Christian Reynoso

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Beloved by many for good reason, the flavors and textures of a bánh mì are the inspiration for this recipe. Crisp quick-marinated vegetables, tender herbs and lettuces, spicy jalapeño, creamy avocado and sweet ham are dressed in a version of tangy nước chấm and then topped with buttery crackers instead of the bread that gives the Vietnamese sandwich its name. While the ingredient list might seem long, there’s no cooking involved and this salad comes together in about 20 minutes. Any type of ham will work, but if you buy a roast, you’ll be able to carve the ham as thin as you'd like. For a different take, cooked bacon, rotisserie chicken or tofu make excellent options, too.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Cheddar and broccoli are a classic for a reason: the rich, tangy cheese makes this often underappreciated vegetable sing. Here, tender white beans turn the duo into a protein-forward, stewy bowl that’s cozy but lively. To finish, Cheddar croutons add a deeper cheesy crunch, ideal for dunking into the creamy broth.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Pure and light with a tender buttery crunch, this delicate breakfast or lunch starts with some pretty hearty ingredients. Salted cabbage is gently sautéed in butter until it softens and becomes glossy while keeping its color, then dill is stirred in for its gentle perfume. The eggs are cracked in and steamed, covered, until the whites are just set and the yolks are still somewhat runny, begging for buttered toast. If you want this to serve 4, double everything. If you only want to cook 1 egg, halve the recipe and use an 8-inch skillet.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

This quick and buttery pasta, with bright lemon and briny capers, capitalizes on the flavors of an Italian-American classic. It starts with browning chicken in bubbling butter, then deglazing the pan with chicken stock before adding more butter, lemon, garlic and capers to create a silky sauce. Bow tie pasta (farfalle), with its pinched centers and flared edges, soaks up the sauce especially well, but any noodle works. Tossing the chicken in flour before it hits the pan enhances browning, deepens flavor and thickens the sauce to that iconic velvety consistency. All you might want to complete the meal is a side of dressed peppery greens and a glass of something cold.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Hearty and almost stew-like, this comforting soup is filled with potatoes and tender leeks (including the green parts) and gets a jolt of freshness from lemon and dill. For a zesty kick, stir in some finely grated garlic at the end, which preserves its bright flavor. Don’t skip the sour cream — its dairy tang adds an essential richness. A fresh crusty baguette or some garlic bread is all you might need to complete the meal.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Umami-rich rich steak and mild yet hearty zucchini are paired with a simple sauce that works to enhance both. First the steak is sliced thin, then cooked hot and fast. One side is cooked a little longer to brown and caramelize, while the other has just brief contact with the skillet to keep the steak medium-rare. The zucchini is cooked similarly, steaming in its own moisture until tender yet still somewhat firm. A bright, slightly spicy, tangy sauce is drizzled over, with a handful of refreshing mint to finish. Serve as is, or pair with chunks of baguette, roasted potatoes or a lightly dressed green salad.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Nutty, umami-rich and filled with protein, this noodle dish is light, yet satisfying and filling, just the thing for dinner in minutes or a great pack-and-go lunch. Crisp cucumber works great here, but other crunchy veggies like cabbage, snap peas or grated carrot are all good substitutions.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Spicy and sweet, with a cooling dip to dunk them in, these chicken wings are simple to make. Smoky chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are blended with sour cream, honey, garlic and a couple spices to make a flavorful coating for the wings while the oven heats up. Then with just a quick roast on a wire rack over a parchment-lined sheet pan (so your pan stays relatively clean), the wings are ready. Orange zest adds a fruity brightness, but is optional.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Bright and zippy, rich and savory, this streamlined take on ramen wakes your palate like a sunbeam streaming through the curtains on a lazy morning in bed. It’s superfast yet it tastes as if you've just spent hours simmering it. Simply make a quick garlicky broth enriched with soy sauce and enhanced by the bones and skin from a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Cook noodles right in the broth and then add the shredded chicken, fresh citrus juice, cilantro, sesame and a little more soy. If you’d like, serve with the juiced lime and lemon halves in the bowl to add more vibrancy to this satisfying meal.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Sweet, savory, and full of flavor, this easy weeknight noodle soup takes a cue from the warmly comforting northern Thai dish khao soi, with a curry-spiced coconut broth and toppings that offer crunch and contrast. First, the butternut squash is simmered in the fragrant broth until very tender. Then the squash is mashed, becoming one with the coconut milk before stock and sweet and savory seasonings are added (to keep the soup vegetarian, use soy sauce instead of fish sauce and use vegan curry paste). You can use any type of egg noodles here, from wide dried egg noodles to flat fresh egg noodles (sometimes labeled as wonton noodles). Ladle the flavorful squash broth over the noodles and garnish with as much garnish as your heart and stomach desires. Those toppings can be — but are not limited to — a lot of lime juice to cut the richness, cilantro, sliced fresh shallots, crispy shallots, fried noodles, chile oil or pickled mustard greens.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Coconut milk does double duty here in this light yet hearty rice dish that straddles the line between side salad and pilaf-like main. First the rice is simmered in creamy coconut milk, then the remaining milk is used to make a soothing dressing spiked with lime juice, peanut butter, toasted peanuts and garlic, with a little added heat from chile sauce. Fresh cherry tomatoes and chopped herbs turn it all into a rice salad that can be a flavorful side for grilled chicken or the base for fried eggs.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Saucy, rich and creamy, this one-pot meal is for those who adore tender gnocchi. Sautéed cremini mushrooms, shallots, garlic and mustard form an umami-rich base, while the gnocchi simmer in cream and stock, creating a rich and abundant sauce. To keep things vibrant and fresh, peppery arugula is stirred in just before serving. This meal stands on its own, but you could brighten it up with a few splashes of hot sauce or serve it with a crusty hunk of bread to make it properly comforting.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Imagine tender, sweet shrimp ensconced in a crisp and airy tempura-like batter. Now envision those shrimp lying on a warm tortilla topped with fresh cut cabbage and a smoky-spicy drizzle of chipotle crema sauce. These tacos are not just a dream: This coastal delight can be found, just like some of the best fish tacos, along the main Mexican Pacific coast and Baja Peninsula, but you can also make them a reality at home. The toppings can vary, so add sliced or smashed avocado, spicy pickled onions, salsa macha or any other salsas you may prefer.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

