Quick, easy and frugal meals

[rebellpn]

TACO SOUP
1lb of ground beef, browned and drained
1 can of navy beans
1 can of pinto beans
1 can of norther beans
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 package of ranch dressing
1 package of taco seasonings
and 2 cans of chicken or beef broth, bring to boil and simmer for thirty min.
Serve with shredded cheese.


This recipe is filling and cheap to make.

 

[off to neverland]

Rebellpn, thanks for that recipe! I'm going to make it for dinner........

We really try to eat beans several times a week. They are so healthy and cheap.

Thanks again!

 

[Chicago526]

I can't take credit for most of these, but here are some of my favorites.

Chicken Casserole

Two cans chicken breast
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cups (after cooking) macaroni noodles
1 package fresh sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
French's crunchy onion topping

Combine chunk chicken, macaroni, onion, mushrooms and soup mix in a bowl. Pour into casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Top with French's Onion toping and bake another 3 minutes to brown topping. Serve with veggies.

Easy Whole Chicken
Take a fresh whole chicken (don't forget to take out the insides!) and put it in a crock pot. Take a packet of dry italian seasoning and sprinkle all over. Cook for 4 to 6 hours on low (depending on size of chicken). Serve with fav side dishes.

Crock Pot Roast
Take any roast (beef or pork) put in crock pot. Add one packet dry onion soup mix, 1 package fresh sliced mushrooms and 1 can mushroom soup. Cook 4 to 6 hours, depending on size of roast. Makes it's own gravy! Serve with fav side dishes.

Also, you can take pre-cubed beef, use the same receipe above and add 1/2 cup red wine. Serve over noodles. Yummy!

Easy Tomato Sauce.

This receipe is of my own making. Very versitile! Use over your fav pasta or in a lasagna.

Two cans unseasoned tomato sauce. Add two cloves choped garlic (or use garlic powder to taste) and basil and/or oregino (which ever you like better, or both) to taste. Add cooked ground beef to make a meat sauce (I usually add 1/2 pound, but you can add more to make it really meaty). You can also add fresh sliced mushrooms. Cook down, about 1/2 hour should do it. Add a small can of tomato paste to thicken.

Chicken fajita's. This one my mom came up with.

1 pound of chicken breasts, sliced.
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 small yellow onion
1 packet Lawry's Chicken Fajita seasoning

Slice peppers and onion, saute. Set asside. Cook sliced chicken untill done. Add seasoning packet and water per package directions. Let that simmer for a few minutes, then add sauted veggies back to pan, heating through. Serve with warm tortillas, cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

 

[pediatric-rnp]

Shepherd's Pie is another easy meal - brown 1 lb ground beef, place it in a loaf dish, mix a can of beef onion gravy with it. Next, spread a can of corn over this (or any other vegetable) , then top with mashed potatoes (I make my own, but you could use instant, too) . Top with paprika if desired. Place in oven @ 350 x 15-20 minutes; serve with salad from the bag! I usually prepare the night before, and all I have to do is to pop it in the oven. my family loves this for a quick meal! (Usually more so in the winter, but I make it in the summer, too.)

 

[lillygator]

for my easy pasta salad

1 box pasta (I use bow ties)
1 cucumber chopped
1 red onion diced
4 roma tomatoes diced
1/2 jar Marzetti's Light Slaw dressing....

cook pasta and add other ingredients...yum!! You could always throw in some chicken too!

 

[LynnTH]

Stuffed Shells - Quick and Easy

Brown 1 Pound Ground Beef (Drain)
Add 1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce ( I like Prego)
Cook 1 Box Large Shell Noodles

Put cooked noodles in a casserole dish, spread mixture over and into noodles and top with a package of mozzerella cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Very Yummy..

 

[momofdbsdc]

Creamy Grilled Cheese (courtesy Sandra Lee on Food TV)

1 Baguette 1/2 inch to 1 in. slices
cheddar cheese soup mix or pepper jack cheese soup
shredded mexican cheese

Mix soup with about 1 c. of shredded cheese. Fry in pan until golden brown.

