You’re tired, you’re cranky, you “feel like Chinese,” or maybe pizza. You reach for the phone — but wait! There’s a better way. It will be healthier, tastier and quite possibly cheaper. It will fill your home with delicious smells and not generate the waste of takeout containers and pizza boxes. It does, however, involve some effort: cooking.

Yes, it takes a bit of planning, but you can do this. And you can impress your family and friends with your skill. As you get comfortable, you’ll want to branch out and make the other dishes your takeout life has taught you to love: pad Thai and falafel, tandoori chicken and souvlaki. Even barbecue.

The term “takeout” is an Americanism from the late 1940s, according to food historian John Mariani. In “The Dictionary of American Food and Drink” (Hearst Books, 1994), he writes that the phrase appears in a 1949 photo of the sign of the “Tail o’ the Pup” hot-dog stand — the now-closed Los Angeles, Calif., landmark diner built to look like a hot dog. The growth of takeout has paralleled the growth of the automobile industry and of innovations in packaging. The practice of takeout, however, is ancient, if you count the street-food vendors of classical Rome and Greece to be among the first sources.

Break the takeout cycle with homemade food that is every bit as tasty. Below are two recipes that may stave off another phone call. One is for a Chinese chicken-and-cashew dish from the handy and accurately titled little book “Easy Chinese Stir-Fries” by Helen Chen (Wiley, 2009). The pizza recipe is a family favorite. Tip: Buy prepared pizza crust in the supermarket or, better yet, from an artisan bakery.

CHICKEN WITH CASHEWS

1 cup raw cashews

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup canola oil

1 garlic clove, crushed with the side of a knife and peeled

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil (made with toasted sesame seeds and sold in most supermarkets)

cooked rice, brown or white, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 F. Scatter the cashews in an ovenproof skillet or baking pan with sides, and bake until golden and toasty-smelling; start checking after 8 minutes. Watch carefully, as they burn easily. Remove the pan from the oven, remove the cashews from the pan (to prevent further cooking), and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, wine and ginger. Add the chicken, and mix well.

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sugar and water.

In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the garlic, and stir until the oil is hot and the garlic sizzles. Stir the chicken mixture, and add it to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the chicken turns white, 1 to 2 minutes. Discard the garlic if desired.

Reduce the heat to medium, and add the soy-sauce mixture. Stir until the ingredients are well blended. Add the cashews, and stir for another 30 seconds. Drizzle with sesame oil, and mix well. Serve immediately, with rice.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe from “Easy Chinese Stir-Fries” by Helen Chen (Wiley, 2009)

SOUTH-OF-THE-BORDER PIZZA

1 pound pizza dough, store-bought or homemade

1 cup salsa (mild, medium or hot) or picante sauce

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 to 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed (if frozen) and drained

1 to 2 cups grated regular or reduced-fat Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, or “taco” blend sold in bags in supermarket

Optional extras:

1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

2 scallions, trimmed and chopped (white and green parts)

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 bell pepper (any color), chopped small

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Sprinkle a cookie sheet with cornmeal to prevent the pizza from sticking.

On a floured surface, roll out the pizza dough into an irregular rectangle, maybe 14 inches long and 10 inches wide. Or aim for a 12- or 13-inch circle. Gently transfer to the prepared baking sheet.

Spoon salsa over the dough, leaving the edge bare. You may not use it all. Sprinkle on the remaining ingredients, using whatever optional toppings you prefer and ending with cheese.

Bake until the exposed crust is golden and the cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe from Marialisa Calta’s files

Marialisa Calta is the author of “Barbarians at the Plate: Taming and Feeding the American Family” (Perigee, 2005). For more information, go to www.marialisacalta.com.