Dinner in the era of self-isolation

knapplc

knapplc

Active member
So, I talked about posting some good, simple recipes people can make during this bizarre episode in our shared history.  I'll put some things in this thread for people to try. Even if you're not a seasoned home chef, most of these should be pretty easy, most of the ingredients should be things you have on hand, and most of these will make multiple meals.

If you don't like leftovers, now is a really good time to start training yourself to eat them.

This is what I made for dinner Sunday night.  Ate leftovers for lunch yesterday. This feeds two people one fair sized meal, with leftovers.

Easy Chicken Fried Rice

1 bag frozen veggie fried rice (I used Trader Joe's, 16 oz)

1 deli rotisserie chicken

1/4 cup frozen corn

Small handful matchstick carrots, chopped

Green onion - green parts only, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 eggs, scrambled

Soy Sauce to taste

Pull the legs & thighs off the chicken, reserve for later use.  Remove chicken breasts, chop into bite-size pieces.  (Save the bones! You can make good broth from the meat/skin left on the bones)

Get a large pan smoking hot on the stove. Add oil (preferable peanut oil, but canola will work. Not olive oil), and when oil smokes, add entire contents of rice bag and stir to coat. Cook until veggies thaw, a few minutes. Add garlic, stir to incorporate, then add corn and carrots.

Cook a few more minutes on high, then make a well in the middle of the rice and pour the eggs into the well. Wait a couple seconds for the eggs to congeal, then stir to incorporate the eggs. Spread the mixture in the pan, cover with a lid, and let simmer for at least a couple of minutes, until the eggs congeal.

Serve hot with egg rolls or potstickers.

 
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Pork shoulder, fat side up, crockpot for about 6 hours...

I like to wait to add sauce so that I can use some of it for pork tacos, some for pulled pork.

 
Here is a go to meal that creates a lot, is relatively inexpensive and easy.

Chuck Roast (most expensive part but, it's extended with all the rest of the ingredients)

Old Bay seasoning

Frozen peas, carrots, corn

Egg noodles

Season roast with Old Bay Seasoning.  Cook in crock pot all day.  Add enough water or beef broth to almost cover.  When done cooking, roast should pull apart.  After pulling, put back in juices and add frozen veggies and noodles.  Cook till noodles are done (20-30 minutes).  Add more broth or water if needed.  Re-season with Old Bay if needed.

It's awesome, easy and you can add as many veggies and noodles as needed to make it even cheaper per serving.

Leftovers are awesome.

All of our kids will be home on Thursday.  This is on the menu.

 
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teachercd said:
Oh yeah, for sure!

I don't really know what else to do with it other than pulled pork and tacos.  I have not put it on pizza but I am sure it would be good.
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Pulled pork nachos are the bomb.

Pizza is awesome too.

Chef Salads

omelets

enchiladas

buritos

Cuban sandwiches

Just to name a few.  And...you are very very smart to not sauce it till you eat it.

 
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BigRedBuster said:
Pulled pork nachos are the bomb.

Pizza is awesome too.

Chef Salads

omelets

enchiladas

buritos

Cuban sandwiches

Just to name a few.  And...you are very very smart to not sauce it till you eat it.
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I always used to sauce it while I was letting it cook.  It was still great but the things you can use it for are so limited!

Pulled pork nachos are amazing!  Good call!

 
BigRedBuster said:
Pulled pork nachos are the bomb.

Pizza is awesome too.

Chef Salads

omelets

enchiladas

buritos

Cuban sandwiches

Just to name a few.  And...you are very very smart to not sauce it till you eat it.
Click to expand...




Yep. Put it in some chicken broth, add soy sauce (to taste), some ramen noodles and (if you have it) a couple splashes of fish sauce. Toss in some frozen corn, frozen peas, and boom! you have some tasty ramen. Boil an egg for six minutes, peel, and add that for a treat.

Add shredded pork to the above fried rice recipe instead of chicken.

Cut it into chunks and add sour cream, a bit of mustard, some sauteed mushrooms, and you have a simple stroganoff.

Shred it, put it on a bun, add some BBQ sauce, and you have a simple pulled pork sandwich.

 
My wife and I talked about this.  We both like to cook and eat at home.  But, we know people who never eat at home.  They have to be freaking out with all of this if they don't have restaurants to get their food from.

I can't imagine living like that.

 
BigRedBuster said:
My wife and I talked about this.  We both like to cook and eat at home.  But, we know people who never eat at home.  They have to be freaking out with all of this if they don't have restaurants to get their food from.

I can't imagine living like that.
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I think that's where a lot of the hoarding is coming from. People who don't usually cook at home have a lesser understanding of what's reasonable and what isn't. 

All the hoarding will calm down soon enough, but if people continue to try to over-purchase stuff like toilet paper, stores are going to have to proactively ration that stuff.

 
Nothing has been posted here for 8 days and I'm starving to death because I don't know what to eat.

So....here it is.

Prepare a pizza crust mix from the store.  Spread it on non stick aluminum foil.  Put it on the grill on high (pizza ovens are hot) till the crust is partially cooked and firm.  Flip it over directly on the grates.  finish cooking.  

Spread a good pesto sauce on the crust. top it with grilled chicken, sliced tomatoes, olives...or whatever the hell you want.....and a little mozzarella.

Put back on the grill.  Cook till the bottom is charred and cheese is melted.

Enjoy.

WINNING!!!!

 
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We’ve been eating a lot more meals at home these past few weeks. I’d say typically we were eating out or getting carry out about 3 or 4 days per week (mostly because we love Mexican and Chinese food) whereas this last week it has been zero times (except on Saturday when I had to move my daughter back from UNL). I had to get my Valentino’s on that day.

I may have mentioned this one before, but another easy thing to do is pick up a Papa Murphy’s pizza and grill that sucker on the grill or pellet grill. You can leave it on that paper tray it comes in (unless your flames will hit it). Gives it a nice wood grilled flavor. Haven’t done it yet but going to try pellet grilling one of my wife’s homemade pizzas.

 
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