Low buget tasty dinner recipies

[cclarue]

Does anybody have any good suggestions?

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[CMC]

One of our favorites and one that makes great leftovers is pasta bake. It’s not fancy but it’s definitely tasty and probably averages to less than $2 a serving and you could probably make it less expensive if you played around with it a little.

Brown 1 lb. extra lean ground beef

Cook 3 cups dried pasta (we usually use macaroni)

Mix meat and pasta with 1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce and some grated Parmesan.

Put in a 9×13 baking dish, sprinkle more parmesan and 1-1/2 – 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese on top and then bake at 375 for about 20 min.

I have made a veggie version that tastes just as good. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do and I’m looking forward to seeing what other people post.

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[SarahScoot]

Spicy red lentil soup. I top with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and some chopped parsley or cilantro: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1571453

If you don’t have harissa, you could just use hot sauce. This is a very healthful meal, with protein, fiber, a bit of fat, iron… and it’s cheap!

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[dawsonct]

Or you could, and should, make your own harissa:

This will keep 6 weeks, refrigerated.

2 oz. dr. Red Chilies (japones, de arbol, Thai)

–remove seeds, soak in hot water until soft

2 cl. Garlic

1 t. Caraway seeds

1.5 t. gr. Cumin

2 t. Coriander seeds

1 t. crushed dried Mint leaves

Salt

Olive oil

–

Grind to paste w/mortar & pestle or processor.

–

A sauce can be made by warming:

1 C. Chicken Broth

1 t. Harissa paste

Bring to temp.

stir in:

1 T. fresh Lemon juice

1 t. chopped fresh Cilantro

1 or 2 T. Olive oil

–

Serve immediately.

–

So much money is wasted on condiments that can often be made at home from ingredients we already have.

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[angelescrest]

I’d take dawsonct’s sauce (or anything thrown together in the foodprocessor: tomatoes+chile+parsley or cilantro+olive oil+ salt+ cumin) and I’d stir it into

1)Israeli couscous (bigger grain, in box at PCC)

+/or

2)roasted yams, sweet potatoes and squash w/some more parsley/cilantro/kale/chard

+/or (for main course)

3)roasted tofu/chicken cubes/turkey

+/or

4)feta cheese

aND,

Elegant but NOT expensive main dish:

Find a less expensive fish. Cut into serving portions. Slather each with a mix of mayo and good mustard, herbs and lemon. Wrap each in a piece of parchment paper along with some carrots julienned, 10 minutes at 350…serve with the couscous (or faro or rice or quinoa + dawsonct’s kind of sauce) and salad.

And, garbanzo beans: mixed into grated carrots + feta + vinaigrette; (see PCC deli for ideas…) They are full of protein, cheap, versatile and delicious.

Jamie Oliver’s cookbooks are full of fast and easy and healthful ideas–love his spirit.

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[JayDee]

From a 1961 Mexican Cookbook that was inherited from my sister, a family favorite and pretty tasty:

EASY TAMALE PIE

This isn’t really a Mexican dish but it is a cousin, once removed, to the Mexican. Besides, it is inexpensive, easy to make, and delicious. (my commentary in parentheses)

2 tablespoons oil (like olive)

1 onion, chopped

1 pound ground beef (beefalo, turkey, or veggie ground round)

2 cups diced tomatoes

(No. 303 can) (A big 15-oz can is good—I prefer Muir Glen Organic fire-roasted)

2 cups cream-style corn

(No. 303 can) (No organic cream-style corn did I find)

1 cup milk

1 cup uncooked yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 tablespoons chile powder (please note that this is ground chiles, not “Chili Powder”)

1/2 cup ripe olives (sliced)

1/2 pound sliced Monterey Jack cheese

3 teaspoons ground cumin

In a heavy skillet, heat oil and cook onion until soft. Add beef (or whatever you use) and cook until lightly browned (or as required). Stir in all remaining ingredients, except olives and cheese, mixing well. Add olives; cover pie with slices of cheese. Cover and cook on top of stove over low heat, about 20 to 25 minutes.

(I use a cast-iron skillet; after the cheese melts I run it under a broiler to brown the top.)

