Take Out Fake Out

Mini Fiesta Tacos

Order pulled pork or beef from your local BBQ restaurant (order the sauce on the side). At home, combine meat with jarred taco sauce and assemble the tacos. On a round tortilla chip, layer a small amount of store-bought guacamole, a spoonful of meat, crumbled Mexican queso fresco cheese, and fresh cilantro. So delicious and so easy.

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Dial up your local Chinese take-out joint and order chili sautéed shrimp. They'll be a little spicy--but that's perfect. On a wooden skewer (pre-soaked in water to avoiding burning on the grill), layer one shrimp, one chunk of pineapple, and a one inch piece of green onion. Grill for about four minutes, turning once. The cool pineapple will be refreshing and cool the heat of the shrimp.

Simple Veggie Quesadillas

Order veggie quesadillas from your favorite restaurant. Using a small round cookie cutter (about an inch and a half wide), cut individual size portions from the larger quesadillas. Top each with a small amount of sour cream spiked with fresh lime juice and chili powder.

Sweet & Spicy Edamame

A tasty snack idea that's easier than boiling water: In a small mixing bowl combine one tablespoon of honey, a few dashes of hot sauce, fresh lime juice, chili powder, salt and pepper. In a large zip-top bag, toss cooked edamame--from the local Japanese restaurant--with the honey/chili mixture and serve.