Takeout Food at Home

You might think there are some foods that are better when you go to your local takeout eatery and spend money to have them made for you. Is it easier and more convenient? Maybe, but I’m here to tell you there are many things you can make yourself at home that will taste great, are less expensive, and healthier!  

I’m going to show you two things you may eat out on a regular basis that can be made in your own kitchen and adapted to whatever your personal cravings or tastebuds desire. They are so versatile and can be made differently every time if that’s what you like.

tacos

The first recipe we will cover are hard shell tacos. You might think, I make tacos all the time, but do you make the shells? Do you buy a packet of oversalted seasoning? It is simple to do this from scratch, and though it may be more time consuming, the freshness and quality are worth it. 

What You Need:

Shells:

• Corn tortillas- you can use all purpose flour if you like, but I prefer corn for crunchy tacos
• An oil cooking spray such as olive, vegetable, or canola

Filling: 

• 1.5 pound of some type of ground meat. Ground beef is traditional, but if you are going for lighter fare, make it ground turkey or ground chicken breast. You can also use sliced skirt steak or shredded chicken.

Toppings – This is totally up to you! Here are some suggestions: 

• Diced tomatoes
• Onions
• Black olives
• Cheese 
• Corn
• Refried beans
• Lettuce
• Avocado
• Sour cream

instructions:

Mix all the seasonings together. It’s as simple as that. You can adjust the level of spice by adjusting the amount of crushed red pepper and cayenne. Personally, I like a little more crushed red pepper, and I leave out the cayenne. You will only need 2-3 tablespoons. Use the leftover seasoning for chicken or something else during the week!

For the shells, preheat your oven to 375°F and put the top rack on the second shelf setting. Make sure to put aluminum foil on the bottom rack below because the cooking spray will drip. Take 5 tortillas (or as many as you can fit in the oven) at a time and wrap them in paper towels. Put them in the microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute. When they are done, lay them out on a cutting board and spray each side with cooking spray, and sprinkle with Kosher salt.

Use tongs to drape the shells over the rack, over two bars, then set a timer for 6-7 minutes. They will be slightly browned when they are done. Use tongs to remove them and place on a baking sheet to cool. Repeat until all the shells are done. 

While the shells are cooking, brown the meat. Once it is browned, use 2-3 tbsp of seasoning and about 2/3 cup of water. Turn the heat down to low and let the water dissolve. 

Fill your tacos up with whatever you like! Another way you can go about this is to use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the tortillas in four triangles, and either fry, bake, or air fry to make nachos instead of tacos.

As you can see, using homemade tortillas and seasonings can give you so many options on what type of meal you want to make.

EGG ROLLS

The next recipe we will cover are egg rolls. These can be time consuming, but again, much healthier and made-to-order however you like.

What You Need:

Traditional Egg Rolls: 

• Egg roll wrappers
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground pork 
• ½ head of cabbage, shredded (a bag of pre-shredded cabbage works great) 
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 10 oz of mushrooms, diced
• ½ an onion, diced
• Green onion
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

instructions:

Brown the pork and season with salt and pepper. Put cooked pork into a large mixing bowl. Using the same pan, sauté onions and mushrooms in olive oil. Once the onions are slightly soft, add the carrots. When all the vegetables are done cooking, add cabbage a little at a time, letting it wilt before adding more. Add the soy sauce and let it cook off in the pan. When the vegetables are soft, transfer to the same mixing bowl as the pork. Add the green onions, sesame oil, more salt and pepper, and mix.

Next, get a dish of cold water and lay out an egg roll wrapper so it is facing you like a diamond. Use a pastry brush or your finger to brush the water along all the sides of the wrapper. Spoon about ¼ cup of the mixture into the center of the wrapper and spread it out lengthwise. To fold the egg roll, fold the corner closest to you over the mixture. Then fold in each side and roll the wrapper closed. 

Another great thing about making these at home is you can choose how you want to cook the egg rolls. If you fry them, use a skillet with about ½ an inch of vegetable oil, frying until golden brown on all sides. I prefer the healthier air fry option, which is what I did here. To air fry, spray egg rolls with cooking spray and cook in the air fryer on 375°F for about 10 minutes, making sure to turn halfway through. Depending on your air fryer you may need to subtract or add a couple of minutes, so keep your eyes on it the first time you do this.

This recipe is very versatile as you can change the filling to whatever you want. Some other fillings I have tried that have come out great are:

Cheeseburger Egg Rolls: 

• Ground beef, seasoned with ketchup and mustard
• Cheese
• Diced pickles

Mac and Cheese Egg Rolls:

• Boxed macaroni and cheese – make it cheesier by adding some fresh shredded cheese

Southwestern Egg Rolls:

• Leftover taco seasoning from taco recipe
• Ground beef or chicken
• Black beans
• Corn
• Cheese

I love these recipes because once you know how to make them, they are often better than what you can buy in restaurants. I also love being able to do whatever I want with them, depending on how I feel and how much effort I am willing to put in. I hope you try these and find the way you like them best. Happy cooking!