Cupcakes and Cutlery

This couscous ended up just okay for me. It was a lot of work for not an outstanding flavor. The cinnamon is kind of nice and the dates add a sweet element but the pepper and onions get lost. I left out the star anise as I don't enjoy that flavor. I don't think I would make this again without some rethinking. It might be nice with some fresh herbs and a lot more garlic.

I was excited to try this salad as it reminds me of one from my favorite restaurant. It is delicious! The almonds are a must, not optional as the recipe says. It gives the perfect crunch. The salty cheese and green apples are a match made in heaven! And the chives and lemon give it another tasty layer of flavor. My dice was larger but you could do it smaller if you prefer. This is a new favorite and I'll for sure be making it again. It's so easy and has a fabulous taste. It's going to be my go-to summer salad.

I really enjoyed this recipe! I don't make brown rice often since my family doesn't love it, but loved the idea of adding the spices. The dish has a sweetness that was nice and just a touch of flavor from the spices. Next time I make it, I will add more spice so the flavors are a little bolder, and I would double the amount of corn. This is a great side dish recipe for quick dinners!

I really expected to like this because I really love white wine but it was just ok. I will account for potential "user error" as I doubled the recipe to be enough for my family and doubled everything, including the amount of wine. I also used a wine that I don't usually drink so it may not have had the best flavor when it condensed down. It ended up tasting kind of vinegary (like sauerkraut). I can totally see the potential though and would try this recipe again. Next time I would use my favorite white wine, I'd also saute some onions first, I'd add butter and I think it would also be delicious with fresh green beans.

These are not a pretty cookie. :) I struggled a little with spooning them onto the cookie sheet to set up as the "dough" was still quite warm. They didn't hold their shape well. I think if I had waited a little bit longer for it to cool down, that would have helped. But there really is no great way to make these look better. The taste, on the other hand, was delicious! They had a really nice buttery cookies and cream flavor and I loved the texture the oats provided. My kids thought they were just ok, so I'm not sure I would make them again. But if you have OREO lovers in your house, you may want to give these a try.

I love a good cake mix cookie and these were pretty good. The directions didn't say whether to bake them in a ball or to flatten them before baking. I tried it both ways. The ones that were flattened cooked more evenly. The ones that I left in a ball, were a little too done on the bottom to ensure they were cooked all the way through. The finished cookies had a nice flavor and the kids enjoyed them.