Ravioli with Yogurt, Mint, and Smoked Paprika Oil

This recipe caught my eye while browsing through my blogs over the summer and I couldn't resist trying it. I don't usually go for pastas with little more than a dollop of yogurt for a topping, but this stuck out as being extra unique, or perhaps it was the smoked paprika that reeled me in - I LOVE that stuff. It goes with anything, I tell ya!

Anyway, this is a great, almost-no-cook, quick weeknight dish that was perfect for summer (oops, sorry) but would also be great on these still-warmish autumn days. It's ridiculously simple to throw together.

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Mahi Mahi with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and Cilantro Pesto

I'm sure this recipe would work with any grillable fish; while the fish itself is delicious, the stars here are the roasted red pepper sauce and cilantro pesto. At the end of the meal, I ate the leftover sauce/pesto straight off my plate.

Served with some sauteed veggies and wild rice, this makes a well-rounded and healthy meal!

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Spaghetti Squash "Lasagna"

Forgive me if this post's writing is subpar, but I've been up since 4am and to Durham, NC and back for a meeting. I'm home now with a glass of wine and some delicious spaghetti squash leftovers. It would be cruel not to share.

For those who love baked pasta dishes but are trying to eat a little less carbs, this is a great stand-in for cheesy, gooey lasagna. Keep in mind that spaghetti squash doesn't taste like spaghetti, but it does have a nice texture and holds up to sauces quite well, making it a lovely substitute. I also used part-skim cheeses where I could, although I don't think it made much of a difference when I housed 1/4 of the dish in one sitting.

For the easy vegetarian recipe, read on!

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Breakfast Tortilla Pizzas

The one on the left has mozz cheese right on top, so it got a little burnt. The one on the right (ahem, mine), has the cheese craftily buried a little under the turkey.

Our ol' Saturday morning breakfast standby usually consists of eggs, veggies, and sometimes sausage or bacon wrapped up in a cheesy burrito. Don is a master at breakfast burritos so it can be hard to try something new. However, sometimes you gotta just take a breakfast-y risk! We did just that by making breakfast "pizzas" using flour tortillas instead of having to deal with dough. They came out delicious, and are super-easy to make. I will definitely experiment with different veggies/meats/cheeses in the future.

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General Tso's Chicken

Well, there went September, huh?? It's my favorite month of the year (and not just because it's my birthday month) yet it seemed to fly by in one blink! Then again, we're almost halfway through October and it feels like it just started. This summer was one of our busiest, with 5 awesome weddings scattered across the globe (okay, mostly the Northeast but Puerto Rico and Florida too!). We were traveling somewhere or other for 6 weekends in a row beginning in August and lasting through mid-September, so needless to say there wasn't much food photography going on midweek between laundry, errands, and packing. I feel like I'm finally back on my game and then some, trying new recipes most nights each week. I've got lots of great ones to share in the coming weeks, provided that I get back on my blogging game as well. That remains to be seen...

Don's favorite Chinese take-out item is General Tso's Chicken, so last month I decided to treat him to a homemade version. It was surprisingly easy and had relatively few ingredients compared to much of the Asian/Southeast Asian cooking I do. Probably not the healthiest, but worth the indulgence and certainly healthier than the take-out version. The original recipe called for deep-frying, but I pan-fried the chicken instead.

Have I mentioned Rasa Malaysia before? If you love Asian food as much as I do, then you must check out this blog. The recipes are easy to follow, contain ingredients that are easy to find (having an Asian grocery definitely helps sometimes), and result in some amazing, exotic flavors. Pad See Ew is another one of her recipes I've made. Recently I've also tried her Malaysian Curry Laksa... I can't remember if I took pictures of it but let's hope!

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