| Hi, everyone. It's been a few weeks since I've dropped into your inboxes, and, well, I'll say this: Time has passed. In the wake of a bruising presidential campaign and election, I'm having the same kind of feeling I get at the end of a day when I've ridden a roller coaster or been on a boat — essentially emotional mal de débarquement syndrome, that residual sense of rolling and bobbing. It's been hard to get my bearings, and as you may have heard, we just found out that The Post will soon require us to be back in the office five days a week. We've been fortunate to have a hybrid schedule for several years, and as a working parent, it has been a boon to my physical and mental health, and, of course, my ability to feed my family. Many days I've thrown together dinner in the morning before making the trip to my desk upstairs. On others, I've picked up my son from school down the street and been able to quickly assemble a meal while he settles in. I remember what the pre-pandemic struggle was like, and I don't look forward to white-knuckling my commute daily on increasingly unreliable public transit, hoping I can get home to my kid and dogs on time — and ensure my husband and I have a food plan. Needless to say, I'm rethinking how we handle our weekly meal prep. Easy, fast and make-ahead dishes are going to be even more imperative. This week's new recipes fit the bill. I've long relied on my electric multicooker for low-lift meals, so the Instant Pot Black Bean Soup that Joe Yonan adapted from Ana Quincoces's stovetop recipe looks especially appealing. This Cuban staple is rich in color (especially if you don't soak the beans) and flavor, thanks to the traditional base of aromatic vegetables, plus wine, vinegar and a little sugar. It's ideal for making on the weekend and just reheating on busy weeknights. Similarly, Daniela Galarza streamlined a more involved recipe — this one from the inimitable Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen — to make it weeknight-friendly. In Pizza Beans on Toast, canned beans, good marinara and a splash of wine mingle to form a saucy topping piled on garlicky bread and coated in a blanket of melty cheese. And it's on the table in 25 minutes. Even Aaron Hutcherson's Garam Masala Baked Chicken Thighs With Pears is in that sweet spot of dinner in less than an hour. I got to taste this one-pan dish, a symphony of spiced, sweet and tart flavors, while Aaron was developing it. I can imagine it hitting the spot on an evening when I needed some real comfort. Breakfast for dinner also lends itself well to weekdays, and can bring a little joy to the monotony. I'm not above a pile of flapjacks packed with chocolate chips for supper, but Ellie Krieger has a savory, more healthful alternative with her Cottage Cheese Pancakes With Cabbage and Dill. Loaded with browned onion, "They make for a quick, satisfying, protein-rich meal any time of day, and are an invitation to give savory pancakes their turn in the sun," she says. This week we'll be starting to roll out our buffet of Thanksgiving stories and recipes, so stay tuned for that. I'm sure the holidays are on your mind, too, so be sure to join me and Aaron in our live weekly chat with readers Wednesday at noon Eastern. We can help you plan and strategize for the big meals, and the everyday ones, too. Submit your questions now, and come back when we kick things off next week. Until next time, take care and feed yourselves well. |
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