Low-Cost Recipes

Ingredients: 

 Ingredients:

1 - 1 1/2 lbs chicken (tenders, breasts, thighs, just no bones.)
2 cans Cream of Something soup (I used one Cream of Celery and one Cream of Mushroom)
2 cups milk
2 cups water
2 cups instant rice
1 bag chopped frozen broccoli
2 packets poultry gravy mix

Directions: 

In a mixing bowl or extra large measuring cup, mix milk, water, cream of something soup, and gravy mix. Make sure there are no lumps.

Add to 9x13 baking dish and mix well with instant rice. 

Evenly distribute the chicken on top of the rice mixture. 

Top with broccoli. 

Wrap tightly with foil. 

Bake at 350F for about an hour (or until chicken is fully cooked and rice is creamy)

 A simple American goulash recipe. Very comfort food vibes. Also, soft to eat, which was handy after Eldest had an accident requiring an emergency dentist visit and doctor's orders to eat soft foods. This is a recipe she tweaked, since I've never been a fan of goulash.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
2 cups elbow macaroni or pasta of choice
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
2 8oz cans tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
1Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Brown ground beef in large saucepan (I used a pan advertised for frying chicken, and whatever pan is used, it needs to have a lid), and drain off excess grease.

 
Add onion and bell pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft.

Add pasta, tomato sauce, water, and seasonings.

Cover and simmer on low for about 25 minutes, or until thickened and pasta is cooked to desired texture.

We added shredded cheese to our bowls to add a bit of fun. 

 A midwestern salad that isn't really a salad. Tastes like a tangy orange creamsicle popsicle, in fluff salad form. Great for summer or Halloween/Fall Festivals.

Ingredients

6 oz box orange gelatin
2 3.4 oz box vanilla pudding mix
2 8 oz tubs  cool whip
3 15oz cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 bag mini marshmallows
2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold water

In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin and boiling water until fully dissolved. Add the cold water. Put in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

Pull bowl from fridge and whisk in pudding mixture until smooth. Cover or put on lid. Put it back in the fridge for another 15-20 minutes.

Pull bowl and whisk the mixture. Fold in the cool whip and mini marshmallows until light orange and uniform. Fold in the oranges gently, so the majority stay intact.

Cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve. Optional: Reserve a cup of the marshmallows and one can's worth of oranges to garnish before serving.

Eldest child found this recipe on Pinterest, did some tweaks, made cupcakes instead of a sheet cake, and they were a hit at the office pot luck and at home aka there were none left over when Eldest came home. Ironically, Eldest is the only one who does not care for the taste. "Too coffee forward", but then, she's a "I'll have a little coffee with my cream and sugar" kind of gal. 

Daughter here. Years ago, Mom was at the end of her pantry, the grocery money would not drop into the account for a couple of days, but we still needed dinner. She rifled through her collection of recipe books and magazines and found a casserole recipe that she actually had all the ingredients for. She made it. It looked weird. Smelled kind of funny. Everyone (including stepdad and baby bro who would eat just about anything) poked at their food for a bit before trying it.

It was Awesome. It kind of made layers when it baked, but it worked. We all wanted seconds and we're bummed when there were none. A rare 6 out of 6 (3 of us kids, both parents, and a guest who was visiting from out of town.) on Mom's rating scale.

And then she promptly lost the recipe. We knew it involved broccoli, cheese, rice, cream of something soup, and corn flakes. She thinks it was from Taste of Home. We have scoured the Taste of Home website, Pinterest, and friend's recipe stashes, to no avail. It has been almost 20 years, and we have finally found something similar in taste, smell, and appearance. It is under development to get to what we like.

This is the recipe for those times you want to grill hot dogs or cheeseburgers at home, want the good baked beans, but without all the fuss of making them from scratch.

Ingredients:

1 can Pork and Beans (we use the slightly larger can you can get at Dollar Tree by Campbells)

Brown Sugar

Powdered Mustard

Ketchup

Dehydrated onions/ Dried minced onions

In a small pot empty the can of beans. Now, the rest is by taste. Our family likes it a bit sweeter, so I use a 1/4 cup of brown sugar, maybe 1/8 tsp, a pinch of the dehydrated onions, and a heavy squirt of ketchup. You then mix it all up and simmer until it thickens back up. If I have it on hand, sometimes I will add flax seed to sneak extra fiber into the diet. 

