Roasted Red Pepper, Kalamata Olive & Feta Couscous

Couscous is definitely one of my favorite staples, for two reasons. First, I can combine it with an almost endless list of flavors and ingredients. Second, it's a carb that takes less than five minutes to make. For me, the sooner I can get a carb into my mouth, the better. This recipe is beyond easy and perfect for any weeknight side. It's Greek inspired and the flavors are bold. The saltiness of the feta and olives really work well and a dash of lemon zest sets it off. It's great with just veggies for you vegetarians, but you can add a protein of your choice (shrimp, chicken) and make it a more substantial main course. My boyfriend who had never really had couscous and is skeptical of many of my unusual food choices described it as "light but hearty" and "I could eat this" which is high praise for a new food in his book. This particular version takes about 15 minutes and you can't beat that for a gourmet tasting dish that is also pretty dang good looking - note you can also serve it warm or cold. Get the recipe after the jump!

THE. BEST. Brownies

What makes a brownie THE BEST freaking brownie I've ever eaten or made? Well, that would be a combination of great ingredients, the perfect consistency, and some little tricks that make the overall flavor extra special. In my case, those tricks are instant espresso, melted salted butter, Mexican vanilla and Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips. Chocolate fans, you are in luck. Brownies are a great entertaining dessert, because they are so easy. I only use one bowl, and one pan, and the whole batch takes less than 40 minutes. These are so amazing warm, that I usually have to grab "one" - note - size of the "one" not defined -  out of the oven, but they are so moist and chewy that they stay that way even when cool. I make mine without nuts, but please feel free to add nuts - I know I  am strange but I just don't like nuts in my brownies. If these don't blow your mind, please let me know what brownies you've been eating, so I can make those! The chocolaty goodness begins after the jump.

Roasted Beet and Burrata Salad with Basil (Triple B Salad)

This Triple B (Basil, Burrata, Beets) salad must be one of my favorite Gour-Maybe salads of all time. The combination of earthy beets, with the fresh creamy Burrata and sweet basil is truly hard to beat. Seriously. That's right, I went right to the "beet" pun and didn't even think twice. The only thing time consuming with this recipe is roasting the beets. I make enough for two salads, because once I have the first one, I am already craving another. And it looks beautiful too! If you've never cooked with Burrata, it's like mozzarella and cream had a baby. A delicious, rich, creamy baby that you can buy at the store. "Burrata" means buttered in Italian - fun fact. You buy it packaged, and I use half for each salad. I used red beets, but you could use golden or a combination. The vibrant colors make this as tasty to your eyes as it is to your mouth. Don't beat around the bush. (I did it again). Go make this salad - recipe after the jump!

Gour-Maybe Cooks Bon Appetit's Pan Roasted, Brined Pork Chop and Adds Potatoes

First, an apology. I've been way behind on my blogging. I'm going to be better though! Lots of crazy work stuff going on so far this year. Ok. Moving on. To get back on track - we are going to go back - way back - to January. Bon Appetit's January 2013 edition that is. This issue might be one of my favorite of all time. You might remember this DELICIOUS dessert: a Lemon Honey Tart with Salted Shortbread Crust that knocked my socks off a few weeks back. This pork chop was featured on the cover, and immediately my boyfriend was on his way to the store. So we decided that this would be his official blog post. We followed this recipe to a "T", so we must link to the original recipe, as Gour-Maybe can't take any credit for this one! The ingredients are super easy - the only thing you might not have are juniper berries, but you can find them with the spices at most stores. The brining makes these chops extra juicy, and pan roasting them with a butter finish makes them extra tasty. We followed the directions pretty much exactly, although I would watch the cooking times and check a few minutes before they say. The only thing you really have to decide is what to eat with them. We did smashed new potatoes with parsley and peas. I am blogging about the potatoes in this post as well. But you could do whatever side floats your boat. Or even a good salad. Read all about those chops after the jump.

Pappardelle with Shrimp in a Bacon, Leek & Shallot Cream Sauce on Baby Kale

This winter pasta is spicy, savory, creamy, crunchy, and just plain amazing. You usually have me at bacon, but you really have me at bacon AND leeks, AND heavy cream, AND shallots, AND shrimp. Did I mention it is a very easy dinner and takes about 30 minutes start-to-finish. What I love most, is the balance of all the different elements: there is spicy flavor of the shallots and leeks, the smokiness of the bacon, and the freshness of the shrimp and kale against the sauce. I serve mine over baby kale, because the warm sauce just wilts the kale and it becomes part of the dish. You don't have to. Also, if you prefer to use chicken, you could swap it for the shrimp, but the shrimp really works well here. Read all about it, after the jump!

Gour-Maybe cooks...Bon Appetit's Lemon Honey Tart with Salted Shortbread Crust

Every now and again, I read a recipe that looks so delicious, I am in my car on the way to the store before I even finish reading it. Most of the time I am creating and adapting on my own, but when the genius minds of Bon Appetit magazine decided to do a WHOLE SECTION on salty desserts, they had me hooked. The recipe that stuck out to me was this amazing, vibrant  Lemon-Honey Tart with Salted Shortbread Crust. It didn't hurt that it's "citrus month" at my local grocery store, and I had access to all sorts of fabulous citrus fruit. I followed the recipe to the "t" and got great results. The only variation was using a scalloped tart pan rather than a smooth edge. Click here to read the recipe on their website. This tart is so bright and lemony, it's the perfect antidote to the grey skies and winter blues. I will definitely be using this crust recipe for a variety of tarts going forward. The shortbread is a nice alternative to the flaky tart crust that is my go-to. Hope you love it too!

Not Your Mama's Lasagna

Oh Lasagna, you are my casserole exception. Ok, there's ONE more exception - King Ranch Chicken Casserole - which we will get to later. But only these two! I love variety, so to get me to eat the same thing all week - it better be freaking good, and this lasagna has it all: cheesiness, meltiness, meatiness, spiciness. It's. Soo. Good. Now I know I am a fan of easy gourmet, and on Gour-Maybe, I try to keep the focus on simple ways to achieve amazing results, but this IS easy. If you set aside about 3 hours, you should be good, nothing skill-wise is required more than stirring and chopping and layering and you are done cooking for the week, so kick your feet up and watch Downton Abbey or The Bachelor (or in my case, both) - whatever floats your boat.   I serve mine with a classic homemade Caesar salad. One note - the seasoning that I have put in the recipe is a guideline and a starting place. Please adjust all of this to fit your palate - more spicy, less spicy. Do you LOVE sage? Add more! I won't take it personally. I made this Sunday, and I'm about to go dig in. So if you are in need of a great recipe for a week or a crowd, try this! Read all the details after the jump.