This chicken nugget recipe comes from legendary cookbook author Mark Bittman, whose latest installment in his “How to Cook Everything” series is built around kids’ cooking. Set to debut Oct. 15, “How to Cook Everything Kids” (Harvest, $35) is written especially for the younger set, teaching them cooking techniques as they prepare their favorite dishes.

These chicken nuggets are crispy, easy to prepare and “waayyyy better than what you get at a drive-up window,” Bittman writes. “If you double this recipe, you’ll have enough for a lot of hungry people, or make enough to freeze the leftovers in an airtight container to heat later in the microwave.”

Chicken Mark Nuggets

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 pound boneless chicken (tenders, breasts, cutlets or thighs)

Salt and pepper

1 cup whole milk

4 cups cornflakes

3 tablespoons good-quality vegetable oil, plus more as needed

DIRECTIONS

In “How to Cook Everything Kids” by Mark Bittman (Harvest, $35), the author highlights kid-friendly recipes to cook at home. (Courtesy Harvest)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the chicken into chunks about 2 inches long. Put them in a medium bowl, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and pour in the milk. Toss with a fork until the pieces are all coated with the milk. Let the chicken sit while you get everything ready to cook.

Put the cornflakes in a shallow bowl and crumble them with your hands or a potato masher. Crush the flakes into crumbs about the size of coarse bread crumbs. (For a more even coating, make finer crumbs by pulsing the cornflakes in a blender or food processor.)

To set up for breading and baking, put a large rimmed baking sheet on a counter or table and smear the bottom with the oil. On one side (depending on whether you like to work from the left or the right), put the bowl with the crumbs. Next to that, put the bowl with the chicken.

Toss the chicken again with the fork to make sure all the pieces are wet. With tongs (or your hands), one at a time lift a piece of chicken from the bowl and roll it in crumbs until coated all over. As you work, put the pieces on the oiled pan, spreading them out so they’re evenly placed without touching. (Be sure to wash your hands once you’re done with this step.)

Bake: Set a timer for 10 minutes and let the chicken bake without touching. You’re looking for a crunchy-looking golden brown crust to form on the bottom as the oil sizzles. You’ll see it around the edges when the pieces are ready, and you’ll be able to turn them easily without tugging. Tongs are the best tool to avoid splatters, but sometimes a stiff spatula can help loosen every bit from the pan. If they’re not ready to turn when the timer goes off, set it for another 5 minutes and check again to see if they’re ready to turn.

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If you used breasts or tenders, bake the second side for another 5 minutes (or 8 minutes for thighs). You want the second side to be about the same color as the first. To test for doneness, carefully remove the pan and cut into a piece with a fork and small knife so you can peek. The meat should feel firm against the fork and cut easily, and you’ll see no pink. The juices should be clear. You don’t have to check every piece once you get the hang of what they look like.

Sprinkle the nuggets with a little salt and pepper if you like. Serve them plain, or with a condiment or homemade sauce for dipping on the side.

Variations

Fish: Instead of the chicken, use firm thick fish fillets like salmon, cod, catfish or halibut. Everything else in the recipe stays the same. Follow the cooking times for chicken breasts.

Pork or beef: Instead of the chicken, use boneless beef or pork sirloin or loin chops or steak. Everything else in the recipe stays the same. Follow the cooking times for chicken thighs.

— Mark Bittman, “How to Cook Everything Kids” (Harvest, $35, due out Oct. 15)

Firing up the grill is a great way to cook up something delicious — and fast. This recipe for grilled lemon harissa chicken comes from recipe author Caroline Chambers, who includes it in her new cookbook, “What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking” (Union Square & Co., $35).

Harissa, a North African spice paste made with dried chiles, garlic, citrus and extra-virgin olive oil, is a great quick marinade for meat, Chambers says. You can also dollop the spice paste into soup or scrambled eggs or stir it into something creamy, like sour cream or yogurt, to create a dipping sauce. Here it adds incredible flavor to poultry.

“The grill is my secret weapon for quick weeknight cooking,” she say. “There’s barely any cleanup afterward!”

Grilled Lemon Harissa Chicken

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon harissa, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Kosher salt

1 lemon, plus more as needed

3 medium zucchini

3/4 cup labneh, sour cream or plain full-fat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup soft herbs, such as dill, parsley, chives, basil or a mix

DIRECTIONS

Heat an outdoor grill to medium-high (400 to 450 degrees).

