Cheap, Time-Efficient Meals

[Serpentine]

Every now and then I hear someone lament that it's too hard, takes too long, and costs too much to eat well. So, I decided to examine a staple of my family and determine just how difficult, expensive and time-consuming it is.
I tried to be conservative in my estimates. This recipe feeds 6 people with ease, and various calculations, specifically "per person" ones, assume this.


Ingredients
{table=head]Item|Cost ($AUS)|Amount Used|~Specific Cost
Bacon|13.99/kg|2 rashers (~124g)|1.74
Olive oil|4.19/500ml|2 tbs (~30ml)|0.25
Garlic|1/4 knobs*|2 cloves (~1/5-1/4 knob)|0.06
Onion|2.98/bag of ~6|1|0.50
Beef mince|8.99/kg^|500g|4.50
Beef stock|3/25cubes*|1 cube|0.12
Red wine|2.99/250ml|1/2 cup|1.50
Tomato soup|1.89/400ml can|2 cans|3.78
Chopped tinned tomatoes|1.11/400ml can|2 cans|2.22
Tomato paste|1.89/250g|~60g|0.45
Mixed herbs|3/10g*|1tsp|0.15
Bayleaves|1.18/~60leaves|~2 leaves|0.04
Spaghetti|2.66/750g|~750g|2.66
Cheese|6.79/500g|~250g|3.40
Total Cost|$21.37
Cost Per Serve|$AUS3.56, 2.09euro, $US3.31, 1.68GBP
[/table]
*no data, conservative estimate.
^I'm told that beef is relatively cheap in Australia. Other meats can be substitued ('roo is interesting).

Instructions
1. Fry chopped bacon and finely chopped garlic and onion in oil.
2. Add mince, brown.
3. Drain liquid (or not, whatever), add stock, wine, soup, tomatoes and paste.
4. Add herbs and leaves.
5. Stir until boiling.
6. Cover, simmer ~1 hour, stirring occasionally.
7. Remove lid, simmer ~1 hour or more.
8. Serve with spaghetti and cheese.

Keeping in mind that I'm a slow cooker, it took me about 50minutes to get everything together, prepare everything (chopping etc.), cook it all, get it simmering, and do a bit of cleaning up. Then it gets cooked on a low heat for 2 or more hours with the occasional stir - in other words, you chuck it on and forget it except just see to it in passing every now and then, then about 20 minutes if you're slow to cook the pasta (and garlic bread if you're having it), grate the cheese (if you're having it) and serve up. This recipe is easy to double or more, and freezes excellently - it even gets better with freezing. So, if you can spare about less than an hour of your time a week, you can have 12 good-sized meals that you can just chuck in the microwave or pot for a bit while you boil some spaghetti that will last for months in the freezer. I'm not going to claim that it's super-nutritious, but it has plenty of protein and I'm sure there'd be a fair amount of good stuff left in the tomato. Also, it's flexible enough to make lower-fat versions (less oil, bacon's optional, low-fat meat, etc.), vegetarian versions (I'm not sure how well a bean version would freeze, but I'm sure it'd work quite well), or to add extra vegetables or whatever. Or, you know, a side salad or somesuch. In any case, just compare it to, say, McDonalds. I think that here even Happy Meals have breached $4, and that's for a "hamburger" the size of my palm with a bun packed-full of sugar and some limp, sad, lonely lettuce, a tiny packet of oil-soaked potato slivers, a small cup of watered-down sugar water padded out with half ice, and a crappy little toy. I think I'd prefer my spag bol... And, of course, this is only one of a very many good, cheap, easy meals.

In conclusion: There is no excuse to eat badly (I'm looking at you, Conrad Poohs).

[†Seer†]

Mmm, sounds yummay!
Will try to make this during the week!

Thanks Serp!

[Admiral Squish]

I've got one for you guys. Half an hour with prep, if you time it right. I don't know the exact prices, but it's pretty cheap.

It's called a Dutchbaby.
Ingredients:
8 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cups flour
1/2 cup butter

Supplies:
Blender
13"/8" glass pan

Instructions:
1: Preheat oven to 425.
2: Put the butter into the pan an set it in the now-warm oven.
3: Break all eight eggs into the blender, and put one cup of flour and one cup of milk into the blender.
4: Blend until mixed, then about twenty seconds after that.
5: Add the other cup of flour and milk.
6: Blend on the highest setting for thirty seconds. Don't let it sit, or it won't rise right.
7: Take pan out of the oven with the now-melted butter, and pour in your mix.
8: Put it back in the oven, and bake for 25 minutes. It should be spongy in the middle, and the lips should be browned.
9: Take out, cut, serve, enjoy! You can top it with confectioner's sugar, lemon juice, or just eat it plain. My brother enjoys it with ketchup, but that might just because I hate watching him do that to perfectly good food.

Serves four adults, or two teenagers.

[BlackMage2549]

Six cups of red beans!
Four cups of rice!
One pound of sausage!
Assorted spices, including pepper, salt, and cinnamon(optional, but I like cinnamon!)
One Pan suitable for cooking sausage!
One Crockpot capable of slow-cooking the beans!
One Dish, capable of cooking the rice!
Chosen Hotsauce(MANDATORY!)

About five hours before you're hungry, throw the beans into the crockpot at medium heat. Every hour, hour and a half, stir the beans, add a little spice, and make sure that there's enough water in the crock pot(You want enough to keep the beans covered until about two hours before done)! About an hour before completion, cook the sausage in the pan, and throw it in with the beans! Twenty minutes before completion, cook the rice! When everything is done, pile the rice onto a plate, throw the beans&sausage on top, and add your Chosen Hotsauce! Mmmm, red beans and rice, with minimal effort!



