrot sliced fresh thyme - large sprig 1 bayleaf black pepper & salt MAKING STOCK: 1. Early in day or day before: Preheat oven to 350F. Cut top off heads of garlic. Place on roasting pan together with chicken carcass and sliced onion and drizzle a bit of oil over top of all. (I had two carcasss to roast as they are sold this way in pairs at our supermarket. I also added a couple of beef bones.) Roast in oven about 40 minutes or until all is toasted. and juices from pan. 2. Put bones into a very large pot. Squeeze one head of the buttery garlic cloves into the stock pot, saving the other head of garlic for adding to the soup. Add the rest of the stock ingredients and fill pot with water to cover. Grind in fresh pepper. Bring to boil, turn down heat, put on lid and simmer for a couple of hours. Skim off any grey residue that rises to the top. 3. Afterwards, strain the solid debris from the stock ---(REMEMBER you're saving the stock so don't pour it down the sink - as has been done LOL !). I look through the solids and pick out the meaty chicken pieces to save for the soup. Throw away all the rest of the solid material. Here I let it cool and refrigerate until next day when it's easy to remove solid fat from top. Otherwise continue to make soup. MAKING THE SOUP: 1. Sauté the chopped ingredients in a frypan in a TBS of chicken fat or oil until lightly golden. Squeeze out the buttery cloves from the 2nd head of garlic and add to pan. 2. Put soup ingredients including small bits of chicken into large saucepan and add an appropriate amount of stock - about double the amount of liquid to vegetables. Put on lid and simmer with lid on for about an hour. Add soup noodles during last 5 minutes. 3. Check seasoning, add salt. Also good for the end of the Christmas turkey. SharonCb

THough time consuming, these are always a fun addition to a tea party..... DECORATED SUGAR CUBES 1 egg white 1/ 8 tsp cream of tartar 1/ 4 tsp. almond extract 1 and 3/ 4 cups confectioners sugar food coloring Combine egg white, cream of tartar and extract. Blend sugar into mixture. Beat until icing hold stiff peaks. Divide and tint with coloring. Cover until used. Makes 1 cup. TO MAKE FLOWERS OR FRUIT ON SUGAR CUBES: With decorating tubes: Squeeze icing through small tips Without tubes: Double heavy waxed paper; roll into cone. Cut tip for small opening; squeeze icing through opening ********************************************************** Petit Fours Now to bake the cake, no special cake pans are required; a 9 inch round or square pan will work just fine. When the cake has completely cooled, cut it in half horizontally. A serrated knife works well for this; gently saw your way through. Brush the liqueur over the cut sides, and then fill with a thin layer of jelly. Heat the jelly until warm; this will make it easier to spread. A creamy filling sprinkled with chopped nuts is also good. Try: Almond Filling Chocolate Meringue Frosting French Buttercream Lemon Jelly Filling Chocolate Fudge Buttercream Frosting Mint Buttercream with Dark Chocolate Glaze The simplest decorating technique for petits fours is to glaze the top of the whole cake, and then cut it into shapes. A white chocolate glaze or fondant frosting works well for this purpose. Both will dry to a smooth surface. Score the top into squares or diamonds, and decorate. Cut the cake only when ready to serve; since the sides are left uncovered, the little cakes can dry and become stale in a very short time. To cut, dip a serrated knife in hot water and then dry it. A hot knife will cut through the glaze more smoothly. Cookie cutters with simple shapes, such as rosettes or rounds, as well as petit four cutters can also be used to cut the cake. These should be used on the unglazed cake. Each cake is then decorated individually. It is important to completely cover the exposed surfaces with glaze or fondant to prevent drying. Quick Pour Fondant Icing Quick Pour Chocolate Fondant There are innumerable ways to decorate a petit four. One way is to simply pipe designs with melted chocolate or tinted decorator frosting. But don't limit yourself. Candied citrus zest, crystallized edible flowers and leaves, and fresh berries are all excellent decorations. You can also use miniature cookie cutters to shape marzipan or rolled fondant. Add these finishing touches before the glaze or fondant sets. Decorator Frosting Best White Icing Ever To get you started on your petits fours adventure, try some of these combinations of cakes, fillings, glazes, and decorations. Before you know it you'll be the host with the most. White cake, strawberry jam, poured fondant, and tinted marzipan animal cutouts for a children's tea.  