<p>Anyone interested? I decided (for monetary, not religious reasons) to give up eating out for Lent. Approximately two days after making this pledge, I got a car repair bill that made this decision a necessity, rather than a choice. I’m going to keep going after Lent, as this has (uh, duh!) made a huge difference in my cash flow. Also makes me think more about what I’m eating and inspires me to think of things to do with stuff I have on hand (like all the little bits of whole grain I have in assorted baggies). I don’t know what exactly the club’s activities would be. Maybe more like a support group. I will admit to not having scoured CC to see if there’s already something like this on CC, but if there is I’d welcome points in that direction. This morning, was very pleased with myself for making a German pancake using an egg that was on its last legs (can eggs have legs?) and soon-to-expire milk.</p>
<p>Good idea, as many of us were talking on the financial aid thread about cutting back significantly. I rarely go out, not only for financial reasons, but health reasons as well. </p>
<p>My favorite quick meal with what I have around: Saute chick peas with garlic, toss in microwaved broccoli and toasted walnuts and mix in some pesto (store bought or homemade) and you have a great topping for whole wheat spaghetti, or brown rice pasta at our house with celiac DH.</p>
<p>Well, GTalum, this thread has already paid off for me, as your favorite quick meal incorporate ingredients that would please my D (a somewhat picky eater), my BF (loves beans of any kind) and me! Anything involving toasted walnuts piques my interest. Thanks!</p>
<p>I started WW January first and one adjustment I have made is cooking more at home. Last night we ordered out and I was so thirsty all eveing from the extra salt! </p>
<p>One of the easiest things I make is chicken fajitas. Cook chicken breasts in a little olive oil; then remove from pan and slice. Stir fry sliced onions and green peppers; add chicken back in. Spoon into tortilla shells. </p>
<p>Perhaps that is too easy to even be called a recipe, but I wanted this thread to pop up to read!</p>
<p>Dudes! I can see a Food Network show in our futures! One of the rules of the Cooking at Home club at my house is that you have to eat what you make, even if it’s a failed experiment. Which means we’re going to have to power through the Bulgarian pepper casserole that turned out a bit blander than I’d hoped. And that I’m actually going to have to turn the bowl of mystery grain that’s sitting in my refrigerator (it MIGHT be bulgur) into tabouli, as planned. My favorite thing is making sandwiches for lunch that taste better and cost a small fraction of what I would pay for the same thing at the mini-cafe at my workplace.</p>
<p>We rarely eat out because I like to know what I am eating and I enjoy cooking from scratch. We do have a few farm to table restaurants we enjoy and on special occasions there are a few restaurants we love to go to. </p>
<p>One of my favorite quick recipes is spinach pasta. </p>
<p>Boil water and cook pasta (I only use whole wheat pasta.) When it has a minute or so left to cook throw in about 1 pd of fresh baby spinach. Drain. </p>
<p>While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet saute garlic (4-5 cloves) and red pepper flakes in EVOO. I sometimes add anchovies (they dissolve in the oil) but their flavor remains or capers. Take the pan off the heat a few minutes before the pasta is done. </p>
<p>Add drained pasta & spinach to the pan and toss. Transfer to a big bowl and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan. Serve with crusty bread.</p>
<p>So give me a little more idea what you would like posted. Recipes from leftovers in the refrig? Only meals that stretch the dollar (or stretch the protein)???</p>
<p>I’m in- just need to know what the focus is!</p>
<p>As sort of stated above, one of my fav leftover chicken recipes is to stir fry it with whatever veggies I can find in the refrig, top with a little shredded cheddar and a dap of sour cream or red pepper flakes (or olives, or fresh jalapenos…) and wrap it up in a tortilla (another thing I usually have on hand.</p>
<p>Hmm. Focus. Let’s see. How about: </p>
<ul>
<li>Post your tips for easy-to-make meals that are so delicious you won’t miss restaurant food.</li>
<li>Share your insights and opinions about strategically and cost-effectively stocking a pantry.</li>
<li>Tell people about things you can make at home that seem complicated but are really easy. </li>
</ul>
<p>I’ve already gotten some ideas that could help me on nights when I’m tempted to dial for dinner!</p>
<p>My advice is to buy one of Mark Bittman’s cookbooks and just start at page 1.</p>
<p>Yesterday we had an interesting North African inspired lamb stew. You saute a large onion in olive oil. Remove it then saute 2# of lamb in batches. Then add 1/2 cup of honey. (!) While it’s melting add cumin, cardamom, fennel, caraway, salt and pepper. (It was about 1/2 to 1 tsp. each. I might have forgotten something.) Add 1/2 cup stock or water. Cover and simmer about an hour.</p>
<p>The majority of our meals are homecooked. Dinner leftovers are packaged in glass containers and eaten for lunch the next day. Even when we go on vacation, I make sure that the place where we stay has grills and/or kitchen. It saves us a lot of money and time, and makes the only dinner that we eat at a restaurant special. 