Take three eggs, two potatoes, and some ground sausage. Cook the sausage in a pan, set it aside, scramble the eggs, set them aside, cook the potatoes. When they're near completion, add the other two ingredients to heat them up. Throw the above into a tortilla with some grated cheese, and you're in heaven!

[Hazkali]

Satay Noodles with Tofu

(Apologies for lack of amounts, I make this by eye)

Ingredients

1x Portion of Noodles (dried or fresh)
1x Appropriate amount of Tofu
Stir-fry vegetables to taste

For the sauce:
White Vinegar (about half the volume of the sauce you want)
Soy Sauce (4-5 dashes)
Chilli powder and/or chopped chilli (to taste)
Chopped spring onion (Leek or white onion can be substituted)
Peanut butter (1 heaped tablespoon)
Sugar (1 teaspoon)

Method

1. In a suitable vessel, pour the vinegar.
2. Add the peanut butter and mix vigorously with a fork. Difficult at first!
3. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, stirring.

4. Fry tofu until golden whilst boiling noodles if appropriate
5. Stir-fry vegetables with tofu
6. Add half of the sauce to the stir-fry
7. Add noodles to stir fry
8. Add remaining half of sauce
9. Serve.

[Cobra_Ikari]

Six cups of red beans!
Four cups of rice!
One pound of sausage!
Assorted spices, including pepper, salt, and cinnamon(optional, but I like cinnamon!)
One Pan suitable for cooking sausage!
One Crockpot capable of slow-cooking the beans!
One Dish, capable of cooking the rice!
Chosen Hotsauce(MANDATORY!)

About five hours before you're hungry, throw the beans into the crockpot at medium heat. Every hour, hour and a half, stir the beans, add a little spice, and make sure that there's enough water in the crock pot(You want enough to keep the beans covered until about two hours before done)! About an hour before completion, cook the sausage in the pan, and throw it in with the beans! Twenty minutes before completion, cook the rice! When everything is done, pile the rice onto a plate, throw the beans&sausage on top, and add your Chosen Hotsauce! Mmmm, red beans and rice, with minimal effort!



Take three eggs, two potatoes, and some ground sausage. Cook the sausage in a pan, set it aside, scramble the eggs, set them aside, cook the potatoes. When they're near completion, add the other two ingredients to heat them up. Throw the above into a tortilla with some grated cheese, and you're in heaven!

5 hours is time efficient? >.>

[Sensate]

Here's a cheap, filling and most of all, healthy meal from Mr. Sensate:

Protein Pancakes

Ingredients

2 egg whites
1/2 cup of raw oats
1 cup of skim milk
1 tbsp of cinnamon
2 tbsp of Splenda or another sugar substitute

Instructions

1. Extract the egg whites from the yolk and blend with a mixer until foamy.
2. Pour all the ingredients in a blender and blend for 1 minute.
3. Preheat the pan and use very little olive oil so the mixture doesn't stick.
4. Pour the mixture on the pan and bake; makes about 3-4 pancakes.

This may not be a complicated, unusual recipe, but it's a good meal to bring as a snack when you're out working all day. I don't need to mention how much healthier these pancakes are than it's regular counterparts (unless you're afraid the artificial sweeteners might be bad for you). You can fill them with peanut butter if you like, though I find them to be tasty enough on their own.

[Admiral Squish]

Pizza soup!

Ingredients:
Two cans of tomato soup.
Two cups milk.
1/4 pound macaroni noodles.
1 cup mozzarella cheese.
Spices to taste.
Toppings!

Supplies:
A Pot
Oven-safe bowls

Instructions:
1: Pour concentrated soup and milk into pot, stir until mixed. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2: Add spices and toppings
3: Stir until boiling
4: Add noodles, cook until soft
5: ladle out servings into oven-safe bowls. Make sure you get some of the noodles and some of the toppings in each bowl.
6: Sprinkle mozzarella on top, and put in the oven.
7: Bake until the cheese melts, remove, and LET COOL.
8: Eat!

[Jokes]

Kangaroo Pie (http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=12353)

1/2 kg kangaroo steaks (don't by the mince, it's for dogs :smallyuk: )
1 small onion
1 cup Beef stock
1 Cup Frozen Peas
1/2 Cup tomato sauce (ketchup)
2tbs Flour
Shortcrust Pastry
Puff Pastry

Using a food processor, grind up the kangaroo steaks to a mince like consistency. Dice the onion and fry with the mince. Once mince is browned, add the peas, sauce, stock, salt and pepper to taste. The recipe I have calls for a pinch of nutmeg, but I never use it. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add flour to thicken. Cool the mix.

Line a 23cm pie dish with pastry (I like to make my own "mashed potato pastry" that goes so well with this), fill with cooled pie mix and top with puff pastry (because I use my own pastry, I don't use puff).

Bake at 230C for 10 minutes, then for 30 minutes at 180C.

Serve with mashed potato and tomato sauce.

This is one of my all time favourite recipes. Costwise, the most expensive thing is the Roo, and that's not usually that expensive (unless of course, you don't live in Australia), most of the other stuff is in most people pantries. You can cook the meat pretty quickly during the day and have it cool and ready to finish cooking in the evening. A lot of people I meet seem to not like the idea of eating Kangaroo. "It's our national animal." Apparently Australia is the only nation to eat the animals on its Coat of Arms (Kangaroo and Emu), but I tend to convert a few people with this dish.

Roo is also difficult to cook because there's zero fat in it, so any cooking has to be done pretty quickly. Like venison and other game meats, it becomes really tough if you overcook it. This way it's almost impossible to screw it up.

[Serpentine]

Updated the original post. To any mods who might happen by (when I'm feeling especially ready to get on with it, if I haven't gotten an answer I'll PM someone), a question: If I (or, you know, someone) were to start a Playground Cookbook, would it be stickyable? I'd love to have a constantly available collection of all the recipes hanging around here. While I'm at it, if Sisqui comes in here, you mentioned that you've kept all the past recipes. Do you still have them?

