Food52 A New Way to Dinner

TO DO TODAY Warm the soup and stir in the cream. Make the grilled cheese sandwiches. Before dinner, get the plums in the oven and make the cinnamon cream.

DINNER FOUR

Chicken Salad with Fennel and Smoked Almonds

Country bread

Mint Ice Cream with Toasted Cake and Whipped Cream

TO DO TODAY Put together the salad. Toast the cake crumbs and whip the cream for the dessert. After eating the salad, have everyone assemble their own dessert.

DINNER FIVE

Beef Short Ribs in Red Wine

Penne rigate

Arugula with Simple Lemon Dressing

Butter cookie and salted caramel sandwiches

TO DO TODAY Spread 8 butter cookies with salted caramel sauce and top with 8 more cookies. Chill in the fridge. Easy! Cook 1 pound (450g) penne rigate. Warm up the remaining beef short ribs. Dress the arugula. Serve the penne topped with the short ribs and some grated cheese.

BROWN BAG LUNCHES

Chicken Salad Sandwich on Brioche

Fennel Salad and Soppressata

Egg Salad with crackers

GAME PLAN

TO MAKE OVER THE WEEKEND

Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup

Egg Salad

Pan-Roasted Chicken

Chicken Salad with Fennel and Smoked Almonds

Beef Short Ribs in Red Wine

Butternut Squash Puree

Braised Fennel

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

GET IN, GET OUT!

Should take 3 hours, give or take a few minutes.

• In the morning, season the chicken thighs and put them uncovered in the fridge.

• When you’re ready to cook, heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Make the cake batter and bake the cake.

• While the cake bakes, get the short ribs started by chopping the vegetables, browning the short ribs, and so on, until the braise is happily simmering away. If you’re time-crunched, don’t brown the short ribs.

• When the cake is done, increase the oven heat to 375°F (190°C). Prep the tomatoes and roast them for soup, then mash in a saucepan and store them in the fridge (in the saucepan, if possible, so reheating is easier).

• Make the butternut squash puree.

• When the tomatoes are out of the oven, increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) for the chicken. Brown the chicken, then transfer to the oven to finish cooking. It’s done when the juices run clear. Remove from the oven, let cool, and store in the fridge.

• Braise the fennel, then let cool and store in the fridge.

• Hard-boil 6 eggs, then make the egg salad.

• Bonus points if you make the lemon dressing for the chicken salad; otherwise make it the day of.

• You’re almost there! Check on the short ribs. When they’re tender, turn off the heat and let them cool. Store, covered, in the fridge, ideally in the pot you’ve cooked them in.

• Now get back to making your Halloween costume. Or put your feet up.

Can’t do the whole menu? Here’s how to cool your jets. Skip the short ribs altogether and grill lamb shoulder chops on the first night and serve cured meats, salad, and cheese on the second. You can always trim dessert from the menu because good ice cream is just a freezer aisle away. Think of the time you’ll save if you don’t make the cake (but it is really good, just sayin’). Together these changes will save you an hour if not more.

GROCERY LIST

PRODUCE

Baby arugula or baby kale, 14 ounces (400g)

Beefsteak tomatoes, 4 pounds (1.8kg, about 8)

Butternut squash, 2 medium

Carrots, 4

Celery, 2 stalks for lunch

Fennel bulbs, 3 large with fronds

Garlic, 8 cloves

Lemon, 1

Meyer lemons, 2

Plums, 8

Radishes, 1 bunch for lunch

Yellow onions, 3

HERBS

Dill, flat-leaf parsley, what have you, for lunch salad

Handful of sage, rosemary, and/or thyme sprigs

SPICES

Ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon

PANTRY

Agave syrup, 1 teaspoon

Aged sherry vinegar or other vinegar you like

Canned chopped tomatoes (preferably Pomi), 3 cups (720g)

Capers, for lunch

Crackers, for lunch

Extra-virgin olive oil, about 3 cups (710ml), plus more to have on hand

Grainy mustard, 1 tablespoon, plus more for lunches

Mayo, for lunch

Penne rigate, 1 pound (450g)

Peppadews or other pickled hot pepper, 4

Pickled vegetables (beans, carrots, cauliflower, or cucumbers), 1 jar for lunch

Pitted olives, for lunch

Salted caramel sauce, for dessert

Tabasco or Cholula hot sauce, for lunch

BAKING AISLE

All-purpose flour, 2 cups (250g)

Baking powder, ½ teaspoon

Baking soda, ½ teaspoon

Bittersweet chocolate, 6 ounces (170g)

Light brown sugar, ¾ cup (150g)

Raw sugar, 1 teaspoon

Sugar, 1¾ cups (350g), plus more to have on hand

Smoked almonds, ½ cup (70g)

Unsweetened cocoa powder, ¾ cup (60g)

Pure vanilla extract, a few drops

DAIRY AND EGGS

Salted butter, a few tablespoons

Unsalted butter, 6 tablespoons (85g)

