I’ve always loved cooking and finding new recipes to explore. But, too much of a good thing isn’t great, and Quarantine has tested my love of cooking. Everything on this list I cooked for the first time shortly before or during Quarantine, and have become new meal staples in my family.
I’d love to hear any new recipes you’ve discovered and loved, so drop us a note at contact@oola.com.
Breakfast
Dutch Baby Pancake
This is so easy to whip up, and less of a mess than making pancakes or waffles from scratch. I first discovered this recipe in Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook Cravings, and it’s become a weekend staple ever since.
Cheesy Bacon Egg Bites
I miss Starbucks soooo much, and these egg bites taste even better than those from Starbucks. I usually make a big batch on the weekends and heat them during the week for a quick and easy breakfast for the whole family.
Lunch
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Apologies in advance, you likely don’t have some of these ingredients lying around your home. I had a craving for these a couple of months ago and have since made them multiple times. They take a good thirty minutes to prepare but are also great as leftovers and low carb (winning)!
Cucumber Feta Salad
Healthy and FULL of flavor, this salad is going to be my new summertime go-to. I was trying to hack together a salad from one of my favorite restaurants that’s currently closed, and found this gem which is just as good– or better than what I was searching for.
Dinner
The Best Nachos Ever
I stumbled upon this while looking for something to make on Cinco De Mayo, and now have a favorite Mexican dish that my whole family loves. Its delicious, easy, and surprisingly even good as leftovers (if you have any). The recipe calls for black beans or refried bean, I have used both but think the refried beans are the best.
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Turkey Bolognese
I stumbled upon GP’s first cookbook in a bargain bin for two dollars shortly before Quarantine started, and it’s been the best two dollars I’ve ever spent. Hands down my favorite thing I’ve made from her cookbook is this delicious and crowd-pleasing bolognese sauce.
Best Chicken Marinade
Of all the OOLA original recipes I’ve tried, this is my favorite. You likely have all the ingredients on hand, and this is great for grilling or baking. Serve with rice, baked potato, or on a salad. The possibilities are endless. (insider tip: I prefer a honey mustard sauce in place of regular mustard, but both are great).
Caramelized Shallot Pasta
This has been a popular recipe floating around the foodie interwebs for a while, and all this sheltering in place was the perfect time to test it out. OMG- put this on your calendar to make ASAP! I am not a fan of anchovies, so I omitted that, and didn’t think it was missing anything.
Dessert
Gwyneth Paltrow Peanut Butter Cookies
I told you that $2 was the best money I’d spent in a while. It took restraint to only include two recipes from Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook, My Father’s Daughter, and these cookies more than made the cut. I have used both peanut butter and chocolate chips in this recipe, and both are show stoppers.
Key Lime Pie
My brother requested I make a Key Lime pie for his birthday, and I was lucky enough to stumble upon this gem. Key Lime Pie is pretty easy to make, and what sets this one apart is the sour cream. My usual recipe lacks the depth this one has, and I owe it all to that secret ingredient.