Jokes: That looks like a really good basic pie recipe. Why the hate for 'roo mince? I've used it in my bol with no trouble. With the pastry, do you need to cook it for a bit before adding the filling?

[Admiral Squish]

Pasta ala' Me.

Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti noodles.
4 cups plain yogurt.
3 cups Parmesan cheese.
8 strips of bacon.
1/2 pound peas.

Supplies:
A large pot
A VERY large mixing bowl

Instructions
1: fill the pot with water, bring to a boil. Now is a good time to start your bacon, because you want it crunchy for this.
2: Break the noodles in half, and dump into the water. Cook until the noodles are almost done.
3: Just before the noodles finish, pour in the peas. Cook until the noodles finsish.
4: Drain into the LARGE mixing bowl. Add yogurt and cheese.
5: Crumble up the bacon into tiny bits, and add to the pasta. Mix it all together.
6: Serve and eat! This makes a LOT of food, so be ready for leftovers, or have some very hungry people.

[Dragonrider]

Rice and Beans, the favorite dish of Belizeans! (Not to be confused with beans and rice, which is refried beans with rice)

1 pot of water
1 12-oz can of red kidney beans
3 C white rice
garlic salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Put on stove, turn on "low" heat and cook (with lid on) until rice is done - stirring occasionally to keep the bottom from burning.

[Flickerdart]

Pelmeni: the traditional poor Russian university student's best friend. Stick the frozen things in boiling water for a while and they are ready to eat; go well with sour cream.

[Cuddly]

Peanut butter, brown sugar, and pilot biscuits.

[Hell Puppi]

Really fast and easy...

1 box mashed potatoes (the dried kind you just mix with milk, water and butter)
1 can green beans
steak or chicken

the green beans you can microwave or heat on the stove. If you feel like it you can fry the beans in with some bacon (it adds some nice flavor).
The meat (based on your preference) can be broiled in the oven, and is easy to season. There's plenty of premade seasonings for whatever you feel like.
Usually this meal only takes about a half an hour (cooking the meat is what takes the longest).
You can also make your own mashed potatoes, but that's if your really want the 'home cooked' factor, and if I'm going through the trouble of cooking my own mashed potatoes, I usually make some roasted garlic and mix that in with some sour cream.

Also if your not a fan of mashed potatoes, there's some really easy boxed couscous that's terrific with lemon chicken. Just buy some chicken breasts and lemon seasoning (maybe an actual lemon or two for the juice) and your set!


Sorry this is getting a bit long, but I have a store of knowledge in the fast and easy cooking, as well as a vast knowledge of 'how to make things with ramen noodles'. Being poor and having a late-night job teaches you well :smallwink:


Nachos-
1 bag tortilla chips
1 jar salsa con queso (substitute for 1 bag mixed cheese of choice)
green onion
1 jar refried beans or black beans (use the canned kind- it's easier)
sour cream and/or guacamole (optional, but I like it)

place chips evenly over cookies sheet. Just dump 'em on and spread em out. Cover the chips with cheese and beans (if your using black beans be sure you've rinsed them well, this also cuts down on the salt). Chop the green onions and sprinkle over the top of the nachos.
Stick in the oven at about 350 until cheese is melted and beans are warm.
Serve on a plate with guac and sour cream.
Note- this is actually a really filling meal.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Thanatos's Egg Sammiches, because he can (now with slightly odd instructions, detailed for idiots to understand. Kinda)
Ingridents:
Two eggs
Two pieces of bread
butter/margerine (if so desired, it helps the toast, I use cooking spray)
Cheese (if so desired)
Equipment:
Electric Griddle, or, if you're really fancy, a frying pan on a stove.
Spatula
Instructions:
Plug in your griddle and set it to 200 or so degrees. (This is important, the rest of the trick won't work without it!)
Toast bread
~~~
The following spoiler is for you people without toasters.
~~~
Coat one side of bread with butter/margerine/cooking spray
Place bread on griddle.
Coat uncoated side with butter/margerine/cooking spray.
Leave alone for a while, boot up your computer (if it has a long boot time) or something (Or try and fix a bricked Xbox).
Return in a wee bit, find coated side now sufficently toasty.
Flip bread/toast over.
Leave alone for a bit again.
Return again, find your bread has miracously turned into toast.
Marvel at the wonders of science.
Remove toast. Place on plate if you so desire, fancy-pants.
Crack both eggs
Drop eggs on griddle.
Dance a little.
Once one side of the eggs is reasonably solid, utilize your magical spatuala yearning for attention and flip them over (The eggs, that is).
Take your cheese, and put on a slice of toast. Doesn't matter which.
Wait impaintently for eggs to finish cooking. (This is important, the eggs can sense how much of a rush you're in. Don't be in a rush, just be impaitent)
As soon as the eggs finish cooking, administer one egg to each slice of toast.
This includes the cheesey slice.
Seriously.
SULLY THE CHEESE WITH THE EGG, NOW!
Pick up your cheesey, egged slice of toast, and place the egg side on the eggy piece of toast.
If you're really fancy, put it on a plate.
Consume.

[Mauve Shirt]

Not healthy, or technically a meal, but time-efficient and delicious!

The Game of Life Cake

Mix together: 2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened powdered cocoa

Add to cocoa mixture: 2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Add to the above: 2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup coffee, brewed and cooled

Add gradually: 1 cup boiling water (may be boiled in microwave or stovetop)

Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan, bake at 350 degrees (preheat oven)
for 30-35 minutes. Top with powdered sugar for the REAL Game of Life
Cake, or your favorite icing.
I'd actually advise against the icing, the coffee makes it taste a little funky.
This recipe halves easily for an 8x8 pan.

nomnomnom

[Jagg]

Ah Geez playgrounders....

to all you young'uns *waves stick*

There is one thing that you will do throughout your life....eat. Don't you owe it to yourself to learn how to be good at something you are going to do for the rest of your life?