Eggs, 9

Gruyère, 4 cups (460g) grated from a wedge

Parmesan, 1 cup (100g) grated from a wedge

Heavy cream, 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (475ml)

Milk, 1½ cups (355ml)

MEAT AND SEAFOOD

Bacon, 4 slices

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, 12

Bone-in short ribs, 6 pounds (2.7kg)

Pancetta, 5 ounces (140g)

Soppressata, thinly sliced for lunch

BOOZE AND SUCH

Bourbon, ¼ cup (60ml)

Orange juice, ¼ cup (60ml)

Red wine, 2 (750ml) bottles

FREEZER

Mint ice cream, for dessert

BAKED GOODS

Brioche, for lunch

Good butter cookies, 16

Good country bread, 2 loaves

I like a recipe that allows me to feel like I’m cheating the system. Traditional tomato soup makes me think of peeling tomatoes and long simmering (long suffering?). It can turn out well, but lacks the depth of flavor you get in a tomato that’s been exposed to direct heat.

There’s always another way, and with some tinkering, I found it: I slice and roast beefsteak tomatoes smothered with garlic and olive oil. By the time they’re roasted, the soup is pretty much done. To finish it, simply mash the tomatoes with some cream and adjust the seasoning. The soup is heavily textured—call it rustic!—and genuinely all about the deep flavor of tomatoes.

1 Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet or large casserole dish with aluminum foil. Lay the tomatoes cut side down. Wedge the garlic cloves wherever they’ll fit. Sprinkle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast until the tomatoes are soft and caramelized, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool.

2 Pull the skins off the tomatoes and discard them. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins. Begin mashing the tomatoes with a potato masher until they’re pulpy, but not chunky; you can do this directly on the baking sheet. (If you prefer to use a food processor, go ahead—just make sure you leave it pulpy.) Let cool, transfer to a container, and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

3 The day of: Warm the soup over medium heat. When the mixture is hot but not boiling, stir in the cream. Season with salt and add a pinch of sugar, if needed. Ladle into bowls and season with pepper.

My mother, an excellent cook, likes to dispense her cooking wisdom in a slow, carefully timed trickle of detail. For years, I made her oven-fried chicken and wondered why mine was never as crisp. Because she hadn’t yet told me about the critical step of soaking the chicken in salted ice water for a few hours before cooking it.

With grilled cheese, I felt I’d learned a pretty good version on my own—buttering the outside of the bread and grating cheese for the inside, so the exterior gets supercrisp and toasty and the center is a glorious goo. Merrill and I even did a video on this grilled cheese. My mom watched the video and said, “Looked good, but you forgot the bacon.” She always laid a piece of bacon across the outside of the sandwich so it would be embedded in the grilled cheese like a fossil and the bacon fat would scent the bread. Mom, 1. Me, 0.

1 Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread. Lay a half slice of bacon across the middle (lengthwise) of each buttered side.

2 Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. (If you can squeeze all the sandwiches into one pan, bravo; otherwise cook them in batches or in two pans side by side.) Lay 2 slices of bread, butter-and-bacon side down, in the pan. Sprinkle one-half of each of the cheeses on top, then top with 2 slices of bread, butter-and-bacon side up. Press down on the sandwiches with a spatula. Cook until the bacon renders and the sandwich warms through, 5 minutes or so. When the bacon and bread are nicely browned, turn and toast the other side for about 5 minutes more. Transfer the sandwiches to plates (you can keep them warm in a 200°F/95°C oven as well) and cook the second batch.

Whenever I buy eggs for something on my weekly menu (here, it’s for the cake), I’ll make a point to hard-boil a handful of them (actually, 6 in this case) for egg salad. I start in cold water and count 6 minutes once the water simmers. I keep my salad simple, mashing the egg with mayonnaise, mustard, a little Tabasco or Cholula, capers, shaved fennel, radishes, and herbs (dill, parsley, fennel fronds, what have you). I pack egg salad sandwiches or egg salad and crackers for lunches. And if I’m having a tough week and didn’t get to all of my cooking, egg salad works for dinner too.

Merrill’s Mom’s Egg Salad “I’m about to tell you to do something a little crazy. If you’re the kind of person who enjoys cottage cheese and egg salad separately, it may be time to try them together. When my sister and I were small, my mother would fold equal amounts of egg salad and cottage cheese together, and then pile the pale yellow mixture onto toast for our dinner. It was a little tangy and very delicious.”

This is more technique than recipe and is a great one to have in your back pocket, because it works as both a make-ahead recipe (the chicken reheats well and can be sliced and added to salads) and a last-minute save. Pan-roasting chicken produces brown, crisp skin and juicy insides in a single pot in very little time. (See finished dish.)

It’s easiest if you use all chicken thighs, as they’ll cook at the same pace, but if you believe it’s better to buy all the parts of a bird, then just plan to remove the pieces from the pan as they finish cooking.

How Merrill Uses Leftover Chicken Most weeks—except perhaps during the height of summer—I roast a whole chicken or bake a pan of chicken thighs. I recently adopted Amanda’s pan-roasting method, and I’ve been won over by the deep browning of the chicken skin and the aromatics, which you only get if you dedicate a few extra minutes to monitoring the chicken on the stovetop before you slide it into the oven. Here are some recipes that call for leftover chicken, or where it would make a nice addition or substitution.

1 In the morning, place the chicken thighs on a plate or small baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Place, uncovered, in the fridge.

2 When you’re ready to cook, heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and set out the chicken. Place two large cast-iron pans (you can do this in batches in one pan but two makes it faster) over high heat. When the pans are hot, add enough oil to thickly coat the base of the pan. Add the chicken thighs, skin side down, in the pan. Let them cook, undisturbed, until the skin is well browned and easily releases from the pan, about 7 to 10 minutes. Turn the pieces and cook the other side until well browned, about 5 minutes longer. Adjust the heat so the chicken doesn’t burn.

3 Tuck the garlic and herbs around and under the chicken pieces, and transfer the pans to the oven to finish cooking, 10 to 15 minutes—the chicken is done when the internal temperature is 160°F (71°C). Let cool and store in containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.

4 The day of: Place 8 of the chicken thighs in a skillet and loosely tent with a piece of aluminum foil. Reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

A Million Variations, and Here Are Three You can make this chicken any time of year. Pair it with green sauce, ramp butter, or romesco.

I like a chicken salad that’s as much greens as chicken and other components. I added some of the leftover braised fennel, along with smoked almonds and some Peppadews to add a little life to the party. But this salad could be taken in a bunch of directions. Add a couple of handfuls of black or Le Puy lentils. Leave out the Peppadews and add grapefruit or blood orange segments. You could even swap the smoked almonds for bacon. Merrill has a great take on chicken salad as well—hers is warmed in a vinaigrette.

1 To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, mustard, and agave in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Season with salt and pepper. Screw on the lid and shake vigorously until emulsified. Store in the fridge for up to 10 days.

2 The day of: Arrange a bed of arugula on a large, deep serving platter. Top with the chicken, fennel, Peppadews, and almonds. Sprinkle half the dressing on top and mix the salad at the table. Save the remaining dressing for arugula salads through the week.

This is a handy technique for cooking firmer vegetables—it works well with young carrots and artichokes as well. Trim 3 large fennel bulbs (removing the outer layer if it’s tough) and slice into ¾-inch (2cm) wedges. Chop the fennel fronds and set aside. Put the fennel wedges in a large saucepan. Pour in ⅓ cup (80ml) extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is lightly browned and tender, about 25 minutes. Top with chopped fennel fronds. Let cool, then store in the fridge for up to a week. Reserve some of the braised fennel for lunch and for the chicken salad. When serving, remove from the fridge and let come to room temperature 20 minutes in advance. Sprinkle with aged sherry vinegar.

Leftover chicken salad makes a great sandwich. Spread slices of brioche with mayo and pile on the salad.

Combine some salad greens, pitted olives, and braised fennel and toss in leftover lemon dressing. Pack it alongside sliced soppressata and either good crackers or a slab of bread.

This recipe grew out of one from Mario Batali’s Simple Italian Food, in which he braises brisket and Barolo—two expensive ingredients that I’ve throttled down to short ribs and whatever red wine you have on hand. His recipe also calls for celery, which I don’t love in mirepoix (sorry France!), so I’ve added a bunch more carrots. This braise is best prepared one or two days in advance, which makes serving it for dinners even easier because all you have to do is heat it up. For this menu, I suggest serving it with country bread and penne rigate, but it’s also great with roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes and parsnips, farro, or polenta. If you’re up to it, take the country bread one step further: Toast it then brush it with olive oil.

Flavor Brightener If you’d like to liven up the short ribs, make a gremolata—a mix of finely grated lemon zest, chopped fresh parsley, and a smashed and chopped garlic clove—and sprinkle on top.

1 Warm the olive oil in your largest Dutch oven over high heat until nearly smoking. Season the short ribs liberally with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the short ribs to the pan and sear until well browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Adjust the heat so the short ribs brown but don’t burn. Transfer to a plate as you sear the remaining short ribs and add more oil as needed. Pour off any excess fat, leaving a small amount in the pot for the vegetables.

2 Add the onions, carrots, and pancetta to the pot, turn down the heat to medium-high and cook until the vegetables are light brown and starting to soften, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3 Return the short ribs to the pot and add the wine and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the meat is very tender, 2½ to 3 hours. Let cool in the pot, then cover and transfer to the fridge to store for up to 5 days.