I fully admit: this is not the baked beans your aunt takes to the cookout. Not even close. This is just a step up from a plain can of baked beans you can get at the store. Mom's been doing this for as long as I can remember, and she says she learned it from Grandma.

 Daughter checking in again. Mom put a version of chicken pot pie (which we often use the day after Thanksgiving with leftover turkey instead of chicken to use up some of the leftovers) on the blog years ago. It's tasty, it's comfort food, it's fairly easy. But, unfortunately, our local grocery store chain (Giant Eagle) has chicken pot pies in their hot food counter that has such a good flavor to the, for lack of a better word, gravy inside, topped with a circle of puff pastry. We have been trying for years to mimic the taste of it, and despite being given false leads from some of the staff at our local store, we think we have come pretty darned close. To keep with the theme of Low Budget, most everything you could get at a Dollar Tree if need be, but if you want to get the same experience, two items (the fancy cream of chicken soup and puff pastry topping) were bought on sale at Giant Eagle.

Ingredients:

1 can of Swanson's Chicken a la King

1 can of Cream of Chicken with Herbs (regular cream of chicken will work, but the additional flavors takes it to the next level. Store brands don't typically make this flavor, so we get them when on sale)

1 large can of chunk white chicken or 2 small cans

1 can mixed vegetables

1 can peas

1 can sliced carrots

1 roll of puff pastry, or biscuit like topping of your choice (like sheets of crescent rolls with the perforations sealed or biscuit mix poured on top)

If using puff pastry, 1 egg

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a 9x13" baking dish, mix the Chicken a la King and cream of chicken soup. Open the cans of vegetables and chicken, draining off the liquid. Layer the three cans of vegetables in the baking dish, distributing evenly. On top, layer the shredded chicken evenly. You can mix it together or leave as a layer on top. Top with puff pastry or biscuit topping of choice. If using puff pastry, wisk one egg and use as an egg wash over the top of the puff pastry. 

Bake at 425 F for 30 mins or until topping is fully cooked. Makes 6 servings.

 When grocery shopping, we'll often buy ground beef in bulk, and not just when we hit Sam's Club or Costco. The larger packs at the average grocery store will work for us. 

Most of it I will cook up, crumble, and drain, just like you would have to for many casserole recipes or simple meals, like tacos. **hums the "White people Taco night" song by Lewburger** I then take out the small kitchen scale and divide it into zip lock bags to freeze.

These bags cut evening dinner prep sometimes by half. Instead of having to cook the raw meat, then assemble the dish and cook, we empty a bag of precooked hamburger, assemble and cook. You don't necessarily need to thaw it, if you crumble it fine enough and drain the fat off very well. 

In addition to the time saved, there is a significant amount of food waste avoidance. We have all had a time where we bought a pack of hamburger and it got shoved back behind something in the fridge and didn't get found until it has already turned. With this method, I typically cook up the hamburger either the day I buy it or the next day, so still very fresh, and then freeze it. Any I want left uncooked (like for meatloaf, cheeseburgers, etc.), I will divide up into bags and also freeze if I am not going to use it right away. With the cost of meat always on the rise, we can keep an eye out for good sales, buy a large quantity, and not waste money or food. 

 We found a recipe with this same name, but it was so bland when we tried it. It was disappointing, but had promise as a base. Taking it as inspiration, we came up with our own version, and it does not have many ingredients, so is good for a quick "I can't think of anything for dinner" kind of night.

Ingredients :

1lb ground beef, crumbled and drained

1 15 Oz can of either Southwest corn (with the peppers) or Fire roasted corn, drained.

1 10.5 Oz can Cheddar cheese soup

1 10.5 Oz can Golden Mushroom soup

Frozen French fries 

French fry seasoning 

In a standard casserole dish (13x9 in), mix the ground beef, soups, and drained corn until homogenous. Smooth evenly through the pan. Spread a layer of the French fries across the top. You should still be able to see the mixture through the fries. We have found that about 3/4ths of a bag will be almost too much. Sprinkle a little bit of the French fry seasoning across the top.