Simply quick receipe

Fritata
Turn oven on to 200 degrees
Par Boil (that means half cook) three medium potato's (or nuke them if you are in a hurry) Wait until they have cooled, remove skins and dice the spuds. (quite small you want 1 cm or smaller cubes...)

Whisk three or four eggs with a splash of milk, set aside

Chop some shallots (onions), bacon, celery and wash a handful of baby spinach leaves.

Get oven proof dish - mix all ingedients and put in dish - Add whatever spices you want (oregano and parsley work well)
Top with grated cheese
Throw in oven
bake for 15 mins or until cheese is golden brown

Take out of oven
Cut into slices, serve with salad

Takes 25 minutes.

P.S. Real men eat Quiche

[Admiral Squish]

The frosting of DOOM!

Ingredients:
Two sticks of butter.
4 parts confectioner's sugar.
1 part cocoa.
Dash of milk
Dash of vanilla extract

Supplies:
Mixer
Bowl
Insane sugar tolerance

Instructions:
1: Soften the butter, then put it in the bowl and mix
2: Add vanilla. Add sugar and cocoa to taste. I usually end up with a much higher ratio of sugar to cocoa, but I'm a disgusting person, so don't follow my example.
3: Add milk in little splashes, this is mostly to make it more smooth, and less thick, but you don't want to make it too thin.
4: Cover a cake with it, eat it raw, spread it on graham crackers, I don't really care. It's just too good to let sit.

[Nibleswick]

My suggestion for reducing cost is to learn to take apart your own poultry. It is usually cheaper to buy a whole chicken than to buy pieces of a chicken. In fact you can often get two or three chickens for the same price as four boneless skinless breasts.

Now from one chicken you get the following parts:

Breasts
Thighs
Drumsticks
Wings
Broth 3 Gallons

Now, for the how to:
Start with the legs, pull the leg away from the body and slice the skin so that you can get at the joint. Insert the knife into the joint and cut through the connective tissues (this is going to feel and sound icky) cut off the leg and set it aside, repeat on other leg.
Cut off the wings in pretty much the same way.
Next you stick your knife down the cavity and cut off the back, this takes three cuts one on each side and one at the neck, this then goes in the pot for broth.
After that break the ribs, and remove the sternum, cut the meat away from the ribs, cut out the collar and shoulder bones.
All the bits that you wouldn't eat can be used for broth.
Elapsed time: Five minutes (if you're slow).
A good video to show the basics:Link (http://youtube.com/watch?v=LEjtuCjBJjM&feature=related)
he's not as careful as I would be, but the principle is the same.

[SilentNight]

I am absolutely amazed that this hasn't come up yet.

Top Ramen
1 pack of instant ramen
2 cups of water
1/2-1 cups of vegetable of choice
1 Raw egg( optional)
Hot sauce(optional)

Put 2 cups of water on stove over high heat. When it is about half-way to boiling, add the veggies.
Once it boils add the noodles.
If you like egg-drop soup then you can add it now.
Total cost is about .99 U.S. dollars. Less elsewhere.
Enjoy!:smallbiggrin:

[Jokes]

Jokes: That looks like a really good basic pie recipe. Why the hate for 'roo mince? I've used it in my bol with no trouble. With the pastry, do you need to cook it for a bit before adding the filling?

Sorry for the mince-hating, it's just that it looks exactly the same as the pet food stuff you buy in the meat section at a supermarket. The fact that at my supermarket the pet food used to be right next to the roo, it kinda put me off. Having said that, I've decided to give it a go, mainly because its cheaper ($7 a kilo, compared to $9 kilo for beef mince) and I really don't feel like cleaning the food processor. I've cooked up all the filling so far, just letting it cool now.

As for the pastry, you can blind bake it if you want, but I really only do that when I want the pastry to be well cooked and hard, for things like tarts and other desserts. For meat pies, I like a softer pastry, so I don't blind bake it.

[skywalker]

This is seriously time efficient.

Disclaimer:I find well-delineated amounts are for squares:smalltongue:

Skywalker's Vegetarian Enviromentalist Spinach Roll-Up(Which is not at all related to the "fruit" species of roll-up)
Requirements:
1(per roll-up desired) tortilla.
(variable amount) shredded cheese. Cheddar works best, fiesta mix for crrrazy fun.
2 pinches(or 3 for you, I have big hands) of spinach. You know, the leafy kind that comes in bags.

So, take one(1) tortilla. Warm if necessary. If you're saving water this week, lay flat on paper towel. If you're saving trees, lay flat on plate. One of these is required. You must be saving something.

Step 2: Spread cheese on tortilla as if you are re-seeding a recently stripped old-growth forest. In other words, pile it on. Eyeball it, come on.

Step 3: Lay spinach atop cheese as tho you are laying rose petals on your wedding bed. In other words, be enthusiatic, but sparing. A little bit will do ya.

Step 4: Microwave until the cheese melts. This should take, at most, a minute, making this truly a time-efficient, healthy meal(If you've not noticed, included are veggies, dairy, and grain.).

EDIT: SilentNight, I once went to a grocery store going out of business sale(yes, I'm as surprised as you are that they have those), and ramen was 4 for a dime :smallbiggrin:

[Serpentine]

You can also make your own mashed potatoes, but that's if your really want the 'home cooked' factor, and if I'm going through the trouble of cooking my own mashed potatoes, I usually make some roasted garlic and mix that in with some sour cream.It worries me that actual mashed potatoes are somehow "special" for you. *shudder* 'snot really all that much trouble...

