Social distancing is bound to end up as the buzz word of 2020. With so many people staying home, either alone or with family, now seems like a good time to compile our favorite recipes! If we’re going to be stuck at home, we may as well be eating, right? We asked around the Tablebases.com office to see what our staff is cooking while they are social distancing. Spoiler alert: most of us are making warm, heavy, comfort food dishes. Keep reading to see the recipes that are helping us cope during this very strange time. Side note, although we should be minimizing exposure to other people, restaurants are still trying to stay afloat. So in between making these fabulous recipes, make sure you take advantage of your favorite eatery's take-out options if you are able!

David: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies If ever there were a time to sit back and indulge, it would be now. With all the stress of the novel Coronavirus, why not have a batch of delicious homemade cookies on the counter? Oatmeal Raisin cookies are easy to make, they only take about an hour to prepare (including bake time), and it’s easy to substitute ingredients to make them gluten free, vegan, or both! Our favorite classic recipe comes from the New York Times. For a gluten free, vegan version, try Rhian’s recipe. Classic Oatmeal Raisin Gluten Free Vegan Oatmeal Raisin 

Valerie: Shepherd’s Pie Shepherd’s Pie is a great comfort food recipe, perfect for when you’re stuck inside on a cold (or quarantined) day. This one might not be the lightest dish for dinner, but the layers of mashed potatoes, cheese and rich meat are great for when you just want to sit by a fire or cozy up while you wait out the storm. This traditional English is usually made with a layer of lamb (a beef version would technically be a “cottage pie”) mixed with peas, carrots and onions, and topped with mashed potatoes and sometimes topped with cheese. This is one of those easy casserole dishes that you can really make with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Beef Shepherd’s / Cottage Pie

Michael: Gruyere Potatoes Gratin Just like Shepherd’s pie, potatoes gratin (fancy scalloped potatoes) are bound to be a hit with your family when everyone is stuck indoors. This carb-loaded, cheesy comfort food makes you want to stretch out and relax by a fire, read a good book or take a nap (so probably not the best lunch for those of us who are working from home). We’re partial to thyme on our gratin, but you can use rosemary, basil, oregano or whatever herbs you prefer. Gruyere and Parmesan are the classic cheeses for this recipe, but you could even mix it up with something like Stilton or goat cheese if you want something with a different flavor and texture. All Recipe’s Potato Gratin

Jake: Almond / Cashew / Coconut Milk Almond milk isn’t a meal, but it is something that most people do not think to make at home. It turns out that almond milk is very easy to make! Fresh, homemade almond milk also tastes better than any store bought option (in our opinion), and you can add whatever flavors or extras you want to suit your specific taste, such as coconut, vanilla or cinnamon. One of our staff members recently purchased the Instant Pot Ace Blender, which has a nut milk program built in to make it easy. You can actually use any high-powered blender (about 600 watts or greater, to make a smooth milk), just blend at high speed for 3-5 minutes. We prefer to use 1 cup of soaked & peeled almonds, ¼ cup of shredded coconut, ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. As an added bonus, the pulp left over can be turned into almond flour for baking! Just spread the pulp out on a baking sheet, and leave in the oven at 170 degrees for about 2-3 hours. Then give it a good whirl in a food processor to create a finer flour. Instant Pot Almond Milk Recipe  What recipes are you making while you're stuck at home? Have you tried anything new with your extra spare time? Send us your favorite recipes on Instagram or Twitter.