Good morning. I’m Emily Weinstein, the Food and Cooking editor here at The New York Times, and I’ll be your host today. Are you having an excellent long weekend? Have you had pancakes yet? Are you already diving headlong into cookie-making with Gantt charts and custom holiday baking playlists?
I’ve got a week’s worth of cooking recommendations for you, but let’s not move on from Sunday too quickly. I love the look of Ali Slagle’s new recipe for refried white beans with chile-fried eggs (above), the sunshine yellow of the yolk set on that creamy cloud of crushed beans. Refried beans are typically made with pinto or black varieties, and cooked in lard. But white beans are a delicious and effective departure from tradition, and you can swap in olive oil for the lard.
Now, let’s talk about the week ahead …
Monday
Kay Chun’s sesame salmon bowls are as delicious as they are clever. Inspired by the Japanese dish chirashi, the salmon steams directly on top of the vinegar-seasoned rice, and the finished bowls are adorned with shredded cabbage and sliced cucumbers for a juicy crunch.
Tuesday
Pierre Franey’s chicken breasts with lemon are timeless, an easy and elegant way to put dinner on the table. Franey recommended serving the chicken with mashed potatoes, but I’d go for a fresh pot of rice.
Wednesday
This new recipe comes from the brilliant mind of Yewande Komolafe, who mixes flavors and textures with confidence and flair. Here she roasts tofu, chickpeas and cherry tomatoes in a za’atar-spiced marinade for a great weeknight dinner.
Thursday
A simple way to make a table full of people happy is to set down a big, saucy, bubbling baking dish in front of them. Here’s one option for how that could look, courtesy of Lidey Heuck.
Friday
You’ve reached the end of the week, and I can’t think of anything that’d be better than Vallery Lomas’s tangy pimento mac and cheese, a power coupling of classic Southern dishes.
There are thousands more recipes for you to scroll through on New York Times Cooking, and videos and inspiration on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. You’ll need to subscribe for access to our recipes. And don’t forget that you can give a New York Times Cooking subscription as a gift!
You can reach me at dearemily@nytimes.com; the tip lines are open, so tell me what you’re cooking, baking and drinking right now. I love to hear from you, and I read every note. You can also sign up to receive my newsletter, Five Weeknight Dishes, which offers recipe ideas for busy people who still want something good to eat. If you encounter technical issues with our website or apps, write to cookingcare@nytimes.com, and someone will get back to you.
Until next time. And if you haven’t seen our YouTube series “Mystery Menu,” starring the chefs (and couple) Sohla and Ham El-Waylly, it’s fantastic. Highly recommended!