"Frugalicious" Recipes

I would know like to unveil what I like to call my ever-expanding list of "frugalicious" recipes. These are recipes that "taste" good on two levels. They taste good to my palate, and they are tasty to my wallet as well. In a nutshell, these are recipes that taste good and are also cheap.

But first, a few introductory notes. These recipes begin at the grocery store. And most of them are very basic recipes. As a matter of fact, you will find that most of them involve chicken and vegetables. Kind of goes without saying, because there's not really a cheap recipe out there that has filet mignon or a piece of Red Snapper in it.

Most of these recipes will also involve "staples". Things like rice and pasta. So, when it comes to purchasing these things, unless you have a need for organic food in your life, there is no reason to go up the price chain when purchasing these items. The store brand of spaghetti will do just as well as the most expensive one. I worked in the restaurant business for close to twenty years, and it is beyond me when people can tell you that one brand of spaghetti tastes better than another. Sure, if you only tasted the spaghetti, and it was in a side-by-side comparison, you may be able to notice some minor differences, but mixed in with a recipe I really don' think anyone can tell.

I also think this goes for chicken as well. I have actually had people tell me that one brand of chicken tastes better than another. And honestly, I just don't get it. What, does one company kill chickens from a better neighborhood than another company? Of course, with your veggies, be discerning and find the best quality. As I've mentioned before, a local farmer's market should be your best bet.

These recipes that I will give you usually have no "amounts" to them, so you'll probably need at least the smallest bit of cooking ability to put them together. One of the main reasons why is that a lot of time, the recipe I come up with is called a "refrigerator-cleaner-outer". Now when I was single, this process involved nothing more than dumping all the leftovers in my fridge into a pot, heating it up and eating it (I also had a flashy name for this recipe-I called it "Dave". My roommates loved it!!). Now that I am married with a son, I do have to get a little more creative.

Let me tell you about what I prepared for dinner last nite. My family doesn't really like to eat the same dish more than 1-2 days in a row, so our fridge has a tendency of filling up with small amounts of various leftovers. This is probably true of most fridges. So, yesterday this I what I had in my fridge:

--about 5 oz. cooked carrots.
--about 3 cups cooked brown rice.
--1 boiled chicken breast.
--about 1 1/2 scrambled eggs
--very small amounts of fresh, uncooked asparagus, mushrooms and zucchini.

This I what I did with it. Sauteed off a little yellow onion, threw in the mushrooms. Thawed out one pack of frozen chicken, cubed it and threw that in. When it was almost cooked, I added the cooked carrots, the leftover cooked chicken, the diced asparagus, and the cubed zucchini. I also chopped up some snow peas and threw those in.

I then found some teriyaki/stir fry type sauce or marinade and added that. Let it all simmer for an extra 5-10 minutes, served it over the leftover rice and topped it with the scrambled eggs.

What did I end up with? Well, it was probably a little bit of chicken stir fry, and a little bit of some kind of Chinese chicken dish. It was fantastic, and it cleaned out my fridge. Now, you might think that I contrived this list of stuff in my fridge and made the whole thing up, but this is exactly what we had for dinner last nite.

So, there you have it-the first of my "frugalicious" recipes. Soon, I'll get into more traditional recipes where you're not trying to clean out your refrigerator, but these types of things come in handy when the leftovers start to pile up

As I see it, saving money is more about a state of mind than it is about sacrificing things in your life or how much money you make. Want to learn more tips and strategies on how to save money on your bills, how to spend less money in general and some great methods for generating income in your life? Visit me at my personal finance blog http://yourfinances101.com/blog.

There you can check out my recently published book, "Don't Be A Mule: A Common-sense Guide to Saving More, Spending Less, and Generating Extra Income in Your Everyday Life."

Cheap, Easy and Tasty - Saucy Salisbury Steak

With the economy in its present state and food costs rising, restaurant business is down by 20% . If you're trying to cut down on your food expenses here's an easy, tasty and cheap recipe that you will like.

Saucy Salisbury Steak

For the steak:

1 ¼ lb. Ground chuck, ground sirloin or lean ground beef
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
salt
pepper
flour

For the sauce:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups thinly sliced onion
1 tsp sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
¼ cup dry red wine
1 Tbsp flour
salt
pepper
½ tsp dried or 1 tsp fresh thyme

In a medium bowl, combine meat, parsley, parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Divide into four portions and shape into patties. Dredge each patty in flour. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat patties and brown on each side. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate or platter.

Into the same pan, add the onions. Sprinkle with sugar. Saute until the onions are soft. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Turn up the heat to high. Sprinkle the onion mixture with the 1 Tbsp of flour. Keep stirring until well blended and mixture begins to either turn brown or starts to sizzle. Stir in the broth, wine, salt, pepper and thyme. Bring the sauce to a boil and let in start to thicken.

Return the meat patties to the pan. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

NOTES:

-You can serve this over rice or noodles.
-Serve with a green vegetable for a complete meal.
-You can eliminate the steak ingredients and have yourself a tasty French onion soup.
-An Italian company called Amore packages tomato paste in a tube. It looks like a toothpaste tube. You can find it with all the other tomato products if your grocery store carries it. Although the tube may cost a little more you may save more in the long run because you aren't wasting anything. Even a small can of tomato paste never seems to be used up before it spoils.
-Worried about the fat content? Try it with ground turkey instead.

Like this recipe? Find this and more cooking resources at http://www.2girlscooking.com

We have a FREE cookbook that will help you get dinner on the table in a hurry. Visit us to download your FREE copy of Cooking on the Run.