Genoise, amaretto liqueur, almond filling and a sprinkling of chopped almonds, white chocolate glaze, finished with almond slices and piped melted chocolate for an elegant ladies and gentlemen's luncheon.  Pound cake, maraschino liqueur, cream filling, poured fondant, and small pastille candies for decoration to serve at the bridal or baby shower. There's a combination for every taste and occasion. So have some fun and plan an elegant gathering to show all your newfound tastes. ********************************************************* ANd here is a lengthy thread from a while ago on great tea sandwiches! Tea Sandwiches from the Cooking Forum Now that the weather has turned colder, I find myself hibernating on Saturday mornings instead of being out and about and inviting friends over for a little tea lunch. I don't like to bake that much so I can manage a dessert like lemon bars or shortbread but not the traditional scones and jam. I usually serve one or two soups from tureens, lots of varieties of tea sandwiches and of course, good tea. What are your favorite tea sandwiches? (I often use cookie cutters to cut them into fancy shapes.) My old standbys are 1)cucumber on white bread with chive mayonnaise and butter 2)wheat bread, olive cream cheese, white bread, egg salad, wheat bread 3)chicken salad on rounds of white bread with the edges of the bread spread with mayo and dipped into chopped toasted almonds 4)open face smoked salmon cream cheese with chopped capers and scallion tops on rye -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow-Up Postings: RE: LOOKING for: tea sandwiches Posted by: Ginger_St_Thomas (My Page) on Mon, Jan 24, 05 at 19:53 I like egg salad. Here are a couple more: LADIES DAY BLT'S 1 loaf light wheat bread 1 cup mayo 1 1/2 tsp sweet brown mustard 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice Pinch of sugar 1 TBL chopped fresh parsley 1/2 to 1/4 lb bacon, cooked & crumbled 1 pint Roma or cherry tomatoes, sliced Cut bread into rounds with 2 1/2" or 1 3/4: biscuit cutter. Lightly toast rounds on each side. Combine mayo & next 4 ingredients. Spread mixture on bread rounds. Top with crumbled bacon & tomato slices. Use a 1 3/4" biscuit cutter.~~ TEA PARTY SANDWICHES 11 oz cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup milk 1 TBL Worcestershire 12 oz bacon, cooked & crumbled 1 loaf sliced white bread, crusts removed 1 loaf wheat bread, crusts removed Piniento stuffed olives Beat the cream cheese, milk & Worcestershire in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the bacon. Spread on the white bread slices, top with the wheat bread slices. Cut each sandwich into 3 equal portions. Top each with an olive slice.~~ Can be made a day ahead; cover with a damp paper towel & refrigerate until serving time. Add 1/4 cup each minced green bell pepper & grated onion to the cheese mixture, if desired. (I like it this way best.) I also like chicken salad spooned into bite-sized cream puff shells. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: LOOKING for: tea sandwiches Posted by: Ginger_St_Thomas (My Page) on Mon, Jan 24, 05 at 19:54 Oops! That first recipe should say "1/2 to 3/4 lb bacon". -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: LOOKING for: tea sandwiches Posted by: Roselin32 (My Page) on Mon, Jan 24, 05 at 20:02 They all sound pretty good to me, Ruthanna-if we bring something, are we invited?? I do like to bake! RL` -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: LOOKING for: tea sandwiches Posted by: Teresa_nc7 (My Page) on Mon, Jan 24, 05 at 20:19 Of course, in the South we like homemade pimiento cheese on white, but here are some of my favorites: Curried Egg Salad 3 hard boiled eggs 1/2 cup mayo 1/2 t. curry powder Mix all. Will keep 3 days covered in fridge. I like it spread on thin wheat bread. Cheddar cheese and chutney on wheat Ham salad on finger rolls date nut bread with cream cheese Vidalia onion slices with herbed butter Pineapple Nut Tea Sandwiches 2 cups crushed pineapple, dreained 1 cup sugar 1 cup chopped nuts 1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese milk or mayo In saucepan combine pineapple and sugar. Bring to boil. Cook until thick, stirring constantly. Cool. Stir in nuts. Soften and mash cheese with enough milk or mayo to make a good spreading consistency. Combine with pineapple mixture. Spread on thin bread for sandwiches. