Are you look for the best quarantine boredom busters? If yes, this article is for you. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused people to stay at home to protect themselves from getting infected with the virus.
Research shows that lockdown, quarantine, and social distancing protocols can lead to boredom, stress, and anxiety. However, you can avoid these things by performing various exciting activities, including cooking the following ten best quarantine busters. Read on!
1. Greek-Style Potatoes
You will need 450-gram red potatoes cut in quarters, two tablespoons olive oil, and one tablespoon salt. You will also need two tablespoons of dried oregano, two teaspoons of black pepper, one teaspoon of paprika, 60 grams red onion, 120 grams crumbled feta cheese, 1-2 tomatoes, 30 grams sliced black olives, and two tablespoons lemon juice.
Preheat your air fryer by setting the temperature to 200 degrees Celsius for three minutes. Toss the potatoes with olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, and paprika in a large bowl. Place potatoes in the basket and place in the air fryer. Shake the basket halfway through cooking – i.e., 7.5 minutes.
2. Mixed Mediterranean Veggies
Mixed Mediterranean veggies are one of the best quarantine boredom busters. The ingredients you need are one red pepper, one yellow pepper, one medium red onion, five garlic cloves, two tablespoons olive oil, black pepper, one teaspoon red wine vinegar, ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, and fresh torn basil.
Preheat your air fryer by setting the temperature to 180 degrees for three minutes. Combine yellow pepper, red pepper, red onion, courgettes, garlic, one tablespoon olive oil, black pepper, and sea salt in a large bowl. Mix these ingredients well. Once your fryer has preheated, remove the basket and add vegetables to it. Place the basket back in the machine and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Chicken Nuggets
For chicken nuggets, you will need two eggs whisked, two teaspoons yellow mustard, one tablespoon hot sauce, flaked sea salt, fresh cracked paper for taste, 60-gram plain flour, two tablespoons BBQ powder, 500 grams chicken breast (cut into 3-5cm bite-sized pieces), and 200-gram golden breadcrumbs. You will also need a cooking spray.
Use a shallow bowl for mixing the eggs, mustard, pepper, hot sauce, and sea salt. Use a separate bowl to mix flour with BBQ powder. Use salt and pepper for seasoning as desired. Now, place breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl.
Place chicken breast pieces in flour mixture and then in the egg mixture for even coating. Place the chicken in breadcrumbs and toss until you achieve an even coating. Heat the air fryer at 180 degrees Celsius for three minutes and cook for seven minutes. Make sure you shake the basket occasionally.
4. Crispy Asparagus Fingers
Crispy asparagus fingers are among the most popular quarantine boredom busters. The ingredients required for this dish are 60ml all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt, 120ml seasoned breadcrumbs, 60ml grated parmesan cheese, one bunch of jumbo asparagus.
Place flour and salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Add eggs to another bowl and then parmesan cheese and bread crumbs into a third bowl. Combine these ingredients. It is crucial to work in small batches. Use cooking spray to coat asparagus and then toss it in flour—coat asparagus in egg.
Next, transfer it to the bread crumb mixture, and after tossing well, place the coated asparagus in the basket. Preheat the unit by setting the temperature at 200 degrees Celsius for three minutes. Cook for eight minutes and use silicone-tipped tongs to remove the food.
5. Crispy Chicken Wings
You will need one kilogram of frozen chicken wings, one tablespoon vegetable oil, one tablespoon sea salt, and one teaspoon black pepper. Preheat your air fryer for three minutes—Toss wings with salt, oil, and pepper in a bowl.
After preheating your air fryer, place wings in the basket, insert the basket in the machine. Set a maximum crisp temperature and fry the chicken wings for 24 minutes. Toss wings with silicone-tipped tongs after 12 minutes. Reinsert the basket to continue cooking.
6. Toasted Ploughman’s Sandwich
Toasted Ploughman’s Sandwich requires one tablespoon softened butter, two slices of white bread, 1 ½ tablespoon fine pickle, and 60-gram cheddar cheese. Preheat your air fryer at 200 degrees Celsius for three minutes.
Butter the bread evenly on both sides and spread the pickle on one side of the bread. Next, top it with cheese and then with the remaining piece of bread. Use a cocktail stick in the center to hold. After preheating the machine, remove the basket and add a sandwich.
Flip the sandwich after three minutes using rubber-tipped tongs. Place the basket in the air fryer and continue cooking for two minutes.
7. Fish Finger Sandwich
You will need 50 grams flour, two teaspoons Dijon mustard, two eggs, Flaked seas salt, and fresh cracked black pepper. You will also need 75 grams golden breadcrumbs, 500-gram uncooked cod cut into 10-12 finger-sized portions, eight slices of white bread, Tartar sauce, iceberg lettuce, and a cooking spray.
Place flour in a bowl and whisk together eggs and mustard in another bowl—season with salt and pepper as desired. Now, place breadcrumbs in a separate bowl. Place fish in the egg mixture followed by golden crumbs. Cook for 16 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
Place flour in a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together mustard and eggs. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Place breadcrumbs in a third bowl. Working in batches, place fish in flour. Tap fish gently to remove excess flour, then place fish in egg mixture and evenly coat. Finally, place fish in golden crumbs and toss until fish is evenly coated
8. Roasted BBQ Chicken
You will need one-kilogram chicken, one tablespoon olive oil, fresh cracked blacked pepper, flaked seas salt, and 75 gram BBQ sauce. Use cooking twine to tie legs and wings. Next, brush with oil and season with a small amount of salt and pepper.
Preheat your air fryer at 170 degrees for a few minutes. Place the chicken in the basket and cook for 30 minutes. Brush the chicken after 20 minutes during the cooking process. Once cooked, remove chicken from the basket.
9. Steak
Steak is one of the favorite quarantine boredom busters for many people. The ingredients required are two sirloin steaks (two centimeters thick), two teaspoons of olive oil, flaked sea salt, and fresh cracked black pepper.
You will also need a marinade, including one tablespoon red wine vinegar, two garlic cloves, three tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, two fresh thyme leaves, one sprig of fresh rosemary leaves, and 40 grams of olives.
Preheat your air fryer and brush your stakes with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Remove the basket or pan after preheating the unit. Place steaks in the basket and then in the air fryer. Set the air fryer’s cooking time to six minutes.
Make sure you flip steaks using rubber-tipped tongs after three minutes. Place the basket in the air fryer to resume cooking. Remove the steak from the basket and allow to rest for 5-7 minutes. Pour half of the marinade over them and enjoy!
10.Blueberry Tarts
For blueberry tarts, you will need one pack of 320 grams of pre-rolled pastry, 120-gram blueberry preserves, one tablespoon cornflour, and plain flour for dusting and garnishing. You will also need 75 grams of icing sugar and one tablespoon of water.
Unroll the pastry sheet and dust with plain flour. Cut it into eight rectangles and ensure the size is 9-11 centimeters. Mix preserves and cornflour, and then place two tablespoons in the center of four pastry rectangles. Make sure you spread the mixture evenly.
Place the remaining four pastry rectangles over the filled ones by pressing down lightly using your fingers. Set the air fryer’s temperature at 160 degrees Celsius and cook for about 35-40 minutes. Check the food from time to time.
