Raw Apple Cobbler

Originally I wasn't sure that this recipe was going to be delicious: to be honest, it sounded a little weird, if not slightly icky. But I was intrigued by the idea of a dish that incorporate raw apples, so I decided to give it a shot. It was nice: the apples were crisp, the topping was sweet and simple. It was kind of a hit, actually. I found the recipe on the blog Spabettie.

Whole Wheat Pasta and Chicken with Garlic and Olive Oil

This is a simple, warm dish for a chilly Fall afternoon. The chicken was a tiny bit oily (because I heated it in the oil): I kind of like it that way, but if you don't, just add it to the pasta after you've mixed the pasta and sauce. If you do it that way, reduce the amount of oil by half a tablespoon and heat up the chicken somehow before putting it in.

Spiced Couscous

This couscous is more fragrant than it is spicy tasting, though I happen to like the taste of plain couscous, so I like it. The only thing that scares me about couscous is how much it grows when you add water. It more than doubles!! Anyway, I got the spice balance -- and basic idea -- for this recipe from the blog Living Lou, though I substituted my own way of preparing couscous.

Spicy Asparagus

I found the original recipe for this dish on the blog Week of Menus, which is awesome. Just so you know, every blog I've ever linked to is better than mine. Seriously: check them out. Anyway, these asparagus were yummy: if there was a spicy candy on the market, I'd say these tasted like candy. Enough said -- make them. Try them. They're delicious. I adapted the recipe just enough so that it serves one.

Salmon with Indian Spices

This salmon was really, really, good: the 'crust' that formed on top was delicate, and the spicy topping made a nice balance with the rest of the salmon. I totally suggest trying this!

Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes

To be honest, I found the cupcakes a little dry, even though no one else had a problem with them. I'm going to be experimenting with the recipe to see if I can't make it better. The name is also a bit deceptive: these are really just vanilla cupcakes with a sweetened whip-cream frosting and strawberry garnish. The same basic vanilla cupcake recipe occurs throughout the cookbook I used, so I think it's worth tinkering with it.

Knock-Off Mongolian Beef

This was pretty damn good! A little bit sweet, a little bit salty, crispy, yummy. Mmmm. It's a fattier cut of meat than I usually choose to cook, but once in a while I think it's okay. The only odd thing is that the beef seemed to absorb the cornstarch: next time I'll try patting it dry first, even though it didn't seem to affect the final product. I'll also try using a smidgen less soy sauce. I got the basics of this recipe from the blog Kitchen Trial and Error, but lightened it up a bit.