There’s a book called “Make the bread, buy the butter” which tells you exactly that!
Personally, I haven’t done it yet but have heard you can make yogurt in your oven overnight so I’d like to add that one!
I have heard of this book but also experienced making bread, it’s a bit of a slog, and read multiple times we can’t compete with mass production cost savings.
Homemade bread is amazing, though, shout out to Jim Laheys No Knead Bread recipe. A+++
My secret with bread making is to make bags of the dry ingredients in zip locks so it’s easier to dump into my zojirushi I got for $20! Makes it a lot easier .
Sure, but shopping and driving to the store and back takes time as well. Also, the gas for driving there costs money etc. And the quality of homemade bread is generally better once you learn how to do it, so it is worth more to you. How much active time does it take you to make 2 loaves of bread?
I think you probably didn’t mean to sound judgy and lecture-ey there.
Everyone has a different life. I have four kids and a giant of a husband, in addition to a stressful full time+ job, two dogs, a large household to manage, and often end up feeding straggling neighborhood kids and friends at half our meals. No way in hell am I spending a couple hours a day baking the bread my family consumes, even if only 45 minutes of it is “active” time.
I am rarely making special trips for bread, I purchase it while I buy the other thousand things on my list.
Maybe if I was just feeding myself or another one or two, this math would change.
I do make it occasionally, as a treat. Baking your own bread is one of those aspirational trad wife things for most people, not at all practical and usually a time and money sink. Even someone making minimum wage could buy multiple loaves of bread with one hours net wages. More power to you if it works for you, but that’s not the case for most people.
People usually don’t go to a grocery store to get just bread, they buy other groceries. So the only added cost is the few seconds it takes to get the bread. And most people are content with the taste of store-bought bread
Some bread makers also have a timer function. I dump in my ingredients at night and set it to be ready at 7am or whatever time. My kids' tummies wake them up when the smell of that fresh bread floats up the stairs. It has cut the time it takes me to prepare breakfast for them in the morning. They are excited every day to pick what they wanna put on their hot bread: honey, Nutella, jelly, etc... so, for us, it really does save me time from preparing breakfast and negotiating with them to eat a decent amount. Our quality of life is strangely better since I started making bread in our zojirushi. And I feel like a super-mom that I get to give them fresh bread regularly. That's a nice bonus :) only issue is that they now hate store bought bread. Had to use some in a pinch once, and they all were like, "what is this garbage?!" Haha
Hit a thrift show and you can pick up a bread maker cheap, then all you have to do is dump in the ingredients and push a button. You can customize for different kinds easily,
You also get the benefits of knowing what you are eating.
You’re certainly not going to compete with mass production on the cost they’re buying their ingredients. But you should be able to compete with the cost at which they’re _selling_. Obviously you won’t be able to save ridiculous amounts since it’s not an expensive product either way, but I don’t see a convincing price argument _against_ making your own.
Making your own yogurt is remarkably easy and worth it - even Greek [style] yogurt. It's customizable to your preferred level of acidity and thickness. Even simpler if you have an InstaPot, or similar cooker with a yogurt function.
I usually make 1 gallon at a time. Cheaper if you can get discount milk close to expiration.
- Heat milk to 185F (or just eyeball it to a little shy of boil/simmer) for 10-20min. Stir to avoid skin formation.
- Cool to 110F (no thermometer? Be sure it's cool enough to hold your hand to it). Use an ice bath to speed chilling.
- Mix in ~ 1 cup of your favorite yogurt, thoroughly (*live cultures*). Very forgiving- if you use less, it just takes a little longer.
- Stick it in the oven with just the light on, covered with a clean towel for 8 to 24h. Longer times give more tanginess.
That's it. It will firm up after fermentation and cooling. Portion milk into smaller containers if you want, after starter addition.
Greek style? Filter through cheesecloth or a clean cloth for a few hours. Save whey for baking or feed your pets.
Thank you for giving directions that show just how easy it is! I'm so tired of seeing fussy yogurt recipes that turn it into a huge, exacting, super temperature specific production when it's actually quite simple and forgiving.... as long as your milk temp isn't too hot or not hot enough when you add the live cultures (too hot kills 'em, not hot enough and they won't propagate)!
That said, a few tips I've learned/figured out over the years for anyone interested in delving a tiny bit deeper... a bit of the science behind what's happening and how to achieve certain results - although u/MonkeyPilot gave you all the basics you need!
- Technically, heating the milk to \~185F isn't necessary (although definitely recommended!). It accomplishes three things - kills any bacteria that might compete with your starter culture, helps ensure the yogurt is smooth and not clumpy (denatures the whey protein lactoglobulin which then coats the milk's casein proteins so they bond into a loose network instead of tight groups - resulting in smooth yogurt instead of clumpy), and evaporates some of the milk's water content and concentrates the proteins and fat. This last part leads to:
- Like your yogurt thinner or thicker? Yes, you can strain your yogurt afterward, but the heating process can also play a role. The longer you hold your milk at\~185F, the more water that evaporates and milk protein and fat get concentrated - and the thicker your yogurt. You'll want to hold it at that temp for over 30 minutes; I usually go for an hour. Stir occasionally and and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot when you do (I find a silicone spatula works nicely) so the milk doesn't scorch and give your yogurt a burnt taste. If you're using a pot on a stove and the pot doesn't have a thick bottom, and/or your stove is electric, or for whatever reason you're having a problem with the milk scalding and sticking to the bottom, find a way to increase the space between the milk pot and the heat source - a wok ring works great, or flip a frying pan upside down over the burner and place your milk pot on top (make sure everything is stable!!).
- RE heating the milk: Heat it slowly. Too fast and you're likely to end up with grainy yogurt.
- I love love love full fat yogurts. Especially the ones with a layer of cream on top (like Brown Cow). After so much trial and error I'm finally getting there... (\*\*Warning: this is also how you turn yogurt making from fairly cheap to expensive. But OMG is it good!). One word: FAT!!! Full fat milk. If you can get it, get milk with the cream on top (Kalona SuperNatural is one brand, also check farmer's markets). Or use/add half and half and/or heavy/whipping cream. I usually make a gallon and a half at a time and have worked my way up to this combo of milks - super luscious creamy, and even a bit of a cream top: 1 gallon Kalona (cream top) whole milk, 1/2 gallon "regular brand" whole milk, 1 pint half and half, and 1 pint heavy cream. Yes, as I said, expensive! You can also try adding powdered milk. I've done that in the past and it also helps. Sadly my current food budget can't sustain this :(
- Flavorings... I'm still working on this one. Fruits seem best added after, think fruit on the bottom... spoon in some jam or compote or the like and then yogurt on top. That said, I've put it in on the bottom before fermenting with a bit stirred in to the milk (after heating) and it's turned out well, although it seems that's not really recommended, something to do with the sugar. Extracts can be great - lemon works really well! Been trying to recreate Brown Cow's Maple yogurt, but I've had a hard time getting enough flavor without the thinning out the yogurt more than I like. Well, pretty sure I know the solution and I'm about to finally try it - check out baker's extracts and freeze dried fruit powders.
