One Skillet, 5 Fast Dinners
Pictured Recipe: Skillet Gnocchi with Shrimp & Asparagus
Singing the praises of the pan that can do it all.
Like Johnny Appleseed setting off with a pocketful of hope and a saucepan for a hat, my children have begun to make their way in the world. They don't have to wear their pots-but their kitchens are tiny enough that they have to choose carefully. Microwave or toaster? Saucepan or skillet? I say skillet - a pan you can cook your whole dinner in. And it will do a better job of keeping off the rain.
The five recipes that follow make a good case for stocking your kitchen with two large skillets in particular: nonstick and stainless-steel. For gingery, Indian-inspired Chickpea & Potato Hash, a nonstick skillet keeps the potatoes from clinging too tenaciously. Another night, cook tender gnocchi and shrimp using minimal oil. Steak for a beef curry browns nicely in a stainless-steel skillet and the flavors build as each ingredient joins the pan. And I'm especially glad for Garlic Chicken, a fabulous skillet version of the classic "chicken with 40 cloves of garlic," a dish my kids will come home for.
Either way, skillets are essential to making a quick, easy, only-one-pan-to-wash dinner tonight. Wear one proudly, and spread the word.
-Wendy Ruopp, Managing Editor
Pictured Recipe: Chickpea & Potato Hash
Monday: Chickpea & Potato Hash
The eggs cook right on top of this chickpea and potato hash-cook them a few extra minutes if you prefer hard-set eggs. Serve with warm pita bread and a cucumber salad with mint and yogurt.
Get the Recipe: Chickpea & Potato Hash
Pictured Recipe: Tilapia with Tomato-Olive Sauce
Tuesday: Tilapia with Tomato-Olive Sauce
Top tilapia fillets with a savory tomato-olive sauce that comes together in just 5 minutes. Look for tapenade near jarred olives in the supermarket. Serve with sautéed broccolini and farro tossed with toasted almonds.
Get the Recipe: Tilapia with Tomato-Olive Sauce
Pictured Recipe: Garlic Chicken
Wednesday: Garlic Chicken
Whole garlic cloves are mild when simmered with chicken in a simple white wine-mustard sauce in this garlic chicken recipe. Serve with smashed potatoes with buttermilk and sautéed green beans
Get the Recipe: Garlic Chicken
Pictured Recipe: Bell Pepper & Beef Curry
Thursday: Bell Pepper & Beef Curry
A combination of green beans, red bell peppers and sweet mango makes this beef curry recipe colorful. The heat and salt level can vary widely in red curry paste depending on the brand-taste as you go. Serve with noodles and a basil-and-jícama salad.
Get the Recipe: Bell Pepper & Beef Curry
Pictured Recipe: Skillet Gnocchi with Shrimp & Asparagus
Friday: Skillet Gnocchi with Shrimp & Asparagus
The gnocchi cooks right in the skillet, along with shrimp, shallots, asparagus and Parmesan cheese, in this gnocchi recipe. Look for shelf-stable gnocchi near other pasta. Serve with baby arugula salad with vinaigrette and a glass of pinot grigio.
Get the Recipe: Skillet Gnocchi with Shrimp & Asparagus