“What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking” by Caroline Chambers (Courtesy Union Square & Co.)

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons of the harissa, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 teaspoons salt. Using a Microplane, grate in the zest of the lemon, then halve the lemon and squeeze in the juice from one half (reserve the other half for the sauce). Toss to coat.

Halve the zucchini crosswise, then slice into 1/4-inch-thick planks. Add the zucchini on top of the chicken (yes, it can touch the raw chicken), drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Use your hands to coat the zucchini in oil and salt — it’s fine if some of the harissa gets on the zucchini, but you don’t want to totally toss the zucchini and chicken together.

Grill the chicken and zucchini for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until the chicken registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and the zucchini is very, very tender — like, smushy! It’s so good when it’s a bit smushy. Transfer everything from the grill to a large serving platter. Let the chicken rest.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a medium bowl, stir together the labneh, the remaining 1 teaspoon harissa, the juice of the remaining lemon half, and ¼  teaspoon salt. Taste and add more harissa or lemon juice if you want.

Tear some soft herbs right over top for a pop of color and freshness. Throw everything on the table and let everyone serve themselves!

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Tip:  No grill? Throw everything onto a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet and roast at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken breast reaches 160 degrees (it will continue cooking while it rests to reach a safe 165 degrees).

— Caroline Chambers, “What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking” (Union Square & Co., $35)

San Diego’s Dexcom began sales this week of Stelo, the industry’s first FDA-approved continuous glucose monitor that doesn’t require a prescription. With a two-pack of the biosensor costing just under $100 per month, the local company aims to tap a new market of users and increase access to this technology.

Now, people without health insurance coverage for such devices have the option to buy Stelo directly from Dexcom’s website. The device is geared toward adults 18 years and older with type 2 diabetes who are not taking insulin and who do not have problematic hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. The device can be worn for up to 15 days before needing to be replaced.

A one-off purchase of a single pack with two sensors — which lasts 30 days — costs $99. There’s also a monthly subscription option, which costs $89 for two sensors to be delivered every 30 days. The device is eligible to be purchased using funds from a Flexible Spending Account or a Health Savings Account.

Stelo — which was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for over-the-counter use in March — is a wearable device that fits in the palm of your hand. It is worn on the back of the user’s upper arm to track blood glucose levels — no finger prick required. Stelo connects to a smartphone application as it constantly measures, records and analyzes the user’s glucose levels and then presents those results in the app every 15 minutes.

For more than two decades, Dexcom has been a pioneer of the technology that helps patients manage diabetes via continuous glucose monitors. Now, the company hopes to reach people who don’t have health insurance coverage for this kind of device, people who don’t take insulin and those with prediabetes who simply want to track their blood glucose levels.

“With the launch of Stelo, we’re defining a brand-new category and once again setting the gold standard for people to easily take control of their health,” said Jake Leach, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Dexcom. “Now, millions more have access to 24/7, easy-to-understand glucose insights that can inform their daily lifestyle choices and support behavior modification.”

Dexcom said the use of its continuous glucose monitors on its own or alongside other diabetes or weight management tools can help people understand how different foods or activities affect their glucose levels.

When Dexcom announced the rollout of Stelo earlier this summer, industry analysts noted the opportunity to tap a growing market of users beyond diabetes patients. Part of this untapped group could be a result of more awareness of metabolic health and disorders as well as the popularity of GLP-1 weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy.

“Dexcom glucose biosensors are an essential and proven tool for diabetes management — driving strong clinical outcomes regardless of medication use and even potentially slowing the progression of diabetes,” said Thomas Grace, MD, head of clinical advocacy and outcomes at Dexcom. “In a world where GLP-1 use is becoming increasingly more common, glucose biosensors like Stelo can help make those medications more effective.”

By Elizabeth Renter | NerdWallet

Home prices may have come down from their 2022 high, but they remained out of reach for the typical would-be first-time buyer in the second quarter, especially in the nation’s most populous areas.

Buying a home in this market can be particularly hard for people who haven’t done it before. First-time buyers traditionally have lower incomes and less established credit than repeat home buyers. Further, they generally make smaller down payments — 8%, on average, according to the most recent Profile of Buyers & Sellers from the National Association of Realtors, compared with 19% for repeat buyers. Buying a first home has arguably never been easy, but it’s gotten extremely difficult under current conditions.

