Recipes in Quarantine

By: Jenna Lam (Grade 11) and Deborah Jin (Grade 12)

Bored in quarantine? Why not try a hand at a couple of recipes? 

If there’s one thing that can make anyone feel better during these times, it’s food. 

I know what you’re thinking. Duh, food is necessary if we want to live. That is true, but we also eat food for so many more reasons. We eat if our previous meal wasn’t fulfilling. We eat popcorn during a movie. We have snacks during recess to keep us energized. Heck, we sometimes even eat because we’re bored! 

Being in quarantine can be boring, which is why I’ve compiled a mini recipe book. You’ll find a recipe for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with levels ranging from easy to intermediate. See which one suits your taste. How about giving it a go?

As many say, breakfast is the most important meal! For me personally, eating breakfast is especially awesome because it sets you on track for the rest of the day. Here are two recipes to choose from for the morning: 

Strawberry Scones with Lemon Glaze: 

Time: 32 minutes 

Yield: 8 scones 

Author: Ashley Manila (https://bakerbynature.com/fresh-strawberry-scones-lemon-glaze/)

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into cubes and cold
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup fresh strawberries, roughly chopped

For the egg wash:

• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar, for sprinkling on top 

For the lemon glaze:

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup confectioners sugar

Instructions (as noted by the recipe linked above): 

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and zest.
3. Cut the butter into small cubes then work it into the mixture (using your fingers) until it resembles a coarse meal.

*Jenna’s Tip: Try not to overwork the dough, otherwise it will become too heavy! I made this mistake.*

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk, then add to flour and butter. Use the fork to stir everything together until just moistened.
2. Add strawberries and gently stir into dough. Don’t worry if some of the berries break up a bit or don’t stick in the dough; just shove them back in.
3. Empty the loose dough out onto a clean, floured work surface, then shape the dough into an 8-inch circle.
4. Cut the dough into 8 wedges and carefully transfer to the prepared sheet.
5. Lightly brush each scone with the egg wash, then sprinkle the top of each scone with a light dusting of sugar.
6. Bake for about 16 minutes, or until light golden brown.
7. Cool for about 10 minutes.
8. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice and confectioners sugar. Drizzle over warm scones and serve at once.
9. Enjoy!

 

Photo credit: Ashley Manila 

Classic Omelette:

Time: 25 minutes 

Yield: 1 serving

Author: Matthew Johnson (https://tasty.co/recipe/classic-omelette)

Ingredients: 

• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon butter
• spinach, cooked, optional
• tomato, chopped, optional
• mushroom, sliced and sautéed, optional
• cheese, optional
• chives, chopped, optional

Instructions (as noted by the recipe linked above): 

1. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs.
2. Melt the butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat.
3. Pour in the beaten eggs. Stir and shake the pan, moving the eggs around until a few curds form. Reduce the heat to low, then flatten the eggs until the still-runny egg covers the entire bottom of the pan. Add any fillings that you would like.
4. Let the omelette cook until the eggs are fully set, 1-2 minutes, then gently roll the omelette and transfer to a plate. The surface should be smooth with no color.
5. Sprinkle with chives, if desired.
6. Enjoy!

 

Photo credit: Matthew Johnson/Tasty Team 

 

Fancy Instant Ramen

Time: 30 minutes 

Yield: 1 serving 

Author: Matthew Johnson (https://tasty.co/recipe/faux-shoyu-ramen)

Ingredients: 

• 1 package instant ramen, prepared
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 sheets toasted nori snack, sliced
• 1 soft-boiled egg, halved
• 3 slices thick bacon, cooked
• 2 teaspoons scallions, thinly sliced
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• black sesame seed, toasted, for garnish, optional

Instructions (as noted by the recipe linked above):

1. To a pot with 2 cups (480 ml) of boiling water add the ramen seasoning packet and a tablespoon of butter. Stir until the butter melts and then add the ramen noodle cube and cook until the noodles become tender, 2 minutes. Pour the ramen into a bowl.

*Jenna’s Tip: I also added peanut butter, highly recommended by many. It sounds weird, I know. But it goes very well with the noodles! Don’t knock it till you tried it, folks.*

1. To the prepared ramen, add the soy sauce and stir to incorporate.
2. Top with the nori, egg, bacon, scallions, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.
3. Enjoy!

 

Photo credit: Mathew Johnson/ Tasty Team 

 

One Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta 

Time: 39 minutes 

Yield: 4 servings

Author: Tasty (https://tasty.co/recipe/one-pot-garlic-parmesan-pasta)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth (470 mL)
• 1 cup milk (235 mL)
• 8 oz fettuccine (225 g)
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (25 g)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions (as noted by the recipe linked above):

1. Heat unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

*Jenna’s Note: You can also add in a protein at this time, like chicken!*

1. Add in the chicken broth, milk, and fettuccine. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked through, about 18-20 minutes.
3. Stir in Parmesan. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.
4. Serve immediately, and top with parsley.

*Jenna’s Note: Parsley is totally optional. It does make it look prettier, though!*

Enjoy!

Photo credit: Tasty Team 

I hope you enjoy these recipes! In truth, I’m not much of a cook myself – but quarantine is the best time to improve your ‘chef’ skills. Good luck in the kitchen!