Budget Meal Recipes: 2 Fantastic, Low-Cost Dishes

Love to cook but don't have the cash? Looking for a few easy recipes you can make now without breaking the bank? Here are 2 of the best budget meal recipes!

1. Chinese Roasted Pork

Great Chinese restaurants usually serve a fantastic slow-cooked pork dish, but they also tend to be way too expensive for a tight budget. To make this budget meal recipe yourself, buy a 5-6 pound hunk of pork shoulder or butt - these cuts are extremely economical and totally delicious when cooked slow and low with the right seasonings.

To begin the cooking process, place the pork fat or skin-side down into a cold cast-iron or other sturdy pan. Turn the heat up to medium, and allow some of the fat to render out. After about ten minutes, remove the pork from the skillet and place it into a slow cooker along with the now-liquid fat that came off of it.

Now, you simply need to make a great sauce for this budget meal recipe. Combine 1 cup of soy sauce with 2 cups of chicken broth, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 teaspoons Chinese five-spice, 2 tablespoons dried ginger, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, and 1-2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper. Pour this sauce over the meat in the crock pot, fill it nearly the rest of the way with water, and cook the roast on low for 8-10 hours.

2. Bacon-Blue Cheese Burgers

Want a restaurant-quality burger without the restaurant price? Try this budget meal recipe on for size, and send your taste buds on an unforgettable trip!

Start by cutting your bacon into bits and browning them in pan. While the bacon is cooking, assemble 2 pounds of 80% lean ground beef and add 2 tablespoons each of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Once the bacon bits are done, add them to the pile along with about 6 oz. of blue cheese.

Now simply mix all of these ingredients together by hand and form 6 patties. Cook them on your grill until they reach the desired doneness. If you don't have a grill, or if it's too cold outside to use one, you can make burgers with a nice golden-brown crust on your cast-iron skillet or griddle pan.

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Ranchitty Ramen Noodles - A Quick And Easy Apartment Recipe

I know it sounds disgusting, but check this out. I discovered this recipe from none other than the classiest of classy folks, Schultz. The man loves ranch dressing so much, you'd think he had his entire life's savings invested in it. He puts it on everything. And by everything, I mean everything.

Here's the low down: I know that sometimes Apartmentites like to budget in some areas to free up the cash flow in others, so this morning I had the idea that I can help you out by giving out some of my super cheap recipe tips from time to time. Let's call it "Jeff's Gourmet on the Cheap."

Okay, okay...I'll get to the recipe. Settle your horses. You'll need a packet of chicken flavored Ramen Noodles, ranch dressing, and Tabasco sauce. First, prepare the Ramen per the directions.

Once the Ramen preparations are finished as read in the directions, add a dollop of ranch dressing and mix. Make sure and mix it very well. Last, squirt several drops of Tabasco sauce and stir. Once it's all mixed together, you have yourself a gourmet Ramen dish...which is kind of an oxymoron when you look at it. But I digress.

Seriously though. Try it! It adds that little extra kick to Ramen to make it so much more than that uber-cheap meal you had in college. And the best part is...it's still under a couple of bucks!

Remember, with the variety of various flavors of Ramen Noodles, this recipe can have many options. You may even add your own variations by throwing in things like Cheetos or garlic salt. (I've done both, and they make it even better!)

Jeff's just a regular guy with a funny goatee that really enjoys people and life. On top of that he is a bit of an expert on apartments, living in them, and getting the most out of the apartment living lifestyle.

As a Managing Partner of Apartment Home Living, Jeff wants to help you find the right apartment by getting to know you. Not only where you want to live & what you want to pay, but what you like. This way, we can help you find an apartment that fits your personality, not just your budget.

At AHL Apartmentites have a platform to share their own stories, get great info & tips on apartment living, read Jeff's entertaining blogs/stories, find Answers to a wide array of apartment related questions, and have a ton of fun sharing their love of apartment living with others. Don't forget to go and set up your own MyPlace page to really get the full Apartmentite experience!

Budget Friendly Recipes: Chili On The Cheap!

If you're like most people, your budget is tight and you're looking for a way to make some easy, cheap, and great-tasting meals. Chili is one of the best foods around, and it's also one of the cheapest! Here is a great budget friendly recipe for some seriously tasty chili.

Getting The Meat Right

Die-hard chili fans will tell you that you've got to use some type of steak or other whole cut of meat. However, ground beef is a MUCH more economical and still-delicious way of making this classic dish. Budget friendly recipes might need to compromise on authenticity, but never on flavor!

The best meat to use is one with a moderate fat content - too much and you have a greasy chili, too little and the meat is just dry and tasteless. Go for about 80% lean to get the best flavor out of this budget friendly recipe.

To Bean or not to Bean?

Again, chili enthusiasts have a strong opinion that beans are a big no-no when it comes to making a good chili. However, many people simply love the flavor and texture of beans in their chili, and they sure do make it a more well-rounded meal.

Personally, I love to use beans. I like a combination of black and red beans, and I use about equal parts beans and meat. Go with whatever you like best, but remember that the less beans you use, the more meat you'll need, and meat is much more expensive.

Spices and Other Ingredients

Of course it's the spices that can really make or break a great bowl of chili! You'll need plenty of cumin powder, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt. If you don't already have these on hand, pick up a good amount of each, as they are super-useful in lots of budget friendly recipes!

Next, you'll need some veggies. For every two pounds of ground beef you use, you'll need one large can of crushed tomatoes in their juice. Also, you'll need onions (as many or little as you like) and a few jalapeno peppers.

