As women all over the Northern Hemisphere stare in shock at the zemanim for candle lighting, we wonder, Did Shabbos ever start this early? Is there even time for a second cup of coffee? Although we all suffer the same collective amnesia, ultimately muscle memory kicks in; the food gets cooked, the house gets cleaned (or not, that’s fine), and the candles get lit. You are more capable than you realized, and anxiety dissipates into a feeling of calmness…until next week.

But maybe we can break the cycle. The Family Table staff shares their recipes that can help you make these early Fridays a little less paralyzing and hopefully a little more serene. You might even get a chance to pour that second cup of coffee.

Compote

I love serving compote for dessert on winter Friday nights. Peel and dice some apples and pears. Place in a pot with some water. I sometimes add half a can of cranberry sauce, á la Faigy and Chavi’s recipe in The Best of Family Table. Other times I’ll just pour in some grape juice and add a sprinkle of cinnamon. Cook until soft. Quick, easy, and healthy.

Note: Needless to say, this is not the type of dessert that older kids resonate to, but my baby loves it!

—Chaya Baila Lieber, copy editor

Quick Sweet Chicken

Like many recipes in my house, this one was invented on Erev Shabbos, so it’s one step and doesn’t require boiling a sauce, yet still yields a delicious result.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder. Then scatter approximately 10–15 garlic cloves around. Mix ketchup, soy sauce, white wine, brown sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl and pour over chicken. Bake for one hour covered and one hour uncovered.

—Chanie Nayman, food editor

Teriyaki Pastrami

Lately I’ve been making double batches of sautéed teriyaki pastrami — I use one half right away and freeze the other. One week I’ll combine the pastrami with rice, the next week with sesame green beans. Both options are nice “invested” side dishes, and having the pastrami in the freezer saves me time and effort on a short Friday.

To prepare the pastrami, sauté an onion and some garlic in oil until golden. Dice a package of pastrami (I use pastrami ends — they’re cheaper and work just as well for this kind of recipe) and add to the pan. Sauté on high for a minute or two. Then lower the flame and add 1 Tbsp of brown sugar and 1–2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce. Continue cooking for a few minutes.

Combine with rice or orzo, or add to sesame green beans, for a flavorful and easy side dish.

—Shana Friedman, editor in chief