Quarantine has certainly changed our perspective on cooking. Many of us have found ourselves in the kitchen way more than usual (seriously, they want breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day?), and others have found the practice of baking sourdough bread and cookies to be therapeutic during this challenging time. People in quarantine often find themselves looking both for distractions and for activities to fill the time. Some try to learn new skills like gardening or find themselves adjusting planned events by hosting a virtual Father's Day or virtual book club. Others focus on giving back to their community.
Cooking can be a great way to do all of these things. Whether you grew up cooking at your mama's knee or you're not sure which button turns the oven on, trying out new recipes or projects is a great way to pass the time, to institute some semblance of normalcy to your life, and to ensure that you and your family (and even friends and neighbors) have nutritious, good food to eat. Plus, it's a great way to pick up some skills you may even want to use after the quarantine is over.
From basics like bread, biscuits, and chicken, to more involved recipes like stews, soups, and even ice cream, here are 20 recipes with delicious results that make them well worth the time and attention to make them really well. If you've got time on your hands or are looking for some new recipes to add to your repertoire, pick one of these projects, and give it a whirl. You'll be glad you did.
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1
Easy No-Knead Bread
You may have heard something over the last few months about the surprising rise (ha!) in popularity of sourdough. And it's great! But it can be complicated, too. If you're new to breadmaking, this no-knead recipe will get you far-better-than-grocery results with a lot less effort, so it's a good place to start.
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2
Homemade Pizza Dough
Put a homemade spin on pizza night! Beyond bread, one of the easiest—and most satisfying—things you can do with dough is to learn to make pizza.
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3
Spinach-Artichoke Deep-Dish Pizza
And here's a recipe worth making that pizza dough for. The creamy white sauce is comforting and delicious—and a step up from jarred marinara.
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4
Mile-High Flaky Biscuits
Another oh-so-worthwhile way to make dough into delicious comfort food, learning to make extra flaky biscuits is well worth the effort.
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5
White Wine Coq Au Vin
This is a time for making comfort food, and there are few foods more comforting than this delicious, slow-cooking dish. Pour yourself a glass of wine, and spend an afternoon making a meal you'll really enjoy.
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6
Cauliflower Mac 'n' Cheese
While comfort is important, so is staying healthy. Thankfully, there are recipes like this, where puréed cauliflower lends both a creamy texture and a healthy boost to mac 'n' cheese.
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7
Cheddar, Bacon, and Chive Quick Bread
Keep this recipe in your pocket for when it's not exactly meal time, but you find yourself needing to make something anyway. It keeps well, makes a great snack or side, and will keep you busy for an hour or so.
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8
Crispy Chicken Thighs With Garlic and Rosemary
Not every recipe you make during quarantine needs to be super involved, however. An alternative to fried chicken, this 20-minute recipe is worth learning. It yields extra crispy flavor, and is thankfully easy to do.
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9
Blackberry-Glazed Chicken
If you're ready to take things up a notch, then mixing up a simple glaze to top your chicken is a great way to add flavor. When they're in season, fresh blackberries combined with mustard, vinegar, and wine creates a powerful combo of flavors that complement rich, smoky grilled chicken.
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10
Classic Buttermilk Fried Chicken
If you're yearning for a really good plate of fried chicken, this is the perfect time to learn to make it at home. Your reward for the work: extra fresh, super crispy chicken flavored exactly the way that you want.
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11
Potato Gnocchi with Pork Ragù
Another great thing to learn to make while you have the time is fresh pasta—and there's no better place to start than easy, pillowy, potato gnocchi.
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12
Seared Salmon, Watercress, and Potato Salad With Olive Dressing
If you're looking for something filling but healthy and easy to make, but that you can pour plenty of time into the assembly if you want, then a composed salad is your friend. This can come together in minutes with premade ingredients out of the fridge, or you can distract yourself by arranging all the parts in perfect relation to each other. Either way, you'll have a meal that is a delight to eat.
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13
Oven-Roasted Pulled Pork with Sweet-and-Spicy Sauce
This pulled pork recipe takes its time cooking low and slow in the oven. It's largely unattended, but it will fill your house with the most delicious smells.
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14
Sweet-and-Smoky Cedar-Planked Salmon
If you've been leery of cooking seafood at home, this easy, delightful salmon recipe is the place to start. It's packed with flavor. Pair it with Vegetable Kebabs with Lemon-Scallion Vinaigrette.
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15
Vegetable Kebabs with Lemon-Scallion Vinaigrette
If you're looking for something new and different to do with vegetables, give them a turn on the grill. Roast them until they become soft and sweet, with just the slightest hint of char.
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16
Seafood and Sausage Stew
This rich, summery seafood stew is aromatic, filling, and will give you a whole new approach to cooking with seafood.
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17
Ginger Garlic Chicken Ramen
Another soup that you may not have known you could make at home is restaurant-quality ramen. You'll want to take your time and practice to get the combo of flavors in the soup base just right.
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18
Caramel-Chocolate-Walnut Thumbprint Cookies
What would quarantine cooking be without sweet treats? Now is the time, if ever there was one, to treat yourself and the family to something purely for the pleasure of it. These simple thumbprint cookies are an easy start.
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19
Coconut Angel Cake
If you're looking to make something a little more involved, try your hand at a layer cake. Here, toasted coconut gives this simple cake an incredibly rich flavor.
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20
Ice Cream
Learn to make homemade ice cream, and you may be surprised while you didn't try it sooner. Here's a basic vanilla recipe, that is both classic and delicious. Start with that, and then proceed to as many different flavors as your heart desires.
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Related: 20 Best Ice Cream Makers to Buy This Summer
