Super cheap meals and recipes
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Dinghy
Veteran Member
Cupboard soup! Made with whatever is in the cupboard at the time. I always liked V-8 with corn and peas thrown in, and little sized pasta if you have it. When the kids were small we had pizza bread for lunch. Just spread spaghetti sauce on slices of bread and sprinkled parmesean cheese and garlic powder on it then bake it a few minutes. We very seldom had pepperoni, but they didn't know the difference back then!
Prices based on our family of 6 big eaters.
Simple veggie soup (about $4)
A can of tomato juice
A small bag of corn
A small bag of peas
A can of green beans
Can serve as is or add whatever else you have on hand.
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Poor Man's Hot & Sour Soup (about $3)
Bring water to a boil, add boullion (chicken or beef or both) and soy sauce
Drizzle eggs into boiling water
Add rice
Cover and let sit until rice is tender (or simmer if not parboiled rice). Season with chili paste and vinegar. Can add any leftover veggies in the fridge.
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Cheesy Bread (About $3)
Make your own bread or buy the $1/loaf crusty bakery bread. Cut in half lengthwise, butter, sprinkle with garlic, top with cheese. Use spaghetti sauce and/or ranch dressing as a dip.
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Poor Man's Stroganoff (About $4)
Boil big package of noodles (flat, egg noodles or whatever you have on hand), drain, and put back in the pot.
Stir in one can of chunky soup, one can of gravy, (can add beef boullioin for more flavor if not enough), and one small tub of sour cream. Salt and pepper to taste.
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More later. Time to fix lunch.
Simple veggie soup (about $4)
A can of tomato juice
A small bag of corn
A small bag of peas
A can of green beans
Can serve as is or add whatever else you have on hand.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Poor Man's Hot & Sour Soup (about $3)
Bring water to a boil, add boullion (chicken or beef or both) and soy sauce
Drizzle eggs into boiling water
Add rice
Cover and let sit until rice is tender (or simmer if not parboiled rice). Season with chili paste and vinegar. Can add any leftover veggies in the fridge.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Cheesy Bread (About $3)
Make your own bread or buy the $1/loaf crusty bakery bread. Cut in half lengthwise, butter, sprinkle with garlic, top with cheese. Use spaghetti sauce and/or ranch dressing as a dip.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Poor Man's Stroganoff (About $4)
Boil big package of noodles (flat, egg noodles or whatever you have on hand), drain, and put back in the pot.
Stir in one can of chunky soup, one can of gravy, (can add beef boullioin for more flavor if not enough), and one small tub of sour cream. Salt and pepper to taste.
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More later. Time to fix lunch.
Midnight_Wolf
Membership Revoked
I have a few chuck steaks sitting in my freezer that I got from my aunt in Alberta. I have never cooked chuck before. I know it is a tough cut. What can I do with it?
occupant
Contributing Member
M.W. ~ LOW (temp) and SLOW (long cooking time)
Think crockpot, dutch oven, slow braising on stovetop.
1" sized cubes for stew meat. Sear (brown) it on all sides first.Use the browned bits in the pan(add a little water or wine, scrape and add to the cook pot.
Grind your own hamburger. I always do, and you know whats in it
Slice very thinly(while still slightly frozen) and quick saute for fahitas or stir fry.
Very flavorful cut of meat. Nice Auntie, you got...Midnight Wolf. That cut is getting quite expensive at the grocery store.
Think crockpot, dutch oven, slow braising on stovetop.
1" sized cubes for stew meat. Sear (brown) it on all sides first.Use the browned bits in the pan(add a little water or wine, scrape and add to the cook pot.
Grind your own hamburger. I always do, and you know whats in it
Slice very thinly(while still slightly frozen) and quick saute for fahitas or stir fry.
Very flavorful cut of meat. Nice Auntie, you got...Midnight Wolf. That cut is getting quite expensive at the grocery store.
mzkitty
I give up.
Midnight_Wolf said:
Do what my mom always did: put it in a dutch oven or big cast iron skillet. Put a package of Lipton's Onion Soup Mix on top, add about 2 cups water. Cover with tin foil or lid, and depending on thickness bake at 325 for one to two hours. Take the lid off about a half hour before you think it will be done. Will melt in your mouth.
Variation for bigger pieces of chuck or even a decent more expensive cut: same deal, just also add a can of whole cranberry sauce.
The cranberry sauce is apparently a Jewish recipe that my sister got from her ex mother in law. Extremely good.
I always have chunks of ham in my freezer and I throw a handful or two into a pot of purple hull blackeyed peas. Depending on what kids happen to be eating with us that evening I'll add tomatoes, or not, or jalapenos, or not, onions, or not. Along with cornbread or just plain old soda crackers especially if it's just me.
