What Should I Make Next? Your Quarantine Recipe Index

Happy Friday, Everyone. Tonight, we’re celebrating getting through three weeks of quarantine with a classic comfort food dinner: Roast Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and a peanut-y kale-cabbage slaw I’ve been meaning to test for my next book. We’ve been trying to think of something to do this weekend that might differentiate a weekend day from a weekday day. (A 10-mile family walk instead of a 2-mile one? Eat in the dining room instead of the kitchen? Wear eyeliner?) Ideas welcome! Today, I wanted to list all the quarantine recipes we’ve made, all in one place. I hope this will help you organize your own cooking and shopping if you’re hitting the supermarket this weekend. I’ll be back to regularly scheduled programming on Monday.

Projects: Mostly Baking, Mostly Sweets

Pound Cake
Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies
Blondies
Pancakes
Apple Pie
Crepes (Nutella & Strawberry)
No-Knead Bread
Bon Appetit’s Shockingly Easy No-Knead Focaccia
Vanilla Pudding
Dutch Baby
M&M Cookies
Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Yeasted Overnight Waffles
Banana Bread

Pantry: Mostly Dinners, Mostly Veg

Potato-Cheddar Pizza
Crepes, Ham & Cheese
Curried Red Lentils
Chicken Noodle Soup
Tomato-White Bean Soup
Andy’s Frittata
Quinoa Bowl with Spinach and Egg
Three-Bean Chili with or without Beyond Meat
Easy Tofu Bowls with Greens
Tomato-and-Pea Risotto
Feel-Your-Way Hummus
Spiced Chickpea Stew
Pasta Con Ceci
Egg Salad with Pickled Onions
Cuban-Style Beans

And yes, my dinner diary, shown above, is still alive and kicking, and in fact just celebrated its 22nd birthday. (I can’t wait to read back these pages as a detached anthropologist, as opposed to what I am now, a scared person cooking her way through a crisis.) You’ll also note that lately, we haven’t been as strict about our weekday vegetarian eating — but I imagine that will be back on track soon.

Stay safe, stay home.

The goal of the Project, Pantry, Purpose series to keep us sane, distracted, and connected. Please continue to comment below with suggestions for recipes, projects (for kids and adults), good deeds, donation ideas, stories, movies, games, puzzles. Or just tell me how you’re doing, what your daily routine is, and how DALS can help you or people in your community. You can also email me directly at jenny@dinneralovestory.com.

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12 Comments

Heidimia

Thank you so much for posting every weekday and sharing your thoughts. I’m thinking for tonight I’ll make things easy by throwing together some nachos and watching a movie together as a family. Hope you have a lovely weekend. Thanks for the links for all the recipes. I’m looking forward to your next book coming out 🙂

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Gina

Hi Jenny, long time reader of your blog and lover of your recipes! Thanks for creating a happy slice of the internet, especially during these current times. Since you asked for project suggestions, I want to share my sister’s new Etsy store. It features beautiful collage making kits – good for adults, teens, and kids! Fun art activity for a distraction when needed!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtKitStudio

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Sara

Just a quick reminder to avoid shopping evenings and weekends if you don’t have to! Many of our essential worker friends have no choice but to shop during evenings and weekends, so let’s not crowd the stores if possible. Between sweatpants conference calls on a Tuesday is a great time. 🙂

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Alison

A few ideas for activities with weekend vibes:

– Make popcorn and watch a movie
– Put on face masks and trade back massages
– Split dinner into multiple courses (including dessert, obv!) and light candles
– Try a new online exercise class

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Mom of Boys

I love it! Ice cream for sure. The Whole Foods delivery folks (who are awesome!) wanted to switch our normal Three Twins with whatever they had and we said, “Sure!” so we have some pretty solid sheep’s milk ice cream in the freezer.

Tonight we had pot stickers (that were store bought long ago and found in the deep freeze) and mac ‘n’ cheese for the 10 year old who won’t eat pot stickers. We stir fried the remains of the CSA veges in anticipation of the new batch tomorrow.

Our weekend tradition is Sunday crepes with berry compote or cheese depending on sweet or savory preferences.

Have a great weekend all.

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Annie

That quinoa, spinach, and egg dish is an all-time favorite. And the egg always works – soooo good. Thank you, Jenny!!!!

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Heidi

Thank you for sharing the mostly veg dinners! Like you, I’ve been struggling with eating mostly vegetarian meals (which was my New Years goal) since my kids won’t eat them unless they’re pasta related. Pre-covid-19 I’d make 2 meals (one for adults, one for kids) but now even without the commute I just don’t have the time or mental energy for it. I know you’ve done meals in the past that were deconstructed for picky eaters so maybe meals/suggestions to make vegetarian meals with optional meat for picky eaters?

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Najwa

THIS is what I came here looking for! I own all your books and wanted a list of recipes I can make from them that use few ingredients or are on the easy side. Our grocery stores here in Seattle aren’t always fully stocked these days, or people are hoarding, not sure. I was going to email you but decided to check your blog first. Thank you!!!

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KELLI

I love your posts. We are having trouble getting fresh veggies regularly. Any suggestions for frozen asparagus? I was thinking I needed to put it in some sort of bowl as I assume it will be hard to make it crisp…

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Kelli

I wanted to let you know I cooked your Sausage and Cabbage Skillet Dinner from Cup of Jo last night, and it was delicious. I paired it with parmesan-crusted roasted cauliflower. Both winners in my house! Thank you for sharing.

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