salmon with herbed yogurt... 25 minutes

the goods:

1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 side of salmon
lemon wedges, for serving



Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.



Combine yogurt, mustard, dill, and parsley; season with salt and pepper.



Place salmon, skin side down, on baking sheet.



Spread yogurt mixture on salmon.



Roast until opaque throughout, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

penne with tomatoes and mozzarella... 25 minutes

the goods:

6 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
12 ounces penne rigate
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 cup snipped chives



Place cheese in freezer. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta and set aside.



In pasta pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and pasta water. Cook until cherry tomatoes soften, 3 to 5 minutes.



Add pasta, chilled cheese, and chives to pot, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

roasted chicken with fennel and carrots... 1 hour and 20 minutes

the goods:

1 whole chicken, patted dry
2 lemons, halved
1 to 2 fennel bulbs, cored, stalks discarded, and cut into 1-inch wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 to 4 carrots, sliced 1-inch thick



Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Place a lemon half in cavity. Using kitchen twine, tie legs together. Add fennel, remaining lemons, and carrots to sheet and toss with oil.



Roast 50 to 55 minutes, basting chicken with pan juices and tossing veggies halfway through. Transfer chicken to a platter and cover loosely with foil; let rest 10 minutes prior to carving.

grilled shrimp... 20 minutes

the goods:

1 and 1/2 to 2 pounds large unpeeled shrimp, cut through the shell along the back and deveined
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 lemons)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme



In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.



Combine marinade and shrimp in a resealable plastic bag; seal bag and shake to coat shrimp. Refrigerate 1 hour.



Heat grill or grill pan to high. Oil grill. Remove shrimp from marinade and grill until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes per side.



Serve with your favorite sides (asparagus and wild rice?) and enjoy!

honey-teriyaki chicken... 30 minutes

the goods:

1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, mix honey, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.



Add chicken and toss to coat. Transfer chicken to baking sheet. Bake chicken, skin side up, basting occasionally, until well browned and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.



Serve with sticky rice drizzled with pan juices. YUMMMMM!

(sticky rice: 1 cup medium grain rice, 2 cups water. Pour rice into a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, uncovered over medium-high. Once a rolling boil is achieved, immediately cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer covered for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5-15 minutes.)

oven-fried chicken... 1 hour

the goods:

1 whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 garlic clove, minced
6 slices whole-wheat bread
3 tablespoons vegetable oil



Using a paper towel to grip, remove skin from chicken. In a large bowl, toss chicken with buttermilk, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Marinate at room temperature 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight).



Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor, pulse bread until coarse crumbs form. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and toss with oil. Bake crumbs until golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes, tossing twice. Transfer to a large bowl. Set a wire rack over sheet.



Working with one piece at a time, lift chicken from buttermilk mixture (letting excess drip off) and dredge in breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to adhere. Transfer chicken to rack. Bake, without turning, until cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes, tenting with foil if browning too quickly.

pulled-pork tacos... 8 hours

the goods:

2 cups salsa, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds boneless pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
flour tortillas, cheese, sour cream, shredded lettuce, or whatever else you may want for toppings

In a slow cooker, combine salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, and salt. Add pork and turn to coat.



Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours. Using 2 forks, transfer pork to a bowl and shred, adding cooking liquid to moisten as needed.

Serve with your favorite taco toppings!

tortilla pie... 45 minutes

the goods:

6-inch corn tortillas
2 cups cooked, shredded dark-meat chicken (from about 6 chicken thighs)
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles
1 cup sour cream
1 and 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (6 ounces)

green salsa:
8 tomatillos
1 onion, halved
1 to 2 jalapenos, halved (ribs and seeds removed)
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled



Whenever you have time mid-day boil and shred the chicken and make the salsa; On a rimmed baking sheet, broil tomatillos, onion, jalapenos, and garlic until lightly charred, 5 to 10 minutes. Puree in a blender until smooth. Thin with 1/2 to 3/4 cups water, and season with salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.



At dinner time, preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking dish, layer 4 tortillas, 1 cup chicken, 1/4 cup chiles, 1/2 cup salsa, dollops of sour cream, and 1/2 cup cheese; repeat once.



Top with 4 more tortillas, salsa, sour cream, and cheese.



Bake until top is browned and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes.



Enjoy!