Going out to eat can be a joy; trying dishes that would be notoriously challenging to make yourself is a gratifying and delicious way to immerse yourself in the world of food!
But many people don’t realize that some of these recipes are easy and fun to make at home for a fraction of the price. Here are five examples of common restaurant dishes that you should start whipping up in your kitchen.
Tacos
There’s nothing too challenging about making traditional tacos, save that you’ll need quite a few ingredients and prep time to make them happen. But as far as them being easy, they’re right up there with grilled cheese and tomato soup! One of the best things about tacos is that you can customize them, too. So there’s also the option to simplify your cooking by going with the bare bones like ground meat, cheese, shells, and maybe some store bought pico de gallo.
Chocolate Lava Cake
How DO they get that chocolate lava in that cake? It turns out the secret is a lot simpler than you probably think. It’s a showy dessert that most people would assume you’d have to be a pastry chef to make. But with the right equipment, you can make perfect chocolate lava cakes that have the same “ooh ahh” factor as the ones at your favorite restaurant. You’ll need to make or buy chocolate ganache to dollop in the middle of each cake. Make sure the ganache is chilled, spoon it into each individual cake before baking, and flip over onto a plate after the cake is
done and adequately cooled. That’s it!
Caprese Salad
Caprese salad is a beautiful classic, a dish that’s perfect for a summer evening. And fortunately, it’s equally simple to make yourself. The only caveat is that all the ingredients need to be high-quality and fresh; getting out of season tomatoes or the cheapest possible mozzarella isn’t going to yield restaurant-quality results. It’s just gonna make you disappointed. Assemble yours with fresh mozzarella, quality tomatoes, fresh basil, a drizzle of good olive oil, some salt, and pepper. A nice balsamic vinegar is optional, but welcome, especially if your tomatoes are a little underripe.
Chicken Alfredo
This crowd-pleaser is often surprisingly expensive. That price tag gets even more absurd once you realize just how easy it is to make at home. It’s also an excellent way to reuse chicken, particularly rotisserie chicken, and the rest of the ingredients are probably waiting for you in your fridge. All you need is heavy cream or some other similarly creamy milk product, parmesan cheese, garlic, and butter. Fettuccine is the most popular choice, but you can use whatever you have on hand. Same with chicken breast: most people would use that, but chicken thigh or cutlets work just fine, too.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
We’re saving the easiest for last. If you see this dish on a menu in a restaurant, we highly recommend you skip it; it’s five ingredients, most of which you already have. That doesn’t mean it’s not delicious or that a restaurant-quality version wouldn’t be delicious—but it does mean that mastering it yourself takes minimal effort.
You just need spaghetti (or whatever pasta you prefer), olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and parsley. There’s not much to this dish; as long as you make everything with care (don’t burn your garlic!), you’ll have something delicious and fast.
20 Shocking Cooking Facts That Will Change Your Kitchen Forever
Cooking is a journey filled with surprises; sometimes, the most surprising truths are the hardest to swallow.
From debunking culinary myths to rethinking kitchen practices, here are 20 facts that might make you rethink your approach to food and cooking.
20 Shocking Cooking Facts That Will Change Your Kitchen Forever
10 Grocery Store Foods Linked to Memory Loss
Medical research shows that your diet has the potential to affect your mental function and overall brain health. We often focus on foods that affect our internal health but rarely give attention to the impact food has on our brains. Our brain uses 20-30% of the calories we consume.
While you may have an idea of foods that promote brain health, you may be surprised to find out that some foods you’re consuming could be affecting your focus and memory.
Leave a Reply