This roasted vegetable salad combines caramelized, smoky vegetables with a simple, punchy sauce made of green olives, lemon, shallots and olive oil. The vegetables develop deep, rich flavors, while the bright, tangy sauce and feta cheese ties everything together. The salad is great on its own as a vegetarian main, or alongside some pan-roasted sausages if you want to make it a little more hearty. If you’re meal prepping, keep the sauce separate and drizzle it on last so that the vegetables stay vibrant and fresh.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

This summertime pasta of lightly sizzled garlic and tomatoes with torn basil is satisfyingly easy and delicious. It’s also a reminder that with really great ingredients, not a lot of cooking is necessary to create a stand-out meal. Melt-in-your-mouth prosciutto and dollops of ricotta add a little richness to contrast with all the freshness, leaving you with a colorful main that doesn’t really need much else, but a sprinkle of crushed red-pepper flakes or a few thin rings of jalapeño or sweet red pepper could be welcome additions.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Golden seared chicken, florets of broccoli and a quick pan sauce made of garlic, anchovy and lemon, create a weeknight meal that evokes the flavors of Caesar salad. Parmesan is grated over everything, adding richness. Serve this with garlic bread or torn croutons to add crunch and help soak up the sauce. If you’d like to double this recipe, cooking the broccoli separately from the chicken is the key to success.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Convenient and tender rotisserie chicken, sautéed scallions and garlic, vinegar-soaked currants and a couple big handfuls of peppery arugula make up this simple yet very flavorful sandwich. Inspired by the wood-oven-roasted chicken and bread salad from Zuni Café in San Francisco, this is a take on that famed dish in sandwich form. Parmesan and toasted nuts add texture, depth and a hit of umami. For the bread, a thick baguette cut into four sections to make sandwich rolls is economical and offers the duality of crunchy crust and soft inner crumb, although a sandwich roll of your choice works too. If you happen to have some leftover chicken or turkey on hand, this would be a fine use for it.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

This soup — which embraces the ethos of cucina povera to use a multitude of vegetables to create a filling meal — is chunky with cabbage, carrots and daikon radish, but also tender and refreshing with bites of silken tofu all in a warming, gingery broth. Chopped cilantro adds a citrusy brightness, although basil or dill are great too. You could use bok choy instead of cabbage, and if you want some heat, try stirring in a serrano chile along with the garlic and ginger.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Simple and satisfying chicken thighs get a delightfully vibrant and spicy kick from a marinade of hot mustard — made with brown mustard seeds — plus soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and ginger. After marinating, the chicken is grilled, adding depth and char to the chicken as well as to the marinade. Colman’s English mustard (which is made with a mix of brown and white/yellow mustard seeds) is a reliable brand found at most supermarkets, however you could also use prepared Chinese-style hot mustard, found at Asian grocery stores. Serve this with grilled green beans or asparagus or a bracing cucumber salad with rice.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Hummus, with its nutty and garlicky flavor, makes a fantastic dip, spread or even a salad dressing, but it can also be a great base for a pasta sauce. A little garlic and shallot sizzled in olive oil, along with fresh lemon juice and zest, help amp up premade hummus. With a little water, the hummus thins out enough to become a creamy sauce to fully coat noodles. You can add chickpeas, fresh herbs, za’atar or almost any roasted or fresh vegetable to this pasta and it will feel like your own.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

The bold, savory, spicy flavors of mapo tofu are paired with the creamy richness of scrambled eggs in this hearty and comforting anytime-of-day meal. The dish comes together quickly and all in one skillet: Ginger, scallions and spiced pork are first sizzled and simmered, making way for eggs that are soft-scrambled then folded into the tofu mixture. Round out this superfast meal with a sprinkling of freshly sliced scallions or chopped herbs and some buttered toast.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Juicy, buttery and well-seasoned, the ground-chicken lule cutlets that the Armenian American chef Armen Martirosyan serves at Mini Kabob in Glendale, California are comforting, savory and incredibly versatile. After culinary school, Mr. Martirosyan learned to make chicken lule from his father at his family’s 290-square-foot restaurant. The chicken mixture is simple, with just five ingredients; fragrant white pepper adds an earthy, grassy flavor and the generous amount of onion helps the patties stay moist and light. Sometimes Mr. Martirosyan grills the lule kebab on wide metal skewers, but here they’re hand-formed into patties and seared in butter until golden brown and tender. Serve them with roasted tomatoes, hummus, rice or parsley and sumac-marinated onions. Christian Reynoso

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

This tender, rich pork has a caramelized crust that’s tangy and sweet. To create it, the pork is coated in a mixture of mustard, vinegar and sugar, simmered in a covered pot until soft, then cooked uncovered at a higher temperature to create a browned exterior. The concentrated, flavorful gravy in the bottom of the pot can be slathered on toast. Serve the pork with anything from roasted potatoes and sauerkraut to rice and beans or even a simple green salad.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Tender, crispy chicken and big hand-torn chunks of toasty bread are the main elements here for this laid-back sheet-pan dinner. To make sure the chicken is thoroughly flavorful, a quick sauce of warm garlic oil, vinegar and oregano is spooned over. The croutons also become saturated in the sauce, creating a double texture of crunchy and chewy. Golden raisins offer little surprise bursts of sweetness and tang, too. When you’re choosing bread for this, something hearty with an open and airy crumb works well. Try ciabatta, Pugliese, a rustic sourdough loaf or even a baguette. Enjoy the croutons however you like – with your hands, a fork, or straight from the baking sheet. A sprightly salad or roasted zucchini would round this meal out nicely.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

