Verily Table – Hosting Ready

This one-skillet dish feels special occasion-worthy, but it’s actually quite easy (and quick, too).

When making sliders, I find it easiest to keep the rolls connected to each other for the assembly and cooking process, so I slice the bread open as if it’s one large roll (the bottoms all stay connected, and the tops all stay connected). After the sliders come out of the oven, I cut them apart so they’re easy for guests to pick up. The recipe author says to use King’s Hawaiian Rolls, but I used a generic version, and they turned out great.

These pretty little roll-ups are great for hosting because you can assemble them and pop them into the oven before your guests arrive, so you can focus on welcoming your visitors rather than tying up loose ends in the kitchen. I used slightly less filling in each roll-up than the recipe suggests, and I was able to stretch the recipe to 8 servings. This is also a great batch meal, though I recommend having some extra sauce on-hand to top the leftovers with.

This is one of those perfect recipes that you can follow to a T. It’s quick, requires very little clean-up, and tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant. (I can only imagine what it tastes like with fresh oregano, because I used dried.)

I substituted ground ginger for fresh ginger, since that’s what I had on-hand. For every teaspoon of fresh, I used 1 pinch ground. (I later learned that the two aren’t generally interchangeable, but I thought the swap worked well!) This recipe required my full attention all the way through, but it’s definitely worth making for guests or as a special weekend treat.

I typically use less fish sauce than called for, mainly because I’m nervous to overdo it, but let us know if you use the whole amount with success. Also, brown sugar works well in place of caramel.

This is one of my favorite recipes to serve guests in the winter—it’s thick and delicious, most of it can be done before they arrive, and the whole house will smell good by the time you open your front door. I use the stovetop directions; there are also Instant Pot and slow cooker directions.

Simple, easy, delicious (whether you choose to grill it or bake it). I typically make this for 1.5-2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs, but it would be great with pork or tofu. Brown sugar is a fine substitute for the raw sugar if you don’t have any on hand.
– Laura Loker

The enchilada sauce in this recipe is so worth the effort of roasting tomatoes in the oven. Chipotle peppers are very spicy, so if you’d prefer a milder sauce, omit them and just add a teaspoon or so of adobo sauce for that smoky flavor. Don’t skip the step of heating up the tortillas—they’ll crack as you roll them if you don’t. (Sometimes I get the corn-flour tortillas at Trader Joe’s to avoid this issue, as those are a little less brittle, but I do prefer the taste of pure corn tortillas.)