During this shelter-in-place season, I’ve found that new recipes have been a lifeline.
Baking and cooking have been a way for me to try something new, use my hands, and give my brain a rest from the daily necessity of screens during this strange season we are in.
I also get to eat the fruit of my labor, which is a plus.
While I cook, I listen to podcasts about things I’m interested in or play a favorite album on Spotify. Other times I work in silence, thinking about the details of life or, more often, I puzzle over the seasons of change and transition and try to make sense of it all.
While I cook or bake, the scent of the food wafts into my nose and my mouth waters from the delicious, tantalizing smells. However far away I am, my senses always bring me back to the present. I delight in the ability to be in two places at once while I cook.
Have you ever felt like you were in two places at once?
This isn’t usually a feeling I enjoy, because it means I’m not paying attention to my work in the present. But as much as I love living in the present, there are times when we need the mundane tasks to help us process life.
Baking and cooking in the kitchen have become those life-processing tasks for me. They’ve become a lifeline.
I didn’t always like cooking.
Generally I preferred baking, probably a trait passed down to me from my paternal grandma. She’s the one who taught me how to make a mean apple pie, strawberry shortcake, biscuits, you name it. I learned to love the kitchen through her eyes.
Cooking was a different story, I had to work to love it.
Finding ways to chop onions without crying (swim goggles for the win), stop the stinging of my skin after cutting poblano peppers (hello gloves), and cleaning out a cast iron skillet (thank goodness for Lisa from Farmhouse on Boone) aren’t on my list of favorite things to do. But I’ve found that the more I work at these tasks, the more I’m able to let the food tell me how it wants to be cut, cooked, or baked.
You see, onions are always a perfect base for a meal, peppers give a kick where needed, and cast iron skillets cook food in a way non-stick pans are unable to. It is because I persisted that I learned these secrets.
And so, as I cook, my mind has learned to be present with the tastes, smells, and sounds of the kitchen. But it has also been given the freedom to process thoughts of the day, week, or year, to pray for a friend, to bless someone who has hurt me.
The tasks of baking and cooking have brought me much healing. I hope they might do the same for you.
Here are 5 mouthwatering recipes to try:
These are some of my favorites, and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. (To my vegan and vegetarian friends, most of these recipes can be made with substitutes for the milk/egg/meat products).
1. Sweet Potato Nachos
(recipe from Idea Hacks) I discovered this recipe in England and it has been a staple in our family ever since. Every time I make it, people always ask me for the recipe!
2. Breakfast Biscuits
(recipe from Finding Zest) Every once in a while, breakfast needs something different. Try these quick and easy drop biscuits. I like to top them with butter and jam, or homemade lemon curd.
3. Berry Kefir Smoothie
This is a favorite in my family, and is a recipe I came up with after college:
(Makes 2-3 8oz cups)
1 cup frozen mixed berries (strawberry, blueberry, raspberry)
1 cup spinach
1 banana
½ cup whole milk & 1 cup kefir (of 1 ½ cups whole milk)
2 tbsp plain greek yogurt
1 tbs almond butter or peanut butter
Mix together until combined and enjoy!
4. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
(recipe from Rachael Ray) My brother and his girlfriend made this delicious recipe by Rachael Ray for me about a month after my daughter was born. My husband loves banana bread so I’ve come back to this recipe multiple times and it’s always a hit.
5. Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits
(recipe from Pinch of Yum) I discovered the Pinch of Yum blog a few years ago and I have to say, every single one of their recipes is a hit. I haven’t come across a bad one yet. This chicken pot pie with biscuits recipe will melt in your mouth (and I guarantee it will be a crowd favorite in your household).
I hope you find a new recipe that becomes a staple in your home. May it be a delight to your table, and a lifeline to your mind.
Leave me a comment and tell me your favorite recipe!
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