There’s no point in sugarcoating it: self-isolation and quarantine are tough for pretty much everybody. Nearly everything’s closed down right now, and as a result (at least if you’re anything like us), the couch and its pal, the TV, have become an integral part of your daily life.
But wait! What about your kitchen? It deserves some love, too. And now, you can get back to your mixing bowls, pans and blenders with the help of a Joanna Gaines cooking class.
This Is What Joanna Is Posting on Instagram
You probably remember Joanna from the show Fixer Upper, but she and Chip have been plenty busy since then. The couple has opened a bakery and a restaurant and even started a magazine. (If you’re a fan of the Gaines family, you’ll definitely want to read about how Chip and Joanna donated $1.5 million to St. Jude, too.) It only makes sense that they’re keeping busy right now!
Joanna’s been posting free mini cooking lessons on her Instagram, and honestly, we’re so excited to try her ideas. The recipes—like chocolate chip cookies and chili—are super easy to make, and they use ingredients you probably already have in the house. Check out the video for cookies below:
While you’re self-isolating, here’s our advice on how to make the most of your time indoors.
The Best Recipes to Make Right Now
If you’re excited to be back in the kitchen and want more easy recipes, look no further. Here are super simple recipes you can make with canned goods, like cheeseburger pasta, simmered turkey enchiladas and red pepper chicken. Don’t worry—you’ll have all the ingredients already if you’ve stocked your pantry according to our expert’s advice.
Bottom line: We’re all in this, indoors, together. But while we’re inside, we figure we can at least cook some tasty food—there’s never been a better time to do it.
Learn How to Bake ALL the Cookies Right Now
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Big Soft Ginger Cookies
These nicely spiced, big soft ginger cookies are perfect for folks who like the flavor of ginger but don't care for crunchy gingersnaps. —Barbara Gray, Boise, Idaho Are you forgetting this one simple trick when baking cookies?
Big & Buttery Chocolate Chip Cookies
My take on the classic cookie is inspired by a bakery in California called Hungry Bear. It's big, thick and chewy—truly the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. —Irene Yeh, Mequon, Wisconsin
Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
My mother insisted that my grandmother write down one recipe for her when she got married in 1942. She needed to know this how to make peanut butter cookies from scratch recipe. That was a real effort because Grandma was a traditional pioneer-type cook who used "a little of this or that 'til it feels right." This treasured recipe is the only one she ever wrote down! —Janet Hall, Clinton, Wisconsin
Make baking cookies a breeze with these essential cookie supplies.
Jumbo Brownie Cookies
These deeply fudgy cookies are a great way to make a friend. A little espresso powder in the dough makes them even more over-the-top. —Rebecca Cababa, Las Vegas, Nevada
Vanilla Meringue Cookies
Want to learn how to make meringues? This meringue cookie is light, airy morsels and the perfect fat-free treat to really beat a sweets craving. —Jenni Sharp, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
First-Place Coconut Macaroons
These coconut macaroon cookies earned me a first-place ribbon at the county fair. They remain my husband's favorites—whenever I make them to give away, he always asks me for some, too! I especially like that this macaroon recipe makes a small enough batch for the two of us to nibble on. —Penny Ann Habeck, Shawano, Wisconsin
Peppermint Meltaways
This recipe for peppermint meltaways is very pretty and festive-looking on a cookie platter. I often cover a plate of these peppermint cookies with red or green plastic wrap and a bright holiday bow in one corner. And yes, they really do melt in your mouth! —Denise Wheeler, Newaygo, Michigan
Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
Baking peanut butter kiss cookies to share doesn't get much easier than this. Stir together four ingredients. Bake. Top with a kiss. Done! Your family will love this Hershey's peanut butter blossom cookie recipe. —Dee Davis, Sun City, Arizona
Pecan Meltaways
This sweet, nutty pecan balls recipe is a tradition in our house at Christmastime, but the treats are great any time of the year. —Alberta McKay, Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Raspberry Ribbons
I make these attractive, buttery cookies to serve at our remote guest lodge, and all the cooks in the kitchen are addicted to them! —Patsy Wolfenden, Golden, British Columbia
White Velvet Cutouts
We make and decorate these cutouts for different holidays and give lots of them as gifts. Last year, we baked a batch a week before Christmas to be sure we'd have plenty to give and plenty for ourselves, too. These rich cookies melt in your mouth. —Kim Hinkle, Wauseon, Ohio
Contest-Winning Chocolate Truffle Cookies
Here's a snack for serious chocolate lovers. These enticing cookies are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, somewhat bittersweet and very chocolaty. I usually make them to share at get-togethers. Otherwise, I'd eat them all myself! I'm always asked for the recipe. —Delaine Fortenberry, McComb, Mississippi
Scottish Shortbread
Scottish settlers first came to this area over 150 years ago. My mother herself was Scottish, and—as with most of my favorite recipes—she passed this on to me. I make a triple batch of it each year at Christmas, to enjoy and as gifts. —Rose Mabee, Selkirk, Manitoba
Cherry Chocolate Nut Cookies
Each Christmas, I make about 600 cookies to share with family and friends. The holidays wouldn't be the same without several batches of these colorful goodies. —Sybil Brown, Highland, California
Amish Sugar Cookies
These easy-to-make, old-fashioned sugar cookies simply melt in your mouth! This is one of the best Amish cookie recipes I've ever had. I've passed this one around to many friends, and after I gave it to my sister, she entered the cookies in a local fair and won the best of show prize! —Sylvia Ford, Kennett, Missouri
Learn how to bake the best-ever sugar cookies with these secret tips. 
