Stay Out Super-Late Tonight ([info]copperbadge) wrote,
@ 2009-07-09 12:02:00
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Entry tags:defining foodie, recipes

Are people morons?

(Don't answer that.)

One of my regular foodie blogs had a list of ways to cut your food bill without cutting the flavour out of your life. I figured it would be something like easy substitutions for expensive foods, cheap recipes, or cheap foods that give lots of flavour for the buck, right?

Here are their suggestions.

1. Cook at home
2. Buy on sale
3. Buy what's in season
4. Shop smart (ie, make a list and don't make impulse purchases)
5. Use less protein
6. Throw nothing away (ie, use leftovers, make soups, etc)
7. Use what you have (before buying more food)

Seriously, are there honestly people out there who have a large food bill and don't know this stuff? "Eat at home more often"? Is this not kind of the ultimate duh? Setting aside the fact that 2 and 3 could be combined into "shop for cheap food" and subheaded under "shop smart"...this is basic common sense stuff, right? I used to live on $20 a week for food, which was not quite enough for me to buy chicken or cheese. If it didn't have mold on it, I ate it. Once in a while I just cut the moldy bit off.

Okay maybe I'm just bummed they didn't have any good recipes. :D

This reminds me of the book I picked up ages ago where a husband and wife published their account of an experiment where they only bought the absolute essentials for a year. OH MY GOD! You spent a WHOLE YEAR only buying what you needed? Well, pat yourselves on the back! Do it for another three years and you'll have caught up with me!

(Obvs. this 1. was several years ago for me, because I have managed to live comfortably for a few years now and 2. is still a source of some evident bitterness.)

I'm constantly baffled by all these news articles about how to save money in this economy by...well, what appears to me to generally be "spending two minutes in rational thought".

HEY GUYS

RECIPE TIME

Share your cheap and flavourful recipes here! If we get enough I'll pretty them up and toss them in a PDF for everyone.

On my behalf I offer spicy peanut vegetable soup and, to eat with it, either no-knead bread or epic pitas.


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(381 comments) - (Post a new comment)


[info]andelku
2009-07-09 05:06 pm UTC (link)
There are HONESTLY people who don't know this stuff.

Seriously. It's shocking.

I still can't get over the news article about "is it okay to serve my kids store brand saltines, canned soup, etc." (hint: it's the same food as branded food with different labels. often from the same vat.)

(Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

[info]copperbadge
2009-07-09 05:08 pm UTC (link)
Holy crap. I can see someone asking that on a forum, but what stuns me is that things like that make the NEWS.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
(no subject) - [info]andelku, 2009-07-09 07:52 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]ladyrelaynie, 2009-07-10 03:52 am UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]susanthecurious, 2009-07-11 09:31 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]madripoor_rose
2009-07-09 05:09 pm UTC (link)
It really shows how we got into this economic mess, doesn't it? That there are that many people out there who threw money around without thinking about it.

I love how many 'cut down on your food budget' articles chirp about how much you can save by cutting down on your Starbucks! I've never had a cup of Starbucks coffee in my life.

This is one of my 'cheap' recipes because it usually uses pantry staples, and doesn't have a zillion ingredients I don't have to run out to buy special.

Chili Beans

2 15 ounce cans kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 cup lo fat lo salt chicken broth
1 large onion, chopped
1 4 ounce can chopped green chilies, drained
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder

Combine all ingredients in 3 quart saucepan, mix well. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.

Serves 6: 1 cup = 1 Serving

Per Serving: 0 mg cholesterol, 0.24 gm saturated fat, 1.3 gm total fat, 5.6 gm fiber, 26 mg sodium, 190 calories.

~The Harriet Roth Cholesterol Control Cookbook

(Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

[info]luxanebulis
2009-07-09 05:20 pm UTC (link)
I make this with one can of black beans, 2 cups of chicken broth, and a cup of rice. Yum!

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
(no subject) - [info]madripoor_rose, 2009-07-09 05:26 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]erastes, 2009-07-09 06:56 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]madripoor_rose, 2009-07-09 08:18 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]angelcarrot, 2009-07-09 07:40 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2009-07-09 11:46 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]cassildra
2009-07-09 05:10 pm UTC (link)
Tuna Noodle Casserole

One bag egg noodles
One can cream of mushroom soup
One can cheddar cheese soup (or if you buy mushroom soup in packages, substitute another one for this)
Two cans milk
One can of peas, drained
Two cans of tuna, drained

Cook noodles as directed. Mix ingredients in two-quart casserole; cover and bake at 350 F until warmed through, about one hour. Let stand five minutes before serving.

(Edited for word clarity and a forgotten ingredient!)

Edited at 2009-07-09 05:12 pm UTC

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]lacylu42
2009-07-09 05:14 pm UTC (link)
My mom used to make something like this, but in place of one can of milk, she adds one can of green enchilada sauce, and also adds one can of diced green chiles.

