Frugal, Economical, Quick And Easy Meals

[toggleswitch2]

(230ml = 1 cup. You do the math!)

Went through my pantry (to thin it out) wanting to make something with what was on-hand.

Made a chicken vegetable soup.

In 1/4 cup olive oil I sauteed quickly some dried chopped onion (bought in the spice section of the supermarket). Of course fresh is better, but I was being lazy and thinning the pantry.

I then sauteed 8oz. (one cup) tomato sauce. Just a bit till the color deepens.

Added were:

Can of sliced potatoes (oh hush! I TOLD you I was being lazy)
(I let them absorb the previous mixture for a minute).

Can of peas (drain all items)
Can of carrots
Can of corn
Large can of chicken broth.
Oh I added a bit of ready-made bagged (undressed) cole-slaw.
Add pepper, and parley and BAM! NO salt needed!

Bring to a boil.

I added some pasta "mal-fondano" According to Lydia that means badly-formed or mishshapen pasta. I took half a box [being a half pound (say quarter kilo)] of leftover lasagne noodles and broke it into pieces. Boiled it in the soup for 10 minutes.

Done. Quick, cheap, easy and no meat needed. Serve with home-made crusty, bread cheese and olives. maybe a salad and YUMMERS!

 

[toggleswitch2]

Elata na fame

Come and eat!

 

[toggleswitch2]

So come on guys, what are your ideas and recipes?

 

[paulc]

1 tub carbonera (? sorry I can't spell) sauce
1 packet smoked mixed fish
1 cup ( for the Americans ) frozen garden peas

Mix together, place in oven proof dish then top with 1 packet of ready made supermarket mash potato, grated cheese and crushes crips ( chips ) the latter optional

Bake at 200 c for 25 mins

Result.......lovely fish pie

 

[toggleswitch2]

That's about 400*F IIRC!

 

[j2400]

Well, the super easy, frugal solution might simply be dropping in at your place right about dinner time!

 

[toggleswitch2]

Momma always said backdoor guests are best...........



Come on down!

I wanna see what Rich and Chuck made/make. I drool just thinking of it!

 

[j2400]

On a more serious note

Usually, I try to calculate things so I use them up without having to "thin." It just works better for me. But a couple of ides: some soups are a good, forgiving way of using up stuff. My way of making any vegetable soup involves "inspiration of the moment." Which is partly influenced by "what is lurking in the pantry." Another idea that I haven't tried, but apparently works well, is the Italian Frittata.

 

[gadgetgary]

And I know Steve had a great bread to go with his soup

We just made it yesterday. It is a variation of corn bread made in a 2lb. Breadman Plus bread machine(found at the same thrift store as the toaster ovens in the other thread).

It has a great texture, unlike traditional corn bread. Here is the recipe:

1 egg + water to equal 1 cup
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup dry milk
4 cups flour(bread or regular)
2/3 cup cornmeal
2 tsp. yeast

 

[toggleswitch2]

Should we be re real *UNTS and tell them the machine cost $2.50?

Let's not. LOL

 

[toggleswitch2]

IIRC cornmeal is called "corn flour" in the UK.

 

[paulc]

Soup

My Mum used to make "yellow soup".....( no laughter please!!!!). Basically left over veg cooked up with carrots and stock and blended............fantastic warm your sole food.

My Mum taught me a lot about how to make the most of your food, when I was growning up we didn't have a lot of money but alway remember my Mum baking, making jam, chutney, pickles etc. These are skills that are being lost now........I know one girl who's parents went away for a week, first time she had to cook for herself ( she was 25) she phoned me and asked how long you boiled lettuce for, as she cooked it for 15mins and it tasted horrible!!

 

[toggleswitch2]

oh yeah and a teasponn = 5ml.
Tablespoon is 15ml.

 

[petek]

Come on now.. don't you have a vintage appliance of some sort you could cook that in.. like an Oster Super Pot or Sunbeam Versa Pot or something from West Bend or Presto even. One must always strive to make things using electricity as much as possible!!! I'll give credit for the bread machine usage.
I made meatloaf the other day and always hating to soil my hands I did the mixing in my Bosch. Just to the right of it you can make out my trusty old Moulinex food processor which was used to cream the onions, bread crumbs, celery and carrots. This machine was sold in the US as La Machine I think

 

[petek]

The finished product. I'd forgotten to take a picture until after I had started eating. The potatoes were whipped courtesy of my KA hand mixer.

 

[gadgetgary]

One must always strive to make things using electricity as m

Agreed. More gadgets!

Toggles is being a bit frugal. He pays for gas and hardly uses his stove. Same charge each month so there must be a minimum.

 

[toggleswitch2]

LOL.

I pay for the priviledge of gas service, and don't even use the minimum. That and the lack of adequate electricity, and I have gone back to gas cooking. *FEH*

 

[toggleswitch2]

NO MORE STUFF!

Toy chest....electrical cooking and gadgets.

Juicer
3qt/3L electric sauce pot
Electric iced-tea maker
Mini chopper
5qt/5L electric soup pot
Electric skillet/frying pan
Slow cooker
Rice cooker.

Oh and I have a toaster-oven! *LOL*
Other toys for entertaining are in storage!

Oh please child, I have WAY too many toys (and not enough electricity HUSH NOW!). I grew up in a house that did not have a tea pot or tea kettle, nor a soup turreen and honest-to-god I still dont see the need for them! *LOL*

Someone (special) in my life collects percolators. I have SIX already just here in my one-bedrorom apt. Never mind how many in storage.

NO MORE STUFF! LOL

 

[toggleswitch2]

WHOEVER DIES WITH THE MOST TOYS WINS!

LOL

 

[sudsmaster]

Similar, but with homemade broth

I saved the bones from two small (15 lb or less) roast turkeys (I freeze the bones) and made a big pot of turkey broth the other day. It's so rich that it gels in the fridge.

Then I use it to make soup. Any sort of veggie combo usually works, along with some herbs like oregano, sage, bay leaf from the garden. Also a serrano hot pepper (red) from same.

This last time I peeled and sliced up some small russet roasting potatoes. Brought some broth to a boil ( about 2 cups plus a cup of water, it's concentrated), boiled sliced potatoes for about 5 minutes, along with a small sliced red onion and a minced garlic clove. Added a few ounces of extra virgin olive oil. Then added a diced fresh green bell pepper and some sliced brocolli crowns. Cooked another five minutes, added some diced roast turkey meat, seasoned with salt/pepper, and voila! some great soup for mending bones and keeping wrinkles at bay.

The key of course is the homemade broth. The bones and carcass, skin, etc, get simmered covered over night with some salt and white vinegar added. In the morning I added more vinegar until it tasted slightly acid, and simmered for another hour or two. Then about 15 minutes vigorous boiling to drive off the vinegar and make it less acid.

The salt and the vinegar are the key to helping to extract minerals and gelatin from the bones and cartilage. The broth that results is so rich that it gels in the fridge. I freeze most of it and reserve some in the fridge for use over the next few days. When needed the frozen broth gets thawed in the fridge (takes a while) and is great for making soups, gravies, sauces, etc. I use it in lieu of water in a stir fry, as well. I've heard one can freeze such broth in a ice cube tray and then bag the cubes so you don't even have to thaw it to add some flavor to a dish being cooked stovetop. I'll have to try that some day ;-).

 

[perc-o-prince]

I wanna see what Rich and Chuck made/make. I drool just thin

Oh, Steve... {blushing}

I like to start by asking what Rich would like, and give him a choice of available proteins-on-hand. Last night, I too was looking to use something up.

Pulled a 1/2 pork tenderloin from the freezer, diced it and marinated it in various asian goodness. Diced onion, red pepper, celery, pineapple, and water chestnut. Did the wok thing, added some peanuts, and served it over rice. Kung Pao!

I like having lots of pantry staples on hand so that nearly anything in the freezer can be turned into something.

Tomorrow, dinner will be built around baked potatoes w/ sour cream I think!

BTW- when possible, make double what you'll eat and freeze the rest for an easy dinner! We did that with stuffed red bell peppers Friday and have an easy micro-dinner ready for next time! Just need to make some rice or mashers and zap a veggie!

Chuck (It's really fun to experiment!)

 

[westtexman]

Toggles - the soup looks great, but how can it be "chicken" soup without chicken? I don't think broth counts as "chicken"! LOL.

Pete - I have some of those EXACT same plates! I acquired them from my grandmother when she went into the nursing home a few years ago (along with her bread machine and very vintage Kitchen Aid mixer - neither of which I use often enough).

I've decided I'm sick of eating out. My wallet is getting thinner and my waist is getting bigger, so it's time for a change. Tonight I did a bit of "bulk" cooking to last a week's worth of lunches and dinners. I made a Taco Salad (keeping the ingredients separate until time to serve). I found a recipe on YouTube and it was great. It had salad mix, mushrooms, green onions, French Dressing (I know - not Mexican, but it was a nice addition), taco meat, cheese and sour cream. It was great!