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: LOOKING for: tea sandwiches Posted by: woodie2 (My Page) on Mon, Jan 24, 05 at 22:18 You know, I'm the only one who could actually make it to Ruthanna's in time for lunch (so far, anyway)! I don't really have many suggestions for tea sandwiches, but I do have this lovely recipe from Cindy Mac for Pimento Cheese, that Teresa made me remember. WORLD'S BEST PIMENTO CHEESE 4 tbls. mayonnaise 1 (3-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature 3 cloves garlic Handful of fresh parsley Several vigorous shots of Tabasco and Pickapepper sauces 1 cup pecans 1 (4-oz.) jar diced pimentos with the juice 12 ozs. extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated Purée until smooth in food processor the mayonnaise, cream cheese, garlic, parsley and sauces. Turn into a bowl. Coarsely chop pecans. Add pecans and pimentos with juice to the mayonnaise mixture. Add grated cheese. Stir well to combine. Store in refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving. The spread is even better the next day. Serve on bread, crackers or on vegetables. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: LOOKING for: tea sandwiches Posted by: craftyrn (My Page) on Mon, Jan 24, 05 at 22:20 Here's a couple I like: HAM AND APRICOT PRESERVE TEA SANDWICHES Makes 8 tea sandwiches 4 thin slices raisin-pumpernickel bread 2 tablespoons apricot preserves 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/4 pound Virginia ham, thinly sliced Spread one bread slice with half of the preserves. Spread another slice with half of the mustard. Fill with half of the ham slices and close. Repeat using the remaining bread, preserves, mustard and ham. Trim the crusts from the 2 sandwiches. Cut each into 4 finger sized sandwiches. ========================================= Creamy Date Nut Filling 5 pkg. cream cheese, softened (20 oz.) 1/2 tsp. salt 2 c. chopped walnuts 2 2/3 c. chopped dates Blend until creamy; then add nuts and dates. Makes enough filling for 100 tea sandwiches. Olive & Nut filling 32 oz. cream cheese 3/4 c. chopped olives with red centers 2 c. chopped toasted (in margarine) pecans 1/2 to 3/4 c. cream or milk Whip cream cheese; add milk until soft enough to spread. Fold in nuts and olives. Spread on thin sliced bread. Trim crust (use white, raisin or cinnamon bread). Cut into fingers or triangles. Chill; covered until ready to serve. These are also good as cornicopias--just spread filling on one slice a bread that you've trimmed crust from & rolled a little flat with rolling pin-then roll corner to corner for cornicopia shape. ==================================== RIBBON SANDWICHES This traditional tea sandwich features three ribbons of fillings for a special occasion. Preparation 1 hrs. Chilling 1 hrs. Ham Filling Ingredients: 1/2 cup finely chopped cooked ham 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard Egg Filling Ingredients: 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients: 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley, if desired* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives, if desired** Sandwiches Ingredients: 8 slices whole wheat bread 8 slices white bread LAND O LAKES® Butter , softened Thinly sliced cucumber Parsley sprigs Chives Celery leaves Instructions: Stir together all ham filling ingredients in small bowl; set aside. Stir together all egg filling ingredients in small bowl; set aside. Stir together all cream cheese filling ingredients in small bowl; set aside. Cut crusts from bread slices. Butter 1 side of each bread slice. Spread about 2 tablespoons ham filling on each of 4 slices whole wheat bread; top each with 1 slice white bread. Spread about 2 tablespoons egg filling on each of 4 slices whole wheat bread; top each with 1 slice white bread. Spread top of each sandwich with about 1 tablespoon cream cheese filling. Wrap with plastic food wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour. Slice each sandwich into thirds. Garnish with cucumber slices, parsley sprigs, chives or celery leaves. *Substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley leaves. **Substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried chives. Yield: 24 ribbon sandwiches ================================================================== Diane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: LOOKING for: tea sandwiches Posted by: Ann_T (My Page) on Mon, Jan 24, 05 at 23:42 Funny that this topic came up today. I just picked up a little cookbook called Tea, Recipes and Table Settings. Ruthanna, you might like some of these ideas from the Chapter titled - "The Tea Larder": Tea Trimmings A bit of milk, some sugar - one lump or two - these are the traditional partners for a cup of tea. But it's fun to experiment with a few variations on them. Crystallized ginger - sugar's sweetness with an added flavor Honey - Clovers fine, but try elderflower, wild flower or