Now more than ever, we’re seeking refuge in our own homes in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we navigate through these hard times, it’s important that we’re still feeding ourselves well.
Cooking a home-made meal for your family is always a fulfilling activity. In fact, some people say that the simple comforts of cooking will cure all the sadness of today and tomorrow.
Here are five quarantine-friendly recipes you can cook at home. With minimal ingredients, short cooking times, and easy to follow recipes, we’re sure you won’t mess this up and will impress your family.
Banana Bread
To start, here’s a recipe for banana bread. A moist bread made with a few ingredients and short baking time is the perfect recipe for this quarantine. Here’s a moist recipe from Allrecipes.com.
Ingredients
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- One teaspoon of baking soda
- Half teaspoon of salt
- One cup of white sugar
- Two large, beaten eggs
- A quarter cup of melted butter
- Three medium, mashed bananas
Method
- Grease and flour two 7×3 inch loaf pans. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius.
- In one bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, salt, and sugar. Mix in the slightly beaten eggs, melted butter, and mashed bananas. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour into the prepared pans.
- Bake at 175 degrees Celsius for one hour, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Ram-Dons
Do you have a few packs of instant noodles laying around in your kitchen cupboards? Although Ram-Dons aren’t the most universally available meal to make, as far as minimal-ingredient cooking goes, it’s pretty high up on the list. It can also be made versatile if you have any type of protein such as steak, tofu, chicken, or eggs. You can make yourself a makeshift gourmet meal with those and additional ingredients such as some greens, herbs, and other bits – it’ll take your recipe up a notch. Here’s a beef recipe version from foodisafourletterword.com.
Ingredients
- One packet of Chapagetti (instant noodles made by Nongshim)
- One packet of Neoguri (instant noodles made by Nongshim)
- 12 oz Sirloin or ribeye steak
- Half a teaspoon of salt
- A quarter teaspoon of ground black pepper
- One teaspoon of vegetable oil
- One tablespoon of salted butter
Method
- Use a blade tenderizer and push the needles through the whole steak. Cut into 2cm cubes then season with half a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of ground black pepper. Place the oil into a cast iron pan on high heat. Add the steak and let it sit for a minute. Add the butter and continue to brown all sides of the steak until it’s done to your liking.
- While cooking the steak, fill a pot with five cups of water. Once boiled, add the two packets of vegetable mix and noodles. Boil for three minutes, stir the noodles. Reserve ¾ cup of the cooking water and drain the noodles. Pour the reserved water and add the oil packet and two soup base packets. Stir well. Add the noodles and stir until the sauce starts to thicken. Turn off the heat, add the steak and toss to combine.
Cheesy Bacon Breakfast Burrito
Breakfast burritos are essential during the quarantine. It’s a quick and easy recipe that can be done in just under 15 minutes. Filled with sizzling bacon, smokey eggs, gooey cheese, fresh avocado, and topped with cheese, these breakfast burritos are not only delicious but also perfect any time of day. Here’s the most ravishing recipe from delish.com.
Ingredients
- Eight slices of bacon
- One packet of frozen hash browns
- Eight large eggs
- 1/3 cup of milk
- Four tablespoons of butter
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Four large flour tortillas
- Half a cup of shredded cheddar
- One ripe, sliced avocado
- Hot sauce for serving
Method
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy – about 8 minutes per batch. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and pour off half the fat.
- Cook the hash browns according to packet directions in the bacon fat and transfer to a plate.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Wipe out the skillet, place over medium heat, and melt the butter. When the butter is just starting to foam, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the beaten eggs. Using a rubber spatula, stir occasionally until soft curds form. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble burritos: In the centre of each tortilla, layer hash browns, scrambled eggs, cheese, two slices of bacon, and sliced avocado. Fold in the two sides and roll up tightly. Serve with hot sauce.
Crepes
Crepes are one of the most essential and versatile recipes every home cook should know. If you’ve never made them, it’s time to see what you’ve been missing with this easy five-ingredient recipe. This recipe is the perfect blank canvas for any sweet and savoury filling you can think of, from mushroom and cheese to strawberries and Nutella. Here’s a quick recipe from allrecipes.com.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- Two eggs
- Half cup of milk
- Half cup of water
- A quarter teaspoon of salt
- Two tablespoons melted butter
Method
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
- Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
- Cook the crepe for about two minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.
(https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16383/basic-crepes/)
Mac n Cheese Bites
Have you been devouring the boxed mac n cheese this past week? Why not step up your mac n cheese game and make mac n cheese bites? This is a six-ingredient recipe crammed into small muffins pans. They’re perfect as a filling snack when you’re too lazy to make a whole meal. Here’s a favourite recipe from fifteenspatulas.com.
Ingredients
- 8 oz macaroni
- Two tablespoons of salted butter
- Quarter tablespoon of paprika – use smoked paprika if you have it
- Two tablespoons of flour
- Half a cup of whole milk
- 8 oz grated mature cheddar cheese
- Chopped chives or scallions for garnish
- Butter for greasing the pan
Method
- After you’ve grated your cheddar, melt a few tablespoons of butter with some paprika in a big pot.
- Add flour to make a roux, then whisk in some milk, al dente macaroni, and your cheese.
- Cram big handfuls of the macaroni into the cups of a mini muffin pan and get ready to put them into the oven.
- Bake them until they’re bubbly and gooey, and top them with some snipped chives or chopped scallion greens:
- Let them cool for about 10 minutes before attempting to take them out of the pan, then serve promptly while warm.
