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Creamy Herbed Lemon Chicken Spaghetti

Creamy Herbed Lemon Chicken Spaghetti

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with Peas & Chili Flakes

Yield: 2

Hello Fresh

Simple, flavorful, and elegant, this 30-minute weeknight-friendly dish has it all. You’ll place golden seared chicken cutlets seasoned with Italian spices atop al dente spaghetti dotted with sweet green peas, all coated in a creamy homemade lemon sauce with a sprinkle of chili flakes. It’s hearty yet light, and guaranteed to put a smile on any pasta-lover’s face. Prep: 5 Cook: 30

  • 1clove garlic
  • 12oz chicken cutlets
  • 1tsp chili flakes
  • 1lemon
  • 6oz spaghetti
  • 1TBS Italian seasoning
  • 1TBS flour
  • 4oz cream sauce base
  • 4oz peas
  • salt & pepper
  • cooking oil
  • butter


Prep:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce.

Peel and mince or grate garlic. Zest and quarter lemon.

Cook pasta:

Once water is boiling, add spaghetti to pot. Cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes.

Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain. (Keep empty pot handy for Step 4.)

Cook chicken:

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place between two large pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet or rolling pin until chicken is about ½ inch thick. Season with Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Place flour on a plate. Working one piece at a time, press chicken into flour until fully coated, then shake off any excess.

Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook until browned and cooked through, 3- to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board.

Tip: Cook in batches, if necessary, lower heat if chicken browns too quickly.

Make sauce:

Heat 1 TBS butter in pot used for pasta over medium heat. Add garlic, half the lemon zest, and a pinch of chili flakes if desired. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, for about 30 seconds.

Stir in cream sauce base and juice from two lemon wedges. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, 1- to 2 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Toss pasta:

Add drained spaghetti and peas to pot with sauce and toss until evenly coated.

Tip: If needed, stir in pasta cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is thoroughly coated in sauce.

Finish & serve:

Slice chicken crosswise if desired.

Divide pasta between bowls and top with chicken. Sprinkle with remaining lemon zest and a pinch of chili flakes if desired. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Seafood Paella

Seafood Paella

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Yield: 6

Adapted from: Dinner At The Zoo

This seafood paella is a blend of saffron rice, Spanish chorizo, shrimp, clams and mussels, all simmered together to create an easy and satisfying one pot meal. This dinner is quick enough to make on a busy weeknight, yet elegant enough to serve to company.
Prep: 20 Cook: 45

  • 6cups chicken broth
  • ¼tsp saffron threads
  • 3TBS olive oil
  • ½cup onion diced
  • ½cup red bell pepper peeled, cored and diced
  • 2½tsp garlic minced
  • ½tsp smoked paprika
  • 2¼cups short grain rice such as bomba, calasparra or arborio
  • 8oz Spanish chorizo sausage sliced
  • 12oz shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 8oz mussels cleaned
  • 12oz clams cleaned
  • ¼cup frozen peas thawed
  • 2TBS parsley chopped
  • lemon wedges for garnish
  • salt and pepper to taste

Pour the chicken broth into a pot and bring it to a simmer. Stir in the saffron and ½ tsp salt. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in an extra-large deep skillet or paella pan (14 inches or larger) over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, then cook for 4-5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and smoked paprika, then cook for 30 seconds. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour in the chicken broth mixture and rice and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

Add the sausage, shrimp, mussels and clams to the pan. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and opaque and shellfish have opened. You may need to flip the shrimp halfway through so that they cook evenly. Turn the heat to high and cook for 5 more minutes to form a crust on the bottom of the rice.

Remove the pan from the heat. Add the peas, then cover the pan for 5 minutes. Uncover the pan, add the parsley, then serve, garnished with lemon wedges if desired.

Shrimp Scallop Medley Redux

Shrimp Scallop Medley Redux

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Yields: 2 to 3

Scott Nowell

Circa 2004: This started out with salmon, but without the couscous. I added the salmon around 2015.
I made a new version in 2025 without the salmon but added some vegetables.

