New DIRT CHEAP meals thread!

[nellebelle]

Creamed Hamburger

1 lb hamburger (we use pork sausage)
1 onion chopped
3 T. flour
1-1/2 c. milk (we use soy milk)
salt and pepper (we add garlic powder)

Brown meat and onion. Add flour, then milk, and cook until thick. Season. Serve on rice, noodles, toast, or mashed taters.

Autumn Soup
I use this when I have leftover meat and I want to clean out bits of frozen veggies from the freezer.

meat (we usually use a left over pork chop, steak, or a half lb. hamburger/turkeyburger)
1/2 c. chopped onion
water (it calls for 2 cups but I usually add a lot more!)
celery (I don't add this 'cause hubby hates it)
3/4 c. taters
a can of tomatoes
any other veggie I feel like throwing in.
If I have it, I'll add a dry onion soup mix for flavor

Brown/heat meat in a little bit of hot fat in a kettle. Add onions and cook 5 more minutes. Add remaining ingredients except tomatoes and mix. Bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes longer.

I also do the chicken thing. I'll oven fry chicken one night and while 2 pieces are frying I'll boil the other two. Then I put the broth in a container and the chicken in another and stick it in the fridge. The next night I'll use all the broth but one cup and one piece of chicken to make Chicken and dumplings (I use the dumping recipe on the side of the jiffy box). The next night I'll make Chicken ala King using the last piece of chicken and the 1 c. broth I saved.

Chicken ala King

1/3 c. mushrooms (canned or fresh)
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
1/4 c. butter/margarine
1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. milk or cream (we use soy milk)
1 c. diced chicken (cooked)

Saute mushrooms and green pepper in butter/margarine. Blend in flour and seasonings. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly (mine gets dry, lol). Remove from heat. Slowly stir in broth and milk. Bring to boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 min. Add chicken. Continue cooking until meat is heated through. Serve over toast, biscuits, chow mein noodles or our personal fave... rice.

HTH,
Nelle

[Mamax4]

and I find that keep things pretty cheap. I almost exclusively buy organic (for my childrens health, and the health of the hardworking people at the bottom of our societal food chain-0 migrant workers etc, and for earth-loving reasons). I find I have more money to buy good food when I stay away from processed food. I also want to buy the best nutriton for my money. We also try to eat things in season. So anyway, here's my list of what we think is important.

We are lucky to have access to:

dry brown rice and other organic rice
quiona
dry beans of all sorts
dry legumes
whole grain flours
whole oats
dry popcorn
dry pasta
flax seed


Veggies that keep well & offer good health

garlic
onions
sweet potatoes
pumpkins
carrots
cabbages

an important veggie that doesn't keep so well: avocado

Some other cheap fruits & veggies that offer health punch

Kale
Swiss chard
Apples
Spinach
Strawberries (in season)
Canteloupe (in season)

Sometimes we eat meat, like organic chicken, but nostly we do not. We also sometimes eat tofu, but mostly we do not, since it is so processed. But it packs a nice protein punch. We tend to eat local organic eggs for our protein needs and some cheese. While we are not vegetarians, we try to live in food harmony. Food is relatively cheap in the US compared to other places in the world. We try to honor that by buying quality food and supporting the organic farmers who have the foresight to care for our earth.

I think some food can be dirt cheap-- like ramen and mac & cheese etc., but for long term health-- for kids and the planet-- we have to be careful. Putting money aside for bulk food purchases of rice and beans etc is more at the onset, but will save money and give good health in the long run.

I have helped a couple of folks IRL get their pantries started. Living pay check to pay check makes buying good food hard. YK, when people want to use cloth, but only have enough $ that week for a package of Dribottoms from Walmart? All people need is a leg up sometimes. Like a credit union for healthy starts...

Laurie, dreamin'

[lilac]

Roasted Veggie Soup

I put in a glass pyrex oven dish:

Tomatoes (Romas- sliced in half)

Lot of peeled garlic- you can leave it whole

I chop into big pieces- easy and quick!
Peppers

Zucchini

Celery

Onions

I put them all in the oven dish, drizzle with olive oil- don't add seasonings yet so that salt doesn't pull water out. You want the veggies to keep their water in so that they carmelize a bit- YUM!

When they are all mushy and smell AWESOME, put in food processor and add seasonings. I add vege-sal, pepper, italian seasonings- all to taste. You can add more olive oil if you like the taste.

It is so yummy as soup BUT...you can stretch it by serving over pasta, rice, cous cous, quinoa...yummy and easy too

Freezes great!

Hope you enjoy!

julie

[amelia]

Pizza casserole or in my house "up side down pizza"

layer 1 lb ground beef browned and drained in a 9x13 baking dish, 1 jar spaghetti sauce, 2-3 cups moz cheese in that order

in a bowl mix 1 1/4 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup oil, 3 eggs and 2 cups milk

pour over pizza ingredients, bake at 400 for 30 min or so.

now to make it healthier you can use tvp soaked for all or part of the meat (50/50 is undetectable) and add some good pizza veggies like peppers mushroom zucchini etc w/the sauce layer. I use part whole wheat flour in it.

it's an adaptation of a Bisquick recipe so uyou can use 1 1/2 cup Bisquick in place of the oil and dry ingredients.