French braising and Greek-Mediterranean plates built around a citrus and cranberry roast chicken

Orange cranberry baked chicken thighs started as a winter dish and stayed on the list because it works cold. Sliced oranges line the bottom of the dish and the thighs sit on them skin up, so the fruit steams from below while the tops brown, and the honey and mustard glaze never catches. Dried cranberries go in for the last ten minutes only, since any longer and they turn to paste. Served over the scallions black rice it is the plate this household asks about most.

This week leans dairy, which is worth flagging. Feta shows up in three places: crumbled through the lemony lentils, whipped underneath the seared asparagus, and cubed in the Greek salad. There is paneer in the sauteed broccoli and bell pepper as well. Nothing on this menu contains nuts or gluten, and the beef burgundy stew, the Mediterranean salmon bites and the green beans are all dairy free as cooked.

Reheating around Houston, TX 77025 gets easier as the week goes on. The beef burgundy stew is better on day three than day one and wants a low pan, 12 minutes, lid on, with a splash of water if it has set too firm. Mediterranean salmon bites take 8 minutes at 350°F covered, or nothing at all, since they are good cold with the Greek salad. The truffle Parmesan baby potatoes need 10 minutes at 425°F uncovered to get their crust back, and the whipped feta under the asparagus should never see heat at all.