What's your favorite cheap recipe?

2

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  • _Crazy_Mary_
    _Crazy_Mary_ Posts: 1,299
    meme wrote:
    I just blew 40 dollars on lamb chops with smashed green peas and pita. But I think it was worth it :o

    OMG that sounds so good. It sounds worth it!
    I really screwed that up. I really Schruted it.
  • Jeanie
    Jeanie Posts: 9,446
    I usually go with what's available and in season, what looks fresh and is priced well. Seasonal foods are the way to go I reckon and of course you can't go wrong with a good staples pantry. We always have pulses here. Dried lentils, canned chick peas, kidney beans and the like. I also buy meat when it's on sale and bring it home and freeze it in portions immediately.

    For instance this week we got a huge bunch of fresh silver beet given to us so so far I've made a really yummy red lentil and silver beet soup and a vegetable risotto which was also yum. I was also given a bag of fresh lemons so I've been using them in my cooking as well. :)

    Seeing as there's a bit of silver beet left and it's still looking fresh I'm going to make vegetable fritatta tonight. :)

    All really simple and easy and healthy. :) AND CHEAP!!! :)
    NOPE!!!

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  • ryan198
    ryan198 Posts: 1,015
    Cheap recipe that got me through college at least once every other week anyway:
    1 box chicken nuggets (I can teach you how to make homemade but it's more expensive that a crappy river valley box or whatever)
    1 box rice-a-roni
    Hot Sauce
    Ranch Dressing

    Chop up baked nuggets into small pieces, pop on top of rice a roni, mix in hot sauce and ranch dressing to taste. Sounds like stupid school pothead food, but I still pull it out once and again and it is good.
  • JaneNY
    JaneNY Posts: 4,438
    Vegetarian Burritos:

    Can of refried beans.
    Packet of burrito sized tortillas.
    Jar of Salsa
    Package of grated cheese, or buy a block and grate it yourself if that's cheaper.
    A couple tomatoes chopped.

    Usually makes about 8 burritos, feeds 4 or more people.

    Spread the beans on 8 tortillas.
    Sprinkle with the chopped tomatoes.
    Sprinkle on the grated cheese.
    Spoon on the salsa.
    Fold up burritos: fold the ends in, then fold one of the long sides in and the other one over that.

    Put on a cookie sheet with the folded side down and bake for 10-15 minutes till cheese is melted and they are heated throughout.

    You could make it even cheaper if you cooked dried pinto beans from scratch and mashed them yourself.
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  • ledvedderman
    ledvedderman Posts: 7,762
    :)

    Buffalo Chicken Dip isn't healthy at all...but if not eating it would give me youth and becomg immortal--I'd take the dip
    E8toX.gif

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  • Brain of J.Lo
    Brain of J.Lo Posts: 3,259
    JaneNY wrote:
    Vegetarian Burritos:

    Can of refried beans.
    Packet of burrito sized tortillas.
    Jar of Salsa
    Package of grated cheese, or buy a block and grate it yourself if that's cheaper.
    A couple tomatoes chopped.

    Usually makes about 8 burritos, feeds 4 or more people.

    Spread the beans on 8 tortillas.
    Sprinkle with the chopped tomatoes.
    Sprinkle on the grated cheese.
    Spoon on the salsa.
    Fold up burritos: fold the ends in, then fold one of the long sides in and the other one over that.

    Put on a cookie sheet with the folded side down and bake for 10-15 minutes till cheese is melted and they are heated throughout.

    You could make it even cheaper if you cooked dried pinto beans from scratch and mashed them yourself.

    That sounds so good, and it's funny that you suggested this because I just told my husband an hour or so ago that I wanted to make veggie burritos next week!
  • meme
    meme Posts: 4,695
    _Crazy_Mary_ wrote:
    OMG that sounds so good. It sounds worth it!

    http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1728868

    :p
    ... and the will to show I will always be better than before.
  • RolandTD20Kdrummer
    RolandTD20Kdrummer Posts: 13,066
    mindi wrote:
    spaghetti is always cheap.

    soup and sandwiches

    Let me think on it, my kids are killing each other right now, gotta go break up a fight.


