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30 People Who Tried Out Some Radical New Recipes During The Quarantine And Here’s What They’ve Got
Plenty of us promised ourselves that we’ll clean up our diets and start eating well as soon as the coronavirus quarantine starts. Sadly, like this chocolate bar and carton of chocolate milk we're enjoying for breakfast show, not all things go to plan. The quarantine has brought out our creativity and desperation in equal parts. You can clearly see it from the photos people are proudly posting online where they show off their next-level improvised quarantine meals.
No burger buns? No problem! Substitute them with some donuts. No breadcrumbs for your steak? Again, no worries—broken up Doritos will do. Out of nachos? Yeah, this cereal will be perfect with some cheese and salsa. Scroll down for the wonderful and terrifying lockdown food pictures that Bored Panda found, upvote your faves, and drop us a comment about your own quarantine meals, dear Pandas!
Bored Panda spoke about these improvised quarantine recipes and people rediscovering their love for food with Nathalie Cooke, Professor and Associate Dean at McGill University Library and Archives, and an expert in cookery literature. Scroll down to read what she thinks and to have a look at her 2 simple but tasty recipes that we can all enjoy during the lockdown.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I’ve Been Spending A Little Extra Time On Dinner Lately
RELATED:
#2
No Buns? Crunchwrap Supreme Burger
#3
Ran Out Of Milk
EtherealSponge 5 years ago
“Oh no, I have no milk, looks like I have to put ice cream in my cereal. Ooh dang, sucks to be me.”
According to Professor Cooke, the fact that people are improvising with the way they're making meals at home might be a sign of not just creativity but also of consideration for others over consideration for their own taste buds. "We’re currently asked not to go to the grocery store multiple times for small amounts, but rather to try to shop just once a week. That limits our own exposure, and also helps minimize risk of exposure for all those working in grocery stores at the moment."
Professor Cooke also believes that more and more people will discover their cooking talents and love of food as the quarantine continues. "Is it just my own social media accounts that are filled with photos of sourdough starter and homemade bread? We have the luxury of time to enjoy the process of cooking and are taking time to rediscover the art of serving and savoring a meal—even if it’s just a meal for one, or for the few people sharing the same living space," she said.
#4
Fish Finger And De-Sauced Beans On A Bed Of H.P. Reduction
Spikey Bunny 5 years ago
Oh, come on Foxxy! I know you have creativity in you :D
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#5
I Ran Out Of Breadcrumbs So I Had To Make Do
Foxxy (The Original) 5 years ago
I have seen this done before quarantine. I actually made bread crumbs from salt and vinegar chips and coated squid rings with them. Tasted yum.
djinnjeannie 5 years ago
That def sounds like it could be good, gonna try that, thx for the tip!
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Charlotte 5 years ago
I also use gluten free cornflakes or crisp-breads (the Scharr ones are good!). Just like using panko breadcrumbs - super crispy!
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Hermione Granger 5 years ago
Actually yeah. My relative is in prison, and they create all sorts of crazy food combinations in order to avoid the disgusting inhumane food that would normally be given to them.
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Nubmaeme 5 years ago
Not being a fan of anything coated in doritos, corn chips, or potato chips, I learned to make my own bread crumbs, which are not hard to make. Save your dry, sliced bread instead of throwing it out, or use fresh bread, and dry it in the oven. Break up the dry, crisp slices in a blender or food processor, or simply put them in a plastic bag. Blend until you have fine crumbs or, if in a bag, crush them with a rolling pin, book, or whatever until fine crumbs. Keep in the refrigerator or freezer. Bread crumbs whenever you need them.
#6
Quarantine, Day 21: Air Fried Potato Chair
Ashley Robinson 5 years ago
I really need to know the back story on this....was the potato chair intentional? If so, why? Did it just come out looking like a chair coincidentally?
"And since we can’t mix things up by going out for a restaurant meal, we’re also craving variety—trying different recipes, putting lots of colors on the plate, trying out different flavor combinations," she explained to Bored Panda, also suggesting that using Doritos for breadcrumbs may be just the start that leads to people wanting to experiment with, for example, expensive pine nuts in a pesto for breadcrumbs.
