Meals on the Cheap - under $2 meal ideas - Page 7

[shelbell]

One of my faves is Taco Casserole; 8 servings for $2.02. Not super-healthy because of the canned items, but better than Taco Bell!

Taco Casserole

2 Cans Black Beans (.43 ea)
1 Can Yellow corn (.33)
1 Can Mexican-Style Diced Tomatoes (.50)
1 C. Rice (0.00 -- I usually get it free after coupons)
1 Pkt Taco Seasoning (.33, but I make mine from a recipe on allrecipes.com so really .20 or so for the spices at home which would bring the total to 1.89)
Water

Preaheat oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish. Dump all ingredients (including liquid in cans) except water into dish and mix. Add in a little bit of water (usually 1/4 c. to 1/2 c.) until the ratio of liquid to rice "looks right" (real scientific, I know!). Bake at 375, stirring every 15 mins, for about 45 minutes or until rice is fully cooked. If desired, top with cheese or nutritional yeast after last stirring.

My SO loves that casserole, especially when served with chips, salsa, sour cream and jalapenos. All of that would make it more than $2, but that's HIS fault, not mine!

[Dov'sMom]

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[Radish4ever]

WOW! Fantastic thread! I'm SUBBING! Keep the ideas coming, I LOVE frugal food

[bwylde]

My favorite cheap meal is potato pancakes. I grate a bunch of potatoes (6-7) on the biggest setting (it's also really good finely grated but I don't have the patience, lol!!). I then add an egg or two, about a teaspoon of baking powder, a few shakes of salt and up to a cup of flour to hold it together. Cook on high heat until crispy and cooked through. Very yummy with ketchup or butter or molasses. I figure it's about 50 cents a batch and there's always leftovers.

I have tons more but most have already been listed. Most soups, sandwiches, chowders and rice or pasta dishes are under $2.

[Melissaak]

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[attachedmama]

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[Scribe]

I'm subbing, and my first batch of (altered) Honey-Baked Lentils is in the oven for use as lunches next week!

[caiesmommy]

I have a new twist on potato pancakes...a little more healthy!

1 can of kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 chopped small onion
1-2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of cracker crumbs(OR old bread seasoned and made into crumbs)

Puree kidney beans and small onion and garlic in blender
Mix in a bowl with cracker crumbs add seasonings to taste(cumin, chili ect)

Sautee in frying pan with oil until brown

Might be a three dollar meal? But worth the extra dollar!!

[janerose]

Originally Posted by avengingophelia

I'm subbing, and my first batch of (altered) Honey-Baked Lentils is in the oven for use as lunches next week!

Just wanted to add a big for the honey baked lentils. They're yummy. In fact I think I'll make them for lunch tomorrow.

Holly

[Marcee]

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[Scribe]

The Honey Baked Lentils ARE good! I used sesame oil rather than olive oil for a little kick, and they're awesome.

[Mom2Joseph]

[QUOTE=kidspiration;7305168]
-homemade pizzas. i bought a brand new bread machine off of craigslist for super cheap. i found a great thin crust pizza dough recipe online and i just throw the ingredients in the machine, and 55 minutes later the dough is ready. i usually make the dough in the morning and let it ferment for the better part of the day just because it tastes better that way. it is a fraction of the cost of ordering pizza and it tastes infinitely better. tip...heat your oven as hot as you can get it, it makes for a crispier tastier crust.QUOTE]

Can you please post your recipe for the pizza crust? That is the one convenience food I am determined to learn how to make and I just got a bread machine for free! I love a thin, crispy crust so this has me very excited!

Thanks!

[MamaPam]

Originally Posted by elizawill

"one of my favourite pasta recipes is dirt cheap and really tasty....

1 can whole Italian tomatoes
4 garlic cloves (crushed)
1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil (can use fresh)
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Penne noodles (or anyother noodle)

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Reserving the liquid, drain can of italian Tomatoes. Spread tomatoes on a shallow pan and cut each in half (cut side up). Sprinkle with the crushed garlic, a tbsp of oil, salt and the basil. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour.
3. In the last 10 minutes add the retained liquid that was in the can.
4. Boil pasta and cut feta into small cubes.
5. When tomatoes are finished baking they will be burnt a bit (that's what you want),transfer all to a small bowl and crush with fork. Add the rest of the oil.
6. Pour the tomato mixture hot pasta and toss.

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i made this for supper last week. it was so awesome! thank you!!!

