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M
well...i don't have a recipe for you, exactly, and my idea isn't necessarily totally cheap to start with because of the size of batch you'd end up doing but here goes....
if you like individual meat pies you can get cute little mini tin pie plates and whip up a regular old pie crust to use for the pies (i always use actual lard rather than shortening...it's not really any worse for you and it makes for a nicer/flakier crust) For filling I just cut up 3 or so chicken breasts (chopped as small as you like the pieces) and cook them, then add 4 - 6 cans of cream of chicken soup (depending on how many pies you're looking to make) and mixed vegetables (fresh or frozen. either way works) of your choosing. Then put the pie bottoms in your tins, spoon in the filling, put the pie top on, cut some slits and you're good to go either for eating or freezing. I make mine pretty full and get around 10 - 12 pies, so you could probably stretch that further depending on how much crust you have. You can do the same with beef (use stewing beef or something like that) and a cream of mushroom soup with vegetables.
if you like individual meat pies you can get cute little mini tin pie plates and whip up a regular old pie crust to use for the pies (i always use actual lard rather than shortening...it's not really any worse for you and it makes for a nicer/flakier crust) For filling I just cut up 3 or so chicken breasts (chopped as small as you like the pieces) and cook them, then add 4 - 6 cans of cream of chicken soup (depending on how many pies you're looking to make) and mixed vegetables (fresh or frozen. either way works) of your choosing. Then put the pie bottoms in your tins, spoon in the filling, put the pie top on, cut some slits and you're good to go either for eating or freezing. I make mine pretty full and get around 10 - 12 pies, so you could probably stretch that further depending on how much crust you have. You can do the same with beef (use stewing beef or something like that) and a cream of mushroom soup with vegetables.
I enjoy the challenge of a budget when I cook. I found the basic idea is to make it yourself. I make a big batch of plain beans in the slow cooker like pinto beans or garbonza, then freeze them in freezer bags in the size I will use to add to soups or make Spanish dishes, etc. It is cheaper and better than canned ones and takes very little time, unless you sit around to watch them cook.
I buy parmesan in bulk for less, grate it, and freeze it in used spice jars or baby food jars. The stuff they grate for you costs more and the taste is ruined for you after you taste the real cheese.
I look at the list of ingredients in prepared foods I like for clues about what makes a product so good, then challenge myself to make it myself. For instance, I combined what the net has to say about Bread in Five Minutes a Day, and the ingredients in the expensive loaf at Costco, so I added some grain I cracked in the blender to the bread. Oh, so good.
A few ounces of rice with the wrong kind of spices in it in a box costs many times what the rice just as God prepared it costs and tastes a whale of a lot better.
I never buy anything breaded. That means you pay extra for what isn’t really food. A wonderful coating is to soak fish in milk for a little while, then shake them in ½ cornmeal (wholegrain for full flavor) and ½ flour. Season any way you like, for instance garlic, thyme, paprika along with salt and pepper. Butter burns easily but gives such a good flavor. If you add some butter to the oil when you fry it won’t burn and still has the flavor.
A basic recipe for anything needing a cream sauce to use instead of canned soup is: 1 TBS flour cooked in 1 TBS butter until the floury taste of the flour is cooked, then add 1 cup of milk. Measure this the first time, then you will be able to do it without. This makes a very thin sauce, you can increase the butter and flour up to 4 TBS to 1 cup milk for a thicker and thicker sauce. This can be adjusted for any taste, like adding minced onions, or grated cheese.
I buy parmesan in bulk for less, grate it, and freeze it in used spice jars or baby food jars. The stuff they grate for you costs more and the taste is ruined for you after you taste the real cheese.
I look at the list of ingredients in prepared foods I like for clues about what makes a product so good, then challenge myself to make it myself. For instance, I combined what the net has to say about Bread in Five Minutes a Day, and the ingredients in the expensive loaf at Costco, so I added some grain I cracked in the blender to the bread. Oh, so good.
A few ounces of rice with the wrong kind of spices in it in a box costs many times what the rice just as God prepared it costs and tastes a whale of a lot better.
I never buy anything breaded. That means you pay extra for what isn’t really food. A wonderful coating is to soak fish in milk for a little while, then shake them in ½ cornmeal (wholegrain for full flavor) and ½ flour. Season any way you like, for instance garlic, thyme, paprika along with salt and pepper. Butter burns easily but gives such a good flavor. If you add some butter to the oil when you fry it won’t burn and still has the flavor.
A basic recipe for anything needing a cream sauce to use instead of canned soup is: 1 TBS flour cooked in 1 TBS butter until the floury taste of the flour is cooked, then add 1 cup of milk. Measure this the first time, then you will be able to do it without. This makes a very thin sauce, you can increase the butter and flour up to 4 TBS to 1 cup milk for a thicker and thicker sauce. This can be adjusted for any taste, like adding minced onions, or grated cheese.
N
Bacon Fried Rice
Use cold steamed rice (long grain, not the sticky kind). So, saute some bacon (make it bits, or bigger chunks as you like it), add some crushed fresh garlic. Then add the rice, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir for 2-3 minutes, add chopped green onions and stir again.. If you like, crack an egg on the rice, then stir well for about 1-2 minutes until the egg is cooked and rice is all coated with egg. Serve warm.