Breakfast Sandwiches

Turkey Bacon
Scrambled Eggs
Cheese
Grands Biscuits

My kids love these any time of the day!

Biscuit Pizza

4 containers of dinner biscuits ( I usually quarter them) $.25 a piece @ Aldi's
Spaghetti Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese
Any toppings you would put on a pizza

I spray my baking dish and bake according to the biscuit direction.

 

[Nini]

For winter...

Place chicken (skinless) breasts in crockpot.
Sprinkle w/dry Italian Salad Dressing Mix/Seasoning.
3tsp of butter

I leave it on Med for the day and when I come home from work...

Remove the super tender and delicious chicken from crock pot and pour in one can of your favorite cream soup (cream of broccoli is my fave...you could also use c/o mushroom or chicken). Let it warm and slip the chicken back in to warm up as well.

Meanwhile, cook your favorite instant rice and you have a moist delicious meal and you come home to a wonderfully scented house too!!!

For Summer...I like a nice pasta salad

pasta
snow peas
green beans
grape tomatos
white mild cheddar cheese cubed or shredded
chicken (if on hand and already cooked )
kidney beans or chick peas (two of my faves!)

add a toasted italian bread w/pesto, tomatoes & cheddar cheese melted on top and it is YUUUUUUMMMMMY!!!!

I rarely have to spend more than $9 per meal for my family. I use things like the store brand stir fry veggies and add seasonings or sauce. I also freeze chicken & hamburger. I can get two meals out of one pkg of ground beef!

Everything sounds soooooo YUMMY, what a great thread!!!!

 

[Nini]

almost forgot....

For the pasta salad, toss in EVO (extra virginolive oil)!!

 

[DOINGDISNEY05]

This is a GREAT thread...
One of our favorite frugal meals is Beefy Noodles.
You can buy a cheap cut of London Broil (cut up in small pieces) or pre cut Stew Meat which cost more. Place in Crock pot or in Dutch oven for stove top. Chop 1 small onion, 1 chopped garlic clove, toss in 2 tlb of parsley, 2 tlb Worcestershire sauce, 1 beef bouillon, 1 tsp. of black pepper. Brown meat first if cooking on stove top, then add enough water to cover meat and add the rest of the ingredients. If cooking in Crock pot you can place all ingredients and water in together. Cover and Let meat cook on medium till tender, adding more water if needed. When meat is tender remove from stove. Stir in 1 can of mushroom soup and 1/2 cup of sour cream. Mix together till creamy. Pour over hot buttered egg noodles and serve with your choice of veggies or salad.

 

[pearlieq]

--3 pounds chicken pieces or breasts (frozen or thawed)
--1 pkt onion soup mix
--1 can cranberry sauce
--6-8 potatoes, chopped
--6 carrots, chopped (or 1lb baby carrots)
--3 cups frozen peas
--1 onion, chopped
--4 ribs celery, chopped

Toss all of this a Crock Pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours (or high for 3-4 hours). You can shorten the cooking time for thawed chicken. This makes a very large meal and it's very good for less expensive chicken pieces.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

*I saw Paula Deen make a Chinese Salad with chopped cabbage and carrots topped with a dressing of Ramen seasoning packet with oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce. She crumbled and toasted the ramen noodles with sesame seeds and almonds or peanuts can't remember. Sounded really good!

*My parents made goulash (not like the other kinds of goulash though) by browning beef w onion and mushrooms and draining, the adding cans of carrots, corn, creamed corn and Franco-American beef gravy. Served over noodles, it's really good!

*My dad makes croutons or homemade stuffing out of stale bread

*Omelets for dinner was always a way to use up leftover bits. Even things like guacamole, leftover chicken fajita filling, or leftover sausage stuffing can make excellent omelets.