#7
When The Grocery Store Is Out Of Buns, You Improvise, You Adapt, You Survive
#8
This Is How We Celebrated The Last Fresh Pear And 1/4 Red Pepper In Our Quarantine Food Supply
#9
Quarantine Charcuterie Made With Fridge And Cupboard Scraps
Tiny Dynamine 5 years ago
This person really needs to think about what they're eating. Total junk.
Tor Rolf Strøm 5 years ago
Is that the lower half of a bikini bod mannequin, in the back by the plant?
The professor was also kind enough to share a couple of easy-to-make recipes with us that we can all try out at home!
"Speaking of pesto, that’s a great pasta sauce that is easy to make if—and here’s the big if—one has a food processor or blender. Put in a blender: 2 cups of green leaves (usually basil, but can be mixed with arugula, spinach, flat-leaved parsley), ½ cup olive oil, ½ cup grated Parmesan, 3 cloves garlic (or garlic powder), 1/3 pine nuts (walnuts, even bread crumbs with a bit of extra cheese), salt and pepper. Blend until it looks delicious!" Professor Cooke shared.
#10
The Supermarket Ran Out Of Normal Bagels So I’m Stuck With Green Leprechaun Bagels
Parmeisan 5 years ago
It's weird for the rest of us too... just a different weird :)
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#11
Had No Bread So Pulled Pork On Eggos
#12
Dinosaur Chicken Nugget Parmesean Courtesy Of My Genius Girlfriend
Ann Aldridge 5 years ago
That's your wife. Have no doubt, that woman can take care of business.
"Another tasty recipe? My favorite is tomato soup. Pour some olive oil into a saucepan (2 tablespoons or so), add one sliced onion, a sliced carrot and a sliced stick of celery. Cook over medium heat. Then add 28 oz can or 3 cups of tomatoes (sliced into quarters, and remember to remove the “woody” part first), and 4 cups of broth. You can make your own broth by boiling up veggies that you typically discard—broccoli stalks, celery leaves, onion skins etc. What makes this soup really taste good are the secret ingredients: a pinch of sugar, 2 teaspoons of tomato paste, and 2 bay leaves (which you remove before serving). Use a blender or hand-held immersion blender to mix until smooth. Or use a potato masher and a bit of elbow grease."
#13
When All Takeaway Stores Are Closed But You Still Got Mad Cravings
Paul Jordan 5 years ago
oh.... puh...leeeeeez! Anybody can trace off a logo. Muck Fee!
Load More Replies... kitty.boom 5 years ago
Why not???! Hahaha we feast with our eyes. This gives the same satisfaction to your cravings.
#14
Fine Dining During The Quarantine
#15
Tweaked Bunny
Draco Malfoy 5 years ago
I don't know what you did, but you better apologize quickly before things get ugly........
Now, we know what you’re thinking: “How can I cook something wholesome and nutritious when I don’t have a lot of energy and I don’t want to go to the store for more ingredients?” You’re not Gordon Ramsay. We're not Gordon Ramsay. But we can’t let this pandemic beat us into submission and take away our cooking skills! While donut-burgers sound delicious and we'll totally be making them for lunch this week, our bodies deserve better food.
Luckily for us, more and more media outlets are writing articles about cooking advice and easy-to-make recipes while we’re stuck working and studying from home. So there's a wide variety of recipes to choose from.
#16
Mac And Cheese Chili Dogs
#17
I Was Making Thai Basil Chicken Then I Turned Around For A Minute And My Brother Put Blue Food Dye In It. He’s 19
Rabbit Carrot 5 years ago
Yeah, that does not look edible even though it is.
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Carol Emory 5 years ago
And her brother was never heard from again. No one really knows what happened to him. But the flowers in the garden seem to be growing like wildfire this year.
Jennie-Lind Normand 5 years ago
In college my roommate and I had prank wars with our guy friends, they dyed our milk blue, we still drank it, but it did make some pretty funky looking broccoli and cheddar soup!