Heaven on a plate!

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
(no subject) - [info]cassildra, 2009-07-09 10:15 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]lacylu42, 2009-07-12 03:27 am UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]susanthecurious, 2009-07-11 08:35 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]lacylu42, 2009-07-12 03:18 am UTC (Expand)
Pancakes
[info]luxanebulis
2009-07-09 05:12 pm UTC (link)
Homemade pancakes! I don't know if they're any cheaper than the mix version, but they're certainly tastier. These have whole wheat flour. That means they're good for you, and you can eat a billion of them without ill effect. I add chocolate chips to mine instead of syrup. You can also add berries, butterscotch chips, apples, or anything else you can imagine.

Ingredients:
* 2 cups whole wheat flour
* 1/2 cup wheat germ (or more flour)
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1-3 tablespoons brown sugar (the original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon but my sweet tooth says it's not enough)
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 large eggs
* 2 1/2 to 3 cups milk
* 2 tablespoons oil
* 2 cups chocolate chips, etc.

1. Stir together the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt.
2. Beat eggs lightly and combine with milk. Add to dry ingredients and stir gently.
3. Add oil and any add-ins.
4. Heat the griddle. If it's an electric griddle, turn it to 350 degrees. If you're doing it on a stove, set it to medium heat. The pan should be so hot that when you sprinkle water droplets, they dance.
5. Pour the batter onto griddle by large spoonfuls. Flip over when bubbles come to the surface.

(Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)
Re: Pancakes
[info]smangosbubbles
2009-07-09 05:15 pm UTC (link)
There's probably a really easy way to find this out myself, but I don't know it. So: how many pancakes does this make? (Even an approximation will do.)

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
Re: Pancakes - [info]luxanebulis, 2009-07-09 05:20 pm UTC (Expand)
Re: Pancakes - [info]smangosbubbles, 2009-07-12 01:38 am UTC (Expand)
Re: Pancakes - [info]morgan_lowri, 2009-07-09 09:09 pm UTC (Expand)
Re: Pancakes - [info]rosiew, 2009-07-09 10:16 pm UTC (Expand)
Re: Pancakes - [info]oraclepunkw1tch, 2009-07-10 01:39 am UTC (Expand)
Baked ziti
[info]luxanebulis
2009-07-09 05:13 pm UTC (link)
This one isn't inexpensive, but it makes enough food to last for ages. Plus, you can skip the meat or buy that on sale.

Ingredients:

* Ziti (the 1-pound box)
* 1 onion
* ground beef (I think I used a half pound, use as much as you like)
* garlic (I forgot this, but almost everything is better with garlic)
* 1 green bell pepper
* 1 carrot
* 1 zucchini
* 2 jars spaghetti sauce (I recommend Prego)
* mozzarella cheese
* Parmesan cheese
* cottage cheese (optional. The recipe I used said sour cream, which I think is gross. Ricotta cheese was also recommended. I think they can all be skipped)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook entire box of ziti. Mine took 8 minutes to cook. When it's done, drain, return to pot, and add some olive oil to keep it from drying out.
3. While it's cooking, prepare veggies! I diced the onions, cut the bell pepper into chunks, and grated the zucchini and carrot. Had I used garlic, I would have either used minced garlic from a jar or cut up fresh garlic into very small bits.
4. Add some olive to a massive frying pan. Add onion and cook for a couple minutes on medium heat.
5. Add ground beef and cook for about five minutes or until it's browned. This step smells so damn good!
6. Add other veggies. Cook some more, then add your two jars of sauce. Mix well. It's best to cook it all together for 20 or 30 minutes so all the flavors can combine, but I was short on time. I cooked it until the sauce was about to boil.
7. Pull out a 13" by 9" pan. Prepare to fill it to capacity!
8. Add half of the ziti to the bottom. Pour on half the sauce. Cover with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
9. Spoon on cottage cheese if you wish.
10. Add the rest of the ziti and sauce. Sprinkle with more cheese.
11. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
12. Eat up!

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: Baked ziti
[info]florahart
2009-07-09 06:46 pm UTC (link)
Ages, or one meal with a couple of teenage boys.

Heh.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
Re: Baked ziti - [info]luxanebulis, 2009-07-11 09:20 pm UTC (Expand)
Homemade Hot Pockets
[info]madripoor_rose
2009-07-09 05:13 pm UTC (link)
Philly Steak Magic Pocket Pie

2 tubes Pillsbury Homestyle Grand Buttermilk Reduced Fat Biscuits
3/4 pound eye of round sliced into thin 1/2 inch long, 1/4 inch thick pieces
1/2 cup low fat shredded mozzarella cheese
1/8 cup Heinz 57 steak sauce
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 egg white


Saute onions and beef until thoroughly cooked, 4 to 7 minutes, until meat is browned and onions are translucent. Set aside to cool.

Cover large cookie sheet or hotel pan with aluminum foil, spray with Pam. With hands, flatten each biscuit into a roughly circular piece of thin dough.