Putting It All Together

Making this budget friendly chili recipe couldn't be easier. You're going to need a cast-iron or other sturdy skillet and a big pot or dutch oven with a lid. Start by browning all of the meat you're using in the skillet, and then transfer it to the pot. Do the same with the onions, adding spices along with way.

Once all of the meat and onions are in the pot, add the tomatoes, beans, diced jalapenos, and more spices. Turn the heat and low, put the lid on, and cook for 4-5 hours. You'll need to stir it every so often, so stick around! Also, adjust your spices as you go along.

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Cheap Recipe Ideas From Your Favorite Restaurants For Easy Family Dinners

The search for cheap recipe ideas is becoming more and more necessary as tight food budgets become more and more prevalent in our country. But just because your family may have had to give up going out to restaurants for your dinners does not mean you have to give up your favorite restaurant meals. An actual recipe from your favorite restaurants can make for an easy family dinner - especially for those of us on a tight food budget.

If you are reading this article, you are probably one of the millions across the country who have sacrificed going out to eat simply because of the costs. Paying for the gas to drive to the restaurant, the tip for the waiter or waitress, and the "name" on the top of your menu has simply made eating out unaffordable to many of us. The quest for an easy family dinner often leaves us longing for the restaurant quality food we crave. In looking for cheap recipe ideas, many of us often overlook the fact that many of these same restaurant recipes we pay so much money for are available in restaurant recipe books so that we can enjoy them from the comforts - and savings - of our home!

Consider the following example for Red Lobster's Shrimp Diablo (which serves four people). Whether you use it to feed your family of four or as an appetizer for a large party, everyone will be amazed by the creation you made from your kitchen!

Red Lobster Shrimp Diablo
Ingredients: 3 pounds large uncooked shrimp in shells (no heads), 1 jar BBQ sauce, 1/2 cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon freshly-ground pepper, 4 tablespoons liquid crab boil, 1/4 cup red hot sauce, 1/2 pound unsalted butter, 1/2-1 gallon milk

1. Wash shrimp in cold water
2. Soak shrimp in milk overnight
3. Mix all sauce ingredients in sauce pan and stir until boiling
4. Remove from heat and refrigerate for at least 4-5 hours
5. Drain milk from shrimp and place in a baking pan
6. Cover shrimp evenly with the sauce
7. Let stand one hour
8. Bake uncovered at 450 degrees for 15 minutes

For the price of just one entrée from these restaurants, an entire cookbook of secret recipes could be yours! Delicious meals (which would cost your family hundreds of dollars) can be made right from your own kitchen. Imagine the savings in your bank account. Better yet, imagine the looks on your family's faces when you turn a restaurant quality dish into an easy family dinner!

Even if this particular recipe does not interest you, there are literally thousands of recipes available from the most well-known restaurants in the world. Cheap recipes from the Olive Garden, Chili's, Applebee's, Outback Steakhouse, Red Lobster, PF Chang's - even McDonald's and Starbucks - are available if you just make the investment in these recipe books.

Do not let a tight food budget interfere with your family dinners. Cheap recipe ideas can come from all sorts of places - and now you know that one of those can be your favorite restaurant!

Restaurant Recipes: Reviews and Secrets offers cheap recipe ideas from famous restaurants and reviews of the best restaurant recipe books. Visit Cheap Recipe Ideas and Easy Family Dinners for more information!

Money Saving Ideas - Save on Groceries to Make Easy Cheap Dinner Recipes

Many families struggle with finding meals that fit within their budget and still provide enough to eat for a family of 4 or more. This article will discuss different ideas for saving on meals, where to find recipes, and general ideas for pinching pennies at the table.

What Makes So Many Meals Costly?

There are many different factors that come into play when you're coming up with ideas for dinners throughout your week. The reason that seemingly mundane meals become so expensive is due to the cost of the ingredients - this is a no-brainer; if you make your food with other expensive foods, the cost will go up. Avoid using specialty ingredients that can only be used in one dish. These are often used for taste or garnish, so substitute accordingly when possible.

Another factor that drives up the overall cost is the size of the meal that you make. Avoid making meals that are too large for the people eating. If you're someone who really loves leftovers you might be able to justify the fridge full of extra food, but the reality is that leftovers often go uneaten and get thrown away. Try to portion the meals so everyone has enough to eat, but don't over do it. If you buy too much food at the grocery, you're better off making two meals.

General Money Saving Tips For Easy Cheap Recipes

We'll list out some general tips to save money when you're at the grocery store, and discuss some things to avoid as well.
Plan at least a week at a time (10 days might be better if you have the fridge/freezer space). Document each meal and what you need to make it. Avoid ingredients that don't add much to the meal. Some condiments and spices really don't provide much in the overall flavor of the dish and just add cost. Try to share ingredients. If you have a meal that involves 3 chicken breasts, you would probably benefit in sharing the cost with another meal and buying 5 instead. Pick up some salad in a bag, add the cooked chicken on top and cut the cost per meal almost in half. Try different things. Spaghetti and marinara is a notoriously cheap meal (you can probably feed 5 people for $5 if you plan accordingly) - try different variations, like a different type of noodle or sauce, to keep the family from boycotting spaghetti from the meal plan.Where to find Easy Cheap Dinner Recipes.

Scour the local library for cookbooks and modify accordingly (substitute when needed to save money), or search the web for cheap recipes. If can find 10-20 that you like, you could cut your grocery bill in half. Track your spending and watch the results. Once you see the difference in your pocketbook, you'll be motivated to move forward and keep up the good habit.

Easy Cheap Dinner Recipes.