I like to use my chunks of ham with scrambled eggs (made with a few diced onions). Put them onto a softened flour tortilla, add shredded cheese, raw diced onions, and salsa. Wrap and serve breakfast burritos. Good for any meal. They are also good with refried beans spread onto tortilla as a bed for eggs. Good eatin!
Another good way to use diced ham is to add to a can of great northern beans with sliced green onions on top. Thin a bit with water to make a great bean soup. You can add a tiny bit of shredded carrot if you wish. Serve with crackers or cornbread. Fastest bean soup I ever made.
Mushroom
Another good way to use diced ham is to add to a can of great northern beans with sliced green onions on top. Thin a bit with water to make a great bean soup. You can add a tiny bit of shredded carrot if you wish. Serve with crackers or cornbread. Fastest bean soup I ever made.
Mushroom
Here is my standby never fail side dish. Cheap Easy and Good for you too.
Cheesy Potato Bake
4 large unpeeled baking potatoes
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 Tbsp. grated onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup (4 ozs.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Thinly slice the potatoes and place in a greased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. In a small saucepan, heat butter, onion, salt, thyme and pepper until the butter is melted. Drizzle over potatoes. Cover and bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes longer or until the cheese melts.
Yield: 6-8 servings.
Cheesy Potato Bake
4 large unpeeled baking potatoes
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 Tbsp. grated onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup (4 ozs.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Thinly slice the potatoes and place in a greased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. In a small saucepan, heat butter, onion, salt, thyme and pepper until the butter is melted. Drizzle over potatoes. Cover and bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes longer or until the cheese melts.
Yield: 6-8 servings.
momof23goats
Deceased
cube your chuck steak, and yse in soup, or cook on grill , very good that way, or bake with sour cream , use just like you would any onter steak.
Yammy
Inactive
I have always used this site for cheap, easy to make meals and have always had good luck with every recipe.
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/recipeindex.htm
Here's one of my own creations that disappear quickly and would feed a family of four.
Pizza Roll Ups
I usually start the filling first so that it has a chance to cool before rolling the dough up.
Filling/topping
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
1 large onion diced up fine
1 bell pepper (any color) chopped up in small pieces
hamburger (I usually use a half a pound but you could adjust that to what you like)
3 pieces of sandwich salami cut up in small pieces (optional: but it gives it a pepperoni taste)
1 can of tomato paste and 1-2 cans of water (you want it about spaghetti sauce consistency)
CHEESE, the more the better at this house, and cheddar works just as well as mozzerella.
I'd say about 2-3 cups should do it.
brown the hamburger, garlic, onion and peppers, mix in the salami, tomato paste and water
Roll up dough
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup milk (or a little less)
combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the shortening. Use your fingers or a fork to mash in the shortening until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the milk, forming a nice, slightly stiff dough. Knead it about 8 or ten times to get the gluten in the flour activated a little bit. Place it on a floured counter and pat the dough into a thick rectangle on top of it. Use a rolling pin or sturdy jar to roll the dough out into a big rectangle, about 1/2 an inch thick, or a little thinner.
Spread 1/3 of the cool filling onto the dough, like spreading butter on bread. Spread it to within 3/4" of the edges. It is good to cool the filling down because hot filling is challenging to work with. Warm filling is acceptable. Then roll the dough up like a jelly roll, Form a long cylinder of dough and filling swirled together. Toss the waxed paper in the garbage. Slice the roll with a sharp knife into one inch pieces. Lay the pieces on an oiled cookie sheet, rearranging them slightly so they are pretty and pinwheel shaped if necessary.
Spoon the remaining sauce over top each pinwheel and then add the cheese over top all.
Bake at 350 for approx 35 -45 mins. (Time will vary on how many ingredient you use)
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/recipeindex.htm
Here's one of my own creations that disappear quickly and would feed a family of four.
Pizza Roll Ups
I usually start the filling first so that it has a chance to cool before rolling the dough up.
Filling/topping
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
1 large onion diced up fine
1 bell pepper (any color) chopped up in small pieces
hamburger (I usually use a half a pound but you could adjust that to what you like)
3 pieces of sandwich salami cut up in small pieces (optional: but it gives it a pepperoni taste)
1 can of tomato paste and 1-2 cans of water (you want it about spaghetti sauce consistency)
CHEESE, the more the better at this house, and cheddar works just as well as mozzerella.
I'd say about 2-3 cups should do it.
brown the hamburger, garlic, onion and peppers, mix in the salami, tomato paste and water
Roll up dough
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup milk (or a little less)
combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the shortening. Use your fingers or a fork to mash in the shortening until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the milk, forming a nice, slightly stiff dough. Knead it about 8 or ten times to get the gluten in the flour activated a little bit. Place it on a floured counter and pat the dough into a thick rectangle on top of it. Use a rolling pin or sturdy jar to roll the dough out into a big rectangle, about 1/2 an inch thick, or a little thinner.