Add cheese and steak sauce to cooled meat and onion mixture. Stir thoroughly.

Lightly beat egg white.

Brush edges of circle of dough with egg white, place heaping tablespoon of meat/onion/cheese mixture into the middle of the circle. Top with another piece, crimp edges with a fork, and brush the top with egg white.

Bake in 375 oven for twenty two minutes on center rack, or until golden brown.

Yield: 8 meat pies

~Down Home Cooking Without The Down Home Fat, by Dawn Hall

(Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)
Re: Homemade Hot Pockets
[info]braidedmane
2009-07-09 06:23 pm UTC (link)
That sounds amazing. Much tastier than real Hot Pockets.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
Re: Homemade Hot Pockets - [info]twirlynoodle, 2009-07-09 08:04 pm UTC (Expand)
Re: Homemade Hot Pockets - [info]copperbadge, 2009-07-09 08:09 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]twirlynoodle, 2009-07-09 08:14 pm UTC (Expand)
Re: Homemade Hot Pockets - [info]braidedmane, 2009-07-09 09:31 pm UTC (Expand)
Re: Homemade Hot Pockets - [info]madripoor_rose, 2009-07-09 08:20 pm UTC (Expand)
Re: Homemade Hot Pockets - [info]lil_1337, 2009-07-09 09:40 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]lacylu42
2009-07-09 05:14 pm UTC (link)
Do you have Cheap, Healthy, Good on your foodie blog list? They do what it says on the tin, and break down tasty recipes with nutrition info and cost per serving. Very cool stuff!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]madripoor_rose
2009-07-09 05:24 pm UTC (link)
Oh, thanks for that link! I'm trying to stay cheap while transitioning to a low salt, low fat diet. (hello family cardiac history)

(Reply to this) (Parent)
Potato And Onion Soup
[info]madripoor_rose
2009-07-09 05:16 pm UTC (link)
Potato And Onion Soup

1 1/4 pound potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 3/4 cups nonfat milk
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh celery leaves
1 bay leaf
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Place all ingredients in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan, and simmer, covered, until very soft. (40 to 45 minutes) Remove Bay leaf. Pour into blender or food processor and process until smooth. If the mixture appears too thick, add nonfat milk or chicken broth.

Serves 4 to 5 1 cup = 1 serving

Per Serving: 1 mg cholesterol, 0.14 gm saturated fat, 0.3 gm total fat, 0.8 gm fiber, .49 mg sodium, 137 calories.

~Harriet Roth's Cholesterol Control Cookbook

(Reply to this)


[info]hathy_col
2009-07-09 05:16 pm UTC (link)
I've just finished my degree and am still on student rations in terms of food, although I did splash out the other day and bought some name brand breakfast cereal. LIVING THE DREAM. I know what you mean about people not doing basic stuff like using a list and eating in more; this stuff was drummed into me as a child!

My recipe for when I'm broke/need to use up stuff in the house is known as Vat O' Chili, because I make it in massive bulk and live off it for about five days, and just 'dilute' it with extra rice if need be.

INGREDIENTS:
Random veggies you have in your fridge.
Tinned tomatoes.
Tinned beans. (Any type. Whatever's cheap)
Tinned sweetcorn.
Onion
Garlic
Ground chili, cumin, tumeric... anything spicy.
Rice.
Cheese. (If there's money spare.)

I take garlic and onions, fry them for a bit, and then add some peppers and some mushrooms if I have them and they're on the turn. Next I add tinned sweetcorn (which you can pick for 20p in most supermarkets) and tinned beans. Any kind of beans. Even baked beans do, if you wash off the awful sauce first. Again, tinned beans are cheap and plentiful and feeling. Stir it all together for a couple of minutes, then add some tinned tomatoes. Leave a tiny bit of the tomatoe jucie in the can, fill up the can with water and add that water, too. Add all the spices to your personal taste and leave to infuse for about half an hour or so.

In the meanwhile, cook some rice to go with it. When it's all come together, mix a scooping of the chili with the rice and add some cheese. Consume. It's tasty, filling, and can be adapted to any way you need. I've put courgettes and carrots in it before now. I don't eat it myself, but there's no reason you couldn't add minced beef, either.

(Okay, it's not exactly an inventive recipe, but it gets your protein, carbs and some vitamins too. Helps prevent scurvy and malnutrition!)

(Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

[info]melayneseahawk
2009-07-09 05:45 pm UTC (link)
this stuff was drummed into me as a child

Ditto. And it always surprises me when I run into people who've never had to...

(Reply to this) (Parent)
(no subject) - [info]wellowned, 2009-07-09 05:53 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]morgan_lowri, 2009-07-09 09:16 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]mistressindi
2009-07-09 05:17 pm UTC (link)
I will share with you a recipe for challah I was given by a friend who grew up in Israel, though I can't remember specifically where - Tel Aviv, I think. This is exactly as she wrote it out for me, with all the parenthetical asides, inconsistent measurements, and encouragements about happy yeast.

