I’ve seen a few articles now about the awkward social transition many of us face as more people are vaccinated, and our emergence into a world where we will once again wear shoes and interact with strangers and maybe even attend a party. (Maybe.) My own version of this arrived when friends came over to eat, and I had no clue what to make for them. I hadn’t really cooked anything for anyone who wasn’t my immediate family in almost a year and a half.
What did I used to cook for other people? Chicken? Rice? Salad? I’m struggling to remember. I have amazing memories of sitting around with friends in our apartment, several bottles of wine and big family-style platters of food decimated. And I remember the big projects (a standing rib roast I nearly destroyed; Momofuku’s bo ssam; the timpano from “Big Night”). But what did I make on a Wednesday when someone came by? Or a Sunday evening?
The recipes below could just be for you, your immediates or whoever drops by. And here’s a basic and really good recipe for grilled chicken breast, if you have a grill and your strategy is to just put things on it. (I respect that, though I like to go with sausages.) And we have approximately a million other grilling recipes for you right here.
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Have you cooked for anyone other than your family this spring? What did you make? Let me know: dearemily@nytimes.com.
1. Coconut Fish and Tomato Bake
This new recipe from Yewande Komolafe is easy to make and yields a gorgeous, silky ginger-coconut sauce. You choose the fish, and you can double the recipe to serve a larger group by using two sheet pans (tomatoes on one, fish on the other), roasting both at the same time, then running them under the broiler sequentially.
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2. Sheet-Pan Chicken and Potatoes With Feta, Lemon and Dill
I’ve made this tasty recipe by Lidey Heuck for guests before, and it’s really nice without being fussy. While it’s not a lot of work to make as written, you could dial it back further by skipping the marinade. As long as you are hitting a glorious platter of chicken and potatoes with lots of lemon juice, dill and feta, you’re fine.
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3. Baked Alfredo Pasta With Broccoli Rabe and Lemon
A casserole: always a good idea for a crowd. This vegetarian number from Ali Slagle is inspired by pasta Alfredo, but with green vegetables added (could be asparagus or broccoli florets instead of rabe), a layer of melted cheese and the crunchy bread crumbs to cap it off. Everyone will go wild for this.
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4. Spring Vegetable Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles)
Kay Chun adds asparagus and snap peas to japchae in this vegan take on the classic dish. This one can be made ahead and served at room temperature, so it’s perfect for potlucks or for when people come over, the sweet potato noodles (a.k.a. glass noodles) and veggies soaking up the garlic-sesame-soy sauce.
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