Your Own Favorite Restaurant

People are even getting paranoid and understandably so about eating out. Yet, for many it's the highlight of the week or month. The food is tasty and fun. However you don't have to eat out. There are recipes for some of our favorite restaurant and fast food dishes. Why go out when you can bring the eatery to you.

Fast food is always a hit. Who doesn't love a burger with the works or a filled burrito? Yet you can easily make these at home. It's so easy to recreate the special sauce. It's just mayo with a dab of French dressing along with white vinegar and granulated sugar.This can be made healthier with using the vegan Nayonnaise and dark wildflower honey. Add sliced tomatoes , pickles and lettuce on a bun for the full effect. As for fries and onion rings use your air fryer.  You could get the bagged , frozen kinds but you can also buy already freshly cut crinkle potato and sweet potato fries.. Liven it up with some ground garlic and rosemary. Homemade onion rings are another easy make, thanks to panko bread crumbs and an egg wash. Love Taco Bell? Their bean burritos are so easy to whip up - as I know. It's easy to cook up kidney beans and chopped onions in a mix of vegetable and olive oil.Red wine vinegar gives it tang while chili pepper and cumin add flavor. Serve it on steamed tortillas. Have a side of melted nacho cheese  - basically a jalapeno cheese sauce. It's creating a roux of milk and flour and then adding chopped cheddar and butter. Diced jalapenos are then stirred in for fire.

Pizza and pizza sticks are always easy to recreate.The dough is a simple recipe of flour, water and yeast, along with olive oil, a touch of sugar or honey and salt for flavor. Top with already made pizza sauce also used for dipping with the pizza sticks  and a variety of veggies and meats. It's a fun way to teach the kids how to bake as well as create breads. Making a pizza can also be a great method of teaching nutrition and which is the best and healthiest to eat. Kids can learn about using vegan mozzarella and what veggies are the most nutritious and the tastiest for finishing a pizza. Another Italian classic that's always a take out is the hero. Yet these are so much fun to make at home.Take a good Italian or French bread, cut in half, and add slices of your favorite meats , cheeses and veggies.What really makes any hero sing is the dressing.it's just a mix of olive oil and red wine vinegar with a dash of oregano. So many chain restaurants have loaded potato skins.It's baking Russet potatoes and then scooping out the flesh so that there's a quarter of potato left inside. Then you can fill  them with anything you want, from bacon to pulled pork or shredded roasted chicken with taco spicing. You could also try topping them with  pizza sauce and mozzarella for a different spin.

Eat in if you have qualms about eating out. It's easy to recreate favorite recipes at home. You might even improve on them.

Road Trip Goodies

This is the time of year people take road trips.It's the perfect time to see the leaves or even have a picnic on the beach.Unfortunately the cooler temps not only generate wanderlust but also a healthy appetite.Pack sone hearty order to avoid trips to fast food joints and questionable diners. Sandwiches are always a good start, especially if you're planning on an all day trip.One of the best and most satisfying to create is a mini hero.Buy mini baguettes and then fill them with a variety of meats and fillings.Try ham and cheddar or roast beef and a tangy Worcester sauce.You can also make an Italian hero with caracole, salame and prosciutto along with a variety of different cheeses. if you do stop at a farm, then pick up bottle of cider.This is a nice accompaniment to the sandwiches.Another good cider go with is sharp cheddar with slices of whole wheat bread. Some big farms such as Delicious Orchards of Colts Neck ,New jErsey ,sell varieties of cheese along with breads that can make an on the road picnic possible..Some farms also have delis that can make sandwiches too, if you want something spur of the moment. Sometimes you just want nibbles when you're driving.I find that the best bring alongside are the dry stuff.Flavored crackers are always a good choice as are pretzels and plain cookies.These keep hunger at bay and are perfect for a quick stop.They're great for passengers and the kids won't create a mess with them during your break from driving.Popcorn is another fun snack,Feed the puffs to the gulls or whatever birds you chance upon.Fruit is another nice snack on a road trip.Black grapes are in season right now. And they"re refreshing to bring on a road trip.Keep them in a cooler because they're at their tastiest when chilled. Apples and pears also make excellent bring alongs.You can pick them yourself and munch on a few on the ride back home. Fall makes us want to visit farms and forests.Pile up the car with tasty snacks and the kids and explore.See the foliage, breathe in the fresh air and enjoy a sandwich or some fruit al fresco.