Enjoy
Use cold steamed rice (long grain, not the sticky kind). So, saute some bacon (make it bits, or bigger chunks as you like it), add some crushed fresh garlic. Then add the rice, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir for 2-3 minutes, add chopped green onions and stir again.. If you like, crack an egg on the rice, then stir well for about 1-2 minutes until the egg is cooked and rice is all coated with egg. Serve warm.
Enjoy
R
Mexican Pockets!
Ingredients: Can of biscuits, Shredded Cheese, Mexican or Spanish Rice, Ground Beef and Taco Seasoning.
Directions: Preheat oven according to biscuit directions. Brown ground beef, drain & add taco seasoning. Cook Rice, add to meat when cooked.
Roll out biscuits, in no particular fashion. Lay one biscuit down, add meat mixture to it, top with cheese. add a biscuit on top and join them together at four corners. top with more shredded cheese. repeat with the rest. cook it on a cookie sheet (i cook it on a piece of wax paper too). make sure the pockets aren't touching one another or you'll end up with part of the biscuit under cooked. you can add things in the mixture, like sour cream, salsa, tomatos, seasoned potato chunks, olives, ect.... they're a family favorite here and we eat them about once every two weeks or so. you can also do the same thing with sloppy joe sauce, meat and cheese! We do that a lot too!
Ingredients: Can of biscuits, Shredded Cheese, Mexican or Spanish Rice, Ground Beef and Taco Seasoning.
Directions: Preheat oven according to biscuit directions. Brown ground beef, drain & add taco seasoning. Cook Rice, add to meat when cooked.
Roll out biscuits, in no particular fashion. Lay one biscuit down, add meat mixture to it, top with cheese. add a biscuit on top and join them together at four corners. top with more shredded cheese. repeat with the rest. cook it on a cookie sheet (i cook it on a piece of wax paper too). make sure the pockets aren't touching one another or you'll end up with part of the biscuit under cooked. you can add things in the mixture, like sour cream, salsa, tomatos, seasoned potato chunks, olives, ect.... they're a family favorite here and we eat them about once every two weeks or so. you can also do the same thing with sloppy joe sauce, meat and cheese! We do that a lot too!
H
These are more guidelines for saving money on food rather than an actual recipe:
Buy cheap cuts of meat on sale in large amounts; freeze in smaller portions in ziplock baggies from the dollar store.
Eat less meat
Eat old-fashioned oatmeal instead of boxed cereals
Buy just the amount needed in bulk food section ie: rice or beans
Make a big batch of soup or stew and freeze it in meal-sized containers for later
Buy very few prepared foods and cook from scratch instead.
Stock up on basics that wont go bad when they are on sale
Compare prices of smaller amounts; sometimes buying a larger size saves money in the long run
Try to use inexpensive sources of nutrient rich foods in a variety of ways so you wont get bored and stop eating them
Use what you have that is going to go bad first before buying new food or using the fresher items
Drink water instead of pop
Spaghetti
Buy fruits and vegetables in season
Learn to make something out of what seems to be nothing in the fridge--challenge yourself
Beef Stew:
sautee 1lb cubed beef (stew meat should be pounded first) and one coarsely chopped onion in a large skillet over med high heat
Add the rest after the meat is seared and the onions are half cooked
Peel and cube two large baked potatoes
2 small handfuls of peeled baby carrots
add water to almost cover everything in pan
5 or 6 Knorr beef boullion cubes to taste
cook on med low stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes until potatoes are fork soft but not falling apart,
add a cup of cheap red wine (I use Lambrusco) 3 minutes before serving
serve with buttered, toasted, garlic sourdough. Keeps for 3 days in fridge
Buy cheap cuts of meat on sale in large amounts; freeze in smaller portions in ziplock baggies from the dollar store.
Eat less meat
Eat old-fashioned oatmeal instead of boxed cereals
Buy just the amount needed in bulk food section ie: rice or beans
Make a big batch of soup or stew and freeze it in meal-sized containers for later
Buy very few prepared foods and cook from scratch instead.
Stock up on basics that wont go bad when they are on sale
Compare prices of smaller amounts; sometimes buying a larger size saves money in the long run
Try to use inexpensive sources of nutrient rich foods in a variety of ways so you wont get bored and stop eating them
Use what you have that is going to go bad first before buying new food or using the fresher items
Drink water instead of pop
Spaghetti
Buy fruits and vegetables in season
Learn to make something out of what seems to be nothing in the fridge--challenge yourself
Beef Stew:
sautee 1lb cubed beef (stew meat should be pounded first) and one coarsely chopped onion in a large skillet over med high heat
Add the rest after the meat is seared and the onions are half cooked
Peel and cube two large baked potatoes
2 small handfuls of peeled baby carrots
add water to almost cover everything in pan
5 or 6 Knorr beef boullion cubes to taste
cook on med low stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes until potatoes are fork soft but not falling apart,
add a cup of cheap red wine (I use Lambrusco) 3 minutes before serving
serve with buttered, toasted, garlic sourdough. Keeps for 3 days in fridge