* about maybe 7 cups flour
* 1 T salt
* 1/2 cup sugar (or honey)
* 2 pkg yeast + 1/3 cup warm water
* 1/2 cup oil (I've used canola/olive/almond/coconut and they all come out the same, the coconut and almond are nice, I like them)
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup warm water

- Mix the yeast with warm water and about half a teaspoon of sugar. In about 10 minutes it should be all bubbly and happy and ready to use.

- Beat eggs in a small bowl. (You can reserve a bit in order to coat the bread at the end- it makes it shiny and pretty.)

- In a large bowl mix oil, sugar and salt. Add eggs and mix well.

- Add yeast now that it's all bubbly. Mix it and start adding the flour.

- Add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Knead with your hands, you can turn out dough onto floured board and knead, adding more flour as needed (but not too much). Dough is ready if it springs back after being poked with a finger.

- Put back into bowl, cover with damp dishtowel (wet it with warm water), and put in warm oven (heated to 170-200, and then turned off beforehand) until doubled - about 1 hour.

- Turn out onto floured board and knead for 1-2 minutes.

- Divide dough into thirds. Braid and put on baking pan and coat with very little oil and let it sit in the oven (pre-heated and then turned off, as before) for about 45 minutes. It should rise again.

- Remove from oven. Turn oven to 350.

- Brush tops gently with reserved egg. Sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame seeds, if desired.

- Bake until it's brownish on top, be careful that it doesn't burn too much on the bottom. You might wanna stick a toothpick in there to see if it's done.

- Remove from pans, and put on dish towels to cool.

I tell you, this bread is food - when you're done with it you are completely filled up. I've never had it last longer than 24 hours, either. Everyone turns into bread-eating machines as soon as the challah is cool.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]a_boleyn
2009-07-09 06:01 pm UTC (link)
My last challah tasted good but ended up dense as a brick even though it doubled in size after the braiding.

Oh, and if you forget to save any egg for brushing on top, milk works just as well. It's the protein in the egg or milk which browns in the oven.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
(no subject) - [info]mistressindi, 2009-07-09 06:06 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]a_boleyn, 2009-07-09 06:23 pm UTC (Expand)
Mustard Baked Chicken
[info]madripoor_rose
2009-07-09 05:17 pm UTC (link)
Mustard Baked Chicken

1/8 cup dry white wine
1/8 cup low fat low salt chicken broth
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon coarsely ground mustard seed
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup parsley
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts


Mix wine, broth, and mustard together in a shallow bowl. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley in another bowl. Coat the chicken with the wine mixture, then dredge in crumb mixture, only on one side. Place chicken, unbreaded side down, on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake in the upper third of a preheated 475 oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serves 6: 3 ounces cooked chicken per serving

Per Serving: 74 mg cholesterol, 1.36 gm saturated fat, 4.8 gm total fat, 0.1 gm fiber, 229 mg sodium, 200 calories.

(It's really good with hot german mustard instead of the djion.)

~ Harriet Roth's Cholesterol Control Cookbook.

(Reply to this)


[info]spiderine
2009-07-09 05:17 pm UTC (link)
Sometimes "buying in season" doesn't necessarily mean "buying cheap." Just saying...

I'll dig up a recipe for you later. :)

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]musikologie
2009-07-09 05:26 pm UTC (link)
Agreed. Some fresh fruits and vegetables are going to be pricey even if they're grown next door instead of Mexico (shakes fist at strawberries).

I'm surprised that "buy frozen vegetables and fruit", they're cheaper than fresh and they have the same nutritional value isn't on the list, though.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
(no subject) - [info]melayneseahawk, 2009-07-09 05:47 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]quinn222
2009-07-09 05:18 pm UTC (link)
Posted this to my LJ a couple of weeks ago, cheap and good:

Inexpensive Enchiladas

I have three recipes for enchiladas that I really like, cheap, medium and expensive. These are the cheap ones. They are also super easy and really good.

Get yourself a package of flour tortillas (7-8" size)
Chop up an onion
Heat some olive oil (or whatever) in a saute pan
Add the onion and cook for a couple of minutes. It doesn't have to be carmelized or anything.
Add your ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey, tofu crumbles, beans whatever. In this case it was beef)
Stir it around and cook until the meat is cooked mostly through.
Now you have a few choices for seasoning the filling and it all depends on your budget, your taste, and what you have in the house:


* Taco seasoning mix. The stuff that comes in a little packet. If you use it just follow the directions. Add it to the meat with some water and simmer.

* Enchilada Sauce. It comes in jars in the grocery store but it can be hard to find. If you use it add whatever amount you need to coat the amount of filling you have so it's juicy but not soupy. Simmer for a few minutes.

