Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

This is the easiest way I've found so far to make this dish and had to note it here. The Chinese name for it is 蚝蠔芥蘭.

Notes:

• I had less vegetable to start with so I scaled down the recipe to fit what I had.

Verdict: This was really tasty! I knew before making it that I like this dish, and thought this version was really nice and easy to make. I would definitely make it again and this particular person really makes me want to learn more about Chinese cooking techniques. His father apparently worked in the restaurant business for most of his life as a cook/chef, and a big part of this person's reason for making a blog and videos is to document and share his father's extensive knowledge.

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RECIPE: Perfect Chinese Broccoli w/Oyster Sauce (Made with Lau)

(Video version)

Potato Kugel

This is another recipe I had on the "try" list for quite some time, and I thought it would go well with Christmas dinner (salmon and vegetables).

Notes:

• I learned to use the slicer disks on my food processor for this and there was a bit of a learning curve so the potatoes ended up different sizes.
• I served it with sour cream and fresh dill.
• I sliced leftover pieces of this lengthwise and pan fried it to go with breakfast eggs (and it was tasty).
  

Verdict: I would like to try making this again with a bigger grate on the potatoes (use the larger holes on the food processor, or maybe a box grater) and in a shallower pan. I think mine may have been too thick because it didn't get very crispy, and it also turned a little gray/brown so it didn't look as nice as the recipe author's.

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RECIPE: Potato Kugel (Deb Perelman, Smitten Kitchen)

Italian Rice and Peas (Risi e Bisi)

This is a dish I'd been meaning to try for a while, and it was additionally a good use of leftover Thanksgiving ham.

Verdict: Homey, comforting, and not hard to make though it was a bit time consuming. If I had the ingredients on hand I'd make it again.

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RECIPE: Risi e Bisi (Hank Shaw, Simply Recipes)

Unstuffed Mushroom Casserole

I saw this pop up in the Smitten Kitchen newsletter and it sounded good and nice for cooler fall weather.

Verdict: Partner loved it. I thought it was good even though I am not a mushroom lover. If someone I know loved mushrooms and asked me to make them something I would definitely make it again.

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RECIPE: Unstuffed Mushroom Casserole (Smitten Kitchen)

Grim Reaper Galette

I saw pictures of this in the spring and couldn't get it out of my head. I knew it would be a lot of work but had to try it anyway, and what better occasion to make it than Halloween?

Notes:

• I used store-bought raspberry jam instead of making the one in the recipe. (I want to be clear that this was a MISTAKE, a BAD MOVE.) It was too sweet and messed with the texture.
  
• I used a different raspberry liqueur from the one suggested because that's a lot of Chambord and I don't think I like it? Chambord would probably be best for intense color though. I went with Mathilde Framboise.
  
• If you don't want or can't have alcohol (though the great majority of it will likely cook off because you cook it for a long period of time), I did soak one of the pears in a dark red fruit juice mixed with some red food coloring. I used a cranberry-pomegranate blend. I successfully made syrup out of the soaking liquid. The pear skull did not get as intensely colored but it otherwise worked well. See the bottom right skull in the top photo for an idea of the difference.
• The amount of filling might have been too much or the pears too juicy. The filling was very liquid and it look much longer to cook than the recipe said and never quite completely set. The filling also leaked and caramelized on the pan and the bottom of the tart and negatively affected the taste (deeply caramelized raspberry jam is not a pleasant flavor).
  

Verdict: I probably won't make this again given the amount of time required. I wasn't happy with how mine turned out but I think it's probably mostly my fault for not making my own jam like the recipe said. I'm also finding that I'm not very fond of the combination of chocolate and pear. (I thought the raspberry and wine flavors might make it a little better.) The chocolate crust was tasty by itself, as was the raspberry liqueur and red wine syrup reduction. If I did make it again, I would absolutely make sure to make my own jam since it's likely softer set and less cloyingly sweet than the kind you can buy in a jar at the store.

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RECIPE: Grim Reaper Galette (Lori Castellon, Ghoul at Heart)

Kabocha Squash and Pork Stir Fry

Another recipe that ticked all the boxes for "sounds like I'd like this" (savory ground pork, sweet kabocha squash, Japanese style flavorings). I was a little worried the squash wouldn't get fully cooked but as long as you slice it thinly enough it shouldn't be a problem.