(I serve with homemade red chile sauce, but any taco, salsa, or hot sauce will do)

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

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[cclarue]

Thanks for all the current and future replies. I am trying to lower my grocery budget without the family feeling like they are being starved. :)

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[SarahScoot]

dawson – agreed, though I haven’t yet made my own harissa. Every time someone mentions how good a certain store-bought hummus is, though, I have to hold back from lectures on how incredibly easy and cheap it is to make hummus at home, not to mention better tasting! I’ve never had a store-bought hummus that holds a candle to what I can whip up in a few minutes (plus some “rest” time for flavors to meld) at home.

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[add]

A favorite and easy one in our house – Turkey Chili

1 lb. ground turkey

chopped onion

Brown these together

Add:

1 large can tomato sauce

4 T chili powder

1 T oregano

1 T cumin

Stir/blend together

Add:

1 can black beans

1 can kidney beans

Let simmer for a bit. Serve over rice if desired! Easy, healthy, and yummy.

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[HunterG]

This is a great sauce I use on fish or chicken that is super inexpensive (as long as you have the spices). If you don’t have the spices, PCC has a great bulk spice section where you can get them for cheap! This recipe makes enough for 4+

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayo

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons cumin

juice of 1 fresh large lemon

2 cloves garlic, pressed

s&p to taste

1/2 red onion chopped finely

1 bunch chopped cilantro

two dashes of hot sauce of choice

1 tsp garlic granules

1/4 tsp cayenne

Combine sour cream, mayo and yogurt in a bowl. Add all ingredients except cilantro, let sit covered in the fridge for 45 minutes to 1 hour so the flavors can mingle.

Rough chop cilantro, and add 10 minutes before serving, serve cold, poured on top of baked fish or chicken!! This is a fav at my place!

Aft

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[RainyDay1235]

Crispy Ranch Chicken

Ingredients

(3/4 c) crushed cornflakes

(3/4 c) shredded parmesan cheese

(1) envelope ranch salad dressing mix

(4-6) boneless chicken breasts

(1/2 c. melted butter)

Method

Combine crushed cornflakes, cheese, dressing mix inot large ziplock bag – seal and shake.

Dip chicken breast in butter, place in bake and shake. Place in greased shallow baking pan. Repeat. Bake uncovered for 350 degrees for :45 or until chicken juices run clear.

***********************************************

Crazy good meatloaf

Ingredients

(2lb) ground beef *not lean

(1) diced onion (2 tbl onion flakes)

(2) eggs

(1/2 c) milk

(1/4 c) worcheshire sauce

(1) roll of RITZ crackers – crushed good

salt and pepper to taste (1/2 tbl is good)

TOPPING

(1/2 c) ketchup

(1/2 c) maple syrup

*mix together in bowl

Method

Mix all ingredients together by hand

Place in greased loaf pan @ 400 degrees

Cook for 1/2 hour

Pour topping over top

Cook for another 1/2 hour

***********************************************

Easy Curry Chicken & Rice

Ingredients

Jasmine Thai Rice

1/2 can coconut milk

*spoon out the creamy top half

2 Tbl red chili paste

1 clove crushed garlic

And Choose one:

1 cup thawed frozen shrimp

1 cup diced chicken

1/2 box thawed spinach

Method

Cook shrimp or chicken first (salt and pepper)

Saute sauce ingredients in frying pan, simmer a few minutes (adding spinach if you want) and add cooked shrimp or chicken and pour over rice.

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[dawsonct]

Damn straight, Sarah. Homemade hummous is the only way to go, and don’t be afraid canned garbonzos. Saves the soaking time and I don’t think the quality is diminished.

–

At times we all need to remember that we are, compared to others, experts in our chosen fields. Some things that seem easy for me is completely foreign to others. Despite that, their are a lot of things that we have simply become complacent about. With food especially we have become a society that expects to receive a finished product. Though I love my job, and don’t see restaurants disappearing anytime soon, we too often use them as a crutch in our society. I understand it is simply another symptom of employment and economic conditions which have forced both adults in American families into the workforce, but there are still plenty of ways to make meals at home that are quick, delicious, nourishing, and require a low amount of (factory) pre-processing. Reducing processed food in our diets is healthier for our families and our planet and the food tastes better. I know how tough it is, though; I’m a junk-food junky, I have a lot of store-bought condiments in my refrigerator right now, and a number of them are favorites I won’t give up, I’ve even popped the occasional frozen pizza into the oven (I swear to James Beard it has always been after midnight and I may have been imbibing!), but making a concious effort to increase our meals at home by 1 or 2 a week will really save a lot of money, especially if you are good at portioning (cooking for ONE!? I can’t do it) or eating your leftovers.

