Apple Crisp

What do you make when you want apple pie but don't want the work of an apple pie? Apple crisp! I have used a number of recipes in the past, but keep coming back to this one. It's got oatmeal in the topping and the topping is not too thick.

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RECIPE: Apple Crisp (Simply Recipes)

Acorn Squash with Herbs and Parmesan

I was recently introduced to Carnival squash, which is a lot like acorn squash but is a little sweeter and colored differently on the outside. But since I haven't eaten acorn squash much either, I went looking for recipes to make with it, and settled on this.

Notes:

• I used olive oil instead of ghee/butter.
  
• The second time I made it, the skin took on a really unappetizing texture (might depend on how fresh/large your squash is; this one was kind of big and had a more stringy texture compared to the one I used the first time). I peeled the cooked slices, threw away the skins and mashed the flesh to eat instead. Yum.
  

Verdict: I loved it and would absolutely make it again.

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RECIPE: Herb-Roasted Parmesan Acorn Squash

Lentil Soup

I was never all that interested in eating lentils for most of my life, but one day we had a bunch of leftover lentil soup at the restaurant I once worked at, and they were asking around if anyone wanted to take it home so they didn't have to throw it away. I decided to take some and try it, and to my surprise, I really liked it. I have used a couple of different recipes since then to make it at home, but lost those, so I decided to try this one.

Notes:

• I don't like greens in soup so I left them out.
• I don't blend a portion of the soup because I like the texture as it is.
  

Verdict: I've made this several times since the original post, so you could say I really like it. Healthy, hearty, warm, and filling.

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RECIPE: Lentil Soup (Cookie and Kate)

Seafoam Cupcakes with Chocolate Seashells

I made these for my spread for a marine themed virtual tea party. They are yellow cupcakes with blue-tinted vanilla buttercream frosting, decorated with pearl sprinkles and white chocolate seashells. I made these yellow cupcakes once on a whim about four years ago and they made quite the impression on me (and apparently everyone else at the housewarming party I brought them to -- they were gone by the time one of the hosts went to grab one!). I am normally pretty skeptical of recipes with superlatives in the title but they are truly delicious. Unfortunately I filled the cups a little too full and they overflowed and stuck together so the edges are ragged, but they were for myself and they tasted really good, so meh. I got the more important part right. Plus it kind of works if you think of the cake as sand :)

I tinted the frosting a very light blue (about 5-6 drops) and piped it on the cupcakes to visually simulate crashing waves. I melted white chocolate chips, swirled in a couple of drops of blue food coloring, filled seashell shaped silicone molds with the chocolate, and put them in the refrigerator to harden. I used these and some pearl sprinkles to decorate the tops of the cupcakes.

Verdict: They are simple and definitely on the sugary side for me (whee piles of frosting), but I enjoyed them a lot. I shared them with my partner and gave some to a couple of friends, and everyone else really enjoyed the cupcakes too. Definitely have some go-to recipes now. :D

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RECIPES:
Cake: The Perfect Yellow Cupcake (Food Network)
Frosting: Buttercream Frosting (Savory Sweet Life)

Ultimate Banana Bread

I have been eating banana bread ever since I was a kid. However, I do not have the church cookbook recipe my mom used when I was little, and I have a feeling it would have a bit too much sugar for me these days anyway.

I mostly tried this one because it had LOTS of banana and I had lots of banana to use up.

Notes:

• I made this in muffin cups because I prefer that to a loaf. It made 17 muffins. I baked them for about 23-25 minutes.
  
• I omitted the raw/turbinado sugar on top because I didn't have any.
  

Verdict: I loved it! It was sweet without being too sugary or cloying, and the texture was nice. I shared some with a friend and she really liked them too.

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RECIPE: Ultimate Banana Bread (Smitten Kitchen)

Refrigerator Garlic Dill Pickles

 

I only remember going down there once as a kid, but in my grandma's basement there were shelves lined with jars full of pickles, and whenever we came to visit (usually once a year) she would send us home with a few. They were my favorite pickles, and I was always sad when they were gone. I was always a little weirded out by the spidery looking heads of dill in the jars, but I knew that was what made the pickles taste good.

Fast forward to being an adult and developing a taste for the refrigerated, non-shelf-stable kind (because it's the only thing that came close to tasting like the ones my grandma made), and then finding myself with an overabundance of cucumbers in the summer (not sure what possessed me to buy an entire ice cream pail full of pickling cucumbers at the farmer's market, but I did). I was really excited when I found out I could make pickles without having to can them, and they were the kind I liked the most!

It feels good to pick up and carry the pickle torch forward into the future (ha).

Notes:

• You want to pack the jars tightly enough that the cucumbers don't move around much (they will float if they're not packed tightly), but not so tightly that there's not enough brine in the jar to flavor them.
• I don't leave them at room temperature for a couple of days like the recipe instructs; I wait until they cool to room temperature, then transfer directly to the fridge. They still taste great.
  
• Sometimes the garlic will turn blue in the brine as it sits in the fridge, but this is harmless!
  

Verdict: I love them. This is my first time posting about them, but I've made this recipe for quite a few years and it has become my go-to when I'm not in the mood for sweet pickles.

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RECIPE: Refrigerator Garlic Dill Pickles (The Creekside Cook)

Zucchini Fritters

finished fritters

I used to make these a lot, and then stopped because my household (= my partner) was getting sick of zucchini. This summer, though, I have been craving them again and couldn't find my original recipe, so I used this one instead.

fritter batter before frying

Notes:

• Make sure you squeeze enough water out of the zucchini before mixing in, otherwise the patties will not stick together.
  

Verdict: Just as delicious as I remember. A great way to use up a lot of zucchini, and they are pretty healthy, too. I like serving them with something acidic (fresh tomato, plain yogurt, a squeeze of lemon juice). They also make a great filling for a pita sandwich with the aforementioned acidic ingredients.

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RECIPE: Easy Zucchini Fritters (Natasha's Kitchen)