Sometimes I worry about my recipes the way I worry about my kids. As in, is this one getting enough attention? Does that one need a little extra love this week? I think it's safe to say that Andy's Pork Ragu is the Marcia Brady of dinners here on DALS (Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!) followed closely by Salmon Salad, Braised Short Ribs, and maybe those shrimp rolls from Playbook. In my defense, there's a good reason for the repetition: they're favorites in our house and grace the table over and over, year in and year out. But that's my house and I was thinking: Just because my daughters won't go near the Mongolian Stir-fry Tofu (still!) doesn't mean that your kid won't beg for it every night. So herewith, a Redemption for the Forgotten: 10 recipes -- all quick, all tasty -- that deserve a little love.
1. Squash Toasts with Butternut Squash and Ricotta I could eat everything listed under "toasts" on the ABC Kitchen menu, but this one would be right at the top.
2. Orecchiette with Peas, Country Ham, and Mint - The orecchiettes work like little baseball mitts catching the peas. The country ham works cause...it's country ham.
3. Pork Chops in Tomato Juice with Kale - It's really amazing that this isn't on my table twice a week given how much my kids like both pork and kale. Here, the chops are pounded super thin and braised in a delicate tomatoey broth.
4. Sticky Pomegranate Chicken (page 174, Playbook) Four ingredients, 90% of cooking time is hands-off.
5. Steak Tacos with Quick Pickled Onions and Cilantro Sauce Good for leftover steak or anytime you want a little meat to go a long way.
6. Lamb Sliders with Yogurt Sauce Slider always sounds way more fun than sandwich.
7. Fried Fish Nuggets with Bacony Greens This seems to be gaining traction with families dealing with egg allergies. (The dredge is sour cream, not a whisked egg.)
8. Lettuce Hand Rolls (with ground pork or turkey) The photo may be a little JV, but the dinner is decidedly varsity. I remember tasting a forkful of the 5-spiced ground meat straight out of the skillet at a photo shoot and knowing instantly that it would work at the family table.
9. Chickpea Fries I used to make these for the kids with ketchup (we called them "fancy fries") but now I think I'd make them with a little yogurty-dill sauce and lemon. Maybe even as a starter next time someone comes over for dinner. Such a crowd-pleaser.
10. Pan-roasted Chicken Thighs with Leeks (page 282 Dinner: A Love Story) Chicken, leeks, mustard and the dashiest dash of cream to make it feel indulgent. Plus: Leeks. And P.S. Leeks!