cream honey Lemon - slice it paper thin, or stud the rind with circles of cloves Mint - pick peppermint leaves or crush spearmint leaves and brew with the tea Preserves - stir a bit of strawberry or cherry preserves into the cup the way the Russians and Hungarians do Sugar - fill the bowl with cubes, brown sugars like madeira, French raw sugar cubes, pastel crystals, sugar that's been flavoured with a vanilla bean (insert one bean into two cups of sugar, seal tightly and allow to sit for a week before using) Fillings, Breads and Spreads Beyond the pleasures of traditional cress and cucumber, tea sandwiches may be filled with almost any filling that isn't so wet that it will soak throught the bread. Consider using cream puffs, biscuits, scones, puff pastry shells, tartlets, muffins, and crepes along with the traditional sandwich breads. The simplest chicken , ham, or cheese sandwich will be enlivened by one of these tasty spreads: Mayonnaise variations - To a cup of mayonnaise, homemade or store bought, add 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, or 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped chives, or two teaspoons of grated lemon rind or orange peel. Butters - To a stick of softened butter fold in until the mixture reaches a creamy consistency - 4 ripe hulled, and mashed strawberries, or 1 tablespoon freshly chopped tarragon, or mixed herbs, or 2 tablespoons honey with greated rind of one lemon. Cream cheeses - To an 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened, mix in: 1/4 cup chopped dates, or 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, or raisins, or 2 tablespoons chives, chopped, or 1/4 cup raspberry preserves, or 2 tablespoons diced scallions. Tea Sandwiches Make up a quantity of sandwiches, and if you not serving them right away, store them in the refrigerator for a few hours, either sealed in airthight plastic bags or with a slightly damp dish towel draped over them. Here are some interesting tea sandwiches to try in addition to those on page 11. Smoked turkey with raspberry mayonnaise on cracked wheat bread. Curried chicken with walnuts on white bread Shrimp with dill vinaigrette on oatmeal bread Tomato with basil on black bread with homemade mayonnaise Avocado with sprouts and walnuts on whole wheat bread Sliced hard boiled eggs with cracked pepper and bibb lettuc on wheat bread with herb mayonnaise Stilton Cheese crumbled over pear slices on oatmeal bread Sugar cured ham with think pineapple slices on dill bread Asparagus spears with lemon mayonnaise on wheat bread Cream cheese with walnuts on date nut raisin bread. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: LOOKING for: tea sandwiches Posted by: sheshebop (My Page) on Tue, Jan 25, 05 at 8:28 My favorite tea sandwich would be cucumbers on thin slices of a good bread like Pepperidge Farm (or homemade)with cream cheese, a little sea salt, and dill. I could eat these all day, and unfortunately as I age, burp them all night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: LOOKING for: tea sandwiches Posted by: Ruthanna (My Page) on Tue, Jan 25, 05 at 20:40 Now I'm really inspired! Theresa and Diane, I like fruit but never thought of using fruit flavors for tea sandwiches but I'm going to try them. Roz, I love guests who bring desserts. LOL I really like pimiento cheese but usually buy it from an Amish stand at our famers' market that makes their own. Ann, I'm such a tea fanatic that I have 2 cabinets filled with tea and various types of paraphernalia, including hand decorated sugar cubes. Woodie, if you were in this area, I'd rather take you food shopping. LOL Ginger, recognize anything in that cabinet? Here is a link that might be useful: tea cabinet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE: LOOKING for: tea sandwiches Posted by: seagrass (My Page) on Wed, Jan 26, 05 at 13:15 Ruthanna - now I'm craving old-fashioned pimento cheese. I'll have to go home to Ohio soon (I've run out of Amish egg noodles, too!!). A nice, easy sweet-tasting tea sandwich I've had is made using a can of brown bread (with or without raisins) sliced about 1/4 inch thick. Spread a slice generously with softened cream cheese and topped with another slice of brown bread. Cut into quarters and stack on a pretty plate.

One very very basic simple suggestion is to fill up a portion side container of frozen mixed veggies (you know the ones in the freezer cabinet with lima beans, corn, carrots, green beans.) Top off with a couple pats of butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. This used to be my goto lunch when I barely had a minute to fix something to take to lunch. Easy to get a bag of frozen veggies and bag of frozen parmesan in the freezer for days like this. Also, glad to have a chance to post this recipe for a Lentil Mediterranean salad. Almost wish I wasn't now retired as I would think fixing a bunch on the weekend would work with leftovers for lunches during the weekday. I've included a lot of the comments, some of which had ideas for substitutions that I thought I might want to try. I already LOVE lentils (and so does DH). Not sure if those who don't like lentils would find this good but then this might be a good way to find out if you still don't like Lentils even if it is a recipe that comes highly recommended. There were a whole lot more comments that were all positive - only some included here: from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Mediterranean-Couscous-and-Lentil-Salad-13106 Mediterranean Couscous and Lentil Salad Gourmet : September 1995 Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time. Yield: Serves 6 ingredients 1 cup lentilles du Puy* (French green lentils) or brown lentils 3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar 1 1/4 cups water 1 cup couscous 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 cup olive oil (preferably extra-virgin) 1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves 1 bunch arugula, stems discarded and leaves washed well, spun dry, and chopped 2 cups vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, halved 1/4 pound feta, crumbled (about 1 cup) *available at specialty foods shops and some supermarkets preparation In a small saucepan simmer lentils in water to cover by 2 inches until tender but not falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes, and drain well. Transfer hot lentils to a bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Cool lentils completely, stirring occasionally. In a saucepan bring water to a boil and add couscous and salt. Remove pan from heat and let couscous stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon oil and cool completely, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl whisk together garlic paste, remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir lentils and dressing into couscous. Chill salad, covered, at least 3 hours and up to 24. Just before serving, stir in remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper. reviews 11/29/09 jennaren from Alberta, Canada I usually use spinach and basil for this recipe, because my husband has a real aversion to mint. It's great with the variation, really clean flavours. However, last time I made it with mint and arugula exactly as written - even my husband loved it. The pungency of the arugula and the earthiness of the mint really bring the salad together. Great dish every time. 09/26/09 peeblesl from Austin, TX Oh man, how is this so delicious? Even my boyfriend had four helpings, and he hates lentils more than anyone I've ever met! I definitely recommend the French green lentils - they hold their shape so nicely and don't tend to go all mushy on you. Will me making this for lunch this week and maybe next week too. 09/25/09 A Cook from Toronto, ON This is my go to lunch now -- it's absolutely delicious, but after making this a few times, I recommend the following adjustments: 1. I agree with other reviewers: definitely double the dressing. 2. I use quinoa instead of couscous. Much healthier, and the texture works better in this. 2. Omit the cheese; replace the mint with cilantro (I'm not a huge fan of mint and I don't eat much dairy, but cilantro is lovely here). 3. Omit the arugula and tomatoes. Instead, I throw in chopped green onions, chopped cucumber and chopped red pepper. I think it's nicer than with the greens, and the big batch keeps in the fridge better (one batch will last me most of a week). Delish, delish delish. 08/23/09 momesty from San Francisco Bay Area Made this for a picnic at a winery. The combination of flavors was excellent and everyone enjoyed this salad. Used small red lentils because that was all there was at home, but would recommend using regular lentils next time. 08/15/09 lucindah This was excellent, a good combination of flavors. The more mint and arugula the better. And healthy too! 08/10/09 A Cook from Cleveland, Oh Made this for the first time and was very pleased. It's a wonderful dish for a summer evening. I used brown lentils and they took much less than 15- 20 minutes to cook, I checked them after 12 minutes and they were already too mushy. The texture and appearance of the salad is better if the lentils are not mashed. 