3 Recipes to Help You Through the Busy Holiday Season

Use freshly sliced bread for a Crispy–Garlicky Sheet Pan Grilled Cheese this holiday season. Dreamstime/TNS

By Beth Dooley From The Minnesota Star Tribune

The holidays loom large. Parties, gift-shopping, school programs, recitals, family gatherings—there’s really no time to cook.

But there is! Here are three quick and easy recipes you can hustle to the table in 30 minutes or less. Relax, take a deep breath and know that dinner is served.

Crispy–Garlicky Sheet Pan Grilled Cheese

Serves 4.

Making grilled cheese for more than one can be tricky. Here, the sheet pan does the work; the sandwiches are ready all at once. Try our suggested fillings or just enjoy them plain in all their gooey deliciousness.

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 8 slices bread, cook’s choice
• 8 slices Gruyère and/or Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup fillings, such as sliced pickled peppers, sliced cherry tomatoes, olive tapenade, or sauerkraut or kimchee

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.

Spread the butter to the edge of 4 slices of bread. Place the slices butter-side down on the sheet pan. Top with the sliced cheese and add a layer of the filling, then top with the remaining slices of bread.

Put the pan in the oven and cook until the butter is thoroughly melted and bottom slices are turning golden and the cheese is melting, about 8 to 10 to minutes. Flip the sandwiches. Continue cooking until the top layer of bread begins to turn golden and the cheese is melted.

Turn the oven to broil and toast the top layer, watching closely, this goes quickly, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip the bread and toast the other side, about 15 to 20 seconds or so.

Remove, cut, and serve.

Quick Skillet Chicken with Lemon, Tahini and Warm Spices will come together quickly and can be served on a bed of greens or pasta. (Ashley Moyna Schwickert/For the Minnesota Star Tribune)

Quick Skillet Chicken With Lemon, Tahini, and Warm Spices

Serves 4 to 6.

A simple marinade of pantry staples—lemon, tahini, olive oil, and a little honey—keeps the chicken moist and becomes the sauce for finishing the dish. Serve on a bed of dark greens or cooked rice.

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for skillet
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
• Pinch coarse salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro (or a mix)
• Lemon slices for garnish

In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon, tahini, honey, and olive oil. Measure out 1/2 of the mixture into a separate bowl. This is to sauce the chicken after it’s cooked. If it seems too thick, whisk in a little water.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and pound with the flat edge of a knife to even out the width a bit. Put the chicken into the bowl of marinade and turn to coat.

Film a heavy skillet with more oil and set over high heat. When the oil begins to ripple, add the chicken, reduce the heat to medium and cook, flipping after about 5 to 7 minutes, and continuing, until cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. (The chicken should reach 165 on an instant-read thermometer when done.)

Remove the chicken from the skillet, set on a cutting board to rest for about 10 minutes. Slice the meat in long strokes against the grain. Serve on a bed of greens or rice, garnished with a drizzle of sauce, chopped herbs, and a few thinly sliced lemons. Pass additional sauce on the side.

One-Pot Pasta with Sausage, Tomato, and Spinach is a quick but hearty meal for busy, chilly nights. (Ashley Moyna Schwickert/For the Minnesota Star Tribune)

One-Pot Pasta With Sausage, Tomatoes, and Spinach

Serves 4 to 6.

You only need one pot for this simple pasta. The sausage adds the seasoning, the onions turn sweetly golden, cherry tomatoes burst into a luscious sauce. A squeeze of lemon at the end livens things up.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 5 to 6 cups chicken stock
• Water as needed
• 1 pound pasta of choice
• 1 large handful fresh spinach
• 4 ounces shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese
• Lemon juice, to taste
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

Film a large heavy pot or Dutch oven with the oil and set over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it turns limp and golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the sausage, breaking apart with a spatula until it crumbles, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and the stock, scraping up the bottom of the pan to release browned bits that stick to the bottom. Bring to a boil.

Add the pasta, stirring well and continue boiling for about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to a brisk simmer, stirring to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. If the sauce becomes too thick and the pasta begins to stick, stir in water, about 1/4 cup at a time. Simmer until the sauce is mostly absorbed and the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach, then stir in the cheese. Add lemon juice to taste. Serve garnished with the chopped parsley.

Beth Dooley is the author of “The Perennial Kitchen.” Find her at bethdooleyskitchen.com. Copyright 2024 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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