  • 2sea scallops, foot removed
  • 1221-25 count shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½cup pearl onions, frozen
  • ½cup corn, frozen
  • ½cup peas, frozen
  • 1cup Israeli couscous
  • 1cup shrimp shells and tails
  • 1½water
  • ½tsp fish sauce
  • salt & pepper
  • butter
  • oil

Prep:

Defrost, rinse and dry scallops and shrimp dry on paper towel.

Place frozen peas, onions and corn in a microwave safe bowl. Cover and microwave for 2 minutes.

Shrimp stock:

Place shrimp shells in a saucepan and add 14 oz of water. Bring to boil and reduce to medium low heat. Bowl lightly for 10 minutes, occasionally mashing with a masher or large fork. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into heat proof container. Discard shells and rinse saucepan.

Cook couscous:

Return saucepan to heat and add 2 TBS butter. Add couscous and sauté until it is light brown, about 5 minutes.

Add shrimp stock and ½ tsp fish sauce to saucepan with couscous. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and add peas, onions and corn on top of couscous. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes.

Seafood:

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat, add 2 TBS butter and melt until it foams. Add 1 TBS oil. Mix. Add shrimp and scallops to pan, spread out and cook on the first side until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Turn seafood over and cook on the other side until lightly browned. Push to edges of pan.

Remove cover from couscous, stir to mix vegetables and dump into center of skillet. Mix gently.

Finish:

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve, placing a pat of butter on top of each serving

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Hamburger Soup

Hamburger Soup

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Yield: 4

Scott Nowell

Adjust all ingredients and quantities to suit.
Note: Gayle thinks I put too much cumin. I couldn’t tell. Now reduced to 1 tsp. I inadvertently left out all of the tomatoes. I guess they really are optional.

Update: 1 tsp of cumin, used mild fire roasted tomatoes and regular diced tomatoes. Excellent!

  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 1medium onion diced
  • 2stalks celery diced
  • 1lb ground beef
  • 3cloves garlic minced
  • 1quart beef stock or broth
  • 1tsp cumin
  • 1tsp chili powder
  • 1tsp oregano, dried
  • 1lb potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 14oz canned diced tomatoes, with juice
  • 110 oz can fire roasted tomatoes with chilies (optional)
  • 1cup corn, frozen or fresh
  • 1cup green beans, frozen or fresh
  • 1cup peas, frozen or fresh
  • 1cup pearl onions
  • Salt and pepper to taste

In a 4 qt or larger soup pot, over medium heat, heat 1 TBS of olive oil until hot.

Add the onion and celery and sauté to soften, but don’t brown. Add garlic and stir for 20 seconds. Add ground beef and cook until browned and mostly cooked through.

Add 1 quart of beef stock, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp oregano and mix in.

Add diced potatoes and bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes until nearly done.

Add tomatoes, corn, green beans, pearl onions. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are done.  Add peas, mix. Season to taste and serve.

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Cottage Pie

Cottage Pie

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Yield: 6 to 8

Adapted from: NY Times

Cottage pie is a near twin to its sibling, the slightly better-known shepherd’s pie. The main difference between these traditional dishes, which have roots in Ireland and Britain, is that cottage pie embraces ground beef while shepherd’s pie, fittingly, favors lamb. Smothered in a delicious and thick gravy along with carrots, onions, celery and peas, the ground beef filling is covered in creamy mashed potatoes and then baked into a hearty and satisfying meal. Known for being freezer friendly, easy to make and economical, this recipe stretches its simple ingredients to feed many mouths. For variation, try using chicken or turkey and other vegetables in the base and swapping in sweet potatoes for the topping.
Prep: 20 Cook: 2 hrs

For the filling:

  • 2lb ground beef
  • salt and pepper
  • 2TBS salted butter
  • 1medium white or yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup
  • 2celery stalks, finely chopped, about ½ cup
  • 1medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped, about ½ cup
  • 3garlic cloves, minced
  • 2TBS tomato paste
  • ¼cup AP flour
  • 2cups beef broth
  • ½cup dry red wine (or water)
  • ½cup frozen peas
  • 2TBS Worcestershire sauce
  • 4thyme sprigs
  • 2dried bay leaves

For the topping:

  • Salt
  • 2½lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
  • ½cup whole milk
  • 5TBS salted butter, melted
  • ¾cup grated Parmesan (about 1½ oz)

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Prepare the filling: Heat an ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and a large pinch of salt and cook, breaking up the meat as you go, until slightly pink and just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ground beef to a bowl and set aside. Leave about a tsp of fat in the pan and discard the rest.

