I was recently reminded that while we are all in the same boat with the current quarantine measures, we are not all in the same storm. Some of us find ourselves working longer hours on the front lines while others are unable to work. Some of us are sheltering at home and missing our loved ones. Some of us are caring for children who would otherwise be in daycare or school, and still others find themselves attempting to work from home with children in the house. For some, it’s easy to bake more and for others it’s an accomplishment to get food on the table.
Everyone’s situation is different, but for those of us who find ourselves at home, I wanted to share some helpful inspiration from my sister-in-law, Meg, a mother of two teenagers. Meg is a hospitable, outgoing and task-oriented person. She loves to accomplish things, try new recipes and open her home to family and friends. She vividly remembers the days when her children were little and the frustration that she experienced when it felt like she didn’t accomplish much in a day. At the time, her mentor recommended choosing 1-2 of the following goals for each day: Create, Accomplish, Cook or Bake, Learn, Encourage, Clean, Read.
At the end of the day, if she got to one or two of those – it was a win. I resonate with this advice right now, as I have two small children and find it very difficult to get much done, especially with preschool closed for the rest of the year.
Now with her teenagers managing their own education (homeschooling high school and online college), and her husband working from home, Meg finds herself with more time to accomplish tasks on her list. She does deeply miss seeing family and friends, but has been embracing this time with her husband and teens.
They’ve found time to bake fun recipes together, spent more time reading aloud together, worked on scrapbooks that had been long forgotten and organized parts of the house that had been on the to-do list for ages. She’s been able to be part of a few church gatherings still over Zoom, and has been able to reach out to and encourage friends via text or phone call.
Here are some of Meg’s favorite things she’s been able to cook and bake during quarantine:
She has been cooking through Joanna Gaine’s Magnolia Table Cookbook and loved the recipe for Jo’s cinnamon squares from the magazine.
Meg’s daughter, Abbi, made this delicious recipe for Honey Butter Brioche Bread
They also loved these recipes:
PrintMillionaire Chicken
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
Group A
- 8 Tbsp. of Soy Sauce (with salt)
- 5 Tbsp. Honey
- 4 cloves of chopped garlic
Group B
- 6 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3 scallions chopped
- 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
- 4 chicken breasts, sliced thin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- Roast chicken with salt and pepper at 350 for 20 minutes, then shred.
- Sauce: Combine the ingredients in Group A in a bowl and let stand at least 5 minutes, In a small pan over low, heat Group B ingredients for 3 minutes. Then pour Group B into the bowl containing Group A.
- Mix well, pour over (hot or cold) chicken.
- Serve hot over rice or cold over lettuce.
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PrintMushroom sauce for steak or potatoes
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 container sliced mushrooms (any variety)
- 1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup white cooking wine
- 1 Tbsp white truffle infused olive oil
Instructions
- Sauté garlic in olive oil about one minute. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté another 2-3 minutes. Add wine and truffle infused olive oil. Heat through and serve over steak and potatoes.
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PrintCilantro Sauce for Indian Style Lamb/Beef Roast
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 small onion peeled
- 2 Tbs chopped garlic
- 1 tsp powdered chili
- 1 2 inch piece of peeled fresh ginger
- 1.25 salt
- 4 Tbs vegetable oil
- 3 Tbs fresh lime juice
- .5 tsp red curry powder
- 1.5–2 lbs of lamb or beef roast
Instructions
- Place cilantro, small onion, garlic, chili, ginger and salt with 3 Tbsp of the oil in a good processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until paste is formed. Take half the paste, add in lime juice and store covered in a small dish to be served at meal time. stir curry powder into remaining paste and rub all over lamb or beef roast. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes. Roast beef/lamb according to package instructions and serve with cilantro sauce.
Whatever your story may be during this time of social distancing, we at Wolff’s hope we can help you find the fresh foods you need to keep you healthy and keep your pantry stocked so that you can continue to cook and bake your favorite recipes.