* Salsa. This is what I usually use because I usually have four or five open jars of the stuff in my fridge and I think it tastes better than enchilada sauce. Dump a lot (the better part of a jar) into the pan and add about half a cup of water. Simmer for a few minutes.

I'm not giving amounts here because it all depends on how much meat you use. You can make this for 4-400 people.

brush a shallow baking dish with olive oil or use the spray stuff. Put in enough salsa or enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of the pan.
Set out a shallow plate and pour some salsa onto it.
Take a tortilla and put it in the salsa, turn it over getting salsa on both sides. Put the tortilla on another plate, top with some filling and a handful of grated cheese (mix of cheddar and jack is good) roll up tight and place in the pan. Repeat, putting them tightly together in the pan with the seams down. When the pan is full top with some salsa (you don't need too much just be sure each enchilada gets some) and some cheese (as much as you like). Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes. You can put it in the fridge after it's ready and before you bake it if you want to make it ahead. Let sit for ten minutes or so before serving. Serve with lettuce, tomato, onions, olives, sour cream, avacado, whatever you like.

(Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

[info]luxanebulis
2009-07-09 05:26 pm UTC (link)
My mouth is watering from reading this. I think I found my dinner for the night.

(Reply to this) (Parent)
(no subject) - [info]cerulean_sky, 2009-07-09 09:58 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]quinn222, 2009-07-09 10:00 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]midgetgems
2009-07-09 05:19 pm UTC (link)
If I hear one more person who gets double or triple a year what I get, complain that they can't afford anything and they can't save, I'm going to rip their heads off.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]aunty_marion
2009-07-09 05:23 pm UTC (link)
Hear hear. I'll help.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
(no subject) - [info]essayel, 2009-07-09 05:30 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]melayneseahawk, 2009-07-09 05:47 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]wellowned, 2009-07-09 05:56 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]textileowl
2009-07-09 05:23 pm UTC (link)
I guess we recovering students know these things but people who've had money to burn for years don't?

The only problem I have with that list is #5 as my partner and I require our protein to be mostly meat and preferably red meat once a week. Then again, I can get most of that for free from my parents' and grandparents' farms.

Everything else though is completely second nature. Lunch today was last night's dinner. Chicken thighs in barbeque sauce that was actually on it's third use. First time the sauce was made for pork ribs, the extra was saved and we've broasted chicken in it twice now with our crockpot. It also just keeps getting better and better.

I will say as someone whose partner has food allergies, this can be a whole lot harder than if you have none. MSG, tree nuts, and lactose-intolerancy cuts out a lot of processed foods, but means you are basically buying staples all the time.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]melayneseahawk
2009-07-09 05:49 pm UTC (link)
I guess they really should be saying to switch to inexpensive proteins, rather than cutting protein entirely. Saving money is no excuse for malnutrition.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
(no subject) - [info]textileowl, 2009-07-09 05:54 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]melayneseahawk, 2009-07-09 05:56 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]textileowl, 2009-07-09 06:03 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]jenna_thorn, 2009-07-09 06:10 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]inkandalchemy
2009-07-09 05:24 pm UTC (link)
4 tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper
1 cup (or less) chicken broth

Stir up the peanut butter, sesame oil, garlic & chipotle, then gradually add the soy sauce & chicken broth a little at a time, stirring until it's smooth. I wouldn't recommend using more than 1 cup of chicken broth, but if you like thicker sauce you may need much less.

Pour it over a package of ramen noodles (do I need to specify cooking these first?) and garnish with green onion slices. Thinly-sliced chicken breast is also good with this if you have it, and spinach makes a good side veggie.

Plus, then you have a leftover ramen seasoning packet you can stir into the water next time you make rice - it adds some great flavor.

(Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

[info]jamiethetiger
2009-07-09 06:21 pm UTC (link)
Never thought to use ramen seasoning in rice. NICE! This sounds rediculously good.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
(no subject) - [info]inkandalchemy, 2009-07-09 06:30 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]treesahquiche, 2009-07-09 07:44 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]blue_fjords
2009-07-09 05:24 pm UTC (link)
Dr. Mac & Cheese

Box of Mac & Cheese (I prefer a non-Kraft brand w/ white sauce, but whatever floats your boat). Follow box directions.
Whatever veggies you have in the fridge, diced (I prefer tomatoes and zucchini, throw in a wee bit of garlic). Sautee veggies. Add veggies to prepared mac & cheese.
Add a little extra of whatever cheese you have in your fridge, shredded or cut up (I prefer mozzarella).

There. You're done. You can also modify by using a package of noodles and a jar of alfredo sauce. That version can last me for a week of lunches and a dinner. Nice and cheap! :)

(Reply to this)


[info]megaleena
2009-07-09 05:24 pm UTC (link)
There's a woman out there who challenged herself to live on a pound a day. *After* she'd paid her bills and mortgage. Err.....okay! So bascally you're just buying cheap food then?