Verdict: I loved it (good sweet-salty-savory combination) and would definitely make it again.

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RECIPE: Kabocha Pork Stir-Fry (Namiko Chen, Just One Cookbook)

Roasted Potatoes with Dill

I went looking for a recipe for dill potatoes and tried this one because it sounded good, and because we had fresh homegrown garlic to put with them.

Notes:

• There's a lot of butter mixture to cover the potatoes and I used even more potatoes than the recipe called for. The extra just sat in a puddle in the middle of the pan so you could likely use up to 3 lb potatoes if you wanted.
  
• I used regular butter rather than vegan butter because it's what I had on hand.
  
• I did not cook the dill with the potatoes because in my experience fresh herbs taste better and more noticeable on roasted veggies when they're not cooked with the vegetables, and despite the instructions, the author's recipe photos clearly show uncooked dill on the potatoes. I instead sprinkled it over them while they were done cooking but still hot.

Verdict: Pretty good! I liked the addition of lemon juice (I don't normally put it on my roasted veggies because I thought it might taste weird but I liked it here). The garlic got very dark brown and I liked the flavor that added. If I had all the ingredients on hand I'd make it again.

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RECIPE: Roasted Dill Potatoes (Holly Gray, This Wife Cooks)

Pomarola (Tuscan Style Tomato Sauce)

Someone at my partner's work brought a giant box to share of San Marzano tomatoes they'd grown, and I ended up with a couple of pounds of them and decided to make this sauce.

Notes:

• I used fresh tomatoes rather than canned, and did not remove the skins.
  
• I didn't have fresh basil so I used dried oregano. I did put in the garlic because I had fresh garlic on hand and didn't have quite enough onion as the recipe called for.
  
• I blended the sauce at the end for a smooth texture.
  

Verdict: Pretty easy to make and tasted great! We ate it with gnocchi. If I ever found myself with a lot of the right kind of fresh tomatoes again, I would definitely make it.

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RECIPE: Pomarola (Filippo Trapella, PhilosoKitchen)

Karelian Pies (Finnish Rice Pasties)

We vacationed in Finland recently and one of the things I fell in love with is Karelian pies (karjalanpiirakka in Finnish). They were often served for breakfast (ohh the lovely hotel breakfast) but can be eaten at any time of day. I missed them enough when I got home that I decided to try making my own.

Notes:

• I used Arborio rice because I didn't think I was going to find the traditional type of rice, and with its creamy texture I thought it would work better than Japanese rice.
• I used half and half instead of milk because it was what I had on hand, and omitted the butter in the filling.
• You can make the filling ahead and chill it to make it a little easier to assemble.
  
• I added an extra splash of water into my crust dough because I thought it was a little too dry.
• I only used maybe 3 tbsp each of the melted butter and milk for brushing, didn't do the brushing step halfway through cooking, and they still tasted fine and there was mixture left over.
  
• The recipe author isn't kidding when they say heavily floured board. The dough is fairly sticky. I poured out what I thought would be too much extra flour and ended up using pretty much all of it.
• 4-5 tbsp filling per pie is a better estimate than the 3 tbsp written in the recipe. I got toward the end and realized I was going to have filling left over so I REALLY piled it in those last few.
• 500 F oven seems quite hot but please trust it! It worked just fine for me.
  
• I made egg butter with 2 boiled eggs and about 4 tbsp Irish style butter and it worked nicely.
• If the rice porridge filling is not your thing, these can also be made with mashed potatoes, fish, or meat as the filling.
  

Verdict: These are definitely bigger than the ones at hotel breakfast, and were kind of a lot of work, but they tasted really good! I would gladly make this recipe again if I had a craving for them.

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RECIPE: Karelian Pies (Inspired by Maps)

Finnish Style Salmon Soup

I recently went to Finland for the first time and was told to try this soup. I finally did try it the day before I went back home, fell in love with it, and it was one of the first things I made for myself once I was home again.

Notes:

• I used white onion because the store did not have leeks in stock when I went shopping for ingredients.
• I would add some salt when making the fish stock to get some layers of salt in the dish, rather than adding it all at the end.
  
