Can we talk about my colleague Yewande Komolafe for a minute? Her recipes are superb, precisely choreographed dances of flavor and texture. The honey-glazed chicken below is a great example, a five-star recipe that people are loving.
I’m thinking of Yewande right now not only because of that chicken, but for her buttery new cornbread dressing. This recipe has thoroughly complicated my Thanksgiving menu planning. Am I going to make two stuffing-like dishes now, since I already picked another one? If I do that, should I cancel the roasted squash and just do salad? And what about these stuffed onions? I was informed that I do need to roast a turkey, no matter what. (Apparently it’s my house but not my rules? So it goes on Thanksgiving.)
Speaking of turkey: The amazing Tejal Rao is here to speak the truth, which is that the sides are in fact the best part of the meal. Be sure to check out Sidesgiving, a collection of 20 meatless recipes that will make you hungry, and pick up a copy of The New York Times on Sunday to see it in print. (And if you haven’t signed up for her vegetarian newsletter, The Veggie, you can do that right here!) I’m dearemily@nytimes.com for anyone who wants to talk weeknight or Thanksgiving recipes.
1. Honey-Glazed Chicken and Shallots
Yewande has graced us with this one-pan recipe, in which chicken is glazed with a pan sauce of honey, chile, garlic and lime juice. Caramelized shallots, tossed with vinegar and parsley, complete the hot-sweet-tangy picture. Do not miss this one.
2. One-Pot Creamy Pasta and Greens
This clever one-pot recipe from Ali Slagle is reminiscent of creamed spinach, but far more satisfying. (That’s partly because creamed spinach is often pretty bad. I said it!) There’s no cream here, only milk, but the end result is still rich. Lemon peel perks it up, and a pinch of red-pepper flakes would do the same.
3. Vegan Chili
Like a lot of people, I’m trying to eat less meat. Also, like a lot of people, I really enjoy a bowl of chili. Last night, I tried J. Kenji López-Alt’s excellent chili with plant-based meat, which accompanied his article about how best to cook with Impossible and Beyond products. (Use them in recipes that start with breaking up the “meat” in a pan, like ragù Bolognese.) I used chile powder here, rather than blending my own chile paste, which saves some time. Top abundantly with jalapeño, cheese, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, etc.!
4. Simmered Kabocha Squash With Scallions
I have squash in my kitchen right now that’s earmarked for this recipe, one of my favorite fast dishes on New York Times Cooking. It’s adapted from the blogger and cookbook author Cynthia Chen McTernan, and it calls for stir-frying squash with scallions, then quickly braising the mixture in broth. My husband and I eat this for dinner over rice with a fried egg and chile sauce.