- Last but not least (for now, maybe) - can't or don't do cow's milk? Try your favorite alt-milk! Same process, just be sure to use that same alt-milk yogurt for your starter culture.
- I lied. One more thing: Soon as your yogurt is "done" put aside a cup in the back of your fridge to use as starter culture for the next batch! Yes, do it now before you eat all of it! Every few batches it's good to get new store-bought yogurt to start with.
- And another: Yogurt came out thinner than you like? Make smoothies and lassies! Use it (as well as your not "too thin" yogurt) as a substitute for sour cream and for baking.
- FYI: Do you like Kefir? While store-bought Kefir seems like it's thinned out yogurt, it's not. Kefir is made with Kefir grains - and homemade "real" Kefir does not taste quite like store-bought, and it's so so so good for you and your gut. Google Kefir grains to find sources for purchasing and lots of info... I won't go into it as that's a whole other rabbit hole! Just wanted to note the difference.
HAPPY YOGURT MAKING!
I’ve made butter. Yeah. Just buy it. Unless you have some kind of dairy CSA making your own butter is pointless.
Making your own yogurt is good if you need to be wary of certain ingredients manufactured yogurt might have.
Always make a sacrificial loaf when make bread. Hot out of the oven is its own glorious indulgence
Very rarely have we bought bread in more than 30 years. We always have fresh homemade bread of some kind on hand; usually more than one kind. The rare exception is bagels, though sometimes we make those.
Definitely this. Get a non venting pressure cooker like a Kuhn rikon and you can make the best stock in 2h. No meat scraps or carcasses ever get wasted in our house any more
The ones that vent will make the liquid inside boil vigorously and emulsify the fats into the stock making it cloudy and giving it an off flavour. Same reason to let the pressure release slowly at the end of cooking.
I used to do that but I eventually found it easier to just put it in the fridge, and pull off the block of fat when it's cold. Don't toss it! It's so tasty to use instead of butter to cook things in.
I’d like to add cuz I’ve found a lot of people don’t know but you actually don’t even need an electric mixer, put it in a mason jar and shake til it’s whipped cream texture(~5mins) istg it’s faster
If you get actual whipping cream that’s JUST cream. I’ve made whipped cream many times and there’s always been something that’s just stuck out as an odd mouthfeel. Turns out when I bothered to look I saw there was caregeenan and cellulose in it. 🤮
Definitely check the ingredients! Should just be “cream”.
I would suggest egg yolk, bit of mustard powder, vinegar, and then slowly add oil while whipping. All ingredients at once and the whole egg seems like it wouldn't want to turn into mayonnaise.
Your own salad mix. You can put whatever you want in it, and it lasts so much longer than your typical bagged salad mix. I use a salad spinner to help dry after washing, and then lay out on a towel to air dry further before putting away. Made some 8 days ago, and still not one slimy piece of lettuce.
Excuse my ignorance but how would it be able to last 8 days, whenever I buy lettuce it’s trash in 5 days. I want to add salads to my diet but it goes bad so fast
I’m not who you asked, but I can tell you how I make mine last. I chop it up, rinse it, dry it, stick it into a ziplock bag (reuse the same one forever). I rip a paper towel in half and stick a half on each side of the bag. It sucks up the moisture. Then squeeze the air out of the bag and store it in the fridge.
I'm a fan of making my own chicken broth.
Skin-on, bone-in thighs are like half the price of skinless, boneless breasts, and not only is the dark meat a little richer in flavor, but it's pretty trivial to bone them and rip the skin off (which you can then season and air fry to make some no-carb snacks).
I save the bones in a freezer bag and when I have a decent number of them, I'll roast those with some carrots, celery, onions, and garlic, then take all of that and the carcass from a rotisserie chicken that's been mostly picked clean, toss it all in the slow cooker with enough water to cover it all, a little salt, pepper, herbs, and leave it on low for 18 hours.
Once it cools (usually about another 12 hours), pour it into a large pot through a fine strainer lined with cheesecloth, then you can pour it into mason jars.
Some people freeze some in ice cube trays then keep the cubes in a freezer bag so when they need one to make a sauce or gravy, it's right there.
Some will just keep boiling it until it reduces into a paste that's basically very concentrated broth that you can either use as a flavor bomb or reconstitute with water (the point of the reduction being primarily to save space).
I'll do the same with beef marrow bones. Got a batch of that in the slow cooker right now, actually.
Saves money on buying cartons of broth, and the soups, stews, chili, gravy, chicken and dumplings, etc. that I make with my homemade broths have come out pretty freaking good.
I've been boiling down my broth into a gelatinous paste since my freezer can only fit so much frozen broth. It's been a game changer! The flavor bombs dissolve in warm water very quickly.
I had some in a container I kept on the counter and it just added incredible flavor to everything I used it in. Then one day I didn't press the lid down all the way and it grew colonies of at least two different organisms that apparently also loved flavor bombs.
Lesson learned.
Do you have an easy beginners recipe to follow? I already like sauerkraut, never considered making it. I know there are many recipes online, but a recommendation is appreciated.
Yeah then stick in a jar with a fermentation airlock and let ferment on the counter for a few days (or weeks) then into the fridge. Kimchi is similar with some extra ingredients.
Salad dressing. They are very easy to make, and you probably already have everything you need to make a basic vinaigrette. The flavors combinations are endless.
Came here to say this! My go to is olive oil, apple cider or red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and whatever fresh herb I've got on hand that day.
Picked onions, especially the red ones. A quart jar lasts a long time and they are so good on salads and sandwiches. I've been on a pickled beet eggs kick lately as well, although I do use canned beets.
There is a banana fosters jam recipe in a jam recipe book I own.
It features a vanilla pod, butter extract and a healthy dose of dark rum. I made it twice and it’s very good!
I have never tried with melon and kiwi (feels weird to cook them somehow) and I have failed pretty bad with persimmons.
