Recipes for when your guest arrives in 30 minutes and you still need to make a martini and shower
(in that order)
Hello, chefs.
After six long months of construction, my house, which I’m adding on to, was finally (pretty much) done two months ago. We had two final inspections scheduled and I was ready to start moving in the next day.
(Start? Who am I kidding. I would have had that space staged and sparkling in two hours flat. I’ve been planning, buying, and stashing decor since August.)
But the inspector didn’t show up, and after two weeks of waiting, we learned that (what are the freaking chances) every single electrical inspector at Metro Nashville had either quit, was out on medical leave, or was fired. It’s one of those things that makes you realize how many levels of abstraction there are between us and the things that could really put a hurtin’ on our plans.
I’m usually unbothered by hiccups because I am obnoxiously overconfident in my ability to just fix them. But in this case, what am I going to do? Go convince electricians to leave their jobs to make 1/4 the pay working in a government job that (clearly!) people don’t want? Throw caution to the wind and move into the space, city and insurance fines be damned? Nope. We just accepted that it could be weeks or months until this chaotic chapter could finally close and I could move my shit out of my crowded 900 square foot house and into that BIG BEAUTIFUL CLOSET and BIG BEAUTIFUL PANTRY.
You know that feeling as a kid when it’s Christmas morning but you have to wait until everyone’s ready to open gifts? It’s like that, but with the adult pressures of simultaneously paying your final contractor bill, refinancing the house, and wanting to have your friends over again because hosting dinners is the thread holding your social life together.
This week I was minding my business when, like a dream, the inspector appeared. Just like that. No pomp and circumstance, no warning. It’s crazy how just one box checked on an ancient government portal can change your life so wildly. I give it two months before I’m telling people, “honestly, construction wasn’t that bad! I’m ready to do it again!” 🤡
So here we are, mostly back to normal. Having friends over on a whim, talking about things other than how annoyed we are with construction, sitting around on a Saturday morning without baseline anxiety. Nice. Here’s a quick and delicious meal I made for an after-work dinner with a friend this week…ahhh. I missed those.
-Faith
Crispy fingerling potatoes
Y’all know I love a potato. This one is so easy and pretty much impossible to not get that crispy crunchy finish. In a large bowl, mix:
A reaaaaally generous few drizzles of olive oil
A teaspoon each of salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder
A pinch of red pepper flakes
Slice a bag of fingerling potatoes lengthwise and toss in the oil mixture. If you need more oil to really coat them, add it. Tip onto a baking sheet and turn all your potatoes so they’re cut side down. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes.
Turkey ricotta meatballs
These are adapted from Ali Slagle’s.
I served these over a platter of the above potatoes and I’m still thinking about them. Super easy to make as a meal: they’re cooked at the same temp, and you can use your potato mixing bowl to mix up your meatballs. No need to wash—the extra flavor they pick up will be delish.
In a large mixing bowl, combine:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup ricotta
1/2 cup parmesan
3 minced garlic cloves (or use a few spoonfuls of pre-minced)
A pinch of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
Roll into meatballs and place in an oven-safe skillet, ideally a cast iron. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then place your skillet on the stovetop. Add:
3 tablespoons butter
more garlic
fresh sage or rosemary or dried oregano
Cook over medium until the butter and meatballs brown nicely, stirring often so the meatballs really baste in the butter.
Shallot dressing
If all you have on hand for a salad is lettuce—no nuts or fruits or crunchy vegetables—this is a great way to make it feel like it deserves a spot on your dinner table. For the dressing, combine and shake in a jar:
1 small diced shallot
equal parts red wine vinegar and olive oil
a squeeze or two of dijon
salt and pepper
Toss your salad and (since you probably have it) some parmesan.