Your Recipes for Soup, Crock pot & Other Frugal Meals

[CowboyMcCoy]

First off, I just wanted to say that I loved Hostile's thread about crock pot creations, to which so many members contributed. As of now, I'm trying not to break my budget. But I have such bad habits of going to the store and buying what I want. The thing is, I have a child on the way and need to save some money. That is a good thing. The other good thing is I love to cook. I'm just trying to show my stubborn wife that we don't have to break a Benjamin every time we go to the store, which is at least once a weak.

So I start this thread with the hopes of learning some cheap, healthy and tasty ways to cook for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The other thing is I'm about 15lbs over my target weight, so I'm trying to eat healthier by not eating beef or fried foods. Yes it will be hard. But while some may say I'm gaining sympathy weight, I have a hard time losing it once I pass that certain threshold.

In any case, I want others to share some recipes that are good for those on a budget. I'm interested in soups and beans, but other dishes are welcome as well.

Basically, I know how to get by on a sack of potatoes and some beans. But I just want to know how I can spice those things up a bit.

 

[Meat-O-Rama]

My favorite frugal meal is taking a kobe beef filet and stuffing it with beluga caviar and topping with shaved white truffles on a bed of lobster tails with a nice dolphin puree, washed down with a bottle of Chateau Lafitte.

 

[hairic]

Frugal meal = grow your own.

Start a garden and grow what you want to eat.

 

[daschoo]

kedgeree

fry some onion and garlic to soften then add some curry powder and cook for around four minutes. add to some cooked rice then stir in cooked and flaked fish (smoked haddock is good) and cream. garnish with chopped boiled egg and season with salt and pepper.

quick, cheap, easy and most importantly tasty!

 

[CowboyWay]

Soup is pretty affordable per meal. Combine with a sandwich and you've got yourself a meal.

I also buy those bags of chicken breasts and grill them all at once. Put em in the fridge and every night of the week have something different with it. Fajitas (an onion and some tortillas). Chicken Alfredo (noodles, sauce) or sometimes just put it between some bread and have a chicken sandwich.

For the $10 bag, you and the wife should be able to eat off of it for 3 days (dinner at least). Just add the things to go with it (like above), and it doesn't get much cheaper. Plus its grilled chicken. Low cal and good for you.

 

[Chief]

Soup is pretty affordable per meal. Combine with a sandwich and you've got yourself a meal.

I also buy those bags of chicken breasts and grill them all at once. Put em in the fridge and every night of the week have something different with it. Fajitas (an onion and some tortillas). Chicken Alfredo (noodles, sauce) or sometimes just put it between some bread and have a chicken sandwich.

For the $10 bag, you and the wife should be able to eat off of it for 3 days (dinner at least). Just add the things to go with it (like above), and it doesn't get much cheaper. Plus its grilled chicken. Low cal and good for you.

We do that, too.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

Soup is pretty affordable per meal. Combine with a sandwich and you've got yourself a meal.

I also buy those bags of chicken breasts and grill them all at once. Put em in the fridge and every night of the week have something different with it. Fajitas (an onion and some tortillas). Chicken Alfredo (noodles, sauce) or sometimes just put it between some bread and have a chicken sandwich.

For the $10 bag, you and the wife should be able to eat off of it for 3 days (dinner at least). Just add the things to go with it (like above), and it doesn't get much cheaper. Plus its grilled chicken. Low cal and good for you.

Is this a brand name bag that comes frozen or are you just talking about "fresh" chicken breasts?

Excellent suggestion. I bought some of those pre-seasoned chicken thighs. We're going to have those for dinner along with some split pea soup I made with fresh cut veggies, onion, carrot and celery... 'Tis pretty good.

Thanks for your input--much appreciated.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

kedgeree

fry some onion and garlic to soften then add some curry powder and cook for around four minutes. add to some cooked rice then stir in cooked and flaked fish (smoked haddock is good) and cream. garnish with chopped boiled egg and season with salt and pepper.

quick, cheap, easy and most importantly tasty!

Sounds good as well; I will try this.

 

[CowboyWay]

Is this a brand name bag that comes frozen or are you just talking about "fresh" chicken breasts?



Thanks for your input--much appreciated.

Every grocery store has them. All different brands. They come in a bag, and usually weigh 5-6-7-8 lbs. All frozen.

I'm telling you, you grill them all up, and you can do a million things with them after that. Not to mention the ease of cooking dinner the rest of the week. The chicken is already done, and you're just making the side items go go along with it. Takes like 5 minutes every night once you grill the chicken.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

Soup is pretty affordable per meal. Combine with a sandwich and you've got yourself a meal.

I also buy those bags of chicken breasts and grill them all at once. Put em in the fridge and every night of the week have something different with it. Fajitas (an onion and some tortillas). Chicken Alfredo (noodles, sauce) or sometimes just put it between some bread and have a chicken sandwich.

For the $10 bag, you and the wife should be able to eat off of it for 3 days (dinner at least). Just add the things to go with it (like above), and it doesn't get much cheaper. Plus its grilled chicken. Low cal and good for you.

I just made bbq fajitas and these chicken breasts aren't that bad. The wife loved it and it was my first try using this method.

 

[CowboyWay]

If you want a little more flavor out of the chicken, let them soak in saltwater for an hour or two before you cook them. You'll be amazed at the difference.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

If you want a little more flavor out of the chicken, let them soak in saltwater for an hour or two before you cook them. You'll be amazed at the difference.

I'll try that. How is the baby?

 

[Thatkidbob]

Soup is pretty affordable per meal. Combine with a sandwich and you've got yourself a meal.

I also buy those bags of chicken breasts and grill them all at once. Put em in the fridge and every night of the week have something different with it. Fajitas (an onion and some tortillas). Chicken Alfredo (noodles, sauce) or sometimes just put it between some bread and have a chicken sandwich.

For the $10 bag, you and the wife should be able to eat off of it for 3 days (dinner at least). Just add the things to go with it (like above), and it doesn't get much cheaper. Plus its grilled chicken. Low cal and good for you.

Why not buy whole chickens?

Its substantially cheaper, plus you get the carcass to make your own chicken broth

 

[CowboyWay]

I'll try that. How is the baby?

Healthy as a horse. Huge appetite too. Thanks for asking

 

[Ren]

I make this a lot

2 tbsp of red curry paste
some chicken (about 2 chicken breasts in slices)
1 carrot chopped
1 onion chopped
1 can of coconut milk

fry the chicken and red curry paste for a few min. Add the carrot and onion fry for a few more min, then add the coconut milk and let simmer on low heat for a few min serve with rice or noodles. Easy, fast, tasty and cheap

 

[vta]

I make this a lot

2 tbsp of red curry paste
some chicken (about 2 chicken breasts in slices)
1 carrot chopped
1 onion chopped
1 can of coconut milk

fry the chicken and red curry paste for a few min. Add the carrot and onion fry for a few more min, then add the coconut milk and let simmer on low heat for a few min serve with rice or noodles. Easy, fast, tasty and cheap

That sounds great. I have a can of coconut milk I've been wondering what to do with.

 

[daschoo]

really cheap soup idea.

chop up a swede or turnip into batons. pour oil and sprinkle some chopped chillies over it on a baking tray and put in the oven till they're cooked through.
meanwhile fry some sliced onion and garlic in a pot to soften then add the roast swede. sprinkle a couple of stock cubes over everything then add water. leave to simmer for a couple of hours then once cooled put it through a blender.
heat up what you're using and have with cheese on toast (use worcester sauce) and freeze the rest of the soup in portions for later.