Chinese Greens with Mushroom Sauce

I bought yu choy and shimeji mushrooms and needed to use them up, and I wanted to give it this kind of treatment so I was happy to find this recipe.

Notes:

• The batch pictured above used only half the amount of sauce in the recipe because I didn't have very many mushrooms.
  
• I didn't use the dark soy sauce.
• I did mix in some oyster sauce as the sauce was cooking and thickening in the pan.
  

Verdict: True to its title, this recipe was easy, as well as quick and delicious, and also looks attractive. I'd love to make it again.

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RECIPE: Easy Chinese Broccoli (Omnivores Cookbook)

Corn and Cherry Tomato Salad with Basil

Every year I buy corn when it's fresh (in August where I live) and then am not quite sure what to do with it besides boil it and eat it off the cob. This year I tried to find something a little different and settled on this. I love that you don't even have to cook the corn. It's good without the feta cheese but I think I prefer it with (it's a little more salty and I like the extra texture).

Notes:

• I made this more by feel with the amounts of ingredients I had than anything else.
• I used Tropea onion instead of red onion (the farmer I bought them from described them as "like red onion but sweeter and sharper", and they're delightful here).
  
• Used lime juice instead of cider vinegar.
  
• Added some ground chipotle powder for some heat (but you don't have to).
• You can make it vegan if you leave out the feta cheese.
  

Verdict: The first time I made it, it was so good I made it again right away after it was gone. It has a lovely mix of flavors, textures, and colors. Definitely keeping this one to make again.

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RECIPE: Fresh Corn Tomato Salad (Basil and Bubbly)

Eggplant Parmesan Melts

Our neighbors invited us to come pick their vegetables while they were away last week, and the eggplants were in full swing. I am still learning how to cook eggplant in ways that I like it, and I thought this would be a sure bet. I cooked it exactly as written.

Verdict: Breading and frying things is a lot of work, but 100% worth how it tastes. Absolutely delicious. Would definitely make it again if I felt up to the task.

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RECIPE: Eggplant Parmesan Melts (Smitten Kitchen)

Natural Peanut Butter Cookies

I arrived at this recipe after finding myself with a surplus of natural peanut butter (the kind that's just ground peanuts and sometimes salt) and finding that it does not cookie all that well. I have substituted it for regular peanut butter in other recipes and the cookies came out kind of dry and crumbly so I wanted to make sure I used a recipe that specifically called for it.

Notes:

• I didn't have a fancy cookie stamp so I flattened my cookies with a potato masher.
• I rolled the cookies in turbinado sugar before flattening for some extra crunch and sparkle.
  

Verdict: I thought they were really nice! I might make them smaller next time, but sometimes big cookies are fun.

EDIT 10/13/2021: I made a couple of variations on this cookie for my partner's birthday with peanut butter candies. I made thumbprint type cookies with a mini peanut butter cup in the middle, and another kind where I mixed in Reese's pieces (peanut butter filled hard-shelled chocolate candies). Both worked pretty well and tasted great. I think I liked the Reese's pieces ones the best.

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RECIPE: Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies (Lovely Little Kitchen)

Black Pepper Tofu and Eggplant

I tried this because I had all the ingredients and this looked like a tasty way to use them up.

Verdict: Delightful. The sheet pan technique worked well. I would love to make it again.

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RECIPE: Black Pepper Tofu and Eggplant (Smitten Kitchen)

Zucchini Butter Spaghetti

This sounded delicious when a photo of it scrolled by and I had to try it for myself. I made it exactly as written.

Verdict: It was really nice and used lots of zucchini. I'd gladly make it again.

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RECIPE: Zucchini Butter Spaghetti (Smitten Kitchen)