Sandra's Money Saving Meals Season 2 Episode 3 Chinese Take Out

In this episode of Sandra's Money Saving Meals, host Sandra Lee takes viewers on a culinary journey to explore the flavors of Chinese takeout while also offering her own money-saving tips for creating delicious dishes at home.

To start, Sandra shares her recipe for homemade vegetable egg rolls made with a mixture of cabbage, carrots, and onions, wrapped in egg roll wrappers and fried until crispy and golden brown. She also demonstrates how to make a flavorful dipping sauce using soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chili flakes.

Next up is a classic Chinese dish - fried rice. Sandra shows how easy it is to make this beloved takeout staple at home using simple ingredients like eggs, frozen peas and carrots, and leftover cooked rice. She also shares her secret for adding extra flavor to the dish by using oyster sauce, sesame oil, and green onion.

Moving on to the main course, Sandra creates a dish inspired by General Tso's chicken. Instead of deep-frying the chicken, Sandra opts to oven bake it for a healthier and more budget-friendly version. She also shows how to make a flavorful sauce using soy sauce, vinegar, hoisin sauce, honey, and ginger. The result is a dish that's just as delicious as the restaurant version but costs a fraction of the price.

For a lighter side dish, Sandra prepares a simple stir-fry made with vegetables like bok choy, mushrooms, and red bell pepper. She also offers tips on how to stir-fry like a pro by ensuring the pan is very hot and cooking each ingredient separately to avoid overcooking.

Finally, dessert is a unique take on a Chinese classic - fortune cookies. Sandra shows how to make the cookies from scratch, including a fun twist with different flavors like chocolate and raspberry. She also demonstrates how to write your own fortunes to add a personal touch to the cookies.

Throughout the episode, Sandra emphasizes the importance of using what's on hand and not being afraid to substitute different ingredients if needed. She also shares tips for buying in bulk, shopping seasonally, and using leftovers to stretch your budget even further.

As always, Sandra's Money Saving Meals offers practical and delicious advice for viewers looking to save money while still enjoying delicious and flavorful meals. With easy-to-follow recipes and plenty of tips and tricks, this episode is perfect for anyone looking to recreate their favorite Chinese takeout dishes at home.