07/06/09 A Cook from Washington, DC I have made this salad many times over the years - it has so many wonderful flavors and textures and is so healthy. I took a previous reviewer's suggestion of using Trader Joe's "Harvest Grains Mix" in place of the lentils and couscous and really liked that variation. 06/14/09 hungrypeanut Cannot go wrong with this recipe. Used ISRAELI COUSCOUS which made for a much more beautiful presentation with the lentils. 05/19/09 A Cook from Mountain View, CA I've made this salad several times, usually as a side dish to chicken kebobs and Greek yogurt sauce. One substitute I like to make is replacing the lentils and couscous with the "Harvest Grains Mix" sold by Trader Joe's. This nutty mix contains the larger Israeli couscous, quinoa, red and green orzo, and split-dried garbanzo beans - a great combination! 04/23/09 radariii from UK made the recipe exactly as stated except double the garlic and it was a big hit. I got a few suggestions to perhaps add a bit of lemon, some olives, and maybe some cucumber for a little more crunch 02/26/09 kgrim from New York This recipe is just fantastic. Great combination of flavors. I followed the suggestion of several other reviewers and doubled the dressing, which turned out to be just the right amount. This is a wonderful alternative to the traditional side salad and a great choice for a potluck. 02/22/09 avbrown I thought this was great. I made it exactly as written. The only change I will make next time is to leave out the feta all together. I love feta but it didn't enhance this dish in my opinion and would be better left out. I am not a vegetarian and actually served this with grilled steak (gasp, I know). Loved the arugula and mint. Nice and healthy. 02/11/09 A Cook from Charlotte NC Great dish! Alot of flavor and really nice combination of ingredients. I fluff the cous cous after it sits with my hands rubbed with olive oil. It seperates it nicely and keeps it seperated. I used about 4 med. cloves of garlic and it could have taken more but was fine with that amount. The arugula MAKES it and is a great vegan dish if you eliminate the feta and add more tomatoes and cucumbers. I might try olives next time as well. I also added slivered scallions and cilantro as I didn't have mint. I couldn't really taste the cilantro (surprisingly). Makes enough for 8-10 generous servings and them some...but the leftovers will rock tomorrow! Cant' wait! YUM! 01/05/09 marcellene from Beaufort, SC If you need a good vegetarian lunch option, this is an excellent choice. I made it ahead and then followed the other reviewer's advice about adding the tomatoes and arugula right before serving. I also added a little extra olive oil and vinegar before eating. 08/26/08 tttterri from Wauwatosa WI I really love this salad. I made it exactly as directed except I added seeded cucumber and deleted the cheese. Impressed with how well it keeps over several days. I'm taking it to work for lunch and the only thing I've done to accomodate the salad is to slice and add the cherry tomatoes each morning when I package it. I highly recommend this salad. I'm very glad I found this recipe and all the great reviews. 08/25/08 tree1456 from Alameda, CA Wonderful salad! I added a bit more olive oil as it seemed a bit dry when I was ready to serve - try to find fresh, peppery arugula - it really makes the dish! MAde this with lamb kebobs and everyone loved it. 07/22/08 A Cook from Long Island This salad was delicious! People have made some suggestions about adding more dressing or veggies, but I thought the original recipe worked just fine...I could be wrong, but it seems that the dressing was meant to just give flavor to the bland lentils and couscous, and I don't care for food swimming in dressing. Obviously an easy salad to adapt to your liking though. Great for a summer side with anything grilled. 06/17/08 mish_lc I really enjoyed this recipe but would make a few changes next time. As others said, I doubled the dressing which worked out perfectly. I would add cucumbers or more tomatoes as well as using only 3/4 cup couscous or substituting quinoa. Otherwise it was a delicious blend of flavors, healthy and easy to make. 04/29/08 A Cook from Westport, CT This salad is beautiful and delicious. I used the food processor to chop the arugula (I used half a bag of prepped arugula salad.) Couldn't find mint, so I used about six stems of basil leaves; also chopped that in the food processor. It resembles taboule; I will try it with mint next time. Loved the suggestion of using precooked lentils from Trader Joes. I also needed to double the dressing. 