"Real Simple Recipes":Oct and Nov 2009

One of my favorite pieces of mail is the monthly arrival of Real Simple magazine, courtesy of a gift subscription from my mother. My absolute favorite part of the magazine is the recipes which do tend to be simple and healthy. I like recipes that I can cook during the week, but are a little more exciting than dumping two cans of beans in a pot with some canned tomatoes and chili mix.
In the past week or so, I made the following recipes:

Tilapia with Peppers and Olives (Real Simple, October 2009)

LESSONS LEARNED:

• tilapia + green olives + lime = awesome
• yellow cauliflower IS slightly sweeter than white cauliflower
• if you cook tilapia too long, it still tastes good, but it falls apart from the filet

RATING: A-

Seared Lamb Chops with Minted Spaghetti Squash (Real Simple, October 2009)

LESSONS LEARNED:

• I don't like squash, in general. But living in New England in autumn makes one want to like squash. Not only did I like this squash, I'd make it again for a Thanksgiving meal. Make it for your friends who do not like squash and see what they say. The mint and scallions made a wonderful combination and the texture of spaghetti squash is much more pleasant than other squashes.
• Don't mess with lamb too much. So much flavor right there.

RATING: A, Solid A

Spicy Rice with (Chicken) and Chorizo (Real Simple, November 2009)--not yet available online, but part of their "10 Fresh Ideas for Turkey Leftovers".

LESSONS LEARNED:

• Ok, so I used chicken instead of turkey.
• Since I used pre-cooked chorizo links (Applegate Farms), I added some salt, garlic powder and a touch of paprika because the flavor of the chorizo wouldn't permeate the rice as much. I also heated the chorizo in some olive oil to help distribute the flavors. This probably isn't necessary with chorizo in crumbled form.
• Next time I might add some canned tomatoes to give it a bit more of a spanish rice feel.

RATING: B+/A-