    You'd save more money if you let them finish each other off...
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  • sweetpotato
    sweetpotato Posts: 1,278
    pasta is a good go-to, and since it's relatively cheap, you can buy the high-protein/ whole wheat/ organic whatever version. i like barilla's.

    to go-with, ground beef browned and seasoned with garlic & onion and a splash of red wine (the alcohol cooks off but leaves a nice finish), stirred into one jar of prepared sauce and one can of crushed tomatoes. the meat, prepared this way, stretches much further than if you made meatballs with it.
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  • Schoki
    Schoki Posts: 5,072
    Pasta with carrots and cheese (blue mold cheese)
  • battan1120
    battan1120 Posts: 310
    Anything that I can get 2 different meals out of.I roast 2 chickens on Saturday w/ rice and some kind of veggie.Costs under 10.00$.Monday I make chicken tacos w/ the leftover chicken.Sometimes I make chicken salad which goes over well.
    The bus came by and I got on!!!!!
  • roar
    roar Posts: 1,116
    Frozen stir-fry vegetables come in large resealable bags at Costco. Add some soy sauce or teriyaki sauce and you're good.

    Quesadillas: tortillas, cheese, salsa. done.
    Cuban black bean soup is delicious and cheap to make: black beans, onion, olive oil, salt, dried oregano, peppers, garlic, cumin, white vinegar, limes (optional)

    Cream of mushroom soup is cheap and you can make a million casserole-type dishes or chicken bakes or sauces with it.
  • markymark550
    markymark550 Columbia, SC Posts: 5,224
    chicken alfredo
  • Brain of J.Lo
    Brain of J.Lo Posts: 3,259
    Thanks to everyone for ideas. Keep 'em coming! :)
  • iluvcats
    iluvcats Posts: 5,153
    I have to find my old thread on recipes with other spices than using salt.
    so many convenience foods are loaded with salt
    :(
    like the chunky peanut butter I am eating with a spoon!
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  • iluvcats
    iluvcats Posts: 5,153
    fish when it is on sale
    9/98, 9/00 - DC, 4/03 - Pitt., 7/03 - Bristow, 10/04 - Reading, 10/05 - Philly, 5/06 - DC, 6/06 - Pitt., 6/08 - Va Beach, 6/08 - DC, 5/10 - Bristow, 10/13 B'more
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  • TrixieCat
    TrixieCat Posts: 5,756
    Some good ideas here:
    http://www.miserlymoms.com/
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  • roar
    roar Posts: 1,116
    pepper steak over rice = cheap old classic

    use your leftover rice to make cheap fried rice the next day: chop up a piece of bacon, add frozen vegetables, add the rice, throw on some soy sauce and add some fried egg.
  • _Crazy_Mary_
    _Crazy_Mary_ Posts: 1,299
    Steak, fish, ground beef... That stuff is all way more expensive than chicken. Sometimes I can buy a whole chicken for $.79/lb. That'll feed your whole family and at a price you can't beat!
    I really screwed that up. I really Schruted it.
  • Brain of J.Lo
    Brain of J.Lo Posts: 3,259
    _Crazy_Mary_ wrote:
    Steak, fish, ground beef... That stuff is all way more expensive than chicken. Sometimes I can buy a whole chicken for $.79/lb. That'll feed your whole family and at a price you can't beat!

    I typically buy either chicken or ground turkey. My husband doesn't usually eat red meat.

    I just read that buying the "family size" pack of chicken can save you almost 50%. I'll have to check that next time I'm at the store.

    I really like the idea of making beans a central part of our diet. The other day I was just looking at all of these bean-based recipes because of their health benefits, and hadn't even considered the money-saving aspect of it.

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