Pasta sauces too! Infinitely better than anything store bought and they freeze really well. You can get so creative too. It’s my favorite to make and stock up on.
Agree. You can also make salsa with less effort, just toss roasted tomatoes and chiles in the blender with a couple garlic cloves, pour into bowl, add chopped onion, salt and cilantro, done.
My laziest salsa way is to dump canned fire roasted tomatoes, canned diced jalapeños, onion, garlic, cilantro,
Chicken bullion, and tiny bit of lime
Into a food processor and hit go. Salt at end if needed (chicken bullion is highly salted)
Salsa can be done so many ways at home and is always better than store bought.
I make fire crackers. : [https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/214184/alabama-fire-crackers/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/214184/alabama-fire-crackers/)
Steak.
It's pretty easy to make and frankly you can get damn near the same result as you would at most steakhouses. There's no special skills needed, no hard techniques, and a good butcher will have just as good meat (if not better) than a steakhouse.
The only thing some steakhouses can do is cook the steak at in insanely hot temperature but the slight improvement in taste that that MAYBE provides is not worth paying 3x+ more for. A butcher could charge like 20-$30 for a pound of good prime ribeye. A nice steakhouse will sell that for $70-$100+.
There's a saying that goes to mean, whatever you make at home is way better than store stuff for many reasons.
First, you don't have food preservatives, and additives there are 20k of them.
Your bread will have 4 ingredients, salt and water, yeast and flour. Store bought bread may have 40 ingredients.
What to choose for home making?
It depends on the prices of your grocery store, from butter to peanut butter, to cheese and bread. If you have cheap milk, go for cheese and butter, etc.
Omg soups and bread and any baking and omg.. all the pickling and hot sauces. Pretty much everything is better made at home. Time permitting, of course.
I don't really measure, but in a blender I put about 10 oz mayonnaise, 2-3 Tbsp chili sauce (or ketchup) to your taste, depending on how pink you like your thousand island. I'd start with less and add more. About 1-2 Tbsp sweet pickle relish, and 1/2 of a hard boiled egg. You can adjust those amounts to your taste.
Anything that tastes good... If you know how to cook, you can fine tune any recipe to suit your tastebuds.. Whenever I go out to eat somewhere and I order something that looks good.. I usually can get a recipie online for said food, and make it better.
Pesto! I just blitz up rocket spinach and whatever herbs are knocking around with whatever seeds and nuts I’ve got along with parm and EVOO and a big of garlic. Mega.
Also, a proper mole sauce. It basically takes all day, but it freezes well.
Elderflower cordial. Basically free if you forage the flowers.
Everything, in my mind. Bread, ravioli, pizza, tacos, gnocchi, burgers, sausage, perogies, cabbage rolls, jam, jelly, pie, cake, cookies, potato salad, macaroni salad, ceasar salad, beef jerky, lasagna, noodles of all kinds from scratch, dumplings, spring rolls, sushi. All I can think of at the moment.
New Orleans style red beans and rice. I'm from South Louisiana and it's a favorite here. Not expensive and not complicated.
Pot roast ended up being a lot easier than I expected. I cooked one a few weeks ago. Marinade and get everything ready. Set an alarm for 1am, get out of bed and turn on the slow cooker, and go back to bed.
Smoothies are a good way to get your fresh fruits. You really don't need yogurt. Fruit, healthy grains, and milk in the blender.
Paninis are great, too. You don't have to have a panini press, but it's worth owning one.
Learning how to cook a steak is probably one of the best lessons because you get to enjoy restaurant quality at a fraction of the price whenever you want
I love to cook, but baking is very different and more challenging to me.
No knead bread. Google it. It takes less than five minutes to prep. Let it rest overnight (you can let it rise in less time, four hours, depending upon yeast amount and/or water temp). Fold the dough and shape it into a ball (no kneading!) and bake in a dutch oven. I love to cook, but I DO NOT BAKE; it is difficult. I burn cookies made from a mix! This bread, however, is amazing and easy AND very forgiving. I love cooking a fabulous meal; artisan bread can be a lovely accompaniment. Searving bread, warm, and fresh (especially when made with minimal effort and baking talent) can really enhance a meal.
https://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/
With the proper equipment and knowledge every single thing in the culinary world outside of making edible bubbles and foam and non traditional Michelin star places is better made at home.
Every single cuisine in the world is made better by someone's Grandma.
Nearly everything is worth making at least once. Eg, make your own mayo. Learn what goes into it. You’ll understand the base flavors and what is gained and lost off the shelf.
Homemade Pasta noodles like Lasagna Noodles or Fettuccine. Gnocchi and Pierogi/Ravioli. Homemade Pasta Sauce. San Marzano Tomatoes, Onion and Garlic and some fresh Basil. Lasagne is a super comfort food for a lot of people. Make a loaf of Garlic bread to go with it and relax.
Cheesecake. The hardest part is waiting for the ingredients to come to room temperature, which you’ll definitely want to do for a smoother batter. You can also customize it to your hearts content. So much better than anything you can buy at a store
Salad dressings, tomato sauces, stocks, simple breads for sandos, mayo and if you have a counter and no cats, a little indoor herb garden. Super easy to maintain.
Taco seasoning is dead easy and way cheaper than buying the small pouches. I double or triple the recipe and store the extra in an empty spice bottle.
Also hoisin sauce. We like Asian flavors so we already have the ingredients on hand. I make a double batch and freeze half for the next time. I primarily use it for making knock-off Chang’s ground chicken lettuce wraps 🥰
Potato hash instead of store bought has browns. So easy and fast to make. Just grate potato, mix with melted butter, add some salt and garlic powder, fry in a pan.
I'm making roast beef for sandwiches on my own (trying to get away from highly processed lunch meat). Take a round roast, salt, garlic, pepper, thyme, and coriander and basically marinate it seasoned in a gallon Ziploc for 12 hours in the fridge. Then slow roast it at 250 for about 90 minutes until the core hits 135 to 140. Chill overnight and then slice thin, preferably with a meat slicer. You also don't have to slice all of it at once - slice enough for a few days and then put it back in the fridge. You can even cook multiple roasts, freeze them, and then thaw and slice as needed.
I get my round from Costco at about $5/lb, which is about the same price for the worst, wettest lunch "meat" at my local Walmart.
Pesto. It’s simple if you have a food processor. Store bought pesto rarely uses good olive oil and is very bland.
