By: Ellisha Caplan, Jewish Living Delaware Committee Member
Do you cook while listening to music? Or watch TV/movies while working away in the kitchen? I must confess, when I need to make dinner on a weeknight, sometimes the only thing that can pull me away from my desk to get started is the thought of putting my earbuds in and listening to some good tunes or catching up on a guilty pleasure show while preparing whatever I’ve got on the menu that night. For me, it’s a satisfying way to get into a groove and unwind during a time that can feel pretty frenetic, especially now that I’ve got two kids going off to one activity or another nearly every night of the week. Here is a smattering of weeknight dishes that go well with whatever is on your playlist and are easy to put together!
Soy-Glazed Brussels Sprouts and Chicken
Adapted from The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman
This dish does not sound special, but I’m telling you, squeeze that lemon on top and sprinkle on some soy sauce and this dish sings! So yummy and easy peasy on a weeknight. We eat it over rice, but you could pair it with cauliflower rice, quinoa, or eat it on its own.
Ingredients
1 lb brussels sprouts, halved
1 lb chicken tenderloins, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (or toast your own)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tbsp sesame oil
½ cup chicken broth
lemon slices and soy sauce, for serving
Instructions
1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, raise the heat to medium-high and stir occasionally, letting it brown a bit. Add the ginger and stir until fragrant. Remove the chicken from the pan, leaving the juices and browned bits in the pan.
- Add the sesame oil, brussels sprouts, and chicken broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and keep to a gentle bubble. After about five minutes, the sprouts should be fork-tender, but you may need to add a little more liquid to the pan and keep it going a little longer if the sprouts are big!
- Uncover the skillet and add the chicken and ginger in with the sprouts. Raise the heat to boil off the liquid and create the glaze, letting the chicken and sprouts get browned and a little bit crisped. Once the chicken and brussels sprouts are well glazed, stir in the sesame seeds, taste, and add salt and pepper if needed.
Serve hot, with lemon slices for squeezing and soy sauce for sprinkling over the mixture.
Sheet Pan Gnocchi
Adapted from TheKitchn.com’s Sheet Pan Gnocchi and Vegetables
This one is so incredibly easy that you could put it together and then relax for a few on the couch while it bakes. Also, I think you could play with this and roast sweet potatoes or broccoli, or any other vegetables you like if tomatoes and peppers aren’t your thing.
Ingredients
1 lb shelf-stable potato gnocchi
2 medium yellow or orange bell peppers, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
1 small red onion, halved and sliced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano for sprinkling
Instructions
1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 450° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the gnocchi, vegetables, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to combine. Spread the gnocchi mixture out evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast, stirring halfway through, until the gnocchi are plump and the vegetables are tender and caramelized, about 18 to 20 minutes total.
- To serve, spoon the gnocchi and vegetable mixture into individual bowls, sprinkle some chopped basil and grated cheese over top.
Turkey Tacos
This originated from a Rachael Ray recipe, but I have made it my own over the years, according to my kids’ disinterest in the combination of sweet and savory in the original, which called for quarter cup of chopped raisins, and the fact that we skip the sour cream and cheese that she called for, since we keep kosher style in our home. We often serve this with vegetarian refried beans on the side.
Ingredients
1 ⅓ lbs ground turkey
2 tsp Montreal chicken seasoning
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
½ cup beer or chicken stock
1 cup tomato sauce
romaine lettuce, finely chopped for serving
diced tomatoes or fresh salsa, for serving
prepared guacamole, for serving
flour street tacos or corn taco shells
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and break it up with a wooden spoon. Season the meat with the chicken seasoning. Add the garlic and onions to the meat, then season with the chili powder and cumin. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the beer or stock and deglaze the pan. Stir in the tomato sauce and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
To serve, put the meat into the taco shell, add lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, and guacamole on top.
