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Leite's Culinaria

One Less Thing to Think About Tonight

Published about 8 hours ago • 2 min read

Hi Reader,

It's 5:12 on a Tuesday in mid-August.
​
You've answered the emails. You've walked the dog. You've been to the grocery store twice because you forgot the one thing you went for. The tomatoes are still gorgeous. The basil is still going. But the calendar has quietly filled up, and there's the familiar question again:
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​"What's for dinner?"​
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The cooking isn't the hard part.
​
The deciding is.
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Some nights you can happily spend an hour on a braise or a pie crust. Tonight is not one of those nights. Tonight, one pan is a good answer, and a walk after dinner is a better one.

One-Pan Weeknight Cooking

  • Build flavor in layers. Brown the meat. Toast the garlic. Let the onions soften. A few extra minutes at the beginning save you from wishing for more flavor at the end.
  • Don't crowd the pan. Ingredients need space to brown, not steam. If everything is touching, you've gone too far.
  • Keep one bright finish on hand. A squeeze of lemon, fresh herbs, grated Parmesan, or a splash of vinegar can pull a whole dinner into focus.
  • Cook once for two nights. One-pan dinners often taste even better the next day, which means tomorrow's lunch is already solved.
  • What's the one pan you'd reach for tonight? Sheet-pan chicken, a skillet of tortellini, a one-pot pasta, or a stir-fry that comes together while the rice cooks. Which sounds like dinner?

WHAT'S INSIDE...

​Lemon-Garlic Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs​

This easy sheet pan meal has roasted chicken thighs and potatoes drizzled with lemon garlic sauce. It's ready in less than an hour.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Garlic Butter Steak Bites​

Tender pieces of sirloin steak are pan-seared and finished in a garlicky herb and butter sauce. It's an easy, yet truly impressive weeknight meal.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​One-Pot Tortellini With Prosciutto & Peas​

Give your favorite store-bought tortellini a facelift with the addition of prosciutto, peas, and a creamy leek and Parmesan sauce. With only one dish to clean, it's guaranteed to end up on permanent rotation.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​One Pot Pasta With Sausage Meatballs​

This one-pot sausage pasta is loaded with tender meatballs and pasta that cooks in a homemade tomato sauce. It's easy to make and requires just one pot.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​San Francisco-Style Vietnamese Garlic Noodles​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.64 from 25 votes

Garlic, pasta, and classic Asian flavors collide in this easy, popular Asian-inspired noodle dish.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Skillet Tortellini With Sausage & Cherry Tomatoes​

After browning some sausage, the tortellini go directly into the same pan with some water. Once the pasta is tender, cherry tomatoes join the party and soften into a makeshift sauce. A shower of fresh basil makes this pantry meal feel a little fresher and more aromatic.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​One-Pot Spaghetti & Meat Sauce​

Spaghetti, leftover ground beef, and pasta sauce mingle in a single pot to create an easy weeknight meal that everyone will love.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

Leite's Culinaria

David Leite

Why, hello! Leite's Culinaria is the James Beard Award-winning site that helps home cooks and bakers put dinner on the table and laughs in the kitchen. Hungry for more? Join 40,000 food lovers and subscribe.

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