baked chicken nuggets... 30 minutes

the goods:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 cup panko

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread panko on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a shallow dish, then add Parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon salt; drizzle with oil and stir to combine. Place flour and eggs in separate shallow dishes. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.

Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet; lightly coat rack with cooking spray. In batches, coat chicken in flour, shaking off excess, dip in egg, then coat with panko, pressing to adhere. Place on rack. Bake until chicken is cooked through, 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.

stir-fried chicken with bok choy... 20 minutes

the goods:

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons light-brown sugar
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
4 cups bok choy (from 1 head)
1 small red chile or jalapeno, seeded and sliced
cooked rice, for serving

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons water. In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until coated. In a large wok or skillet, heat oil, garlic, and ginger over medium-high until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken in a single layer, pressing against pan to sear. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Add bok choy and chile and cook, stirring, until bok choy slightly wilts, about 1 minute. Add soy sauce mixture and cook until sauce thickens slightly, 2 minutes. Serve over rice.

marinated skirt steak with apricot-spinach rice... 35 minutes plus marinating

the goods:

1 tablespoon grated orange zest, plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, and orange wedges for serving

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 and 1/4 pound skirt steak, cut into 4 pieces

1 and 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, cooked according to package directions

2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar

2 cups spinach, roughly chopped

In a Ziploc bag, combine orange zest, garlic, red-pepper flakes, oil, and steak. Seal and shake bag to evenly coat steak. Marinate at least 8 hours (or up to 4 days).

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Remove steak from marinade and shake to remove excess; season with salt and pepper and cook until medium, 5 to 6 minutes per side depending on thickness. Add juice and swirl pan to pick up browned bits from bottom. Transfer steak and juice to a plate and tent with foil. Let rest 10 minutes; thinly slice against the grain.

Wipe pan clean and add rice, broth, apricots, and vinegar. Cook over medium-high until rice is warmed through and liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper, remove from heat, and stir in spinach. Divide among bowls, top with steak, and serve with orange wedges.

cheesy pasta primavera... 30 minutes

the goods:

12 ounces whole-wheat fusilli

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 yellow onion, diced medium

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 and 1/2 cups whole milk

1 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch half-moons

1 yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch half-moons

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves

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

In a pot, melt butter over medium-high. Add onion and cook until translucent, 6 minutes. Add flour and whisk to combine. Whisk in milk and cook, whisking frequently, until simmering and thickened, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add zucchini and squash and cook until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in pasta, tomatoes, Parmesan, and basil, adding enough pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats pasta. Serve with more Parmesan, if desired.

cream of broccoli soup... 1 hour

the goods:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, diced small

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth for vegetarian)

1 pound broccoli, cut into florets, stems peeled and chopped

1/4 cup heavy cream

In a medium pot, melt butter over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, until combined, 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add chicken broth and 1 cup water and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes. Add broccoli and bring to a simmer. Cook until broccoli is very tender, 20 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. In batches, fill a blender halfway with mixture and puree until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids); return to pot as pureed. Add cream and heat over medium until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Thin with broth or water if desired.

Italian pork sandwiches... 25 minutes

the goods:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs

4 pork cutlets

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced

4 ciabatta rolls

1 cup marinara, warmed

2 cups baby spinach

Place flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in separate shallow dishes. Season flour and breadcrumbs with salt and pepper.

Heat broiler. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Coat pork in flour, shaking off excess, dip in egg, then coat with breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere. Cook pork until deep golden brown, about 3 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer pork to paper towels and let drain 1 minute.

Top pork with cheese, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and broil until cheese is melted, 1 minute. Divide among rolls and top with marinara and spinach.

roasted salmon with butter... 20 minutes

the goods:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 salmon fillet (2 to 3 pounds), skin on

chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place butter on a rimmed baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Place sheet in oven until butter melts, about 1 minute. Carefully remove sheet from oven and place salmon on top of butter, skin side down; season with salt and pepper. Return sheet to oven.

Roast until salmon is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. It will flake easily when done. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

slow-cooker beef ragu'... 5 hours

the goods:

1 medium onion, diced small

3 garlic cloves, minced

6 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves

1 beef chuck roast (4 pounds), halved

In a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker, combine onion, garlic, tomato paste, and oregano. Season roast with salt and pepper and place on top of onion mixture. Add 2 cups water, cover, and cook on high until meat is tender and can easily be pulled apart with a fork, 4 and 1/2 hours (or 9 hours on low). Let cool 10 minutes, then shred meat with 2 forks. You can serve over pasta or polenta, or sandwich it in hamburger buns or rolls with barbecue sauce!