Mini Skafsgaard 5 years ago
i'm 33 and have done similar to my bf. works wonders if you don't wanna share food lol
#18
Lasagna Sandwich
glowworm2 5 years ago
I can just picture him casually waltzing into the living room eating that--turning his face to the readers and with a smile stating "Lasagna sandwich!"
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chickiethehen 5 years ago
I eat those on saturday nights. Like EVERY saturday. I need to get a new diet
Maureen McDermott 5 years ago
I've been eating my pasta wrong. Instead of piling bits I need to make a sandwich :)
Load More Replies... Martina Třešková 5 years ago
I am torn. I love lasagna and I love a sandwich but somehow I don't think I'd like this :D
For instance, USA Today points out that enchiladas are hella easy to prepare. All you need is some ground beef, cheese, tortillas, salsa, and enchilada sauce. That’s only 5 ingredients. (Personally, we're out of tortillas, but we're sure that we can find something to swap them with. Like bread. That’ll work, r-right?)
Meanwhile, The New York Times is an absolute treasure trove of wonderful recipes to try out. One of the things they recommend you cook for lunch includes sardine toasts with tomato and sweet onion. Something else that you can make with little to no experience is chicken noodle soup. While for dinner, try out tuna noodle salad. Hint: there are lots of things that you can do with noodles. All it takes is a little bit of imagination and enough willpower to get you off the couch and into your pantry.
#19
My Wife Said She Found A Recipe For Making Corn Dogs In The Air Fryer. Sounded Great. These Little Boner Muffins Are Not What I Was Expecting
Spikey Bunny 5 years ago
Imagine the massive disappointment! I would cry.
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ZombieGirl 5 years ago
Ive made them in the oven and they are..ok. I made them again a second time but cut the hot dogs into little pieces and mixed it in the batter and it tasted much better
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J-Yogi-Temp-Mom 5 years ago
OMG BONER MUFFINS could this be a better name!? I'm laughing so hard!! AHH, I SAID HARD!!! hahahaha!!
#20
Hard Boiled Egg On A Bed Of Scrambled Egg With A Sunny Side Of Egg
Haevyn 5 years ago
I'm surprised no ones commented "eggception". That joke is eggceptional lol
Spikey Bunny 5 years ago
We're running out of meat now that at least 2 huge processing plants have closed due to coronavirus.
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Ewa Przestrzelska 5 years ago
You should put mayo on a plate, not ketchup - mayonnaise is also made of eggs and would complete the meal ;)
Martina Třešková 5 years ago
I think we all secretly always wanted to do this. I'd pass on the ketchup, though.
Ruth Mayfly 5 years ago
People panic-bought them all. Then had too many and had to find recipes to use them all up *cough*
Load More Replies... #21
Hashbrown, Guac, Chicken Finger
#22
Quarantine Day 5 - My Wife Wrapped A Brownie In Pie Crust
#23
Archer Farms Buffalo Wings With Cocktail Glass Of Ranch Dressing. Pure C L A S S
Bill Taylor 5 years ago
People that use ranch on wings should be blindfolded and shot, signed a former Buffalonian.
Meyer Weinstock 5 years ago
...only when OJ plays for the Bills, again...
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#24
Blue Pasta For The Kiddos That Are Bored With The Regular Pasta. It Was A Hit
kitty.boom 5 years ago
I buy the colored pasta coz they look more appealing than the regular pastas. Even with just some oil based sauce.
#25
I Wanted An Iced Latte But Didn’t Have Ice So I Used Frozen Peas
ZombieGirl 5 years ago
I can. They didn't have an ice maker or ice trays so they didn't have ice....but they did have food in their freezer like frozen peas. :)
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Charlotte Sandoval 5 years ago
But... why not just put some water in the freezer and use that? 🤢
#26
Coronavirus Diet: Just 2 Kilograms Of Cookie Dough That I Attack With A Spoon Every Now And Then
Carrie de Luka 5 years ago
It's very risky. Read about salonella and the number of people who get sick every year - it's over a million. Over 400 will die.
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RitaGG 5 years ago
Yeah, you would definitely want to either cook or freeze that after a few days.