To the same skillet, add butter, onion, celery and carrot and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, and the carrot is just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, stirring to coat, about 1 minute. Add ¼ cup flour and stir to incorporate.

Add 2 cups beef broth, ½ cup red wine, peas, 2 TBS Worcestershire sauce, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and 1 tsp each salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the consistency of thick gravy, 7 to 10 minutes. Taste and add extra seasoning, if needed. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and stir in the ground beef. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Make the topping: To a large saucepan, add potatoes and water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until knife-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and put back into the saucepan. Add ½ cup milk, 4 TBS butter and ½ cup grated Parmesan. Mash with a potato masher until just creamy, avoiding over-mashing. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Dollop the mashed potatoes on top of the beef mixture in the skillet, carefully smoothing the mashed potatoes until it fully covers the beef mixture and reaches the edge of the pan. Drizzle the remaining 1 TBS of butter over the top, sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup grated Parmesan and bake in the oven until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips:

If you do not have an oven-proof skillet, you can transfer beef mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish for assembly and baking.

Cottage pie can be fully assembled and refrigerated (up to 2 days) or frozen (up to 3 months) in advance, then baked. If frozen, allow to defrost fully before baking.

Thai Curry Chicken Soup

Thai Curry Chicken Soup

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with Peas and Jasmine Rice

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Dinnerly

Red Thai curry paste that’s loaded with flavor. Throw in some lean chicken, fresh ginger, and peas and you have the makings of a hearty Thai soup.
Cook: 20

  • 5oz jasmine rice
  • 11-inch piece fresh ginger
  • ½lb pkg chicken breast strips
  • 1oz Thai red curry paste
  • 1oz Better Than Bouillon chicken
  • 5oz peas
  • 1TBS AP flour
  • 1egg, large
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp cooking oil
  • 1TBS butter


Cook rice:

Rinse rice in a fine-mesh sieve until water runs clear. Transfer to a small saucepan with 1¼ cups water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until rice is tender, and the water is absorbed, 17–20 minutes.

Prep ingredients:

Peel and finely chop ginger. Pat the chicken dry, and cut it into 1-inch pieces, if necessary. Transfer chicken to a medium bowl and season with ¼ tsp salt. Add 1 TBS flour to the chicken and toss to coat. Crack 1 large egg into a small bowl, season with salt, and beat with a fork.

Prep broth:

In a measuring cup, combine 2½ cups water with all the Thai red curry paste (or less, depending on heat preference) and Better Than Boullion chicken.

Build soup & ginger oil:

In a medium pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 TBS oil over high. Add chicken and cook, without stirring, until browned on one side, about 2 minutes, transfer to a bowl. Add ginger and 2 TBS oil and cook until well browned, for about 2 minutes. Spoon ½ of the ginger mixture into a small bowl for garnish. Add broth to pot, bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 minutes.

Finish soup & serve:

Return chicken to pot and simmer until nearly cooked through, 1 minute. Add peas, season with salt and pepper. Add beaten egg, remove from heat, and let sit for 30 seconds, then gently stir once to break up slightly. Spoon ⅓ cup rice into each bowl and ladle soup on top. Drizzle with reserved ginger mixture, serve with remaining rice alongside. Enjoy!

Shrimp Pasta Primavera

Shrimp Pasta Primavera

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Penne with Lemon Parmesan Cream Sauce, Bell Pepper, Zucchini & Peas

Yield: 2

Al dente penne pasta, green peas, and roasted bell pepper and zucchini, all tossed in a creamy sauce that’s seasoned with lemon juice and aromatic with Italian herbs, then showered with grated Parmesan.
Prep: 10 Cook: 30

  • 1red bell pepper
  • 1lemon
  • 4oz cream sauce base
  • 4oz peas
  • 1zucchini
  • 2scallions
  • 10oz shrimp or chicken
  • 6oz penne pasta
  • 1TBS Tuscan heat spice (see below)
  • 2TBS crème fraîche
  • 1veggie stock concentrate
  • 3TBS parmesan cheese
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp olive oil
  • 1tsp cooking oil
  • 1TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce.