• I did not use all 20g of the fresh dill (maybe only about 12-15g) and thought that was plenty.
• I served the soup with garlic toast and roasted Brussels sprouts.
  

Verdict: It was really nice! Finnish salmon definitely tastes better than the kind we can get in the midwestern US. I will admit that this is not my favorite way to eat salmon (salmon is expensive where I live and I prefer baking or broiling it to serve as the main part of a meal) but the soup itself was good, and I would make it again if I didn't want to bake or broil my salmon.

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RECIPE: Finnish Salmon Soup (Sue Moran, The View from Great Island)

Japanese Style Corn Rice

I like rice and corn and cooking rice with stuff in it, and the flavors of this dish sounded appealing so I wanted to give this a try.

Verdict: It was good but a significant amount of extra effort for how much I liked the taste. I think it would actually taste really good with Western style barbecue. If I had a lot of fresh corn to use up I might consider making it again.

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RECIPE: Corn Rice (Namiko Chen, Just One Cookbook)

Fresh Tomato Salad

Verdict: It was all right. I think maybe some sweetness would have made it even better, or some cheese. I'm not sure I will go out of my way to make this again but it's a nice way to use up lots of tomatoes that are best eaten fresh.

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RECIPE: Tomato Salad (The Kitchn)

Bean Sprout Stir Fry

I tried this because I had part of a bag of bean sprouts left from making laksa, and I didn't know that they'd be good to eat fresh anymore so I wanted to try cooking them.

Verdict: I liked it quite a bit and my partner REALLY loved it (he is a bean sprout fiend). It was easy and tasty and healthy. I would gladly make it again.

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RECIPE: Bean Sprout Stir Fry (Maggie Zhu, Omnivore's Cookbook)

Laksa Noodle Soup

Notes:

• I used Lee Kum Kee laksa soup base in a foil pouch because it was what I could find at my local store. I like the flavor of a lot of their sauces so I thought I'd like this too. The directions say to mix it with water but I did a mix of coconut milk and chicken broth.
  

Verdict: It was really good! My partner absolutely loved it and so did I, so it sounds like we're definitely having it again.

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RECIPE: Laksa Noodle Soup (Recipe Tin Eats)

Steak Garlic Rice

Verdict: Absolutely wonderful, even without the liquid smoke. This is definitely more of a special occasion, once-in-a-while-as-a-treat dish but it was SO good. I am not making the garlic chips from scratch again if I can help it because those were very fussy.

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RECIPE: Steak Garlic Rice (Just One Cookbook)

Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen)

I was first introduced to this dish during my year abroad in Japan in college, and I fell in love immediately.

Verdict: This recipe tasted really nice! I would gladly have it again.

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RECIPE: Hiyashi Chuka (Just One Cookbook)

Rhubarb Gin and Tonic

Notes:

• The solids left after you press out the syrup are basically rhubarb jam, so instead of throwing it away, I filled some oatmeal bars with it! I used my favorite recipe for date-fig oatmeal squares and used this instead of the date filling.
  

Verdict: I thought it was OK but I don't know that I'd go out of my way to make it again. Honestly, I preferred it without alcohol = the syrup with just soda water/sparkling water, especially a cherry or orange flavored one.

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RECIPE: Rhubarb Gin and Tonic (Smitten Kitchen)

Chickpea Pan Bagnat

Apparently, flattening your sandwich down enough so it will fit in your mouth is not an exclusively American thing.

Verdict: I liked all of the flavors together (the vinegar and oil soaked bread was really nice actually) and how filling it was, but it was kind of hard to eat and didn't stay together very well. Preparing all the separate pieces took kind of a long time too. Not sure I'd go out of my way to make it exactly like this again, but a simplified version might be nice.

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RECIPE: Chickpea Pan Bagnat (Smitten Kitchen)

Scallion Pancakes

Notes:

• I froze two of them for later. It's a little harder to make sure they get cooked in the middle without burning the outside but they still taste really good.
  

Verdict: I already knew I liked scallion pancakes, and fresh homemade ones are even more of a treat. They're kind of a lot of work, but really delicious.