04/09/08 taniquaa from San Diego, CA I made this dish on Easter for 24 family members. I added cucumber and increased the tomatoes a bit for more color. This recipe got so many compliments at the table, from the picky kids to my 90-year-old grandmother. Everyone asked to take leftovers home and for the recipe. Healthy, light, and delicious! I absolutely recommend this recipe. 03/19/08 A Cook from San Francisco I used Israeli couscous, which mixed with the lentils, were tasty and satisfying. 03/14/08 chungclan from Cincinnati OH Really delicious, but more labor intensive than I expected, with cooking couscous and lentils separately, and a fair amount of chopping to do. Will definitely make again. 10/16/07 A Cook from NY My family and guests could not stop eating this...really delicious. Used frisee instead of arugula and it was very good. 09/17/07 A Cook from Ventura, CA This is really tasty - addictive. I followed the recipe exactly with the exception of using whole wheat couscous. Also delicious leftover. 07/31/07 erflores This was really good. I used quinoa instead of cous cous to add more protein and I also added cucumber to give it more of a crunch. It turned out well but I agree with the other reviews that it needed more dressing so I doubled the dressing myself. My husband loved it and more importantly I loved it too since I'm always looking for easy, healthy, filling meals. It's a keeper! 07/01/07 stravis2 from Tampa, FL My husband loved this so much, he asked me to make it again the next day. I obliged, but made some changes to the recipe based on the outcome as written. I used red, green, and brown lentils (no big difference). I doubled the Israeli couscous and the sauce (it seemed a little dry the first time, but nice and moist the second - big difference). I subbed spinach for arugula as someone else suggested. I used grape tomatoes and a French feta. The French feta I purchased at a Mediterranean market and boy, is it tasty! 03/21/07 hikergirl31 from longwood, FL. WOW! I spent two years in Israel and gained 15 pounds from the food. This dish brought me back to the delicious land. The fresh mint, and arugula really made it super fresh tasting. This dish says it serves 6 but i brought it to a party and it was enough for 20 with leftovers... Everyone loved it. 02/17/07 andynbron I've been making this since the recipe appeared in 1995. It is a great recipe, and it is so refreshing! I usually make this exactly as written, except I substitute spinach for the arugula. However, like others have suggested, you can substitute basil for mint (I prefer the mint and spinach combination). You can also substitute fresh mozzarella for the feta cheese--I used to do that because I didn't like feta, but now I love it so I only use feta cheese in the recipe. But the mozzarella adds a nice, very subtle flavor to the salad for those who would not eat feta cheese. This is definitely one of my favorite recipes, and anytime I make it people finish it quickly and always ask for the recipe! 02/04/07 A Cook from New York, NY This recipe is excellent. Get French lentils if you can; it makes a huge difference. I used a little less feta cheese than the recipe called for. Goes really well with herb roasted pork tenderloin. 01/21/07 A Cook from Los Angeles, CA This recipe is so delicious and easy to make!! If possible, use the French green lentils as brown lentils tend to fall apart. Green lentils keep their firmness and work better in this dish. I cooked the couscous in vegetable broth to give it more flavor and sometimes add diced and seeded persian cucumbers. This salad is great to take to parties or bring to work for lunch because it keeps for a couple days and the arugula doesn't get soggy. 08/29/06 missperkin from Scottsdale Superb. Great on a hot summer day since there is little cooking on the stove involved. The mint is a must, in my opinion. 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You can certainly pack lunches cheaper than the school. Besides, you keep control of what's actually in the food your children are eating. Go to www.laptoplunches.com for a great lunch box system that is good for the environment and your budget in the long run. I have four kids so throwing away 20 ziploc sandwich bags and countless snack size bags is just senseless. They also have pics of how folks use the system and some great recipe ideas too. I'm even doing cloth napkins this year! My mother, who loves to sew and has a serger, volunteered to make the kids napkins for their lunch boxes (themed of course). They haven't arrived yet, but I'm so excited! OK, here are some of the recipe's that are in heavy rotation at my house. I cut recipes out and put in a binder in plastic sleeves so the kids can make these themselves. The plastic sleeves help keep the recipe and pictures clean. The binder is