Easy Winter Meals for When You’re Feeling Too Lazy to Cook

1.One-Pot Tomato Chickpeas and Orzo :

This dish is inspired by an unpretentious Italian dish that hails from Rome called pasta e ceci, or pasta with chickpeas. It doesn’t need much explanation because it’s really as simple as that — pasta and chickpeas bathed in a light tomato sauce. While many pasta shapes are used to make this dish, we opted for orzo simply because it’s easy to love and can be spooned up easily with the chickpeas. Plus, doesn’t everyone have a bag in the pantry somewhere?

Chickpeas add substance to this dish — both nutritionally, as they’re full of protein and fiber, and flavor-wise, since they’re earthy and nutty. Everything comes together in one pot and is equally parts uncluttered and comforting.

INGREDIENTS :

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 pound dried orzo pasta (about 2 1/2 cups)

2 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 cups (32 ounces) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or tomato purée

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups total)

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh basil leaves

Step 1:

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the orzo and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Step 2:

Stir in the broth, tomatoes, and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring frequently so that the orzo doesn’t stick, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes or according to package instructions. (If the pasta isn’t completely cooked at this point, add another splash or two of broth or water to the pot and continue to simmer until it has.) Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the chopped basil and additional grated cheese, if desired.

2.The Best, Easiest Way to Make an Extra-Creamy Sauce :

There are a lot of shortcut ways to make your mac and cheese extra creamy. You can add cream cheese or evaporated milk, heavy cream or extra butter. But this version is smarter: It uses the pasta’s own starch to make a creamy and thick sauce for the macaroni.

Instead of draining the pasta and adding starchy water back to the pot, the pasta is cooked in a precise amount of water and milk. As it cooks, the pasta soaks up most of the liquid and releases a little starch into the remaining liquid. Off the heat, you’ll add some shredded cheese, butter, salt, and pepper, which will combine with the starchy liquid to create a super-creamy cheese sauce.

Sharp cheddar cheese is my favorite for flavor, but my kids seem to prefer a 50/50 mix of cheddar and Colby Jack. Use what you’ve got on hand (but skip the pre-shredded stuff, as it can get grainy in the hot macaroni).

INGREDIENTS :

2 cups whole milk

1 3/4 cups water

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 pound dry elbow macaroni

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Step 1 :

Place 2 cups whole milk, 1 3/4 cups water, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, then add 1 pound macaroni. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, shred 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 cups).

Step 2:

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the cheese and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, and stir until melted and combined. Top with ground black pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

3.Melted Butter + Cajun Seasoning + Chicken Breast :

INGREDIENTS :

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon salt-free Cajun seasoning blend

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)

Step 1 :

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F.

Step 2:

Place the melted butter, Cajun seasoning, and salt in a small bowl and stir until completely combined.

Step 3:

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the chicken in a 9x13-inch baking dish, spaced slightly apart. Brush the chicken all over with the spiced-butter mixture.

Step 4:

Bake until the chicken is golden-brown, cooked through, and registers 165°F on an instant read thermometer, 25 to 35 minutes depending on the size of the chicken (start checking at 20 minutes).

4.No-Boil Baked Ziti :

INGREDIENTS:

Olive oil or cooking spray

1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)

2 (24-ounce) jars marinara sauce (about 6 cups), such as Rao’s

1 pound dried ziti pasta

1 (15 to 16-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 2 cups)

Fresh basil or parsley leaves, for garnish (optional)

Steps 1:

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 9x13-inch broiler-safe baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.

Steps 2:

Drain and cut 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese into 1/2-inch cubes. Finely grate 2 ounces Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup).

Steps 3:

Pour 2 (24-ounce) jars marinara sauce into the baking dish. Add 1 pound dried ziti pasta, the cubed mozzarella, and half the Parmesan cheese. Toss to combine and evenly coat the pasta in the sauce. Dollop 1 container whole-milk ricotta cheese evenly over the mixture and gently stir, keeping a few large pockets of ricotta here and there. Spread the mixture into an even layer and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.

Steps 4:

Bake until the pasta is almost tender but still quite al dente, about 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes more. Meanwhile, coarsely chop a few basil or parsley leaves for garnish, if desired.

Steps 5:

Switch the oven to broil and broil until the top is browned in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before garnishing with the basil or parsley, if desired, and serving.