We made it this week and it was yummy. I had two cans of whole tomatoes so I made a double batch and now have some in the freezer.

[huggerwocky]

Originally Posted by bwylde

My favorite cheap meal is potato pancakes. I grate a bunch of potatoes (6-7) on the biggest setting (it's also really good finely grated but I don't have the patience, lol!!). I then add an egg or two, about a teaspoon of baking powder, a few shakes of salt and up to a cup of flour to hold it together. Cook on high heat until crispy and cooked through. Very yummy with ketchup or butter or molasses. I figure it's about 50 cents a batch and there's always leftovers.

I have tons more but most have already been listed. Most soups, sandwiches, chowders and rice or pasta dishes are under $2.

they're great, I put onion into mine,too. We eat them with apple sauce

[Ellp]

Tried the Honey baked lentils tonight and man, they are good! I've never really had lentils before, and I guess I was expecting something a little more..."defined", more texture... instead the texture was more like refried beans! Is it supposed to be this way?

I'm thinking that it'll be good on toast for breakfast!

[eldadeedlit]

great thread!

we are really low on money right now and I need some ideas. :

[broke]

great thread!

[MaddieMay]

I don't have this recipe priced out, but I'm sure it's pretty cheap. It's a little more if you do all organic. We usually use leftover meat/bread with it. It's total comfort food!

Creamed Chicken

6 T. Butter
6 T. Flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup milk
1.5 cups chicken broth
Cooked chicken
Bread

Melt butter and mix in flour, salt, pepper until a paste is formed. Slowly add chicken broth and milk. Heat until thick and boiling. Add as much cooked chicken as you desire. Serve over torn up pieces of bread.

This will probably feed a family of 3-4 (2 adults), as long as no one is a huge eater.

[Eben'sMama]

We like this quick, frugal meatless version of the Ploughman's Share:

Brown Rice (or you can use white--jasmine, basmati, etc.)
Steamed Carrots and Broccoli (you can also add others)

Put steamed vegetables over rice in a bowl, top with shredded white cheddar cheese and soy sauce/Tamari to taste!

YUM!

[jenangelcat]

Cabbage Roll Casserole (Canadian Funds)

1 head cabbage, chopped $1
2 lbs ground beef $2
1 can tomato sauce $1
1 can diced tomatoes with juice $1
1 cup rice
1 onion chopped
salt, pepper to taste

Brown meat and drain. Mix all ingredients together. Place in casserole dish. The original recipe then calls for 2 cups of beef broth to be poured on top but I used the 1 can of tomatoes instead. It may still need the broth, I haven't baked one yet. Bake for 1 hour, covered at 350F. Uncover and bake for 30 more minutes. This made 5 two serving portions. I froze them in tinfoil loaf containers to be defrosted and baked at a later date. It works out to be about $0.50 a serving.

Pea Soup

1lb split peas, rinsed and sorted 1.00
ham bone free
1 onion, chopped
salt, pepper to taste.
water

Put peas, ham one, onion (saute first if you'd like), salt and pepper in a large pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low until peas have turned into a liquidy mush. Remove ham bone and serve. I'm guessing this makes about 8 one cup servings. It's still in my pot so I haven't measure yet. So that would be about $0.12 a serving. I usually serve this with some kind of homemade bun.

Samosas

2 large potatoes, diced and cooked until slightly tender
1 small onion, chopped
½ cup peas, frozen or canned is fine $0.50
¼ cup ghee or butter
2 tsp coriander
½ tsp cumin
? tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp garlic, chopped
1 tsp ginger, minced
2 tsp lemon juice
1 package phyllo dough, thawed $2.50
oil, for frying
Heat ghee on medium high in a saute pan. Add coriander and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add onions and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes until onions are soft.

Add remaining spices and garlic. Cook stirring another minute.

Stir in potatoes until dry 1 more minute.

Stir in peas, heat through. Add lemon juice and adjust seasonings.

Fold each piece of phyllo lengthwise until desired size. Spoon filling onto corner of the dough. Fold across into a triangle and continue folding the entire strip of dough to encase the filling. Wet edge with water to seal.

Heat oil in a pot or deep fryer until 350F. Add 3 or 4 samosas at a time and cook 2-3 minutes, turning once.

Drain on paper towels and serve with a cool pickle, yogurt or ketchup.

I'll add another $2 for the misc ingredients, potatoes, spices, butter to bring this up to $5 for 20 samosas. Say 5 samosas per person which is $1 per serving.