Mashed Potatoes (for the sake of any cooking-useless people out there, not you specifically, Puppi :smalltongue:)\
Peel and chop potatoes, and garlic if you want it.
Drop in boiling water.
Boil the hell out of it until it breaks up when poked with a fork.
Mash the hell out of it with butter/margarine and cream/milk, and cheese, herbs or whatever if you want it.
Serve.

Jokes: I was a bit worried that not blind-baking would make it raw. Just soft, eh? Good to know. Let me know how it goes with just mince. Oh, and no need to say sorry, I was just curious.

Nibles: That's a great idea, thanks for mentioning it.

[streakster]

Adventurer's Pie
-streakster

Ingredients:

6-8 potatoes, mashed.
1 pound ground meat
1 can mushroom soup
1 bag shredded cheese
1 pound frozen vegetables
Lots of random spices. I favor Amish Grilling Mixture, myself, but whatever you have is fine.
3 cubes bullion.

Brown the meat.
Remove the grease.
Add the veggies, the soup, the spice, and the bullion to the pan.
Stir.
Pour into a big casserole dish.
Put the potatoes on top.
Put the cheese on top of that.
Throw this in the fridge.
Before you eat it, throw it in a hot oven for about thirty minutes to an hour (Once the top of the potatoes are faintly brown, the cheese is melted, and the filling is bubbling its ready)

You can make it with a huge variety of ingredients, and make it ahead of time. Plus, it's fun to see what the ingredients scrounged up each time produce. Enjoy!

EDIT: See Serpentine's recipe for mashed potatoes, up there? Do that for the mashed potatoes.
EDIT2: I love this thread idea! It makes me hungry.

[Hell Puppi]

Nah real ones aren't that special, it's just saves time to make boxed ones (and they have gotten a lot better in recent years), that and sometimes with just 2 people (or just myself) to cook for, it makes sense to make things that will sit for a long while if I'm not able to cook them, or things that I don't feel horrible about throwing out if they don't get eaten.
:smalltongue:

[Vaynor]

Chili Pie

Take two cans of chili (your choice) and put it in a pan. Make cornbread mix and put it on top. Makes a really great meal, very tasty. Not sure what the cooking specifications are exactly (temperature, time, etc), I'll ask my mom and edit this post later.

[BizzaroStormy]

Ramen Noodles

1 Package Ramen Noodles
2 Cups Water
Parmasean Cheese

Bring water to boil, add noodles. Boil until noodles become soft. Remove water to preference. Add seasoning packet and parmasean cheese to taste.

[Vaynor]

Ramen Noodles

1 Package Ramen Noodles
2 Cups Water
Parmasean Cheese

Bring water to boil, add noodles. Boil until noodles become soft. Remove water to preference. Add seasoning packet and parmasean cheese to taste.

Well that was a given...

[BlackMage2549]

5 hours is time efficient? >.>

I consider it time efficient because the actual time you spend working on it is about ten minutes. And that's if you're slow, like me ;) - For those of who who own more than one pan, you might be able to cut even this amount of time down. But, to be fair, you're correct. It's not very "time-efficient", but it does allow you to be efficient with your time ;)

[Alarra]

Updated the original post. To any mods who might happen by (when I'm feeling especially ready to get on with it, if I haven't gotten an answer I'll PM someone), a question: If I (or, you know, someone) were to start a Playground Cookbook, would it be stickyable? I'd love to have a constantly available collection of all the recipes hanging around here. While I'm at it, if Sisqui comes in here, you mentioned that you've kept all the past recipes. Do you still have them?

Jokes: That looks like a really good basic pie recipe. Why the hate for 'roo mince? I've used it in my bol with no trouble. With the pastry, do you need to cook it for a bit before adding the filling?

That could probably be arranged.

[Jokes]

Jokes: I was a bit worried that not blind-baking would make it raw. Just soft, eh? Good to know. Let me know how it goes with just mince. Oh, and no need to say sorry, I was just curious.

Nom Nom Nom. Pie turned out great. Crust wasn't overly cooked, slightly less cooked on the inside but hard on the outside, just the ways I like it. Served it with a bit of my sisters zucchini relish, which gave it a nice tang.

When I cook mashed potato, I put in a bit of wholegrain mustard. Gives it a nice kick. Got that from one of the cooks at uni. He wasn't a great cook, but sometimes he pulled something out that was actually half not bad.

[Admiral Squish]

I had a cookbook I wrote down all my recipes in, but I cant find it.

[Nibleswick]

Three (or more) Uses for Left-Over Mashed Potatoes

Potato Soup:

Mashed Potatoes
Water or Milk
Canned of Fresh Corn
Bacon
Onion

Put your mashed potatoes in a pot, mix in water or milk till it's the consistency you like. Add corn, chopped onion, and bacon bits (I usually cook it first, but mostly because I like the crunch), heat, salt and pepper to taste.

Fried Mashed Potatoes:

Mashed Potatoes
Egg
Flour
season to taste
and a bit of water

Mix the potatoes with an egg or two, just a little bit of flour, and whatever spices your using, and make patties (you might need to add some water for this to work right, but really that is what the egg is for). Fry them golden brown and crispy in lots of oil.

Gnocchi:

Potatoes
egg
flour
water

Mix in your egg, and enough flour to make it doughy, now for extra yummy you can little bits of fruit and wrap them in the dough. Boil it should kinda like pasta.

[Hell Puppi]

Ohh I like the potato soup thing. I may have to try that.

[Conrad Poohs]

In conclusion: There is no excuse to eat badly (I'm looking at you, Conrad Poohs).

Bollocks.