With a down payment of 8%, housing payments on a typically priced home in the second quarter of 2024 would equate to almost half of the median gross monthly income for Americans of first-time buyer age.

Making a larger down payment or choosing a less desirable home could make this initial purchase easier, but not all homebuying hopefuls will find those options possible.

Housing payments for first-time buyers: 49% of income

The average sticker price for a home in the second quarter of this year was $439,000, according to NerdWallet analysis of Realtor.com data. But the advertised price of a home is far from the only consideration of affordability.

For that reason, we examined the potential housing payment for first-time buyers in the second quarter. This payment not only accounts for the price of the home, but also the typical first-time buyer down payment, mortgage rate, real estate taxes, homeowners insurance and PMI, or private mortgage insurance — a requirement on conventional mortgages financed with less than 20% down.

That estimated monthly housing payment using the nationwide average home price was close to $3,500 in the second quarter of the year. That’s 49% of the median income for Americans in the first-time home buyer age group. And estimated payments in some of the country’s largest metro areas were considerably higher.

First-time home buyer tip: In the highest-priced markets such as Los Angeles, New York and San Diego, putting 8% down on a home may not be feasible. That’s because typical home prices in these areas are well over one million dollars, and would require what’s known as a jumbo mortgage. Currently, loans over $766,550 exceed the cap for conforming loans, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and jumbo loans generally have stricter standards, including larger down payment requirements. Buyers in these markets will need higher-than-average incomes, larger down payments and flexibility on their side to become homeowners.

In other areas, buyers hoping to put less than 20% of the sale price down have more options. Many lenders offer loans with lower down payments — as low as 3% — and most states have first-time home buyer programs with benefits such as down payment assistance.

Buyers (and borrowers) have a few options

One lesson that became apparent to home buyers over the past few years: You can’t take low mortgage rates for granted. After several years of rates below 5% (with periods even below 3%), current rates are a reminder that it’s not only home prices that matter in home affordability calculations. Borrowers can take some steps to ensure they qualify for the lowest rates available, but lenders will only go so low. Home down payments are another input that can have a considerable impact on how much buyers spend each month.

Increasing a down payment from 8% to 12%, for example, can shave several hundred dollars off of the monthly housing cost. But if possible, increasing your down payment to 20% can eliminate the PMI requirement on a conventional loan.

First-time home buyer tip: To be sure, putting 20% down on a high-priced home won’t be possible for all first-time buyers. It’s an especially tall order when homes are priced as high as they are now. But the larger your down payment, the less you have to finance, and every bit helps. So, for instance, if you’re waiting for mortgage rates to come down a bit, using that time to intentionally squirrel away more in savings means you can also take out a smaller loan when you’re ready to start shopping. If you hope to buy in the coming months, keeping your down payment fund in a high-yield savings account ensures it’s readily available. But if you plan on waiting a year or two and can stand putting the money out of reach, a certificate of deposit may offer higher rates.

Inventory deficit remains the driver of high prices

The high home prices we currently see are a direct result of too few homes. This low supply in the face of high demand drives prices up. And currently, the supply is so low that even seasonal quarterly gains in inventory aren’t enough to provide relief.

The second quarter of the year generally brings more listings to the market, and Q2 of 2024 was no different. Across the country, the number of homes on the market rose by 17% compared with the previous quarter, and a generous 34% compared to last year’s second quarter. Despite these gains, list prices rose 4% in the second quarter.

While inventory continues to climb, the current number of homes on the market at any given time is still at a significant deficit from where it was before the pandemic.

First-time home buyer tip: In the past, first-time buyers began their homeownership journey with a “starter” home — something smaller or a home that needed some work — to help keep the price point reasonable. But in this market where homes are few and far between, starter homes are difficult to find. One way to increase the number of homes available to you is to expand your search. Whether geographically — looking at homes in different neighborhoods or even towns — or by considering home types or features that aren’t on your long-term wishlist, the more flexible you are in your homebuying journey, the more likely you are to find something that fits the bill.

The analysis methodology is available in the original article, published at NerdWallet.

Elizabeth Renter writes for NerdWallet. Email: elizabeth@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @elizabethrenter.

The article Q2 Affordability Obstacles Hinder Would-Be First-Time Home Buyers originally appeared on NerdWallet.