You’re really only technically eating a vegetable with broccoli cheddar soup — it is insistently not health food, but a giant middle finger to whoever invented the four food groups. It is a “you sure about that?” to the likes of President George HW Bush, who famously and controversially banned broccoli from Air Force One. Plus, we get to the bottom of broccoli vs broccoli rabe vs broccolini, and a broccoli dish to impress.

Recipes Mentioned:

• Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Serious Eats)
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Smitten Kitchen)

Crispy chicken cutlets are endlessly adaptable to taste, so it’s no wonder they are a universal crowd pleaser. From Austrian schnitzel to Japanese katsu to Deb’s mother-in-law’s recipe that leaves out a classic ingredient, there are endless permutations of chicken, flour, egg, breadcrumbs + ??? to satisfy the pickiest eater (and most discerning home cook).

Recipes Mentioned:

• Tonkatsu or Chicken Katsu (Serious Eats)
• Crispiest Chicken Cutlets (Smitten Kitchen)
• 5-Ingredient Fried Chicken Sandwiches (Serious Eats)

Brownies are a diabolical(ly) good cross between cake and cookie. They taste sinfully rich and decadent, but they’re an angel in the kitchen (one bowl recipe alertl!) and they make your house smell like heaven. Plus, we hear Deb and Kenji’s recommendations for the best snacks for gossiping or watching reality TV.

Recipes:

• Glossy Fudge Brownies Recipe (Serious Eats)
• Olive Oil Brownies (Smitten Kitchen)
• My Favorite Brownies (Smitten Kitchen)
• Best Cocoa Brownies (Smitten Kitchen)
• Blackout Brownie Waffle Sundae (Smitten Kitchen Every Day)
• Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches (Smitten Kitchen)