in our "lunch box station" of the kitchen where everything they need to pack lunches is located in one spot. It helps me know what we're low on and I have a piece of paper posted inside the cabinet that says... 1. Sandwich, 2. Crunchy (pretzels, celery, carrots, etc.), drink, 3. wet snack (fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.), 4. dry snack (mini-muffin, peanuts, etc.), 5. dessert, 6. Napkin, 7. Utensil (if needed). Do you have at least seven things in your lunch? Waffle Apple sandwich: Two whole grain frozen waffles, 2% american cheese, low sodium ham, 1 sliced green apple. Pinwheel Bites: 1 slice 100% whole wheat bread (we use sugar free) with crust removed, 1 Tbs low fat mayo, 2 slices turkey breast, 1 slice 2% cheddar cheese. Flaten bread with rolling pin or drinking glass. Spread bread with mayo. Top with turkey and cheese; roll up tightly. Cut crosswise into 4 pinwheels. Stack and wrap tightly and wrap in plastic wrap if needed. Turkey Tortilla Wrap: 1 whole wheat tortilla (warm if needed to make more pliable), 1 Tbs light cream cheese, 2 Tbs salsa, 3 slices turkey breast, 2 Tbs shredded cheddar, 2 lettuce leaves. Spread tortilla with cream chesses spread and salsa. Top with turkey, cheese and lettuce. Roll up tightly. Cut in half and wrap in plastic wrap if needed. All-American Hero: 1/4 c shredded lettuce, 1 Tbs newmans own organic ranch dressing, 1 whole wheat hot dog bun, 1 slice turkey bologna, 1 slice 2% cheese of y our choice cut in half. Toss lettuce with dressing, fill bun with bologna, cheese, sliced tomatoes and lettuce mixture. Wrap in plastic if necessary. Pizza-dilla: 1 whole wheat tortilla, 1/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 Tbs pizza sauce, 1 Tbs each chopped tomatoes and green peppers. Top tortilla with sauce and remaining ingredients; fold in half. Wrap in plastic wrap if necessary. Microwave on high for 15 seconds or until cheese begins to melt and wrap in foil. Bologna Wiggles: 1 slice turkey bologna cut into strips, 1 2% american cheese cut into strips, 1 Tbs ranch or mayo, 1 100% whole wheat hot dog bun, partially split. Toss bologna and 2% cheese with dressing or mayo; serve in bun. Turkey BBQ Fold: 1 slice whole wheat bread, 1 tsp light mayo or low fat ranch, 1 tsp bbq sauce, 1 slice 2% American cheese, 3 slices turkey breast, 3 slices cucumber. Spread bread with dressing or mayo and bbq sauce; fil with remaining ingredients. Fold in half. We typically don't do traditional chips with lunch (cheetos, fritos, doritos), but opt for Sunchips or Pretzels made with wheat flour instead (Synders is a good choice). Look for "Cheddar Bunnies" and other products by Aunt Annie in the organic isle of your grocery instead of Gold Fish crackers which have trans fats and/or hydrogenated oils...I can't remember which. We keep the following on had for lunches... grapes strawberries blueberries carrots pears apples (red and green) whole wheat tortillas cucumbers popcorn mini carrots green and red peppers cheddar cheese sticks Lastly, check out Jessica Seinfield's book entitled, Deceptively Delicious for some good snack/lunch ideas for your kiddies. I make cookies and mini-muffins (banana chocolate chip, zucchini, and carrot) once each month for lunches. For cookies, I make the dough and freeze in little balls so all I have to do is pop them in the oven. For muffins, I make the muffins and then freeze them so that we just pull a batch out for the week on Sunday night. It sounds time consuming, but the kids help and it's healthier for them so it's worth it. I use 1/2 wheat flour + 1/2 all-purpose flour (all wheat would put the kids over the edge), LOL. I add about 2 Tbs ground flax seed meal + Fiber-Sure to the cookies AND the muffins and the kids have never ever complained. I feel great that they are no longer taking Oreo's, Dorito's, or granola bars and other processed foods with all of the chemicals, trans fats, hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup (and other unknown junk that you can't even pronounce). The older I get the more I realize that convenience items are not only filling the landfills (you can't recycle juice boxes or mini chip bags) but filling our bodies with toxins. Little changes can make all the difference in the world. Start small... I hope this helps someone! Heidi P. S. I like to send turkey hot dogs as an occasional treat too. The thermos is a fantastic idea. My son just loves it when I send in hot dogs. You can also send in chicken nuggets the same way. P. P. S. Also check out www.wastefreelunches.com. They actually give the numbers on how much $$ you can save each year by omitting convenience items and baggies, etc.