Exotic, large pearl couscous gets dressed up with all the ingredients of that perennial favorite — the bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich — and tossed in a lemony dressing to create a packable salad that will appeal to the whole family.

To give even more heft to this lunch, and perhaps turn it into an easy, light supper, add thickly sliced or diced cooked, smoked turkey or chicken.

from
— “Classic Home Desserts”by Richard Sax (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2000)Comfort food, nursery pudding, grown-up bliss. This butterscotch pudding is all three and more. Want to turn it into a pie? Bake an 8-inch chocolate cookie crumb crust. Pour all of the cooled pudding into the crust and top with a cloud of whipped cream. Or, if you want to be oh-so-trendy, sprinkle portions with a few flakes of Maldon salt.

Per serving: 250 calories (44 percent from fat), 12.5 g fat (8.9 g saturated, 1.9 g monounsaturated), 14.9 mg cholesterol, 3.1 g protein, 32.7 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 110.5 mg sodium.

Based on the favorite at P.F. Changs * Per serving: 273 calories (48 percent from fat), 15.4 g fat (2.6 g saturated, 6.8 g monounsaturated), 0 cholesterol, 4.5 g protein, 32.8 g carbohydrates, 8.5 g fiber, 857 mg sodium.

6 servings/loaf – makes 2 loafs