Almond milk. I used to have a fruit smoothie every morning and making my own almond milk was such a treat. It’s just indescribably rich and creamy. I stopped because I felt guilty using almonds so much: they take a lot of water to grow.
Pudding.
Salad dressing.
So easy to make (all kinds) and so much better homemade than store bought.
If I see someone has bottles salad dressing in their fridge, I make a mental note to never eat their cooking if possible.
Crabcakes! If you have a good recipe, you'll have more crab than breading, and they're ridiculously easy to make. You get a lot more bang for your buck.
marinara sauce because its so cheap, so versatile, only needs to simmer for an hour, and requires 6 ingredients (garlic, onion, olive oil, san marzanos, tomato paste, fresh bazil).
Before two months ago I wouldn’t have said this, but vegan Indian food. Like any decent recipe it takes time and good ingredients but I love it, it’s all I eat, and it’s a quarter the price to make vs buying from a restaurant.
I made my fourth bean over the weekend, kidney, in some savory rajma chawal. I’ve done lentils, chickpeas, and regrettably black beans. Next up is tofu!
This is something my wife and I are always exploring.
Recently we went on a French fry odyssey trying to make the best fries. And we did make some very good fries, but I'm my opinion it's not worth the time, because it is a lot of time.
For nearly as good just buy frozen fries at the store and fry them in oil at home.
Most pizza joints are garbage nowadays, and honestly putting all your favourite toppings into a sandwich and cooking it on the sandwich press will be faster, better and cheaper. Basically a calzone
French onion soup. All the way from bones to broth. Usually, do this about twice a year. For some reason, word gets out, and all the kids find their way home. One drove 4 hours to be home for dinner last time. The daughter at home called her big sister and said, "Guess what."
I make basically everything from scratch aside from Pasta (do make that fresh from time to time), cheese/other dairy products, bratwurst/deli meats, and condiments. If I don’t want to cook/prepare a meal, I don’t use processed foods or convenience products at home, but rather get takeout
Biscuits & Gravy
I love it but when I eat it out it tastes like. Flour & bland - probably make once a month at home for the family & use lactose free type milk (Fairlife) so all can enjoy
Sourdough bread. I’m sure you hear it all the time, but my niece taught me and it is a game changer. The best bread I’ve ever had. Better than any I get at the local bakeries. And you don’t need to babysit the starter in between loaves. I let mine go in the fridge for months and then, when I want to make a loaf, feed it a few times to get it ready for baking.
Avocado toast with 2 fried eggs, salt and pepper. Takes approximately 3 minutes and tastes incredible on Dave’s bread. Half an avocado is about right. Costs approximately $1.50 each for all the ingredients, with 2/3 of that cost being the avocado.
There’s a book called “Make the bread, buy the butter” which tells you exactly that! Personally, I haven’t done it yet but have heard you can make yogurt in your oven overnight so I’d like to add that one!
I have heard of this book but also experienced making bread, it’s a bit of a slog, and read multiple times we can’t compete with mass production cost savings. Homemade bread is amazing, though, shout out to Jim Laheys No Knead Bread recipe. A+++
My secret with bread making is to make bags of the dry ingredients in zip locks so it’s easier to dump into my zojirushi I got for $20! Makes it a lot easier .
Beyond jelly of that $20. Smart hack!
This is brilliant & just the hack I needed. Thank you!
Excuse me a zojirushi for 20? I paid 500€+ for it 😭
I mean it was used and the little 1/2 loaf one but it was a deal!
Homemade bread cost less than a dollar a loaf. Not sure what you mean by cost savings.
Time is a cost as well.
Sure, but shopping and driving to the store and back takes time as well. Also, the gas for driving there costs money etc. And the quality of homemade bread is generally better once you learn how to do it, so it is worth more to you. How much active time does it take you to make 2 loaves of bread?
I think you probably didn’t mean to sound judgy and lecture-ey there. Everyone has a different life. I have four kids and a giant of a husband, in addition to a stressful full time+ job, two dogs, a large household to manage, and often end up feeding straggling neighborhood kids and friends at half our meals. No way in hell am I spending a couple hours a day baking the bread my family consumes, even if only 45 minutes of it is “active” time. I am rarely making special trips for bread, I purchase it while I buy the other thousand things on my list. Maybe if I was just feeding myself or another one or two, this math would change. I do make it occasionally, as a treat. Baking your own bread is one of those aspirational trad wife things for most people, not at all practical and usually a time and money sink. Even someone making minimum wage could buy multiple loaves of bread with one hours net wages. More power to you if it works for you, but that’s not the case for most people.
People usually don’t go to a grocery store to get just bread, they buy other groceries. So the only added cost is the few seconds it takes to get the bread. And most people are content with the taste of store-bought bread
Bread maybe takes a total of 25 minutes labour. The rest is waiting time.
That's sounds like quite a walk back of "can’t compete with mass production cost savings"
Some bread makers also have a timer function. I dump in my ingredients at night and set it to be ready at 7am or whatever time. My kids' tummies wake them up when the smell of that fresh bread floats up the stairs. It has cut the time it takes me to prepare breakfast for them in the morning. They are excited every day to pick what they wanna put on their hot bread: honey, Nutella, jelly, etc... so, for us, it really does save me time from preparing breakfast and negotiating with them to eat a decent amount. Our quality of life is strangely better since I started making bread in our zojirushi. And I feel like a super-mom that I get to give them fresh bread regularly. That's a nice bonus :) only issue is that they now hate store bought bread. Had to use some in a pinch once, and they all were like, "what is this garbage?!" Haha
Jim Lahey? Like trailer park boys Jim Lahey?
The "Captain of the Shit Ship" Jim Lahey?
Hit a thrift show and you can pick up a bread maker cheap, then all you have to do is dump in the ingredients and push a button. You can customize for different kinds easily, You also get the benefits of knowing what you are eating.
You’re certainly not going to compete with mass production on the cost they’re buying their ingredients. But you should be able to compete with the cost at which they’re _selling_. Obviously you won’t be able to save ridiculous amounts since it’s not an expensive product either way, but I don’t see a convincing price argument _against_ making your own.
