Cheap, Easy Meal Ideas

[Rayne]

My daughter is 21 and even though I tried while she was younger she really can't cook. She doesn't have the money for the expensive packaged dinners. She lives with her boyfriend and a roommate. Her bf can cook and does but he works later than dd and often doesn't get home until late.

I have been trying to think of things dd can cook that are not hard and that they can afford. They are all college students or will be when school starts back.

The only things I can think of are tuna-noodle casserole, broccoli casserole and pasta with some sort of sauce. BTW my dd was vegetarian for years and while she now eats meat, she will not touch it raw to cook it.

Any ideas?

[pollypurebred39]

Calzone

A calzone is a turnover or pocket made with pizza dough and filled with veggies, cheese, and pretty much anything else you put on pizza.


Tools
rolling pin
spoon
fork
baking sheet
Ingredients
batch pizza dough (can get for around $2 in a grocery)
1-2 c Italian tomato sauce (optional)
Fillings
1 T oil
Directions Preheat oven to 375.
After the dough has risen, been punched down, and rested, divide into four or eight pieces. Roll each piece into a ¼-in circle.

Spread tomato sauce over half of each circle, leaving a 1-inch border along the edge. Then add fillings on top of the sauce.

Fold the plain half of the circle over the filled half and press the edges together with a fork, so that you end up with a filled half circle of dough. Repeat with remaining dough and fillings.

Oil the baking sheet, then arrange the calzones on it. Bake about 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let sit 10 minutes before eating (filling will be very hot!)

[pollypurebred39]

Cheese Enchiladas

Cheese enchiladas are very rich and filling, but if you're a cheese lover like me, they're one of the best dishes to get your fix.

Yield 6-8 enchiladas
Time 30 minutes
Tools
grater
knife
medium bowl
wooden spoon
13x9 baking dish
aluminum foil
several small bowls
Ingredients
2 to 2½ c cheese (Chihuahua, Monterey Jack, and/or cheddar)
½ c onion, diced (optional)
1-2 oz pickled jalapeños, minced (optional)
1½-2 c red chile sauce
6-8 warm tortillas (depending on size)
1 c lettuce, shredded
1 avocado, diced or 1 c guacamole (optional)
1 c sour cream (optional)
1 c fresh tomato, diced (optional)
Directions Grate cheese and combine all but ½ c with the onion and jalapeños. Spread half of the sauce evenly in the baking dish.
Preheat oven to 400.

Lay a tortilla flat on counter, and sprinkle about ¼ c of cheese mixture in a line across the center. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Pour remaining sauce on top and spread so that each enchilada is entirely covered. Sprinkle remaining ½ c cheese on top.

Cover with foil and bake until hot, about 20 minutes. Serve with side dishes of lettuce, avocado or guacamole, sour cream, and tomato.

Notes Serve cheese enchiladas with refried beans and Spanish rice for a hearty meal.

[pollypurebred39]

Egg Salad

This classic egg salad can be enjoyed in sandwiches or atop a bed of lettuce and veggies.

Yield enough for 4 sandwiches
Time 20 minutes
Tools
large bowl
wooden spoon
Ingredients
½ c mayonnaise
several T red or green onion, finely minced
1 stalk celery, finely minced
2 T fresh parsley, minced
1-2 T Dijon mustard
dash salt and pepper
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
Directions If you're going to eat the egg salad right away, you can use the eggs while they're still warm. Otherwise, let them cool first.
Combine everything but eggs. Chop the eggs, stir into mayonnaise mixture, and serve or refrigerate.

[pollypurebred39]

French Toast

This is the recipe for the best French toast I've ever had - a variation on the house recipe at a little café I used to work at in Illinois. I hope you enjoy it!

Yield 2 servings
Time 10 minutes
Tools
medium bowl
whisk
griddle or large frying pan
spatula
Ingredients
2 T butter
3 eggs
½ c milk
1 T sugar, preferable raw or brown
1 t nutmeg
½ t cinnamon
1 t vanilla
4 slices bread or 8 slices French bread (fresh or stale)
Directions Melt the butter in the griddle or frying pan.
Whisk remaining ingredients (except the bread) until well mixed.

Dip a slice of bread in the mixture and allow to soak up some liquid (about 30 seconds for fresh bread, one minute for stale bread).

Place on the melted butter and cook on both sides until golden brown.

Repeat with remaining bread, making sure to whisk the liquid before each dip to keep the spices from settling to the bottom.

[pollypurebred39]

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is one of those dishes that sound boring, but can be just as delicious as a "fancier" pasta dish like lasagne or pesto.