I also made a batch of homemade refried beans. It was my first time, so I experimented a bit. I added fresh garlic, red onion, a bay leaf, oregano, garlic salt and pepper and pinto beans. They were good, but I think I used a bit too much oregano. Next time I will decrease or omit.

I love this thread. I need some more recipes. I like the soup idea! The meatloaf looked good too!

 

[ronhic]

Easy pasta sauce

This is something that I make often when I just can't really be bothered to cook....the basic idea serves as the basis for most of my tomato sauce recipes and I also tart it up with an apple and chilli to bake chicken in...

1x450gm can diced tomatoes
1x medium onion chopped
1x clove garlic crushed or equiv garlic powder/granules
3x teaspoon oil
1x teaspoon sugar
salt and cracked pepper....

Saute onion until transparent in oil. Add garlic and then add tomatoes, sugar a minute later. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the liquid has reduced and thickened by reduction. serve over cooked pasta with stinky cheese

Variations....

-Add 6 anchovy fillets and 6 chopped capers....at the tomato/sugar stage....or

- add a small diced apple and chilli powder to taste. Brown 2 chicken breasts. place in greased casserole, cover with sauce and bake for 30-45 min in 180c/350f oven....top with grated cheese in the last 10 min

 

[appnut]

and my waist is getting bigger

And it's so cute on you B!!!

Chris, I like that easy pasta suace and the versatility to do something different with it and bake the chiicken. although I've been known to do something imilar with a can of Ro-Tel tomatoes (diced tomatoes with jalapeno peppers and other spices). (Although I mainly keep the Ro-Tel around to make the Velveeta & Ro-Tel dip).

 

[mattl]

Easy Slow Beef Vegetable Soup

I've come to like a quick (in prep time...) vegetable beef soup.
I just place the following in my slow cooker:

~1 lb of some sort of beef cut into cubes
2 c. water
1 bag frozen Bird's Eye Soup Vegetables
1/2 bag frozen pearl onions
1 qt. canned tomatoes (or store bought equivalent)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 handful barley

Just put the beef in the bottom of the cooker, I don't bother to brown it, add the rest and mix, leaving the beef on the bottom if at all possible. Cook on low 8 hours or 3 to 4 on high.

I toss in what ever else I have around, I like fresh mushrooms sliced and Italian green beans are great, add what ever.

Serve with a large salad and good bread and we have dinner for two days - plus a snack or two.

 

[mattl]

In the spirit of using more small electric appliances I prefer to grind my own hamburger. Ground Chuck around here is running $2.90 lb. which is quite high when Chuck Steak is $1.98.

I always double grind it using the small holed disk with the Kitchen Aid grinder attachment. It is a messy job so I do as much as possible at one time and bag it up to freeze. I did 6 lbs. a few weeks ago, made some great hamburgers on my Cuisinart Grill. The rest will probably go into spaghetti sauce or Gołąbki.

 

[ronhic]

Quick cottage pie

for 4 people

450gm (1 lb) ground beef
1x large onion chopped
1x clove garlic or equiv
1x beef or vege stock cube
2x tablespoon plain/all purpose flour
1x tablespoon worcester sauce (at least)
2x tablespoon ketchup
ground pepper
1x 450gm can diced tomatoes
450gm frozen mixed vege (peas/corn/diced carrot)-microwave until nearly cooked
3x good sized potatoes cooked and mashed with a little grated parmesan cheese and butter ( or however you like..it has to be enough to cover the dish)

-brown ground beef and onion
-add garlic and stock cube/powder cook for another minute to cook the garlic.
-add flour and cook through
-add worcester sauce, ketchup, tomatoes. stir constantly and bring back to simmer.
-season with pepper (and salt if needed)
-add cooked (frozen) vege and stir. Mixture should be quite thick and a spoon drawn across the bottom of the pan should leave a channel.
-put into a rectangular pyrex/corningware dish large enough to leave room
-top with mashed potato and bake 180c/350f for 25-30min

 

[toggleswitch2]

Golabki?

 

[toggleswitch2]

spinach and rice

why so much water, I don't know.

http://greekfood.about.com/od/maindishes/r/spanakorizo2.htm

 

[toggleswitch2]

Less oil and any type of rice works. Just adjust your liquids level.

As Julia Child once said..."First, take a leek........."

http://www.recipezaar.com/Prassorizo-Greek-Leek-Risotto-163086