Quarantine Treats

chefin’ it up in quarantine

written by Anna Cavallino | designed by Shelby Mitchell

When the pandemic first hit the States, the most immediate reaction was shock and panic. Boston University undergraduates were having blissful spring break when they got news that all colleges and universities were being shut down and that they would be unable to return to campus. Eventually, after the “2-week quarantine” expired, and the danger and longterm nature of COVID-19 became apparent to everyone, the kitchen became an attractive escape for many. With businesses closed, people began cooking up gourmet meals that they would blindly spend over twenty dollars for at a restaurant in the very comfort of their home. However, with many businesses now open across the U.S. and abroad, there has been a noticeable decline in cooking within households (according to social media scrolling) due to people itching to get out and return to normalcy after being cooped up in their apartments and homes for so long. Despite this, you still have time to get in your last home-made meal before returning to campus (or remote learning). Here are a few recipes BU undergrads have perfected during quarantine to give you a couple ideas for your own cooking!

Shelli Gorokhovsky (CAS ’22): Shakshuka

Ingredients: 2 tomatoes, 1 red bell pepper, 1/2 yellow onion, 1 garlic clove, 3 or 4 eggs, spicy paprika, sweet paprika, Cumin, Salt, Pepper; optional: feta cheese or cilantro to top.

Instructions: Chop the tomatoes, bell pepper and onion and put them into a pan on any vegetable oil. Into that, add a clove of garlic, sweet and/or hot paprika, cumin and a bit of black pepper and salt; the more spices the merrier! Usually, people use tomato sauce but you could also use raw tomatoes and just let that sit in the pan on a low fire for as long as you want until it’s saucy and not raw and chunky anymore. After a while, whenever you feel like it’s at the right level of saucy, just make dents in the sauce and crack the number of eggs you’re using (usually people want 2 eggs per person) onto those dents. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the eggs, and let them cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are no longer raw. Finally, top with cilantro and feta.

Mia Sugarman (Sargent ’22): Oat Banana Pancakes

Ingredients: 1 ½ cups of rolled oats (or any kind of oats), ½ cup of plant-based milk, 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons of baking powder, 1 tablespoon of vanilla, cinnamon (spice), pinch of salt, 2 bananas (smashed); optional: maple syrup (to serve).

Instructions: Mix together all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Then, blend the mixture together to get a smooth consistency. Heat skillet over medium heat. Once warm, drizzle oil/butter onto the pan and wait 1-2 minutes for the oil/butter to get warm. Pour the pancake batter into the skillet in round circles. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Once finished, drizzle the pancakes with maple syrup and serve. This recipe makes about 10- 12 pancakes. Alex Doval (CAS ’22): Beanless Turkey Chili

Ingredients: 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 chopped yellow onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 chopped medium red bell pepper, 1 pound ground turkey/beef/ chicken, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 (28-ounce) can diced/crushed tomatoes, 1 ¼ cups of vegetable/chicken broth; topping: cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream.

Instructions: Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add in onion, garlic and red pepper and sauté for 5-7 minutes. Next, add in ground turkey (breaking up the meat) and cook for about five minutes. Add in spices and stir for about 30 seconds. Then, add in tomatoes, chicken broth and corn. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Remove the chili from the heat and garnish. Makes about 6 servings. Tess Ravick (ENG ‘22): Banana Bread

Ingredients: 1 stick (½ cup) butter, 3 large ripe bananas, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon.

Ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add a stick of butter to a large bowl and microwave for 1 minute until melted. Add bananas to the bowl and mash them. Next, add vanilla extract and one egg and mix together in the bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon). Then, combine the dry and wet ingredients and mix until combined. Finally, pour the mixture into the loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes in the oven.