It’s probably no secret that we don’t eat out much. With a farm share as big as the one we have, I always feel guilty about going out to eat. There’s too much food hanging about to let it go to waste. And usually, whenever we do go out to eat, we leave feeling like we could have made something better at home. It’s not that I don’t like being served, it’s just that I really love creating beautiful meals—and in order to get beautiful meals from a restaurant, you have to go somewhere really expensive. And I’m cheap when it comes to eating out. We will occasionally go out as a treat, but I’m learning to master some of our favorite takeout meals at home. They always taste better with fresh, local produce anyway.

About once a month I plan Chinese At-Home Takeout Night. I make several of our favorite Chinese Dishes, put them in these cute white bowls I have (they look like this, but I probably got them at Costco), and put it all out on the counter as if we got it from a local takeout joint. I also make a huge mess in the kitchen, but the end result is so delightful and always worth it. One dish that we always make is Veggie Lo Mein. During regular harvest season, it’s easy to make with whatever fresh veggies we have on hand. But, I always love making it in the Winter, because it allows our fresh veggies the chance to shine. I froze several bags of snow peas back in June and they were a delightful addition to Chinese Night this week.

The best part about Veggie Lo Mein is you can serve it as a side with a smorgasbord of other things or you can make it alone and put an egg on top. If you’re looking for an easy weeknight meal, look no further. And yes, you can use other frozen veggies, but you’ll want to adapt the cook time a bit. Peas are the easiest, for sure.

Veggie Lo Mein with Frozen Snow Peas

Adapted from Half Baked Harvest: Garlic Butter Ramen Noodles

As written, serves 4-6 as a side; 2-4 as a meal. Double if you want leftovers for lunch.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
4 blocks of rice ramen noodles (these are my favorite; I get them at Costco)
8-10 ounces frozen snow peas
3 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
fried or boiled egg and sesame seeds for topping (optional)

Instructions:

Heat a large pot of water to boiling.
Just before your water comes to a boil, heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the butter. Once it’s melted, add the garlic and ginger. Stirring regularly, cook a few minutes until it smells amazing and begins to get a little toasty.
Add your snow peas and toss to coat with the butter mixture. Stir 1-2 minutes, or until defrosted. Turn off the heat.
Cook rice noodles using package directions. Don’t ignore the step that says use a fork to break apart the noodles. They’ll cook better that way. But beware, the steam is hot, so use the longest fork you can find. When your noodles are done, drain them.
If you want eggs on top, now is the time to get them going.
Toss your noodles into the saute pan. Turn heat back on and mix well. Cook just long enough to make sure everything is warm.
Pour into your serving bowl, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and enjoy your At-Home Takeout.

Photo by Edward Howell on Unsplash.

Warning

This is not a meal for your weekly meal plan. This is one of those throw-together kinds of meals. You know, the one when you wake up famished and the only thing in your fridge are leftovers from taco night. Or when you’ve spent the entire day playing outside and you have no idea what to make for dinner. Chilaquiles was created as a way to use up leftover stale tortillas and is typically eaten for breakfast or brunch. This is one of those meals that surprises you in its simplicity—and in its deliciousness—and is a fantastic way to use some of those tomatoes you canned last summer.

Ingredients

That bag of tortilla chip crumbs cluttering your counter
The handful of rotisserie chicken you don’t know what to do with (or black beans, or leftover taco meat, or roasted veggies. seriously, whatever is staring at you from the refrigerator shelves)
1 jar of tomatoes with chiles that you canned in the summer (or enchilada sauce, or taco sauce, or even salsa will do)
1/2 cup of water (or 1/2 cup broth)
1 spoonful of better than bouillon (leave out if using broth)
Whatever fresh ingredients you have in your fridge to use as toppings

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°.
Heat a cast-iron skillet on your stove. I used an 8-incher for 2 people. If you’re feeding more than 2, you’ll want a bigger skillet, and you’ll want to double the ingredients.
Pour tomatoes, water, and bouillon into your hot skillet. Bring it to a boil and let simmer for 3-5 minutes to thicken up
Put tortilla crumbs into the skillet and stir slightly to mix. You want most of your chips a little on the soggy side. I know it sounds gross, but trust me. The flavor is astounding in the end.
Throw your leftovers on top. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on it if you’d like.
Put it in the oven and let it bake for 15-20 minutes, or until everything is warm and your cheese is melted.
Take it out of the oven, divide onto plates, and let people dig in. I like to put shredded cabbage, radishes, cilantro on top if I have them in the fridge. If I don’t, then I just eat it as is.

Note

If you want an extra boost of protein, top it with a fried egg. I’m lazy about breakfast so I eat it sans egg, but my husband isn’t lazy, so he goes the extra mile. The egg does make for a very pretty picture.