Spread 1/3 of the cool filling onto the dough, like spreading butter on bread. Spread it to within 3/4" of the edges. It is good to cool the filling down because hot filling is challenging to work with. Warm filling is acceptable. Then roll the dough up like a jelly roll, Form a long cylinder of dough and filling swirled together. Toss the waxed paper in the garbage. Slice the roll with a sharp knife into one inch pieces. Lay the pieces on an oiled cookie sheet, rearranging them slightly so they are pretty and pinwheel shaped if necessary.
Spoon the remaining sauce over top each pinwheel and then add the cheese over top all.
Bake at 350 for approx 35 -45 mins. (Time will vary on how many ingredient you use)
One of our cheapest and quickest seasonal meals (for this time of year): Acorn squash, cut in half and cleaned out. Add a dash of butter, salt and pepper. Fill with broccali (or whatever vegi suits your choice), nuke until done. Sprinkle chopped baccon over the top.
Doesn't take much time, its healthy, easy, and also good when youre short on time or need a quick cheap meal.
suzy
Doesn't take much time, its healthy, easy, and also good when youre short on time or need a quick cheap meal.
suzy
morning-glory
Inactive
when i can't think of anything else and the cupboard is bearish i cut up a few potatoes in a frypan. use bacon grease if i've got it. cook the potatoes then when almost done add some eggs whisked up with a tablespoon of milk and cook it up together. sometimes melt some cheese on top and serve with toast like breakfast.
I think among the dirt-cheapest things you can get, for an easy meal and very temporary diet, is ramen noodle soup - it's often on sale for 10 cents a package. If you wanted a week's worth of quickie meals, you could also buy some eggs and add those for more protein and kind of an egg-drop soup effect... easily for under $4 total.
mzkitty
I give up.
Anjou said:
My son and his friends love Ramen noodles (they call it crackhead soup around here, tsk tsk). Anyway, I've tried them, but I usually throw in some frozen peas at the end or frozen mixed veggies. You can pretty much use anything. I also drain off almost all of the broth when done since it's mostly salt water. But I do put a pat of butter on top. Very fast, very cheap. And tasty.
Hoosier Daddy
Membership Revoked
Depression Spaghetti
Boiled noodles into which you add 1/2 pound crumpled bacon (with grease of course!) and then add 1 large can of diced tomatoes.
If you have any cheese, dice it up and add it too.
Fried Potatoes
Boil potatoe slices till tender.
fry the other 1/2 pound of bacon and remove from pan.
dice an onion
mince a clove of garlic
add potatoes onion and garlic to bacon grease.
fry till potatoes turn golden brown.
crumple bacon and add to mix when potatoes are done
salt pepper to taste.
Boiled noodles into which you add 1/2 pound crumpled bacon (with grease of course!) and then add 1 large can of diced tomatoes.
If you have any cheese, dice it up and add it too.
Fried Potatoes
Boil potatoe slices till tender.
fry the other 1/2 pound of bacon and remove from pan.
dice an onion
mince a clove of garlic
add potatoes onion and garlic to bacon grease.
fry till potatoes turn golden brown.
crumple bacon and add to mix when potatoes are done
salt pepper to taste.
Walrus Whisperer
Hope in chains...
Differant Biscuit Breakfast-Quick and easy.
One can of refrigerator biscuits
Melted oleo or butter (maybe 1/4 cup or so)
Mix up a small batch of cinnamon and sugar (to taste)
A few nuts chopped somewhat fine (pecan or walnut)
Pop open can of biscuits, dip each one into melted butter, then dip into the cinnamon/sugar mix and then into nuts.
Put onto a cookie sheet slightly overlapped and bake as per the can instructions.
You should watch them or maybe turn the oven heat down a little because the sugar may scorch.
One can of refrigerator biscuits
Melted oleo or butter (maybe 1/4 cup or so)
Mix up a small batch of cinnamon and sugar (to taste)
A few nuts chopped somewhat fine (pecan or walnut)
Pop open can of biscuits, dip each one into melted butter, then dip into the cinnamon/sugar mix and then into nuts.
Put onto a cookie sheet slightly overlapped and bake as per the can instructions.
You should watch them or maybe turn the oven heat down a little because the sugar may scorch.
PilotFighter
Bomb & Bullet Technician
Tater soup is cheap. If you grow your own taters, then it's a free dinner almost. Milk or cream, taters, and my daughters like for me to get a DAK's canned ham, and dice it up and add to it. Make a little cornbread, and you jave a meal fit for a king.
Anything Mexican will be a cheap meal. Remember! Anything that fills your belly up is a good meal.
