What better time to explore some new hobbies than when we’re all stuck inside? I’m no chef, but dating someone who is makes you pick up a good recipe or two. If you’re tired of eating the same old things and want to learn how to bake some sweet goods the easy way, here are five recipes you could try at home to make some fast comfort food.
- Sautéed Cinnamon Apples
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Apples are already pretty great, but you can always spice them up to make a better snack. For two servings, you’ll need six apples, 4 tablespoons of butter, one cup of sugar, ⅓ cup of brown sugar, and some cinnamon. Slice up the apples (I highly recommend buying one of those apple slicers that cuts out the core for you), let them simmer, covered, with the butter in a pan for five minutes on LOW heat, stirring occasionally. Because of their high sugar content, apples can burn quickly. Then, take the cover off, add the sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and then cook uncovered for ten minutes on low heat. After ten minutes, your apples should be soft and ready to eat.
- Caramel Topped Brownies
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Here’s a way to take boxed brownie mix and make it even better. Bake the brownies as directed, and as they’re in the oven, you can start on the caramel topping. You’ll need one cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 6 (separated) tablespoons of salted butter, and ½ cup of heavy cream. First, you’ll heat the sugar in a pan over medium heat, stirring constantly so as to not to burn it. Once it’s melted, add the butter. Stir for two minutes or until the butter is completely melted into the caramel mixture. Continue stirring, and slowly pour in the heavy cream. Allow it to boil and rise for one minute, then remove from heat. Finally, stir in the salt. Let it cool for a bit before pouring it evenly over your brownies, and boom! Caramel brownies.
- Chocolate Mug Cake
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Sometimes you want cake, but don’t want to go through the pain of making an entire cake, you know? For the best mug cake, you’ll need a relatively big microwave safe mug, ¼ cup of flour, ¼ cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder (hot chocolate mix would also work!), ⅛ teaspoon of salt, ⅛ teaspoon of baking soda, 3 tablespoons of milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of canola oil, and 1 tablespoon of water. You’ll want to mix all the powders in the mug first, and then stir in the milk, vanilla extract, oil, and water. Throw in some chocolate chips or nuts, pop the mug in the microwave for about 1 minute and 30 seconds to 2 minutes or until the cake is done in the middle, and voilá! A cake ready in five minutes.
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Bananas
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Bananas, like the apple, are very versatile. Take three bananas and slice them up into one to two inch pieces. Take some peanut butter (about ½ cup should do), and sandwich some of it between two banana pieces. Place the pieces on wax paper on a flat pan and freeze for one hour. Mix together ½ cup of dark chocolate and one tablespoon of coconut oil, microwave to melt if needed. Place toothpicks into the banana sandwiches and dip them into the chocolate mixture. Next, place them back onto the pan with wax paper and freezer for another hour. Now you have a delicious and fruity snack.
- Brown Sugar Butternut Squash
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My entire life, I never liked squash. That is, until my boyfriend made this for a family party, and I’ve been in love ever since. For this recipe, you’ll need a whole butternut squash, ¾ cup of brown sugar, and some cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves (optional). First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the squash and then dice it up into cubes about two inches thick. In a pan, melt the butter with the brown sugar on low heat. Toss the diced squash with the butter & brown sugar mixture in a large tinfoil pan, and then season it with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Layer the squash evenly across the pan, cover it with tinfoil, and then bake it in the oven for 15 minutes until completely soft when you poke it with a fork. And there you have it, possibly the greatest side dish ever. And even though we’re in quarantine, remember to share!