Let’s be honest. Life has been a little stressful of late. In times of anxiety and uncertainty, some self-care is warranted. I am not talking cleanses and fasts, folks, I am talking indulgences, because, well, we deserve it.

When our sheltering days are clocked by changes of clothing from morning PJs to home-office athleisure attire, to a return to PJs (wash and repeat); when our weekly schedule requires setting an alarm to remember that it’s in fact a Monday, or to clarify that the weekend follows Friday and, sadly, not the aforementioned Monday; when we realize that the entire last year has atrophied any semblance of learned social skills (no small feat for introverts), and our voracious consumption of screen time has effectively canceled any parental authority in managing that department -- it’s important not to judge. Rather, it’s time to be kind to ourselves, to embrace comfort in the form of simple pleasures, and to mark the end of yet another sheltered day with non-anxiety-provoking rewards (and cue the moment it’s OK to change back into our PJs).

Which leads me to this bowl of dip. (As I said, simple pleasures.) I confess that I called this dinner when I made it (no one in my family objected), and I regret nothing. In my defense, it’s a homemade dip. It conjures childhood memories of additive- and salt-packed instant onion dips, while, in these modern times, it’s made from scratch with real ingredients. It’s also easy to put together, risking no inflection in your anxiety level.

And since I am feeling a little lighthearted these days, I have even provided two ways to make this dip. The first is a basic onion-packed dip, and the second is the same dip dressed up with a little extra bling, because, as mentioned, we deserve it. And while it’s not an evening at the theater or a festive party (so 2019), the bling adds a tiny hint of sparkle that we can enjoy on a Tuesday -- oops, Thursday -- night in our PJs.

Triple Onion Dip

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes plus cooling time

Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

3 shallots, halved and thinly sliced

2 scallions, white and green parts divided, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste, plus more for garnish

Optional bling:

1 to 2 teaspoons drained jarred horseradish

Salmon roe for sprinkling

Dill sprigs for garnish

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, shallots and white scallions. Cook over medium heat until very soft and tinged golden in spots, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the lemon juice, then remove and cool to room temperature. When cool enough to handle, chop the onions and transfer to a bowl.

Whisk the cream cheese until light and smooth, then stir in the sour cream, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder to blend. Mix in the onions, salt and black pepper, and taste for seasoning. Garnish with the green scallions if not adding the optional dill.

Optional: Mix in 1 to 2 teaspoons drained jarred horseradish, to taste, with the onions. Garnish with the salmon roe and dill sprigs.

Serve with potato chips, pita chips or crudites.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

I had my first bircher muesli in Switzerland, where it’s a breakfast staple. I was at a breakfast buffet, and a large bowl of what appeared to be a thick and chunky porridge was presented in the center of the table. At first glance, I was unimpressed, but at the prompting of my Swiss friend, I gave it a try. It was fresh, bright and creamy, chock-full of fruit and nuts, and not at all stodgy. Not only did it feel healthy to eat, but it was downright delicious.

Bircher muesli is essentially overnight oats. It’s a practical and healthy do-ahead meal, reflecting marvelous Swiss sensibilities. A blend of oats and milk or yogurt are muddled together and refrigerated overnight. The next morning, you thin the mixture with more yogurt or milk and fold in fruit and nuts. The result is a nutritious and tasty breakfast that will energize and propel you through the day -- or up an alpine mountain, depending on where you sit.

Bircher muesli is named for Maximilian Bircher-Benner, a Swiss physician who created this concoction in the early 1900s as a healthy breakfast alternative. The original recipe included oats, grated apple, dried fruit and condensed milk (fresh milk was not easily available at the time). Since then, myriad variations have evolved. The key is to combine a mixture of oats with a liquid ingredient, such as apple juice, dairy (or nondairy) milk, cream or yogurt, and stash in it the refrigerator where it will rehydrate, bloom and develop flavor overnight.

Before serving, additional ingredients such as grated or chopped fruit, nuts, fresh berries, honey or lemon may be added. If you are feeling extra indulgent, a dollop of whipped cream can be folded into the mix. (This is what I call the I-am-on-holiday ingredient.)

As with granolas and oatmeal, you can easily riff on the ingredients, providing you adhere to the oats-to-liquid ratio. This basic recipe includes suggested additions and substitutions.

