Ah, May.
To children, the month is a thrilling, wind-in-the-hair downhill race toward summer, freedom and possibility. For parents, itap also a race, but the gasping, out-of-breath kind, toward a finish line that feels as if it keeps moving farther and farther out of reach.
Every commitment that seemed like a great idea in September culminates, making our digital calendars look as if someone scattered confetti all over them: school concerts, sports banquets, dances, recitals, tournaments, graduation ceremonies, shopping for teacher gifts, not to mention summer child care and vacation planning.
All are worth celebrating — but when concentrated into a single month, itap a lot.
The Holderness Family, known for its online parodies, even produced a video about the month, calling it Maycember, because its festive mayhem can rival that of December.
“But without all the fun cookies and twinkle lights,” the song goes. It went viral.
Then there’s dinner. How can you meal-plan, shop and cook when time and energy levels are abysmally low, when you’re, well, dunzo? For that, there’s what I call the dunzo dinner — aka a dead-simple meal for when things pile up.
I asked seven parents, recipe developers, a reporter and a photo editor what they make for their families when they are absolutely dunzo but still want to get something cheap, delicious and mostly nutritious on the table. They delivered seven delightfully speedy, real-life recipes you can turn to on your busiest days that’ll make everyone happy.
The text has been condensed and edited.
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PASTA MADE SIMPLE
Samantha Seneviratne, recipe developer and mom to Artie, 8; New York City
Creamy Cabbage Pastina
I could eat pastina, the simple Italian pasta shaped like stars, with chicken broth, egg yolks and Parmesan every day. (In fact, I’ve gone on weeklong pastina benders when I’ve been deep in work and unwilling to go to the grocery store.) Itap fortifying, comforting and tastes like a hug. My sometimes tricky-to-feed son loves it, too. Is it soup? Is it pasta? Who cares! Itap a slurpable supper that takes mere minutes to make. The only downside is no veggies. But I’ve come up with an easy solution. While itap not traditional, shredded cabbage adds flavor and nutrients without signaling “vegetable” to the kids in your life. It becomes meltingly tender when simmered with the pasta and gives the soup a mild sweetness that goes beautifully with cheese and butter.
By Samantha Seneviratne
Yield: 2 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 packed cups (6 ounces) shredded cabbage (thinly sliced with a knife or store-bought preshredded)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup pastina pasta
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- Salt and black pepper
Preparation:
1. In a medium pot, bring the chicken broth to a simmer over medium-high. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and cheese.
2. Add the pastina and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in butter.
3. Stir a few spoonfuls of the hot pasta mixture into the cheese mixture. Repeat this process 2 more times, then return everything to the pot. Stir in the lemon zest and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Samantha’s Maycember Tips
— I do a lot of fridge-leftover potlucks. I have one other single girlfriend with a kid, and we do that thing where I’ll say, “I have some potatoes.” And she’ll say, “Well, I have this,” and then we just get together and cook it all up.
— I don’t do birthday parties. I once got Artie a piñata and stuffed it with candy. We strung it up in my parents’ house, inside. And then my parents and I just watched him go at it. He took all the candy, and he was so happy. That was way better than a birthday party.
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DEFROSTED AND DELICIOUS
Melissa Clark, columnist, recipe developer and mom to Lee, 17, with husband, Daniel; New York City
Roasted Sausages With Chickpeas and Spinach
I always keep sausages in the freezer. Quick to defrost, seasoned and ready for your pan, they are a boon for those crazy-busy nights. In this recipe, I roast them with cumin-scented chickpeas, then shift to broiling so everything gets a little crisp at the edges. I love to throw in some spinach during the last minute of cooking so it can wilt into silky ribbons. The extra veg eliminates the need for a salad, turning this into a one-pan meal.
By Melissa Clark
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated, divided
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds or pinch crushed red pepper (or both)
- Salt
- 1 pound Italian sausage links, sweet or spicy, at room temperature (see Tip)
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, plus more to taste
- 4 to 5 ounces baby spinach
Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 500 degrees. In a broiler-safe 9-by-13-inch pan, toss together the chickpeas, 1 tablespoon of the oil, half the grated garlic, the cumin and crushed red pepper, if using. Season with salt.
2. Top with the sausages and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil.
3. Roast until sausages are firm but not yet golden, about 10 minutes. Turn on the broiler (or transfer the pan to the broiler) and broil until the sausages are browned in spots and cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.
