Emily Weinstein said that these are the five outstanding candidates for this week’s dinner, and they are not at all festive

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Crispy tofu with cashew nuts and pickled peas

At this time of year, dinner always seems a little off topic, and I affectionately think this is the season of cookies. When you daydream about hibiscus gingerbread, mint lime bars or chocolate babka rugelach, why consider chicken?

Some of our excellent recipe editors and bakers have prepared 24 cookies for you-a variety of Advent calendars, to take us to Christmas together. (Surprisingly, a reader has baked all these cookies and posted them on Instagram: cookbook author and blogger Amy Ho, she said she made them in 15 hours!)

However, we must have dinner, really, this should be good. We have prepared five excellent candidates for your table below. These recipes are full of flavor and cooking skills.

The highly seasoned Andouille sausage makes this pasta more lively, while the white beans and kale give it a rustic flavor. They are not the usual ingredients for pasta, but once you try this dish, it may become part of your regular rotation. This one-course dinner is perfect for a cold, cozy night, and when you want something hearty to stay on your bones, it will meet your needs at any time. Adding lemon juice and olive oil before serving can increase the freshness and combine all the flavors.

450 g macaroni or any ridged pasta

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more drizzle

1 bunch of kale, discard the stems, and coarsely chopped leaves

1 can (425 g) canellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 lemon, peeled and cut into wedges, serve

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta according to the package instructions and cook until chewy.

2. At the same time, heat the oil in a large thick-bottomed frying pan over medium high temperature. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the kale and stir until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add thyme, canellini beans and tomatoes, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper again.

4. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water and drain the pasta. Put the pasta back into the empty pot and put it on the low-medium level. Add the sausage mixture and stir to combine, gradually adding the reserved pasta water as needed to make the sauce.

5. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with parsley, chives, lemon zest and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Divide into several bowls, drizzle with olive oil and serve with lemon slices.

Fresh and fragrant chicken dishes

Made with fresh diced tomatoes and colorful bell peppers, this delicious chicken dish is lively and bright. Cooked as written, the sauce is over the broth noodles, which is perfect for pouring over rice or couscous, or for dipping bread. But if you prefer it to be more hearty, remove the chicken pieces from the pot when they are cooked, then reduce the sauce over a simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot, add olives and stir, then decorate with herbs and serve.

1 kg bone-in chicken thighs with skin

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried oregano)

2 teaspoons salt, plus more flavor

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 red, yellow or orange bell peppers (or a combination of multiple colors)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, add more as needed

A handful of pitted and roughly cut green olives, such as Castelvetrano

Handful of coarsely chopped fresh parsley, basil, cilantro or a combination

Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with 1 tablespoon oregano, 1½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. When preparing vegetables, place them at room temperature (or refrigerate for up to 24 hours).

2. Cut the pepper into ½ cm strips and remove the seeds. Peel the garlic cloves and cut into thin slices. Chop the tomatoes.

3. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. When the oil has thinned and spread to the bottom of the pan, add the chicken, skin side down, and fry until brown on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes on each side. If necessary, do it in batches; do not squeeze the pot. Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate until they are browned.

4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot, add chili and stir. Fry until tender and light brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, remaining oregano and red pepper flakes, and cook until the garlic is light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and cook until the tomatoes begin to flow, 3 minutes.

5. Turn down the heat, put it in the brown chicken, skin facing up, and pour any accumulated juices on the plate. Partially cover the pot and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the peppers are soft and stewed, 20 to 30 minutes. If necessary, taste and add more salt. In the last minute or two of cooking, add olives and let them heat up. Remove from the heat and sprinkle parsley or other herbs on top. Garnish with lemon wedges, if you like.

This vegan dish is reminiscent of Cantonese fried Changle

This vegan dish is reminiscent of the classic Cantonese fried octopus dim sum or steamed rice noodle rolls, with two contrasting sauces: caramel hoisin sauce and nut tahini sauce. In this recipe, the tenacious and chewy rice cake is fried until crispy, then suffocated in sweet and earthy peanut butter, and finally syrupy seafood. Rice cakes are worthy of being a staple in the pantry for many reasons: they can be used as a filling substitute for short pasta, added to stews or quickly fried in your favorite sauce. Sold in the Chinese or Korean markets, they are packed in tubes (such as those used in fried rice cakes) or sliced ​​trays, and are vacuum-sealed or frozen, so they can be stored for a long time. If you are looking for a suitable substitute, you can use fresh rice noodle rolls or even gnocchi.

