Happy birthday, Bradley! I made this collection of easy recipes just for you. When you moved into your first apartment in New York City, I wanted you to have simple, dependable meals to turn to. Inside, you’ll find family favorites, easy sides, and hot soups for everyday cooking. Most of these recipes are naturally grain-free, and I included family favorites like Spanish rice, kasha, and matzo ball soup, too.
Meat Recipes
Start with easy weeknight proteins: burger bowls, crispy air fryer chicken drumsticks, roast chicken, and quick skillet lamb chops. These recipes use familiar ingredients and clear steps, so dinner feels manageable even when you’re new to cooking.
Burger Bowls with Cauliflower Rice
These burger bowls are an easy, colorful meal with seasoned ground chuck, warm cauliflower rice, crisp vegetables, and fresh berries. Build them with whatever produce you have on hand for a filling lunch or dinner.
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Burger Bowls with Cauliflower Rice are made with seasoned ground beef, warm cauliflower rice, crisp chopped vegetables, fresh berries, and your favorite dressing. They make an easy gluten-free lunch or dinner.
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
Air fryer chicken drumsticks make an easy dinner. I cook six at a time and save the extras for later; they even make a good savory breakfast.
If you like organic chicken, pick some up when it’s on sale. It’s a little more expensive, but the flavor is worth it to me.
Measure the seasonings before you start; the mix is simple and works every time.
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These air fryer chicken drumsticks are crispy outside, juicy and tender inside, and seasoned with paprika, thyme, garlic, and onion. They cook in 25 minutes with simple pantry ingredients-no breading or deep frying required.
Lemon Basil Roasted Chicken
Whole chickens are a good buy. When they’re on sale, I pick up a few, cut them into portions, and freeze them so dinner is easy to defrost and plan.
This whole chicken recipe is so good, you’ll repeat it! Fill the chicken cavity with garlic and lemon. Tuck chopped garlic under the skin, and rub Dijon mustard (get Maille from France) all over the skin. Bake for one hour, and you’ll see how wonderful this recipe is.
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Lemon Basil Roasted Chicken is juicy with crispy skin and full flavor. Garlic and basil go under the skin, a whole lemon roasts inside, and Dijon mustard finishes it on top. This easy whole chicken is high in protein, gluten-free, and great for Sunday dinner or meal prep.
Crispy chicken cutlets
These chicken cutlets are pure comfort. They’re coated in Italian breadcrumbs, pan-fried until golden and crisp, then finished with a squeeze of lemon.
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Make these pan fried chicken cutlets for an easy dinner. Thin chicken breasts are breaded with seasoned Italian breadcrumbs and pan fried until golden brown. Serve with lemon and parsley for a simple meal that works any night of the week.
Rib Lambchops
Small lamb chops cook quickly in a hot skillet with butter, garlic, and herbs. They make a satisfying dinner when you want something a little special without spending all night in the kitchen.
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These pan-seared lamb chops are a high-protein, low-carb meal cooked in a skillet with butter, garlic, and herbs. Juicy, flavorful, and cooks in under 10 minutes.
Butterball Turkey Roast
If you want to roast a turkey, get a Butterball Turkey Breast. Follow these simple directions for a juicy roast every time. You’ll have a few meals from one roast.
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Learn how to cook a Butterball turkey breast roast for a simple, juicy main dish. Seasoned lightly and roasted on a rack, this turkey comes with a packet of gravy and makes the perfect centerpiece for Thanksgiving or a holiday-style meal any time of year.
SalmON Recipes
Salmon recipes are easy, delicious, and full of flavor. From quick pan-seared wild coho to simple salmon dinners, these recipes make it easy to enjoy a fresh, satisfying meal.
Pan-Fried Coho Salmon
This coho salmon is wild-caught in Alaska. You may find coho at Whole Foods; if not, look for sockeye. Wild-caught salmon comes from the Pacific, including Alaska and Oregon, and its rich color comes from its natural diet. Once you get used to the flavor of wild salmon, farm-raised can be hard to go back to.
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Pan-seared coho salmon with crispy skin, tender flaky flesh, and a quick garlic butter pan sauce finished with fresh lemon or lime juice. Ready in about 15 minutes.
Honey Butter Glazed Salmon
This honey butter glazed salmon cooks in about 15 minutes in a skillet. A quick sauce of honey, butter, garlic, soy sauce, and lemon gives it a sweet-savory finish. Serve it with rice, roasted vegetables, or a simple salad.
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Honey butter glazed salmon is cooked in butter for a quick, high-protein dinner full of flavor. Pan-sear the fish until golden, then finish with a sweet glaze made with butter, honey, lemon, and soy sauce. This simple stovetop recipe comes together in about 15 minutes.
POTATO & VEGETABLE SIDES
These easy sides make it simple to round out dinner. Choose crispy potatoes, roasted vegetables, or quick cauliflower rice to serve with chicken, fish, or steak.
Baked Japanese Sweet Potatoes
Japanese sweet potatoes have purple skin and a sweet, creamy center. Look for them at Whole Foods or an Asian market, then bake until soft and serve with butter.
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Japanese sweet potatoes are baked whole until the purple skin is lightly crisp and the pale yellow center is soft, sweet, and fluffy.