4 The day of: Skim the layer of chilled fat off the top of the short ribs. Reheat the short ribs over medium heat in the covered pot you cooked and stored them in, adding a splash of water and stirring now and then, about 15 minutes.

Unlike most purees, which involve cooking a vegetable in liquid, pulverizing it in a food processor or blender, and then adding cream and butter—this recipe rebels against such conventions. I wanted a puree that I could make in a single pan. I also wanted to focus on concentrating the flavor of the squash instead of thinning it out with cream. I’d like to tell you that I spent months perfecting it; I did not. Lazy, one weekend, I threw a bunch of butternut squash cubes into a pan with lots of olive oil. I covered the pot and simmered the butternut squash in this bath of oil until it was good and soft. Then I mashed it right in the pan and swirled in a few tablespoons of cream. It worked. Without further ado…

Merrill Doubles Down “This puree is now a staple in our house at Thanksgiving, and I usually double the recipe so that we’re sure to have lots of leftovers (it’s especially popular with our toddler, Henry). I find it just as luxurious without the cream, so if you don’t have any on hand, don’t let that stop you from making it.”

12 cups (1.7kg) peeled and cubed butternut squash (from about 2 medium squash, cut into ½-inch/1.3cm cubes)

1 Pile the squash into a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the olive oil and season with salt. Cover the pan and place it over medium-high heat. You want the squash to rapidly sauté and steam in the oil, though you should still give it an occasional stir. Continue to cook until the squash is very tender, about 15 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to make sure the squash doesn’t burn. Turn off the heat.

2 With a potato masher, crush the squash until it’s a very smooth mash with no large chunks. Return the puree to medium heat and pour in the cream so that it just pools on top. Cook until the puree bubbles, then stir the cream in. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or cream as needed. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

3 The day of: Reheat the squash in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes (or in the microwave).

I never tire of cake’s magical transformation from pudding-like batter to soaring, airy tower. But I also bake cakes because just a single batch creates a homemade dessert that carries you through the week. That effort-to-reward ratio passes muster for most busy cooks. Sometimes when I don’t get to the cake on the weekend, I’ll make it on Monday or Tuesday night. You feel pretty savvy when you come home from work, dinner is done, and you’ve got time to bake.

This cake was inspired by one of my favorites—the orange-scented olive oil cake from Maialino, a restaurant off Manhattan’s Gramercy Park. In the Maialino cake, the orange and olive oil are fragrant and chatty. My chocolate version took about fifty-seven tries to get right, and here it is for you—chocolate and olive oil, happily cavorting, uninhibited by any demands for sophistication.

1 Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Oil, butter, or spray a 9-inch (23cm) cake pan that is at least 2 inches (5cm) deep and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2 In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugars, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk the olive oil, milk, eggs, and orange juice. Add the dry ingredients; whisk until just combined. Scrape the melted chocolate into the batter and fold together.

3 Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, until the top is domed and a cake tester comes out almost clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and let cool for 30 minutes.

4 Run a knife around the edge of the pan, invert the cake onto the rack, and let cool completely, 2 hours.

If there’s any cake left, your family is more disciplined than mine. And you’ll also have a good dessert option: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Break the remaining cake into hazelnut-size pieces on a baking sheet. Bake until the cake is toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, whip ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream—no sugar is needed. In 4 tumblers, layer mint ice cream, cake, and whipped cream, twice. Eat with long spoons.

Before you sit down to dinner, slice 8 plums and place them in a small baking dish with a pat or two or three of salted butter. Bake in a 300°F (150°C) oven while you eat dinner. The plums are ready when they’re warm and juicy and beginning to brown on the edges, about 30 minutes. Also before dinner, combine 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream with ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, a few drops of pure vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon raw sugar in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Screw on the lid and shake vigorously until blended and very thick and frothy, then put the jar in the fridge; shake once more before serving. Serve the plums doused in frothy cream.

THE WEEK AHEAD

THE RECIPES

Lamb Blade Chops

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pine Nuts and Raisins

All-in-One Lamb Salad with Horseradish, Watercress, and Celery

Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette

Green Sauce

Lamb Sandwich with Kale and Green Sauce

Creamed Kale

Gnocchi with Creamed Kale

Ricotta Gnocchi

Gnocchi with Brown Butter, Sage, Shaved Brussels Sprouts, and Pine Nuts

Stuck-Pot Rice

Stuck-Pot Rice, Creamed Kale, and Fried Egg

Chewy Vanilla Spice Cookies with Chocolate Chunks (Vegan, Too!)

Coffee Ice Cream with Toasted Marshmallows

HOW THEY COME TOGETHER

DINNER ONE

Lamb Blade Chops with Green Sauce

Stuck-Pot Rice

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Chewy Vanilla Spice Cookies with Chocolate Chunks (Vegan, Too!)

TO DO TODAY Broil or grill the lamb chops. Reheat the rice. Let the brussels sprouts come to room temperature. Bake off a batch of the cookies.

