Salmon: It came from the freezer - and it's easy
Most resolutions fall into two big categories: eating better and saving money. This dish can help you do both in a way that is a luxurious treat rather than a penance. Eating more fish and vegetables ranks high on the healthful "to-do" list; here, you get both: in a savory layer of chopped artichoke hearts (mixed with sun-dried tomatoes, capers, parsley and garlic and bound with creamy ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses) piled high atop a gorgeous fillet of salmon.
The recipe's weeknight ease and under-30-minute start-to-finish time might just tip the scales in favor of cooking instead of more expensive takeout, but the big money-saving (and convenience) feature here is that the fish (and artichokes, for that matter) can be pulled directly from your freezer. Frozen fish is more economical than fresh; it's often "fresher," because it is flash-frozen right after being caught, and it is handier than you might realize, because, as I recently learned, it can be cooked without being defrosted.
It was a "Wow! Really?!" moment for me when I came across the "Cook It Frozen" campaign on the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute website. The technique works remarkably well, and in the accompanying recipe, it can be put to good use toward a delicious double-decker weapon in your arsenal to keep those resolutions.
• Ellie Krieger blogs and offers a weekly newsletter at www.elliekrieger.com.