Low-Cost Recipes

Leftover creamed peas, chili, or broccoli and cheese can make a great topping for a baked, or boiled, potato. I used to make a small pan of creamed peas just for lunch. While the peas were cooking I put some potatoes, with their peels still on, in water to boil in another pan. When the potatoes were done, I would cut them open lengthwise, spread about 1/2 teaspoon butter on the now open sides, then top with a few tablespoons of the creamed peas. Nice and filling while a great break from soups or sandwiches for that particular time of day.

If you have a cup to 1/2 a cup of leftover cooked rice - mix it in with your favorite meat loaf or meat balls recipe. Yummy and one less leftover in the fridge!

My preferred chili recipe is too spicey - or so my husband claims. This is the variation I came up for him to have on Chili Night in our household.

List of Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef; cooked; drained
• 3 cans of chili beans; do not drain
• 1 can diced tomatoes; do not drain
• 2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup onion; chopped
• 1/4 cup green peppers; chopped
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder

Preparation:

In a large dutch oven, combine all the ingredients and let simmer, over medium heat, for 30 to 45 minutes.

Servings: 6 to 8; depending on how heavy handed you are with the soup ladle.

Garnishments (optional): Sprinkle with Taco Blend Cheeses after dipping.

Family Rating: Hard to say since this is usually prepared for one person's tastes. However, considering the children, and my husband, usually finish off the leftovers the next day at lunchtime I will give this recipe a 4 out of 5 wanted seconds rating.

When adding canned diced tomatoes to a recipe using Taco Seasoning Mix, bear in mind that diced tomatoes generally have around 1/4 cup of tomato juice packed with them. Adjust water amounts added to a recipe accordingly to not have the final result a little soupier than anticipated.

In fact, as a sidenote, if you have some tomato juice in the refridgerator - use that in the Taco Seasoning Mix versus water, as called for in the instructions, for a little more flavor.

Another variation of my mother's recipe. This one uses a mix of fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables - which is exactly how my mother used to make this soup. Ah, the memories!

List of Ingredients:

• 1 soup bone
• 1 quart vegetable (or tomato) juice; divided
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 2 cups water; divided
• 1 can cut green beans (blue lake); drained
• 4 to 6 potatoes; peeled; cubed
• 2 ribs of celery; cut in half lengthwise then chopped
1-1/2 cups frozen corn
• 1-1/2 cups frozen peas
• 3 carrots; peeled; sliced in half lengthwise; chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes; do not drain
• (optional) 1 single serving can of lima beans
• 1/4 cup onions; chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1-1/2 teaspoon low sodium beef bullion
• 1 teaspoon low sodium chicken bullion
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 head of cabbage; chopped
• 1 tablespoon parsley; chopped

Preparation:

In a large dutch oven pour in half the can of vegetable (or tomato) juice, 1 cup of water, salt, pepper, bullions, and garlic. Simmer for 15 minutes over a medium heat then add the soup bone. Add additional vegetable (or tomato) juice until the soup bone is covered by liquids. Cover and let simmer for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low-medium then add cabbage, cover, and let simmer until the cabbage is half-cooked (about 30 minutes). Remove the soup bone and add remaining ingredients. Cover and let simmer on low-medium heat for at least an additional 2 to 4 hours. If the broth evaporates too much for your tastes, add another cup of water and let simmer for another 30 minutes before serving.

Servings: 8 to 10; depending on how heavy-handed you are with the soup ladle

Garnishments (optional): Sprinkle top with parsley flakes after dipping.

Family Rating: 5 out of 5 wanted seconds.

Preparation:

In a large dutch oven pour in half the can of vegetable (or tomato) juice, 1 cup of water, salt, pepper, bullions, and garlic. Simmer for 15 minutes over a medium heat then add the soup bone. Add additional vegetable (or tomato) juice until the soup bone is covered by liquids. Cover and let simmer for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low-medium then add cabbage, cover, and let simmer until the cabbage is half-cooked (about 30 minutes). Remove the soup bone and add remaining ingredients. Cover and let simmer on low-medium heat for at least an additional 2 to 4 hours and vegetables are tender. If the broth evaporates too much for your tastes, add another cup of water and let simmer for another 30 minutes before serving.

Servings: 8 to 10; depending on how heavy-handed you are with the soup ladle

Garnishments (optional): Sprinkle top with parsley flakes after dipping.

Family Rating: 5 out of 5 wanted seconds.

When cooking ground beef or other meats that you will need to drain. I scoot the meats, when done, to one side of the skillet then angle the skillet half on and half off the burner to allow the grease and drippings to pool on the other side while I do other things. I either scoop out the meats with a spatula or, if needing to add other ingredients into the skillet with the meats, use a turkey baster to draw out the unwanted grease.

This is my mother's recipe but she would make a very large pot of this soup. When the pot only held about 1/3 of the soup, she would just make a new batch - leaving the remaining portion to mix in with the new. Us kids loved it when she made this soup and never grew tired of it. This variation of the recipe makes a smaller amount and uses canned vegetables.

List of ingredients:

• 1 soup bone
• 1 quart vegetable (or tomato) juice; divided
• 1 8-ounce cans of tomato sauce
• 2 cups water; divided
• 4 cans mixed vegetables; drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes; do not drain
• 1/4 cup onions; chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1-1/2 teaspoon low sodium beef bullion
• 1 teaspoon low sodium chicken bullion
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 head of cabbage; chopped
• 1 tablespoon parsley; chopped

Preparation:

In a large dutch oven pour in half the can of vegetable (or tomato) juice, 1 cup of water, salt, pepper, bullions, and garlic. Simmer for 15 minutes over a medium heat then add the soup bone. Add additional vegetable (or tomato) juice until the soup bone is covered by liquids. Cover and let simmer for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low-medium then add cabbage, cover, and let simmer until the cabbage is half-cooked (about 30 minutes). Remove the soup bone and add remaining ingredients. Cover and let simmer on low-medium heat for at least an additional 2 to 4 hours. If the broth evaporates too much for your tastes, add another cup of water and let simmer for another 30 minutes before serving.

Servings: 8 to 10; depending on how heavy-handed you are with the soup ladle

Garnishments (optional): Sprinkle top with parsley flakes after dipping.

Family Rating: 5 out of 5 wanted seconds.