Chippy Peanut Butter Cookies
"Hey, these are good!" is the surprised remark I hear when I bake these for the family. As simple as it may seem, all I do is follow directions. This works exceptionally well when it comes to making cookies. —Ian Badeer, Hickman, Nebraska
Chewy Chocolate Cookies
This cookie recipe—a favorite of our four children—has been in my collection for years. Sometimes I'll substitute mint-flavored chips for the semisweet chocolate ones. Either way, the chocolate cookies disappear quickly. This is one of our favorite easy chocolate chip cookie recipes.
White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
White baking chips and macadamia nuts are a fantastic duo in these buttery cookies. They are a nice change from the classic chocolate chip ones. —Cathy Lennon, Newport, Tennessee
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Crazy about chocolate chips? This chewy, oatmeal chocolate chip cookie has plenty, not to mention lots of heart-healthy oatmeal. The gang’ll come back for seconds so this big batch recipe is perfect. This is the best 'oat choc chip cookies recipe' you'll ever taste! —Diane Neth, Menno, South Dakota
Snickerdoodles
The history of this whimsically named treat is widely disputed, but the popularity of this classic cinnamon-sugar-coated cookie is undeniable! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
S'more Sandwich Cookies
Capture the taste of campfire s'mores in your kitchen. Graham cracker crumbs added to chocolate chip cookie dough bring out the flavor of the fireside favorite. Melting the cookies' marshmallow centers in the microwave makes them simple to assemble. —Abby Metzger, Larchwood, Iowa
Safely store your cookie stash in one of these adorable cookie jars. 
Mimosa Butter Cookies
You can add many different flavors to butter cookies to make them your own. Try an alternate type of citrus zest, or add an alternate liquid to change things up. —Sara Lark, Raton, New Mexico
Coconut Key Lime Thumbprints
This is the cookie recipe I created for the Las Vegas World Food Championships 2013. It's similar to a shortbread thumbprint cookie, but with lots more personality. —Amy Freeze, Avon Park, Florida
Thumbprint Butter Cookies
These buttery little rounds add beautiful color to a platter of treats. Fill the thumbprint in the center with any fruit preserves you like. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Toffee Almond Sandies
These crispy classics are loaded with crunchy chopped toffee and almonds, so there's no doubt as to why they're my husband's favorite cookie. I used to bake them in large batches when our four sons still lived at home. Now I whip them up for the grandchildren! —Alice Kahnk, Kennard, Nebraska
Iced Orange Cookies
I usually make these bite-size cookies at Christmastime, when oranges in Florida are plentiful, but they're delicious any time of year. Every time I sniff their wonderful aroma, I remember my grandmother, who shared the recipe. —Lori DiPietro, New Port Richey, Florida
Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cakes
These spiced balls are a yummy twist on a traditional favorite. Sometimes I add mini chocolate chips to the dough and, after baking, dip the cooled cookies in melted almond bark. —Joanne Valkema, Freeport, Illinois
Crisp Sugar Cookie Mix
I've relied on this mix for these light sugar cookies for years, even selling it at bazaars. I package it in a plastic bag tied with pretty ribbon and attach a cookie cutter and copy of the recipe. —Eneatha Attig Secrest, Mattoon, Illinois
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
A friend gave me the recipe for these cookies many years ago, and they’re as delicious as the ones Mom used to make. The secret to the recipe is to measure exactly (no guessing on the amounts) and to not overbake. —Wendy Coalwell, Abbeville, Georgia
Eager to sample your cookie dough? Read this first.