Tips For Creating Cheap Healthy Recipes The Whole Family Will Enjoy!

In society today, cheap healthy recipes are almost seen as an oxymoron. Cheap meals are often associated with fast food which is chalk full of fat, cholesterol, and sodium. As a result, it seems the only choice most have for cheap meals is often unhealthy meals that serve no good purpose.

The great news is that it does not have to be this way. There are a number of great cheap healthy recipes that taste great, are full of nutritional value, are both fast and easy to make, and cost less than a "meal" at the local burger joint. Here are a few tips on how to create some of these recipes for you and your family to maximize the quality of life for everyone in your home.

A great cheap healthy recipe is making a bean salad medley. This recipe consists of canned beans seasoned with black pepper and mixed with some red onions. To dress the salad, simply add some apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Serve this salad with a grilled piece of chicken and you will definitely see and taste the delicious benefits of eating healthy. This meal is chalk full of protein and will keep you satiated until your next meal.

Another cost effective and nutritious meal idea that anyone can make and will not break the bank is some grilled or barbecued pork chops. This can be accompanied with a baked sweet potato and a house salad with olive oil and white vinegar dressing. This meal idea is a standard meal in my diet. It satisfies all my requirements by being easy to make, healthy, and delicious. A true trifecta of cheap healthy recipes!

Cheap healthy recipes are not just about entrees and salads. It also incorporates snack and desserts. A family favourite in my household is a vanilla frozen yogurt mixed with some fresh, in season fruit, fruit. The kids and the adults will all love this dessert for both its nutritional value and the fact it tastes so good.

These are just a few cheap healthy recipes that you can incorporate into your diet that will immediately start improving your health and your waistline. These simple, yet highly effective, recipes will ensure that eating healthy really can become part of your everyday routine.

Cheap healthy recipes like these will start giving everyone alternatives when it comes to thinking about cheap meals. Cheap meals do not have to be unhealthy. Rather with cheap healthy recipes they can be cheap, fun, easy to make, and delicious. Give them a try today!

If losing 10% of Your Weight, in Body Fat, in the next 30 days is of any interest to you, or someone you love, then this FREE Report is a must have!

This report will help you lose fat and gain muscle by revealing to you a number of delicious cheap healthy recipes that are easy to make and cost less than take out. Dieting really can be easy with these cheap and healthy recipes.

Low Fat Lasagna Recipe With A Twist

This is a great low fat, low cost lasagna recipe that decreases the amount of
lasagna noodle, and uses low fat cheeses and meat. Ground turkey has less fat
than ground beef, but use what you prefer.

1 whole onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

4 garlic cloves, diced

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1/4 cup chopped mushrooms

1 tsp herb seasoning mix (or non-salt seasoning)

2 Tsp fresh oregano, thyme, rosemary mix (you can use bottled herbs)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large tomato peeled and diced

2 Tsp tomato paste

1 Pint non-fat cottage cheese

75% fat free cheese (available at most grocery stores), grated

2 pounds low fat ground beef or ground turkey

1 box wheat pasta, remove at least 8 strips

-Wheat pasta has 3 times the fiber of regular pasta

Cook meat until almost done

Mix onions, bell pepper, garlic, scallions, mushrooms,1 tablespoon of the oregano-thyme-rosemary mix, tomatoes, salt and pepper together in a saucepan
and cook with 1 teaspoon of oil. Add ground beef and ground turkey until the
meat mixture is done.

Boil enough Lasagna noodles to cover the bottom of the lasagna pan, and the top of the
lasagna mixture, add a tincture of salt to boil.

Now, using an oblong pan,

Place one layer of lasagna noodles on the bottom of a large oblong pan, one at at time, laying each noodle lengthwise and side-by-side.

Place a thin layer of meat on the bottom of the pan, (save enough for a second layer),

Place a thin layer of fat-free cottage cheese

Place another layer of meat,

Place a layer of 75% low-fat cheese,

Place a layer of wheat pasta noodles

For the last layer, place a thin layer of 75% low-fat cheese, and spread your second

tablespoon of herb mixture over the cheese.

Place completed mix in an oven and cook at 375 degrees (pre-heated) for
about 20 minutes.

Get more recipes at Msfinancialsavvy.com > click money > click cheap recipes.

Lois Center-Shabazz is the founder of the personal finance website, Msfinancialsavvy.com and the author of the award-winning book, Let's Get Financial Savvy! Msfinancialsavvy.com

How to Choose a Recipe for an Event Come Holiday Season

Approaching family events and gatherings with the instruction by someone to "make something to bring" happens from time to time. Then, there is usually the stress of what to bring and in what category (appetizer, main entree, or dessert). There is hope as there are different avenues one can go when saddled with the responsibility of a "recipe" and this probably won't include going to grandmother (if it does, that is a plus).

Bookstores

Bookstores usually have cooking or food sections chocked with plenty of cookbooks. Bookstores are an excellent resource to locating a great recipe, because even if the shopper does not wish to buy the book, they can always find a recipe, copy it down and put the book back on the shelf. This way, they have a plethora of ideas, different types of cooking genres, and cuisines to choose from. At home, one may be more limited in terms of cookbooks, the genres, and how many of them they own. Bookstores that have cooking sections include Barnes and Noble Bookstores and Borders Books and Music. Barnes and Noble also has an online book club section with a forum for sharing recipes and more.

