Apples Stuffed With Autumn Couscous

Slightly modified from the National Foundation for Cancer Research. This makes a lovely side dish to nearly every everything.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 4  medium cooking apples, halved and cored
• 3⁄4 cup water
• 1  tablespoon butter (margarine is OK)
• 1⁄2 cup  quick-cooking couscous
• 1⁄4 cup raisins
• 1  tablespoon pecans, chopped
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2  tablespoons honey
• 2  tablespoons water
• 1  dash ground cloves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Hollow out apple halves leaving 1/2-inch shell and reserve ½ cup pulp.
3. Arrange apple halves, cut side down, in 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Bake covered for 10 minutes.
4. Chop reserved pulp.
5. Bring ¾ cup water and butter to boiling.
6. Stir in couscous, raisins, pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chopped apple.
7. Remove from heat, cover, let stand 5 minutes.
8. In small saucepan combine honey, 2 tbsp water, and cloves, boil gently for 1 minute, set aside.
9. Fluff couscous mixture with fork.
10. Fill apple halves with couscous mixture. Drizzle with half of honey mixture.
11. Cover loosely with foil, bake 15 minutes or until apples are tender.
12. Uncover, drizzle with remaining honey mixture before serving.