A handful of frozen fish sticks becomes a proper dinner with fried potatoes and a squeeze of lemon. The sticks bake while you work, so there is no crowding in the pan and no waiting.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 380 calories a serving, 5 g protein, 45 g carbohydrate, 21 g fat. From USDA figures for 80% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the fish sticks on a baking sheet and put them in to bake while you work on the potatoes, about 15 minutes.
2. Dice 1 pound of potatoes into half-inch pieces. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the potatoes and cook, stirring often, until golden and tender, about 12 minutes.
3. When the potatoes are nearly done, mince 2 cloves of garlic and stir it into the pan, cooking for another minute until fragrant. Check that the fish sticks are golden and crisp, then pull them from the oven.1 min
4. Crush some of the potatoes with the back of your spoon so they break and crisp up more, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Divide the potatoes and fish sticks between two plates, squeeze fresh lemon over everything, and serve right away.

Note Swap the potatoes for frozen fries if you like. Leftovers keep for three days in a sealed container and reheat well in a hot skillet. Serve with a simple green salad or a jar of pickles on the side.

Three or four fish sticks become the fast protein in these tacos, crisped in a pan and tucked into warm tortillas with a quick cabbage slaw. This is what a tired cook makes when there is fish in the freezer and twenty minutes to dinner.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 650 calories a serving, 17 g protein, 67 g carbohydrate, 35 g fat. From USDA figures for 80% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add three or four fish sticks and cook without moving them until the bottoms are golden, about two minutes, then turn and cook the other side until crisp, another minute or two.5 min
2. While the fish sticks cook, slice half a small head of cabbage into thin ribbons and mince one garlic clove. Toss the cabbage with the garlic, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper in a bowl.
3. Warm four small flour tortillas in a dry pan over medium heat, about thirty seconds a side, until they are soft and pliable.2 min
4. Break the fish sticks into bite-sized pieces and tuck them into the warm tortillas with a handful of cabbage slaw. Serve the rest of the slaw on the side or folded into each taco.

Note Swap the cabbage for shredded iceberg lettuce or sliced radishes. Leftovers keep three days wrapped in foil in the cold box; reheat in a dry skillet. Serve with lime wedges, hot sauce, and a cold beer or sparkling water.

Half a box of fish sticks becomes dinner when you skip the oven and pan-fry them until golden, then dress them with a sharp vinegar sauce and crisp herbed breadcrumb topping. Takes twenty minutes and turns a freezer staple into something that feels considered.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 350 calories a serving, 4 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 28 g fat. From USDA figures for 86% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until a breadcrumb sizzles on contact. Working in one batch, lay the fish sticks in without crowding; fry for three minutes per side until golden and crisp, then lift to a plate with a slotted spatula.
2. In the same pan off heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 minced garlic clove over medium heat for one minute, stirring. Toast 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs in this butter for two minutes until fragrant and lightly browned, then season with salt and pepper to taste.2 min
3. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the fish sticks on the plate, then deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons white vinegar, scraping the bottom for all the fond. Drizzle this sharp sauce over the sticks and crumbs, taste, and adjust the salt.

Note Swap the vinegar for lemon juice or hot sauce if you have it. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for two days and are good cold or reheated gently in a low oven. Serve with lemon wedges, a sharp green salad, or rice to soak up the sauce.