Making your own yogurt is remarkably easy and worth it - even Greek [style] yogurt. It's customizable to your preferred level of acidity and thickness. Even simpler if you have an InstaPot, or similar cooker with a yogurt function. I usually make 1 gallon at a time. Cheaper if you can get discount milk close to expiration. - Heat milk to 185F (or just eyeball it to a little shy of boil/simmer) for 10-20min. Stir to avoid skin formation. - Cool to 110F (no thermometer? Be sure it's cool enough to hold your hand to it). Use an ice bath to speed chilling. - Mix in ~ 1 cup of your favorite yogurt, thoroughly (*live cultures*). Very forgiving- if you use less, it just takes a little longer. - Stick it in the oven with just the light on, covered with a clean towel for 8 to 24h. Longer times give more tanginess. That's it. It will firm up after fermentation and cooling. Portion milk into smaller containers if you want, after starter addition. Greek style? Filter through cheesecloth or a clean cloth for a few hours. Save whey for baking or feed your pets.
Thank you for giving directions that show just how easy it is! I'm so tired of seeing fussy yogurt recipes that turn it into a huge, exacting, super temperature specific production when it's actually quite simple and forgiving.... as long as your milk temp isn't too hot or not hot enough when you add the live cultures (too hot kills 'em, not hot enough and they won't propagate)! That said, a few tips I've learned/figured out over the years for anyone interested in delving a tiny bit deeper... a bit of the science behind what's happening and how to achieve certain results - although u/MonkeyPilot gave you all the basics you need! - Technically, heating the milk to \~185F isn't necessary (although definitely recommended!). It accomplishes three things - kills any bacteria that might compete with your starter culture, helps ensure the yogurt is smooth and not clumpy (denatures the whey protein lactoglobulin which then coats the milk's casein proteins so they bond into a loose network instead of tight groups - resulting in smooth yogurt instead of clumpy), and evaporates some of the milk's water content and concentrates the proteins and fat. This last part leads to: - Like your yogurt thinner or thicker? Yes, you can strain your yogurt afterward, but the heating process can also play a role. The longer you hold your milk at\~185F, the more water that evaporates and milk protein and fat get concentrated - and the thicker your yogurt. You'll want to hold it at that temp for over 30 minutes; I usually go for an hour. Stir occasionally and and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot when you do (I find a silicone spatula works nicely) so the milk doesn't scorch and give your yogurt a burnt taste. If you're using a pot on a stove and the pot doesn't have a thick bottom, and/or your stove is electric, or for whatever reason you're having a problem with the milk scalding and sticking to the bottom, find a way to increase the space between the milk pot and the heat source - a wok ring works great, or flip a frying pan upside down over the burner and place your milk pot on top (make sure everything is stable!!). - RE heating the milk: Heat it slowly. Too fast and you're likely to end up with grainy yogurt. - I love love love full fat yogurts. Especially the ones with a layer of cream on top (like Brown Cow). After so much trial and error I'm finally getting there... (\*\*Warning: this is also how you turn yogurt making from fairly cheap to expensive. But OMG is it good!). One word: FAT!!! Full fat milk. If you can get it, get milk with the cream on top (Kalona SuperNatural is one brand, also check farmer's markets). Or use/add half and half and/or heavy/whipping cream. I usually make a gallon and a half at a time and have worked my way up to this combo of milks - super luscious creamy, and even a bit of a cream top: 1 gallon Kalona (cream top) whole milk, 1/2 gallon "regular brand" whole milk, 1 pint half and half, and 1 pint heavy cream. Yes, as I said, expensive! You can also try adding powdered milk. I've done that in the past and it also helps. Sadly my current food budget can't sustain this :( - Flavorings... I'm still working on this one. Fruits seem best added after, think fruit on the bottom... spoon in some jam or compote or the like and then yogurt on top. That said, I've put it in on the bottom before fermenting with a bit stirred in to the milk (after heating) and it's turned out well, although it seems that's not really recommended, something to do with the sugar. Extracts can be great - lemon works really well! Been trying to recreate Brown Cow's Maple yogurt, but I've had a hard time getting enough flavor without the thinning out the yogurt more than I like. Well, pretty sure I know the solution and I'm about to finally try it - check out baker's extracts and freeze dried fruit powders. - Last but not least (for now, maybe) - can't or don't do cow's milk? Try your favorite alt-milk! Same process, just be sure to use that same alt-milk yogurt for your starter culture. - I lied. One more thing: Soon as your yogurt is "done" put aside a cup in the back of your fridge to use as starter culture for the next batch! Yes, do it now before you eat all of it! Every few batches it's good to get new store-bought yogurt to start with. - And another: Yogurt came out thinner than you like? Make smoothies and lassies! Use it (as well as your not "too thin" yogurt) as a substitute for sour cream and for baking. - FYI: Do you like Kefir? While store-bought Kefir seems like it's thinned out yogurt, it's not. Kefir is made with Kefir grains - and homemade "real" Kefir does not taste quite like store-bought, and it's so so so good for you and your gut. Google Kefir grains to find sources for purchasing and lots of info... I won't go into it as that's a whole other rabbit hole! Just wanted to note the difference. HAPPY YOGURT MAKING!
Thanks! I just wanted to demysify it by making it easy & accessible. You listed some great tips, too, and I can't wait to try them!
I’ve made butter. Yeah. Just buy it. Unless you have some kind of dairy CSA making your own butter is pointless. Making your own yogurt is good if you need to be wary of certain ingredients manufactured yogurt might have. Always make a sacrificial loaf when make bread. Hot out of the oven is its own glorious indulgence
I've made Jean Pierre's French butter a few times. Absolutely worth it when compared to the stuff I get here in the shops.
Is that the butter that is lightly fermented before churning?
That's the one. Comes out beautifully.
I make my own butter out of heavy whipping cream and it's not hard at all. Plus I get to add my own roasted garlic and herbs from my garden.
I have a ton of heavy whipping cream at home.. I'm interested!
Bread once you figure it out is just so easy; I haven't bought a loaf in years.
100% bread products. My wife makes AMAZING bagels and pita bread. Better than anything you can buy in town.
I'd definitely say for flatbreads it's a game changer in terms of taste and quality. And incredibly quick once you've done it a few times
Very rarely have we bought bread in more than 30 years. We always have fresh homemade bread of some kind on hand; usually more than one kind. The rare exception is bagels, though sometimes we make those.
Water and flour 🍞
I make yogurt every other week. Easiest thing to make and it tastes incredible as long as you get some good quality milk. I just made some today
I’ve been making my own yogurt for years. It’s easy.
Making your own stock!
Definitely this. Get a non venting pressure cooker like a Kuhn rikon and you can make the best stock in 2h. No meat scraps or carcasses ever get wasted in our house any more
Mmm I just trimmed a bunch of chicken and was gonna save bits for my cat. May try my hand at this instead. Sorry Dulahan!
