Shit! What’s For Dinner?

Happy New Year. We would hope it’s a given that 2021 will be a marked improvement from last year. Now let’s get cooking. We’ll start with a terrific what-to-do-with-pasta-leftovers that’s actually worth planning for — pasta frittata. It’s portable, it’s endlessly versatile, and it’s practically foolproof. Substitute almost any cheese for the parmesan (or leave it out altogether) and toss in any cooked vegetable or meat: Make it your own. As for the chopped salad, this is perfect as a hearty side or a light meal — plus 8 possible additions. …

Shit! What’s For Dinner?

This week’s picks start with a recipe for Hanukkah, brisket that requires low and slow cooking, with the final browning that can take as little as 10 minutes. Next up, Daniel’s flourless noodles that are fun to make every time. We’ve also got chicken soup with matzo balls, and a stick-to-your ribs white bean soup that you’ll be glad to have the leftovers for lunch.

‘Barbecued’ Brisket

Makes: 8 or more servings
Time: About 3 hours

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil, more as needed
• 1 whole beef brisket, about 5 pounds
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1–2 large…

Shit! What’s For Dinner?

Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx have warned of an impending Covid-19 spike beyond what we’re already seeing — as a result of Americans’ insistence on traveling to see their families over the holiday.

While our suggestions for the week aren’t as festive as we’d like as we approach the December holiday month, we’d rather you take care of yourselves, stay healthy, and stay home.

Our first selection, below, is a collection of immune-boosting meals that includes greens with fruit, cheese, and nuts; 10 ways to cook beans and greens; and variations on minestrone soup.

Next up, we’re pointing…

For the last few years, every time winter squash appears, I’ve pretty much immediately made Bittman’s Pasta With Winter Squash and Tomatoes recipe. Aside from delicata, which I absolutely love, I’m not the biggest fan of squashes, so I’m always looking for new, inoffensive ways to incorporate them.

This recipe is easy — the peeling and chopping of the squash is the most tedious part, as it tends to be for squash recipes — and super hearty; plus, the pasta-to-vegetable ratio is kinda crazy, and it works. It’s 2 pounds of squash, plus a couple of cups of chopped tomatoes…

Yes, this is the most wonderful time of year to cook in most parts of the U.S.

Corn, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, peaches, plums, apples, etc. — all abundant. But what if you’re jazzed about the produce but can’t muster the enthusiasm to cook? Bust out a sheet pan.

Once the oven is heated and the corn is shucked, this one-pan broil (and its variations) take only as long as the scallops need to brown and cook through, which is, like, five minutes. While that happens, you chop up some scallions, chiles, and cilantro to bring some freshness to the table.

…

We live in a system in which a white cop feels empowered to kneel on a Black man’s neck for nearly 9 minutes and take his life. That system is held up by politicians, officers, and everyday citizens who grew up in homes with a narrow view of America — an incomplete narrative, one that vilifies Black Americans. Those in power don’t learn these behaviors in adulthood; they’re often learned in the dining room or the kitchen, where conversations can lead to stereotyping and mocking those who are different.

The uprisings in response to George Floyd’s murder and the death…

On a weekday morning last month before the world turned upside down, I asked my wife to devote her commute to thinking about what she wanted for dinner. At 8:07 a.m., I got this text:

OK dinner theme is chicken, three options: rotisserie from Mexican resto, your chicken potpie, or Pelicana.

The “Mexican resto” is 20 seconds from our apartment and their rotisserie chicken is legit. Chicken potpie is something we have once a year when it’s freezing outside. Pelicana is a delicious Korean fried chicken restaurant, whose location near-ish to us seems to have closed.

At 8:10 a.m., …

Despite a short ingredient list, gnocchi — these ornery Italian dumplings — are easy to mess up.

The key to pillowy gnocchi is adding just enough flour to bring the dough together. They typically contain potato, but if pulling out a Y-peeler seems like a lot for a weeknight, try this potatoless version. It’s a fuss-free biscuitlike concoction spiked with Parmesan cheese. All you do is drop spoonfuls into a quick, bright tomato sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Parmesan Dumplings in Tomato Sauce

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• Salt…