Crispy Mini Potatoes
These crispy roasted baby potatoes are golden brown on the outside, tender and fluffy on the inside, and seasoned with a simple blend of dried oregano, paprika, onion, and garlic.
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These crispy roasted baby potatoes are golden and crisp on the outside with a fluffy, tender center. Seasoned with garlic, onion, paprika, and oregano, they’re an easy side dish that pairs well with everything from chicken and steak to fish and pork.
Roasted Peewee Potatoes
Look for a bag labeled peewee potatoes at Whole Foods. They cook quickly and need very little prep.
These tiny potatoes roast in about 15 minutes, with crisp skins and creamy centers. Toss them with olive oil, salt, and your favorite herbs for an easy side.
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These easy roasted peewee potatoes are crisp on the outside and creamy inside, with garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt, and pepper. They roast whole, so there is no peeling or chopping.
Baked Purple Sweet Potato Halves
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These roasted purple sweet potato halves are seasoned with garlic, onion, paprika, salt, and pepper, then roasted until tender. Serve them with a creamy lemon chive sour cream dip for an easy side dish or snack.
Steamed Sweet Potatoes
Steamed sweet potatoes make an easy, colorful side dish. Peel and slice them into rounds, then steam until tender in about 10 minutes; serve warm with butter, a little flaky salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
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Steamed sweet potatoes make an easy side for any meal. Cut them into chunks and steam until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with butter or chill for salads.
Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Cheese
Roasted broccoli with garlic and Locatelli is an easy side dish ready in just 20 minutes. Fresh broccoli turns tender with golden edges, while crispy garlic and salty Pecorino Romano add plenty of flavor. Serve it with chicken, fish, or steak.
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Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Locatelli Cheese is an easy, flavorful side dish ready in 20 to 25 minutes. Fresh broccoli is tossed with chopped garlic and sharp Pecorino Romano, then roasted until tender and golden for a savory, salty bite you’ll love.
Roasted Red Beets
Beets are my latest obsession. I roast or steam them, then add a little honey and a squeeze of lemon.
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Roasted red beets are an easy side dish made with olive oil and salt. Quartering the beets helps them cook faster while the cut edges become lightly browned.
Cooking Thick Asparagus
Thick asparagus are meaty, tender, and the perfect addition to almost any meal. Peel them right up to the flowery tops to remove the woody outer layer, so each spear turns tender from tip to end.
Thick asparagus can be hard to find, but grab a bunch when you see them and try this quick, simple recipe.
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Steam and sauté thick asparagus in one skillet until crisp-tender and browned in spots, then finish with garlic-lemon butter. This easy side dish delivers lots of fresh flavor.
How To Make a Salad
This mixed garden salad is quick to toss together with fresh greens, tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion. A homemade vinaigrette is included.
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Learn how to make a mixed garden salad with fresh greens, tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion tossed in a light lemon Dijon dressing. It’s ready in minutes and works as a side or a light meal.
SOUPS & SIDES
A big pot of soup makes several comforting meals, and both recipes are easy to portion and freeze. Choose slow-simmered chicken soup made from scratch or a quick deli-style matzo ball soup for a shortcut.
Chicken Soup
Old-fashioned chicken soup simmered from scratch with a whole chicken, carrots, parsnip, leek, and fresh herbs. The big pot of chicken soup is perfect for a few meals. Serve with matzo balls, egg noodles, or straight up.
This soup freezes well, so you can heat up a bowl whenever you want a comforting meal without cooking from scratch.
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Old-fashioned chicken soup is made from scratch with a whole chicken, carrots, celery, onion, and fresh herbs simmered into a rich homemade broth. For the best flavor, choose an organic or pasture-raised chicken when available. Serve with matzo balls, egg noodles, or crackers for a comforting family meal.
Matzo ball soup
A boxed matzo ball soup mix is a handy shortcut. Add cooked chicken, carrots, and egg noodles for a filling deli-style meal.
This is my shortcut version of deli-style soup: seasoned broth, fluffy matzo balls, cooked chicken, carrots, and noodles. It brings classic deli flavor to the table in about 30 minutes.
For a longer simmer and a from-scratch broth, see the Chicken Soup recipe above.
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This easy New York deli chicken soup is made with Streit’s matzo ball and soup mix, cooked chicken, carrots, and egg noodles. Ready in 30 minutes, it delivers fluffy matzo balls and classic deli flavor with a few simple shortcuts.
Spanish rice
This Spanish rice comes from my mother’s kitchen. It’s a colorful, one-pot side with tomato, peppers, garlic, and peas that goes with just about any dinner. Make sure to use Uncle Ben’s rice.
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Easy Spanish Rice Recipe made with converted rice, tomato sauce, onion, green pepper, garlic, ketchup, and peas. This one-pot side dish cooks in 20 minutes and goes with chicken, beef, pork, fish, or shrimp.
Kasha with Onions
This family recipe pairs toasted buckwheat groats with golden onions for a savory, comforting side. Kasha is simple to make on the stovetop and goes well with chicken, fish, or a roast.
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Buckwheat with Crispy Onions is a savory, grain-free side dish made with roasted buckwheat, golden fried onions, and fresh parsley. It’s easy to make and pairs perfectly with chicken or fish.