This pasta is a simple luxury: rich and satisfying after a busy day and even ideal for brunch on the weekend. It starts with a glossy, buttery tomato sauce, punchy with capers, that clings to the pasta and feels indulgent. Eggs are poached right in the sauce until just set, adding a velvety richness to every bite. The sauce is tossed with steaming spaghetti, then finished with a handful of torn basil and a splash of lush olive oil for a meal that’s elegant in its ease.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Part quick and rustic bean stew and part deconstructed pesto, this pesto-inspired one-pan meal requires no blender and minimal slicing. It all starts out by sizzling nuts with a little turmeric in olive oil until golden. The Parmesan cheese makes a creamy base for softened shallots and tender beans; then freshly torn basil leaves and lemon juice are stirred in at the end so they stay vibrant and fresh. Top with the beautifully toasted nuts, golden olive oil and a bit more Parmesan. Serve with crusty bread or garlic bread on the side.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Reminiscent of a classic bagel with lox, this quick and convenient tart is made with buttery, flaky store-bought puff pastry for a no-rolling-necessary appetizer or light yet satisfying meal. A schmear of sour cream is added after the pastry is baked, followed by smoked salmon and toppings boasting of nothing but freshness: crisp cucumbers, pickled onion, briny capers and fragrant dill. Altogether, this smoky, creamy tart is a surefire hit for any gathering.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Rich and creamy, herbaceous and garlicky, homemade ranch dressing serves as a marinade for chicken that gets charred on the grill outside, or in your kitchen on a grill pan. To freshen things up, make a crunchy, lemony radish salad with the same herbs used in the dressing, bringing the flavors back full circle. You can use the radish greens too, but if they aren't in their tender prime, try another leaf like arugula or butter lettuce. For a starchy moment, serve this with grilled or fresh bread.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

This fall salad radiates vibrancy and texture: crunchy red cabbage and almonds, crisp-sweet apple, tangy dried cranberries and a vinaigrette that’s zesty with orange and red pepper. It would pair equally well with super rich pork chops and sausage or lean roast turkey. Add chickpeas or salty cheese to turn it into a bright main dish.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