Bake for 40 minutes at 425, or until fries are done. Makes about 6 servings. 

 This is a recipe I (oldest daughter) modified from a recipe that is on the side of a box of Jiffy baking mix. Just a small tweak that I think adds to it. It makes 6 good sized portions, but could make 8 slightly smaller portions, depending on how you divide the casserole dish. The topping is similar to the one that is used in the pot pie recipe, but is both fluffier and more custard like in texture. It's odd to describe, but there have been no complaints. I've actually gotten requests for it, now that we've added it to the recipe rotation. 

Ingredients:

1 10 Oz bag of frozen broccoli

1 large chicken breast, cooked and shredded (about 1 1/2 cups), or 1 10 Oz can of white chicken, drained

1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

1 10 or 14 Oz can of Cream of something soup. I use Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Celery

1 cup Jiffy baking mix or Bisquick 

3 eggs

1 cup of milk

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven at 400°F

Spray or lightly grease a 13x9 casserole dish. 

Mix together the can of soup, the chicken, cheese, and broccoli, then evenly distribute in the casserole dish. 

In a bowl, mix together the baking mix, eggs, milk, and salt and pepper. For a kick, you could replace the salt and pepper with a peppery seasoning salt, like Tony Chachere's. Mix well. It should seem runny and have very few lumps.

Pour the baking mix over the filling. Some of the broccoli might peek through. That is fine. Just try to get the crust part as even as possible. It will seep down into the chicken mixture. If you have ever made Cheeseburger In Paradise, it is kind of like that. 

Bake for 35-40 mins. 

 This recipe, like the basic white bread recipe, can be done without a bread machine. You will need to bloom the yeast first, though.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Warm water (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit)

2 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Egg, beaten

1/4 Cup Sugar

3 Cups Flour (Bread or All Purpose)

3 Teaspoons Yeast

Put in the machine pan in the order listed. Could be made into one fluffy loaf of bread (I'll make it as a loaf for holiday meals, like Thanksgiving dinner), or cut the dough into 12-16 evenly sized balls, shape, and place in a 9 by 12 inch cake pan or casserole dish. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the top with butter.

One thing we found is that the rolls, next day, work great for a substitute for a hamburger bun. 

 Daughter here. One thing I keep an eye open for at thrift stores is bread machines. More often than not, they were never opened/used, and just gathering dust in someone's closet. They are a great time saver, and if you are like me, it'll save wear and tear on your shoulders, since it does the kneading for you. You still have to monitor it, and adjust the recipe to that day's humidity, but it can be a "set it and forget it" kind of thing. 

Personally, I rarely actually bake the bread in the machine, and just use the dough setting. I'll punch it down, shape, and set it for a second rise in a loaf pan, and bake in the oven. But on a busy day when I have a lot to do and I forgot to get the bread started before dinner, I will use the bake setting. The only downside is that there will be a slit in the bottom of the loaf from the mixing paddle.

This is a basic white bread recipe. No frills or anything, and it can be made without a bread machine, you would just have to activate the yeast before starting. Most bread recipes can be converted to a machine recipe. You just need to put the ingredients in the mixing pan in a certain order, just like in this recipe. It's typically liquids first, like water, milk, eggs, salt, sugar, and the fat being used, flour on top of the liquid mixture, and, in a divot in the flour, the yeast.

Ingredients:

1 cup hot, but not boiling water (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit) 

1/4 cup of oil (vegetable or grapeseed is what I use) 

1 1/2 Teaspoons salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

3 Cups bread flour (All Purpose can work, or a mixture of Whole Wheat and White Bread flour, but all whole wheat would need more water added to the mix. In our house, we use King Arthur brand, since it is not enriched flour. If whole wheat is in the mix, you will need to add more moisture.) 

3 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast (This is more than what is in a packet. I buy the little jars of it at the grocery store, and keep it in the fridge once opened. It rarely fails to rise for me, unlike the packets.)

