One of the hardest things about being married is figuring out what’s for dinner. It’s easy to reach for the phone or car key and get meals to-go. But cooking together can be a fun way for newlyweds to bond and spend quality time together. Over the last two years, my husband and I have experimented with lots of recipes and different meal kits. Here are some of our favorite recipes. Here are just a few of our favorites we have perfected and can enjoy for years to come!

Pan-Seared Cod with Pickled Onion

& Arugula Salad

Ingredients

Prepare the Ingredients 

Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch- thick rounds. Halve, peel, and thinly slice the onion. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Pit and roughly chop the dates. Quarter and deseed the lemon. 

Roast the Potatoes

Place the potato rounds on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Transfer to a large bowl. 

Pickle the Onion

Meanwhile, in a small pot, combine the sliced onion, honey (kneading the packet before opening), vinegar, and  1/4 cup of water; season with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until combined and the onion is coated. Turn off heat. Set aside to cool at least 10 minutes. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. 

Coat & Start the Fish

Meanwhile, on a large plate, combine the flour and spice blend. Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Working one piece at a time, thoroughly coat the seasoned fish in the seasoned flour (tapping off any excess flour). In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the coated fish. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned.

Make the sauce & Finish the fish

Flip the fish. Add the butter, chopped garlic, chopped dates and 1/4  cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, occasionally spooning the sauce over the fish, 2 to 4 minutes, or until the fish is coated and cooked through. Turn off the heat. Evenly top with the juice of 2 lemon wedges. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Make the salad and serve the fish

Reserving 2 tablespoons of the onion pickling liquid, drain the pickled onion. To the bowl of roasted potatoes, add the arugula, reserved pickling liquid, the juice of the remaining lemon wedges, a drizzle of olive oil, and as much of the pickled onion as you’d like. Toss to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the cooked fish and sauce with the salad. Garnish the salad with the almonds. Enjoy!

Spicy Chicken Sausage Stuffed Peppers with Pepper Jack

Ingredients

PREPARE INGREDIENTS

Preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry all produce. Halve bell peppers lengthwise; remove stem and seeds. Peel and finely chop garlic. Finely chop chili (if you’ve got sensitive skin, wear gloves for this part).

PRE-BAKE PEPPERS

Place bell peppers cut sides up on a baking sheet and drizzle each half with olive oil; rub to evenly coat. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until bell peppers are softened and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.

BROWN SAUSAGE

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and garlic and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and couscous and and stir to coat.

PREPARE STUFFING

Add 2 cups water and a pinch of salt and pepper to pan with sausage mixture. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often, until couscous is tender and mixture is thickened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in as much of the chili as you’d like. (Start with a little, taste, and go up from there!) Taste and season with salt and pepper.

ASSEMBLE PEPPERS

Heat broiler to high. Carefully drain any liquid from bell peppers, if necessary. Stuff halves with half the filling and evenly top with cheese. Place back on baking sheet and broil until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. (Watch out for burning! The broiler is a powerful tool.) Divide remaining filling between plates and top with stuffed peppers.

One-Pan Prosciutto Gnocchi with Brussels Sprouts & Lemon 

Ingredients

Prepare the ingredients

Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Stack the prosciutto (removing the plastic lining between the slices), then thinly slice crosswise. Cut off and discard the stem ends of the brussels sprouts; quarter lengthwise. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Quarter and deseed the lemon.

Crisp the prosciutto

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced prosciutto. Cook, stirring frequently and breaking apart any clumps, 2 to 3 minutes, or until crispy. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. This recipe was designed for easier cleanup— no extra prep bowls needed!

Cook the brussels sprouts

In the pan of reserved fond, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the quartered brussels sprouts in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until light browned. Add the chopped garlic and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened.

Finish & serve your dish

To the pan, add the gnocchi and 1/3 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the water has cooked off and the gnocchi are tender. Add the butter and honey (kneading the packet before opening); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the butter is melted and combined. Turn off the heat. Carefully stir in the juice of 2 lemon wedges. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished gnocchi topped with the crispy prosciutto and cheese. Serve the remaining lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!