(Reply to this)


[info]celandineb
2009-07-09 05:25 pm UTC (link)
Vegetable Frittata

2 Tbsp. olive oil or butter
5-6 eggs
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan or other cheese
1-1/2 to 2 c. cooked vegetables (see note)
fresh minced herbs (see note)
salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

If your vegetables are not already cooked, chop them well and sauté them in a bit of oil or butter until just tender, adding herbs if desired. Make sure they're at or near room temp., neither cold nor hot.

In a 10-12" ovenproof skillet, preferably nonstick, heat the olive oil over medium heat. While it's heating, beat the eggs, cheese, and salt and pepper together. Stir in the vegetables. When the oil is hot, pour the egg mixture into the skillet and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook undisturbed for 10 minutes, until the bottom of the frittata is firm.

Transfer skillet to oven. Bake 10-20 minutes, checking every five minutes, just until the top of the frittata is no longer runny. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Note:
This is one of those infinitely variable recipes, which you can make with almost anything you have around. I've made it several times with a mixture of chopped cooked greens (spinach, chard, kale) and sautéed onions or leeks, with herbs like fresh basil, oregano, and parsley.

You could use mushrooms, sautéed potatoes, seeded and diced tomatoes, chopped asparagus or broccoli... etc. If you go for herbs, things like parsley or basil or dill can be used in larger amounts than oregano, tarragon, marjoram, or rosemary – you don't want to overwhelm the flavor of the veggies. You can also add a bit of precooked and crumbled bacon, sausage, or ham, if you like.

It even reheats decently in the microwave.

Based on a recipe in How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman. Serves 4.

Tuna Cakes

2 c. cooked mashed potatoes (see note)
1 can (6 oz.) tuna in oil, drained and flaked
3/4 c. cooked corn (frozen or canned)
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. minced green onion
1/2 c. fresh soft bread crumbs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
lemon wedges to garnish (optional)

In medium bowl, stir together potatoes, tuna, corn, parsley, and green onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using your hands, shape mixture into 8 patties, placing on waxed paper. Chill for at least half an hour, up to overnight.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spread out the bread crumbs on a plate and press the fish cakes one by one into crumbs to coat both sides. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden. Serve with lemon wedges.

Notes:
The original recipe says you can use instant mashed potatoes, which sounds pretty icky to me. Mash your own and use plenty of milk so that they're not too stiff (hard to mix) but firm enough to hold a shape.

I added the green onion, for flavor, and also added the step of chilling after shaping to ensure that the patties hold their shape better. The original also calls for them to be broiled under a moderately hot broiler, but if you're chilling them, they might brown faster than they get hot through. Besides, I don't have a functional broiler. Baking at high heat worked fine.

Also, you could use any other canned fish, like sardines, salmon, or mackerel, as a variation.

From Fish & Shellfish by Linda Doeser. Serves 2-4.

(Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

[info]celandineb
2009-07-09 05:26 pm UTC (link)
Green Split Pea Soup with Wine

1 lb. green split peas, washed and drained
5-6 c. water
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. salt
1 c. minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. minced celery
1-2 med. potatoes, thinly sliced
2 c. thinly sliced carrots
14-1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/4 c. dry red wine
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley (optional)
freshly ground black pepper

Wash and pick over peas. Place in 4-qt. saucepan, cover with 5 c. water, and add bay leaf and salt. Bring to a simmer over med.-low heat and cook until tender, about 1 hr.

Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Place onion, garlic, celery, potatoes, and carrots in a large covered skillet and smother over low heat until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally (takes 20-30 min).

Add contents of skillet to the soup and simmer another hour (total of 2 hours). Add 1 c. water if soup seems too thick. Fifteen minutes before serving, add the tomatoes, red wine, mustard, thyme, and sesame oil. Stir to blend well. Just before serving, add vinegar, parsley, and pepper to taste.

Notes:
I've now given this recipe to a whole bunch of people – SO and I both really like it. It's easy, makes lots, reheats very well, and is low-fat and vegetarian. The soup keeps up to a week in the refrigerator and is filling, too.

The smothering technique for the vegetables works quite well; there's enough moisture in them that as long as the heat is low, the cover is on, and you stir every few minutes, they won't stick and cook without any added oils. It tends to get very thick; I use at least 6 c. of water in preparing the soup, and often add more when reheating, as it thickens more over time.

From Bernard Clayton's Complete Book of Soups and Stews. Serves 6-8.

(Reply to this) (Parent)
(no subject) - [info]madripoor_rose, 2009-07-09 05:42 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]calamitysandra, 2009-07-09 08:14 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]tygress
2009-07-09 05:26 pm UTC (link)
Taco Ring
1 lb ground beef (Cooked and seasoned to taste. Garlic Salt & dried onion flakes are my usual. A package of taco seasoning would go well too)
1 - 1.5 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (The cheesier you like things, the more cheese. I've used up to 1/2 of a 1lb block... o.O )
2 package of Pillsbury Ready to Bake Croissant (you know, the cardboard tube of them you have to pop open and they never actually open properly and you end up using a spoon to pop it?)

