home cooking; homemade dish
Refers to food prepared by oneself or by someone close, emphasizing the personal, homemade quality rather than professional cooking. Often carries a warm, caring connotation.
My mother's home cooking is always delicious.
She treated me to her homemade cooking.
自炊 refers to cooking for oneself, often as a daily routine, whereas 手料理 can be made for others and highlights the personal touch.
手料理 is home-cooked food made from scratch, the opposite of the quick, pre-processed convenience of インスタント食品.
Compound of 手 (て, 'hand') and 料理 (りょうり, 'cooking'), literally 'hand cooking', emphasizing personal preparation.