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RECIPE: Cong You Bing Scallion Pancakes (The Woks of Life)

Chamomile Tea Cake with Strawberry Icing

A friend recently introduced me to the work of Eric Kim and I love his ideas for recipes, so when I saw this one made with multiple flavors I really like, I wanted to give it a try.

Verdict: This was really lovely tasting and the icing color so vibrant. The supercharged strawberry flavor was great! I would gladly make it again.

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RECIPE: Chamomile Tea Cake with Strawberry Icing (Eric Kim, for the New York Times)

Cilantro Sauce

because the sauce all by itself might look a little gross, lol

When your partner buys three bunches of cilantro the day before he leaves you in the house by yourself  for two weeks and you're trying to find ways to use it up, you try this.

Verdict: It added some good bright flavor to the Mexican and Middle Eastern style food I ate it with. Not sure I'd make it on purpose again but it was a decent addition to my food for a while. I froze a bunch of it and have yet to see how that preserved, but hopefully it will still look and taste OK.

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RECIPE: Cilantro Sauce (Umami Girl)

Easy Aloo Gobi

Notes:

• The potatoes and cauliflower took a LOT longer to cook than the recipe says and needed more water than it shows.

Verdict: It was all right and decently easy, but didn't have the richness of flavor I really like from Indian restaurant food. It was mostly just spicy. I wouldn't go out of my way to make it again but if I had all the ingredients on hand I would possibly try it again.

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RECIPE: Easy Aloo Gobi (Veena Azmanov)

Kimchi Fried Rice

I occasionally buy kimchi and want to learn to eat it more regularly and have it in ways other than by itself. As it turns out, kimchi fried rice is a pretty basic home cooked meal for Koreans so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Notes:

• I left out the salty meat since I didn't have any on hand, and added some salt toward the end.
  
• The kimchi I used was from a Japanese grocery store so I suspect it was a quite mild variety in terms of spicy heat level.
  

Verdict: It was yummy! I will probably add some gochujang next time to make it more spicy, though it might have just been a really mild jar of kimchi I had this time.

Edit 3/31/23: I made Maangchi's kimchi fried rice recipe today, but I liked the flavor of this original recipe better.

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RECIPE: Kimchi Fried Rice (NYT Cooking)

Cinnamon Rolls

I had some leftover cream cheese frosting from making gingerbread cookies and a hankering for cinnamon rolls, so I made these.

Notes:

• I used active dry yeast instead of instant yeast (letting it bloom in the milk/butter mixture for about 10 minutes before adding it to the recipe) and it worked fine.
• I used a stand mixer to mix and knead the dough.
• I did not make the icing in this recipe so I haven't tried it yet, but this particular recipe author tends to know what she's doing so I bet it's great.
  

Verdict: These are probably the best cinnamon rolls I've ever made. They had a really nice texture, very soft and pillowy on the inside. I would absolutely make them again, and now that I have a recipe I know I like, I can keep using it!

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RECIPE: Easy Cinnamon Rolls (Sally's Baking Addiction)

French Onion Soup

We had everything we needed to make this (even Gruyere cheese!) and I hadn't made French onion soup in a LONG time so I decided to give it another go.

Verdict: I was not especially happy with it, for some reason. The flavor was not quite as rich and robust as I am accustomed to. My stomach also did not agree with it. I might try a different recipe next time.

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RECIPE: Essential French Onion Soup (Smitten Kitchen)

Café Coffee Cookies

I came across these while looking for recipes for "coffee biscuits", something from a Final Fantasy game I have not played, because they sounded good. The official recipe didn't look all that interesting but I had to try these once I saw the picture.

Verdict: They were good but I think I really wanted the flavor of coffee + milk and the coffee flavor here sort of blended into the chocolate. I was afraid of adding too much espresso powder and making them bitter. I am glad I tried them and they are pretty but I don't think I'd go out of my way to make them again unless someone specifically asked.

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RECIPE: Café Coffee Cookies (Betty Crocker)

Napa Cabbage Tofu Soup

This sounded really good to me when it scrolled by on Instagram so I decided to try it.

Verdict: It was quite good! I think I would serve this as a side dish unless you specifically wanted a very light meal.

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RECIPE: Napa Cabbage Tofu Soup (Omnivore's Cookbook)