An opportunity has arisen for students e-learning at home to flex their creative skills in the kitchen. From old family recipes to new creations; from nutritious to sweet, the ETHS student body has been busy cooking. To inspire and hone your own chef skills, The Evanstonian has received recipe submissions for writers to try and review. Food cultivates comradery and inspires creativity in us all, and through our community submissions, we will explore with different recipes from the community. Seniors Oren Davidson and Quinn Hughes shared meals they have cooked over the course of the school year, which you can add to your repertoire. In the following months, we will continue to try new recipes and cuisines, all submitted by ETHS students.

The Big-O Omelette – Oren Davidson

Cook time: 17 minutes
Ingredients (1 serving)
– 4 eggs
– 2 cups of feta cheese
– 1 red or green bell pepper
– Cheddar cheese

Instructions
– Pour eggs into a bowl and scramble the yolks.
– Warm-up a pan with butter or oil on medium heat.
– Dice up peppers and add to bowl with eggs.
– Mix up the bowl then pour in the pan.
– Add the feta cheese to the pan.
– Once about half the eggs are cooked, add any cheese on top
– Put a lid on the pan and turn the heat on low.
– After two minutes, the eggs should be cooked and ready to serve.
– If desired, sautéed onions, asparagus, and tomatoes go great in the omelet as well.

Adrian’s Take
From the first bite, the different combinations of flavors really come together well. The feta cheese also mixed in with the cheddar gives the eggs a unique and full taste. The red bell peppers give the dish that additional crunch and flavor. When mixed with the cheese, it just melts in your mouth and is delightful. If you’re a fan of eggs for breakfast, then this recipe will 100 percent sit beautifully on your tastebuds.

Pasta Carbonara – Quinn Hughes

Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients (4 servings)
– 1 lb. spaghetti, bucatini, or rigatoni (your choice of pasta)
– 4 large egg yolks
– 2 large eggs
– 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
– 2 oz. Parmesan cheese

– 4 oz. guanciale (pork jowl), any meat of preference or spinach
– Ground black pepper
– 2 Tbsp. kosher salt

Instructions
– Heat 6 qt. water in a large pot on high. – When water starts to steam, add 2 Tbsp. salt and cover pot with a lid (this will bring water to a boil faster).
– Cut the guanciale into about 1 and quarter-inch strips. Grate 2 oz. cheese and place to the side.
– Whisk 4 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs in a bowl, stir in the remaining cheese. Add black pepper.
– Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat.
– Add meat, cook stirring occasionally, 7-10 mins.
– Remove pot from heat. Transfer meat in the pot to a different bowl.
– Cook 1 lb. pasta in boiling water, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes shy of package instructions.
– Take a cup of the cooking liquid from the pasta, pour it into another pot and bring to a boil medium-high. Drain the pasta then transfer it to the same pot.
– Cook pasta, stirring constantly and vigorously, until al dente and water is reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
– Slowly pour the egg mixture into the same pot, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and the egg is thickened to form a glossy sauce. Season with salt, if needed.
– Mix in the guanciale/the meat or veggie of choice, and top with pepper and cheese once on the plate.

Adrian’s Take
A pasta dish that doesn’t require many ingredients and doesn’t contain the extra calories of a spaghetti sauce; it is a simple yet delightful meal. There is a strong enough taste to it to be satisfied, and the amount of pasta created will leave dinner guests full. A simple pasta recipe for lunch is always an important tool to have in your back pocket, and boy does this one do the trick