Foodie Friday: Look + Cook

As I mentioned recently, I bought myself Rachel Ray's Look + Cook Cookbook for Christmas. I love this book because each recipe has a full picture beside it. I like knowing what my food is supposed to end up looking like. And as we all know, we eat with our eyes before our stomachs, so sometimes having the appetizing visual makes me more likely to make it. I have tried out a few of the recipes over the past 2 weeks and so far it's a winner!

The first recipe I made was Chili Lime Fish Fry with Tex-Mex Peperonata and Corny Polenta. Adam and I both loved this recipe! The fish was spicy and crispy, and the creamly polenta was the perfect side dish.

Next up was Steakhouse Chili. I thought the flavor of this chili was great. I used Pancetta instead of bacon. We had friends over that night and the entire pot of chili got eaten, so I'd say this was a winner.

I made Cabbage and Hay Spaghetti on the 3rd night. I was excited to try this one because of the fun name and the fact that it called for fresh sage. (I love sage!) Unfortunately I was disappointed with this recipe....it was too bland.

I ventured over to India next and made Almost Tandoori Chicken. I am not a big fan of Indian food, but I thought this sounded tasty. Unfortunately the flavors tasted a bit off to me, although Adam surprisingly liked it.

Finally I made a big pot of Midwinter Minestrone (minus the mushrooms). This was delicious! I loved the addition of the sundried tomatoes, and kale is one of my favorite veggies. Adam said it was one of the best soups I've ever made.

I'm going to keep trying recipes from this cookbook. I'm feeling very Julie + Julia-esque as I cook my way through this book. I already have a couple planned for next week's dinners. Yum!