*Remember grilled cheese can be changed just slightly and it's "gourmet". Use tomatoes, fresh basil and mozzarella. Use sliced pears and swiss cheese. Suddenly it's a "panini" worth $8.00 at many fine establishments!

* I eat baked potatoes topped with creamed spinach for dinner sometimes.

* Steam some veggies of your choice and top with a thick layer of cheese. Let melt OR broil if you prefer browned bubbly cheese.

*Roast your own red peppers. It's really simple and can make a great sandwich with mozzarella, a great sauce for chicken if pureed with some broth, and added into salads of all kinds.

*Make chicken soup from scratch and use leftover boiled chicken for chicken salad or casserole.

*Pancakes for dinner!

*I love the recipe on the Campbell's can for chicken with the mushroom soup and rice. That's so easy and good!

*Stuffed peppers on the grill. TEN times better on the grill!

*Go fishing and grill your own fish with a little butter and lemon.

*If you like a dish from take out or prepackaged (like Hamburger Helper) try to make it on your own, it will be much cheaper! Example- use browned beef, boiled noodles, salsa and velveeta combined in a skillet and heated through.

*Marinate chicken in yogurt and rosemary and garlic overnight, then grill. The yogurt makes it sooo tender.

*When you go out to eat, eat only half, esp. the meat. At home you can use the meat in another meal- sandwich, salad, whatever.

*Steam rice (brown is healthier) with some veggies, soy sauce and crushed red pepper flakes.

*Roast a whole turkey and freeze the meat for later.

*Roasted turkey or roast beef or ham, sliced is tastier and cheaper than at the deli counter!

Good luck!

 

[flagdaytwins]

Emeril Lagasse's Cold Noodle Salad (find on foodtv.com) is the bomb.

Boil 1lb or less angel hair pasta (I don't use UDON noodles as stated in recipe)
Mix 1/4 c soy, 1/4 honey, 2 tbsp sesame oil.
Toss with cooled pasta.

Add ANYTHING -- from shrimp, to chicken, to any veggie.

Top with something crunchy to go against the softness of the pasta: green onions, cilantro.

 

[Mulan'sMom]

Boil up four servings of macaroni for about 7 minutes. Add some frozen peas at the last minute. Drain macaroni and splash on some olive oil. Add dried oregano, minced garlic and parmesan cheese to taste. Brush teeth imediately afterwards. Don't forget the Lavoris.

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

All these recipes sound so good, great thread.

 

[RADOPT]

Canned chicken broth
frozen potstickers - ready to heat chicken
frozen oriental veggie
water

Cook until veggies are cooked and the potstickers are hot.

The amount depends on how much I want to make. I get the veggies and potstickers from Trader Joe's. We usually have bread and cheese with it.

 

[Danemom]

Bump!

I want more!!!!

 

[Disney Ella]

Chicken casserole

Mix leftover chicken with a bag of frozen vegetables and either cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup and one can of milk. Make one box of Stovetop Stuffing and put on top of the casserole. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

 

[party of 3]

how about asian salad

2pks oriental ramen noodles,1 16oz pk broccoli slaw, handful of sunflower seeds and sliced almonds

crush noodlesand combine w/slaw. add both nuts.

dressing: 1/2 cup sugar,3/4 cup oil,1/4 cup red wine vinegar and both packets of flavor season from noodles. mix together.

add dressing to salad. let stand 8 hrs or overnight. you can throw in some chicken or sara lee oriental pork from the deli.

ooooooh so good~!!!!

 

[ceecee]

I like to buy a large rotisserie chicken at the store (ready to go for dinner #1) serve with canned green beans and potatoes. We have left overs for Chicken ceasar salad (add to ready made salad mix) and chicken quesidias (Can't spell that!!!! ) three meals for $5.00 chicken isn't too bad.
Stuffed baked potatoes are cheap and have no meat!
We also make pasta salad with frozen veggies, macaroni and italian dressing.
Pasta w/cherry tomatoes and molly mcbutter is a lunch favorite in the summer.