Sunday Paper Recommends—Week of November 2, 2025
This week at The Sunday Paper, we're sharing a new book, podcast, and film that we believe will add inspiration to your days. We hope these suggestions open your heart and mind and encourage you to come together for meaningful conversations.
At The Sunday Paper, we often discover books, podcasts, films, and other works that move the needle and spark inspiring change. This week, we are thrilled to hand the mic again to our Sunday Paper PLUS readers! Our thanks to Lisa, Isabel, and Ivy for their recommendations. We hope these suggestions open your heart and mind and encourage you to come together for meaningful conversations.
What We’re Watching
Maya Rudolph has that specific energy that's hard to describe but irresistible to watch, and it's on full display in her hit Apple TV+ series “Loot,” which is back with a season three. In the show, Rudolph plays Molly Wells, the divorcee of a tech multi-billionaire who is searching for her purpose in life. Her character is many things—goofy, kind, irreverent, and yearning—and has a taste for a lavish lifestyle. But in the new season, things evolved further as Molly seeks to give away all of her vast fortune. This show is the escape we all need right now, with moments of fun, hilarity, and unexpected humanity that are a needed respite.
What We’re Reading
For decades, Joyce Vance has been on a mission to protect democracy—and she has no plans to slow down. The law professor, MSNBC legal analyst, and former US Attorney pours her intellect into keeping American citizens enlivened and informed. She's been doing so via her hit Substack Civil Discourse, which she signs off every essay with "we're in this together." And most recently, Vance had delivered to our democracy the book it needs: Giving Up Is Unforgivable. In her highly anticipated first book, Vance offers words to help every one of us stay civically engaged to save our Republic. She provides context for the crisis and offers a roadmap for where we can go together, as informed and involved citizens. Vance's voice is hopeful, clear, and powerful—and this book is a clarion call to roll up our sleeves and protect the most precious entity we have: our democracy.
What We’re Listening To
It's the album countless people have turned to for more than forty years. The low-fi compilation of songs is so rich that they feel like they were made from the depths of your emotions. The dazzling creation of a then-burgeoning singer-songwriter. It's Nebraska, the brilliant 1982 album by Bruce Springsteen, that is now getting a new lease on life. Nebraska 82 is the new five-disc, extended version of the album, featuring remastered versions of the original album, incredible electric sessions with the E Street Band, and more. The 37-track boxed set goes deep into the history, sound, and intention of one of the greatest albums created by one of today's most prolific musicians.
Sunday Paper Recipe
Dominican Pollo Guisado: Stewed Chicken with Soy Sauce & Sugar
Servings: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Marinade for 6 to 12 hours
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, chopped into dark and white pieces
1 lime, juiced
1 Tbsp adobo seasoning
1/2 packet chicken bouillon, powdered
1 tsp ground oregano
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 red onion, large, sliced
1/4 cup corn oil
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp Mazanillo olives, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped, divided in half
Directions
1 Remove the skin from the chicken , except for the wings and drumette, keeping just a little bit of the fat on
each piece. This helps enrich the flavor of the sauce when you stew the chicken.
2 Wash the chicken. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water and swirl the pieces it it for about 1 minute. Drain the water.
3 In the same bowl, add the juice of 1 lime. Add water to cover the chicken parts. Work the lime and water mixture into the pieces for about 1 minute. Drain the water but do not rinse the chicken pieces this time.
4 In the same bowl, add the adobo, oregano, chicken bouillon powder, salt, black pepper, and soy sauce. Stir well. Cover the chicken.
5 Marinate the chicken in the fridge for 6 hours minimum. Overnight is preferred to obtain maximum flavor.
6 Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge.
7 Clean, seed, remove the membranes and slice the green and red bell peppers. Slice the onion.
8 Finely chop the cilantro and salad olives.
9 Add the bell pepper and onion slices and 1 Tbsp of the chopped cilantro back in the the bowl with the marinated chicken. Mix together.
10 In a large skillet or Dutch oven, pour in the corn oil and set to high heat.
11 Immediately add the sugar to the center of the pan.
12 One you notice the sugar is beginning to caramelize, turning a deep brown and smoking, add the first piece of chicken right on top of the sugar and move it to the side.
13 Continue the same process with the rest of the chicken pieces until they are all in the skillet or Dutch oven, cooking.
14 Let the chicken pieces cook for about 4 to 5 more minutes.
15 In the meantime, add 1/2 cup water to the bowl with the chicken marinade, still filled with the sliced green and red bell peppers and red onion.
16 Turn over each of the chicken pieces. They may look dark brown and slightly burnt, but it's just the sugar doing its job. The caramelized sugar will eventually distribute to the rest of each chicken piece, and give the entire dish that great golden color.
17 Add about 3 Tbsp of the seasoned liquid from marinade bowl to the skillet or Dutch over the chicken now cooking.
18 Lower the heat to medium low.
19 Add about 2 Tbsp of the seasoned liquid to the chicken every 5 minutes or so for a total of 30 minutes. If you run low on seasoning liquid, just add more water to the marinade bowl.
20 Time in the fridge is key after marinading the chicken, says Belqui. “Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours. For optimal flavor, marinate the chicken overnight. Heck, even 24 hours is good. Trust me on that one!” When the 30 minutes are up, add the bell peppers, onions, tomato paste and olives to the pot.
21 Stir well and let the stewed chicken mixture cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't dry out too soon.
22 After the 15 minutes, when the liquid is fully absorbed, the dish is done. Sprinkle with the rest of the chopped cilantro and serve with a side of white rice for a classic Dominican dish Belqui promises will become your new favorite chicken.
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