4. Meanwhile, mix the remaining garlic with 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar and a pinch of salt.
5. When the sausages are golden on top (they won’t get much color on the undersides), transfer to a serving platter. Toss baby spinach into the hot chickpeas to wilt spinach. Drizzle with the vinegar mixture, tossing well until everything is nicely mixed. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve chickpeas and spinach with sausages.
Tip: If your sausages are cold, you might have to add a minute or two onto the roasting time.
Melissa’s Maycember Tips
— I buy treats. I stock my fridge with washed vegetables and my pantry with beans. Then, I’ll get some special things, whatever the favorites are of the moment. I keep those on hand because not only do they help you get through it; they’re also good to bribe a kid — even if your kid’s 17. They’re still susceptible to a Crunch bar.
— My kid gets leftovers for lunch every single day. When I make dinner, I section off a part of it before we even sit down, and I put it in a container, and then all I have to do is heat it up and throw it in the thermos.
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HANDLE HUNGER WITH EASE
Brett Anderson, reporter and dad to Oscar, 11; and Julius, 9; with wife, Nathalie; New Orleans
Halloumi and Sweet Potato Tacos
I came up with this idiosyncratic recipe when Oscar, our older son, was a pescatarian. Itap so good that it remains a weeknight staple, even though Oscar eats meat again. Most of the prep can be completed while the oven is heating. I like to serve it with a simple coleslaw, which I often have already made in the fridge, and store-bought Mexican salsa verde.
By Brett Anderson
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 flour tortillas (6-inch)
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds total), scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3/4 to 1 pound halloumi, patted dry and sliced roughly the size and thickness of dominoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- Mexican salsa verde, for serving
- Chopped cilantro, for serving (optional)
Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Wrap tortillas in foil.
2. Arrange sweet potatoes and halloumi in separate sections on a large sheet pan. Drizzle everything with oil, season the sweet potatoes with salt, and toss to coat.
3. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring the sweet potatoes and flipping the halloumi halfway through roasting, until sweet potatoes are tender and halloumi is golden. In the last 10 minutes of roasting, place the foil-wrapped tortillas in the oven alongside the sheet pan to warm through. Meanwhile, chop the tomato.
4. Serve sweet potatoes and halloumi on a platter, with tongs, alongside the tortillas, tomatoes, salsa and cilantro, for everyone to make their own tacos.
Brettap Maycember Tips
— Keep a shared grocery list. If my wife, Nathalie, says something out loud, I say, “Add it to the list!” because I go to the grocery store a lot, and I can’t think of anything off the top of my head.
— Our lunches are not Instagram-ready. I’ll do hot lunches for them, but itap usually beans or a leftover thing. Otherwise, I actually have a position on this: I feel like they need to know that sometimes lunch is just a sandwich.
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USE YOUR NOODLES
Kevin Pang, recipe developer and dad to Liam, 10, with wife, Anne; Chicago
Cream Cheese Ramen
There is such a thing as a noodle emergency — when hunger strikes at an inconvenient hour and the only remedy is a bowl of noodles. Instant ramen is an obvious solution, but most of the seasoning packets that come with those noodles can taste artificial and too salty. The solution in our house? Ditch the soup powder, keep the noodle brick and use cream cheese as the base of a luscious sauce that enrobes each strand. The result isn’t quite cacio e pepe in a Roman trattoria, but this nine-minute dish is your “break glass in case of noodle emergency” savior.
By Kevin Pang
Yield: 1 serving
Total time: 9 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 instant ramen noodle brick (not from cup ramen), soup packet discarded
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 3 tablespoons shaker Parmesan or freshly grated, plus more if desired
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Any desired additional toppings (see Tip)
Preparation:
1. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups water to boil. Add the noodle brick and cook for about 90 seconds until the strands are separated and loose but still slightly underdone. Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, remove noodles to a serving bowl but keep the noodle water in the pot.
2. Pour out most of the noodle water, leaving about 1/3 cup in the saucepan. Over low heat, add butter, cream cheese, Parmesan, a pinch of salt and a generous amount of black pepper to the remaining noodle water. Stir to incorporate and melt the cream cheese into the liquid until the sauce is uniform and smooth.
3. Turn off heat. Add the cooked noodles back to the pot and gently fold into the sauce. Return the finished noodles to the serving bowl. Top with more Parmesan, cracked pepper and a drizzle of olive oil, along with any desired additional toppings.
