Lighter but no less satisfyingIs it OK to have just cookies for dinner? Asking for a friend. We’ve fully toggled into holiday mode here at New York Times Cooking, starting with Cookie Week, our annual baking bonanza: seven original recipes and videos to go with them; and a newsletter written by the delightful Vaughn Vreeland. Inch for inch, is there anything happier than a cookie? It’s joy forged from butter and sugar. I’m tempted to just disappear into the kitchen and bake up a storm. Yet, as always, I have to eat a real dinner. And after a Thanksgiving weekend that included steak, French fries and multiple martinis, I’m due for a few lighter meals, like the maple-miso salmon with green beans below. Think of it as cookie-making fuel. Ideas? Requests? Get in touch with me anytime at dearemily@nytimes.com. I love to hear from you. I’m also making:Sausage ragù; red lentil soup; white beans with chile-fried eggs.
1. Maple and Miso Sheet-Pan Salmon With Green BeansThe green beans cook in the same amount of time as the salmon in this simple recipe from Colu Henry, which comes with a maple-miso power marinade that could make anything taste good.
2. Ginger-Garlic Shrimp With Coconut MilkI love this creamy coconut braise from Yasmin Fahr, which leans on ginger, garlic and turmeric for flavor. This is an utterly fast way to make something special.
3. Weeknight Lemon Chicken Breasts With HerbsDo you have leftover fresh Thanksgiving herbs, like thyme, sage or rosemary? Here’s how you can use them (or use dried herbs instead). This easy recipe from Jennifer Steinhauer is a gift to the tired cook.
4. Broccoli-Walnut Pesto PastaThere are many planets in the pestoverse (classic basil, kale, even avocado), but this broccoli-mint version from Genevieve Ko stands out for how substantial it is, making for a filling meal. Bonus: This recipe uses walnuts, which tend to be less expensive than the usual pine nuts.
5. One-Pot Rice and BeansMaybe you don’t need a recipe for rice and beans, in which case, just think of this as a reminder that it can be the base of a satisfying dinner. (I like mine with fried eggs.) But if you want a version imbued with extra flavor and one less pot to clean, you can’t go wrong with this recipe from Ali Slagle. Thanks for reading and cooking. 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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