The rhyme rings true: Sue’s recipe is quick to make and a delight to eat. In a velvety mix of white beans simmered with browned leeks and plump, tender shrimp, she pairs smoked paprika with lemon juice for a bright and earthy edge. She says it serves four but, let’s be real, that’s just a suggestion.
In the recipe notes for Kay Chun’s sheet-pan chopped salad with chicken and a feta topping, you’ll find a lively debate about whether to replace the zucchini with olives. Personally, I’d use both, but then I’m a known maximalist when it comes to sheet-pan meals. Kay’s critical move is that, after the chicken breasts and vegetables are briefly roasted, she mixes the juices from the pan into the dressing. It’s a brilliant way to get the most flavor out of all the ingredients.
Loads of inspired substitutions have been posted for Kenji López-Alt’s moo shu mushrooms, including replacing the pork with tofu gan, a flavored pressed bean curd also called five-spice tofu. This works especially well here because, unlike classic iterations of the dish (which go heavier on the pork), Kenji loads up on a mix of fresh Asian mushrooms like shiitake, enoki, oyster and maitake. If you don’t have the time or energy to make the Mandarin pancakes to go with, Kenji himself proposes flour tortillas instead.
Or perhaps you’re in the mood for soup this week. I always am, especially for brothy, vegetable-rich soups like Lidey Heuck’s classic, tomato-based vegetable soup. Potatoes and carrots create a satisfying, hearty texture, while corn and green beans add color. Don’t stint on the red wine vinegar at the end — it sparks the sweet flavors and rounds everything out.
Finally, whenever you’re up for a cozy autumnal baking project, we have dozens of options for you here. Nik Sharma’s sweet potato bebinca, adapted by Mayukh Sen, is a great way to take advantage of those sweet potatoes that are just coming into season. This puddinglike cake, inspired by a traditional confection from the Indian state of Goa, has a coconut milk base flavored with nutmeg, jaggery (or another dark brown sugar) and Nik’s distinctly American tweak of adding maple syrup. Plan this one ahead because it needs at least six hours in the fridge to firm up. But, as your recipe notes enthusiastically confirm, it’s worth the wait!