DINNER TWO

Gnocchi with Creamed Kale

Sliced pears with sheep’s milk cheese

TO DO TODAY Cook the gnocchi. Warm the kale. Top the gnocchi with the kale and Parmesan. Set out the cheese before you sit down to dinner.

DINNER THREE

All-in-One Lamb Salad with Horseradish, Watercress, and Celery

Wheat or rye country bread

Chewy Vanilla Spice Cookies with Chocolate Chunks (Vegan, Too!)

TO DO TODAY Put together the salad. Slice some country bread. Bake off the remaining cookies.

DINNER FOUR

Gnocchi with Brown Butter, Sage, Shaved Brussels Sprouts, and Pine Nuts

Coffee Ice Cream with Toasted Marshmallows

TO DO TODAY Shave the brussels sprouts and toast the pine nuts, then assemble the sauce. Cook the gnocchi. Toast the marshmallows just before scooping the ice cream.

DINNER FIVE

Stuck-Pot Rice, Creamed Kale, and Fried Egg

Banana, kefir, and maple shakes

TO DO TODAY Reheat the rice and kale. Fry the eggs. After dinner, make the shakes: In a blender, combine 2 cups (475ml) kefir (a tangy yogurt-like drink), 2 large scoops coffee ice cream, 2 ripe bananas, a handful of ice, and 3 tablespoons maple syrup. Blend on high until smooth and frothy.

BROWN BAG LUNCHES

Lamb Sandwich with Kale and Green Sauce

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pine Nuts and Raisins, plus your favorite cheese and crackers

GAME PLAN

TO MAKE OVER THE WEEKEND

Green Sauce

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Creamed Kale

Ricotta Gnocchi

Stuck-Pot Rice

Chewy Vanilla Spice Cookies with Chocolate Chunks (Vegan, Too!)

BRING IT, KALE.

Plan on a 3-hour investment in a week of great dinners.

• The night before or in the morning, mix together the cookie dough, then store covered in the fridge.

• When you’re ready to cook, heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). While it warms up, blend up the green sauce and store it in the fridge. You’re going to need your food processor again, so either rinse it out or just live with a little green sauce in your creamed kale.

• Parboil the rice, then drain it. Start the second stage of cooking the rice, this time in oil (this is the part when it sticks to the pot!). Once it’s done, store in the fridge.

• Meanwhile, trim half of the brussels sprouts and get them ready to go in the oven. Clean and prep the kale and broccoli rabe for the creamed kale.

• Roast the trimmed sprouts, then let them cool, and store in the fridge.

• Work on the creamed kale, browning the pancetta and cooking the kale and rabe. When you have a free moment, mix the gnocchi dough. It’s a bit of a balancing act but will build character.

• Take a minute to puree the kale and rabe. Store the creamed kale in two containers, half of it in each one.

• Roll and cut the gnocchi, then freeze them.

• Lots of dishes to wash today. Fingers crossed you have someone who can help!

The life-changing magic of trimming back your menu. The best way to save time this week is to swap out the gnocchi for a dried pasta like penne rigate or orecchiette. If you need to cut back even more, then make baked rice rather than stuck-pot rice. You’ll still have a week of lovely food! And this will save you nearly an hour.

GROCERY LIST

PRODUCE

Broccoli rabe, 1 pound (450g)

Brussels sprouts, 2¾ pounds (1.3kg) small

Celery stalks, 2

Garlic, 1 large clove

Horseradish, for grating

Lacinato kale, 1 bunch, plus more for lunch

Lemons, 4

Ripe bananas, 2

Ripe Bosc pears, 4 for dessert

Romaine, 3 cups (60g) torn

Watercress, 3 cups (60g)

HERBS

Basil, 1½ cups (45g) packed

Flat-leaf parsley, 3 cups (60g) packed

Sage leaves, 8

SPICES

Ground chile (such as piment d’Espelette), ¼ rounded teaspoon

Ground cinnamon (preferably Saigon), 1 teaspoon

Nutmeg, 1 whole

Red pepper flakes, generous pinch

PANTRY

Anchovy fillets, 3

Basmati rice, 2½ cups (460g)

Capers, 1 tablespoon

Crackers, for lunch

Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon

Grainy mustard, 1 tablespoon

Maple syrup, 3 tablespoons

Marshmallows, 8

Mayonnaise, for lunch

Canola oil, ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (135ml)

Extra-virgin olive oil, about 2 cups (475ml), plus more to have on hand

Peanut, grapeseed, or corn oil, 5 tablespoons (75ml)

Golden raisins, for lunch

Potato chips, for lunch

Red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons

Flaky salt

BAKING AISLE

All-purpose flour, 6 cups (750g), plus more to have on hand

Baking powder, 1 teaspoon

Baking soda, ¾ teaspoon

Dark chocolate, 8 ounces (225g)

Pine nuts, ¼ cup (35g)

Salted pistachios, ¼ cup (30g)

Dark brown sugar, ½ cup (110g) firmly packed

Sugar, ½ cup (100g)

Vanilla bean, 1

DAIRY AND EGGS

A small wedge of your favorite cheese, for lunch

Unsalted butter, ½ cup (110g)

Buttermilk, 3 tablespoons

Crème fraîche, ⅓ cup (80ml)

Eggs, 6 to 10

Fresh whole-milk ricotta, 2 pounds (900g)

Heavy cream, ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon (75ml)

Kefir, 2 cups (475ml)

Parmesan, ½ cup (50g) grated from a wedge, plus more for serving

Pecorino, for serving

Plain yogurt (preferably whole milk), ⅓ cup (80ml)

Sheep’s milk cheese, for dessert

MEAT AND SEAFOOD

Lamb blade chops, 8, about ¾ inch (2cm) thick

Pancetta, 4 ounces (115g)

FREEZER

Coffee ice cream, for dessert

BAKED GOODS

Ciabatta or kaiser rolls, 4 for lunch

Wheat or rye country bread

Lamb blade chops are what I turn to when I need a quick main dish that’s not superexpensive or taxing to handle. They’re less prim than a regular lamb chop, which is why they’re also cheaper. You can marinate them with yogurt, spices, and herbs, and sometimes I do. But mostly, I prepare them simply—they have beautiful flavor and can easily fit in with other dishes. Here, I top them with green sauce and serve stuck-pot rice on the side. You should cook all the lamb chops at once and save the leftovers for the salad and lunches.

1 About 30 minutes before serving, season all the lamb chops with salt and pepper and let them sit at room temperature. Heat your grill or broiler. If you’re grilling, heat the coals until very hot so you get a good char, then grill about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. If you’re broiling, place the chops in a cast-iron skillet and broil the chops 4 inches (10cm) from the flame, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal temperature of 130°F to 135°F/54°C to 57°C).

2 Top 4 of the chops with a spoonful of green sauce and serve with a lemon wedge. Let the remaining chops cool, then put in a container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread out 2 pounds (900g) small trimmed brussels sprouts on a baking sheet and drizzle the sprouts with enough extra-virgin olive oil to lightly coat them (like a salad dressing). Season the sprouts with salt. Shake the baking sheet to roll the sprouts and evenly coat them with the oil and salt.

Roast until browned and just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. If they’re very small, just a few minutes will do—taste one to see! Let cool, then store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Roasted brussels sprouts don’t rewarm well, so I prefer letting them come to room temperature before serving.

I use this same roasting method with cauliflower, delicata squash, radishes, carrots, and Romanesco cauliflower. The cooking times will vary depending on the vegetable, as well as on how you cut it. Don’t get too caught up with these details. If you’re in the kitchen already, just check the oven every few minutes, and you can’t go wrong. I like to use small brussels sprouts because they’re sweeter, but larger ones work, too. For any sprouts bigger than a large grape, cut them in half lengthwise.

If you have leftover raw brussels sprouts, shave them and toss them with some pine nuts, golden raisins, and vinaigrette. Put this into a container and pack a wedge of good cheese and a few crackers.

A great way to transform leftover lamb into a second meal is to make a big, peppery chopped salad with it. Put together a bowlful of chopped romaine and watercress. Add a handful or two of sliced celery. Cube the lamb and add it to the bowl. Dress the salad with a creamy vinaigrette, then blanket it all with freshly grated horseradish. (If you can’t find fresh horseradish, buy jarred horseradish and mix 1 tablespoon into the dressing—add more if you like.)

Not a Cold Lamb Fan? Dress the greens, reheat the lamb, and lay it on top of the salad.

1 In a large bowl, fold together the romaine, watercress, celery, and lamb. Add the dressing. Toss well and add more dressing as needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Grate horseradish over the salad.

Combine ⅓ cup (80ml) extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons buttermilk, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon grainy mustard, 1 tablespoon heavy cream, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Screw on the lid and shake vigorously until smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. (Makes 1 cup/240ml.)

In a food processor or blender, combine 3 cups (60g) packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, 1½ cups (45g) packed basil leaves, 3 anchovy fillets, 1 tablespoon capers, 1 large clove garlic, a pinch or two of piment d’Espelette or crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Pulse the mixture until the leaves are broken down. With the machine running, add oil in a slow, steady stream. If you like a dense green sauce, ¾ cup (175ml) extra-virgin olive oil will do; if you want it to be looser, add up to 1 cup (140ml) oil.

Squeeze the juice from a lemon half into the sauce. Taste and add more lemon, salt, or piment d’Espelette—I like the sauce to have a spark of heat but not be hot. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Toasted ciabatta roll (or kaiser roll) + mayonnaise + green sauce + thinly sliced leftover lamb + lacinato kale, torn into large pieces. Pack with pickled vegetables or potato chips on the side.

