Monday, March 28, 2022
Good morning!
Me, every time I try to do make something that looked cute on TikTok.
We’ve Underestimated Sprinkles (Taste)
The Unsung Women of the Betty Crocker Test Kitchens (Atlas Obscura)
I spoke to Wisconsin Public Radio on Friday about this very topic, quick dinners. (WPR)
Is everyone lying to us about how fast it is to make dinner? It feels that way sometimes, that the idea of a 30-minute meal is, at best, highly ambitious. Like, maybe if you had all of the ingredients out of your fridge (yet finding the ginger in the back of my freezer can add alone 5 minutes to a recipe). Maybe if you got all of the prep out of the way. Maybe if you’re really quick at peeling potatoes or mincing onion — I am not at either. But every so often I notice that something I made took a whole lot less time than I’d expect, even without rushing, and came out way better than you’d expect it to taste for how fast it came together and you’d better believe I’m going to collect these recipes and tell you all about it here. I hope it inspires the easiest cooking week, ever.
Cheers,
Deb
simple chicken tortilla soup
New: This simple chicken tortilla soup is a weeknight favorite and a cinch to pull off even after a long day, while not skimping at all on flavor or texture. I hope it makes its way into your repertoires, too. [Plus: Watch a demo on Reels or TikTok.]
chard and white bean stew
A cozy but simple vegetarian stew with white beans, chard (or any greens you’ve got around), finished with a nonnegotiable slice of grilled sourdough bread (even better if it’s drizzled with olive oil and kissed with a little garlic). You could even top it with a poached egg, if you’re into it, or a little parmesan, but it needs neither to taste wonderful.
pasta with garlicky broccoli rabe
For those of us who never have any idea what's for dinner until it's hangry o'clock, this is our in-house 15-minute 4-ingredient dinner savior. It includes a pound of greens and is willingly consumed by at least 75% of the family, i.e. it’s a miracle.
simple cauliflower tacos
A giant head of cauliflower reduced to a scorched, highly seasoned rubble, finished with lime, avocado, salty cheese, pickled onions, and your favorite hot sauce has been one of my favorite dinners of the two years -- I'm never not craving it, and hope you love them too.
crispy rice and egg bowl with ginger-scallion vinaigrette
This dolsot bibimbap-inspired crisped-up bowl of rice (it gets crackly at the edges and almost smells like popcorn), with a crispy fried egg, a mash-up of a classic ginger-scallion sauce and a vinaigrette, and crunchy vegetables is my favorite thing to do with leftover rice and whatever vegetables are lingering in the fridge. I wish every scrounged-together meal tasted this good.
soy-glazed chicken
A quick skillet chicken with a soy sauce reduction that gives the cutlets a lacquered glaze. This is such a family favorite that it's gone in the regular rotation. We serve it with rice and a quick vegetable slaw.
salted peanut butter cookies
The best peanut butter cookies I’ve ever made have only five ingredients, no flour, no butter, can be mixed by hand in one bowl, and have a perfect salty finish.
quick, essential stovetop mac-and-cheese
Stovetop mac-and-cheese that you can have 15 minutes from now, or when an intense need for pasta with a sauce of salty melted cheese strikes and nothing else will do.
I’ve written two cookbooks and a third is on its way for this fall! I can’t wait to share it with you.
shop my favorites
Ever wondered where I got my cutting boards, peeler, whisk, or favorite baking dish? I've created a page on Smitten Kitchen with links to some of my favorite kitchen items, the ones I'm asked about the most. For each item, I've attempted to provide a range of shopping links so we're not just focusing on one giant retailer. I hope you find it helpful! Let me know if there’s anything I’ve left off that you need.