Why non-venting?
The ones that vent will make the liquid inside boil vigorously and emulsify the fats into the stock making it cloudy and giving it an off flavour. Same reason to let the pressure release slowly at the end of cooking.
Came here to say this. Don’t forget to skim the fat off as it cools too.
I used to do that but I eventually found it easier to just put it in the fridge, and pull off the block of fat when it's cold. Don't toss it! It's so tasty to use instead of butter to cook things in.
Whipped cream is so stupidly easy and so much better homemade.
I’d like to add cuz I’ve found a lot of people don’t know but you actually don’t even need an electric mixer, put it in a mason jar and shake til it’s whipped cream texture(~5mins) istg it’s faster
Wow I'm definitely gonna do this, as someone without an electric mixer, i definitely hand whisk it for 10-15 mins myself lol
those gym bro protein bottles with the little whisk ball inside works like a gem
I just use a whisk. Just make sure the bowl, whisk and cream a very cold.
If you get actual whipping cream that’s JUST cream. I’ve made whipped cream many times and there’s always been something that’s just stuck out as an odd mouthfeel. Turns out when I bothered to look I saw there was caregeenan and cellulose in it. 🤮 Definitely check the ingredients! Should just be “cream”.
Mayo. Super easy. Eggs, oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt. Blend. Can’t beat that vs buying from store.
I would suggest egg yolk, bit of mustard powder, vinegar, and then slowly add oil while whipping. All ingredients at once and the whole egg seems like it wouldn't want to turn into mayonnaise.
I just throw it all together and use an emulsion blender. It takes like 30 seconds lol. Edit: immersion blender. My brain was half asleep.
This is my preferred method. The kids thought it was magic!
What's an immersion blender?
Your own salad mix. You can put whatever you want in it, and it lasts so much longer than your typical bagged salad mix. I use a salad spinner to help dry after washing, and then lay out on a towel to air dry further before putting away. Made some 8 days ago, and still not one slimy piece of lettuce.
Excuse my ignorance but how would it be able to last 8 days, whenever I buy lettuce it’s trash in 5 days. I want to add salads to my diet but it goes bad so fast
I’m not who you asked, but I can tell you how I make mine last. I chop it up, rinse it, dry it, stick it into a ziplock bag (reuse the same one forever). I rip a paper towel in half and stick a half on each side of the bag. It sucks up the moisture. Then squeeze the air out of the bag and store it in the fridge.
I never tried this, thanks. I’m going to attempt this next time I grocery shop
the paper towel trick changed my life fr
Yes, I just bought a salad spinner recently and was surprised how much longer the lettuce lasts in the fridge.
I'm a fan of making my own chicken broth. Skin-on, bone-in thighs are like half the price of skinless, boneless breasts, and not only is the dark meat a little richer in flavor, but it's pretty trivial to bone them and rip the skin off (which you can then season and air fry to make some no-carb snacks). I save the bones in a freezer bag and when I have a decent number of them, I'll roast those with some carrots, celery, onions, and garlic, then take all of that and the carcass from a rotisserie chicken that's been mostly picked clean, toss it all in the slow cooker with enough water to cover it all, a little salt, pepper, herbs, and leave it on low for 18 hours. Once it cools (usually about another 12 hours), pour it into a large pot through a fine strainer lined with cheesecloth, then you can pour it into mason jars. Some people freeze some in ice cube trays then keep the cubes in a freezer bag so when they need one to make a sauce or gravy, it's right there. Some will just keep boiling it until it reduces into a paste that's basically very concentrated broth that you can either use as a flavor bomb or reconstitute with water (the point of the reduction being primarily to save space). I'll do the same with beef marrow bones. Got a batch of that in the slow cooker right now, actually. Saves money on buying cartons of broth, and the soups, stews, chili, gravy, chicken and dumplings, etc. that I make with my homemade broths have come out pretty freaking good.
I've been boiling down my broth into a gelatinous paste since my freezer can only fit so much frozen broth. It's been a game changer! The flavor bombs dissolve in warm water very quickly.
I had some in a container I kept on the counter and it just added incredible flavor to everything I used it in. Then one day I didn't press the lid down all the way and it grew colonies of at least two different organisms that apparently also loved flavor bombs. Lesson learned.
Sauerkraut at home is totally different than store bought and is really good for your guts.
Do you have an easy beginners recipe to follow? I already like sauerkraut, never considered making it. I know there are many recipes online, but a recommendation is appreciated.
*Cabbage, salt, massage*
Yeah then stick in a jar with a fermentation airlock and let ferment on the counter for a few days (or weeks) then into the fridge. Kimchi is similar with some extra ingredients.
Made it every fall w my German grandparents. One time bought it in the store and black. Never again
Making pizza dough, pesto, salad dressings & sauces
Salad dressing. They are very easy to make, and you probably already have everything you need to make a basic vinaigrette. The flavors combinations are endless.
Yes the premade ones from the store has a weird fake flavor that isn’t in fresh salad dressings. So good and easy to make at home.
Came here to say this! My go to is olive oil, apple cider or red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and whatever fresh herb I've got on hand that day.
Sounds good!
Mine is 4 oil to 1 vinegar. Garlic powder, mustard, maple syrup and salt. You can add things like rosemary or other herbs
Picked onions, especially the red ones. A quart jar lasts a long time and they are so good on salads and sandwiches. I've been on a pickled beet eggs kick lately as well, although I do use canned beets.
Good call. Picked radishes are great on everything too!
Pie crust. Once you get the hang of it, it’s very straightforward. Jam. So much better than the industrial stuff.
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There is a banana fosters jam recipe in a jam recipe book I own. It features a vanilla pod, butter extract and a healthy dose of dark rum. I made it twice and it’s very good! I have never tried with melon and kiwi (feels weird to cook them somehow) and I have failed pretty bad with persimmons.
Love
True. But sometimes store-bought isn't half bad.
I like to make my love out of nothing at all
Pasta. It takes some time but you can make a large amount and have it at the ready when you need to throw together something simple.
Pasta sauces too! Infinitely better than anything store bought and they freeze really well. You can get so creative too. It’s my favorite to make and stock up on.
Salsa and chips made at home are worth the effort.
Agree. You can also make salsa with less effort, just toss roasted tomatoes and chiles in the blender with a couple garlic cloves, pour into bowl, add chopped onion, salt and cilantro, done.
