It's another week of food here on the blog! This week's food was a little different because we had leftovers shared with us so we didn't really need to cook a lot. However, I like to maximize my time so I ended up making two main dishes where I freeze extras for quick meals later. The costs are going to include the entire batch of food I made including what goes into the freezer. So although all of it is not being consumed this week, it's as if I ordered extra food from a restaurant to freeze and save for later.
- Snow pea leaves: $15.99
- Chinese broccoli: $12.99
- Chinese spaghetti: 12 servings @ $8.99/serving: $107.88
- Shao Mai: 55 pcs @ $1/pc: $55
- Homemade chips: on the house
Take Out Total: $191.86
Tax: $15.83
Grand Total: $207.69
Shao Mai
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| There's 55 total but this picture was taken before they were all made. I'm a really bad shao mai wrapper...so they're not aesthetically pleasing. |
These are made from the recipe found in the Woks of Life cookbook. I've made this recipe 2-3x total and my kids absolutely love it. It's definitely a labor of love and I double the recipe to make enough to save a freezer batch or two. They're almost as good as the ones at the restaurant. This time when I made them, I subbed chicken bouillon for the salt. Although they tasted fine, it didn't add the "oomph" I had hoped for. Next time, I may try half salt half chicken bouillon because it was still missing some umami this time.
I use both my food processor and my stand mixer for this recipe. If I had to chop and mix by hand, I wouldn't make it...ever. The right tools for the job make a HUGE difference. Just be extra kind to the person who washes the dishes. 😁
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| I don't use yellow wrappers so they're not pretty like the ones at the restaurant, but they sure are delicious. |
Chinese Spaghetti
My friend shared this recipe with me a while back and it's definitely a hit at our house. I just call it Chinese spaghetti because that's basically what it is. This sauce recipe is completely made in the Instant Pot and I double it to save batches in the freezer for later. There's quite a bit of prep work for cutting the vegetables, but the actual cooking is all done in the Instant Pot. You can definitely use frozen vegetables for this if you'd like to make it even easier. That's not something I stock so I do cut my carrots, onions, and celery by hand. Be warned if you're going to double the recipe you need at least the 8 qt IP. I maxed mine out the last time I made it because I beefed up the vegetable portions and added mushrooms. The sauce is what goes into the freezer and I just cook pasta to complete the meal for next time.
This is the first repeat dish I've done in four weeks. I'd say that's not bad! We used the steaming method this week since we already pulled out our steamer for the shao mai. Personally, I actually prefer the boiling method because I can boil in salt water and it flavors the vegetables nicely. Steaming isn't bad but I would definitely choose to eat it with some dipping sauce.
Snow Pea Leaves (Bottom right)
We love snow pea leaves. It's the special vegetable treat during the winter months when it goes on sale. Picking away the thicker stems is key to a pleasant mouth-feel when eating this vegetable. It elevates the dish significantly when it's all tender leaves and thin stems. One of my children was willing to try it! Stir fry in garlic with salt and sugar seasoning. Absolutely perfect.
Homemade Chips (Bottom left)
These were a last minute decision to make. After wrapping the shao mai, I had two leftover wrappers. What was I going to do with two wrappers? I thought about just trashing them, but then I decided to cut it into strips, spray with oil, and stick them in my pan for a light fry. I seasoned them with Trader Joe's mushroom umami seasoning and they were a hit. I think I actually ate the least only having had one chip...
Food is always good when I look forward to it. It makes meals more exciting and honestly increases my overall appetite. There have been weeks before where I haven't been excited about anything in my refrigerator. This can be due to illness and mood as well so it's not always contingent on the food. I have to say this week's food is pretty enticing.
Total time elapsed: 3.5-4 hours.
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