Kale’s hearty disposition works well for creamed greens, as it produces a sturdy, minerally side dish and topping. No offense to creamed spinach—I still like you—but kale has more complex, adult flavors. Sometimes I make this recipe with kale alone (doubling the amount), but I also like it with a bitter green like broccoli rabe. Together they’re a fearsome pair—you will get healthy and you will like it! And I vouch for them—you will like it. (See the finished dish, as well as Ricotta Gnocchi and Stuck-Pot Rice.)

Merrill’s Love Affair with Creamed Greens “This is one of my favorite recipes from Amanda’s arsenal, and I use the same technique with other greens like spinach and chard. For a last-minute dinner, I scramble some eggs and stir in a little creamed greens at the end. Or I cook 1 pound (450g) of pasta and heat 1½ cups (335g) creamed greens, then fold them together with a splash of olive oil, some pasta water, grated Pecorino, and freshly ground black pepper.”

1 Rinse the broccoli rabe and kale in plenty of water, then drain, letting the excess water cling to the leaves.

2 Spread the pancetta in a sauté pan and cook over medium heat until the fat renders and the pancetta is crisp; you may need to lower the heat as you go. Transfer the pancetta to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.

3 Pile the still-wet-from-rinsing broccoli rabe and kale into a large pot. Pour the oil over the greens and season with salt. Place over high heat and cook until the greens begin to wilt, moving them from the bottom of the pot to the top using tongs. When the greens are fully wilted and most of the liquid has cooked off (if it hasn’t, pour off all but ¼ cup/60ml), add the cream and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute more.

4 Transfer the greens to a food processor, adding about half of the creamy liquid from the pot. Puree the greens until broken down but still coarse, adding more liquid as needed; reserve any extra liquid. Add the lemon juice and crème fraîche and puree until smoother but still a little coarse. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then stir in the pancetta, if using. Store in a container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

5 The day of: Reheat the greens with a splash of water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Use as directed, with gnocchi (below) or stuck-pot rice.

Bring a large stockpot of generously salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, warm half of the creamed kale with a splash of water in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add half of the frozen gnocchi to the boiling water and gently stir once with a wooden spoon to create movement and prevent the gnocchi from sticking to the bottom of the pot. As the gnocchi rise to the top (a sign they are done cooking), about 5 minutes later, scoop them out with a slotted spoon. Shake off the excess water, reserving some of the pasta water for later use. Place the gnocchi into wide, shallow serving bowls, and alternate adding the gnocchi and the creamed kale into the bowls to eliminate the need to stir the gnocchi with the sauce, which runs the risk of damaging or smashing the pasta. Sprinkle with the reserved pasta water, if needed. Generously grate Parmesan over the top and serve.

People think of gnocchi as a project, but in fact it’s much simpler to make gnocchi dough than it is to make cookie dough. There’s no creaming of butter, very little measuring, and gnocchi can be cooked all at once—gnocchi should get a gold star, no? I’ve doubled this batch so that it can get you through two dinners. Sometimes I’ll make a quadruple batch just so I can freeze a bunch—it’s also a good excuse for helpers. When they grow up, they can say, “In our day, we had to cut our own gnocchi and ride scooters to school.”

This recipe comes from Christina DiLaura, who was one of our earliest Food52 team members and also launched our online shop. Christina comes from a family of serious Italian cooks, and this is a family classic. I understand why—the ricotta makes the gnocchi tender, almost feathery—and it’s a recipe that once you’ve made it a few times, it’s a snap to remember.

1 In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, eggs, and oil until thoroughly combined. Stir in the Parmesan and sprinkle with nutmeg. Add the flour a little at a time and continue to stir thoroughly until the dough comes together.

2 Dump the dough onto a generously floured surface and use your hands to bring it together into a smooth ball. Add more flour as needed until the dough is smooth and no longer sticks to your hands.

3 Cut off slices of dough as if you were slicing a loaf of bread. With your hands flat and your fingers stretched out, roll each slice into a rope that’s as thick as your thumb. Be sure to roll from the center out to the ends of the rope.

4 Line one rope parallel to another and cut both of them into 1 inch (2.5cm) pieces. Roll each piece off the back of a fork to make imprints that will help hold the sauce.

5 Transfer the gnocchi pieces to a lightly floured or nonstick baking sheet so they don’t stick together and put the sheet in the freezer while making the rest of the gnocchi. If you plan to save any gnocchi for future use, let them freeze completely on the baking sheet before storing in a freezer-friendly zipper plastic bag to prevent them from sticking together. Freeze for up to 8 weeks.

Bring a large stockpot of generously salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, melt ½ cup (110g) butter with a handful of sage leaves (8, if we’re being exact) and ¼ cup (35g) pine nuts in a wide skillet over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to brown lightly, 5 to 7 minutes, then fold in 12 ounces (340g) brussels sprouts, trimmed and very thinly sliced, and turn off the heat.