Really, cooking a simple dinner is not a back-breaking job, especially if you have a grill.</p>
<p>If you want a dish that tastes better on the second day, try Ukrainian borscht. Yumm!</p>
<p>One interesting thing to do is to think about what it is you order when you go out for dinner. Is it something you don’t or can’t make at home??? In other words, what makes the “going out” so desirable???</p>
<p>For us sometimes, going out is nice for the option of everyone being able to choose different dishes. But if I really think about it, most of the stuff we get out, we CAN make at home.</p>
<ol>
<li>Roast chicken pieces with roast vegetables. Covered in one herb or another.</li>
<li>The recently discovered crock pot. Use crushed Marzano tomatoes for a bit of sweetness, also salt, pepper, some combination of spices, onions. With beef roasts or chicken. Cheapest, easiest way to lots of protein.</li>
<li>Soups. Chinese soups. Nom.</li>
</ol>
<p>I’d agree with Mathmom–get yourself a good basic cookbook (like Bittman) and just start cooking your way through it ala Julie and Julia. Any of the Moosewood cookbooks would be great too, especially because those recipes don’t use meat (which will cut your costs too). My D got me The New Moosewood Cookbook–update of the 70s original. I also like Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes.</p>
<p>I like Still Life with Menu which is written by Mollie Katzen author of the original Moosewood. She has good advice about what sort of things you can prepare for in advance so that it is easy to throw together a meal when you get home from work. I loved the original Moosewood, but its food, though vegetarian wasn’t always the healthiest and it was often quite time consuming. I haven’t see the update.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Good question. In my case, we ate out so much (and ordered in a lot) due to a storied lack of discipline on my part. Thinking about the economies I’d need to have in place to pay for my daughter’s college (and just to be on an even keel financially), it was painfully obvious that my typical dining expenses were out of control. I want to be at a place where I think of eating out as a special occasion and where we go out only to enjoy things I truly can’t make myself, like the steamed dumplings at my fave Chinese place. What’s really great is making something yourself that you KNOW is better than anything you can get at a restaurant. For instance, I make a great marinara sauce that really is better than anything I’ve ever had at a restaurant, even a really good one. And the sandwich I had for lunch today: homemade marinated eggplant, store-bought red pepper/artichoke tapenade, grilled with provolone cheese. Delish.</p>
<p>If you have time and patience, you can make risotto with broth and white or brown rice. Add some veggies towards the end of the cooking time.</p>
<p>Quick question - for those of you who buy long grain brown rice in bulk, what do you buy? I have a grocer nearby that stocks large (10 lb?) bags of rice in the Indian isle. Is there a way know if it is long grain?</p>
<p>Your sandwich sounds wonderful!</p>
<p>Personally, I prefer a suggested tried and true recipe over working my way through a cookbook. Too many choices. :)</p>
<p>My significant other says he no longer wants to eat out because he thinks my cooking is so good. Sorry, I just had to boast because it makes me so happy. My favorite cookbook is called China Express, by Nina Simonds. But I’ve gotten to the point now, after 30 years of cooking in several different styles, where I can read 3-4 similar Epicurious recipes and triangulate to make one of my own. Reading the Epicurious site is a great way to start to see how recipes are built.</p>
<p>Oh, and you HAVE to get a cookbook by Nigel Slater. He’s a gas, and always offers great variations, and reassuring never you minds about the details.</p>
<p>High-five, Alumother! My H never orders salmon at even the fanciest restaurants, because he says I make *the best *planked or grilled salmon. :)</p>
<p>It is Seattle Restaurant Week, so we are going to be splurging on another 3-course meal to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Then, later in the week, I will be cooking a nice homemade dinner to continue the celebration.</p>
<p>Why thank you Bunsen! I have never made planked salmon, and always wanted to. If I ever manage, I will bow in your direction. Right now I am busy turning a whole bunch of boneless skinless chicken breasts into spicy shredded chicken for use in enchiladas and over pasta. Or maybe with a roasted sweet potato. </p>
<p>Lucky friend:).</p>