Read, Eat, Gift: "Variation," Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna, and Holiday Gifts

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Saturday. After the Longest Cinematic Press Tour in History, I’m seeing Wicked this weekend — even if the memes have officially become…too much (I can’t unsee this one of Ariana Grande holding Cynthia Erivo’s index finger). What else was doing the most this week? Olivia Rodrigo’s Gen Z version of the whale tail, the resurgence of ‘00s statement jewelry (Lauren Conrad must be thrilled), and this chaotic TikTok hack that involves contouring your face with lip liner. While I process what I just watched, I’ll try out this “sexy but understated” naked-nail trend, contemplate the boho-esque “Olsen dip” hair look, and add Hailey Bieber’s breakfast-inspired lip tint to my collection. But no, I won’t be matching it to my, uh, underwear.

— Taylor Trudon / Writer, Culture & Lifestyle / Brooklyn, NY

This Veggie-Loaded, Supremely Cheesy Lasagna Couldn’t Be Easier To Make 

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If making lasagna in the middle of the week sounds utterly laughable, we’re here to correct the record — with the Natural Nurturer’s Quick-Baked Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna. A shining example of cooking ingenuity, this no-chop recipe calls for oven-ready noodles, frozen spinach, and your favorite store-bought pasta sauce to save time and effort. Add three types of cheese and a few minutes under the broiler, and you get the same melty deliciousness, almost-crunchy corners, and phenomenally comforting vibes…in less time than it takes to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show.

The Time Commitment: Roughly 55 minutes, which, it should be noted, is about half as long as many classic recipes. Plus, it serves 10 to 12, so freeze half — and your future self will thank you.

Key Tips: No fresh spinach? No problem — the recipe actually calls for frozen. Just be sure to drain any excess water once it’s defrosted, either by placing it in a mesh strainer and using the back of a spoon to press out the extra liquid, or wrapping it in a clean kitchen towel and squeezing out the water. Also, meat lovers should keep in mind that you can easily add ground turkey or beef to the layers.

Other Takes: For something more unconventional yet just as tasty, this Indian Style Vegetable Lasagna is “the ultimate fusion comfort food,” thanks to garam masala, Indian green chili, and cumin seeds. Or, try this autumnal-coded Butternut Squash Lasagna, which combines roasted squash and creamy spinach béchamel sauce into perfectly imperfect layers. Meanwhile, if you’re all about those golden edge pieces (arguably, the best part), this Sheet Pan Layerless Lasagna is made with broken pasta — so you get delightfully crispy bites throughout. You get a similar crunch with these Lasagna alla Vodka Roll Ups, which require a bit more assembly, but are well worth the extra effort.

Variation by Rebecca Yarros

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Wildly popular romantasy author Rebecca Yarros is back with a new novel — but this time, she's swapping dragons for dancers (sorry, Fourth Wing fans). Or, more accurately, one dancer: Alessandra Rousseau, an elite ballerina who suffers a potentially career-ending injury and heads to her summer home to recover. There, Allie has to contend with dark family secrets, a strained relationship with her mother, and the unexpected arrival of a precocious 10-year-old girl — which reconnects Allie with her first love, Hudson. Filled with complex characters and stunning twists, we wouldn’t be surprised if Netflix is already adapting Variation. We asked Yarros a few questions. Here’s what she had to say…

Q: What’s a corner of the internet you recently discovered?

Yarros: I’m a sucker for gardening videos on YouTube. Yes, I know exactly how old I sound when I say that, but you try growing asparagus and see how fast you run to the internet.

Q: What’s your most prized possession?

Yarros: My husband gave me a first-edition signed copy of East of Eden for my birthday this year, which is my favorite book of all time.

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island and could only eat one thing, what would it be?

Yarros: A club sandwich. Man, I never get tired of those things.

A Present Even the Pickiest Person Will Love

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We are less than a week away from Thanksgiving, which means a) you probably have a drive, flight, or train ride in your immediate future and b) holiday shopping season is in full swing. Our suggestion? Make good use of your travel time by stocking up on the gift gamers, movie buffs, bookworms, binge-watchers, music obsessives, and newsmongers alike can appreciate: Apple Gift Card. It’s like giving the gift of choice — and all the choices are things they’ll actually want.

📺 Between hit shows (like Slow Horses, The Morning Show, Ted Lasso, and Severance) and must-see movies (like The Instigators, Wolfs, CODA, Killers of the Flower Moon), using Apple Gift Card for Apple TV+ unlocks hours (and hours…and hours) of entertainment. 

🕹️ Got a gamer or two on your list? They’ll love using Apple Gift Card to make purchases in their favorite games on the App Store. We’re personally big fans of Monopoly GO! if you want to throw in a suggestion with your present. 

💻 With all the entertainment options above, it’s entirely possible that you forgot Apple Gift Card can also go toward what Apple was first famous for: tech. If your giftee’s got their eye on a new MacBook, iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, your gift can help make their dreams a reality.  

🎧 Yet another category your giftee can use Apple Gift Card for? Accessories. We’re talking chargers, phone cases, AirPods, Apple Watch bands, Magic Keyboards, AirTags…you get the gist. 

Psst…you can give Apple Gift Card via email or get a physical card to send or hand-deliver to your giftee. See what we mean about choices? Buy some now.*

We asked you to vote on an etiquette question you’d like answered. The winner was:

Q: I’m hosting Thanksgiving, and I’m worried about certain family members causing drama. Is it OK to make specific topics off-limits?

“[If] they’ve done it in the past, it’s absolutely appropriate to set some gentle but firm guidelines to ensure everyone has a pleasant and stress-free holiday. Make your expectations clear: ‘I can’t wait to see you next week. I’m asking everyone to keep their conversations light, bright, and merry — so please be respectful of each other and steer clear of any topics which could make fellow guests uncomfortable.’ It’s important to ask your guests privately and keep your tone upbeat.

[Also], ask your family and friends to help with the particular culprit by changing the subject, and [you should be prepared to] gently lean over and ask them to [talk about something else]. If you’re sitting next to Uncle Tony, don’t embarrass him, but make it clear the questions are offensive to fellow guests.”

Unleash your competitive side with today’s games and puzzles. Choose from an anagram word search, digital jigsaw puzzle, or crossword (with a twist). Better yet: Try them all.