Creative Frugal recipe

[Marie78]

I was wondering what creative recipe you came up with because you were trying to be frugal? This morning I really wanted cereal, I could have made an egg. I was in the mood for my cold cereal though and we were out of milk (just ran out). I am going to the grocery store this evening and didn't want to make an extra run to the store for just the milk.

I found french vanilla liquid creamer in the fridge that we had bought using a coupon a couple of weeks ago. I added about 1 tblsp. of the creamer to my generic rice krispies and then a little water so that I had as much liquid as when I pour milk on my cereal. It tasted like the rice krispies treats (you know the marshmallow krispy treats). It was so good, I'm definitely not going to do this everyday but I could see this being a new treat for me especially when I need a sweet treat.

Any other recipes that were discovered because frugality encouraged you to get creative and think outside the box?

[Moor]

i had a can of cream of chicken soup. some potatoes. and cheese. i was hungry, but didn't know what i wanted.

so i cut up the potatoes and boiled them like you would for mashed potatoes. then i drained them, added the soup and a can of milk and cut up the velveeta. i cooked it over low heat until the cheese was melted.

added some garlic salt, pepper and OMG! it was so good.

[Edna_E]

That sounds good. I might have to make it tonight.

[Marie78]

I had this again last night as a treat . This time I used milk and a little creamer on the cereal. I can't believe how good french vanilla creamer on cereal is (just a little though, too much would probably be too much flavor!)

[foxxyroxie]

I took leftover baked potatoes and filled them with a creamy gravy mixture made of browned ground turkey (optional), a can of cream of ? soup and leftover veggies. Topped with a bit of shredded cheese and there was dinner.

[pizzamaker]

I made a delicious chocolate cake for a very reasonable price! Gotta love walmart!

1 chocolate cake mix from walmart, .78
1 pkg chocolate chips


then for my frosting (the best part)

I make a delicious combo frosting 2 steps involved

1/4 lb butter,
1 8oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
milk
powder sugar (add to your own consistancy)

mix well

1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 pkg of cooled melted chips (to tone down sweetness use unsweetened
or dark chocolate chocolate chips.) This off sets the sweetness of the
frosting making for a less sweet lighter tasting frosting
whip cream until stiff (or almost stiff)
add cooled chocolate chips and continue mixing until well blended.

combine chocolate mixture with frosting mixture. Frost cake.


Sometimes I have enough left over use the frosting on bagels, (because there is the great taste of cream cheese flavor in it)

[Momto2Boyz]

Every few weeks, I make what my kids have lovingly dubbed "junk casserole" in our house.

Bascially, I experiment. I take whatever leftovers we have either in the cupboard or in the fridge and make a cassarole out of it. We have had some really interesting meals this way, and normally they turn out pretty good!

[nodmicks]

Every few weeks, I make what my kids have lovingly dubbed "junk casserole" in our house.

Bascially, I experiment. I take whatever leftovers we have either in the cupboard or in the fridge and make a cassarole out of it. We have had some really interesting meals this way, and normally they turn out pretty good!

Sounds like our house! We recently had a good one with turkey, cream corn, potatos, peas and a can of cream of mushroom. Looked but but sure tasted good!

[joyofsix]

Heated a can of cheap potato soup. I added some cooked broccoli and carrots (leftovers) and topped with cheese and a bit of crumbled bacon from the fridge. Actually very good and has since become a friday night/I don't wanna cook regular.

[[email protected]]

My favorite easy rice recipe:

1 can of chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. tumeric (optional)
1/8 black or white pepper
one cup of uncooked rice
one cup of frozen mixed vegetables

Whisk broth, water, onion powder, pepper
and tumeric in a pan.
Then add the rice and mixed vegetables.
Cook until rice is done.

We add grilled chicken sometimes steak.

We love this.

[stinkbug]

I threw this together one night out of *stuff* and now dh requests it.

One large chicken breast, cubed about 1/2 inch (small pieces are key to making it stretch). I saute' this in a bit of seseme oil. Add garlic and soy sauce and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add a couple tbls. of chunky peanut butter and some water till it makes a sauce. I added about a cup of juliened baby carrots and cooked until just crisp tender and then added sliced celery and peapods. Cook just until heated through, but veggies are still crisp. Served this over hot rice. This fed both of us dinner with a generous helpng for dh's lunch the next day.
The seseme oil is what gives it that *chinese food* taste and the pepper flakes and peanut better give it a Tai twist.

[LexTysMommy]

I take leftover veggies, any leftover sauce, lots of spices, leftover noodles ( I hate to toss them but they really arent very good reheated unless in spaghetti!) or leftover rice and toss in with can of diced tomatoes and a bit of water, or stock left from week. That makes a big batch of soup. No name, no real recipe, and never made same soup twice I dont think I could!

Also had a bit of cocoa wheats ( got free and kids didnt really like it!) and added it to regular oatmeal when it was done, made a chocolaty oatmeal that kids loved. And stretched oatmeal with something I normally wouldve tossed.

[PrairieRose]

A pound of lean hamburger, 1 onion and a head of cabbage cut up and all browned together. Drain off any excess grease and served meat mixture in a tortilla. We call this beerox but if you've ever had beerox you know it's not....lol. It's really good and we serve it with mustard. Yum. Easy too.

[perSue]

macaroni & tomato juice.

sounds yucky at first.
boil pasta, save starchy water (2-3 cups or so).
pan back on stove, add tom. juice, add pasta, add a few cups at a time of starchy water, let thicken.

really plain & simple - i like it better than marinara (don't like the sugar in it).

to spruce it up... add veggies.

[joyofsix]

macaroni & tomato juice.
sounds yucky at first.
boil pasta, save starchy water (2-3 cups or so).
pan back on stove, add tom. juice, add pasta, add a few cups at a time of starchy water, let thicken.
really plain & simple - i like it better than marinara (don't like the sugar in it).
to spruce it up... add veggies.

My mom used to make this. She added bacon and called it 'goulash' though I know now it wasn't. Thanks for bringing back a memory.