Appetizer: Indian-Spiced Cilantro Dip. I thought the flavoring of this dip was a bit off, maybe it was the Greek yogurt or the mint or a combination of both. I enjoyed it better when dipped with the naan that Kate provided, not so much with the vegetables.

Entree: Quick Barbecue Chicken. An excellent grilled chicken dish, flavorful and succulent.

Side Dishes: Corn on the Cob and Green Beans with Red Pepper and Garlic. Corn is always a perfect side dish for a summer dinner. I’ve made this green bean recipe before and was reminded to lessen the red pepper flakes. I threw in half of what it required and it still packs a punch. It’s a great recipe, just tweak it how you would like it.

Dessert: Mango-Coconut Bread Pudding. Finally, I think we’ve figured out how to make bread pudding without it being too soggy! Kim didn’t have day old bread so she toasted it instead, I wonder if that is the secret to having bread pudding that wasn’t mush. I very much enjoyed this recipe, loved the sauce that was poured over the dish.

Appetizer: Curry-Spiced Samosas with Plum and Tomato Marmalade. This was a very complex recipe and I applaud Kim for tackling it. I thought the end product was tasty, full of flavors. There were comments of the interesting spices in the dough itself. I actually enjoyed my samosa without the marmalade.

Entree: Lighter Baked Ziti with Sausage. A real quick, simple baked pasta dish. It was easy and delicious. Now, I do have to say, I’m a fan of more sauce so if you’re like me, go ahead with more sauce in the dish. And next time, I’m going to try and find a spicier version of the turkey sausage for more heat.

Side Dish: Mixed Salad Green with Pears and Toasted Almonds. A nice, summer salad with the taste of oranges.

Dessert: Root Beer Float Cupcakes. These cupcakes are adorable and are delicious! Okay, so it’s only a hint of root beer but I’m okay with the dark chocolate flavor. Just make sure you eat it quickly, the ice cream does melt fast.

Appetizer: Maple-Rosemary Glazed Walnuts, Ginger Almonds and Strawberry Vanilla Agua Fresca. An assortment of fancy nuts and a refreshing summer drink. I liked the Maple-Rosemary Glazed Walnuts better only because they were sweeter than the Ginger Almonds. The fresca was refreshing and didn’t have the overwhelming sweetness of some other summer drinks.

Entree: Curry Almond “Burger”. The burger is in quotes because this was a vegetarian recipe. I am not a fan of fake meat made in the USA. I’ve been spoiled, I’ve had vegetarian dishes in Taiwan and their protein replacements are SO much better than the products produced here in the States. It’s nothing against the recipe, it’s just that I’ve been shown the light and I know that there are better vegetarian options. I wonder if my mom can smuggle some of it back…

Side Dishes: Watermelon with Watercress and Feta and Zucchini and Potato Rosti. I wasn’t really that impressed with the salad and I think it had to do with the mind playing tricks on me. I kept thinking the chunks of watermelon were tomatoes and when I bit into them, they had the texture of watermelon but not necessarily the flavor of it. The rosti did not turn out as expected. They were supposed to be stuck together but they were just soggy and didn’t crisp up in the pan. Kim had added more zucchini than potatoes and that may have been a problem; zucchini has much more water content than potatoes.

Dessert: Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Dessert. It pretty much tastes like a giant Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. The pudding didn’t firm up as expected and so it came more out like mud pie but the flavors were there. You will definitely have to refrigerate it longer than three hours. And I also used chopped up peanut butter cups instead of Reeses Pieces. It’s a good dessert but not really very pretty when served.