Fried Rice

Recipe: Mushroom Fried Rice // Serious Eats

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This was the best homemade fried rice I've ever had. It was only loosely based on the linked recipe. We did not use oyster sauce, but had some black bean garlic sauce in the fridge that was a great substitute. We used mirin instead of rice wine vinegar, and we added only four meager mushrooms, because that's what we had on hand. The cooking methods made all the difference--high heat and vegetables cooked in batches.

This is going to be the new standard for fried rice at home. Excellent.

Chicken with Pan Sauce

Recipe: Chicken with Pan Sauce // Mark Bittman via Serious Eats
Side Recipe: Roasted Potatoes // Serious Eats

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A delicious dinner. Tasty leftovers, too!

Ethereally Smooth Hummus

Recipe: Ethereally Smooth Hummus // Smitten Kitchen

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We've been trying to perfect homemade hummus for a few months, and this recipe was MUCH improved. I was tempted to give it four kitties, but there's some minor adjustments that need to be adjusted to accomplish truly delicious hummus. Simply hulling the chickpeas vastly improves the texture, though. Now we just need to find a tahini the imparts just the right flavor.

Ultimate Night Garden Salad

Recipe: Imagined!

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We play ultimate once a week in an indoor league. The games start at 8:30pm, and we play two 45-minute games back-to-back. The first night of league, we went with a group of friends to all-you-can-eat sushi. It was a mistake. Now we try to think of light meals that are ready around 6pm.

The only creative part of this was the croutons. We used homemade bread and toasted it in the oven. The rest was just salad ingredients, but it was tasty!

Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms & Walnuts

Recipe: Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms & Walnuts // Oh My Veggies
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This was a side dish we made to go with orzo dinner tonight. I liked the flavors -- the walnuts added a great nutty sweetness. However, our green beans were a little tough. I would remedy this in the future by using more tender green beans and roasting them a little longer. All in all, a nice veggie side.

Polynesian Chicken

Recipe: Polynesian Chicken // Serious Eats
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This is a tasty chicken stir fry. The most important thing in this recipe is to cut the brown sugar in half!! The sauce is plenty sweet from the rice vinegar and pineapple.

I marinated the chicken in crushed pineapple for a few hours before cooking, and it turned out tender and tangy. The vegetables and cashews add a nice crunch. We served it over rice.

Pasta with Goat Cheese, Broccoli, and Oregano

Recipe: Pasta with Goat Cheese, Broccoli, and Oregano // Serious Eats

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Seth's Rating: 

I forgot that I'm not fond of goat cheese used as pasta sauce. I love goat cheese, but it just doesn't work for me on pasta. Seth liked it, though (and made me include a separate rating for him). 

We roasted the broccoli using the Cook's Illustrated method instead of steaming it. I can't get enough of roasted broccoli these days!