What do you buy that you can make?

[Cooking4to]

Is there anything that you can make in your kitchen but buy it made instead? For me its croissants, I can make them and they honestly come better in my kitchen than the ones I buy from the bakery and market{probably because they are hot out of the oven}... But its one of the things I HATE making, and out of the say 30 batches I have done in my life, I have destroyed and discarded at least 4 of them.
The last time I made them my wife made me promise not to make them anymore, I was sitting on the kitchen floor punching a zip lock bag full of dough with butter in my hair, that led to a crying shower scene

So whats your white whale, you would love to make but hate making it?

PS a close second is Baklava {same scene as above except honey in my hair}

Close third is sfogliatella {probably spelt that wrong}...

To add insult to injury all 3 of them items are on my 10 top favorite foods list too...

 

[CraigC]

We buy because of not having the time to make involved recipes.

 

[roadfix]

Hamburgers

 

[Kayelle]

There's a countless number of things I buy that could be made in my kitchen. That's true for almost everybody from those who only buy flour and sugar, to those who only eat out and don't cook at all. I guess I don't understand the question.

 

[medtran49]

I took the question to mean difficult and/or time consuming things to make. Like, I probably won't ever make puff pastry again, even the "quick" version because I can buy a decent quality product. Same goes for phyllo dough.

As far as every day things, we occasionally make stock but for the most part buy it because it's just more convenient, bread too for that matter unless it's something not readily available commercially. I do make croutons simply because I vastly prefer the taste of homemade.

And there are some things that we make because we like ours better than what is available in the store, like Andouille sausage. Maybe we'd buy it if we were in LA but in S Florida, only 1 commercially available brand and we don't particularly like the taste of the locally made stuff in the 1 and only place that makes it. There is 1 place that carries LA made Andouille but the price is sky high.

Of course there are a multitude of other things, as Kayelle noted, that can be made in a home kitchen but aren't much anymore because of time and convenience factors.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Jarred pasta sauces, spiffed up to blend flavors I prefer. Once in awhile I make red sauce from scratch, but even then I start with canned tomatoes unless it is garden season.​

Where I really hang my head is buying Smoked BBQ ribs from a local take out BBQ joint. In winter, which is about 2/3 of the year here, there is no way I am going to hang around outdoors while something cooks low and slow. Yeh yah, I could insert a remote thermometer and stay inside. In good weather, cooking ribs doesn't require a constant vigil, actually, one should leave them alone and keep the grill cover Closed. I have probably dozens of oven baked ribs recipes to try. It's soooo easy to buy take out. The only real rationalization that I find plausible is that they are affordable, and that's because I am not as heavy an eater as I once was. So at about $20+ incl coleslaw and excellent potatoes, I get about 4 servings, which is affordable. Their Chopped/ pulled pork is even better deal, ($12, was $9 per pound until recently) Their scale, if they have one consists of Filling a large square take out box. I usually get 8- 10 sandwiches equivalent.​

Yes to burgers Out. Yes to Good burgers out. (Yes to burgers at home too.) Sometimes its just nice to let someone else do the cooking.​

 

[Kayelle]

I took the question to mean difficult and/or time consuming things to make. Like, I probably won't ever make puff pastry again, even the "quick" version because I can buy a decent quality product. Same goes for phyllo dough.

As far as every day things, we occasionally make stock but for the most part buy it because it's just more convenient, bread too for that matter unless it's something not readily available commercially. I do make croutons simply because I vastly prefer the taste of homemade.

And there are some things that we make because we like ours better than what is available in the store, like Andouille sausage. Maybe we'd buy it if we were in LA but in S Florida, only 1 commercially available brand and we don't particularly like the taste of the locally made stuff in the 1 and only place that makes it. There is 1 place that carries LA made Andouille but the price is sky high.

Of course there are a multitude of other things, as Kayelle noted, that can be made in a home kitchen but aren't much anymore because of time and convenience factors.

I'm so glad to hear you say that. I was starting to think I was the only person here who actually prefers Swanson's chicken broth over my own.
I buy it both because of convenience and taste. Costco has it at around 60 cents a can, so it's not worth my while to make it either.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...we occasionally make stock but for the most part buy it because it's just more convenient, bread too for that matter...

Same here for those items, and probably many more. Some days you pick your battle and decide between winning time or winning "home-made". We like Panera bread considering they're a chain, but they bake fresh, in-house every day. I can drive to Panera faster than I could assemble and mix the ingredients at home. The next closest bakery that does from-scratch bread is about 30 miles away. When they were our closest option I baked bread more often.

Also, burgers. Good, juicy, medium rare char-grilled burgers. We have two places we favor when we want a summer burger and it's cold or raining. If we can't make it at home, we head there.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I buy all sorts of things that I could make at home.

For me it makes more sense to buy a single serving of many things than it does to load up the pantry and refrigerator with all sorts of things that I will not use up or should not eat.

It's also fun to see how the other guy does it!

I don't eat them anymore, but I used to buy pierogi from a local church group rather than make them at home.

 

[Zagut]

The first thing that came to mind is Frozen Burritos.

