Worth it: Dough for pizza/Dumplings/Wotons/buns

Not Worth it: I pretty much make everything I eat from scratch Lol

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Mayonnaise and whipped cream taste completely different, and MUCH better, when made by hand at home. You haven’t had mayo or whipped cream unless you’ve tasted homemade.

Cakes and pies as well because I make them less sweet.

Bread and yogurt ate too much work, although I’ve liked my attempts.

Usually I cook from scratch.

Whipped cream is a good one. I always bring real whipped cream when my ILs host Thanksgiving because I refuse to put Reddi Whip on my pie. My MIL always makes such a big deal out of it, like I’ve done something soooo fancy and complicated, when it literally took me less than two minutes to whip up.

My family prefers the reddi whip! And why are you looking down on your mil? I can read the snark.

Isn't pho just beef bone broth? With a few added ingredients to regular bone broth soup? Star anise, ginger, fish sauce? I never made it, but my beef bone broth included bones, carrots, parsnip, salt, pepper and another seasoned salt spice we like. I think in pho beef recipe, my biggest challenge would be the tender meat in it, not necessarily the broth.

Worth it - seasoning mixes for tacos (vastly superior to the packets for sale at the grocery store), pulled pork or chicken

Anonymous wrote:Everything is worth making from scratch if you have enough time & motivation IMO. I make the homemade whipped cream too. My MIL had no idea how to make it as she only used coolwhip her entire life.

Your life revolves about finding any single instance to put your MIL down? Even in her death? Perhaps she was a nicer person than you. I bet you she was. Do you have a long enough wisk to mix the whip cream from your high in the sky perch?

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone mention pho broth? Impossible to make at home, would take three days if you did and still won't taste as good as pick up in Wheaton.

+1. Just amassing all the ingredients for pho is a ton of work. Vietnamese beef stew on the other hand is pretty easy in a slow cooker or on the stovetop.

I’m a relative novice cook, but my list would be:

Worth it - marinara, bolognese, ice cream (eggless version made in machine is simple), salad dressings, meatballs, most breads

Not worth it - dinner rolls (too much work for modest improvement in quality)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not worth it: Cole slaw. Bagged slaw mix and Marie’s cole slaw dressing is the best!

Vinaigrette I always make from scratch with fresh garlic and herbs and good-quality vinegar.

I've been practicing my grandmother's "famous" secret recipe coleslaw this summer. I don't think I love it that much more than any other coleslaw out there, but it's been a fun project

Recipe? I’ve been dying for good cole slaw.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I make jam a few times a year, and it’s totally worth it. It takes me 2-3 hours to make twenty jars of jam. I do strawberry, grape, peach, and raspberry. I then have delicious homemade jam all year, and I put little labels on them and give them away with a couple of loaves of fresh bread as a hostess gift or without the bread if I need something in a pinch for a bake sale.

Oh, that's cute. I don't know if I have the patience for making jam, but I do with you were my friend coming over for dinner some time

. I stole this idea from a friend.
But you should try it! I can make $100 worth of jam in two hours while supervising children.

Recipe?

Did you take a canning course? I want to do this, but am scared I would make someone sick.

I have a pressure cooker if that helps...

Anonymous wrote:Not worth it: Cole slaw. Bagged slaw mix and Marie’s cole slaw dressing is the best!

Vinaigrette I always make from scratch with fresh garlic and herbs and good-quality vinegar.

I've been practicing my grandmother's "famous" secret recipe coleslaw this summer. I don't think I love it that much more than any other coleslaw out there, but it's been a fun project

Anonymous wrote:Everything is worth making from scratch if you have enough time & motivation IMO. I make the homemade whipped cream too. My MIL had no idea how to make it as she only used coolwhip her entire life.

You had to use this as an opportunity to make a dig at your MIL? Just answer the question about food!

Worth it: English muffins, roasting your own nuts (easy to control salt), pitas, whipped cream, cold brew, pie crust, pesto, salad dressings

Not worth it: hummus (have not mastered this one, maybe with more tries it would be?) peanut butter (not much cost savings and my homemade tastes the same as store bought fresh ground),

Everything is worth making from scratch if you have enough time & motivation IMO. I make the homemade whipped cream too. My MIL had no idea how to make it as she only used coolwhip her entire life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bread - not worth it

+1000

My homemade sourdough is the best I've ever had. It took about 4 loaves for me to perfect it

I love homemade bread and so does my whole family. I'm not even a very good baker, I'm one of the people who started baking during quarantine but my family has gobbled down all the bread I have made and they prefer it to what we got from the bakery. And it make the kitchen smell so good!

Not worth it: pho (like someone said above) or ramen or most any Asian soup broth. It will take forever and not be as good. Anything fried, like fried chicken or fries. Donuts.

Anonymous wrote:I make jam a few times a year, and it’s totally worth it. It takes me 2-3 hours to make twenty jars of jam. I do strawberry, grape, peach, and raspberry. I then have delicious homemade jam all year, and I put little labels on them and give them away with a couple of loaves of fresh bread as a hostess gift or without the bread if I need something in a pinch for a bake sale.

I wish you were my friend bringing me home made jam. My mom used to make home made jam and I never did learn how to make it. She's gone now and her making jam is one of my fondest memories.