Online

If there is a need for a recipe required with little advanced notice, a person can find plenty of recipes online either by randomly Googling them or going to specific websites suited for recipes and cooking only. Some of these sites may be categorized by cuisines, cooking methods, dietary considerations and of course, main ingredients. Others give tips and advice and even show a cook how to use substitutions or alter a recipe so that they are halved or doubled. Then, there are some that offer a swap section, where a recipe may be traded for another recipe in recipe groups or clubs. People can also chat on the forums about cooking and everything that goes with it.

Make Up The Recipe

If it is difficult to commit to any one recipe, an original recipe can always be made up on a whim. The only downside to this is that it is purely trial and error. But, putting together something last minute can be challenging and fun. A good starting point may be to use ingredients that are already in the refrigerator and pantry. Then, try Googling the ingredients and see what recipe combinations come up. The "just created" recipe may get to be the next family tradition appetizer, dessert, or masterpiece!

The Old Fashioned Way to Get a Recipe

If all else fails and a recipe cannot be found, the old-fashioned way of obtaining a recipe still works-getting them through mothers, grandmothers, aunts or friends. This way, a cook knows for sure that the recipe works and has been tried and done many times over. Some people will make a collection of their families recipes and put them into a book to share with others. It might be a good idea to take some of the old hand-written ones and have them laminated so they can be preserved forever and even passed down from generation to generation.

Rachel P. Ricucci

Credit Crunch Munch - 3 Cheap Dinner Recipes For Concerned Budget Bashers

These scrumptious cheap dinner recipes are authentic Italian pasta dishes, which means their main ingredient is cheap to buy and they are super-quick to prepare - a double whammy of convenience you might say.

1. Breakfast Pasta (serves 4)

This cost-effective, runny-eggy delight is the cheap dinner recipe you wish you had known at college.

- Boil a deep pan of water, throwing in a handful of salt (to bring out the taste of the pasta)

- Check your pasta's cooking time and throw 400g/14oz of this into the pan. Stir.

- When your pasta has 5 mins left to cook, melt 50g (a medium knob) of butter in a frying pan (use a medium heat so it does not burn)

- Pasta done? Drain it, pop it in a large mixing bowl and stir in the melted butter.

- Drop this slippery mixture into 4 serving dishes and pop a fried egg on top of each. Delicious.

2. Pasta fagioli (bean pasta) (serves 4)

This vegetarian broth-like winner is a real steal, because there is no expensive involved. It also makes a great winter warmer, now the weather is beginning to turn.

-Put a big splash of olive oil into a deep pan/skillet, along with 2 whole garlic cloves (peeled and ended). (If you do love your meat and have bacon in the fridge, chop a little and throw it in now).

- When the garlic browns, drop in 4 plum tomatoes (from a single 400g/14oz can).

- After a couple of minutes, the toms should be softer, so break these into bits with a spoon and give it a good stir.

- Throw in two 400g/14oz cans of white cannellini beans (in water). Add a good pinch of salt and crank up the heat to medium/high, so that everything simmers lightly.

- Let the beans cook for a couple of minutes, before throwing in 320g/11.2oz of your favourite short pasta.

Note: The final consistency of this cheap dinner recipe should be 'creamy'. If it becomes creamy before the pasta is cooked however (test it to see), just pour in a cup more boiling water and keep stirring.

3. Bacon and cream penne (serves 4)

The last of our cheap dinner recipes requires a mere 6 ingredients and is done and dusted in only 4 steps.

- Boil a couple of kettles of water and get this boiling in a large deep pan on a high heat hob.

Stir in 2 handfuls of salt and drop in 400g/14oz of penne pasta. If you can, set a timer as per your pasta packet's instructions (penne typically takes 8-10 minutes).

- Melt 25g/.8oz of butter in a frying pan. When melted, throw in 100g/3.5oz of pancetta (belly) bacon or chopped bacon bits. Cook until slightly crisp and browned (usually 4-5 minutes).

- When the bacon is brown, pour over a quarter litre (250ml/8.5fl oz) of full-fat single cream. Mix gently and heat through for 2 mins on the same medium heat hob.

- When the pasta is ready, drain it and throw this in the frying pan along with 50g/1.75oz of grated Parmesan cheese. Mix this all through for a minute or two, then serve.

Matt Wade is the creator of Pasta Recipes Made Easy - a site packed full of clearly-explained Italian pasta recipes, direct from Mamma Marisa's kitchen.

Cheap Dinner Recipes: Cheap Can Be Delicious Too

By now, many of us are feeling the economic crunch and we are looking for ways to save money, including finding ways to make a delicious cheap dinner. Just because we are trying to make meals on the cheap, doesn't mean they have to be unhealthy or, let's face it, disgusting. There are plenty of ways to save money and eat well.

Pasta is cheap. Although most of us don't want to eat spaghetti every day, many of us don't realize how delicious it can really be. Forget about those boxed macaroni and spaghetti mixes. You can make a whole dinner for your family for just a few dollars a person by using spices, a few chopped vegetables, tomato paste and pasta. Add a nice romaine lettuce salad with lemon and oil dressing and you've got a filling, yet healthy cheap dinner.

Soup anyone? It's a nearly forgotten tradition, but serving soup with bread before a meal is an excellent way to save money and fill up a family. Plus, soups can be fun and very healthy. Lentil soup is very high in protein, but low in fat and provides nutrients that your body craves. You can serve a simple broth with vermicelli noodles, a creamy potato soup, or any other soup you can come up with. Soups generally freeze well too so make a big batch and save some for later to make your work week go more smoothly.

Rice is a filling, delicious and easy to make with the help of a rice cooker. Consider recipes that are heavy on rice, lighter on the meat with some vegetables. Many Asian dishes are healthy and inexpensive to make and are real family pleasers. Serve with hot and sour soup or a noodle soup to bulk up the meal.

