got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

I've looked up a few and bookmarked a few recipes from the interwebs but i was wondering what are some of your favorites? Just moved into a new place with a new roommate (we both are working and going to school full time which leaves our status as "broke college kids"). The options with things like burgers are endless; the famous burger with different cheeses in the middle, different rubs and herb mixes to mix in with the ground beef. Pasta's things like this, that are on the cheap side. I'll throw my go-to burger recipe up here.

2/3 Ground beef
1/3 pork (the pork has more fat then the beef does to give it some extra flavor. Only downside is you can't make your burgers rare/mid-rare which is how i like my red meat)
A1 Sauce
Salt/ground black pepper
Oregano
Basil
Garlic
Tyme
Rosemary

Throw everything into a giant mixing bowling and mix away! I always do my herbs in a small dish and A1 just pour right into the mix. The A1 sauce will give it that A1 taste but won't overpower it and also keep things juicy.

Top with cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon even do the double patty with cheese in the middle. Or if your feeling squirrelly cook up some bacon chop it up and throw it in the mix!

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

I'll throw a quick and lazy one out there...
Franks and Beans
1 can pork and beans or similar
1 package hot dogs(as many as wanted)

Empty beans into sauce pan
add cut up hot dogs
embellish as desired,heat and enjoy :D

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

Something my kids like a lot is pasta carbonara...I usually make my own cream sauce but a jar of alfredo works too. I usually start the sauce by melting 3 tablespoons of butter and adding 3 minced cloves of garlic (because garlic = awesomeness) let the garlic soften but not brown, then add 3 tablespoons of flour to create a roux. Cook the roux for 5 min or so on med heat, stirring constantly then add two cups of milk a bit at a time while still stirring. Once all the milk is in let simmer to thicken and add 1/4 cup grated permesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste and a dash of nutmeg. Cook your pasta and just before straining add 1/2 cup frozen peas. Let water return to boil then strain. Serve pasta and peas with sauce and sprinkle crumbled bacon over the top. Easy cheap and yummy

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

I dunno whats easier... that or ramen! I always somehow find a way to burn myself when i make ramen and only ramen i never burn myself when i make anything else :td.

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

this has helped us when we have certain foods in the fridge or want to try something new
http://www.kraftcanada.com/EN/home.aspx

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

Go to the grocery store and pick up one of those rotisserie chickens. Yeah I know it's not cooking but they are cheap and you can get a couple meals out of one of them.

Plus there is nothing else as satisfying on a primordial level as standing over the kitchen sink and pulling pieces of meat off the bone and eating it with your bare hands.

The roaster chickens are pretty painless too. I sprinkle them with sea salt, onion and garlic powders, and paprika. Make up a simple gravy from the juices and serve with rice or mashed potatoes. There's usually enough left over for a batch of chicken salad.
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Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

McDonald's Dollar menu! :D

Seriously though, I always buy the staple foods. Whatever meat is on sale, potatoes, rice, carrots, onions, cream of mushroom soup, tomato soup, hamburger, spaghetti sauce, tortilla wraps, etc.

It's fun and challenging to see what you can make from only buying the things that are on sale.

For example, my last trip to the grocery store, I used coupons, and only bought the sale items. I saved a whopping 45% on the haul. That night, I made AWESOME chicken quesadilla. I shredded the chicken myself, and I have a collection of basic spices (fajita seasoning is one of them). Pico de gallo, cheese, and sour cream. Here's the quick recipe:

Tortillas
1 package (about a pound) boneless skinless Chicken breast
Pico de Gallo
shredded cheese (I prefer mild cheddar)

optional:
Sour Cream
salsa
additional toppings

To make the shredded chicken:

Start with boneless skinless chicken breast. Put on a cutting board, and cover with saran wrap. Using a meat pounder, pound the chicken to about 1/4" thick. This will make it easier to shred.

Melt a few tablespoons of butter in a skillet on low/med heat. Season the chicken generously with fajita seasoning (you can buy it in a plastic jar like any other spice), and add to the skillet. Cook covered over med. heat, turning often to prevent browning.

When chicken is no longer pink in the center, remove from skillet, and pull apart with 2 forks (one in each hand). I prefer to pull with the grain, as it shreds better.

once this step is done, the rest is super easy.

Put a tablespoon of olive oil (i suppose vegetable oil would work fine too) in a pan, and heat. This oil will help the tortilla shell brown instead of burn.

Add tortilla to pan.

Sprinkle the entire tortilla with cheese.

add chicken and pico de gallo to HALF of the tortilla.

When tortilla is browned, fold in half, and remove from heat.

Cut, and serve with the sour cream, salsa, or whatever else you prefer.



The nice thing about this, is the chicken will keep for up to 5 days in the frig, although I normally burn through it faster. It becomes a fast easy meal that, once the chicken step is taken care of, only takes about 5 minutes to make. Just don't assemble/cook and then refrigerate. The tortillas get soggy. Just put the leftover shredded chicken in a tupperware container and refrigerate.

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

This is the one that got me through college...

One box of Kraft Mac and Cheese
One can of green peas
One can of tuna fish.

Prepare the mac and cheese according to the directions
Heat the peas
When the mac and cheese is done drain the peas and combine all of it

My kids love this meal to this day!!!

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

MREs

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

lol nice.

Thanks for all the suggestions some really good ones. I completely forgot about the whole chickens you can buy that are precooked. My parents do this and throw it in pesto all the time and they're like 6-7bucks. Definitely gonna have to start hitting those up. Just went grocery shopping and dropped 140 for two of us (broke down and bought a couple movies too cause we're movie junkies).

Fri/Sat nights we both work late and by the end of our shift we just want something quick and easy. We try to stay away from fast food but that's pretty much what it comes down too on those nights. But we got a lot of just your basic stuff you can use for almost anything. Ground beef veggies for pasta sauce or taco's ect ect.

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

Sounds Like Tunafish Casserole The Easy Way!:tu

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

Yup, I go with heat and eat for cheap and easy! (Stouffers, Michelinas)

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

2 pounds ground chuck, browned.
1/2 packet ortega "chili" seasoning.
sour cream
grated cheese (cheddar)
taco sauce
flour tortillas.

Assemble and eat. Delicious. That's been dinner for the last few days. *twitch*

You omnivores can put all that weird plant crap on there if you want. I'll stick with meat and meat by products, wrapped in highly processed flour.

---

Almost forgot: I buy 5-6 pounds of ground chuck at a time, cook it, then portion it into ziplock bags in the freezer. Keeps for friggin ever.

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

Check out recipezaar.com. All home made recipes from people who post them online. Thousands of recipes all free, rated, and commented on. You can even save them in an online "cookbook". Pretty sweet site.

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

add a can of mushroom soup and only use one of the cheese packages and this was a staple when i was growing up. for extra special days top with potatoe chips

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

Ahh the college days. Ramen noodles mixed with velvetta cheese is actually really good. If it wasn't for Ramen I would have starved.

On your burgers try cream cheese and jalepeno...or some american cheese, over easy egg and bacon. :)

Re: got any cheap and easy dinners recipes?
 

mmmm i love an egg and bacon on my burgers. I have so much ramen and the wonderful thing about ramen is you can add almost anything to it. For awhile i was adding kettle chips and it was delicious as weird as it might sound.