This holiday season has felt a bit strange, mostly because of the bizarre FOMO I’ve developed around holiday baking and cooking—likely fueled by the surplus of content geared toward exactly that.

The passionate cook in me craves the one-off recipes that have no bearing on the rest of the week: the big dish of macaroni and cheese, the freshly baked bread, the holiday sides (honestly, any dish without animal protein), and so on.

But Restaurant Dropout—the thing I dedicate all of my time to—is not that.

Over the past two years, I’ve learned through trial and error that Restaurant Dropout has an obvious North Star: simplifying weeknight dinnertime.

Restaurant Dropout is not meal prep (we will never eat the same dish five days in a row). Instead, it’s a resource and tool that applies restaurant logic to home cooking.

Every week, my priority is for dinner to feel thoughtful—without feeling scheduled or repetitive. Along the way, I also hope to share the small preparation techniques that transform a dish and make it feel “restaurant-quality.”

All that said, this week is a bit of a compromise.

I know the North Star of Restaurant Dropout isn’t suited for every season. The holidays are busy, and asking you to prep amid wrapping presents, hosting family, and attending the surplus of December events feels like a tall order.

So, here’s my swing at sharing dinners that can still be prepped, work well for larger groups, and stay somewhat true to our North Star.

It’s my best effort to meet you in the middle.

And if you’re still cooking for just two people this week, you’ll have some leftovers to enjoy beyond five days.

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