Lemon Tea Cookies
These sandwich cookies taste rich and buttery and have a lovely lemon filling. The recipe has been in our family since the 1950s, when my mother got it from a French friend in her club. —Phyllis Dietz, Westland, Michigan
Miniature Peanut Butter Treats
This recipe is one of my family's favorites, and I make the treats a lot, especially at Christmas. I have three children and eight grandchildren, and every one of them loves those "peanut butter thingies," as the grandchildren call them! —Jodie McCoy, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Frosted Red Velvet Cookies
During college, my student job was in the bakery. These Red Velvet Cookies take me back to that special place and time. —Christina Petri, Alexandria, Minnesota
Lemon Snowflakes
You’ll need just four items to whip up these delightful cookies. Confectioners’ sugar highlights the cracked tops to give them their snowflake appearance. —Linda Barry, Dianna, Texas
Cranberry Cookies with Browned Butter Glaze
I won a baking contest with these chunky glazed cookies that are so easy, even novice bakers can pull them off. What makes them special? Fresh cranberries. —Laurie Cornett, Charlevoix, Michigan
White Chocolate Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti
Over the years, I've adapted my most-requested biscotti recipe to add some of my favorite ingredients: cranberries, white chocolate and pistachios. This biscotti keeps and freezes well.—Susan Nelson, Newbury Park, California
Yummy Cracker Snacks
These treats are my family's favorite, and it seems no matter how many I make, they always disappear too soon. —D. Weaver, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Dipped Gingersnaps
I get tremendous satisfaction making and giving time-tested yuletide treats like these soft, chewy cookies. Dipping them in white chocolate makes much-loved gingersnaps even more special. —Laura Kimball, West Jordan, Utah
Lemony Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
These spiced-just-right whoopie pies combine two popular flavors in one fun treat. The moist cookies are rolled in sugar before baking for a bit of crunch. —Jamie Jones, Madison, Georgia
Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints
Covered in chopped nuts and drizzled with chocolate, these cookies are delicious and pretty, too. Everybody looks forward to munching on them during the holidays. —Elizabeth Marino, San Juan Capistrano, California
Butter Cookies
This great butter cookie recipe is a favorite of my nephews, who love the creamy frosting. —Ruth Griggs, South Hill, Virginia
Lime & Gin Coconut Macaroons
I took these lime and coconut macaroons to our annual cookie exchange, where we name a queen. I won the crown! —Milissa Kirkpatrick, Angel Fire, New Mexico
What's the difference between a macaron and a macaroon? Find out here.
Fudgy Mint Cookies
Chocolate lovers will get a double dose when they bite into this cake-like cookie. The cookies are especially popular served alongside a big scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream! —Renee Schwebach, Dumont, Minnesota
Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Dotted with cranberries, orange zest and vanilla chips, these cookies are so colorful and fun to eat. They look lovely on a dessert tray and would be a great addition to your Christmas cookie lineup. —Pat Habiger, Spearville, Kansas
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
Guests will stand in line to kiss the cook when these treats are served! For a change of pace, try them with chunky peanut butter, too. —Canada60, Tasteofhome.com Community
Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
These soft banana cookies have a cakelike texture and lots of flavor that everyone seem to love. It's one of the best banana cookie recipes I've found. —Vicki Raatz, Waterloo, Wisconsin
Almond Spritz Cookies
This almond spritz cookies recipe can be left plain or decorated with colored sugar and frosting. In our house, it just wouldn't be Christmas without some cookie press recipes.—Tanya Hart, Muncie, Indiana
Giant Molasses Cookies
My family always requests these soft molasses cookies. These chewy molasses cookies are also great for shipping as holiday gifts or to troops overseas. —Kristine Chayes, Smithtown, New York
Coconut Clouds
Coconut lovers will have extra reason to celebrate when they taste these cakelike drop cookies. The generous frosting and coconut topping make them a hit at holiday cookie swaps. —Donna Scofield, Yakima, Washington
Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
I'm a busy mother of two young children. I work in our school office and help my husband on our hog and cattle farm. When I find time to bake a treat, I like it to be special. The creamy filling gives traditional peanut butter cookies a new twist. —Debbie Kokes, Tabor, South Dakota
Tender Italian Sugar Cookies
These traditional Italian cookies are moist and tender. —Weda Mosellie, Phillipsburg, New Jersey
The post Joanna Gaines Is Hosting Mini Cooking Classes to Keep Us Busy in the Kitchen appeared first on Taste of Home.
Emily Hannemann