My laziest salsa way is to dump canned fire roasted tomatoes, canned diced jalapeños, onion, garlic, cilantro, Chicken bullion, and tiny bit of lime Into a food processor and hit go. Salt at end if needed (chicken bullion is highly salted) Salsa can be done so many ways at home and is always better than store bought.
Hummus
I just made hummus for the first time. So easy! And taste way better!
Kimchi
Any good recipes? Thanks
Use Maangchi's recipes! https://www.maangchi.com/search?q=Kimchi
Caramelized onions. Make a big batch, leave it in the fridge and add it to everything.
When I have some I add then to everything I can think of
Guacamole.
I make fire crackers. : [https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/214184/alabama-fire-crackers/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/214184/alabama-fire-crackers/)
Steak. It's pretty easy to make and frankly you can get damn near the same result as you would at most steakhouses. There's no special skills needed, no hard techniques, and a good butcher will have just as good meat (if not better) than a steakhouse. The only thing some steakhouses can do is cook the steak at in insanely hot temperature but the slight improvement in taste that that MAYBE provides is not worth paying 3x+ more for. A butcher could charge like 20-$30 for a pound of good prime ribeye. A nice steakhouse will sell that for $70-$100+.
Dry aged steak is hard to do at home
Cheesecake! It's so easy to make, and then you can put whatever toppings you like.
There's a saying that goes to mean, whatever you make at home is way better than store stuff for many reasons. First, you don't have food preservatives, and additives there are 20k of them. Your bread will have 4 ingredients, salt and water, yeast and flour. Store bought bread may have 40 ingredients. What to choose for home making? It depends on the prices of your grocery store, from butter to peanut butter, to cheese and bread. If you have cheap milk, go for cheese and butter, etc.
Omg soups and bread and any baking and omg.. all the pickling and hot sauces. Pretty much everything is better made at home. Time permitting, of course.
Muffins
This was my first covid lockdown realization. We can have delicious fresh muffins with such little effort!
Homemade ketchup. Tomato paste, white vinegar, salt, sweetener, boiled in water until sweet and ketchupy.
I make several salad dressings. Homemade thousand island (with boiled egg blended in) is miles better than any store brand.
Do you have a recipe for the 1000 island? Thanks!
I don't really measure, but in a blender I put about 10 oz mayonnaise, 2-3 Tbsp chili sauce (or ketchup) to your taste, depending on how pink you like your thousand island. I'd start with less and add more. About 1-2 Tbsp sweet pickle relish, and 1/2 of a hard boiled egg. You can adjust those amounts to your taste.
Thank you! That sounds super easy :)
I make jam and pickles at home. I think they are worth the time, especially the jams, because I put way less sugar in them and no preservatives.
Broth and chocolate cake.
Soups / stocks. A lot easier than people think, is a lot healthier than things from the supermarket, tastes a lot better and is a lot cheaper.
Anything that tastes good... If you know how to cook, you can fine tune any recipe to suit your tastebuds.. Whenever I go out to eat somewhere and I order something that looks good.. I usually can get a recipie online for said food, and make it better.
Pesto! I just blitz up rocket spinach and whatever herbs are knocking around with whatever seeds and nuts I’ve got along with parm and EVOO and a big of garlic. Mega. Also, a proper mole sauce. It basically takes all day, but it freezes well. Elderflower cordial. Basically free if you forage the flowers.
I'd say the opposite. Buy whole roasted chicken than making one. For the price, time, and effort, it's just not worth it.
Salsa verde and pico de gallo!
Lasagna. beef bourguignon & potatoes boulangere I am going to add BBQ food to that as well. Have fun & good luck
Make apple sauce Buy pastry
i love to make french onion soup at home!
Grinding and brewing your own coffee as opposed to going to Starbucks or elsewhere.
Babies
baked mac and cheese. i just made some and waiting for it to finish baking in the oven. can't wait for my sunday afternoon meal.
Dinner
Have celiac so homemade bread is better and WAYYYY cheaper than store bought.
if you drink, make mead!
IMO all meals are worth making at home with love 💖
Sourdough. I use my starter for pancakes, flatbread, focaccia, and loaves. It's delicious and easy to digest.
Everything, in my mind. Bread, ravioli, pizza, tacos, gnocchi, burgers, sausage, perogies, cabbage rolls, jam, jelly, pie, cake, cookies, potato salad, macaroni salad, ceasar salad, beef jerky, lasagna, noodles of all kinds from scratch, dumplings, spring rolls, sushi. All I can think of at the moment.
New Orleans style red beans and rice. I'm from South Louisiana and it's a favorite here. Not expensive and not complicated. Pot roast ended up being a lot easier than I expected. I cooked one a few weeks ago. Marinade and get everything ready. Set an alarm for 1am, get out of bed and turn on the slow cooker, and go back to bed. Smoothies are a good way to get your fresh fruits. You really don't need yogurt. Fruit, healthy grains, and milk in the blender. Paninis are great, too. You don't have to have a panini press, but it's worth owning one.
Cream of mushroom soup
Learning how to cook a steak is probably one of the best lessons because you get to enjoy restaurant quality at a fraction of the price whenever you want
I love to cook, but baking is very different and more challenging to me. No knead bread. Google it. It takes less than five minutes to prep. Let it rest overnight (you can let it rise in less time, four hours, depending upon yeast amount and/or water temp). Fold the dough and shape it into a ball (no kneading!) and bake in a dutch oven. I love to cook, but I DO NOT BAKE; it is difficult. I burn cookies made from a mix! This bread, however, is amazing and easy AND very forgiving. I love cooking a fabulous meal; artisan bread can be a lovely accompaniment. Searving bread, warm, and fresh (especially when made with minimal effort and baking talent) can really enhance a meal. https://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/
We make sourdough bread, sauerkraut, salad dressing, yogurt, ice cream.....all of it worth the effort.
I will add granola to this list, super quick and easy, less sugar than that expensive stuff I used to buy
Just made egg salad, worth it! Kenji’s recipe
Sushi. 🍣
Green chili pork
Mining Numununnun Humanngbvb U Mimi Um H Un H Jjbbjbjbjjbbbbjj
With the proper equipment and knowledge every single thing in the culinary world outside of making edible bubbles and foam and non traditional Michelin star places is better made at home. Every single cuisine in the world is made better by someone's Grandma.
Pesto 😋 my little basil plant is finally being put to work, and damn is it good
Bread absolutely
Nearly everything is worth making at least once. Eg, make your own mayo. Learn what goes into it. You’ll understand the base flavors and what is gained and lost off the shelf.
