Every parent in charge of dinner gets into a baby-carrots-and-grape-tomatoes rut once in a while. And frankly, it's hard not to feel like you deserve a medal for simply getting a protein on the table, let alone an interesting side dish. The recipes here address your dilemma. Many offer fresh, unfussy tweaks on old standards (pan-cooked potatoes with bacon, broccoli with a sweet five-spice butter), and none takes more than 10 minutes of prep time. A few can even pinch-hit as the main course, if you stir in a bit of cooked meat or poultry. So stick with a basic roast-chicken recipe or panfried steak or fish (see our suggestions)—we'll make sure you have fun with the rest.
FOR THE STEAK
Smashed Carrots
Serves 4 | 10 minutes active time | 30 minutes total time
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Melt the butter in a heavy pan over medium heat.
- Add the shallots and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add the coriander and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Add the carrots, juice, honey, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer.
- Cover and cook until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat, mash with a fork or potato masher, and serve.
Potato-Bacon Hash
Serves 4 | 10 minutes active time | 30 minutes total time
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 1/2 pounds red bliss or Yukon gold potatoes, washed and cut into small chunks
- 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts (optional)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- In a heavy skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer it to a paper towel–lined plate.
- Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and return the pan to high heat.
- Add the potatoes, white scallions (if using), garlic, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the potatoes are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the bacon, broken into pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes more.
- Remove from heat, garnish with the green scallions (if using), and serve.
Next Page: For the Roast Chicken
