Roasted honey nut squash and chickpeas and more recipes to try this week

Cookie season has started off with a bang. And yet, you can’t just eat cookies. You have to eat dinner. (I don’t make the rules!) I’ve got five ideas for you below.

1. Roasted Honey Nut Squash and Chickpeas With Hot Honey

Colorful and meatless, sweet and fiery, this sheet-pan dinner is an exuberant combination of cold-weather vegetables and warming spices that will perk up any weeknight. Although the recipe takes about an hour from start to finish, most of it is hands-off, and the actual prep time is relatively short. If you don’t have hot honey, you can substitute regular honey and a pinch of cayenne. And try to use canned chickpeas prepared with sea salt; the unsalted kind are bland.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans chickpeas (preferably not “no salt added”), drained and rinsed
• 2 1/2 pounds honey nut or butternut squash, peeled, trimmed, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baharat, garam masala or another spice blend
• 1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt, plus more as needed
• 5 thyme sprigs
• 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar, plus more as needed
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves or dill sprigs, or a combination
• 1 to 2 tablespoons hot honey, plus more to taste
• Plain whole-milk yogurt or sour cream, for serving (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line one sheet pan with parchment paper and a second sheet pan with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Place drained chickpeas on the towel-lined sheet pan and gently rub them dry. Place the pan on the back of the stove and let the chickpeas dry as you prepare the other ingredients.

2. Place the squash on the parchment paper-lined pan and toss with 1 teaspoon baharat, 1/2 teaspoon salt, thyme sprigs, red-pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons oil. Spread squash into an even layer and roast for 20 minutes.

3. After 20 minutes of roasting, in a medium bowl, combine chickpeas, red onion, remaining 3/4 teaspoon baharat, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon oil, and toss until well combined. Add the mixture to the pan of squash and stir everything well. Continue roasting for another 30 minutes, tossing the mixture halfway through, until the squash is golden brown and tender, and the chickpeas and onions are slightly crispy.

4. Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle vinegar and herbs on top and toss. Drizzle with hot honey and toss again to combine. Taste and season with more salt, more hot honey and vinegar to taste. Serve with dollops of yogurt if you’d like.

2. Chicken Stroganoff

This Brazilian stroganoff is a riff on the classic Russian-American beef, mushroom and sour cream stew that was considered peak haute cuisine in the United States during the 1950s. In Brazil, stroganoff is often made with beef, chicken or shrimp, but with a tomato base and heavy cream instead of sour cream. The biggest difference is in the accompaniments: The stew is served with rice and topped with crispy potato sticks. Do not omit the crunchy potato; it may be a garnish, but it is essential. If sticks are hard to find, replace them with lightly crushed chips.

By Ham El-Waylly

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound button mushrooms, wiped clean and cut into quarters
• Kosher salt
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 fresh or dried bay leaf
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup tomato purée or passata
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Cooked white rice, for serving
• Crispy potato sticks, for serving

Preparation

1. Place a medium pot over medium-high heat and add the butter. When the butter has started foaming, add the mushrooms, toss to coat and season with a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have released all their liquid and are a deep mahogany brown, about 15 minutes.

2. Add the onion, garlic and bay leaf and cook, stirring frequently, until onion and garlic are fragrant, softened and a little brown along the edges, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the heavy cream, scraping off any stuck-on bits with a spatula or wooden spoon. Add the chicken, tomato purée, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and a large pinch of salt. Stir to combine, bring to a gentle simmer and cook until flavors meld and chicken is fully cooked, about 10 minutes.

4. Take the pan off the heat, remove and discard the bay leaf and stir in the parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve on top of white rice and garnish with a handful of potato sticks.

3. Spaghetti al Limone With Shrimp

There are many interpretations of the classic Italian pasta dish, spaghetti al limone, or spaghetti with lemon. Some call for an Alfredo-like sauce made with heavy cream, butter and Parmesan, while others rely on just olive oil, lemon juice, Parmesan and starchy pasta water. This particular recipe, which adds sautéed shrimp, white wine and fresh tarragon to the mix, leans toward the simpler preparation. Without the addition of heavy cream, the sauce has a brighter lemon flavor, which works beautifully with the delicate brininess of the shrimp. Tarragon adds a fragrant note and a bit of complexity to an otherwise fairly straightforward dish. Finally, if there were a time to spring for freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, this would be it. In an uncomplicated recipe like this one, the quality of each ingredient is paramount.

By Lidey Heuck

Yield: 6 servings

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 pound large shrimp (18 to 20 count), peeled and deveined, tails on or off
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 lemons, zested (about 1 1/2 packed tablespoons), plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Scoop out 1 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and set aside.