Halve, core, and thinly slice bell pepper. Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise, slice crosswise into ½-inch-thick half-moons. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Zest and quarter lemon.

Roast veggies:

Toss bell pepper and zucchini on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until tender and lightly charred, 15-18 minutes. While veggies roast, rinse shrimp under cold water. Pat shrimp or chicken dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp or chicken in a single layer, cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 3- to 5-minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Cook pasta:

Once water is boiling, add penne to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes.

Reserve 1½ cups pasta cooking water, then drain.

Make sauce:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in pot used for pasta over medium heat. Add scallion whites and 1 tsp Tuscan Heat Spice, cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Whisk in cream sauce base, stock concentrate, and ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water. Cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, 2- to 3-minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low and whisk in crème fraîche until smooth.

Toss pasta:

Add drained penne, peas, half the Parmesan (save the rest for serving), half the lemon zest, 1 TBS butter, and a big squeeze of lemon juice to pot with sauce. Cook, stirring, until butter has melted and penne is coated in a creamy sauce.

Tip: If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time.

Stir in roasted veggies. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add more lemon zest or lemon juice if you like. Stir in shrimp or chicken along with roasted veggies.

Tip: For an extra-rich experience, stir in another 1 TBS butter.

Serve:

Divide pasta between plates or shallow bowls. Top with scallion greens and remaining Parmesan. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Tuscan Heat Spice

Makes 1 TBS

  • 1tsp dried basil
  • 1/2tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/2tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4tsp ground fennel
Marsala Mushroom Chicken Skillet

Marsala Mushroom Chicken Skillet

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with Broccoli and Peas

Yield: 2 Servings

Chicken & mushrooms with a creamy Marsala sauce mixed with broccoli and peas served with pasta.

Needed more sauce, so all of the sauce ingredients below are now doubled.

  • 6oz noodles
  • 6oz cremini mushrooms
  • 1shallot
  • 6oz broccoli florets
  • 12oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1TBS flour
  • 6oz dry Marsala wine
  • 8oz light cream
  • 2tsp chicken Better than Bouillon
  • 2oz peas
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper

Prepare the Ingredients:

Cut mushrooms into ¼-inch slices.

Peel and halve shallot. Slice thinly.

Cut broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces.

Pat chicken breasts dry and, on a separate cutting board, cut into 1″ dice. Season with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Place diced chicken and flour in a mixing bowl and toss to coat.

Noodles:

Bring a gallon of water to a boil. Add 1 TBS salt, stir and add noodles. Cook as directed on box.

Sear the Chicken:

Place a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add chicken to hot pan and stir occasionally until seared on two sides, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Chicken will finish cooking in a later step. Keep pan over medium-high heat.

Cook the Vegetables

Add 2 tsp olive oil, mushrooms, and shallot to hot pan and stir occasionally until lightly browned, 2-4 minutes.

Add Marsala and stir occasionally until mostly evaporated, 2-3 minutes.

Stir in cream, broccoli, 2 oz water, demi-glace, ¼ tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper until combined.

Finish the Skillet

Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, stir occasionally until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F, 6-7 minutes.

Add peas and stir until warmed through, 1 minute.

Serve:

You can mix the pasta into the skillet and get it all coated or serve over the pasta. Divide between plates.

Meatball Soup

Meatball Soup

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with Potatoes, Onions & Peas

Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from: Bon Appétit

This meatball soup recipe packs beef stew like cozy flavors into a weeknight dinner that takes just one hour to make. Sautéing the beef meatballs until they’re browned all over helps develop the fond on the bottom of the pot, which is key to building flavor. Meanwhile, giving the panko breadcrumbs a quick soak once combined with the other meatball ingredients helps them retain moisture, ensuring juicy meatballs every time—even if you choose to use ground turkey or pork instead.

