yogurt-marinated chicken... 1 hour (plus marinating)

the goods:

3 to 4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, patted dry

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1/2 yellow onion, diced medium

1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Place chicken in a gallon-size ziploc bag. In a blender, blend yogurt, onion, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, and oil until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Pour marinade over chicken and shake to coat. Refrigerate 4 hours (or overnight).

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place a wire rack in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Life chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place, skin side down, on rack. Roast until chicken is charred in spots, 35 minutes, flipping once. 

 Reduce heat to 450 degrees and roast until chicken is cooked through, 10 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

pasta and bacon in smoky tomato sauce... 45 minutes

the goods:

6 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 yellow onion, diced small

1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, pureed

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

3/4 pound short, twisted pasta, such as cavatappi or fusilli

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

 In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta. Return pasta to pot.

In a medium saucepan, cook bacon over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate. Add onion to pan and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and paprika and bring to a boil; reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until sauce has thickened slightly.

Add tomato sauce to pasta; toss to combine, adding enough pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats pasta. Add bacon and parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

spiced steak kebabs... 25 minutes

the goods:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into 1 and 1/2-inch pieces

1 large red bell pepper. cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

10 large button mushrooms, trimmed

Heat grill to medium-high. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. Soak wooden skewers in water. In a large bowl, combine oil, cumin, and coriander; season with salt and pepper. Add steak, onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms to bowl and toss in spiced oil. Alternately thread steak and onion onto skewers. I like to keep the mushrooms and bell peppers on their own skewers to control the cooking a bit more. Grill until steak is medium-rare and vegetables are lightly charred, 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally.

chicken enchiladas with red chile sauce... 1 hour and 30 minutes

the goods:

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon canola oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3 teaspoons sugar

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 large beefsteak tomato, seeded and chopped

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 pound)

2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded

1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

12 soft flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-low. Add onion, jalapeno, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, and tomato. Bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the onions to a large bowl, and set aside. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onion mixture along with 1/4 cup enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese, and cilantro. Toss to combine.

Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Working with one tortilla at a time, spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll and lay seam-side down in baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce (you may not need all of it) evenly over top of tortillas. Top with remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil, and bake 20 minutes, or until heated through. Remove foil and bake another 5-7 minutes, until cheese starts to brown.

Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

stovetop chili mac... 45 minutes

the goods:

3/4 pound rigatoni

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 small yellow onion, diced small

1 pound ground beef chuck (85% lean)

1 and 3/4 teaspoons cumin

1 cup corn kernels, thawed if frozen

1 small zucchini, diced medium

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

2 ounces cheddar, grated

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and return to pot. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add garlic and onion and cook until onion is translucent, 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add beef, and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add cumin and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add corn and zucchini and cook until zucchini is crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and juice, bring to a simmer, and cook until mixture is heated through, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among bowls, top with meat sauce, and sprinkle with cheese.

pork chops with plums and whipped potatoes... 40 minutes

the goods:

2 to 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup whole milk

4 bone-in pork chops, patted dry

1 small yellow onion, diced small

3 firm but ripe plums, cut into 3/4-inch wedges

5 ounces salad greens

1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

In a large pot, bring potatoes to a boil in salted water over medium-high. Reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 8 to 10 minutes; drain. With a potato masher, mash potatoes until fluffy and free of large lumps, then, using a hand mixer, whisk in butter and milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper, cover pot, and keep warm over low.

Meanwhile, season pork chops with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Working in batches, cook pork until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 6 minutes, flipping once. Transfer to a serving platter and tent with foil. Return pan to heat, add onion, and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add plums and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender and plums begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl toss salad greens with 1 tablespoon oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Serve pork chops with plum mixture alongside potatoes and salad.

grilled chicken caprese sandwich... 30 minutes

the goods:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

1 cup Caesar Italian dressing

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 loaf ciabatta bread, sliced in half lengthwise

6 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices

fresh basil leaves

In a large Ziploc bag, combine chicken breasts and dressing. Marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours (or overnight). Heat grill to medium-high. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. In a small bowl, combine garlic with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Brush garlic oil on cut sides of bread and grill until lightly toasted on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Top bottom half with cheese.

Grill chicken until cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes, flipping once. Brush tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes, flipping once. Thinly slice chicken and layer on top of cheese. Top with grilled tomatoes and basil leaves. Sandwich with top half of bread.

Cut crosswise into 4 pieces and serve.

spicy tuna melt with creamy salsa soup... 25 minutes

the goods:

tuna melt:

2 cans (6 ounces each) solid light tuna packed in water, drained and broken into pieces

3/4 cup salsa

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 baguette, cut in half lengthwise

4 and 1/2 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated (1 and 1/2 cups)

fresh parsley, roughly chopped

soup:

2 cups salsa

1 and 3/4 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons heavy cream

diced avocado (for serving)

fresh cilantro, for serving

crumbled tortilla chips, for serving

Heat broiler, with rack in top position. In a medium bowl, mix together tuna, salsa, and mayonnaise; season with salt and pepper. Place baguette, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Top with tuna mixture and cheese, and broil until cheese melts and begins to turn golden, 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make soup by combining salsa and chicken broth in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high. Transfer to a blender along with cream and blend until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids); season with salt and pepper. Divide soup between bowls and top with avocado, tortilla chips, and fresh cilantro.

To serve sandwiches, cut into pieces and sprinkle with parsley.

honey-mustard chicken sandwiches... 10 minutes

the goods:

2 reserved grilled chicken breasts, thinly sliced

1/2 cup reserved grilled onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons reserved honey mustard

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 baguette, cut into 4 pieces and halved lengthwise, or 4 hoagie rolls

8 slices provolone cheese

2 cups baby spinach leaves

Heat broiler with oven rack set 5 inches from heat. Layer bottom halves of bread with chicken and 2 slices provolone cheese. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and broil for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Meanwhile, combine honey mustard with mayonnaise and onion. Remove sandwiches from oven and top with onion mixture. Top with spinach leaves and top halves of bread. Serve!