Tips: Rather than use fancy Parmigiano-Reggiano, we prefer the saltier (and more convenient) green shaker Parmesan. If you have Pecorino Romano on hand, use that to approximate cacio e pepe. The recipe above is a starting point: Add sauteed sausage or pepperoni. Rather than brick cream cheese, you could use half a round of Boursin or four wedges of Laughing Cow cheese. Try adding Everything Bagel seasoning mix, flakes of smoked salmon, and a squeeze of lemon juice for a noodle-take on a lox and cream cheese bagel. One of our favorite versions: folding in tinned tuna at the end and crumbling potato chips on top.
Kevin’s Maycember Tips
— I buy gift cards when my brain is still functioning in March. Instead of spending $100 on gift cards in May for the teachers, I buy them in $25 increments.
— We have a shared public calendar, and we’ve learned to incorporate our departure time, not just when the event begins.
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SATISFY YOUR CRAVINGS
Pati Jinich, recipe developer and mom to Alan, 26; Sami, 24; and Juju, 19; with husband, Daniel; Chevy Chase, Maryland
Chipotle Chicken Salad
This chicken salad is a take on ensalada de pollo, a dish my mom used to make when I was growing up in Mexico City. She would either use cooked chicken from our weekly caldo de pollo — a tradition I religiously continue to this day in my home in Chevy Chase, Maryland — or she would use rotisserie chicken. Soft potatoes, sweet carrots and snappy peas combine with satisfying bites of chicken and plenty of mayonnaise. My spin is to make it smoky and spicy with chipotles in adobo sauce and add a splash of vinegar that brightens everything up. I make it at least a couple of times a month, and since it keeps beautifully for up to five days, there’s almost always a batch waiting in the fridge (it might be even better the next morning straight from the fridge). Now, just like when I was a teenager, I am amazed at how satisfying, filling and tasty it is while being ridiculously easy to pull together with the most basic ingredients you surely have at home (no day goes by in my house without at least five backup cans of chipotles in adobo sauce). You can eat it in a bowl, serve it alongside saltines or other crackers, pile it onto a tostada or wrap it in a flour tortilla with shredded lettuce. Itap fabulous tucked into a bolillo or baguette for a satisfying torta — but in my mind, nothing beats eating it by itself in a bowl.
By Pati Jinich
Yield: 6 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or coarse sea salt
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from a small can of chipotles in adobo, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
- 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen peas and carrots (see Tip)
- 6 cups cooked diced chicken, from 1 rotisserie or roasted chicken
Preparation:
1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise with the adobo sauce, mustard, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust with more adobo sauce if you like it spicier. Set aside.
2. Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until tender but still firm, 4 to 5 minutes (the tip of a knife should go through easily, but the potatoes should not fall apart). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to the bowl with the chipotle mayonnaise. Repeat with peas and carrots and cook until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes, then drain and transfer to the bowl.
3. Add the chicken to the bowl and toss everything to combine. Taste and season with salt if desired, then eat immediately (I like it best when the vegetables are still warm), or let cool and cover to store in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Tip: You can also substitute 1 pound diced carrots and 1 cup fresh or frozen peas.
Pati’s Maycember Tips
— Batch cooking saved my three boys growing up. Like my mom, I made chicken broth on Sunday or Monday, because it gave me a full batch of cooked shredded chicken thatap cheaper than buying a whole rotisserie chicken. I would whip it into a chicken salad or use it in chicken tinga. I also like making a big batch of pinto beans or black beans, called frijoles de olla, and a bunch of rice. I also always make four batches of vinaigrette and use it a thousand ways.
— Bread things for picky eaters. My middle one was a nightmare. From when he turned 3 or 4 until he turned 12, he would eat only hot dogs, rice and chocolate milk, but then I realized that I could bread things — chicken, shrimp, fish — and he started eating it. Now he eats everything, but it was torture for a while.
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A LITTLE HEAT GOES A LONG WAY
Brigid Ransome Washington, recipe developer and mom to Luke, 11; and Noel, 9; with husband, Joseph; Raleigh, North Carolina
Chicken and Kale Hatch Chile Bowl
On weeknights when I’m in the weeds, a tiny can of diced green mild chiles is the key that unlocks a fast, satisfying meal for my family of four. After searing boneless, skinless chicken thighs, I deglaze the pan with those chiles, along with a can’s worth of tap water, and make a deep, bright, bracing sauce. That simmering sauce flavors and softens the kale leaves and black beans. My daughter prefers this recipe with shrimp — frozen or fresh — and itap easy and affordable enough that I can make both versions on the same night. (She looks forward to the leftovers.) This method could be also used with extra-firm tofu (see Tip) and sturdy vegetables like bell peppers.