That said, nice idea of calculating per serve cost of a meal, and in different currencies! I must endevour to try that out myself with some of things I make and then calculate the amount it saves over a 1-year period, that'll show ya! :smallamused:

[Nibleswick]

Ohh I like the potato soup thing. I may have to try that.

It's one of my favorite kinds of soup ever.

Ya, know all this make me think: if I had a video camera I would start a Cooking in the Playground show. Sigh oh well.

[Serpentine]

Why don't you save even more money and the environment, and just give up eating completely?

[Conrad Poohs]

Al dente tomato penne

Take one packet of pasta (penne if desired), boil, tomato-sauce, add butter chunks, eat. NB: Boiling to an al dente state is optional but not recommended as it wastes precious eating time and the satisfaction & bliss which that brings. NB2: Removing the pasta from the packet prior to boiling is both optional and recommended, as the plastic creates a chewiness that inhibits the speed of the eating process considerably.

This is an ideal meal for somebody to eat exlusively, as it satisfies all components of the food pyramid which outlines the essential parts of a human diet - carbohydrates, calcium, salt, fat, sugar and tomato sauce.



@ Serpentine - Eating is intrinsically fun. :smallsmile:

[Serpentine]

Only because you enjoy watching your audience recoil in horror and disgust. :smallyuk:

[Quincunx]

*hands Serpentine one of the KETCHUP DOES NOT BELONG ON PASTA picket signs*

I think you may need this.

Pancakes are not the low-cost food they once were, but everyone could benefit from learning how to cook and flip them. Start practicing with the stove at half-power--this setting is too low for great pancakes, but it also means they won't burn while you practice. American-style pancake recipes are ready to flip when a bubble breaks on the top side and leaves a little open spot, through which you can see a bit of the cooked structure of the other side of the pancake; if the bubble pops and stays open, but the interior is fully liquid, it'll break if you try to flip it. European-style pancakes are ready to flip once the glossy look of the cooked edges spreads over most/all of the top of the pancake; a patch which still looks wet indicates that the crepe/pankaka/whatever will break if you try to flip it.

Couscous and pre-mixed stuffing are the starches which are the easiest and fastest to cook. Angel-hair pasta and oatmeal are fast but require a pot*. Conventional pasta shapes are average in cooking time but require attendance. Rice and potatoes take longest to cook, but can be put on the stove and then ignored more or less.

For the currency conversion, while it's thoughtful, the varying costs of commodities in different regions of the world make it useless as a step-by-step breakdown. Just convert the end cost per serving.

*or, for oatmeal, a very deep microwaveable bowl, as for couscous and stuffing. I've gotten too much spillage on my last attempts, and have given up on chiseling oatmeal off of the rotating plate in the microwave.

[Serpentine]

Ooo, thanks Quin.
>weighs in hand<
>bashes Conrad over the head with<

What's the difference in recipes for American and European pancakes? The only one I know is flour (plain, self raising or a combination, depending on thickness preference), an egg, pinch of salt, milk, and sugar.

[Quincunx]

We Americans like thick & "fluffy" pancakes, with some raising agent in them--a bit of buttermilk or pinch of baking powder; the batter puddles on the griddle. The European pancake recipes I've tried have all been extremely thin, with a runny batter that slides out to the edges of the griddle. They also taste ever-so-slightly different, although I can't describe it very well. To me, the thinner pancakes are. . .undercooked is the best word I can choose although it's not perfect.

[Serpentine]

Ah, so it's crepes vs. flapjacks sorta thing. I do both.

[Sampi]

Not really very time-efficient, but cheap.

Carrot and coconut soup

1 kg (~2lbs.) carrots, peeled and in coarse chunks
1 small onion, in pieces
vegetable broth (can be self-made, store-bought, stolen from your grandmother or anything)
1 tbsp fresh shredded ginger
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 tsp. honey
1 can of coconut milk (if you can get this fresh, go for it and tell me if it was good. Coconut cream may also be used, though you need less of it.)
dash of lime juice

Boil everything except the coconut and lime juice until the carrots are thoroughly cooked. Then liquefy everything in a blender. Add lime and coconut. Enjoy. Makes enough for about six.

[Sensate]

So it's all about the baking powder? I've always wanted to try American pancakes but have only come up with something similar to sweet, baked bread. Perhaps it's the buttermilk - it's not available for purchase where I live, so can you recommend a substitute?

[Quincunx]

Not all of the recipes call for buttermilk. The substitute involves tipping a tiny bit of lemon juice into the milk and letting it sit for several minutes, so the milk is slightly soured.

"Flapjack" is a strange term. In Ireland, it refers to what looks like a granola bar, all grains and fruits stuck together with sweetness into a block. I understand a flapjack to be a pancake that a body flips by flipping the pan.

[Serpentine]

In Australia, flapjacks is what they call the breakfast pancakes at McDonalds...

Like I said, I make pancakes by mixing self-raising flour (basically plain flour and baking powder, I think) or a mix of self-raising and plain flour for fairly thick pancakes with sugar, an egg, milk (again, depends on how thick you want it) and a pinch of salt. Crepes involves plain flour, an egg, sugar (leave out for savoury ones - yum), a pinch of salt, and enough milk to make it quite runny and spread it thin around the pan. Never used buttermilk...

[Mountain_Faerie]

Buttermilk substitutes:

1 cup buttermilk =

*1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar + enough whole milk to make 1 cup (let it sit 5 minutes before using so it will properly sour).
-or-
* 1 cup whole milk + 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
-or-
1 cup plain yogurt

Baking powder substitute:
1 teaspoon baking powder = 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar plus 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Meal wise, I think adding a recipe for individual size servings might help. This is the least expensive, healthy meal I have come across. It was intended for starving college students who don't cook very much, but will work for anyone. :smallwink:

1 package Ramen noodles (19 cents U.S.)
Frozen mixed vegetables - your choice of veggies ($1.10/bag - you should get 3-4 meals out of a bag)
1 small can tuna or chicken (comes in a 3 pack for about $1.79 U.S. I think)
Soy sauce packets from the chinese take-out place (free!)

