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Bad news: It\u2019s getting dark super early again. There\u2019s something about looking out the window after a long work day and seeing your vitamin-D deficient reflection (instead of the glorious sun) that just makes going home feel like a bummer. That\u2019s when I turn to cooking. My free time\u2014previously consumed by frolicking outdoors\u2014 significantly lengthens as we creep towards winter, and a super fun recipe with an incredible payoff is a delicious way to bring some joy to the doldrums of uninspired, late-fall weeknight cooking. Below are some of my favorite recipes that take a bit of time, a touch of planning, and just a few<\/em> extra ingredients, but are incredibly worth it\u2014trust me.<\/p>\n DIY mushroom bacon? Sign me up. The bacon is optional here, but I beg to differ. The crispy, crunchy bits, contrasting with the creamy soup (and tender bites of more mushrooms inside) are a perfect, savory match. Heck, make some extra \u201cbacon\u201d for tomorrow\u2019s breakfast.<\/p>\n A whole pie for dinner sounds amazing, and daunting. Luckily for us, Erin Jeanne McDowell has graced the internet with yet another perfectly-foolproof pie recipe. Make the crust in the morning before work, or the night before if you\u2019re really thinking ahead. From there, use up all those end-of-summer tomatoes you fought so hard for at the farmers\u2019 market.<\/p>\n We love to share food we\u2019re cross testing with the office. This chicken recipe took a few hours, and lasted less than five minutes on the plate. We barely had enough time to snap a photo. The hand-pulled noodles are an incredibly fun technique (plus it\u2019s super cathartic to smack dough on the table), and the chicken is deftly spiced and fall-apart tender. This will feed a household of two for a few days, or a crowd for one evening.<\/p>\n Gratin is one of those perfect cold-weather foods. It\u2019s creamy, it\u2019s warm, it has breadcrumbs. This recipe has a cashew cream which requires a touch more effort than a regular cheese sauce (don\u2019t worry, there\u2019s a recipe for that below), but you get a hearty root vegetable gratin that can stand on its own as the main course.<\/p>\n Yeah, you know what this is. Sure, you\u2019ve got to bake fries and<\/em> make a cheese sauce, but you get fries for dinner<\/strong>. Add a fried egg or more pickled veggies if you want to go an even extra mile.<\/p>\n 1. Mushroom chowder with crispy mushroom bacon<\/h2>\n
2. Easy Tomato Galette With parmesan crust<\/h2>\n
3. Turbo-Charged Xinjiang Big Plate Chicken<\/h2>\n
4. Sunchoke & sweet potato gratin<\/h2>\n
5. Fully Loaded Cheese Fries with ranch seasoning<\/h2>\n
More of our Favorite Weeknight Meals<\/h4>\n
\nWhat dishes do you want to see on our next weeknight dinner roundup? Tell us in the comments!<\/em>
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