Yield 6 servings
Time 45 minutes
Tools
large saucepan
whisk
large baking dish
Ingredients
1 T butter
2 T milk
2 T flour
1 t dry mustard
1 t paprika
1½ c milk, hot
½ t salt
1 t pepper
¾ c cheese (cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack, or a mix), shredded
3½ c macaroni or other small pasta, cooked
2 T sour cream (optional)
2 T bread crumbs
Directions Preheat oven to 350 and lightly butter the baking dish.
Heat 1 T butter with 2 T milk. When bubbly, whisk in the flour, mustard, and paprika.

Keep stirring for 2 minutes, then gradually start whisking in the 1½ c milk. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 5-10 minutes, until thickened.

Add salt, pepper, and cheese, and simmer until melted.

Stir in the cooked pasta, then pour the pasta/cheese mixture into the baking dish.

Sprinkle the top with drops of optional sour cream, then bread crumbs.

Cook until brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

[happymomof4]

any kind of mexican food. Tacos, burritos. Homemade pizza. She can buy cheap mixes for the crust. I even use english muffins to make pizzas.

[pollypurebred39]

Panzanella
Panzanella is a bread and vegetable salad from Tuscany. It's a pretty flexible recipe, as long as you have the two most important ingredients: very ripe tomatoes and day-old, good country bread.

Yield 6-8 servings
Time 15 minutes, plus time to sit
Tools
large bowl
knife
peeler
Ingredients
3 large, ripe tomatoes
1 large cucumber
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
½ small red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ c fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 c fresh basil, chopped
1½ t capers OR a few strong olives, chopped
1 t salt
black pepper
3 T olive oil
3 T balsamic vinegar
½ pound day-old country bread
Optional ingredients:

thin slices of fennel
grilled eggplant
thinly sliced celery
thinly sliced radishes
hearts of romaine, sliced
radicchio, torn
Directions After you wash and dry the tomatoes, hold them over the bowl as you cut out the core and cut them into 1-inch pieces, taking care to keep all of the juice in the bowl.
Peel and trim cucumbers, cut in half, remove seeds, and slice. Trim the peppers, remove seeds, and thinly slice. Thinly slice the onion. Add these vegetables to the tomatoes along with the garlic, parsley, basil, and capers or olives (and any of the optional ingredients). Add salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar, and toss.

Cut bread into 1-inch cubes, add to the vegetables, and carefully toss so that the bread soaks up the dressing.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Let sit for an hour or two and serve.

[pollypurebred39]

Quesadillas

Quesadillas - toasted tortillas filled with melted cheese - are quick, easy, and a favorite of kids.

Yield 2 servings
Time 5 minutes
Tools
large griddle/frying pan
spatula
Ingredients
1 T butter or oil
4 flour tortillas
1 c grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Directions Heat the butter or oil in the saucepan.
Spread out a tortilla in the pan, sprinkle ¼ of the cheese over one half, and fold the other half over.

Repeat with another tortilla so that you have two folded tortillas side by side in the pan.

Toast for 30-45 seconds, turn both, toast for another 30-45 seconds, remove, repeat, and serve.

Notes For a more interesting meal, try spicing these up with sautéed onions, guacamole, and/or salsa.

[Contrary Housewife]

grilled cheese sandwiches
quesadillas (grilled cheese made with tortillas)
tomato soup: 1 can chicken broth + 1 can tomato puree
lentil soup/stew: directions on most packages
baked potatoes w/canned chili
pigs in blankets (if she'll touch hot dogs or breakfast sausage long enough to roll it )

One of my favorite cheap convenience foods are those bags of frozen burritos. You get 10-12 bean burritos for about $4 which comes out to under 50c each.

[lisaflex]

black beans. make a batch in the crockpot.

in a pan, heat up some OO. add 1/2 red onion, then add some chpd garlic, can add a diced tomato, add beans, add hot sauce. heat til warm. squeeze fresh lime on it. yum

can do the same w/ white beans.
heat OO, 1/2 red onion, lots of garlic, beans, heat til warm. sqeeze w/ frsh lemon. this is great served beside grilled skewered shrimp.

[lisaflex]

what about a pita stuffed w/ tuna salad ....that is good too!

[lisaflex]

pasta w/ garlic and oil is another fave! can get even healthier by adding frsh diced tomato and some frsh basil. sprinkle w/ real grated romano cheese

[Judi Dial]

Working woman's Pasta: cooked pasta with a sauce of garlic, onion, and smashed tomatoes. Serve w/fresh-grated parmesan.

Uses 1 lg or 2 med tomatoes per adult serving. (You can add sauteed mushrooms, basil, etc. to this.

Another:

Cook some pasta, just before they're done, turn off the water and throw in about one cup of frozen peas, drain. Stir in some pesto. Serve w/ fresh parmesan as above.

Judi

[lisaflex]

likin the pesto idea as there is some protein in it. i make mine w/ spinach, frsh parsley, frsh basil, garlic, walnuts and grtd romano...yummy. makes quite a bit too!