‘Such a Great, Easy, Feel-Good Weeknight Dinner'
This skillet dish, which was inspired by Thai larb, is an especially good thing to make early in the day because it holds up well, thanks to the sturdiness of sugar snap peas. I hold off adding the fresh mint, basil, scallion and chopped nuts until just before serving — or rather, I leave a note saying to do so. This keeps the textures as bright and snappy as the dinner conversation I'll miss. Once I'm back to eating dinners at home, I may even use the make-ahead routine to ease the evening rush and keep myself bright and snappy at dinnertime.
Featured Recipe
View Recipe →
Pasta primavera: Dan Pelosi's classic pasta isn't just for springtime. Use whatever vegetables are at hand to make this robustly creamy, Parmesan-rich beauty whenever the craving hits. It's just as good in summer, when zucchini, yellow squash and red peppers are abundant and inexpensive.
Thai-style coconut curry chicken tacos: This brilliantly unexpected hybrid, courtesy of the brilliant Kay Chun, features chicken thighs cooked with toasted Thai curry paste and coconut milk, then served in tortillas with tangy pico de gallo and a squeeze or two of lime. Untraditional? Yes! But this easy crowd-pleaser earns its five stars with old-fashioned virtuosity.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
2 hours ago
- Fox News
Husband refuses to eat chicken left in hot car for hours, sparking food safety debate: 'Not thrilled'
One man risked dinner – and domestic peace – when he refused to eat sun-warmed poultry that his wife was planning to prepare, according to a viral social media post. Writing on Reddit's 24-million-member "Am I the A--hole" forum on July 26, the man said the spat began after his wife decided to try a new recipe for dinner. "It's a one-pot chicken thing with orzo," he wrote. "She ordered the groceries online this morning and then went to collect them around 11 a.m. She got back home around midday and unloaded everything from the car." But around 5:30 p.m., his wife suddenly asked where the chicken went – and found that it had been sitting in the trunk of their car all afternoon. "The chicken wasn't a frozen chicken," the man clarified. "The chicken was a whole, fresh, raw chicken, in a sealed bag." "Although it wasn't a particularly warm day, we still had a high of [60 degrees Fahrenheit] and our car was sitting out in the sunshine all afternoon." The wife said that the chicken was still "cool to the touch," which the man hesitantly agreed with – it wasn't warm, he said, but he wouldn't call it "overly cold." "It's safe to say it was somewhere between fridge temperature and room temperature," he wrote. The Redditor quickly told his wife he wasn't interested in eating the chicken. "She tells me we're [still] going to eat the chicken," he recalled. "I go back to the couch and start Googling how long you can leave a chicken in the car." Despite going back-and-forth, the wife continued preparing the chicken – until the husband had an idea. "I pitch the idea that she can have the chicken and I can just make something simple for my dinner," he said. "She's not thrilled because she wanted to make this meal for me." The man said he told her that he was "not going to eat it" and felt as if he was "being made to eat a chicken against my will." She then got into the car and left "in search of another chicken from the store." But the man admitted that he felt "like a bit of an a--hole about it." "I also feel like we may have wasted a perfectly good chicken," he said. But most of the comments posted on the thread — which attracted over 2,000 responses — affirmed his fears. "You know what's worse than throwing out a chicken? Food poisoning," the top comment read. "I would not have eaten that chicken either." "I have a realllllllyyy loose attitude toward food safety and I wouldn't eat that chicken," another person chimed in. One user who attested to working in restaurants for two decades, however, had a different take. "I would've eaten it," the commenter wrote in part. "Still cool to the touch and getting cooked fully? It's fine." "It's not worth the risk. A single chicken is not that expensive compared to the food poisoning you could experience." Another wrote, "You're about to cook it. It's not had time to rot, especially if it's cool to the touch. Everyone in these comments is overreacting." Bryan Quoc Le, Ph.D., a food scientist with Mendocino Food Consulting in California, told Fox News Digital the risk in the Reddit situation is "very high." "It has been several hours-plus inside a car, which will be at a much higher temperature than the surrounding air," he said. "Bacteria grow very fast every 10 degrees higher than refrigeration temperature, exponentially so every 20 minutes. They are right that it is not safe to eat." Le added that, hypothetically, one could try cooking the chicken — which would destroy pathogenic bacteria. But that doesn't solve the issue, he said. "It's the toxins they leave behind that can be a problem, which tend to be heat-resistant," the expert said. "It's not worth the risk. A single chicken is not that expensive compared to the food poisoning you could experience."