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[dawsonct]

Holy carp, rainy day, I am totally taking that to work to make for my chef sometime. I doubt I could gussy it up enough to serve in our place (we’re a bit snooty), but my chef’s personal taste is borderline embarrassingly trailer-trash. Eh, ditch the borderline, he once told me he goes through a bottle of commercial ranch dressing every week. And he is at work 60-70 hrs. a week with no access to the sauce. I don’t know how he does it.

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[bertha]

I am not a natural/instinctive cook and have always relied on recipes. So I get stuck when I haven’t planned & I need to come up with dinner from what I have on hand. So I picked up a great cookbook called ‘How to Cook Without a Book’ by Pam Anderson. Anderson converts recipes into basic formulas such as soup needs approx 1 lb meat, 1 lb vegetables, 1 qt broth, a starch, onion & herbs/spices. She then explains how to expand on the basic formula. This book has really expanded my ability to throw together dinner with what I have in the cabinet and fridge rather than looking in a cookbook for ideas & then eating out because it’s easier than going to the store, buying all the ingredients, coming home & cooking when I’m already tired & overwhelmed.

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[guidosmom]

Great idea! I came across one a few weeks ago by mistake and it has since become quite a hit! It’s a vegetarian version of Mexican Pazole.

Vegetarian Pazole:

* 1 or 2 (or more, if you like more spice) chili peppers. I’ve used jalapenos and anaheim… I think almost any will work.

* 2 tablespoons oil

* 1 onion, diced

* 4 cloves garlic, minced

* optional: 6 cups mild vegetable broth

* 1/2 15 oz. can diced tomatoes – those “fire roasted” ones would be good if you have them

* 1 tablespoon dried oregano

* 1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

* 2 15 oz. cans hominy, drained and rinsed

* salt

* juice of 2 limes

* garnishes (optional), you can use tortilla chips, cheese, parsley, green onions, avocado, tomato, anything almost…

1. bake the chilis on a high temp for about 10-20 minutes or so, then puree in a food processor.

2. In a large soup pot, saute the onion and garlic in the oil for 2 minutes over medium heat.

3. Add the tomatoes, 2 teaspoons of salt, the oregano, and 6 cups of vegetable broth or water and bring to a simmer.

4. Add the pinto beans and hominy and bring back to a simmer. Allow to simmer for ten minutes.

5. Add the pureed chilis, lime juice, stir, then add salt and more lime juice or more of the tomatoes as needed to produce a piquant broth. You might like to add the chilis a little at a time and taste to make sure you are’t exceeding your heat preference. You can always serve the remainder of the chili sauce on the side.

6. Serve it forth, with a good selection of garnishes.

I always add an extra can of tomatoes because that’s how I like it that way. :)

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[dawsonct]

I did NOT intend for ANY of my previous post to come across as condescending.

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[celeste17]

Beef and pasta casserole:

1 lb ground beef

1 onion

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

1 Jumbo can of whole tomato

Italian Spices

Pasta (I have used Macaroni and Penne and Ziti) anything with a hole in it

Olive Oil

8 slices of Provolone Cheese

Salt and Pepper

I am not good at measuring so I can’t give exact measurements.

Brown beef and then I rinse it

In a big pan (I use a stew pot) add one chopped onion and garlic add a couple teaspoons of oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan

After onions are soft and translucent add the can of tomato (I crush the tomato with my hand)and italian spices (I usually throw a handful)a little salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add browned beef let simmer for 20 minutes

Add 2 to 3 cups dried pasta (I do half a box)

Simmer for about 5 more minutes

Scoop about a third of the mixture into a casserole dish and cover with cheese (I use provolone (but what ever cheese you like)

Put 2 slices on top of this mixture

Pour another third repeat with cheese

Pour remainder of beef mixture and cover with 4 slices of cheese and then Parmesan (if I have it)

Cover with foil Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. Remove foil and brown.

Let cool for a few minutes and then serve with a salad and bread if like. Much better next day. For two of us we usually get 3 or 4 meals.

