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a woman stands over the stove cutting an herb out of a pot on the window sill with a pair of scissors. there are pans of pasta stirfry on the burner.
a woman stands over the stove cutting an herb out of a pot on the window sill with a pair of scissors. there are pans of pasta stirfry on the burner.
Tina Dawson | Unsplash
Life

4 Dishes To Try Cooking During This Quarantine

Kristin Ishaya
UCLA Contributor
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCLA chapter.

I know I do not stand alone when I say that quarantine life has been rough. It has been quite difficult to remain motivated and engaged in our day-to-day life, and it feels like we are slowly losing our minds. But do not worry! I am here to appease your boredom and also spark up your appetite with some of my favorite home-cooked meals. Cooking is a great creative outlet, and it results in a delicious meal to enjoy with your friends and family. Check out the recipes below and maybe try some of them out with your quarantine buddies. 

Meatball Stew & Rice

two bowls filled with meatballs and rice
Kristin Ishaya
Most people traditionally eat meatballs with some form of pasta, but my family serves it a different way. We eat meatballs as a stew served on top of rice. That may sound strange to some people, but trust me when I say it is so delicious! 

recipe for meatball stew
Kristin Ishaya

Crispy Lemon Tilapia

a tray of fried fish with capers
Kristin Ishaya
I love tilapia, and this recipe is one of my favorite ways to prepare it. The dish is the perfect mixture of crispy and crunchy but also soft and flaky, and the lemon sauce makes it more juicy and exquisite. Furthermore, I prefer to serve this dish with rice, but you can eat it by itself or with any other side of your choice. Also, if you do not like tilapia or if it is not available, you can replace it with any other white fish. 

recipe for crispy lemon tilapia
Kristin Ishaya

Chicken, Broth & Rice

six chicken drum sticks in broth on a tray
Kristin Ishaya
This dish sounds quite simple and run-of-the-mill, but it is exploding with richness of flavor. If you are a chicken fanatic like me, I would definitely recommend trying it out. It is my favorite home-cooked meal, and I can never get sick of it. 

recipe for chicken and broth
Kristin Ishaya

My Mom’s Spaghetti 

a pot of spaghetti
Kristin Ishaya
My mother makes a tomato-based spaghetti sauce that is unbelievably delicious. I have never had any other pasta dish that tastes as good as her recipe (but that could just be my bias of course). It is very simple and quick to make, and the final product is so good!

recipe for my mom\'s spaghetti
Kristin Ishaya
Do not let this quarantine stop you from being creative and productive. Get up and do something you enjoy or try something new, like cooking! 

Kristin is a fourth year MCDB major and Film minor who loves to create art and bring a smile to people's faces. You can probably find her at the beach or in bed. Oh, and she is in love with cookies and cartoons.
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