Real Couscous

• 2 packages couscous
• ½ cup roasted almonds
• 2 cups chickpeas (buy them dry, cover with water, add salt and lots of pepper and let sit overnight; they are much tastier than the canned variety)
• 2 lbs. chuck roast
• 4 chicken thighs
• 4 chicken drumsticks
• 2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 3 onions
• 4 turnips
• 8 carrots, peeled and chunked
• 4 zucchini, chunked
• Water
• ¼ cup canola or safflower oil
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• ¾ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
• 1 tsp. pepper
• Salt to taste
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 cups chicken stock (I use bouillon cubes for both)

Put all ingredients in a large, heavy pot.  Bring to a boil and cook for two hours.  Then, if you have a couscous steamer, put the top pot on top of the stew and steam the couscous.  Otherwise use some of the broth to “water” the couscous according to the package directions (like you do risotto), add a little salt and fluff it up.

Serve in separate bowls so your guests can create their own combination of favorite ingredients.