This week mixes quick skillet dinners with one longer project that asks you to hang around the kitchen a bit. Most recipes land in the thirty-to-forty-minute range, though the crispy rice salad needs closer to an hour once you factor in oven time and marinating. The no-cook feta salad is your easy out, and the tuna rice bowls come together in a single skillet.
This Week's Recipes
- Stir-Fried Pork and Plums With Fresh Herbs
- Cocoa-Blackened Chicken Thighs With Stone Fruit
- Simple Summer Salad With Feta
- Spicy Tuna Salad With Crispy Rice
- Crispy Rice Salad
1. Stir-Fried Pork and Plums With Fresh Herbs
Fast, one-pan dinner where pork belly cubes crisp at the edges and summer plums collapse into a sticky, jammy glaze. The sauce does the heavy lifting, reducing down to coat everything in a savory-sweet sheen that clings to rice or noodles. Fresh scallions and cilantro at the end keep it bright against the richness.
At Step 1, stir together garlic, ginger, vinegar, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper for the adult sauce. Before you commit everything to one bowl, set aside a kid portion and build a separate milder sauce with soy sauce, a little honey, and a small squeeze of ketchup instead. Skip the fish sauce, ginger, and crushed red pepper entirely for their version. Honey is not safe for children under one, so use maple syrup or agave if you are cooking for a baby. Use reduced-sodium soy sauce and measure carefully, since this dish can run high in sodium for kids under six. Cut plums into small, bite-sized pieces for children under four, and make sure any pits are fully removed.
For the adults, the full sauce delivers complex, savory-tangy depth with real heat from the ginger and crushed red pepper. The fish sauce adds umami that reads as almost meaty against the sweet plums. Serve everything over rice or noodles with extra herbs scattered on top.
The Split: Adults get savory-tangy fish sauce heat; kids get mild soy-honey sweetness.
Serves: 4 | Time: 35m | NYT Cooking →
2. Cocoa-Blackened Chicken Thighs With Stone Fruit
This one is a harder sell for kids, and it is worth being upfront about that. The cocoa-blackened crust is visually dark and carries a bitter, complex edge that reads as sophisticated rather than friendly. The stone fruit salad with lime, shallots, and mint is gorgeous and seasonal, but the combination of unfamiliar flavors means you may need to sell this plate at the table. The good news is the split is clean and happens right at the start, so you are not juggling two pans mid-cook.
At Step 1, stir together Old Bay or Creole seasoning with unsweetened cocoa powder to coat the chicken thighs. Before you season the full batch, set aside kid portions and dust them with a simple blend of paprika and garlic powder instead. This gives them a familiar golden-brown chicken with none of the bitter cocoa notes. Make sure chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature before serving. Cut chicken into one-inch pieces for children under four. Remove all pits from the stone fruit before serving, since they are serious choking hazards, and slice the fruit into manageable pieces.
For adults, the cocoa-Old Bay crust delivers something genuinely unexpected: a bitter, spicy, almost smoky depth that plays against the sweet, juicy stone fruit and bright lime dressing. The contrast is the point, and it rewards an open mind at the table.
The Split: Adults get cocoa-Old Bay blackened crust; kids get mild paprika-garlic sear.
Serves: 4 | Time: 35 minutes | Epicurious →
3. Simple Summer Salad With Feta
The kind of summer salad that eats like a meal and feels almost effortless. A lemon-mustard vinaigrette dresses mixed greens, arugula, radishes, and avocado, then everything gets piled over a creamy base layer that you scoop up with each forkful. It is fresh, fast, and genuinely satisfying without any heat or heavy cooking.
At Step 2, whip together yogurt, honey, feta, and parsley for the base. Before you spread it out, pull a kid portion and make a milder version with cream cheese, a splash of milk, and just a pinch of salt instead. The kid plate stays creamy and dippable without the sharp feta intensity that can turn some children away. Note that dairy is present throughout, so skip or adapt if you are managing a milk allergy. For children under one, make sure any cream cheese is age-appropriate. Cut large cucumber or tomato pieces small for children under four.
For adults, the whipped feta-yogurt base is the real star: tangy, salty, and rich enough to anchor the whole salad. The mustard and lemon in the dressing keep everything sharp and lively against the creamy base. It is a genuinely elegant summer plate that still comes together in twenty minutes.
The Split: Adults get tangy whipped feta-yogurt base; kids get mild cream cheese dip.
Serves: 6-8 | Time: 20m | NYT Cooking →
4. Spicy Tuna Salad With Crispy Rice
A clever one-pan dinner where rice cooks, then crisps in the same skillet, creating a crunchy base for cool, creamy tuna salad on top. The contrast of hot crispy rice and cold topping is genuinely satisfying, and the whole thing feels more composed than the effort suggests. Cucumber slices add crunch and freshness to balance the richness.
At Step 2, stir together scallions, tuna, mayonnaise, Sriracha, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Before you add the Sriracha and soy sauce, pull a kid portion and mix their tuna with just mayonnaise and a squeeze of lemon instead. Keep the crispy rice and cucumber for both versions. Mayonnaise contains egg, so note that if you are managing an egg allergy. Limit tuna to two or three servings per week for children due to mercury. Make sure crispy rice pieces are not too small for children under four, and cut cucumber into bite-sized pieces.
For adults, the full spicy tuna brings real heat and deep umami from the Sriracha and soy sauce. The cool, creamy topping against the crackling rice is the kind of textural contrast that makes this feel like restaurant food without the restaurant effort.
The Split: Adults get spicy Sriracha-mayo tuna; kids get plain lemon-mayo tuna.
Serves: 4 | Time: 35m | NYT Cooking →
5. Crispy Rice Salad
The longest project of the week, but also the most flexible. Rice roasts on a sheet pan until crackling and golden, while cucumbers pickle lightly in vinegar and a creamy sesame-ginger dressing comes together in a small bowl. The result is a layered, textured salad that eats like a composed grain bowl rather than a side dish.
At Step 5, divide cucumbers, edamame, avocado, scallions, and peanuts among bowls, then drizzle with tahini dressing and top with crispy rice and chili crisp. For kids, set up a build-your-own station instead. Give them plain crispy rice, plain edamame, avocado, and cucumber with ranch or simple olive oil to drizzle themselves. No tahini-ginger dressing, no chili crisp, and they control what goes on their plate. Remove edamame skins or serve as edamame hummus for younger children, since whole beans can be a choking hazard. Keep crispy rice pieces larger than half an inch for children under four. Cut avocado and cucumber small. For children under four, consider pre-portioning rather than full DIY assembly. Ranch contains dairy, so adapt if needed.
For adults, the full bowl is a study in contrasts: nutty tahini, sharp ginger, crunchy peanuts, and the optional chili crisp for heat. The pickled cucumbers cut through the richness, and the crispy rice stays crunchy even as it soaks up a little dressing. It is worth the extra time when you have it.
The Split: Adults get dressed tahini-ginger bowls; kids get DIY mild bowl bar.
Serves: 4 | Time: 50m | Love and Lemons →
Start with the simple summer salad if you want the gentlest entry point. Twenty minutes, no heat, and the kid version is genuinely creamy and mild without feeling like a compromise plate.
Every Sunday
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