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Mr. Bean 5 years ago
i really hope it's not raw. even though it tastes good, it can be dangerous!
Alex Bailey 5 years ago
Eating raw dough made with flour or eggs can make you sick. Raw dough may contain bacteria such as E. coli or Salmonella. Fact. It may be unlikely but no thanks.
Load More Replies... #27
Quarantine Binge Watching The Simpson LED Me To This Monstrosity. The Homer Simpson Burger
Maja-Stine Foged 5 years ago (edited)
Reminds me of the episode in which Homer buys a cotton candy kit and gets up in the night to eat it while the rest of the family is asleep. He asks himself, 'Dare I pour caramel over the cotton candy?' before he turns insane. Brilliant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJee-_Kia20
Draco Malfoy 5 years ago
wow! wasn't this a thing already? Still, looks impressive. Thankfully Hermione Granger has a big enough mouth to eat this so that is doesn't go to waste. (jk pls don't let her punch me again)
Hermione Granger 5 years ago
Oh please. Punch you? Never! Maybe slap though
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#28
I Present To You, Quarantine Cooking At It's Finest: Ultimate Cheese Pizza (Cheese Pizza With Mac N Cheese And Grilled Cheese)
Nea 5 years ago
Dont know about the looks, i feel it mus taste good. Cant go wrong really
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#29
Egg Wrapped Egg
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 5 years ago
My husband made an over easy egg a few weeks ago. A hard red thing came out of the middle. I haven't ate any eggs since.
LottieH 5 years ago
No 5 minutes crafts here, they didn't use glue to hold the eggs together..
Load More Replies... #30
Bon App
Draco Malfoy 5 years ago
Not far off from what one would usually pay $50+ for at a fancy restaurant! lol
Jim Kang 5 years ago
Looks like ketchup on a pretzel bite topped with a marshmallow candy. Hard pass.
kitty.boom 5 years ago
Yeah, would be acceptable if chocolate spread was used instead of the ketchup.
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Martina Třešková 5 years ago
I love the "deserted tropical island" vibes. Too fitting for the lockdown :D
#31
Got High And Made A Spaghetti Taco
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 5 years ago
I like my cheese cold on tacos and burgers.
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#32
Michelin Star Cheese Plate (With Skittle Fireball)
Becca Panda 5 years ago
sorry, but as a real dutchie, I must say, that there is NO cheese on this picture...
Scott Lloyd 5 years ago
There is way to much "cheese" to qualify as a Michelin star plate maybe 1/4 the amount.
#33
Day 21 Of Quarantine: White Trash Nachos - Potato Chips, Leftover Sloppy Joe, Random Leftover Cheese
#34
Follow Me For More Quarantine Recipes
#35
Hotdogs, Soy Sauce Mac N Cheese, Honey Mustard Pretzels, And BBQ Fritos On A Tortilla
Tai Dallen 5 years ago
Sorry, I'm stuck on the Soy Sauce Mac N Cheese... is that really a thing?
Debra Timah 5 years ago
It is to me, since they cut back on salt in the Easy Mac...
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#36
Had Some Corn Bread Mix. Had Some Hot Dogs. Here We Are
Foxxy (The Original) 5 years ago (edited)
Looks like the US version of toad in the hole. (Yorkshire pudding and sausages).
#37
Ladies And Gentlemen I Present To You My Finest Creation. The Ramen Omelet
Meyer Weinstock 5 years ago
Dude! I can think of a few university-area restaurants that would make a killing selling these...
Bill 5 years ago
Considering neither the omlet or the ramen were invented here, how is this American?
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#38
Tuna Cheese Toastie For The Main Course, Pesto Cheese Toastie For Dessert
Luna 5 years ago
i always have tuna cheese toasties - they're also really good when you have onion with it as well :)
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#39
Made A Together Breakfast From Steven Universe For Fun This Morning. First Time Making Waffles In A Waffle Iron. They're Really Good
Hermione Granger 5 years ago
Not bad! I would prefer no popcorn, but whatever floats your boat!
