If it ain’t broke, don’t stop making it for dinnerHi there! Margaux filling in for Emily Weinstein today. It’s November, and that means Thanksgiving is on the brain. (Here at New York Times Cooking, we’ve been talking about it since July.) It’s not too soon to order your turkey or to make reservations, but once you do that, let’s forget about the Most Important Meal of the Year. I’m here to talk about the 23 days between now and Nov. 27, on which we must feed ourselves and our people. In the spirit of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” we looked back at the weeknight recipes our readers loved last November and plucked out a handful to share below. They’re easy, they’re affordable and they’re highly rated, which means you’re bound to find something you’ll love.
1. Chicken au Poivre“This dish blew us away.” Kay Chun’s booze-free riff on the classic French preparation for steak features boneless chicken thighs that are seared until golden, and then simmered in a peppery pan sauce. Serve it alongside rice or mashed potatoes to soak up that sauce.
2. Sweet and Sour Cauliflower“OK, wow, I am one happy vegetarian who has found the perfect replacement for the meat version of this dish.” Hetty Lui McKinnon, our resident vegetable magician, subs in cauliflower for the meat in this 30-minute recipe. Ketchup, that old workhorse, is the secret ingredient here, adding tang, umami and sweetness to the punchy sauce.
3. Baked Salmon and Dill Rice“Huge hit, with the whole family!” In this brilliant, mostly hands-off recipe from Naz Deravian, dilly rice is baked in the oven until almost done. Then salmon fillets slathered with a bold paste of mayo, lemon zest, honey and crushed red pepper are placed on top, and the whole thing goes back into the oven until the salmon’s cooked through.
4. Baked Alfredo Pasta With Broccoli Rabe and Lemon“Total deliciousness, like the best macaroni and cheese. Blanching the broccoli rabe tamed its bitterness. This was a cheesy, crunchy delight.” I like to make a big pan of this baked pasta from Ali Slagle for new parents: It’s comforting without being too heavy. The lemon brightens up the dish while the bitterness of the broccoli rabe keeps things interesting.
5. Sheet-Pan Sausages and Brussels Sprouts With Honey Mustard“This dish easily became my too-lazy-to-cook dish on any given night of the week.” Another smarty-pants recipe from Ali, this one calls for using honey mustard (store-bought or homemade) to coat sausages, brussels sprouts and potatoes, and then baking until everything’s sticky and crisp-edged. Sub in practically any vegetable that’s hanging out in your fridge. For a limited time, you can enjoy free access to the recipes in this newsletter in our app. Download it on your iOS or Android device and create a free account to get started. Thanks for reading and cooking with me. If you like the work we do at New York Times Cooking, please subscribe! (Or give a subscription as a gift!) You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest, or follow me on Instagram. I’m dearemily@nytimes.com, and previous newsletters are archived here. Reach out to my colleagues at cookingcare@nytimes.com if you have any questions about your account. View all recipes in your weekly plan.
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