900 g rice cake strips or slices, fresh or frozen

2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as vegetables or grape seeds

225 grams jade cabbage or other Asian vegetables, halved lengthwise

2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce, diluted with 1 teaspoon of water

1 tablespoon roasted white sesame seeds

80g smooth peanut butter (natural or emulsified)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice cakes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender. Drain and refresh under cold water.

2. At the same time, make peanut butter: In a medium-sized bowl, add peanut butter, hot water, sugar, garlic and soy sauce, and mix well. Set aside.

3. Heat a large (30 cm) non-stick frying pan or wok over medium high heat. (Check the drained rice cakes. If they stick together, rinse with cold water and gently stir to separate, and then put them in the pot.) When the pot is hot, add neutral oil and rice cakes and stir to combine. Add the soy sauce and stir-fry for 6 to 8 minutes until the rice cakes start to caramelize (if there are a lot of lumps, add a tablespoon of water at a time, and then use a spatula to break them up). Add the jade vegetables and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the vegetables are wilted. Turn off the heat, add peanut butter, and stir well.

4. When serving, top with diluted hoisin sauce, sprinkle with green onions, and finally sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Lentil diavolo is not just spicy-it is very spicy

Like beans, lentils can absorb any cooking flavor. Here, it is a chili oil made from dried chilies and fresh chilies, so its spices are very spicy—not just spicy. Simmer the lentils with strong oil and some tomato sauce until they are shiny, soft, full-bodied and spicy, as you would expect from a diavolo-style sauce (if you want more quasi-chili, add more water ). When eating lentils, sprinkle lemon juice, parsley, and/or bread crumbs on toast, grains, pasta, sweet potatoes, and bitter green vegetables, or eat them alone. Lentils can be stored for up to 4 days in the refrigerator; reheat them on a low heat or loosen them in a microwave with a little water.

1 jalapeno, halved, seeded as needed, chopped

315g brown or green lentils

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan or casserole over medium heat. Add the jalapeno, garlic, chili powder, black pepper and red pepper flakes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stir constantly, and cook for 30 seconds.

2. Add lentils and cover with 4 cm of water. Simmer over medium-high heat, then simmer slowly, cook until the lentils are soft and most of the water has evaporated, 30 to 35 minutes. If they look dry at any time, please add a little hot water. Season with salt and serve.

Add some peas, green onions and mint to make this dish fresher

The reduction of ginger and coconut milk can cover almost anything that can turn brown on its own. Here, it is fried tofu, but small pieces of chicken and pork are also fine. Soybeans and a teaspoon of molasses make the sauce slightly caramelized, with a little sheen and luster. For the fresh side, add some bubbling peas and chopped green onions, a little mint and a little rice vinegar. Peas, green beans, broccoli or asparagus? If it is fresh and green, it will work very well.

1 (400g) piece of firm or extra firm tofu, drained

3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grape seed, vegetable or rapeseed, add more as needed

1 (5 cm) piece of ginger, peeled and grated (about 2 tablespoons)

1 can (370g) unsweetened coconut milk (light or full fat)

2 teaspoons molasses, dark brown sugar or honey

4 shallots, trimmed and thinly sliced

A handful of mint leaves, they will tear if they are large

½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Rice or any steamed grains for serving

1. Cut the tofu in half horizontally and place it on a paper towel to dry off the excess liquid.

2. In a medium-sized frying pan or cast iron pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Season the tofu on both sides with salt and black pepper, put it in the pan, and fry until the tofu is golden on both sides, turning it over halfway, a total of about 8 minutes. Move the tofu to the plate.

3. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot and add peas. Cook, stirring occasionally, until foamy and soft, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to a bowl.

4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, add ginger and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in coconut milk, soy sauce and molasses. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is reduced and the color darkens to dark brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. It should be applied to the spoon and not run off immediately. Stir in the cashew nuts, cut the tofu into 2.5 cm pieces, pour into the pot, and drizzle with the sauce. If necessary, remove from heat, taste and adjust seasonings.

5. Stir the peas with rice vinegar, green onions, mint, and red pepper flakes (if using). Divide between the plates, together with tofu and cashews. Serve with rice or any steamed cereals.

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Crispy tofu with cashew nuts and pickled peas

Fresh and fragrant chicken dishes

This vegan dish is reminiscent of Cantonese fried Changle

Lentil diavolo is not just spicy-it is very spicy

Add some peas, green onions and mint to make this dish fresher

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