In a small sauce pan, place water ( a little for noodles and veggies, more for soup. It should say on the back of the package) and about 1/2 cup frozen veggies. Bring to a boil. Break noodles in the package, open and pour into the boiling water. Make sure you take the seasoning packet out of the package, before dumping it in the water. Add soy sauce or about 1/3 seasoning packet and the meat. Boil for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into a bowl and eat.

Vegetarian option: Substitute crunchy peanut butter for the meat and use a little less water. You can add some minced garlic, cayenne pepper and other spices to give it a little kick on either recipe. (You can usually get these for free at any pizza place in little packets. That way, you don't have to buy a big bottle, when you only need a little.)

So you end up with a meal for about $1.15 U.S.

[Dragonrider]

A good way to save money, but not time, is to make all your own bread. :smalltongue:

I make six loaves at once and freeze them. I have growing brothers so we go through that many in about a week, but....

Basic Bread

In large mixing bowl, combine

1 hpg. TBSP yeast
2 hpg. TBSP sugar
2 ½ C WARM water

Mix well; let sit and do not disturb until the whole surface is covered in foam.

Add:

1 TBSP salt
2 TBSP oil
Approx. 6 C flour

Add the flour 1 cup at a time. Mix with spoon until it won’t combine anymore; then add more flour and knead until the dough doesn’t stick to your fingers anymore. Spray the bowl and the surface of the dough with cooking spray and cover.

Let rise 1-2 hours until doubled in size (or until it’s oozing out of the bowl).

For two large loaves:

Grease two breadpans. Shape dough into nice tucked ovals and place in said pans.

For three smallish loaves:

Grease three breadpans. Shape dough into nice tucked ovals and place in said pans.

Rise 45 min or until loaf is desired size (if it gets too big, your bread will have large air pockets.) Bake 350F for 30 min.

Take out of oven. Pop out of pans and onto cooling rack; rub butter on tops of loaves to keep them from drying out.

[zeratul]

Nachos are really easy:
Just combine equal parts cheddar cheese, and your favorite pan of salsa on a good amount of heat, then add a small amount of milk to help it mix.

Quesadillas are pretty easy as well.:
Two soft shell tortillas, then in between put any combination of meet cheese and spices you like.

[Dragonrider]

I am delving into my mom's recipe book for good stuff!

Upside-Down Pizza

Brown

1 lb ground beef

In pan. Drain fat. To the meat, add

1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
Basil
Oregano
Italian seasoning
Garlic salt

Spread in 9”x13” pan. Sprinkle on

2 C. grated cheese

In separate bowl, mix

2 eggs
1 C. milk
1 ½ C. flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Pour batter over meat mixture. Sprinkle top with

3 TBSP (ish) parmesan, grated

Bake at 400°F for 30 min.

YUM!

[DeadHouseplant]

The best thing for tasty yet healthy/cheap meals is a good spice cabinet. And lots of garlic (in colves, none of this powder or salt stuff). Seasoned salt is one of my favorite things because if you add one teaspoon of that you are getting less than a teaspoon of salt and more flavor. So substituting seasoned salt for normal salt is a quick way to give something more flavor.

DoHP's Mac and Cheese. (based off a recipe in a book, but done from memory)

3 cups dry pasta (I like penne or the curly one)
2 1/2 cups milk (skim)
1/4 cup flour
at least 1 1/2 cup cheese (of any variety, cheedar works well, fontina is a better melting cheese and you get a creamier end product)
Spices to taste
-Paprika
-Salt
-Pepper (red and black, white if you have people who look to see if there's pepper in something and then turn up their nose if there is)

Cook pasta (according to manufacture's instructions) until it is still slightly chewy (best way to test is to pull a peice out of the pot and eat it)

Mix flour and milk in a sauce pot and cook on Med-High until it's thickened, then add cheese and spices until all the cheese is melted.

Place pasta into a 13x9 pan and pour cheese sauce over the top. A bread crumb and parmesan cheese topping is optional but tasty. Bake at 350 degrees (F) for about 30 minutes. Serve Warm.

Easy-butt Pasta Dish

1/2 - 1 box Dry pasta (again any type will work, I like the shorter and rounder pastas, but it works with whatever you have in the cabinet.)
1 jar low-fat alfredo sauce (or tomato sauce, I personally dislike tomato sauce)
1 lb pre-cooked turkey keilbasa (or sausage of any variety, or cooked ground beef, or a couple of handfulls of meatballs, just make sure that whatever it is is pre-cooked, even if you have to cook it)
Spices to taste (pepper!, chili powder, some oregano, garlic, cumin, anything else you think would be interesting)

Directions:
Cook pasta according to manufacture's directions and taste (do you like your pasta mushy or chewy?)

Heat sauce with spices, add meat once somewhat warm and continue until desired temperture.

Combine Pasta and Sauce/Meat in a bowl. Eat!

[Koga]

Screw your cooking ideas! I grab a bag of potato chips and a diet soda!

I'm a real American! I eat artificaly produced transfatty spuds with biochemichal liquids that have ingredients banned in most countries!:smallyuk:

[Dragonrider]

One more quick, easy recipe from my mom's book:

It occurs to me that this is the second recipe I've posted where cheese is an integral part of the recipe, and yet I'm allergic to the stuff. *big sighs*


Hammy-Eggy-Cheesy Sandwiches

spread

Diced bread

Thickly in the bottom of a casserole dish. It’s better if it’s homemade (see: “BASIC BREAD”). Cover with

Grated cheese

Slice

Deli ham

into squares and spread liberally over (till you can’t see the layer beneath). Add another layer of

Grated cheese

Then another layer of

Diced bread

In a bowl, mix

6-ish eggs
Milk

Pour egg and milk mixture over ham, bread, and cheese. Bake at 400F until the egg is cooked through and the bread is toasty.

