Looking for quick, cheap dinner ideas/recipes...

[koshergrl]

I have committed to creating weekly menus. I'm on week three and I'm running out of ideas. I want to have 5 weeks, then we can just rotate.

My menus per day usually just have two items; the entree and one side. Spaghetti & salad, meatloaf & potatoes, Oriental Casserole and...well I think that one stands on its own.

I found it yesterday and can't wait to try it. Super simple, I think it will be a hit, SUPER cheap. Cook 4 packets of ramen, add oil, fry some ground turkey, add 2 packets of the seasoning to the meat, add 2 packets of the seasoning (and some frozen mixed veggies) to the noodles, then mix the whole shebang.

I work and I have a daughter learning to cook, so I'm looking for simple, super cheap, not many ingredients. We don't get home until 6 pm or so at night, so I'm not interested in recipes that need all sorts of prep and special ingredients.

So does anyone else rely on a menu to feed their family? I got tired of always having to scramble and never knowing what we were having. I want to have it laid out so we know when we go to school and work what we're going to have that night, and I can make sure we come home with whatever we might need.

Tonight we're having swedish meat balls and carrots. I'm using gr turkey, cream of mushroom soup (I know, I know, but it works for some things) and egg noodles (and sour cream). Carrots are about the cheapest veggie going if you buy the big dirty ones and cut them up. I cook them in the microwave, super easy.

Pears for dessert, but we don't always have dessert.

 

[uscitizen]

Ramen noodles are cheap.
so are peanut butter sandwitches and canned soup.

I have pretty much lived on those things for long periods in my past hard times.

On the other hand homemade veggie soup is fairly cheap and can even be frozen for future use.

 

[koshergrl]

Yeah, we do sandwiches but we can't do them all the time. We had grilled cheese and tomato soup last night. I have a child who would live on PB&J if I let him, but I won't. The same with soup. I like having it sometimes but growing kids probably shouldn't eat soup for dinner every night.

Or maybe they should, this jury's out on that one, lol.

 

[Samson]

Hamburger Helper

Tuna Helper

Cabbage Rolls

Mac-n-Cheese

Hot Dogs

Brats

Jambalya

Baked Zitti

 

[CrusaderFrank]

David Chen's Chinese Restaurant

 

[JWBooth]

Ramen noodles are cheap.
so are peanut butter sandwitches and canned soup.

I have pretty much lived on those things for long periods in my past hard times.

On the other hand homemade veggie soup is fairly cheap and can even be frozen for future use.

Went to a church supper a while back, there was a salad that included Ramen noodles....pretty darn good.

 

[Douger]

Hamburger Helper

Tuna Helper

Cabbage Rolls

Mac-n-Cheese

Hot Dogs

Brats

Jambalya

Baked Zitti

Shit. I just barfed,

 

[Samson]

Hamburger Helper

Tuna Helper

Cabbage Rolls

Mac-n-Cheese

Hot Dogs

Brats

Jambalya

Baked Zitti

Shit. I just barfed,

It wasn't easy to write either.

 

[Douger]

Fajitas, Taco salad, shepherds pie, beef stew, chicken and dumplings using frozen crescent rolls cut into dumplings,Tacos in a soft tortilla with a side of cucumber salad.
A good breakfast make a decent dinner occasionally. An omelette with a side of banana bread and some cheese grits or sausage gravy and biscuits.
Chile.Potato soup. All easy crap and fairly health if assembled right..

 

[JWBooth]

I have committed to creating weekly menus. I'm on week three and I'm running out of ideas. I want to have 5 weeks, then we can just rotate.

My menus per day usually just have two items; the entree and one side. Spaghetti & salad, meatloaf & potatoes, Oriental Casserole and...well I think that one stands on its own.

I found it yesterday and can't wait to try it. Super simple, I think it will be a hit, SUPER cheap. Cook 4 packets of ramen, add oil, fry some ground turkey, add 2 packets of the seasoning to the meat, add 2 packets of the seasoning (and some frozen mixed veggies) to the noodles, then mix the whole shebang.

I work and I have a daughter learning to cook, so I'm looking for simple, super cheap, not many ingredients. We don't get home until 6 pm or so at night, so I'm not interested in recipes that need all sorts of prep and special ingredients.

So does anyone else rely on a menu to feed their family? I got tired of always having to scramble and never knowing what we were having. I want to have it laid out so we know when we go to school and work what we're going to have that night, and I can make sure we come home with whatever we might need.

Tonight we're having swedish meat balls and carrots. I'm using gr turkey, cream of mushroom soup (I know, I know, but it works for some things) and egg noodles (and sour cream). Carrots are about the cheapest veggie going if you buy the big dirty ones and cut them up. I cook them in the microwave, super easy.

Pears for dessert, but we don't always have dessert.

Going to need about a 5 quart pot or casserole or whatever, that can go into the oven.

Get some chicken, parts, roasted, whole, whatever suits you.
Bone it if necessary and roast it then chop it up.

Quantities are up to you, you can buy those little single serving cans or regular size cans and save what you dont use for later.

Corn, lima beans, English peas, sliced carrots, sliced mushrooms, any other sliced vegetable to your liking.
1 can of mushroom soup
1 can of those whack them on the counter biscuits

Dump everything into the pot and cover with the biscuits. Bake until the bread is brown.