  • 1large egg
  • 4garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 1cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 4TBS extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1TBS thyme leaves
  • 3tsp Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp Morton kosher salt, divided (recipe assumes Morton)
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1lb ground beef
  • 1(packed) cup frozen, thawed pearl onions
  • 10oz mushrooms (any kind), torn into bite-size pieces
  • 2TBS double-concentrated tomato paste
  • 1TBS AP flour
  • ⅔cup dry red wine
  • 1lb Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 4cups low-sodium beef broth
  • ½cup frozen peas
  • Country-style bread (for serving; optional)


Marinate:

Combine egg, 4 garlic cloves, 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, 2 TBS olive oil, 1 TBS thyme leaves, 1 tsp kosher salt, and ¼ cup water in a medium bowl, season with freshly ground pepper and mix well. Let sit 5 minutes to hydrate.

Add 1lb ground beef to bowl and gently mix until combined.

Meatballs:

Divide and roll meat mixture into ping-pong-size balls (you should have about 20 total).

Heat remaining 2 TBS olive oil over medium-high in a Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot. Cook meatballs, shaking pot to turn meatballs every few minutes, until browned all over, 6–8 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to a plate.

Soup:

Cook 1 cup (packed) frozen, thawed pearl onions and ¼ tsp kosher salt in same pot, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add 10 oz mushrooms (any kind), torn into bite-size pieces, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add 2 TBS tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are coated, and tomato paste is slightly darkened in color, about 1 minute. Evenly sprinkle 1 TBS AP flour over and cook, stirring constantly, until mushrooms are coated, about 1 minute.

Pour ²⁄₃ cup dry red wine into pot and cook, scraping up browned bits stuck to bottom of pot, until almost completely evaporated, 1–2 minutes. Stir in 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled, cut into 1″ pieces, then add meatballs, 4 cups beef broth, and remaining ½ tsp kosher salt, season with pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer soup, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender, 15–20 minutes.

Remove lid and stir in ½ cup frozen peas, continue to simmer until liquid is reduced just slightly, about 5 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls and serve with country-style bread if desired.

Meatballs & Creamy Onion Gravy

Meatballs & Creamy Onion Gravy

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with Charred Peas & Mashed Potatoes

Yield: 2

Warmly spiced meatballs, draped in rich and creamy onion sauce! Fluffy, sour cream mashed potatoes and buttery, skillet charred peas,
Prep: 5 Cook: 35

  • 12oz potatoes
  • 10oz ground beef
  • 1tsp nutmeg
  • 2oz beef stock concentrates
  • 1onion
  • 3TBS sour cream
  • ¼cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • 4oz peas
  • 1TBS flour
  • 2TBS cream cheese
  • salt & pepper
  • 2tsp cooking oil
  • 4TBS butter
  • potato masher
  • box grater

Prep & mash potatoes:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450°F. Wash and dry produce.

Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Halve and peel onion, grate one half on the largest holes of a box grater. Thinly slice the remaining onion.

Place potatoes in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes. Reserve ½ cup potato cooking liquid, then drain.

Return potatoes to pot and mash with half the sour cream (you’ll use the rest later) and 2 TBS butter until smooth and creamy, adding splashes of reserved potato cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Form & roast meatballs:

While potatoes cook, in a large bowl, combine beef, grated onion, panko, garlic powder, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¾ tsp salt, and pepper. (You’ll use more nutmeg later.)

Form mixture into 10-12 1½-inch meatballs and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

Roast on top rack until browned and cooked through, 14-16 minutes.

Char peas:

Meanwhile, melt 1 TBS butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add peas and cook, undisturbed, until lightly browned, 2- to 3-minutes.

Stir peas. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred, 1- to 2-minutes more.

Turn off heat, transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.

Start gravy:

Heat a drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add sliced onion and a pinch of salt, cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is browned and softened, 3- to 6-minutes.

Add 1 TBS butter and cook, whisking, until butter melts.

Sprinkle flour over onion, cook, whisking constantly, until lightly browned, 1- to 2-minutes.

Finish gravy:

Slowly whisk 1 cup water into pan with onion. Add stock concentrates, cream cheese, and ¼ tsp nutmeg, whisk until cream cheese melts and gravy has thickened, 3- to 5-minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in remaining sour cream. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Tip: If gravy seems too thick, stir in a few splashes of reserved potato cooking liquid.

Finish & serve:

Add meatballs to pan with gravy, toss to coat.

Divide mashed potatoes and meatballs and gravy between bowls. Top meatballs with peas and serve.