Weekend Summary--Trying Some New Recipes

I enjoy having my little brother over for dinner. Even though he only lives 30 miles away from me, it's not often that we get together, especially on a Saturday night (he is after all a twenty-something bachelor with a very packed social calendar of his own). Well, this past Saturday my bro paid a visit to his big sis and her boyfriend and we all sat down and broke bread together. Okay, bread wasn't even on the menu, but nonetheless, we shared a wonderful meal. I was eager to test out several new recipes I came across recently. One was a panko encrusted chicken that a fellow blogger, the cookbook junkie, raved about some time ago. This was truly a hit with the boys. My boyfriend exclaimed that the chicken thigh he was devouring had to be one of the best he's eaten in a long while! My brother and I nodded in agreement. The chicken, with its tangy, crispy, crunchy coating, was indeed juicy on the inside and oh-so-delicious! This recipe is one I will definitely be making again in the near future.
I also made a sugar snap and green peas side that had some lemon and mint in it which I found on the culinary in the desert site.
Refreshing and light, I think the next time I make this I'll add a little more mint to make the flavor come out even more. My second side for the night was braised red cabbage with applewood bacon, one that my brother and I really dug, though my BF wasn't too crazy about it (he says he was concentrating so much on the awesomeness of the chicken so I forgave him). And finally, I prepared a lovely farfalle pasta dish with pistachio cream found here. I personally love pistachios and thought this pasta dish was decadent and rich without being heavy, if that is at all possible. I loved the flavor, the creaminess, and the texture.
Bon appetit!