I thought I would run through them briefly and let you know how they scored at the Smith House. And--who better to give you an honest, consistent ranking for each item than my hubby! He comes hungry and rarely turns my food down....but he's also pretty transparent when it's not my best go-round. Here goes!
Jerry Score=6/10.
I would have to agree with Jer. These were pretty good, but weren't overly flavorful. This was also during our hard-core vegan phase, so I was new at cooking meat free and didn't realize that often more spice is better when using primarily legumes, rice, and veggies. I would make them again, but probably add more seasonings, i.e. paprika, garlic, or cumin (my new fave).
Jerry Score=9/10.
These were really great! I loved everything about them. Flavor, texture, and of course the ease with which they were made:). Bonus is that they are just pretty! So much color in a simple sandwich! A couple of things I changed on this recipe: I didn't use basil pesto, and found it wasn't necessary. I'm sure it tastes great if you add it, but I found there was plenty of flavor just from the tomatoes, basil and mozzarella (make sure it's fresh!). I also drizzled the inside of my sandwich with balsamic vinegar instead of the outside at the very end like she says. I'm sure that's just personal preference, but thought I'd mention it!
Jerry Score=7/10.
I'm going to have to disagree with him here. I think I'd give this bread a 4 or 5/10. Some of this could be cook error (I like to sub things...sometimes too often:)). I found that it was very tart, and it also didn't seem to cook like most breads I have made, leaving the outside done and the inside still too moist. I know that just happens with breads sometimes, but this was more than usual. A couple of side notes on this one: I used refrigerated blueberries instead of frozen ones. This could account for the tartness and possibly also the excess liquid, but I don't know for sure. I also ditched the walnuts...not a fan! Either way, I will probably look for a different way to spice up my banana bread in the future, such as choc. chips or oats!
Jerry Score=7/10.
I would give this dish an 8 or 9 myself--but either way I think it was a score! It is definitely different than restaurant pad thai, but if you tell yourself that before eating it I really think you'll like it! It's light, delicious and fairly easy to make! I only had to buy a couple things I didn't already have in my cabinets, which is great for Asian food I think! I would recommend getting the Sriracha sauce if you don't have it--I think it adds a lot of zest to the dish as a whole. Also, the blogger seems really cool. She is 'pinner friendly' and has even updated the recipe with people's thoughts after making it. I looked at those updates and cooked mine accordingly. Bonus: we even had enough leftovers for me to have it for lunch the next day!!I will definitely make this again!
(photo credit: bigsislilsis.com)
Seashell Pasta with basil and tomatoes.
Jerry Score=8/10.
Loved this! I made it on a whim, and loved what I got as a result! I think it's honestly supposed to be a side dish, but I love the light, meat free-ness of it! Only shocker is how much Extra Virgin Olive Oil I used. It was actually painful to pour a 1/2 cup in there...but it's a key component to the juiciness of the tomato flavor throughout the pasta, so I'm good with it now! Honestly, I love all pastas that use a combination of basil, garlic and cherry tomatoes. They are my food obsession trifecta! Whether you try this as a side or entree, I know you'll love it!
(photo credit: Feastie.com)
Pumpkin Spice Mini Muffins.Jerry Score=8/10.
These were yummy. That's about all there is to say. We actually had them for a fun breakfast when my parents came to visit. They were bite-sized fall deliciousness. They were fairly simple and slightly healthier than your average muffin I think! For me the only downer was they weren't as pretty as advertised...mine were beautiful and pumpkin-y on the bottom and instead of beautifully cinnamon-sugary on top they looked brown and poopy...but the flavor was delish!:)
Jerry score: 4/10.
This is about right...this was a bummer. One simple fix was that my spaghetti squash wasn't cooked quite enough. I followed a Whole Foods quick guide for cooking spaghetti squash because the recipe doesn't provide that portion and it said 375 degrees for 35 min. This clearly wasn't enough and as I researched, I saw most call for 45-1 hr. Unfortunately the sauce wasn't delicious either....it wasn't terrible, just not my fave. A little too 'plant' tasting for some reason. I followed the recipe to a T, so maybe I'll just use a different sauce recipe and will feel much better about it next time! I love spaghetti squash and it's healthful benefits as a spaghetti substitute, so I'm not giving up yet!
Has anyone been whipping up any Pinterest-inspired meals lately? Do tell! I'd love to hear about them! My next endeavour will be this soup-can't wait!!Hope you are all enjoying the changing of seasons! We are loving all that is Fall around here!
I am God's child, and He has given me the opportunity to be a wife and mother on this earth. I am grateful! I also enjoy crafting, running, spending time with my people, and the occasional pedicure. This blog is an expression of the above things. I really hope you find it inspiring and useful. To God be the glory!
This is my man. He is hard-working, passionate, handsome, and a rock in the midst of my occasional crazy. We have been married 8 years and can't wait for many more to come!
He is our blessing and joy. He is funny. Hard to impress. Passionate. Sweet. Active. Handsome.
She is the spice of our lives. She loves fiercely and brings us smiles every day. She is her brother's biggest fan and Gwen's favorite protector.
She is adored by us all and soaks it up. She is shy but animated and coos away when you talk to her. We love the peace she brings to our home.