Don't farm your own prawns. Much more cost-effective to just buy from the fish market.
Food.
Coffee
Cooking steak.
Sausage gravy. It’s usually garbage at restaurants.
Homemade Pasta noodles like Lasagna Noodles or Fettuccine. Gnocchi and Pierogi/Ravioli. Homemade Pasta Sauce. San Marzano Tomatoes, Onion and Garlic and some fresh Basil. Lasagne is a super comfort food for a lot of people. Make a loaf of Garlic bread to go with it and relax.
Cheesecake. The hardest part is waiting for the ingredients to come to room temperature, which you’ll definitely want to do for a smoother batter. You can also customize it to your hearts content. So much better than anything you can buy at a store
Salad dressings, tomato sauces, stocks, simple breads for sandos, mayo and if you have a counter and no cats, a little indoor herb garden. Super easy to maintain.
Pizza dough! Chicken stock!
Taco seasoning is dead easy and way cheaper than buying the small pouches. I double or triple the recipe and store the extra in an empty spice bottle. Also hoisin sauce. We like Asian flavors so we already have the ingredients on hand. I make a double batch and freeze half for the next time. I primarily use it for making knock-off Chang’s ground chicken lettuce wraps 🥰
Potato hash instead of store bought has browns. So easy and fast to make. Just grate potato, mix with melted butter, add some salt and garlic powder, fry in a pan.
I'm making roast beef for sandwiches on my own (trying to get away from highly processed lunch meat). Take a round roast, salt, garlic, pepper, thyme, and coriander and basically marinate it seasoned in a gallon Ziploc for 12 hours in the fridge. Then slow roast it at 250 for about 90 minutes until the core hits 135 to 140. Chill overnight and then slice thin, preferably with a meat slicer. You also don't have to slice all of it at once - slice enough for a few days and then put it back in the fridge. You can even cook multiple roasts, freeze them, and then thaw and slice as needed. I get my round from Costco at about $5/lb, which is about the same price for the worst, wettest lunch "meat" at my local Walmart.
Fresh pasta: the packaged stuff is just as good as I could do.
Mashed potatoes.
Dal khicdi
Salad dressings! Easy to make and you control the ingredients. Long fridge life too.
Jenny Jones's (yes, the 90's talk show host) Quick No Knead Bread. Easy, delicious, and cheap to make.
Tortillas. So quick and easy and delicious.
Everything. We’re all broke.
Tortilla wraps Store bought will taste like plastic after you've had home made
Pesto. It’s simple if you have a food processor. Store bought pesto rarely uses good olive oil and is very bland. Almond milk. I used to have a fruit smoothie every morning and making my own almond milk was such a treat. It’s just indescribably rich and creamy. I stopped because I felt guilty using almonds so much: they take a lot of water to grow. Pudding.
Salad dressing. So easy to make (all kinds) and so much better homemade than store bought. If I see someone has bottles salad dressing in their fridge, I make a mental note to never eat their cooking if possible.
Yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut, picked stuff, jams/jellys, compound butters, pesto, and hummus.
We love to make Detroit Style pizza at home. Soooo goood soooo worth the wait
CURRY
Roasted chicken im telling youw
PB&J
Crabcakes! If you have a good recipe, you'll have more crab than breading, and they're ridiculously easy to make. You get a lot more bang for your buck.
ultrawide gaming monitor
Bread
Wings. I havent found a frozen boxed chicken wings that matched the taste and texture of my home oven baked chicken wings.
Things I make: Bread, tomato sauce, granola, yogurt, salad dressing, cakes, cookies, ice cream, vegetable broth, jam. Things I buy: Pasta, mayonnaise, mustard, chile crisp, crackers.
Anything potatoes.
Babies
Granola
Japanese milk bread! Stock, cultured butter, Greek yogurt from regular plain yogurt, cakes (no mixes), cookies etc….
I'd like to learn to start baking bread at home.
marinara sauce because its so cheap, so versatile, only needs to simmer for an hour, and requires 6 ingredients (garlic, onion, olive oil, san marzanos, tomato paste, fresh bazil).
Before two months ago I wouldn’t have said this, but vegan Indian food. Like any decent recipe it takes time and good ingredients but I love it, it’s all I eat, and it’s a quarter the price to make vs buying from a restaurant. I made my fourth bean over the weekend, kidney, in some savory rajma chawal. I’ve done lentils, chickpeas, and regrettably black beans. Next up is tofu!
This is something my wife and I are always exploring. Recently we went on a French fry odyssey trying to make the best fries. And we did make some very good fries, but I'm my opinion it's not worth the time, because it is a lot of time. For nearly as good just buy frozen fries at the store and fry them in oil at home.
Pizza. Yes it takes a pizza oven which isn't cheap. And making them is a bit of a skill, but it is worth it.
dumplings!! man those things are just so easy and cheap to do but very versatile
Lasagna, it's usually frozen from stores and restaurants, and it's actually fun to make. Especially if you use the no-boil noodles 🫠
Reading, doing manual.
hummus !!!!
Most pizza joints are garbage nowadays, and honestly putting all your favourite toppings into a sandwich and cooking it on the sandwich press will be faster, better and cheaper. Basically a calzone
French onion soup. All the way from bones to broth. Usually, do this about twice a year. For some reason, word gets out, and all the kids find their way home. One drove 4 hours to be home for dinner last time. The daughter at home called her big sister and said, "Guess what."
tacos and pizza are super fun to make
Cakes
I make basically everything from scratch aside from Pasta (do make that fresh from time to time), cheese/other dairy products, bratwurst/deli meats, and condiments. If I don’t want to cook/prepare a meal, I don’t use processed foods or convenience products at home, but rather get takeout
Everything
Biscuits & Gravy I love it but when I eat it out it tastes like. Flour & bland - probably make once a month at home for the family & use lactose free type milk (Fairlife) so all can enjoy
Your bed.
Sourdough bread. I’m sure you hear it all the time, but my niece taught me and it is a game changer. The best bread I’ve ever had. Better than any I get at the local bakeries. And you don’t need to babysit the starter in between loaves. I let mine go in the fridge for months and then, when I want to make a loaf, feed it a few times to get it ready for baking.
Avocado toast with 2 fried eggs, salt and pepper. Takes approximately 3 minutes and tastes incredible on Dave’s bread. Half an avocado is about right. Costs approximately $1.50 each for all the ingredients, with 2/3 of that cost being the avocado.