Bircher Muesli

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes plus refrigerating time

Yield: Serves 2

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup apple juice

1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt, preferably European-style

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 to 2 apples, cored and grated (with skin)

1/4 cup raisins, divided

1/4 cup chopped almonds, divided

Maple syrup or honey for drizzling (optional)

Shaved unsweetened coconut for garnish

Mix the oats, apple juice, yogurt and cinnamon in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. The mixture will become quite thick.

When ready to serve, stir in the grated apple, half of the raisins and half of the almonds. Thin the muesli with additional yogurt or milk to your desired consistency. (If you are on holiday, this is when you fold in the whipped cream.)

Divide between serving bowls. Drizzle with a little maple syrup, if using, and garnish with the remaining nuts, raisins and the coconut.

Cranberry Orange Option:

Substitute vanilla or honey yogurt for the plain yogurt; orange juice for the apple juice; walnuts for the almonds; dried cranberries for the raisins. Add 1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest.

Pear Cardamom Option:

Substitute grated pear for the apple; ground cardamom for the cinnamon; golden raisins for the raisins. Add 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest. Garnish with minced crystallized ginger.

Optional Toppings:

Sliced fruit or fresh berries

Pomegranate seeds

Goji berries

Chia seeds

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

The humble and satisfying sandwich can be found in nearly every culture. From classic American PB&Js to hoagies and burgers, wraps and clubs, pockets and panini, and an international smattering of open-face toasts and tartines, there is a version of a sandwich for every cuisine and appetite. In honor of the sandwich and its universal appeal, I submit to you a delectable recipe for banh mi, which is guaranteed to whisk you away from the daily humdrum of sheltering, ZOOM meetings, discordant news and the winter blues -- at least for lunch.

Banh mi is the Vietnamese rendition of a sandwich with French sensibilities. It’s a creation influenced by the lengthy colonization of Vietnam by France. French baguette, pate and mayonnaise meet the fragrance and spice of Southeast Asia, layered with lacquered meats, chiles, pickles and cilantro in a double-fisted whopper of a sandwich.

The appeal of banh mi lies in a perfect balance of spicy, salty, sweet and piquant flavors matched by a satisfying blend of textures -- crusty tender bread, sprigs of leafy herbs, sharp pickles and a creamy chile-spiked mayo sauce. It’s a loaded sandwich, and in keeping with sandwich ethos, a great way to repurpose leftover meats, such as pork, chicken and duck. In this recipe, the cooked meat is shredded and tossed in a sweet and salty vinaigrette, then reheated in the oven until warm and crisp. A smear of liver pate is an authentic addition to banh mi, but I have not included it, opting for another generous smear of the chile-spiked mayo. If you would like to add pate, then by all means do so.

Have a nice lunch break!

Banh Mi

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes, plus pickling time

Yield: Makes 4 sandwiches

Quick Pickles:

1 large carrot, peeled, cut into matchsticks

1 (4-inch) daikon, peeled, cut into matchsticks

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar

Spicy Mayo:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 to 2 teaspoons Asian hot sauce, such as Sriracha

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

For sandwich:

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons Asian hot sauce, such as Sriracha

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 to 1 pound cooked and shredded pork shoulder, chicken thigh meat or duck leg meat

4 crusty French dinner rolls or 1 French-style baguette cut into 4 (5-inch) pieces, split crosswise

1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced

1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, thinly sliced

1 cup fresh cilantro sprigs

Optional: 1/3 cup pate

Quick-pickle the vegetables: Combine the carrot and daikon in a bowl. Sprinkle the sugar and salt over and, using your fingers, rub the vegetables until the sugar and salt dissolve and the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the vinegar and let stand for at least 30 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 24 hours). Drain before using.

Whisk all of the mayo ingredients in a small bowl. Chill until use.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Whisk the soy sauce, sugar, oil, hot sauce and coriander in a bowl. Add the meat and mix to thoroughly coat. Spread the meat in a small baking dish. Transfer to the oven and cook until crisp and slightly caramelized in parts, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once.

To assemble, spread about 1 tablespoon mayo on each bottom roll half. Top with a layer of cucumber, then mound some quick pickles over the cucumber. Top with the meat. Arrange the jalapeno slices over the meat and top with cilantro sprigs. Spread more mayo (or pate, if desired) on the top roll half. Serve immediately.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS