Cat Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 If you've been trying to save money by eating out less, there are probably things you're starting to miss. I went searching for a good recipe for "Alfredo Sauce" when I knew we weren't going to get back to Red Lobster or Applebees for a while! What do you miss? What would you like to try to duplicate? Link to comment
blestmomof4 Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Orange/Sesame Chicken. DH took me Friday for our 'date day' and they no longer have it on the menu.. I was terribly disappointed but now am on a quest to find that perfect recipe so that I can have it at home whenever I want it and don't have the expense of eating out. Blessing, BB Link to comment
Homemaker Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 My taste buds miss the flavor enhancers like msg and vegetable proteins that makes the food taste better than it really is. My body doesn't miss it though...terrible stuff for you. It actually fools your brain into thinking the food tastes good. Think of what that does to your brain. I have been getting more creative with my spices... real spices, to make my food naturally taste good. I've been stocking up. Link to comment
Leah Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 This lady has good recipes, you might try hers... http://appetiteforchina.com/recipes/orange...-kosher-chinese Link to comment
JCK88 Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 The God's honest truth is that I don't miss anything by not eating out. Yep, that's right. I'm allergic to so many things that the default eat out entree is either steak, hamburger with no bun, or some kind of broiled fish. At home the choices are unlimited...I can even make wheat-free, corn-free onion rings.... What I miss is the whole thing of NOT having to cook at all sometimes. I just get plain sick of it at times. So..it's a good thing the daughter took culinary last year and can make anything from flan to alfredo and that the husband knows a few dishes I can eat. However, for those of you who miss taco bell tacos--here is a copy-cat taco sauce that's easy to whip up from those cheap plain cans of tomato sauce. Quick Taco Bell Sauce 1 eight ounce can of tomato sauce 1/3 cup water 1/4 tsp chili powder 1 1/2 tsp cumin 1 1/2 tsp instant minced onion 1 Tablespoon white or cider vinegar 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp garlic salt 1/4 tsp paprika 1/4 tsp sugar'1/4 tsp cayenne pepper Place all ingredients in sauce pan and stir well. Simmer at low temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and cool. May be kept in refrigerator for several days. Link to comment
Homemaker Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 I'll have to give that taco sauce a try. I bought the Taco Bell brand taco sauce they sold in the grocery store a few years back and it didn't taste anything like Taco Bell's in the little packets. I was dissapointed because I love theirs. I must confess that I helped myself to a few extra packets every time we ate there. Hey, if they offered the same stuff for me to buy, I would have bought it. Link to comment
mellissat Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 We have cut way back on eating out. As for the Alfredo sauce we are using Four Brothers that is the brand. You can find it at the grocery store on sale sometimes. Link to comment
mommato3boys Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 If you've been trying to save money by eating out less, there are probably things you're starting to miss. I went searching for a good recipe for "Alfredo Sauce" when I knew we weren't going to get back to Red Lobster or Applebees for a while! What do you miss? What would you like to try to duplicate? Duplicate? nothing really, between Mare's recipes and my WWII cook book I have a good variety. However, I do miss, beerbattered onion rings. I really need to make some. Oh wait I know...Jim & Nick's BBQ sauce. Jim & Nick's is our favorite BBQ place in B'ham. East NC has horrible BBQ (vinegar based nasty stuff). So I would have to say Jim & Nick's BBQ Sauce! I am going to stay with my mother a couple of weeks this summer. Guess what I am shipping back to East NC...yep Jim & Nick's BBQ sauce. Can't take it on the plane it will be more than 4 ozs. (more like 4 gallons) Link to comment
Louis1 Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Eating out less? Any "Less" would pretty much place me in the category of "Not at all". Link to comment
Ambergris Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 I miss red meat that's charred on the outside but juicy inside. I miss baby back ribs with sweet sauce charred over the ends and edges of them. I miss deep fried mushrooms. I miss the Crystal River fried oysters. I miss Popeye's! I miss General Tso! I miss a little pyrex dish filled with rich white sauce and chunks of shrimp, fish, and crab, and with cheese melted with cracker crumbs over the top. I miss sushi. I miss going to a Southern Buffet and loading up my plate with squash; spinach salad with mushrooms, shredded cheese, and sunflower seeds; butter beans; baby limas; black eyed peas with corn bread; cabbage with pork in it; greens cooked with sausage; and fried okra--any one of which would have been "it for the day" had it been made at home. I am a glutton, you see. I love having it all. But really, with my food sensitivities--nitrites, MSG, soy flour, soy sauce, fake sweeteners, and peanuts, I'm better off eating at home. Link to comment
mellissat Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 We have a country buffet about 30 miles away that is to die for and not a bad price. Still at a good price we have to say no with all the prepping I want to do. Link to comment
caet Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 I don't miss not "eating out". I just miss "not cooking"! Link to comment
Cat Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 I don't miss not "eating out". I just miss "not cooking"! How I deal with all the cooking... *big batches of things I can freeze for a later meal, too *slow cooker... throw it all in in the morning and eat later *one-pot meals (Yes, I'm still doing it all, but at least I have an occasional "day off".) Some people "share cook"... if you have a good friend you can work with to have good meals without doing it all yourself. Link to comment
caet Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Those are very good ideas! Freezing I can do. I don't know why that didn't occur to me before.... I think I will look at slow cookers. I've thought about getting one before, but just never did. "share cooking" is also quite an interesting idea. I'm not sure it would work for me though, as my family all have different allergies to different foods - so cooking a meal requires keeping everyone's allergies in mind. Link to comment
Cat Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 You might find a good slow-cooker at a second-hand store or garage/tag sale. A lot of people are just "scared" of leaving something plugged-in and running during the day. (And think NOTHING of the electricity their TV, microwave, computer, etc. draw day and night!) Link to comment
BiscuitMaker Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 We are eating out less and I find that I want to try new dishes more. I am having fun trying new stuff, Oh I love baby back ribs we cook them on the grill and I have a good sauce. We did eat out about 1 time a week and sometimes 2 if I was really busy. When we moved in Nov. we ate out a lot but the kichen was packed, funny how I had a hard time finding those boxes??? But to tell you the truth I get sick of eating out a lot. Thank goodness I am a pretty good cook, and my dessert is always better. Link to comment
serendipity Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 We pretty much stopped eating out when our family size inceased to six people, eight years ago. It just plain cost too much. At the time I started incorporating more and more homemade copycat recipes into my repetoire. Between that and my experience as a caterer, it has really paid off. It is hard for me to pay for something I can make myself for pennies on the dollar. But like caet, I don't miss eating out, I miss "not cooking". Dh does like to eat out for a psychological boost. I have combatted this by keeping some "treats" in the freezer for him to use whenever he wants (steaks, etc.). It helps. For whatever reason, eating out makes him feel all is well in his world. For me, food is an inconvenience and I would just as soon eat crackers and cheese every day. It is easier and you don't have to do any dishes. Food is highly overrated to me but I know it is important to my family. Arg. So I cook. The crock pot is my best friend. Link to comment
HSmom Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 The only thing I miss is really *good* fried rice! I can make passable fried rice, but it just isn't the same. More and more, I find myself inclined to eat out (cuz I don't want to cook), but realizing that I really don't want the "out" food, so I go home and eat a sandwich. To combat the urge to "not cook" I do a few things: 1. buy frozen convenience foods, 2. can meals-in-a-jar (stew, soup, etc) to be served with homemade cornbread or biscuits - or even store-bought French bread, 3. serve sandwiches and generally ease up on myself about cooking "a good dinner." Link to comment
Cat Posted March 19, 2009 Author Share Posted March 19, 2009 I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Orange/Sesame Chicken. DH took me Friday for our 'date day' and they no longer have it on the menu.. I was terribly disappointed but now am on a quest to find that perfect recipe so that I can have it at home whenever I want it and don't have the expense of eating out. Blessing, BB Is this from a national chain restaurant or a local small restaurant? Give me an idea of the ingredients, and we'll see what we can find... Sounds good! Link to comment
blestmomof4 Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 We eat it at a small local place but have had it at most places that serve asian food. The chicken is battered then served with a slightly spicey sweet red sauce with sesame seeds. It would go GREAT with your fried rice and Judy's eggrolls. Now I'm hungry....lol Blessings, BB Link to comment
PoGo Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 We never have ate out a lot. When neither of us feels like cooking, we'll order pizza or husband will bring home a hamburger. Doesn't happen very often though. We even take leftovers to work for lunch, instead of going to a fast food place. Our one "big night out" is our wedding anniversary. Birthdays and holidays, we make our own "fancy" dinner at home. Link to comment
Darlene Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Alfredo sauce is a piece of cake to make. All you need is butter, garlic, onions, heavy cream, romano or parmesian cheese, salt, pepper, etc. It's fast and easy to make and I'm willing to bet that we can make it better than any restaurant and/or store bought. Link to comment
mommato3boys Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Well even if the money starts rolling in I doubt we eat out again for a while...we took two of the boys out the other night for a treat. OMG I was so sick...the grease! Yeah well I will stick to my home grown lettuce and veggies. Link to comment
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