Your first 10 dinners

The 10 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Start with a pot of meat sauce

   Weeknight Spaghetti with Meat Sauce · 45 min · Easy

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   You'll learn: Brown, Simmer and Boil. Brown ground beef until no pink is left, keep a sauce at a lazy bubble, and cook pasta in well-salted boiling water.

   What to notice: Watch the tomato paste in step 3. When it turns a shade darker and smells sweet, it's ready for the tomatoes; that minute adds a lot of flavor.

   Tip: Set a mug by the sink before you drain so you remember to save pasta water. A splash at the end loosens the sauce and helps it cling.

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2. 2

   Step 2: One pan in a hot oven

   Sheet-Pan Smoked Sausage, Potatoes and Vegetables · 50 min · Easy

   You'll learn: Line a pan and Roast. Line a sheet pan, give the slowest vegetables a head start, and roast at high heat so things brown instead of steaming.

   What to notice: Spread everything in one layer with a little space between pieces. A crowded pan steams; you'll see the difference in how brown the broccoli tips get.

   Tip: Turn the potatoes cut side down. The flat side touching the hot pan is the part that turns crisp.

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3. 3

   Step 3: Juicy chicken breasts

   Juicy Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts · 27 min · Easy

   You'll learn: Pound thin and Rest. Pound chicken to an even thickness so it cooks evenly, then let it rest before you slice it.

   What to notice: Leave the chicken alone once it's in the pan. When the underside has browned, it lets go of the pan on its own; if it sticks, give it another minute.

   Tip: An instant-read thermometer takes the guessing out of chicken: 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part means it's done.

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4. 4

   Step 4: Fried rice on high heat

   Vegetable and Egg Fried Rice · 25 min · Easy

   You'll learn: Beat and Stir-fry. Beat eggs smooth, then stir-fry over high heat, adding vegetables in order of how long they take.

   What to notice: Listen for a steady sizzle. If the pan goes quiet, it has cooled down; give it a moment to heat back up before adding more.

   Tip: Use rice cooked a day ahead and chilled. Fresh, warm rice clumps and turns mushy in the pan.

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5. 5

   Step 5: Sear a pork chop

   Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Garlic Butter · 55 min · Easy

   You'll learn: Season to taste, Sear and Rest. Salt the meat ahead so it soaks in, sear without moving it, and rest it so the juices settle.

   What to notice: Pat the chops dry right before they go in. A dry surface browns; a wet one spits and steams.

   Tip: Whole cuts of pork are done at 145°F (63°C) with a short rest. A little blush of pink in the middle is fine.

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6. 6

   Step 6: Your first pan sauce

   Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs · 30 min · Easy

   You'll learn: Deglaze and Reduce. Use the browned bits left after searing: pour in liquid, scrape them up and simmer it down into a sauce.

   What to notice: The brown bits stuck to the pan are flavor, not mess. They should be brown, not black; if they burned, wipe the pan out and skip them.

   Tip: Turn the heat down before the garlic goes in and keep it moving. Burnt garlic turns bitter in seconds.

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7. 7

   Step 7: A smooth cheese sauce

   Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese · 25 min · Easy

   You'll learn: Whisk and Coat the back of a spoon. Cook butter and flour together, whisk in milk a little at a time, and stop when the sauce coats a spoon.

   What to notice: Draw a finger across the sauce on the back of the spoon. If the line holds, the sauce is thick enough for the cheese.

   Tip: Take the pan off the heat before the cheese goes in, a handful at a time. Too much heat makes a cheese sauce grainy.

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8. 8

   Step 8: A creamy sauce that doesn't curdle

   Weeknight Beef Stroganoff · 37 min · Easy

   You'll learn: Temper eggs and Keep sauces from curdling. Warm sour cream with a little of the hot sauce before stirring it in, and keep the heat low after, so it stays smooth.

   What to notice: Cook the beef in two batches. One crowded batch turns gray and watery; two batches brown.

   Tip: Once the sour cream is in, don't let the pan boil. A hard bubble is what splits a creamy sauce.

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9. 9

   Step 9: Crispy cutlets

   Crispy Chicken Parmesan · 50 min · Medium

   You'll learn: Slice and Pan-fry. Slice a breast into thin cutlets, bread them in three bowls, and shallow-fry in hot oil until deep golden.

   What to notice: Test the oil with a pinch of crumbs: it should sizzle right away. Oil that's too cool makes a pale, greasy crust.

   Tip: Fry two cutlets at a time. More than that cools the oil, and the crust soaks up oil instead of crisping.

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10. 10

    Step 10: Roast a whole chicken

    Herb Butter Roast Chicken · 1 hr 50 min · Medium

    You'll learn: Roast, Rest and Carve. Roast a whole bird until it's done, rest it, then carve the legs off first and slice the breast.

    What to notice: Check the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone, and the breast. Both need to reach 165°F (74°C).

    Tip: Dry the skin well with paper towels before the butter goes on. Dry skin is what turns crisp and golden.

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