#40
Got Really High The Other Night And Made A 9-Layer Quesadilla
Kelly Horrigan 5 years ago
same guy who got high and made a spagherri taco? He should get a lunch truck and park by weed stores with these recipes :)
#41
I Call This One “Red”
#42
Chicken Parm And Angel Hair On Dinner Rolls
#43
Day 19 Of Quarantine. We Have Started Dyeing Our Food
#44
I Wanted Nachos So I Microwaved Kraft Singles On A Tostada
Meyer Weinstock 5 years ago
single guy food, been there/done that...add a few jalapeno slices...
#45
Rainbow Spaghetti With Marinara
Helen Haley 5 years ago
After scrolling through, I've discovered the only thing I need to do to eat less, is apparently dye my food.
Bored Birgit 5 years ago
This is a thing - perhaps you may write a book and become millionaire!
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#46
Didn’t Have Chips So I Made Corn Flake Nachos
Spikey Bunny 5 years ago
I'm laughing soooooo hard my grown son is screaming at me to stop! Ha ha ha ha!!!
#47
Pb&j Chimichangas
#48
For Me It Is The Mcstruggle, The Best Quarintine Sandwich
JuJu 5 years ago
If it's fresh from the oven and has a real crust - the ends are the best! (We call it "Knust")
Load More Replies... #49
Vegan Quarantine Appetizer Board, Aka "Oh God I'm Out Of Hummus Already"
Mark 5 years ago
You are joking right, the crackers aren't even straight ;)
Load More Replies... #50
Chocolate Chip Waffle, Turkey, And Cheddar Cheese Melts With Cinnamon
Christopher Gallagher 5 years ago
We used to call recipes like this, "Dad didn't read the labels when he shopped again."
#52
Funny-Quarantine-Cooking
brandon sat 5 years ago
this doesn't fall in quarantine food, it falls in NON-quarantine food!! get that out of here!!
#53
Ran Out Of Tofu. Refried Beans And Romaine Lettuce Wraps
Foxxy (The Original) 5 years ago
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and to eat that monstrosity you must be beyond desperate.
#54
Grilled Mac N Cheese Burrito With Peanut Butter
#55
Eggs Poached In A Latex Glove With Ketchup Nails & A Sausage Watch
elia 84631 5 years ago
Ewwww, why did he use latex glove and it is safe to use them with food;
Monday 5 years ago
It is safe to use with food, and he used the glove to get the egg to cook in the shape of a hand. What we see in the picture is a glove shaped egg, not the actual glove.
Load More Replies... #56
All Hail Beans
brandon sat 5 years ago
who wants to eat cold refried beans and cold cheese in a tortilla? come on people!
#57
This Wasn’t Appreciated At Food. Peanut Butter Toast With Bread And Butter Pickles And Sriracha. Some Think It’s Sh**ty, I Disagree
Pinky TutuTwo 5 years ago
This recipe was posted on Food52. We tried it here and liked it. Recommended to add a little soy sauce.
kitty.boom 5 years ago
I just saw this on Tasty's Youtube channel. I'm curious about the taste, might try that one of these days.
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Pinky TutuTwo 5 years ago
This recipe received 1, 327 five-star ratings on the NYTimes cooking site. I've tried it; it's good. NYTimes: "Here’s a spin on a great old sandwich of the American South: peanut butter and pickle sandwiches with a spray of sriracha or sambal oelek, and a tiny drizzle of soy sauce. Toasting the bread before spreading it with peanut butter adds crunch and warmth, and the result is a sandwich of remarkable intensity, sweet and salty, sour and soft and crisp. Trust me on this one!"
#58
This Is A Puck Of Leftover Coffee Grounds, Flour, And Brown Water
#59
Don't Knock It Until You Try It
brandon sat 5 years ago
also bored panda needs to allow animated gifs in the comments so we can show how we really feel about some of these.
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Toni Carroll 5 years ago
My sons and Sons-in-laws went on a camp out. Someone forgot the buns for the burgers, so they used strawberry pop tarts. Years later, they still shudder at the memory of how bad it was.
