Evening Edge

Southern Iced Tea Punch

16 servings (1 gallon)

Photo by Jessica McGowan, Styling by Deborah Geering/Staff (ENLARGE)

Artichoke hearts, kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes add color and flavor to Mediterreanean Couscous.

Hands on: 5 minutes

Total time: 2 hours for chilling

Everyone will stay cool and refreshed with this party-size recipe from Gladys Adams of Adams Catering & Event Services.

2 family-size tea bags

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate

1 (12-ounce) can pineapple-orange concentrate

1 lemon or orange, sliced (optional)

2 mint sprigs (optional)

Bring 8 cups water to boil. Add the tea bags; steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and discard. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour the tea into a gallon plastic jug with a tight lid. Add the concentrates, stir and chill, up to 24 hours in advance.

Before the picnic, fill the rest of the jug with ice cubes and add the fruit slices and mint sprigs.

Per serving: 79 calories (percent of calories from fat, 1), 1 gram protein, 20 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated), no cholesterol, 2 milligrams sodium.

Hazelnut Milk Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Makes 4 dozen

Hands on: 20 minutes Total time: 45 minutes

This is just a simple variation on the standard Tollhouse cookie recipe, replacing semisweet chocolate chips with milk chocolate chunks and adding 1 cup of chopped hazelnuts. A few other great variations: replace the semisweet chips with chopped peanut butter cups, chopped Butterfinger bars or chopped Heath bars.

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 (10-ounce) package milk chocolate chunks

1 cup chopped hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until well-combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing until fluffy. Add the vanilla extract. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, salt and baking soda, then stir into the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate and nuts. Drop by spoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges and still just slightly soft in the centers. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Per serving: 125 calories (percent of calories from fat, 52), 2 grams protein, 14 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 7 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 20 milligrams cholesterol, 80 milligrams sodium.

Mediterranean Couscous

6 servings

Hands on: 20 minutes Total time: 20 minutes

Israeli, or pearl, couscous is larger than regular couscous, about the size of BB pellets. It is carried in many specialty and international stores, but if you can't find it, you can substitute 2 cups cooked regular couscous — just follow the directions on the package to prepare it.

1 cup dried Israeli couscous

10 kalamata olives, chopped

1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, with liquid

1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1/4 cup foil-packed julienne sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 cup (packed) chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup (packed) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or asiago cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare couscous according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and drain. Meanwhile, in a 1-quart plastic storage container, combine the olives, artichoke hearts and liquid, bell pepper, onion, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, parsley and lemon juice. Add the cooked couscous and stir to combine. Fold in the grated cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Per serving: 190 calories (percent of calories from fat, 22), 7 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 5 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 3 milligrams cholesterol, 350 milligrams sodium.

Tomatoes Stuffed With Avocado

and Smoked Salmon 4 servings

Hands on: 15 minutes Total time: 15 minutes

If you can't find cherry tomatoes large enough to stuff, then select romas instead.

1 ripe avocado

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 1/4 teaspoons nonpareil capers (the smaller the better), drained

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh dill

2 ounces smoked salmon, finely chopped

Salt to taste

12 large cherry tomatoes (or 6 romas)

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon and place in a small bowl. Add the lemon juice and mash the avocado flesh, leaving a few small chunks. Stir in the capers, dill and salmon. Season to taste with salt.

Cut the tops off the cherry tomatoes (or cut the roma tomatoes in half lengthwise). Using a serrated spoon, or a knife and a small spoon, scoop out the core and seeds and discard. Fill the tomato shells with the avocado mixture. Chill until serving time. (Tip: To keep the tomatoes upright in a plastic storage container during travel, pack them on a bed of fresh dill leaves.)

Per serving: 39 calories (percent of calories from fat, 64), 1 gram protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 3 grams fat (trace saturated), 1 milligram cholesterol, 43 milligrams sodium.