The cozy season: a recipe review

We are officially in a new season : the cozy season. I woke up so cozy in my bed this morning. Warm and snug and glued to the bed. The air outside of my bed felt cold and unwelcome. But I eventually got out from under the covers to face the world. (Pretty sure I deserve a gold medal for that considering how much strength it took.)

As I brushed my teeth, Christmas songs played in my head. I immediately chastised myself. I couldn't help it though - as soon as the air gets that chill, I think of Christmas. Then I have to slow myself down and remember that it's, in actuality, fall, the best season of them all. The time of year when I tend to start cooking and baking more.

Recently I have been doing quite a bit of that and I thought I'd do something new on the blog - a recipe review. These are some of the new recipes I've made in the last month or so. I'm sharing with you the good and the bad, to save you from trying some yucky things, and to share with you with some really good ones! Click on the name of the recipe for the links.

Homemade oatmeal cream pies

Yumminess rating: 8/10
Would make again? Maybe. These cookies were yummy. The only problem I had with them was that the frosting called for shortening. It's easier to eat shortening when it's baked into something. But when you know you're eating it "raw" - it's kinda icky. If I can come up with a substitute for the shortening, I'll definitely make these again.

Pumpkin Pie french toast

Yumminess rating: 1/10
Would I make it again? No. I did not like it. A contributing factor may have been the fact that I was watching Here Comes Honey Boo Boo while I was eating it, and that show is pretty gross. It was the episode where they make and eat "sketti" - a disgusting variation of spaghetti. 

Homemade Oreos

Yumminess rating: 10/10
Would I make them again? Heck yes!! These are different than the popular homemade Oreo cakesters. These are closer to the originals. They're so good. Definitely recommend!

Crockpot Turkey Whitebean Pumpkin Chili

Yumminess rating: 6/10
Would I make it again? Maybe. It wasn't bad, but it didn't wow me either. Oh, and you can't taste the pumpkin at all, in case you were were wondering.

Tomato Basil Soup

Yumminess rating: 4/10
Would I make it again? Probably not. The thing I didn't like about it was the chunky tomato factor. I would have liked a smoother creamier soup.

Crockpot Pot Roast

Yumminess rating: 9/10
Would I make it again? Yes, no doubt.Very tasty! The meat was very tender, and the veggies had a delicious flavor. Oh great, now I'm craving it.

White Bread

Yumminess rating: 10/10
Would I make it again? For sure. This recipe turned out perfect (see picture). The bread was so tasty too. Especially toasted with butter and jelly, or used for grilled cheese sandwiches. It wasn't too hard to make either! Bread can be such a pain to make, but this was "bread for beginners."

Cashew Chicken

Yumminess rating: 11/10
Would I make it again? I have made it again. Over and over. It's so good! Tastes like Chinese take out, but healthier. Probably. Kinda. Not a lot healthier, but a little? That's what I tell myself, anyway.

Pizza Crust

Yumminess rating: 10/10
Would I make it again? Heck yes! You guys, this was so quick and easy and sooo good! Would definitely recommend!

Mulligatawny Soup

Yumminess rating: 6.5/10
Would I make it again? Yes. It was good. Not "Wow!" good, but healthy and tasty good. I didn't like it with rice though, so I didn't put any in after the first bowl. Just my personal opinion though. It tasted better the next day, so save your left-overs!

There you have it - some recipes I've tried recently. I hope you try some of them and enjoy them! It's that time of year when we have to prepare for hibernation. And/or winter. And/or fat pants.