HINT: If you’re in a hurry, just make a bunch of ham-and-cheese sandwiches, put them in the pan, and pour the egg mixture over it. It’s not as yummy, but it works. You lousy slacker. ;)

[Quincunx]

On curly tubular ("elbow") macaroni: Nothing else works as well for pasta casseroles. I've done exhaustive testing thanks to how difficult that stuff has been to find for the past two years. Of the 'standard' types, your fusilli or spiral pasta is the next best option, which clumps together, but waters down the casserole since the binder won't bubble through tubes of pasta as it cooks and boil down. Ditali, the very short tubes, bubble properly and provide the consistency fusilli won't give, but slither apart in the serving spoon when you try to cut the casserole.

Quick meals for one, I select a starch and season it at a whim. Pinch of proper curry spice bought from an ethnic market. Soy sauce & smidgen of fish flavor from salmon sandwich paste. Dill, butter, & salt. Squirt of tomato paste, pinch of leafy green spice, dash of oil. Next to try: adding one egg scrambled and crumbled & sweet chili sauce. On stuffing packets, the fat skimmed from chicken broth after you've set it in the fridge overnight can be slopped onto the stuffing before you microwave it. Delicious and soggy.

[Conrad Poohs]

Ooo, thanks Quin.
>weighs in hand<
>bashes Conrad over the head with<


>smothers with tomato sauce<
>eats<
Yum...antagonistic conservative goodness!

[lothofkalroth]

SPEECY SOUTHWEST EGGS!!!

depending on your hunger, anywhere from 2-5 eggs

pat of butter or other pan lubricant (safflower oil, corn oil, peanut oil)

chili powder

chipotle powder

sharp cheddar cheese

hot sauce of your choosing!


In a bowl, break the eggs, mixing in desired amounts of chili and chipotle powders, beat until the yokes and whites are blended. Put butter/other lubricant into pan and coat it. Pour eggs into pan over medium heat. Grate in cheese and stir every 40 to 50 seconds for a few minutes (depending on how you like the consistency of your eggs). Serve with hot sauce!

overall takes about ten minutes, and is really, REALLY cheap. I like eggs. :smallsmile:

[The Great Skenardo]

A good way to save money, but not time, is to make all your own bread. :smalltongue:


LIES. The smell of fresh-baked bread and its deliciousness makes a new loaf have a dangerously-high vapor pressure.

That said;

Skenardo's Brazilian Stew
Bacon (5 slices)
Black beans (canned or dry; you'll need about a lb of dry or two cans) ($0.89 a can, usually)
Garlic ($0.33 a bulb)
1 Onion (about $4 a bag)
Chili powder
Cayenne
2 cups Rice

Cook up the bacon until crispy, but keep those delicious juices. Add in the chopped onion and a generous measure of minced/crushed garlic and cook until onions are nice and soft. Add in one can of beans, and mash them in the pan with a wooden spoon. Add in your spices and the rest of the beans, and reduce heat to simmer for just as long as you like. I recommend half an hour to 45 minutes to let the flavors develop.
Serve over cooked rice, feeds 4 hungry college guys.

Note: I recommend making sure the bacon is nice and crispy before you add in the onion and garlic.

Note note: For a more southern BBQ flavor, try adding about two tablespoons of Barbecue sauce just before you simmer.

EDIT: I cannot be held responsible for the gastrointestinal distress that may be afforded by this dish in diners with low-fiber diets. With that in mind, Celery makes a lovely accompaniment to this dish.

[Conrad Poohs]

Good news, World!!
I have just discovered that organic split peas have over 2.5 times the protein content of non-organically grown ones! There's nothing like health benefits so great that they that they negate the need for flavour. Let us all endulge in cost-efficiency of nutrition!

[Quincunx]

New flavoring: chili flakes, oil, salt, & garlic.

One of the other guys in this house, inspired by my making (American) pancakes, decided to make (Swedish) pancakes. Remember when I said to start the stove at half-power if you're unsure of the exact setting? He doesn't read this forum. I was upstairs at the time, but tumbled down the stairs umpity-dumpity at the scent of food turning into charcoal over full power. Smoke particles have clung to the kitchen window and dimmed the sunlight. The good non-stick pan is nearly ruined, and certainly now has a significant 'hot spot'. The pancakes were black; he ate them anyway.

[Dragonrider]

Another good one from my mom:

She never likes to cook this when we have company, because she says she feels like it’s a lazy dish, but I like it—or did when I could eat cheese.

Hammy-Eggy-Cheesy Sandwiches

Layer

Diced bread

Thickly in the bottom of a casserole dish. Cover with

Grated cheese

Slice

Deli ham

into squares and spread liberally over (till you can’t see the layer beneath). Add another layer of

Grated cheese

Then another layer of

Diced bread

In a bowl, mix

6-ish eggs
Milk

Pour egg and milk mixture over ham, bread, and cheese. Bake at 400F until the egg is cooked through and the bread is toasty.

HINT: If you’re in a hurry, just make a bunch of ham-and-cheese sandwiches, put them in the pan, and pour the egg mixture over it. It’s not as yummy, but it works. You lousy slacker. :smallwink:

[Felixaar]

You can't eat cheese (now)? Oh DR, how do you live?

I'd contribute, but I always make time consuming meals. Cause I love cooking.

[BizzaroStormy]

Why don't you save even more money and the environment, and just give up eating completely?

Yeah, replace everything in your cabinets with vitamins and empty out your fridge so you have somewhere to preserve the bodies.