You don't come across vegetarian tacos all that often, but in the rare instances in which you do, they're often wonderful. For a long time my go-to was another Rick Bayless recipe involving swiss chard and caramelized onions; I'd put them in front of any meat eater any day. Searching for a recipe using corn and zucchini, I came across this second Bayless recipe, which is similarly excellent. More

[Photograph: Leela Punyaratabandhu] This is great smeared on crackers or as a sandwich spread. Feel free to adjust the seasoning to taste. The spread hardens somewhat once refrigerated. To resume its spreadable consistency, simply microwave it briefly or whisk in... More

[Photograph: Blake Royer]... More

I was sold on this recipe from Into the Vietnamese Kitchen the moment after I read the first step. That's where author Andrea Nguyen describes watching the "whirling blizzard" of lemongrass in the food processor as it transforms from chopped stalks into a "fine, fluffy mass." Sure enough, the lemongrass puffs up sort of like cotton candy, before eventually turning into a paste when you add the onion and ginger. Theatrics aside, it's really just a fragrant base for a dish that is far more comforting than I had expected. More

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After trying various versions, I've finally found a recipe that makes the cookies exactly as I remember them: soft and chewy—I even pull them out of the oven when they're just on the underside of done—with golden edges. White chocolate seems to get creamier than regular chocolate during the baking process, and when the cookie is hot, a bite in the right place will cause velvety white chocolate to pool in your mouth. More

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