This vegan main dish, both simple and delicious, is a guide to the art of slow-roasting eggplant to a tender, custardy texture and creating a flavorful, protein-rich sauce. Eggplant halves are gently scored, coated in oil, and slowly cooked at a high heat with chickpeas that become crispy and super nutty. Roasted cashews are pureéd with lemon, orange and a little garlic, transforming them into a super flavorful, buttery spread that pairs really well with delicate eggplant. While roasting, keep in mind that the eggplant will brown quickly, so be keen to check in on it.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Rich, buttery scallops contrast beautifully with the crunchy, vibrant bread crumb and herb salsa in this recipe for two, inspired by a version that is frequently served at San Francisco’s Zuni Café. Though this dish feels special enough for a date night in, it’s also simple enough for a weeknight. Serve with sautéed green beans, steamed broccoli or perhaps a kale salad. The herby, briny salsa is worth keeping in mind for future meals: It pairs well with a variety of proteins.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Brussels sprouts and bacon are proof that opposite flavors can attract. In this easy sheet-pan recipe, the earthy, green sprouts are roasted with rich and smoky bacon so their flavors mingle while they cook. The bacon’s robust flavor seeps into the sprouts’ leaves, helping them caramelize and adding textural contrast to each bite. Shallots are roasted alongside too, adding sweetness as they brown. A little garlic, lemon, some red pepper and perhaps an herb add brightness and spark to this simple side.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Give in to the convenience of already poached shrimp in this bright main-dish salad, perfect for lunch or a light dinner. The core is easy and uncomplicated: Fresh ginger and chiles are married with sesame seeds and oil in a tangy vinaigrette for tender shrimp, crisp cucumbers and a bed of peppery arugula. It’s decidedly unfussy and very easily adaptable — add scoops of avocado or soft-boiled eggs for extra richness or simply serve with buttered toast and make open-faced sandwiches. Individual chiles have their own heat ranges, just like our taste buds. Use the amount in the recipe as a guide, but trust your instincts to adjust.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Super adaptable and elemental, this pasta offers rich comfort from butter, autumnal sage and creamy white beans. In this recipe, butter is swirled into water to create a sauce called beurre monté. It’s a delicate sauce, but sturdy enough to bloom the flavors of the sage as well as the garlic and lemon peel. The strips of lemon peel give up their fragrant citrus oils to the dish and provide an attractive garnish, but are not meant to be eaten. Canned beans can be bland, so taste your beans and salt them as necessary before cooking — like you would chicken or steak — so the flavors stick. Beurre monté adds lushness and seasoning, but rich sauces like these don’t penetrate as well as salted water or broth, so don’t skip salting early. Grated Parmesan is a welcome topping for the final dish, and a side of roasted broccolini would also do well here.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Sweet, spiced, garlicky and soothing, this simple pasta showcases juicy chicken and vibrant bell peppers that are cooked until silken. The addition of one spicy chile adds a mellow, flavorful heat. There’s another pepper too: Paprika is cooked with the chicken and vegetables to add a deeper smoky pepper flavor. A dollop of yogurt tops the pasta: mix it in so each bite is as lively as it is comforting.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Simmering boneless skinless chicken breasts in a spicy-sweet tomato stew is a reliable and delicious path to a quick chicken dinner. Here, the chicken is cooked in a flavorful base of tender vegetables, savory chicken broth, spicy hot paprika and, of course, tomato. Taking cues from chicken paprikash, it's at once comforting, warming and lively. Fresh dill and sour cream are optional, but they add a cool, tangy lift and herbal brightness, softening the heat and rounding out the stew.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Combining sweet and spicy flavors in savory, satisfying weeknight meatballs, this recipe calls for a generous amount of crushed red pepper to contrast with the deep caramel honey-like chopped dates. A hefty dose of herbs and citrus zest serves to lighten and brighten. Medjool dates can be easier to find, but if you can obtain a variety called deglet noor, the dates will be a little drier and easier to chop. Serve the meatballs with warm couscous, a couscous salad or a simple green salad.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

This salad is all about contrast: sweet, juicy melon (honeydew or anything similar), a sharp lime dressing with garlic and shallots, and a good hit of spice from serrano and red pepper. It’s finished with roasted peanuts for crunch and lots of fresh basil to keep it bright and herbaceous. The flavors are bold, tangy and just spicy enough to keep you coming back for another bite. It’s great as a side, but also can be lunch and pairs well with a hot day, crispy tofu, noodles and pork, grilled meats or any light sandwich or lettuce wrap.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Some of summer’s most notable offerings are stone fruit, tomatoes and basil. While they thrive in the sun, they gain even more flavor when dressed in a savory-spicy vinaigrette. In this spoonable salad, the components resemble a fragmented mosaic: Sweet stone fruit of any kind, from cherries to peaches to pluots, is cut small and tossed with juicy cherry tomatoes and aromatic basil in a chile crisp vinaigrette. The vinaigrette is simple to make, only requiring a bit of sugar to build on the fruit's natural quality, along with red wine vinegar to add fruity depth. Pair this salad with grilled or roasted meats, or just enjoy it on its own.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Vibrant, refreshing, juicy and crisp, this salad is perfect for warmer days or any day when you need just a little pick-me-up. Coming together quickly, the combination of mango, cucumber and romaine is simply dressed with fresh lime and cilantro. Tajín, a popular Mexican seasoning made with chiles, lime and salt, adds a tangy and mildly spicy flavor, contrasting nicely with the sweetness of mango.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