Planning makes a huge difference. Did you know that Americans throw away thousands of pounds of food every year? Stop wasting your money by making a menu plan and shopping list. Once you have a plan, you will know exactly what to buy and how much. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how little you will waste and the savings go right back into your pocket.

Kimmy Verden enjoys writing about cooking tips, including cheap dinner recipes like the ones that can be found at pasta recipes etc and chicken breast recipes etc.

Cheap and Easy Recipes - Gourmet Sauces For You

If you have kids, you will realize the obvious value of a cheap recipe; however, you will love the value of a fast and easy recipe!

Well, I have got something for you that should really help out.

First, I love cooking. I have cooked since I was 8, and it has always been a passion of mine. So much that I spent the better part of my professional career in corporate restaurant management. I got out of it several years back because I was tired of the hours, but my passion for cooking remains.

But alas, with the addition of our young son to the household, my days of spending extra time in the kitchen trying out a new gourmet recipe came to a shocking halt. Since his birth almost that has turned into "run in there and throw something together as fast as possible"-and hopefully something that will make a lot of leftovers.

Well, recently, I had gotten the urge for some different stuff. I can't remember exactly how it happened, but I was sautéing some vegetables and I was trying to figure out a way to jazz them up a little.

I took one look into the pantry, saw quite a few flavors of baby food that my son was no longer interested in, and voila!

Tossed a jar or two in there and I had an instant vegetable stew.

Let me explain. One small jar of baby food costs bout fifty cents or less. I would not use this idea to create a sauce for three pounds of baked chicken or anything like that. You could, but you might lose the savings, as that would get a little pricey.

Since my discovery, I have used it strictly on boiled, sauteed, or steamed veggies. Just before serving. I drop 1 or to jars of bay food over them, stir them in and almost immediately remove from heat.

The possibilities are endless, especially since there are about a million flavors of baby food.

So far, I tried a jar of Peas and Brown Rice over sauteed mushrooms and peppers (quite a unique taste).

I also did a sweet potato baby food mixed in sauteed streamed squash and zucchini.

Again, you can really try about any combination at all. It turns any cooked veggie dish into a fast and easy vegetable stew.

One more quick secret-I even served this when entertaining friends a few nights ago. Guess what? They were dying for the recipe!!!

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Quick and Easy Food Recipes and How to Get Them!

How much money do you think you spend each week on eating out? If you are like me it is a ton! If not then congrats on a job well done! (Give yourself a nice pat on the back eh?!)

I used to spend way too much money on restaurants, and with the recent economy my whole family was really beginning to feel it. The thing is it is not like I did not enjoy cooking, in fact I love cooking!

I just am not that great of a chef.

So I began to look around and try to save money on restaurants, what I really needed though was some quick and easy food recipes to get me going.

I cut out a few from different magazines but it seemed to be really hit and miss, and honestly a bit more of the miss according to my family. I kept looking on wishing that I had got that cooking Gene that seemed to be in my family.

While talking to friends however I found that I am not the only one who has this problem. I learned a few good tips and here is my favorite.

Make sure to plan ahead. Every week make a meal plan, do this at the beginning of the week at the same time. This way you can get all of your shopping done and have everything outlined in nice and easy ways. This way also when you have those quick and easy food recipes they won't go to waste when you are looking for the eggs you forgot to buy.

In conclusion I believe the best place to get easy food recipes is not in magazines but in cook books or from parents. Magazines generally just use cheap recipes that take a lot of work and are not all that useful.

Instead invest in a good cookbook.

Now if you want quick and easy food recipes just check out the little lens I made here. It is all about a great cookbook.

Come Participate in the polls and check it all out I bet you will love it, leave me a comment too!

So Come Check out Quick And Easy Food Recipes!

Hamburger Funny Face Recipe - Quick, Easy and Cheap Family Dinner Favorite

We fix up a treat here in the Smith household that we all just love. They are kind of like a turnover with a sloppy Joe type mixture inside. We call them hamburger funny faces.

You see back when I was a kid I had a somewhat eccentric cousin in Portland. Actually I still do except she doesn't live in Portland anymore, unless she's moved back. She has been somewhat hard to keep track of. Anyhow us kids just loved her. She was like a big sister to my brother, my little sister and I. She used to have an apartment in the downtown area of the city and when I got old enough to get a car of my own I would occasionally go visit. It was always exciting to go see her because that particular section of Portland where she lived was home to many colorful type people. It was the day of the hippie and my cousin's neighborhood was exclusively avant-garde third world style folks with beads, flowers and lots of hair and my cousin was quite at home there.

My cousin was also a very good cook and she would often fix up something for us kids when she came to visit or if we had a family picnic or something. Our favorite and the most requested dish in her repertoire was hamburger funny faces. They are delicious and a fun way to get the kids to eat something other than peanut butter and jelly or hot dogs. Anyway there are a couple of different ways we can go. We can make the before or after enlightenment type hamburger funny faces. The before style my cousin used to fix before going off to college which uses white flour for the outside bun type turnover part and ground beef on the inside. The after enlightenment recipe calls for fresh ground whole wheat on the outside and some kind of soy and veggie stuff on the inside. There is also a transitional period in my cousins life where she had switched to the fresh ground whole wheat but was not quite to the veggie stage of her life so she had substituted ground horse meat for ground beef. However this was just a short misguided faze she went through as the planets were in a peculiar alignment at that time.

