I’m not a gambling person—unless you count a friendly wager on who will win The Bachelorette—but good money says this recipe will become one of your favorites. Made with just four simple ingredients, these wafers may sound plain, but don’t let them fool you—they’re a 100/10. Completely crushable on their own, used in place of ladyfingers in your next tiramisù, or rolled thin for cutout cookies, these wafers are endlessly usable, though it won’t surprise me if they never quite make it into your pantry, because they’re so darn delicious right off the sheet pan.
If you’re feeling more playful than functional, ditch the round and use any shape cookie cutter. Adjust the bake time: longer for larger shapes and shorter for smaller shapes.
Classic Cuban picadillo—ground meat flavored with sweet raisins, savory tomatoes, salty olives, and fragrant cinnamon—is the ultimate comfort food. Here, I’ve turned those same flavors into an easy-to-make warm dip that uses black beans in place of the meat (with a hint of soy sauce to add some umami). The result can be eaten warm or cold with tortilla chips.
This recipe is essentially buttered noodles for adults (even though buttered noodles are also for adults but . . . you get what I mean). And if I’m going to flex how easy they are, they’re the same commitment as Kraft macaroni and cheese, give or take a noodle. Since tahini occasionally stiffens up if it sits too long, you’ll need to include a generous scoop (or two) of pasta water to keep things smooth and saucy. And while it’s always tempting to skip a garnish, a few sprigs of mint beautifully break up the richness of the nutty sauce
These smashed potatoes are inspired by my favorite stir-fried mala potatoes I get from the Sichuan restaurant near my house. Their version is crinkle-cut, but the seasoning here is the same and the shape is just as playful. Mala refers to a blend of primarily Sichuan peppercorns and spicy chilis, and lends its name to that buzzing, almost tingly sensation you get from eating Sichuan food. This spice mix also includes cumin seeds and white pepper to round out the heat with a little earthiness, turning these smashed potatoes into tingly taters.
A broccoli salad makes sense. Broccoli loves you, and you love it, so everything is going to be fine. Well, once we make one. Gorgonzola rules, don’t be scared, and eggs rule, so don’t worry. Bacon vinaigrette is always nice and warm. We will get through this and make this right. This salad low- key could be made in any season, warm or cold. Also it’s a fire dinner or breakfast. Dang, just eat this every day, all day. You’ll become so strong.
If you haven’t yet had delicata squash, it’s time! You can actually eat the thin, tender, nutrient-packed skin, which means it’s perfect as the base for a quick side dish that even my kids adore. The squash gets a coating of crunchy panko and flavorful Parmesan cheese, bakes until golden, then gets a drizzle of hot honey. I love this paired with Hot Honey Glazed Salmon That Goes with Everything or as a beautiful holiday appetizer or side. My husband and kids love to dip the squash in ranch dressing—figures!
I just love this recipe. It’s so FAST (under 30 minutes) and convenient, especially because any type of frozen fish works and you don’t even need to defrost it before cooking.
Some salads are supporting actors; this salad is a star. It’s worth your attention and stomach space on a table full of other foods— yes, even (and especially) like Thanksgiving. I like to keep the farro, olive, and cheese treasures at the bottom of the serving bowl, with the leaves layered on the top for a fun surprise every time someone scoops.
This recipe is flexible, so don’t get flustered if you don’t have both endives and radicchio or Castelfranco. Just one type of leaf is fine! Don’t have Parm? Swap in feta or even blue cheese. If you want to skip the nuts, go for it, but I’d strongly advise you keep the olives in. And, you could even add in a sweet element, like a dried cranberry, golden raisin, or sliced pear, if that’s your kind of thing.
We’ve put this recipe here because, unlike the pot pies in the first chapter, this is a traditional pot pie with a bottom crust and a top crust, making it a double-crusted pie. This pot pie uses the carcass of the holiday bird to make a rich turkey stock. Making stock is a very flexible process, so use common sense rather than precise measurements. Of course it’s fine to use store-bought turkey stock, but homemade is so much better and takes less than 10 minutes of active time. It’s well worth the small effort, since the turkey is abundance itself and shouldn’t be wasted.