I could most likely make them that taste better but tossing one in the microwave for 1 minute and 15 seconds. Pouring "Hot" salsa on top and I've got a really quick and tasty fuel for the system when it's needed.

And this just made me realize #2. The salsa.

 

[Cooking4to]

Nice replies guys, thanks...

I know we are all in different positions, I try to make as much as I can, but the 3 things I listed are the items that often get the best of me... Thats what I meant in the question...

 

[Kayelle]

Nice replies guys, thanks...

I know we are all in different positions, I try to make as much as I can, but the 3 things I listed are the items that often get the best of me... Thats what I meant in the question...

Now I understand.

For me, no matter how hard I try, my homemade chicken broth will never taste as good as Swanson's canned chicken broth. That's ok with me.

 

[Mad Cook]

Is there anything that you can make in your kitchen but buy it made instead? For me its croissants, I can make them and they honestly come better in my kitchen than the ones I buy from the bakery and market{probably because they are hot out of the oven}... But its one of the things I HATE making, and out of the say 30 batches I have done in my life, I have destroyed and discarded at least 4 of them.
The last time I made them my wife made me promise not to make them anymore, I was sitting on the kitchen floor punching a zip lock bag full of dough with butter in my hair, that led to a crying shower scene

So whats your white whale, you would love to make but hate making it?

PS a close second is Baklava {same scene as above except honey in my hair}

Close third is sfogliatella {probably spelt that wrong}...

To add insult to injury all 3 of them items are on my 10 top favorite foods list too...

Mayonnaise. Not so much that I don't like making it but I'm a bit of a philistine and prefer Helmans' Light mayo to the real McCoy.

I buy ready rolled pastry from the supermarket because I am USELESS at all forms of pastry and hate making it. Someone once told me that you need cold hands and a warm heart to make pastry and that I must have warm hands and a cold heart.

Oddly though, I enjoy making croissants and I'm good at it.

 

[menumaker]

Pastry, both shortcrust and flaky. I do make my own rich flan pastry though because I enjoy squishing the egg, butter and sugar into the flour on the worktop!!
Also buy Knorr roast chicken stock jellies for gravy. The stock from the carcass is never around long enough as that becomes soup ASAP, just love it.

 

[menumaker]

Oh Yes, I forgot Mayonnaise as well MC. I knew a brilliant chef once who had a customer complain of an upset stomach after eating a meal in the restaurant who put it down to raw eggs in the mayo. Although it was never proven ( and no-one else complained) my friend never took to chance again and always served Hellmans after that.

 

[Wyshiepoo]

Pasta. I have the Kenwood Chef so can make my own, but it can be such a pain to make from scratch and if you are already committed to cooking something with pasta the extra time to also make your pasta can mean you hardly h=get out of the kitchen.


As to ready made pasta sauces etc. I think they are great. We have a shelf in our pull out pantry thing that we call our 'emergency shelf'.


When short of time we get a jar or packet out of there and knock something up quick. What I do like doing is adding to the jar/packet to jazz it up a bit.


Puff pastry and filo I buy ready made but I do like to make my own shortcrust.

 

[Cooking4to]

Pasta. I have the Kenwood Chef so can make my own, but it can be such a pain to make from scratch and if you are already committed to cooking something with pasta the extra time to also make your pasta can mean you hardly h=get out of the kitchen.


As to ready made pasta sauces etc. I think they are great. We have a shelf in our pull out pantry thing that we call our 'emergency shelf'.


When short of time we get a jar or packet out of there and knock something up quick. What I do like doing is adding to the jar/packet to jazz it up a bit.


Puff pastry and filo I buy ready made but I do like to make my own shortcrust.

The trick to pasta is to do a lot of it at once, I mix batches with my 10qt mixer, so say 12 lbs of pasta dough, a couple batches, and you have enough pasta for a while..
I use hand rollers for the cutting and the sheeter for the rolling, so its pretty fast. I make pappardelle, linguini, and lasagna, them are fast and easy, its the ravioli and manicotti that take more time. But when doing 10 lbs its not too bad...

 

[CraigC]

The trick to pasta is to do a lot of it at once, I mix batches with my 10qt mixer, so say 12 lbs of pasta dough, a couple batches, and you have enough pasta for a while..
I use hand rollers for the cutting and the sheeter for the rolling, so its pretty fast. I make pappardelle, linguini, and lasagna, them are fast and easy, its the ravioli and manicotti that take more time. But when doing 10 lbs its not too bad...

Not everyone has the equipment, apparent storage space and free time that you do. As far as dry pasta, Barilla does a fine job.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Pastry, both shortcrust and flaky. I do make my own rich flan pastry though because I enjoy squishing the egg, butter and sugar into the flour on the worktop!!
Also buy Knorr roast chicken stock jellies for gravy. The stock from the carcass is never around long enough as that becomes soup ASAP, just love it.

I'm going to look for this next time I go to the store!

Sounds like it would be much easier than lugging home a gallon of stock!

Has anyone else tried it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=s6WBjKJ16Yc

 

[letscook]

pesto, and puff pastry, 3 cream soups (chicken, Mushroom, celery)