Anyhow the white flour are the tastiest but the whole wheat with the hamburger (I have not quite reached the same level of enlightenment that my cousin has yet) are awful good too, and of course more nutritious and the kids woof down either kind. Recipe below.

Hamburger Funny Faces

1 batch bread dough

2 lbs. hamburger

2 small cans tomato sauce

1 spaghetti packet

Onion, garlic, salt and pepper, other veggies and seasonings optional.

Mix up bread dough and set aside to rise. Brown hamburger in a little oil. I like to add some chopped onion and garlic and sauté with the hamburger. Once this meat mixture is thoroughly browned reduce the heat and add tomato sauce and most of the seasoning packet, plus salt and pepper. Grab a roll sized portion of bread dough and flatten into a circle shape. Place a generous spoonful of meat mixture on one end of the circle and fold over the remainder of the dough and seal the edges. Place on greased cookie sheet or pizza pan. Poke holes with a fork for the eyes and then poke holes for a smile. I made three full pizza pans full of these from one batch. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 18 minutes until pockets are browned on the top and bottom.

John Louis Smith has been a butcher for over thirty years. He is the author of Confessions of a Butcher-eat steak on a hamburger budget and save$$$. You can find more of his articles and recipes at http://www.all-about-meat.com and http://www.arkessentials.com

Easy Cheap Recipes - How Low Can You Go?

Meal #1) Moujadra - This is a Lebanese dish consisting of lentils and rice topped with crispy onions. Cook 1 cup green or brown lentils according to package. At the same time, cook 1/4 cup brown basmati rice with 1 tsp ground cumin in water according to package. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a pan and add 1 large onion, sliced thinly. Fry til brown and crispy. Combine cooked lentils and rice. Top with crispy onions and salt and pepper to taste. Total cost for this dish: lentils $.60; rice $.20; cumin $.05; onion $.40 = $1.25. Our family likes to have 1/2 cup of crispy fried onions per person. See what your family likes. This is definitely one of our favorite easy cheap recipes.

Meal #2) Dad's Concoction - This meal was my Dad's concoction when we were kids. Now my family is enjoying it too. Combine the following in a pot and heat just to warm up: 2 cans pork & beans, 2 cans pasta in tomato sauce (we used canned spaghetti), 1 cup of cooked sausage scramble-fried with chopped onions or celery or both. Serve on slices of thick buttered toast. Total cost for this dish: pork & beans $1.40. Pasta $1.50 Sausage and onions $.90 Bread $1.00 = $4.80. This recipe is a little low in the vegetable food group, so make sure your side is a vegetable. This is our family's second favorite easy cheap recipe.

Meal #3) Ramen Noodle Stir-Fry - Cook 4 packages of ramen soup noodles and drain. Meanwhile, steam 2-3 cups frozen mixed vegetables or saute fresh raw vegetables until tender in a little oil. Scramble 2-4 eggs with chopped onion, dry parsley and minced garlic. Add all together and toss with oyster sauce, soya sauce, or a little catalina salad dressing. If you like yours spicy, sprinkle in 1 of the seasoning packets from the soup. This is our family's third favorite easy cheap recipe. Total cost for this dish: soup $1.00; vegetables $1.00; eggs $.35; onion, parsley and garlic $.25 = $2.60.

It is important these days to be able to put quick, easy, cheap meals on the table for yourself and your family.

Quick, easy, cheap meals: Something we can all enjoy with a little practice

Peggy Hurd is a Mother and Family Manager for her family of seven. She has many years experience in providing quick, easy, cheap meals for her large family; many times at a moment's notice. You will find great tips and helps here:

http://www.quick-easy-cheap-meals.blogspot.com

Cheap and Easy Oriental Recipes With Chicken and Rice For Your Summer!

Cheap recipes, oriental recipes, easy chicken and rice for your summer? Today Vanessa will share her secret recipe on how to prepare a delicious and nutritive soup. Get ready for the demonstration!

In Southeast Asia countries like Singapore and Malaysia, there are many people who like to drink soup. This is due to the fact that living in the tropical climate, the weather is hot and humid. The locals tend to sweat more and thus they need to replenish their body liquid with soupy food (for example porridge and soup).

Here's the recipe on how to prepare the appetizer .

Light Appetizer (1 person portion)

Ingredients
1/3 of Chinese cabbage
2 tablespoons of Rice
50g Chicken breast meat

Ingredients for the soup
500 ml vegetable soup stock
A slice of ginger root (minced)
A teaspoon of oil
A pinch of salt
Light soy sauce for the taste

Preparation
a. Wash and clean the cabbage leaves.
b. Cut them into small pieces.

c. Wash the rice. Drain them and put aside

d.Clean the meat and pad dry the meat.
e. Dice the meat into small cubes.

Action
a. Cook the rice and the vegetable soup stock in a pot with strong heat for 20 minutes.
b. While cooking the soup, we will proceed to cook the chicken.
c. Heat up the wok for 30 seconds, add oil and stir fry the ginger.
d. Add in diced chicken and stir-fry until cooked.
e. Add in the light soy sauce and let the meat simmers for 10 minutes.

f. When the soup is almost ready, put in the cabbage. Cook for 1 minute.

g. Remove from fire and sprinkle over a few drops of sesame oil.
h. Add soy sauce and pepper to taste.

i. Garnish the soup with the diced chicken. You can also add in some crispy onion rings or deep fried rice noodles.

Note:
a. You may replace chicken with beef, pork, mushrooms or eggs.
b. You may replace the deep fried onion rings with deep fried rice noodles.

