oregano chicken cutlets... 20 minutes

the goods:

4 chicken cutlets

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves

2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, oregano, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a zip-top bag and freeze, up to 5 days. Place in the refrigerator in the morning of the day you plan to cook it. The chicken will absorb the flavors as it thaws. Discard garlic. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Cook chicken until cooked through, flipping once.

glazed pork chops and squash... 35 minutes

the goods:

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 acorn squash, seeded, each cut into 8 wedges

2 bunched scallions, trimmed and cut into thirds

1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 3-inch strips

4 bone-in pork chops

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, combine honey, ginger, mustard, and 1 teaspoon oil. Season glaze with salt and pepper. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes.

Remove sheet from oven and flip squash. Add scallions and bell pepper, drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil, season with salt and pepper, and brush with glaze. Return sheet to oven and roast until squash is tender when pierced with a knife, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high. Season pork with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown on one side, about 5 to 7 minutes. Flip, brush with remaining glaze, and cook until pork is cooked through, 5 minutes.

Serve pork alongside roasted vegetables.

salmon with potatoes and red onions... 40 minutes

the goods:

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 small red onions, quartered, leaving root ends intact

1 pound small red potatoes, halved

1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth

8 sprigs thyme

4 skinless salmon fillets

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions are golden brown, 4 minutes, turning once. Add potatoes, broth, and 4 sprigs thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes.

Season each fillet with salt and pepper and top with 1 sprig thyme. Place salmon on top of potatoes. Cover and cook until salmon is opaque throughout, 7 to 9 minutes. Serve salmon with potatoes, onions, and cooking liquid.

baked tortellini with bacon... 35 minutes

the goods:

4 slices bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small white onion, diced medium

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

2 packages (8.8 ounces each) cheese tortellini

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Heat broiler, with rack in top position. In a medium saucepan, cook bacon over medium until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel to drain. Add onion and garlic to pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Add tortellini and bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer; cook, stirring often, until liquid has thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in bacon and 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Transfer to a 2-quart broilerproof baking dish and top with 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Broil until top is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

chicken and rice with corn and sun-dried tomatoes... 1 hour and 10 minutes

the goods:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small yellow onion, diced medium

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 small green bell pepper, diced medium

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 and 1/2 cups long-grain white rice

3 cups frozen corn (from a 16 ounce bag)

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips

2 and 1/2 cups chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lower third. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over high. Cook chicken until seared and golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, garlic, and bell pepper to pot. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until onion is translucent, 5 minutes. Stir in lemon zest, oregano, cayenne, and rice and cook 1 minute.

Add corn, tomatoes, and broth and season with salt and pepper. Arrange chicken on top of rice mixture. Bring to a boil, cover pot, and place in oven.

Bake until chicken is cooked through and liquid is absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes, covered, before serving.

spinach manicotti in creamy tomato sauce... 65 minutes

the goods:

8 manicotti shells

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup finely grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

2 cups prepared marinara sauce

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta shells according to package instructions. Drain well and arrange in a single layer on an oiled rimmed baking sheet. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and lemon zest. Stir in spinach and season filling to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer filling to a zip-top plastic bag. Twist and squeeze bag so filling is in one corner. With scissors, snip a 3/4-inch opening in corner.

Pipe filling into both ends of each pasta shell. Arrange stuffed shells in an 8-inch square glass baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk togerther marinara sauce, oregano, and cream. Pour sauce evenly over stuffed shells and top with 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Bake until sauce in center of dish is bubbling and Parmesan is browned in spots, about 30 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

ham and cheese puff tart... 35 minutes

the goods:

1 and 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup whole milk

ground nutmeg

6 ounces thinly sliced deli ham

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

1 large egg, lightly beaten

On a floured work surface, roll each sheet puff pastry to a 10-by-13-inch rectangle. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, stacking pastry sheets separated by parchment and refrigerate.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium. Add flour; cook, stirring, until golden, 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add milk and simmer. Stir until thickened, 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Pour sauce into a bowl and let cool 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third. Arrange ham evenly on 1 pastry sheet, leaving a 3/4-inch border; top with cheese and sauce. Brush pastry border with egg; top with second pastry sheet.

Fold bottom edges over top and press to seal.

Brush top with egg and cut vents in tart.

Bake until browned and puffed, 30 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

herb-roasted chicken and vegetables... 1 hour 10 minutes

the goods:

1 whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry

1/2 bunch thyme

1/2 bunch parsley

2 leeks (white and light-green parts only), halved lengthwise, then crosswise, and rinsed well

3 medium carrots, cut into 3-inch lengths

1 pound small red potatoes, any large ones halved

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan. Stuff thyme and parsley in cavity. In a large bowl, toss leeks, carrots, and potatoes with oil; season with salt and pepper. Scatter vegetables around chicken, arranging potatoes at edges of pan; pour wine into pan.

Roast until chicken is golden brown and juices run clear when pierced between breast and leg, about 1 hour.

chicken paprikash... 45 minutes

the goods:

4 chicken leg quarters, cut in half at the joint

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons paprika

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 and 3/4 cups chicken broth

1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes

1/2 pound wide egg noodles

1/2 cup sour cream

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over high. Cook chicken, skin side down, until golden and crisp, 6 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until browned, 6 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot and reduce heat to medium. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, until beginning to soften, 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes. Add paprika and flour, season with salt and pepper, and stir constantly until paprika is fragrant and mixture begins to stick, 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil over high. Return chicken to pot in a single layer, skin side up, and reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain noodles and divide among bowls. Top with chicken. Ladle sauce over noodles and chicken and finish with a generous dollop of sour cream.

slow-cooker carne guisada... 6 hours and 15 minutes

the goods:

2 and 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium white onion, diced medium

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced medium

1 large jalapeno, seeded and diced small (optional)

5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 and 1/2 teaspoons cumin

3/4 teaspoon chili powder

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 and 3/4 cups chicken broth

1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

flour tortillas, grated cheddar, sour cream, and cilantro, for serving

Season beef with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over high. In two batches, cook beef until browned on all sides, 5 minutes per batch (add 2 teaspoons more oil for second batch). Transfer to a slow-cooker. In same skillet, cook 2 teaspoons oil, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno (if using), and garlic over medium, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until vegetables are tender, 5 minutes.

Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, and flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly pour broth into skillet, stirring until liquid is smooth. Simmer 2 minutes, then transfer mixture to slow cooker, along with tomatoes and bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high 6 hours.

Serve in tortillas with cheese, sour cream, and cilantro.