| Hi, all, I hope you're having a peaceful Saturday morning so far. Peace, in whatever way you want to define it, seems increasingly elusive these days. Conflicts rage around the world, our friends are losing jobs, our neighbors fear for their families, our beloved cultural institutions are changing overnight. Even if you have not been personally swept up in whatever headline is dominating the day, it's easy to feel helpless or even insignificant. I'm going to tell you what I've been telling myself: You matter. You matter to your family. You matter to your dog, whose tail wags every time he sees you. You matter to the co-worker you hold the elevator door for. You matter to the stranger whose phone you found and turned in so they could claim it. You matter because every time you make a meal for yourself or someone else, you are putting back out the kind of care and energy, no matter how small, the world needs more of these days. For years I've struggled with reader comments criticizing me for writing about something so quotidian as food instead of "real news." With so much going on at the moment, it's hard to not let those insecurities edge their way in. But then I'm bolstered when people tell us that the Food section is the main reason they subscribe to The Post, or that they never miss our live chat, or that a recipe is the best they've ever had. I hope you, too, can find the roses among the thorns, whether food-related or not. When I'm feeling down in body or spirit, I often crave a bowl of wonton soup. I like to support the family-run carryout spot near my house, but now I'm also excited to have the recipe for Deconstructed Wonton Soup that Aaron Hutcherson shared this week. It's a great dupe for the restaurant favorite while swapping the dumplings for simple pork meatballs and strips of wonton wrappers. A good tuna melt can be comfort food as well. (In fact, someone near and dear to me for years made a tradition of eating them on stressful election nights!) Joe Yonan has a new recipe adapted from cookbook author Jenné Claiborne that captures the spirit of the original — no fish required. Carrot and Chickpea "Tuna" Melts also use dill, Dijon mustard, seaweed flakes and celery seeds to pay homage to the diner classic. Anything honey-mustard has me fondly remembering the times we had Arby's as a treat when I was a kid (I have yet to find a honey-mustard sauce I like as much), so I was delighted to see Ellie Krieger embrace that flavor combination in her Honey Mustard Chicken With Cauliflower Rice. This 45-minute meal is a tidy little package for getting your protein and vegetables on one plate, and the whole thing gets an extra boost of brightness from oranges. As I mentioned above, our live chat is a highlight of my week, and after taking last week off, Aaron and I will be back at it Wednesday at noon Eastern. Thanks to everyone who has already sent along questions. You still have plenty of time to submit them before coming back when we kick things off during the lunch hour. Until next Saturday, take care and happy cooking. | 
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