Most of the Chinese prefer light soup in the hot days. Therefore they add no eggs or heavy meat.

Fried onions are sweet and delicious. You can prepare more and keep them in a clean glass bottle for future use. Some of you may like to eat them like a snack. Here are the steps to make them.

Rinse and pad dry the red onions. Slice them into thin rings. Heat up the wok and add in the vegetable oil. The onions should be covered in the oil. Cook them with medium fire until they are golden brown. Remove them from the oil and drain dry.

On the other hand, if you prefer to use the fried rice noodle, it is not difficult to prepare too.
First, rinse and dry the noodles. Place them in a wok of deep hot oil and fry them till they become crispy. This is a common snack for soup and porridge.

Chinese cooking is very flexible. You can add or reduce the amount of ingredients according to your likings.

An economical oriental meal is ready!

I love cooking. I love to create delicious food with easy recipes. Cooking is a joy for me. I would like to share my joy with you.

Please feel free to explore my work at http://www.allcookmakeeasy.com.

Thank you.

June Chang

Cheap Meal Ideas: 5 Easy Recipes That Won't Break the Bank!

Do you love tasty food but hate to spend lots of money on it? Looking for a few great recipes that will leave your bank account in one piece? Here are 5 cheap meal ideas you can add to your list of tasty and cost-effective recipes.

1. Easy Mexican Cuisine

Most people love some good Mexican food from time to time and thankfully, it usually doesn't cost much. Try making some ground beef, slow-cooked pork shoulder, or shredded chicken seasoned with cumin, chili powder, tomato sauce, and a little cornstarch. Add the meat to tortillas or taco shells along with cheddar cheese, salsa, and sour cream for a delicious, cheap meal.

2. Frittata

Frittatas are a great cheap meal idea for those who love to eat eggs. They are also a fantastic way to use leftover ingredients like spare veggies and little bits of meat. For a great frittata, dice your favorite meat and veggies and sauté them in some olive oil in a cast iron pan. Add 8-10 eggs, stir and scramble until halfway done, and place the pan in a 350 degree oven for 6-8 minutes or until the eggs are cooked through and fluffy. Take it out and you've got an egg pie!

3. Creamy Tuna Pasta

Tuna is a low-cost, common food, but making salads out of it tends to get old. For a better way to eat tuna, try combining it with penne pasta and a light cream sauce. Add some sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese for a great-tasting, protein-packed dish.

4. Curry Chicken

You usually get Indian from a restaurant, but it's a great cheap meal idea to make at home, too! For the simplest chicken curry possible, simply cook chicken pieces in a skillet with curry powder and salt, and add plain yogurt to make the dish creamy. To make a better curry from scratch, make a spice paste out of oil, onions, salt, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, coriander, cumin and paprika. Cook the chicken in this paste, add yogurt, and top with fresh cilantro.

5. The Perfect Pancakes

Everyone loves pancakes, and they're a great cheap meal idea, but most people don't know how to make them properly. Doing it right is all in the details! For starters, use buttermilk, not skim, 2%, or even whole milk to make the batter. Also, make sure to add plenty of melted butter to the mix. Finally, cook the pancakes over a medium heat on a cast iron or griddle pan, and make sure to use butter, not oil to cook them in. Follow these instructions, and your pancakes will taste like they came from your favorite local diner!

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Cheap Starter Recipes for Cooks on a Budget

Cheap starter recipes are becoming more popular for people to use regardless of the occasion. Saving money and purchasing ingredients which are affordable has become a necessity for many people. However, cheap does not mean that the ingredients will suffer, and you will be amazed what you can achieve on a budget.

There is a huge array of different ingredients that you can choose which will ensure you can make the best impression, regardless of your budget.

With a little bit of imagination, you will be surprised what you can achieve in your kitchen. Straightforward, cheap starter recipes can be used to produce incredible dishes.

Vol-au-vents are nice and versatile

You may think that vol-au-vents are old-fashioned and that people no longer use these simple shells at dinner parties. However, they can be the core ingredients for incredibly cheap starter recipes, which can impress everyone. You need to consider your fillings, and how to make these wonderful little snacks even more exciting.

Vol-au-vents are perfect for both hot and cold fillings and can be stuffed with different items, to suit every taste and budget. These highly versatile pastry cases can be bought in advance and stored until you need them for your party.

There are several different cheap starter recipes with vol-au-vents; however, ham and pineapple is extremely well-loved by adults and kids alike.

Recipe for ham and pineapple bites

You will need:

· Vol-au-vent cases

· 2 slices of ham, cut into pieces

· 1 oz pineapple, diced

· 1 oz cheese spread

· 1 tablespoon natural yogurt

Directions:

· Mix the spread and yogurt together in a small bowl

· Add the ham and pineapple

· Ensure that everything is coated in the dressing

· Spoon into vol-au-vent cases

· Garnish with chives

· Refrigerate until needed

Cheap starter recipes similar to these can ensure that you have a fantastic dinner party at an affordable cost. You will find that your guests love the simplicity of the dishes, and you have enough time to spend time with the people you have invited over.

Dinner parties should be be about having fun and enjoying the company of the guests you have invited. Therefore, finding recipes which are straightforward and affordable is essential to guarantee that your event is a success.

What else can you make?

Another idea is this quick mackerel pate recipe and you can spread this on bread, melba toast triangles or crackers. You could even stuff vol-au-vent cases with it, for an unusual and unique starter recipe.

Vol-au-vents and other appetizers do not have to be difficult to make and you can find plenty of wonderful starter recipes at StarterRecipes.co.uk - recipes which suit every occasion and palate.