The Column of Life

OK, we'll do it on the couch.

The Rite of Spring by Ann-Marie Imbornoni and Elissa Haney from infoplease.com March 20, 2012, is a date that most of us recognize as symbolic of changing seasons. As we welcome spring, people south of the equator are actually gearing up for the cooler temperatures of autumn. What Happens at the Equinox? Far from being an arbitrary indicator of the changing seasons, March 20 (March 21 in some years) is significant for astronomical reasons. On March 20, 2012, at precisely 0:14 AM EDT (March 20, 05:14 Universal Time), the Sun will cross directly over the Earth's equator. This moment is known as the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. For the Southern Hemisphere, this is the moment of the autumnal equinox. Equinox Means "Equal Night" Translated literally, equinox means "equal night." Because the Sun is positioned above the equator, day and night are about equal in length all over the world during the equinoxes. A second equinox occurs each year in September....

Couscous with Lamb and Mint 1/2 pound lamb steak, cut into 1-inch pieces Salt, black pepper, and cumin to taste 3 cups stock 1 cup couscous, cooked 1/3 cup mint leaves 1/4 cup parsley 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil Juice of 1 lemon 12 grape tomatoes, chopped Season the lamb pieces with salt, pepper, and cumin. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the lamb and quickly sauté until medium-rare, only about a minute on each side. Transfer the lamb pieces to a plate and let rest while you make the couscous and the mint pesto. Combine the mint, parsley, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice in a food processor and purée into a loose pesto. Toss the lamb and tomatoes with the couscous. Mix in the mint pesto and serve.

Easy Chocolate Fudge Butter, sweet, one stick Chocolate, semi-sweet, 500 grams/one pound Sweetened Condensed Mik, one can Sea Salt, one eighth teaspoon (optional) chopped nuts, one half cup 1. Butter/grease/spray eight inch square pan. Line with parchment and let the edges of the paper hang over sides. 2. Using a double boiler (or some reasonable facsimile thereof)cobine all the ingredients (except nuts) and combine thoroughly while melting--do not over heat. 3. Pour the mixture into the pan. 4. Refrigerate for at least four hours. Lift the finished product out of the pan to cut aand serve.

Wikipedia: Arancini are fried  rice balls coated with breadcrumbs, said to have originated in Sicily in the 10th century. Arancini are usually filled with ragù (meat sauce), tomato sauce, mozzarella, and/or peas. The name derives from the food’s shape and color, which is reminiscent of an orange (the Italian word for orange is arancia , and in Italian, arancini means “little oranges”). This variation using couscous instead of rice is so delicious it comes with a warning. You may not be able to stop until they are all gone Serves 6
 Couscous
, 250 grams (1/2 lb) Sweet Italian Sausage, three, removed from casing Onion, one half, chopped
 Broth
, chicken, veal or vegetable, one and a half cups Peas, fresh, cooked, 2-3 ounces Grated Italian Cheese, Pecorino, Asiago or Parmigiano (or all three!) 100 grams Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or mixed with Canola) Saffron, six grams Eggs, three
 Bread crumbs Sea Salt, Black Pepper 1. 
Cook the couscous  with broth and a bit of oil. 2. In a pan on low...