Home isolation during COVID 19, I find, is beginning to bring out creative, if not unusual, cooking ideas.
I’m a pretty good cook, and enjoy cooking. In my senior year of high school, I was the recipient of the Betty Crocker Future Homemaker Award.
One of the side effects of home quarantine, however, is figuring how to cook meals with whatever you have in your cupboards or refrigerator, avoiding unnecessary trips to the grocery store.
Saturday night, David asked, “What are you thinking about for dinner?” as I peered into our refrigerator, my face eerily lit by its glow.
After 2 1/2 months of home isolation, it’s becoming difficult to sustain interest in the familiar.
I couldn’t settle on an idea. “I don’t know. I could make ravioli with marinara; maybe roast some Brussels sprouts. Or, I could take the Tater Tots out of the freezer and we could just snack for dinner.”
“Why don’t you just throw all of it into the roasting pan, and see what happens?” I looked at my husband. He was serious.
“Sure, okay.” I put the uncooked ravioli, washed and halved Brussels sprouts, and half a package of Tater Tots into the roasting pan, added slices of garlic, and tossed everything with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.
The ravioli roasted faster than the Brussels sprouts, so I removed them from the pan. I heated some marina sauce on the stove top, to use as a dipping sauce for the ravioli, while the vegetables continued roasting.
The Tater Tots mostly crumbled, but crisped, adding a crunchy texture to the roasted Brussels sprouts and garlic.
Overall, the meal wasn’t bad, despite its weirdness, as we munched in front of the TV screen, while streaming a movie.
Are you getting bored with your own cooking? What’s the weirdest thing you’ve eaten during the COVID 19 quarantine? What recipes have you invented, successful or not?
JParadisi (Retired) RN Blog 