glazed spareribs with homemade chile sauce... 2 hours

the goods:

5 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
4 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
3 pounds pork spareribs

In a small saucepan over medium-high, cover ancho chiles with water and simmer until chiles are soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender with jalapenos, garlic, sugar, molasses, ketchup, vinegar, and orange juice. Blend until mixture is smooth and season to taste with salt and pepper. (To store, refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 5 days.)

In a large pot, cover spareribs with water and bring to a boil over medium. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, 1 and 1/2 hours. Drain and grill ribs over indirect heat, brushing with sauce and flipping every 4 minutes, until ribs are browned, about 15 minutes.

cobb salad/cobb sandwich... 15 minutes

1 shopping list, 2 meals!

the goods:

salad:

1 rotisserie chicken, breast meat shredded (divided in half for each meal)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

2 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced medium

sandwich:

leftover shredded chicken

2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1/4 cup buttermilk

sliced bread

1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced

8 slices cooked bacon

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

lettuce

For salad: In a large bowl, combine lettuce, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, toss to combine and top with bacon, tomatoes, cheese, avocado, and chicken. Enjoy your cobb salad!

For sandwich: In a small bowl, whisk together blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and buttermilk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly toast bread. Layer bread with avocado, bacon, tomato, and chicken. Drizzle with blue cheese dressing and top with lettuce. Enjoy your cobb sandwich!

chicken koftas with cucumber and yogurt... 25 minutes

the goods:

1 and 1/4 pounds ground chicken

1/2 white onion, diced small

1/2 red bell pepper, diced small

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1/2 cucumber, diced large

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices

4 pitas

chopped fresh basil, for serving

In a large bowl, combine chicken, onion, bell pepper, and basil; season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until well combined. Form in to 6 to 8 oval patties.

In a small bowl, toss together cucumber and yogurt; season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Cook patties until browned on all sides and cooked through, 12 minutes. Divide patties and tomatoes among pitas. Top with cucumber-yogurt sauce and basil.

Fold to enclose and serve. (You can always substitute the pitas for lettuce wraps!- YUM!)

skirt steak with warm bean salad... 20 minutes

the goods:

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 and 1/4 pounds skirt steak, cut into 4 pieces and patted dry

3/4 pound green bean, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced

8 ounces grape tomatoes

1 can (15.5 ounces) cannellini beans

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar

handful fresh basil leaves, torn

In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high. Season steak with salt and pepper. Cook steak, in batches if necessary) until browned, 4-6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to a cutting board and let rest.

Rinse out skillet and return to heat along with 2 teaspoons oil. Add green beans and cook 2 minutes. Add garlic and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to burst, 3 minutes. Add cannellini beans and vinegar and cook, stirring, until beans are heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with basil.

Thinly slice steak against the grain and serve with bean salad.

paella-style chicken and rice... 45 minutes

the goods:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 oz. andouille pork sausage

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup brown rice

1 teaspoon saffron

2 cups chicken broth

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into large chunks

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

chopped scallions to taste

Heat oil over medium-high in a large saute pan or skillet. Add sausage and cook for 3 minutes, crushing the sausage with a wooden spoon. Add onion, celery, and salt. Saute for 3 minutes. Stir in brown rice. Stir saffron into chicken broth and add to pan. Bring to a boil and add chicken.

Cover and cook over low for 30 to 35 minutes, until all liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Stir in peas and sliced bell pepper. Serve in bowls, topped with scallions.