Election Night 2020: Distracting Dishes To Cook While Waiting For The Results

In case you've been living under a rock, today is Election Day in America. No matter what side of the aisle you're on, watching the results roll in during the evening can be an exciting, yet stressful time. And what's the best way to distract yourself from doom scrolling through Twitter while listening to the news and results in the background? Cooking involved, delicious dishes. Step away from the computer and into your kitchen and whip up these satisfying, time-consuming dishes.

Wonton Soup

Sure, you can head to your local Chinese spot and get wonton soup in five minutes, or you can sit at the kitchen table, hand-filling pork wontons for hours on end. Making your own wontons is a fun, somehow soothing experience, and in addition to taking up some of your time, you have the ability to adjust the flavors to your liking. Load up on as much ginger as you prefer.

Homemade Pizza Dough

Like wonton soup, it's easy enough to get some of the best pizza in America on election night. But kneading your own pizza dough by hand (or using a mixing bowl for a little added speed) is a zen experience that can help ease anxiety. Use this basic homemade pizza dough recipe as a base for creative pizzas, like this red, white and blue pizza or a white pizza with mushrooms and garlicky greens.

Ricotta Ravioli

Once you start making your own pasta from scratch, you'll never go back to the store-bought stuff again, and kneading the dough by hand can help you to get some nervous energy out. This homemade dough is filled with a simple yet comforting ricotta cheese filling.

Potato Buns

The key to spending a long time in your kitchen is to bake things you would otherwise just buy at the grocery store. Consider, for instance, these potato buns, which make a hearty base for any of the best burger recipes. Want to really take some time? Make some buns, burger patties and set up a toppings bar for your family with cut up onions, pickles and homemade condiments, like mayonnaise or beet ketchup.

Lasagna

It's going to be a long, stressful night for many — and that means you may want to rely on some comfort food staples. Perhaps no other food is as comforting as a classic lasagna. At its core, lasagna is just a casserole of red sauce (which you can make from scratch), cheese and noodles. Customize it however you see fit, from the above sausage and spinach recipe to this pepperoni-topped lasagna or this vegetarian lasagna with kale and pumpkin.