By Brigid Ransome Washington
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4 to 6)
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced mild green chiles (such as Hatch)
- 1 medium bunch kale, trimmed and chopped (with stems), or 4 large handfuls prechopped kale
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- Cooked rice, for serving (optional)
Preparation:
1. Using paper towels, pat the chicken dry and season both sides of the meat generously with salt and black pepper.
2. In a skillet or high-sided pan large enough to hold all the chicken at once, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook until browned and the top is slightly crispy, 4 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the can of green chiles. Fill the empty can with tap water and pour into the pan. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape up the browned bits. Return the chicken to the pan and nestle into the sauce; cook for another 5 minutes, until cooked through.
4. Place the kale in a large serving bowl or four smaller individual bowls. Top evenly with the beans. Next, add the chicken and pour the green-chile pan sauce over the kale and beans. Top with avocado.
Tip: To use tofu instead of chicken, press 1 pound of drained extra-firm tofu to remove excess water. When searing, use the same amount of oil over medium heat. Keep in mind that tofu will naturally release on its own from the pan when itap ready to be flipped.
Brigid’s Maycember Tips
— In May, if something comes up, I automatically say no, because I already know it will be crazy in two weeks. If I don’t get you in April, I’ll get you in June.
— Every Mother’s Day, I tell my husband that I don’t want brunch. I don’t want breakfast. Just leave. I just want to be in the house by myself for an extended period without interruptions. No distractions, no noise. “Do you want food?” Nope, I’ll feed myself. Just go. Those have been the best Mother’s Days.
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ALWAYS SAFE AT HOME
Gabriel H. Sanchez, photo editor and dad to Diego, 6; Felix, 3; and Ava, 5 months; with wife, Kelly; Woodbridge, New Jersey
Cheeseburger Sliders
Keeping meals quick and fun can mean the difference between a relatively chill evening and pure chaos in my house, so these quick-cooking sliders are a great way to feed my three kids. To make the patties, roll ground beef into small meatballs, then press them into 3-inch patties and give them plenty of seasoning before cooking. A large 12-inch pan can handle an impressive number of these patties, which helps to keep the cleanup to a minimum. Toasted Hawaiian rolls offer a sweet cushion for the burgers, which are finished with a melty blanket of cheese and your favorite toppings (we prepare caramelized onions ahead of time to garnish along with dill pickle chips). Served alongside baked French fries or a handful of potato chips, itap a quick meal thatap always a perfect match for my little ones’ tiny hands.
By Gabriel H. Sanchez
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 Hawaiian sweet rolls (from a 12-ounce package)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 1 pound lean ground beef (10% fat)
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 4 slices American cheese, cut into quarters
Preparation:
1. Prepare the buns: Heat the broiler to high, with a rack positioned 6 inches from the heat source. Separate and cut the Hawaiian rolls into halves, arranging them evenly cut-side down across a baking sheet. Brush the top portions of the buns with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
2. Place the baking sheet under the broiler for 30 to 45 seconds, until toasty and golden brown. Keep a careful eye on the rolls so they don’t burn. Remove from the oven, flip the bottom buns cut-side up and set the baking sheet aside in a warm place.
3. Divide the beef into 8 equal portions, then roll each portion into a large meatball. Place the meatballs on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cover the meatballs with a second sheet of parchment and use a sturdy spatula to flatten each meatball into a patty, about 3 inches wide and 1/2-inch thick. Remove the top layer of parchment and liberally season both sides of the patties with salt and pepper. (You can also flatten the patties by hand to save a bit of time!)
4. Add the oil to a 12-inch skillet (not nonstick) and heat over medium until hot. Working in batches if needed, add 8 patties to the pan and cook until the underside is browned with a slight char, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook until almost done to your liking, 2 to 3 minutes more. When patties have about 1 minute remaining, arrange 2 squares of cheese on each patty and cover the pan with a lid until cheese is fully melted.
5. Assemble the sliders and garnish with your favorite toppings and condiments. Enjoy the sliders warm.
Gabriel’s Maycember Tips
— Let them pick the soundtrack that transitions them to dinner. My middle kid loves the color purple, so he’ll always choose purple records, and my oldest is becoming really enthusiastic about hip-hop and rap music. He likes A Tribe Called Quest, which is a unique dinner soundtrack, but it brings them out of the screen time. Now they’re sitting at the table and bobbing their heads and enjoying their dinner. My wife and I look at each other, and we’re like, “Is dinner happening smoothly right now?”
— Make a schedule, but allow grace for obstacles to occur, and just know that your schedule will fall apart. It is impossible with three kids under 7.
This article originally appeared in .