Put the ingredients in the machine's pan in the order listed (wet, dry, then yeast). If your machine has different loaf size settings, this is somewhere between a 1 lb and 1.5 lbs loaf, but I typically just use the 1 lb settings, with a medium crust. If you plan to use your oven, just use the dough setting, & it will mix and do the first rise. If you want a second rise, punch it down before shaping in your loaf pan, and let rise for about half an hour. I will spray a piece of foil with cooking spray and lay on top of the loaf (not pinching it down, in case the loaf rises in the oven while baking), and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the foil, and finish baking for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the crust is as golden brown as I like. Your mileage may vary, depending on your oven. Mine just likes to make a dark crust unless I use the foil trick. Another method is to use a Pullman pan. I recommend spraying the pan and using parchment paper to line.

Let the bread cool before slicing outside of the pan on a rack. 

 I found a recipe on an index card in a vintage cookbook. Haven't tried it yet, since Mom is anti-mushroom. Just putting it in here so I don't lose it.

Ingredients:

12 large mushrooms

1 tbs minced onion

1/4 c butter

1/2 tbs salt

1 c soft bread crumbs

1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

Stove Top Dressing 

Instructions:

Chop stems. Mix all together with Stove Top Dressing. Put in a shallow pan with a little water.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. 

An Eldest Daughter Post 

1-1 1/2 lbs hamburger
1 16 oz jar chunky spaghetti sauce
2 eggs
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 package (16 oz) Mozzarella or Italian blend shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350f
 In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add bread crumbs and 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce. Mix thoroughly. Add meat to mixture and combine.
 Lay out a long piece of cling wrap, foil, or wax paper. On one end, place your loaf pan. Use this as a guide and roll out the meat mixture into a thin layer (max thickness of 1/2") that's as wide as the pan is long.
Spread 1 cup of sauce on top of the meat, leaving about an inch at the furthest edge (on the side that is as wide as the pan) clear of sauce. Sprinkle 3/4 of the bag of cheese on top of the sauce. Roll up the meat like a swiss roll, starting at the sauced end and ending at the empty end of the meat. Pinch the end closed, and place in loaf pan sealed side down.
 Bake for roughly 1 hour, checking for doneness. (Your mileage may vary, depending on your oven.)
When no longer pink in the center, remove from the oven, and spread the last 1/2 cup of sauce on top, followed by the last 1/4 of the package of cheese. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
 Serve with plain pasta (little to no sauce) and maybe broccoli or the "Florentine blend" of steamed vegetables.

 Note from daughter: My mom looks at me funny and blatantly says "No." when I offer to make this for her. She has never eaten it, but she says it sounds too weird for her. Honestly, it tastes like if a meatloaf and a meatball stuffed full of cheese had a food baby.
Since my immediate family won't eat it, I have references of a sort from friends, former significant others, and coworkers. My former roommates and an ex boyfriend would beg me to make this, and didn't understand why I didn't make it more often. A former coworker paid me $20 per meatloaf I made for him (maybe once a month) because, despite only having 5 ingredients, he insisted that I made it better than he ever could. Another coworker asked for the recipe, and reported that it passed the finicky toddler test. I figure if a 4 year old who won't eat anything but chicken nuggets wants more, it's got to be good.

1-1.5 lbs ground beef (can substitute the "Meatloaf Mix" of ground beef and pork some grocery stores sell)
2 eggs
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2-1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce (to taste)
1/2-1 teaspoon A-1 steak sauce (to taste)
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350f.
In a mixing bowl, crack and lightly beat 2 eggs. Add in the sauces and tablespoon of ketchup, and mix thoroughly. Gradually add bread crumbs until fully combined. Add in meat/meat mixture, and work together fully, avoiding clumps of bread crumb mixture.
Spray loaf pan lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking (an important step if you use a draining loaf pan, like the Perfect Meatloaf Pan). Gently mold meat mixture into a loaf like shape that's an even thickness along it's length.
Bake for 1 hour. Check the loaf for doneness. Continue baking until no pink can be seen. Pull out of oven, and apply an even coat of the remaining ketchup on the top. Return to oven for another 5-10 minutes, or until ketchup turns into a glaze like substance and darkens.
Remove and serve. Feeds roughly 4 people, depending on how thick you cut the slices, and if people want seconds.

 Note from daughter: Out of my two meatloaf recipes, this is the one my mom likes. She looked at me funny when I pulled out the tin of bread crumbs, since she normally uses oats or bits of bread heels she's frozen, etc., but she actually liked this!

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.