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
How to set up a simple family command center for a more organized school year
Never lose a permission slip or miss an appointment again with this guide to setting up a family command center Back-to-school season brings a flurry of schedules, forms, and activities—and if you're not careful, things can get chaotic fast. Missed appointments, lost permission slips, and forgotten dinners become all too common. That's where a family command center comes in. This simple yet powerful tool helps you manage everything in one place, keeping your household running smoothly all year long. Why you will love having one: With a command center in place, you'll always know: What's for dinner tonight Who has soccer practice (and when) Where that all-important homework folder is When the next dentist appointment is scheduled Whether you're juggling multiple kids' schedules, working from home, or just trying to stay ahead of the daily grind, a command center can bring structure, reduce stress, and save time. Where to set it up The best command centers live in a spot your family walks past daily. Choose a location that's visible and easy to access. Popular options include: Kitchen wall (next to the fridge is prime real estate) Entryway or mudroom (great for grab-and-go reminders) Home office or hallway nook If you're short on wall space, consider using the inside of a cabinet door or creating a portable version on a clipboard or tray. Choose a location that makes sense for your home's layout and your family's routine, and be sure to: Involve the whole family – Let each person contribute or have their own section. Kids are more likely to use it if they helped set it up. Keep it updated – Make a habit of checking and refreshing your command center weekly. Start simple – You can always add more as you figure out what works best. What you'll need to create a family command center You don't need a huge wall or expensive setup. A few simple tools can go a long way: Dry-erase calendar or wall calendar for tracking appointments and events Bulletin board or corkboard to pin up notes, invites, flyers, or reminders Wall file organizers for school papers, bills, or important documents Sticky notes or notepads for quick messages or reminders Dry-erase board for daily to-dos, grocery lists, or motivational quotes Hooks for backpacks, purses, or keys Dry-erase markers (preferably color-coded for each family member!) What to include Your command center should be customized to fit your family's routine. Start with the essentials, then build from there as you see what works best. Think about the information you regularly misplace or forget, and build your setup around those things. Here are some ideas to include: Family calendar – for school events, activities, and appointments To-do lists – track chores, goals, or weekly reminders Meal plan & grocery list – know what's for dinner and what you need Homework inbox – a spot to collect assignments and papers that need signing Cleaning schedule – keep household tasks on track Important contacts – emergency numbers, babysitters, neighbors Message board – jot down quick notes, reminders, or encouragement Backpack and key station – never lose the essentials again Tip: Let each family member have their own section or color—kids are more likely to use it if they helped set it up! A family command center doesn't have to be complicated to be effective. Start simple and tweak it as your needs evolve. Even a few organized touches can make your days feel calmer and more in control.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
I know I can't be a perfect mom. I aim for mediocrity.
I wanted to be the perfect parent when I had my first child. Four more kids later, and I know that there's no such thing. Raising kids is wonderful and stressful, and I embrace it all. "What a great mom." I smile and accept the compliment, delivered in the grocery store by a woman who's watched me patiently let my 10-year-old use the self-service checkout. But deep down, I know my parenting is mediocre at best. People accuse me of being a good mom quite frequently — and I can see why. I have a brood of five happy children, all well fed and cared for, and in no doubt, they are loved. At a passing glance, I probably look like I'm crushing it. But as every parent knows, there are 24 hours in a day, and not all of them are Instagrammable. I wanted to be a perfect mother It took me three heartbreaking years and two rounds of IVF to finally conceive so when I 2009 I finally found myself the family way I resolved to treasure every moment; to dedicate myself to my new role: to be a perfect mother. Four further children and 15 years down the line, I look back at this innocent, pre-parenthood version of myself fondly. Was I ever so young and naïve? While my brood has grown over time, my expectations of myself have lowered dramatically. I no longer aspire to be good. Sometimes, I aim for mediocre at best. Other times, I count it a success if we get to the end of the day and we're all still breathing. The responsibilities and requirements of parenthood are overwhelming, and trying to nail all the things required of me to be a "good mom" is like playing perfectionist whack-a-mole — exhausting and destined to eventually fail. Of course, deciding you're going to be a Good Mom usually happens in the "before" time — when you're pregnant and full of ideals but have no idea of the reality. Or maybe it's a goal you set yourself when caring for a newborn, based on coping with diapers, feeding, and sleepless nights. I had a list of things I'd never do When they're looking at you with their wide eyes and gummy grins, it's impossible to imagine how it might feel a few years down the line when they push away your carefully crafted dinner with disgust. Or how much it hurts when they start to reject you. And it's definitely harder to be the positive, ever loving mommy you thought you'd be the first time your teen tells you to fuck off. I can't be the only mom who compiled a list of things they'd never do while they were gestating their first. "I'll never swear in front of her," or "I'll treasure every moment." As my kids have grown, I've watched every good intention vanish from the list. I'd forgotten something important: moms are also still humans. A host of good intentions does not negate the effects of PMS, money worries, or sleepless nights. And that kids, however much we love them, can sometimes be a pain in the ass. I've lowered my expectations Parenting is a lifelong contract you sign without any real knowledge of what it means. You start off full of energy and hope, but give it a decade or so, and you'll probably be asking the questions: Am I any good at this? Or, can somebody remind me why I wanted kids? But wait. It's not all bad. Since I lowered the bar on my parenting expectations, I've actually become a better mom. I'm still mediocre, but maybe a C+ rather than a C-. A definite no is better than a resentful yes. A portion of peas consumed is better than an abandoned pile of broccoli. Sometimes it's OK to skip the odd teeth clean or eat a cookie after hours. Allowing myself the space to fail, pick myself up, and try again has lowered my stress levels. Setting more boundaries for my personal space has helped my children start seeing me as a human as well as a mom. Raising kids is wonderful, stressful, hilarious, annoying — a blessing and a curse rolled into one. There is no way to be perfect at this stuff. But you know what? That's OK. Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword
