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Good, cheap, easy meals

2big bronco said:
Was just looking at the tv guide and saw a show called "Struggle Meals". Went to watch it and its on a channel you have to pay more for :homer:
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Not missing much. Watched a few episodes a while ago, the host is annoying and the recipes aren't that good.
 
Costo
3lbs Organic Chicken Thighs, seasoned accordingly.
1lb Bacon
1/2 bag of frozen veggies.
15 minutes at the griddle.

12 meals, $3.25 each. I'll add rice if I want to get a 7 day supply.

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One of my favorite meals from college was a box of mac and cheese with a can of tuna mixed in. If you got some croutons crush then up and put some on top. Dirt cheap tuna noodle casserole.
 
Ramen x3
Pickle in bag
Sleeve of saltines or ritz crushed up
Tuna packets
Shelf stable cheese x2 like the orange stuff that comes with beef jerky sticks, eat the jerky as a snack first
Or the spray cheese but that shit is expensive
foil salad dressing pkg or individual mustard, relish, spice packs (free at gas station)

Cook ramen, mix in all the stuff, enjoy.

Less than ten bucks serves 3
 
I am spoiled by an amazing wife who is an excellent cook. When she is gone, one of my favorite easy meals to cook is:

2lb ground beef
1 bag Potatoes O'Brien

Cook meat in large skillet, season to taste, drain, and set aside

Cook Potatoes O'Brien in skillet, season to taste

Combine meat with potatoes when potatoes are done

Easy, cheapish, and makes several meals when it's just me eating. I like to add Ketchup after plating.
 
Could not be easier:

  • Bag of baby potatoes (red, gold, whatever is local). If not baby potatoes, you will have to just slice and dice the big boys. I slice the baby potatoes in half anyway so the seasoning gets into the starch.
  • Two full heads of broccoli (or buy the pre-packaged ready to go bags); If buying whole heads, break them down
  • Kielbasa (penny it up). Brats or sausage links also work. Chef's choice

Put the oven on at 350F so it's ready by the time you assemble this:

Line a baking sheet with foil, put the potatoes on, put the florets on, put the sliced Kielbasa on top. Drizzle everything with EVVO or equivalent and then hit hard with ranch seasoning or similar (you can't go wrong with just SPG)

Bake for an hour.

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I kinda winged a lasagna tonight that turned out great.

 Sauce:
LG can crushed tomato
Small can tomato paste
Onion powder garlic powder italian seasoning and red pepper flake to taste
Mix it all up and let simmer while the water gets to a boil for the noodles

Cheese mixture:
Ricotta (I like cottage cheese too)
Wilted spinach (could leave out)
1 egg
1/3 cup grated parmesan (Kroger value brand)

Lasagna noodles
Half a big block of mozzarella, shredded.

Put it together like a lasgna, bake covered with foil for 35 minutes at 375, then 10 uncovered. Spray the foil with Pam or whatever so it doesn't stick. Let rest for 15-20 minutes while you bake your store brand garlic toast.

20-25 bucks or so, most of which I had in the pantry already for a really nice meal and leftovers
 
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H‑E‑B Boneless Country-Style Pork Ribs, $3.11 per lb. A couple of spoons of vegemite, tomato, jalapeno, tomatillo, onion, a little Sweet Baby Ray's, eight hours on low.

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My folks made this and it still one of my favorite easy meals. I typically use a larger roasting pan than this was written for, so double everything except the dumplings, which usually I end up doing the recipe x3.

Chicken and Dumplings


INGREDIENTS:
1 can cream of celery soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can milk
1 tsp Lawry’s seasoning salt
black pepper to taste (about ¼ tsp)
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (cubed)
2 cups frozen peas and carrots
Bisquick - double recipe on box

DIRECTIONS:

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350.