I made this when my Mom was in the nursing home and took it with me and my brother, who is a picky eater, tried it and ate almost the entire serving. My sister-in-law called me a name and said what did I feed him that he won’t shut up about it. :)

Can use ground turkey and its just as good.

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[Bonnie]

I always have roasts in the freezer from when they are b1g1 free. Here is one my family likes:

Coffee-Braised Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions

1 4-pound beef chuck roast , trimmed of fat

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper to taste

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced (4 cups)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

3/4 cup strong brewed coffee

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.

2. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, turning from time to time, until well browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

3. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add onions, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until softened and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in coffee and vinegar; bring to a simmer. Return the beef to the pot and spoon some onions over it. Cover and transfer to the oven.

4. Braise the beef in the oven until fork-tender but not falling apart, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Transfer beef to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, skim fat from the braising liquid; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, whisking, until the gravy thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Season with pepper. Carve the beef and serve with gravy.

Slow-Cooker Variation:

In Step 2, transfer the browned beef to a slow cooker. In Step 3, use just 1/2 cup coffee. Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker. In Step 4, cover and cook until beef is tender, 4 1/2 to 5 hours on High or 7 to 8 hours on Low. In Step 5, pour the liquid into a medium saucepan and continue as directed.

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[sam-c]

Sarah/ dawsonct- what do you put in your hummus to make it so good ? garbanzo beans, garlic, olive oil, ..anything else ?

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[HunterG]

Homemade hummus is great and cheap! Anyone else take the time to “shuck” the canned beans, or am I crazy? I find that I cannot get a real smooth mix unless I squeeze the covering off the beans.

One thing I do to give it a spicy kick is to add roasted red peppers and red pepper flakes.

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[Bonnie]

Here is another one we like a lot. Make ham one night, then use the leftovers for the soup. Or omit the ham and use some sort of smoked sausage or something, cut into slices.

Black Bean Soup

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small bag black beans, soaked overnight and drained

3 cups chicken broth

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. ground chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 cup diced, cooked smoked ham

1 cup diced carrots (optional)

2-4 drops, or more, Tabasco sauce

1 can Rotel tomatoes, undrained

2 Tbs white vinegar

sour cream

1. saute onion and garlic in oil in saucepan.

2. Puree or mash contents of one can of black beans. Add to sauteed ingredients.

(note: I usually skip 1&2 because I’m lazy)

3. Combine all ingredients except vinegar and sour cream in slow cooker.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.

5. Add in 2 Tbs. vinegar.

6. Add dollop of sour cream to each individual bowl before serving.

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[WSAC]

A big pot of stew is easy, tasty and healthy and a great place for all the veggie odds and ends around the kitchen. Serve with a loaf of bread or just on its own. I like to make a double batch and freeze it.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic

about 4 cups of assorted chopped veggies (carrots, cabbage, potatoes, parsnips and cauliflower all work great or whatever else you have)

2 standard sized cans chopped tomatoes

4 cans full of water

1 vegetable stock cube or equivalent

1. heat oil in a large pot on medium heat.

2. chop onions and garlic coarsely and add to pot

3. while the onions are cooking, chop remaining vegetables. Add to pot when onions are soft, about 5 minutes of cooking time. Cook all vegetables together for about 5 minutes.

4 . add canned tomatoes, water and stock and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

6. Enjoy!

The other thing I would suggest is veggie chili, low cost once you have all the spices, little prep time and a very satisfying meal.

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[SarahScoot]

sam-c: don’t forget the tahini, lemon juice, and salt! All very essential to hummus!

I also add a bit of black pepper, and usually something to spice it up a bit – smoked paprika, a touch of cayenne. And seriously, it will taste best if you can leave it alone for a few hours after mixing, as it gives time for the flavors to really meld and become cohesive.

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[angelescrest]

And, pesto.

Once you have made the initial investment for the ingredients–pine nuts, olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, bit ‘o sea salt, and basil–whir it up in the cuisinart…and voila: over pasta, layered onto a baguette with some sliced turkey , thrown into a pot of soup or lentils. It’s a staple here, though I cannot get the basil to thrive in the yard.

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[luckymom30]

Damn, after reading all these delicious recipes I am hungry again! I am printing off a copy of these recipes thatt’s for sure!

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[Author]

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