Preheat oven as instructed on Pillsbury package.

Cook the meat, season to taste, drain the grease and then add the shredded cheese on low heat until it's melted and well mixed.

On a stick free or greased cookie tray/pan (Pam works fine), spread out the ready to bake croissants in a wreath shape with the long edges overlapping the cookie sheet.


(Yes, I had to draw an example in paint for lack of good explanations.)

Place meet mixture on inside ring of dough, and then bring long tails up and over the meet and press into meet the edge of the inside dough. It will look something like a wrapped wreath when you're done.

Place in oven and bake per instructions for croissants.

When dough is just over golden brown, remove from oven, cut up and serve. Add salsa and/or sour cream if desired. Quick easy, and tastes just as good cold for lunch the next day!

(Reply to this)


[info]oldstarnewshine
2009-07-09 05:27 pm UTC (link)
What always gets to me is that whenever they discuss food on, say, the Today show, they have examples of that food just sitting there on the table. Not a mock up, not a computer graphic, the actual food. a) As if we didn't know what it looks like and b) Jesus, what a giant waste. And when they have chefs on, they have pre-cooked finished versions of said food as well as what they use for the demonstration! Oy vey.

I don't think this counts as an actual recipe 'cause I usually just wing it with amounts and times (I usually end up with about five layers at 350-ish for about 35 minutes), but lasgana with mozzerella and cottage cheese is super-easy, inexpensive, and NOMFUL.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]adina_atl
2009-07-09 08:59 pm UTC (link)
Trust me, when the cameras go off, the interns living on 25 cents a day descend on the food like locusts. I suspect it's a bit like graduate students living on the leftovers from faculty parties--nothing is wasted.

(Reply to this) (Parent)
Fresh tomato pasta
[info]dramawench
2009-07-09 05:31 pm UTC (link)
This is a great recipe - not many ingredients, super fast and easy, plus saves and reheats well.

FRESH TOMATO PASTA

Ingredients:
3-4 medium roma or on vine tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
mozzarella balls in water, sliced in halves
2 TBSP olive oil
splash of red wine vinegar
salt, pepper, thyme to taste
Pasta - your choice (I used rotini).

Directions:
Saute the garlic in the olive oil. When just starting to brown, add the splash of red wine vinegar (ups the savory of the sauce).
Add the tomatoes and basil, mixing everything together and cooking over medium heat until the tomatoes down to give you a nice base. Add seasonings here to taste.

Cook for about 8 minutes or so, until the liquid in the sauce has a nice reddish tint. Add the mozzarella just before removing from the heat - so that the cheese is just slightly melty. Toss with cooked pasta and serve!

I paired this with a spinach, goat cheese, golden raisin salad with raspberry vinagrette and it was a huge hit!

(Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)
Re: Fresh tomato pasta
[info]jenna_thorn
2009-07-09 06:13 pm UTC (link)
Oh nom. that sounds really good and though I've added cheese at serving, it didn't occur to me to add it to the sauce to melt a bit more.

Thanks!

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
Re: Fresh tomato pasta - [info]dramawench, 2009-07-09 06:47 pm UTC (Expand)
Re: Fresh tomato pasta - [info]shewalksonroses, 2009-07-09 07:43 pm UTC (Expand)
Re: Fresh tomato pasta - [info]dramawench, 2009-07-09 07:44 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]jenna_thorn
2009-07-09 05:31 pm UTC (link)
We were watching the news about the recession and there was a human interest story following a couple who were reacting to the husband's being laid off by eating at home. Because apparently, he was hitting McDonald's for breakfast every morning. And they were economizing by buying canned goods but she was complaining that she didn't know how to cook and they were getting tired of soup, as she waved a can of Campell's at the camera.

I haven't bought name brand soup in years and why would anyone eat every single day at Mickey D's (I have trouble with once every two weeks) and what the hell is wrong with you people that you don't know how to cook and what do you mean, woe is me, she has to take a part time job because even though they had no children, she didn't work outside the home? Doing what? She wasn't raising kids or cooking, obviously!

And that's pretty much where my always loving spouse, fearful for my blood pressure and possibly concerned that I might put a shoe through the screen, turned off the television.

I kind of hope that the media picks these people, like the unerring talent the NY media has for finding the dumbest yokel who ever drawled racist epithets to be their representative Texan man-on-the-street. But I fear not.

(Reply to this) (Thread)(Expand)

[info]jenna_thorn
2009-07-09 05:48 pm UTC (link)
*blush* Sorry, I got wound up and forgot the recipe.

Okay, winter fare, assumes a crockpot. Also assumes more than one eater and/or more than one meal.

