Creative and Cheap dinners to make at home

[Turin39789]

for a slightly healthier potato - use a sweet potato/yam(can never remember which is the better one).

Peel and dice or just cut in half, lightly coat in oil(quick spray with spray olive oil) and sprinkle some cajun spices on it(tonys). Bake at whatever(300 sounds fun) until it browns/is soft/cooked.

 

[mattocs]

tacos, pizza, pastas, etc

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Spicy Chicken stir fry

heat oil in pan
add diced chicken, cook thoroughly
add house of tsang spicy szechuan stir fry sauce, broccoli, red pepper, peanuts (and whatever other veggies you like).
Cook 2 additional minutes.

Serve with rice.

Total prep time, 15-20 minutes, and it will impress anyone who likes chinese or thai food.

Also, here is a great recipe for empanadas

By goya red label empenada wrappers (freezer section)
brown 1 lb ground beef with 1/2 diced red onion in a skillet
make a mixture of coriandeer, cumin, hot red pepper flaxes, cayenne pepper and orgeno (start with the coriander, add the other stuff until the spice mix spells like a mexican resaurant). Add the mix to the browned meet together with a 1/2-1 cup of water (i.e., like a taco kit.

Simmer meat and seasoning until water substantially boils off.

Use meat to fill empanada wrappers. Put 1-2 spoonfuls on one side of the wrapper and roll the other side over. Seal with the tines of a fork. beforen folding youcan wet the edge of each wrapper with water to assist in sealing (dip your finger in a bowl of water and wipe along the edge of the wrapper).

Cook (400 degrees for 15-20 mins) or freeze the resultant empanadas.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Originally posted by: FleshLight
1. Go to korean market
2. Buy 1/2 lb packages of marinated bulgogi beef or chicken for $2.99/lb
3. Buy onions, broccoli, carrots
4. Chop onions/broccoli/carrots
5. Heat wok to medium
6. Add everything and let simmer.
7. Eat with rice.

mmm, Bulgogi.

I love Korean food. Dolsot Bibimbop FTW

 

[BladeVenom]

Google skillet dinner. Also get a crock-pot/slow cooker. Once again whole meal in one dish.

 

[jbkane26]

Thanks for the ideas everyone! cant wait to go to walmart tomorrow to get new food! keep 'em coming!

 

[Leros]

The crock pot is a good idea. Any suggestions for recipes?

 

[nageov3t]

this cook book was practically my bible in college:

http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-...&qid=1220118247&sr=1-1

I've since upgraded to "real" cooking, but I still make the mac and cheese recipe from there on occasion (baked mac and cheese with diced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni)

 

[jbkane26]

thank you!

 

[queenrobot]

1lb linguine
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 can of anchovies in oil
1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
5 cloves of garlic
Parmesan cheese to taste
salt and pepper to taste
a handful of parsley
sprinkle of lemon juice (optional but tasty)

cook linguine until al dente (about 10 minutes) drain well.
in a skillet add olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes, let them sizzle for a few minutes
add the anchovies and stir until they melt in the pan
once everything is warm and combined together add the pasta, parsley, cheese and salt and pepper.
toss it all together
Enjoy!

 

[sjwaste]

Originally posted by: jbkane26


my bf is drooling as we speak!

Quoted for preservation.

Seriously, though. Why not pork? Religious reason? Otherwise, it's pretty much the greatest of the meats. Start eating it, unless it sends you to hell or something

 

[villageidiot111]

Macaroni/Cheese + fried bacon bits.

 

[Eeezee]

Cook as often as you can. It's so much cheaper and when you get really good, you'll find yourself making food that tastes much better than what you can get at most restaurants. It just takes practice

Chicken Alfredo = easy and delicious, especially when you get really good at it (or use Duck, even better if you're willing to spend more)

Personal pizza = awesome, but slightly more challenging due to the dough. If you have a Trader Joe's nearby, however, they sell good pizza dough (I'm sure other places do as well)

Any type of curry = very reasonable, just add curry paste basically

Stuffed mushrooms = surprisingly easy and very delicious

Stuffed bell peppers = the same as stuffed mushrooms

Mexican food of any kind = easy, delicious, and cheap! Buy a tortilla press and make your own, you can quickly crank them out that way. The only problem with this is that Mexican food is always so cheap to purchase (not Taco Bell, that's not Mexican food anyway)

 

[sjwaste]

A can of coconut milk plus half (or the whole) can of curry paste goes a long way. Basically mix the two until dissolved and simmering, then add whatever you want in there, and simmer until cooked. Serve over rice.

I like the Maesri brand pastes, they're thai curries. The massaman and the panang are fantastic.

 

[yhelothar]

panini's are amazing if you have a foreman grill.
my fav is a bruchetta panini.
ciabatta, brown sugar ham(or any other sweet ham), genoa salami, provolone. And for the bruchetta, tomato, oregano, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar.
Grill the sandwich first, then load in the bruchetta.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: Eeezee
Mexican food of any kind = easy, delicious, and cheap! Buy a tortilla press and make your own, you can quickly crank them out that way. The only problem with this is that Mexican food is always so cheap to purchase (not Taco Bell, that's not Mexican food anyway)

mmm i second the mexican food.
Bonus if you can find a mexican meat market around your place. Then you have perfectly marinated meat that's dirt cheap that you can just cook up and stuff in a tortilla with some onion, cilantro, and avocados. Oh and a squirt of lime.

 

[Special K]

You really can't go wrong with a Foreman grill. This will allow you to grill chicken, steaks, burgers, fish, and lots of other things. You can find lots of "themed" or all-in-one seasonings to put on it. Add a side like rice or potatoes and you are all set. The prep time and cleanup are minimal.

Pasta is another good recommendation.

 

[TheInternet1980]

Originally posted by: Lamont Burns
Spend the rest of the coinage on bulk beer.

Procured via online methods?

 

[Saint Nick]

There are a lot of these little microwaveable meals you can buy. They aren't terribly filling, but whip up some sides like baked beans, or garlic bread, whatever and call it good. They're a Hormel product. In the same aisle as hamburger helper and whatnot.

 

[jbkane26]

Originally posted by: sjwaste

Originally posted by: jbkane26


my bf is drooling as we speak!

Quoted for preservation.

Seriously, though. Why not pork? Religious reason? Otherwise, it's pretty much the greatest of the meats. Start eating it, unless it sends you to hell or something

pork is one of the dirtiest of the meats and I think it has something to do w/ the fact that I am jewish... and uumm no My girlfriend wrote that...

 

[Squisher]

Just about anything you cook yourself is cheap as long as you stay away from the land mines of high priced ingredients such as good cuts of beef, real maple syrup, etc.

Probably the cheapest thing to make is Red Beans and Rice (especially if you start from dried beans).

 

[jbkane26]

bumpalicious