The Dinner Edit: Week of 5/12/25
Hello from my Summer Soft Launch
Testing, testing. Is my sunscreen on?
Good afternooooony, ya looney tunes. I’ve been slinging around today with a pretty decent pep in my step. I attempted to jog for the first time since only God knows when. I must report that exercise makes you feel better. Whoop de doo!
I’m also happy to report we managed our first out of town weekend with all three children. Despite my middle child pulling some pretty epic all nighters, and me overpacking in probably at least 15 individual tote bags, we are calling it a success.
Here’s a quick look at Mother’s Day with a 4 year old, 2 year old, and 10 week old.
Our first 90+ degree day is coming up this week, so the vibes are shifting. There’s only a few more school lunches to pack. The propane tanks are full, and the oven’s days are numbered.
I would think that summer drawing near in the south is a bit like winter arriving in the midwest. The initial excitement of a new season still feels happy and shiny and we all have amnesia about what 110 feels like. But call us in mid-July when even swimming pools are hot and our utility bills are trying to keep up. Not to be a summer cynic or anything, just simply trying not to be a rotisserie chicken by August.
For now, I’m excited to grill and be by the pool very soon. This week is somewhat transitional in my menu planning. I’ve got a sheet pan dinner, a flexible pasta, and a very in season smash burger night. Plus some extra ingredients that I can remix in a lot of different ways.
Let’s dive in!
If I haven’t met you in real life, quick rundown. I’m Allison East. I am married to Mitchell East, we have three beautiful children and we live outside of Oklahoma City. I run a small literary/creative agency called North Parade Press, and I love to cook and write. I work primarily as a book designer, occasionally as a literary agent, and a lot as a mother. My newsletters are often personal essays on cooking and reading. I’m deeply inspired by Nora Ephron, Laurie Colwin, Julia Child, Madeleine L’Engle, MFK Fisher, and Robert Farrar Capon. I read so many wonderful pieces of writing on Substack, so when I remember, I try and pass those along too.
I have recently turned off paid subscriptions while I try to think through how I want to continue the newsletter as I head into my fourth year of sporadic writing. Recipes, ramblings, readings . . . something of that sort.
The Menu
Sheet Pan Malai Chicken and Potatoes from NYT Cooking — This is on the menu tonight! I wanted to give it a try before roasting things in the oven becomes criminal. While the kitchen was still a mess from lunch, I went ahead and made the marinade, a mixture of yogurt, ginger, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, and garam masala. Letting the chicken thighs hang out in the fridge a few hours before throwing it all on the pan come 5:00. Will report back.
Fusilli with Italian sausage, caramelized onion, sundried tomato, and spinach. This combo comes from Julia Turshen’s Small Victories cookbook. This is a relatively easy weeknight dish, if you are one of those people who is willing to consider caramelizing onions as weeknight worthy effort. Julia’s version does not include sundried tomatoes, but we like them added in. Right at the end, throw in a bag of fresh spinach, a dash of cream and a sprinkle of parmesan. We all love this one!
Oklahoma onion burgers — For the weekend, planning a burger night a la Oklahoma. All this means is once again thinly slicing and cooking down onions before smashing the patties into them and letting them meld together for a bit of crispy burger magic. These will be served with Ruffles and ranch dip, per my family tradition, and I’ve got a can of baked beans and a pretty mid-level watermelon on deck too.
A Fridge Full of Possibility
I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve should I need to throw together another meal later this week. Some quick combos I have on hand:
Boneless skinless chicken thighs grilled with Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauce. Cook some rice, saute some snap peas, call it dinner.
I’ve got another pork tenderloin in the freezer. Thaw, marinate in pomegranate molasses and dijon, throw it on the grill. Bake some russet potatoes.
Huevos Rotos (Broken Eggs) — I made this for a late night dinner for me and my husband after getting back from a trip. It was easy, delicious, and a short ingredient list. But no, I did not chop an onion at 9 p.m., that crosses a line even for me.
Here’s my real secret lately: Miso-Sesame Vinaigrette That’s Good on Anything. I would apologize for all the NYT Cooking links, but all of these have really been so good. Last week, I made a batch of this miso sesame dressing to keep on hand. I feel like I’ve unlocked a new superpower that can turn anything into an amazing lunch or brighten up a plain veggie into something addictively delicious.
I’ve been on a run of restocking lots of condiments in my fridge. Siete foods creamy jalapeño sauce, Sriracha, the aforementioned sesame vinaigrette, the japanese barbecue sauce. Having a good supply of really flavorful ingredients to reach for has been a great way to boost flavor without boosting effort. Again, any of these can transform scrambled eggs, vegetables, or proteins into something special.
And with that, the baby is waking up and ready to eat again. I hope you have a great week of cooking, eating, and reading ahead of you!
XOXO
Allison