This chicken takes a cue from piccata then heads in a decidedly summery direction: A quick pan sauce of butter, shallots, tomatoes, capers and a splash of red wine vinegar turns rich, juicy, and bright — just the thing to spoon over the top. A handful of fresh basil at the end wilts gently in the heat of the sauce. No lemon here, but the vibes are still tangy, savory, and buttery. There’s plenty of sauce, so pair with bread or rice to help soak it all up.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Simmering smoky, rich bacon in tangy tomatoes helps the bacon become tender and nearly unctuous, its flavor infused into the garlicky tomato sauce. If you happen to have an open bottle, a small splash of red wine in the tomatoes can deepen things nicely. It’s not quite amatriciana, but it borrows some of the best parts (cured pork, tomatoes). Both bright and comforting, this simple pasta might beg to be made on the regular. The bacon is cooked first, releasing flavorful fat which you can drizzle, if you’d like a flavor boost, over the finished pasta. Black pepper is welcome at the end, and Parmesan would work well, too.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

This super-summery salad is all about big, bold bites — juicy tomatoes, sweet corn, creamy avocado and crispy bacon. It’s tossed with nothing more than a generous squeeze of lime and a little reserved bacon fat for extra richness and smokiness. Plenty of cilantro (or another herb of your choice) keeps it fresh. It’s hearty enough to be dinner, but also plays well with anything grilled, roasted or just eaten outdoors. Some thick toast on the side could make this a full meal.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Resembling an endless summer sunset, this pasta’s sauce is golden and warm and packed with flavor from just a handful of ingredients: Rich butter, citrusy turmeric, sweet tomatoes and zesty garlic. The sauce comes together simply, too. Sizzle turmeric, garlic and black pepper in butter until the aroma fills the air, then simmer cherry tomatoes until they start to burst, sweetening and brightening the sauce before tossing with pasta. That’s it. To finish, feta cheese is highly recommended to add bursts of tangy richness. For added heft, stir in chickpeas or other beans, or serve with grilled chicken.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

This simply marinated and roasted salmon is lemony, garlicky, gingery and all with a hint of heat. Inspired by the Northern Vietnamese dish, cha ca la Vong, salmon fillets are first rubbed in a simple garlic, ginger and turmeric-based marinade then baked hot and fast. A sauce made with scallions, fish sauce, red pepper and olive oil is poured over the fish, so each bite has a huge pop of flavor. Great with rice noodles and sliced cucumbers, you can also serve with grilled bread or rice and a side green salad. If you feel like grilling this fish, the direct heat will only deepen the marinade’s impact. Chopped nuts are optional and add a textural crunch.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

Like a chile verde with a more rustic flair, this vegetarian bean stew is satisfyingly rich, hearty and tangy, with just a kick of heat and spice. It all cooks quickly and efficiently: While tomatillos, peppers and shallots roast and become tender, the beans simmer. Eventually, everything comes together into a single pot of stew, ready for lime, sour cream and cilantro. Warm tortillas are optional, but are handy for dipping into the stew.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

From stovetop to oven, this vegetable lasagna comes together quickly compared to a classic meat and tomato version and serves a smaller, more intimate group. While the lasagna sheets are boiling, make the streamlined vegetable filling: Sauté leeks, garlic and thyme in butter before tossing the fragrant mixture with béchamel sauce and some smoked mozzarella. Layered together in a skillet, the lasagna bakes up creamy and smoky, with crisp golden edges. A comforting meal on its own, it doesn’t need any side dishes, but a simple green salad would pair with it well.

Christian Reynoso · NYT Cooking

In this clever salad, fresh raw zucchini is bathed in a nutty oil accented with big bursts of jewel-like lemon; each bite is equal parts rich and bright. Warming the oil with the pistachios until they sizzle infuses it with their flavor. Whole lemons, peeled down to the flesh and then sliced, are then stirred into the pistachio oil. A little black pepper, spicy red pepper flakes and feta cheese (which is optional) turn this into a salad equally ready to grace a summer spread or pack ahead for lunch. It can also be a great side for hot-mustard grilled chicken, roasted salmon, sheet-pan feta or even just a bowl of hummus and some thick-cut toast.