Add half of the gnocchi to the boiling water and gently stir once with a wooden spoon to create movement and prevent the gnocchi from sticking to the bottom of the pot. As the gnocchi rise to the top (a sign they are done cooking), about 5 minutes later, scoop them out with a slotted spoon, shaking off excess water, and immediately add to the butter.

Spoon into wide, shallow bowls and top with pine nuts and grated Pecorino. Season with pepper.

Stuck-pot rice requires a few more steps than steamed rice, none of which you’ll regret, because you end up with a pot of crisp, toasty grains. You parboil rice, then cook it a second time in an oiled pan, creating a crackly rice shell that you break apart into the core of tender rice. This pared-down recipe, which I learned from Mark Bittman, goes with almost anything, but you can perk it up with any number of spices—try star anise, cinnamon, and coriander, or cumin, turmeric, and garlic. It’s best to cook this in a heavy pot. I make it in a small enameled cast-iron Dutch oven. A seasoned cast-iron or heavy stainless steel pot would also work well.

1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the rice, return to a boil, and lower the heat so the water is at a lively simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then drain and season with salt.

2 In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 3 tablespoons of the oil, and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. Add the parboiled rice and fold together until the yogurt mixture lightly but evenly coats the rice.

3 Put the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid and place over medium-high heat. Carefully swirl the oil around so it comes a few inches up the sides of the pot. Add the rice mixture, pressing it down in the pot and up the sides with the back of a spoon.

4 Wrap a kitchen towel around the lid so it completely covers the underside of the lid; gather the corners on top so they do not fall anywhere near the stove’s flame. Place the lid on the pot, sealing it tightly.

5 When the rice is fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes, turn the heat to low. Cook, undisturbed, for about 30 minutes; the rice should smell toasty but not burnt. Turn off the heat and let sit 5 minutes more.

6 Remove the lid and kitchen towel, and using a wooden spoon, scrape the toasted rice from the sides and base of the pan, breaking it up and mixing it into the rest of the rice as you do. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool and store in the fridge for up to a week.

7 The day of: Reheat in a covered dish in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 15 minutes or in the microwave.

Reheat the rice in a covered dish in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 15 minutes. Warm half of the creamed kale with a splash of water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Fry up a bunch of eggs, 1 or 2 per person. In large, shallow bowls, layer the rice followed by the kale and top with the fried eggs. Sprinkle with grated Pecorino cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and your best olive oil.

Merrill and I had a cookie bake-off in 2015 where each of us was tasked with creating a holiday cookie that incorporated vanilla. I wanted a cookie that merged the benefits of a chewy chocolate chip cookie with the fragrance of a holiday spice cookie. I began by using a chocolate chip cookie base that’s made with vegetable oil rather than butter—inspired by Ovenly’s vegan chocolate chip cookie. I infused this base with vanilla by grinding up a whole vanilla bean with the sugar; I increased the chocolate (because I wanted to win) and chopped it so there would be a mix of shavings and chunks; and I gave it a little holiday oomph with cinnamon and ground chile.

Merrill went in another direction, blending chocolate and almond flour into her dough and larding it with plump dried cherries. We handed out twenty-eight thousand of them around the city from our Holiday Cookie Truck. The public voted on social media. And vote they did. If you’d like to bake the winning cookie, turn to Soft Chocolate Almond Cherry Cookies, but if you’re more of an underdog type, then settle in here.

6 ounces (170g) dark chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch (6mm) chunks; reserve any shavings

1 In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and chile. Fold the chocolate chunks (and all the shavings on your cutting board) into the flour mixture. Look at that—you’ve barely started the recipe and you’re already done with half of the ingredients!

2 In a blender, combine the vanilla bean and sugar and blend until the vanilla is reduced to flecks in the sugar. In a separate large bowl, whisk the vanilla sugar and brown sugar with the canola oil and water until you have a smoothish liquid.

3 Sprinkle the dry ingredients onto the sugar mixture and fold together with a rubber spatula until just combined.

4 Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. As Ovenly says, do not skip this step!

5 The day of: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 2-inch (5cm) mounds, placing them on the prepared baking sheet and flattening them slightly with your hands. If your chocolate chunks are big, you may also need to press the dough together with your fingers. Sprinkle the dough with flaky salt and slide the baking sheets into the freezer for 10 minutes.

6 Bake for 6 minutes, then rotate the baking sheet 180 degrees and continue baking until the edges are beginning to toast, about 6 minutes more. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. You can bake off the rest of the dough now, or do it in a single batch when you want to serve them. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to a week.

Merrill on Spice “If you consort with spiceaphobes, just leave out the chile; there’s still plenty of zip from the Saigon cinnamon. And they make great ice cream sandwiches—try them with cinnamon ice cream to double down on the spice.”