Pick up a chicken on sale. Freeze. At some point when cool weather sets in, pull out crockpot. Tump in chicken. Grab a head of garlic (yes, head, trust me) and peel. Do not slice, crush or otherwise molest the individual cloves, just peel them and tump them in. a half a palm of cloves (teaspoon?) again, not ground, cracked or otherwise injured. and the same of black peppercorns (not crushed,crunched, cracked or god help us all ground.) Whole, everything whole. One half of a large onion or one small onion, with teh root core cut out and cut vertically into eighths so it makes petals. tump. Add water to the top of the chicken. Some people get fancy and add a bay leaf. I don't use bay often enough to justify keeping it int he house (yes, I do use whole cloves often enough. This probably says something about me.) turn on crockpot. Go to your job for nine hours. Come home.

If it's a flush month, stop by the bakery for day old bread on sale. Or use the bread you made that weekend. Or don't do the bread thing at all and just boil up noodles. Or rice. Or mash potatoes. Spaetzle's fun to make; that works, too. Boiled cauliflower, mashed, is also quite yummy, but the texture is kind of an acquired taste.

You can tell how precise I am in cooking, right? Baking is different. Baking is chemistry, and requires measuring spoons. Cooking is just food.

anyway, your home will smell like chicken and garlic and you may have a enighbor lurking about hoping for an invitation and the chicken will fall off the bone and the garlic is mooshy and can be pressed onto the bread or mooshed into your starch, but do take the time to fish outthe clove and peppercorns because otherwise they crunch most startlingly.

Unless you have teenage boys or a crowd, there will be leftovers. Most of the broth, most of the garlic and some of the chicken goes into one container for adding to cooked rice to be chicken soup.

Most of the chicken, not much fo the broth and the rest of the garlic goes into a second container and into the fridge with that. And I bet I'm bumping up against the comment character count limit already, so I'll do that one separately.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
chicken - [info]jenna_thorn, 2009-07-09 06:01 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]ojuzu, 2009-07-09 05:50 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]jenna_thorn, 2009-07-09 06:04 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]copperbadge, 2009-07-09 06:05 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]jenna_thorn, 2009-07-09 06:14 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]lavenderspark, 2009-07-09 08:25 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]jenna_thorn, 2009-07-10 01:08 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]ojuzu, 2009-07-10 12:22 am UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]kaesa, 2009-07-10 03:15 am UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]kaesa, 2009-07-10 03:27 am UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]jenna_thorn, 2009-07-10 01:16 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]kaesa, 2009-07-11 12:22 am UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]ojuzu, 2009-07-10 11:06 am UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]kaesa, 2009-07-11 12:07 am UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]a_boleyn, 2009-07-09 06:37 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]jenna_thorn, 2009-07-10 01:26 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]frenchroast, 2009-07-09 10:30 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]jenna_thorn, 2009-07-10 01:21 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]lanoger, 2009-07-10 07:22 am UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]jenna_thorn, 2009-07-10 01:17 pm UTC (Expand)

[info]golden_d
2009-07-09 05:32 pm UTC (link)
TURKEY MEATLOAF

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey (anywhere up to 2lbs should be safe though)
3 eggs
1 apple, peeled and chopped
1 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon ground ginger (add more or less ginger as you prefer)
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp pepper (again, add or subtract to taste)

GLAZE
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup (mess with proportions as you like - I hate ketchup, so I prefer not to use much of it)

Preheat oven to 350
Grease loaf pan
Mix ingredients in bowl, kneading with hands
Place in pan
Mix brown sugar and ketchup together, spread evenly over loaf
Bake in oven for one hour
Cool for ten minutes before serving
Eat and enjoy!

(Reply to this)


[info]chainedwind
2009-07-09 05:33 pm UTC (link)
Er, I'm not sure if this actually counts as a recipe, and I'm sure everyone has done this at one time or another, but it's fast and inexpensive and it hits the protein/fiber/carb trio despite its sparseness, so...

Stuff you need: A pack of actual!ramen (or pretty much any wheat-based Asian noodle in the same amount), vegetables of your choice (lettuce being easiest), an egg, water, and salt. You stick them in a pot of boiling water with a bit of salt -- first the noodles, then the contents of the egg, then the vegetables very last because vegetables cook faster -- for around 10-15 minutes, depending on how thick the noodles are and how soft you want them. Other random ingredients are allowable and optional, because this is an odds-and-ends sort of meal.


(If you want to actually incorporate cooked leftovers, though, fried rice is the way to go. I cannot claim any knowledge as to the making of this particular thing; that is how far off the scale of gastronomy I am.)

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]chainedwind
2009-07-09 05:36 pm UTC (link)
SERVES ONE, obviously >.> Or two, if you're eating other things as well? Uh. Well anyway, I shall now profess a dislike for "serves x" announcements, because hello, different people eat vastly different amounts. So yep.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)(Expand)
(no subject) - [info]madripoor_rose, 2009-07-09 05:52 pm UTC (Expand)
(no subject) - [info]chainedwind, 2009-07-09 06:03 pm UTC (Expand)

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