Kjorn 5 years ago
makes me think of that: Together: Have you ever put butter on a Pop Tart? It's so frickin' good Have you ever put butter on a Pop Tart? If you haven't then I think you should Peter: I was sittin' in the kitchen One day, and I was itchin' To fill up my belly With the pipin' hot jelly Of the best damn treat in the world Quagmire: He's talkin' Pop Tarts! Peter: And I saw a stick of butter And it almost made me shudder And scream like a baby girl Together: I don't want a giant penis Or a rocket ship to Venus I don't want to win the lottery I just want to squat and gobble 'Til I'm dizzy and I wobble In a butter, fruit and dough tart dream So I put butter on a Pop Tart It was so freakin' good Have you ever put butter on a Pop Tart? If you haven't then I think you should Quagmire: Everybody come along with us! Together:: Have you ever put butter on a... Audience: Pop Tart! Together: It's so freakin' good Quagmire: Yeah! Together: Have you ever put butter on a...
#60
Another One Found In The Wilds Of Fb
Foxxy (The Original) 5 years ago
Wow, so we have gone from having pineapple on pizza to peanut butter cups and now banana. When will this madness end?
Star 5 years ago
Italy is suffering enough already, they don’t need this as well
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#61
Sweet And Savory
Luna 5 years ago
Why do people think pineapple pizza is weird it's just a topping choice that's like saying people who eat pig are weird cus I can't eat pig 🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️
Load More Replies... Foxxy (The Original) 5 years ago
Sacrilege. Shame on you for ruining pizza, especially with peanut butter cups.
#62
Sour Candied Children In An Fine Dew Broth
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Cori 5 years ago
I had most of a head of purple cabbage so, in a fit of brilliance, I decided to make 'rainbow soup' lots of different colorful veggies (including the cabbage), some cannellini beans and turkey sausage in ckicken stock with various seasonings. It was very good and, at first, very pretty. The broth turned an interesting shade of purple from the cabbage and the bean took on a blueish hue. The kids loved it. The next day however, when I went to warm some leftovers, the entire thing had turned a very unappetizing shade of gray. It still tasted amazing, but boy was it ugly!
The Emerald Triangle 5 years ago
Most of these recipes look like they'd result in ER visits. Or at least a full bottle of Pepto.
Mark 5 years ago
Sorry but most of these have no excuse to exist, there isn't enough of a food shortage for these abominations to have been created :)
Bunzilla 5 years ago
It's BECAUSE of the food shortage that these monstrosities exist. People making the most of what they have.
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Zara VP 5 years ago
No where does this say Americans. Cooking can be like this anywhere. And most of these are purposefully awful.
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Toast Of Saint Louis 5 years ago
The only thing that looked good was the buffalo wings. Everything else looked gross.
Elizabeth Butler 5 years ago
Some of these creative innovations may well survive into the future!
Cori 5 years ago
I had most of a head of purple cabbage so, in a fit of brilliance, I decided to make 'rainbow soup' lots of different colorful veggies (including the cabbage), some cannellini beans and turkey sausage in ckicken stock with various seasonings. It was very good and, at first, very pretty. The broth turned an interesting shade of purple from the cabbage and the bean took on a blueish hue. The kids loved it. The next day however, when I went to warm some leftovers, the entire thing had turned a very unappetizing shade of gray. It still tasted amazing, but boy was it ugly!
The Emerald Triangle 5 years ago
Most of these recipes look like they'd result in ER visits. Or at least a full bottle of Pepto.
Mark 5 years ago
Sorry but most of these have no excuse to exist, there isn't enough of a food shortage for these abominations to have been created :)
Bunzilla 5 years ago
It's BECAUSE of the food shortage that these monstrosities exist. People making the most of what they have.
Load More Replies... Zara VP 5 years ago
No where does this say Americans. Cooking can be like this anywhere. And most of these are purposefully awful.
Load More Replies... Toast Of Saint Louis 5 years ago
The only thing that looked good was the buffalo wings. Everything else looked gross.
Elizabeth Butler 5 years ago
Some of these creative innovations may well survive into the future!
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