Anything Mexican will be a cheap meal. Remember! Anything that fills your belly up is a good meal.
readerb
resident read-a-holic
Baked & stuffed (a mix of jam & cream cheese) french toast w/ a side of apple sauce and/or bacon if available (leftover ham works too)
Potato Frittata - sliced potatoes & an onion browned in a skillet then mixed with your favorite veggies, parm cheese & eggs & baked
grilled cheese sandwichs w/ whatever soup you have on hand
tuna noodle casserole
lentils & rice w/a salad
vegetarian chili over elbow macaroni
stuffed baked potatoes - you can use broccoli & cheese, salsa & sour cream, leftover chili or stew, etc..
chicken, bean or cheese enchiladas.. using whichever you have on hand
spanish rice using leftover shredded chicken, frozen corn & stewed tomatoes
baked spaghetti w/eggs & cheese
Potato Frittata - sliced potatoes & an onion browned in a skillet then mixed with your favorite veggies, parm cheese & eggs & baked
grilled cheese sandwichs w/ whatever soup you have on hand
tuna noodle casserole
lentils & rice w/a salad
vegetarian chili over elbow macaroni
stuffed baked potatoes - you can use broccoli & cheese, salsa & sour cream, leftover chili or stew, etc..
chicken, bean or cheese enchiladas.. using whichever you have on hand
spanish rice using leftover shredded chicken, frozen corn & stewed tomatoes
baked spaghetti w/eggs & cheese
PilotFighter
Bomb & Bullet Technician
Another cheap meal I have found is the Banquet pot pies. 50 cents each, can't beat that.
Freeholdfarm
Inactive
Cheap meals we like:
Quesadillas (spelling?) -- corn tortillas heated with a slice of cheese melted inside. We use corn tortillas because we have celiac disease, but if you can eat them, wheat tortillas would probably be better. I also add things to the cheese if we have them, like a little leftover ham or cooked vegetable.
Split-pea soup.
Lentil soup.
Bean soup. (
You get the idea!)
Potato soup. My recipe differs slightly from the one above. I cook the potatoes, add some cooked bacon and sauted onion, salt and pepper, and a can of evaporated milk. If using home-grown milk I drain the potatoes, otherwise not.
Stir-fry with stuff from the garden and a little leftover cooked meat or some scrambled eggs.
My daughter and I have kefir smoothies almost every morning for breakfast. (Homemade kefir from our goat milk.) I add flaxseed meal and a little vanilla flavoring to the kefir, but we have gotten to where we could drink the kefir straight.
Home-grown eggs. Homegrown eggs combined with homegrown milk/cheese and or homegrown fruits or vegetables in any number of ways.
Since we have to use gluten-free flours, baked goods aren't cheap for us, which is probably a blessing. (I'm looking forward to making some almond-flour shortbread cookies for the holidays, which is definitely not cheap.) But our peanut butter cookies aren't too bad. One cup of peanut butter, one cup sugar, and one (or two) eggs. Mix, bake. I often add some walnuts and chocolate chips to this recipe, but if you are tight on money, they are good without.
Hmm. Vanilla milk -- add a dash of vanilla and a teaspoon of sugar or honey to a glass of milk. Makes a nice treat. I use this to get my daughter to drink more milk sometimes, as she's never really liked milk much.
Kathleen
Quesadillas (spelling?) -- corn tortillas heated with a slice of cheese melted inside. We use corn tortillas because we have celiac disease, but if you can eat them, wheat tortillas would probably be better. I also add things to the cheese if we have them, like a little leftover ham or cooked vegetable.
Split-pea soup.
Lentil soup.
Bean soup. (
You get the idea!)Potato soup. My recipe differs slightly from the one above. I cook the potatoes, add some cooked bacon and sauted onion, salt and pepper, and a can of evaporated milk. If using home-grown milk I drain the potatoes, otherwise not.
Stir-fry with stuff from the garden and a little leftover cooked meat or some scrambled eggs.
My daughter and I have kefir smoothies almost every morning for breakfast. (Homemade kefir from our goat milk.) I add flaxseed meal and a little vanilla flavoring to the kefir, but we have gotten to where we could drink the kefir straight.
Home-grown eggs. Homegrown eggs combined with homegrown milk/cheese and or homegrown fruits or vegetables in any number of ways.
Since we have to use gluten-free flours, baked goods aren't cheap for us, which is probably a blessing. (I'm looking forward to making some almond-flour shortbread cookies for the holidays, which is definitely not cheap.) But our peanut butter cookies aren't too bad. One cup of peanut butter, one cup sugar, and one (or two) eggs. Mix, bake. I often add some walnuts and chocolate chips to this recipe, but if you are tight on money, they are good without.
Hmm. Vanilla milk -- add a dash of vanilla and a teaspoon of sugar or honey to a glass of milk. Makes a nice treat. I use this to get my daughter to drink more milk sometimes, as she's never really liked milk much.
Kathleen