Cut up chicken breasts in to 1" ish cubes.
Dump everything (except bisquick/dumplings) in to roasting pan, mix well.
Cover.
Bake until chicken is to temp, usually an hour or so.
Mix bisquick/dumpings per box recipe while waiting.
Pull from oven, drop in dumplings, return uncovered until dumplings are done (15-ish mins typically)


Then proceed to melt your face off because the dumplings make a nice insulation layer and takes forever to cool off haha

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Mikenike said:
Key word was GOOD and cheap.:flipoff2:
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man, I love those things. When I was young and single, they were like .19 or something and I would buy a couple dozen. A little cheese, some hot sauce and pepper and I think they are great. But, I also like canned oysters and smoked sardines too. When I go up to the mtns by myself, I eat that stuff because I don't want to cook and I'm whupped from working.
 
gladman said:
man, I love those things. When I was young and single, they were like .19 or something and I would buy a couple dozen. A little cheese, some hot sauce and pepper and I think they are great. But, I also like canned oysters and smoked sardines too. When I go up to the mtns by myself, I eat that stuff because I don't want to cook and I'm whupped from working.
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Yup, two pot pies over a large baked potato, probably around $.75. Good college food when you needed to conserve your limited money for more important things like beer.
 
I like pasta, and I like tomatoes, but I'm not a fan of tomato sauce

Ingredients:

Pasta (I use linguini) 1 box/bag
Roma tomatoes, 6
1 jar of pesto
1 pack of italian sausage (Either links or pre-ground)
(optional) 2 jars of artichoke hearts)

Get the water boiling and while that's happening get the tomatoes diced up. Skin the links or throw the ground sausage into a deep pan and get that cooking. Pasta should go in now. Dump the rest of the shit in with the sausage and mix it all up. Drain the noodles, dump it all in the same pot and mix it all up.

Eat.

Cheap, takes as long as it takes to boil water and cook noodles, plus 30 seconds,.
 
I have been making this often lately. Very cheap, easy, and delicious.

1 box of spaghetti pasta
Minimum of 8 garlic cloves
Red pepper flakes
Olive oil

Thinly slice the garlic cloves while the pasta water is heating up. Once spaghetti is in the water, add some olive oil to a pan and sauté the garlic. I add some salt as well. Stir in as much red pepper as you want. When pasta is done, dump into the pan with olive oil (add some pasta water of course) and mix it all together. Top with black pepper + parmesan cheese.

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Chicken sausage, spinach, and orzo in a cream sauce:

  • Chicken sausage links
  • 2 cups of dry orzo pasta
  • olive oil
  • 4 cups of chicken broth or stock
  • 6 cloves of garlic chopped/sliced or a heaping tablespoon of minced (easier)
  • 1/2 cup of heavy cream (or whatever you might substitute as required)
  • 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese (not shaky - actual grated)
  • 1 bag of fresh spinach from the salad section but could probably use frozen in a pinch
  • salt, pepper, italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to your preference
One pot meal:
  1. Penny up the sausage and cook/brown in a sauce pot with a little oil. Some chicken sausages are pre-cooked so just be aware
  2. Add the orzo and garlic, couple more glugs of oil and "toast" the orzo for about a minute. Stir it around to coat and make sure it toasts evenly
  3. Add the liquids (stock and cream) and seasonings
  4. Bring to a boil and simmer for ~10min or per the orzo directions
  5. Add the fresh spinach and grated parm; stir to wilt the spinach and melt the parm. If using frozen, may have to cook longer or dump it earlier to thaw and cook. Cover and rest for 5-10 min (use your judgement)
Serve in some bowls (or deep plates) and have extra pepper flakes and shredded parm in case. Oh, and a nice chilled Pinot Grigio.
 
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My struggle meals were the cheapest box Mac n cheese with a can of tuna,or chili.
If hamburger was on sale, that and a pot of beans would last a couple days. Add what ever spices you had.
I still make a pot of beans twice a month,take half and now I put breakfast sausage,some andouille sausage (or smoked sausage),rotel, and some Velveeta. Other half make refried beans,gotta use lard to fry them!
 
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