 

[Sallow]

This was one I just made.

In a big sauce pan on medium high heat, add some olive oil and onions. Cook them until soft. Then add Capers, Anchoives and Calmatta Olives. Let that cook for a bit. Add a big can of crushed tomatoes and fill a third of that can with water and add. Let that simmer.

Cook up some bowtie pasta. Once that's ready, drain it and add olive oil.

Put the sauce and pasta in a plate and you are ready to roll.

 

[Samson]

This was one I just made.

In a big sauce pan on medium high heat, add some olive oil and onions. Cook them until soft. Then add Capers, Anchoives and Calmatta Olives. Let that cook for a bit. Add a big can of crushed tomatoes and fill a third of that can with water and add. Let that simmer.

Cook up some bowtie pasta. Once that's ready, drain it and add olive oil.

Put the sauce and pasta in a plate and you are ready to roll.

This sounds wonderful.

Just a time saver: cook a bunch of pasta over the weekend, then you can simply mic during the week.

 

[koshergrl]

Week 1 menu:

Wed: Grilled cheese sandwiches/tomato soup (turned out to be a good choice, we were all exhausted and the kids were sick)
Thu: Swedish meatballs & carrots
Fri: Spaghetti & salad
Sat: brkfst: Sausage & eggs
lunch: Baked spaghetti
supper: Chicken & dumplings (and carrots, lol)
Sun: brkfst: Cr of wheat or breakfast at church
lunch: Chicken & dumplings, or just chicken, or chicken sandwiches
supper: Great Northern bean soup & homemade bread
Mon (Halloween): CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP, that's right, out of a can. The kids aren't going to want to eat, they're going to hit the candy so I just need to get a cupful of it into them before they're out the door.

Tues: Homemade Pizza. Appian Way pizza kit with non-appian way pepperoni (that stuff is gross), mushrooms, cheese, and salad.

 

[JWBooth]

This was one I just made.

In a big sauce pan on medium high heat, add some olive oil and onions. Cook them until soft. Then add Capers, Anchoives and Calmatta Olives. Let that cook for a bit. Add a big can of crushed tomatoes and fill a third of that can with water and add. Let that simmer.

Cook up some bowtie pasta. Once that's ready, drain it and add olive oil.

Put the sauce and pasta in a plate and you are ready to roll.

Curious, instead of draining the pot, how about tossing in the dry bowties and letting them soak up the juices while it simmers on warm/low?

 

[strollingbones]

chili over rice......easy, fast with lots of protein....

fried tofu with soy sauce....bok choy on the side

 

[Kiki Cannoli]

I suggest a crock pot, particularly as autumn has arrived.

Turkey chili
All sorts of soups
Stew
Those swedish meatballs
Italian pasta sauce
Chicken & rice

All can be done easily and cheaply and is ready when you arrive home. I love mine.

Good luck.

Favorite Crockpot Recipes - Top Thirty Crockpot Recipes

 

[koshergrl]

Wk 2

Wed: Polish sausage (kielbasa) and fried potatoes
Thu: French toast, bacon
Fri: Mac & cheese, green beans
Sat: brkfst: homemade biscuits & gravy
lunch: Chef salad
supper: chili & cornbread
Sun: brkfst @ church or cereal at home
lunch: Omelettes, salad, fruit
supper: meatloaf, gr beans, potatoes
Mon: Pasta & peas (Clara's depression cooking....potatoes, onions, pasta, canned peas)
Tues: Grilled tuna & tomato soup

Now we always have fruit on hand for dessert/snacking. I usually have apples, applesauce, peaches, pears and/or bananas.

I also will cook goodies here and there..tonight I'm going to make some sugar cookies.

 

[Wicked Jester]

Well, as a professional, classically trained chef, I can honestly say i'm thoroughly grossed out by most of the garbage mentioned up here.

lol

 

[Wicked Jester]

Wk 2

Wed: Polish sausage (kielbasa) and fried potatoes
Thu: French toast, bacon
Fri: Mac & cheese, green beans
Sat: brkfst: homemade biscuits & gravy
lunch: Chef salad
supper: chili & cornbread
Sun: brkfst @ church or cereal at home
lunch: Omelettes, salad, fruit
supper: meatloaf, gr beans, potatoes
Mon: Pasta & peas (Clara's depression cooking....potatoes, onions, pasta, canned peas)
Tues: Grilled tuna & tomato soup

Now we always have fruit on hand for dessert/snacking. I usually have apples, applesauce, peaches, pears and/or bananas.

I also will cook goodies here and there..tonight I'm going to make some sugar cookies.

Best thing to do is, go on epicurious.com or the food network site and do a search for simple meals.......You'll get everything you need....Also, Rachel Ray's "week in a day" pogram on Food Network is a good way to get ideas for the week. Spend a few hours on the weekend prepping, and you've got a weeks worth of easy meals ready to go.

 

[Sunshine]

6 Can Soup

1 can vegetable beef soup
1 can shoepeg corn
1 can tomato soup
1 can chili
1 can Ro-Tel (I use mild)
1 can diced tomatoes

Mix together and heat. To serve put a handful of Fritos in the bottom of a bowl and pour the soup over them.