Best Bang For Your Buck Recipe

[Equus5O]

Quote:
If you can find a ham for cheap, you can make loads of meals out of the meat!

You can make a fresh ham dinner the first night, with mashed potatoes, etc.

You can have sliced ham and gravy with the leftover mashed potatoes the next night.

After that, you can take most of the meat off of the bone and grind it. If you don't have a meat grinder, you can dice it as you like it.

You can make SO much with the ground or diced ham!

I usually make macaroni and cheese with ham, and ham salad (just like you would make chicken salad).

I forgot to mention the bone! SOUP! A bag of split peas, the ham bone, chopped onion ...

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Quote:
I didn't know what to call this when I made it. I bet if i call it dog food, the kids will clean their plates, Especially the 2 year-old.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
If you can find a ham for cheap, you can make loads of meals out of the meat!

You can make a fresh ham dinner the first night, with mashed potatoes, etc.

You can have sliced ham and gravy with the leftover mashed potatoes the next night.

After that, you can take most of the meat off of the bone and grind it. If you don't have a meat grinder, you can dice it as you like it.

You can make SO much with the ground or diced ham!

I usually make macaroni and cheese with ham, and ham salad (just like you would make chicken salad).

I forgot to mention the bone! SOUP! A bag of split peas, the ham bone, chopped onion ...

We have a favorite brand of ham, so when I find it on sale, I buy it and stock the freezer.

I can usually get at least three meals out of a ham - if not more than three.

First night we do the ham in the oven - serve with potatoes, maybe corn or carrots, etc...

second day I slice some off for sandwiches - serve with whatever side dish ya want (maybe french fries - or what I prefer, roasted potatoes, which are easier to make homemade than I ever thought they'd be)

third day I make a big crockpot full of bean soup - with diced ham in it. Big pan of cornbread on the side.

after that, I'll use up what's left (if any) for my lunches or for breakfast - fry up a slice with eggs and toast mmmm

meri

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Ok, have to share my roast potatoes recipe -

I always tried to make roasted potatoes, and they never came out right (not crispy on outside, not cooked thoroughly inside, etc... something always went wrong...)

So, the trick is to parboil the potato chunks. Cut your potato hunks into about one inch pieces - make sure you have at least one cut side on them, two is better. boil these for about two minutes - then drain in a collander and shake them around in there, if they get roughed up a bit, the better the crispiness later on. ETA I leave the skins on my potatoes

Sprinkle the potato chunks with oil - and then spread in one single layer on a cookie sheet. then sprinkle with whatever seasonings you like - or you can shake them in the seasonings before putting them on the cookie sheet - both methods work just as well. If you use a lot of dried leafy seasonings, these might (will probably) burn a bit, and smoke - so go easy on too much seasoning on them if it is leafy stuff.
I usually just use salt, pepper and garlic. (I've been meaning to try cajun seasoning on some)

Then you bake them at about 350-400 (depending on your oven) for 20 minutes without turning - then take tongs and turn them and bake another 20 minutes. They'll be fully cooked at this point, but if you want to turn them again and add on an extra 10 minutes to brown one more side, you can.

eta - I gave this recipe because it is cheap to make, but tastes fantastic - not the same old thing, IOW. Plus, those frozen roasted potatoes just don't taste as good as these home made ones do.

meri

 

[Jen4]

Great thread! Now that I read everyones post I'm starving

Heres a quick cheap meal I try to keep on hand for my kids. ( especially on the nights they dont like what I'm cooking... )

Chicken noodle casserole
1 bag of egg noodles
2 cans cream of chicken
handful of shredded cheese
sour cream if we have any
alittle milk to make it creamy

Cook noodles, add everything else, mix well season to taste... there ya go. They love it.

 

[PeepsInc]

French Fries & Eggs The kids favorite!......... Big Bag of Shoestring Fries $3.... Fry those fries nice & crispy. Drain the oil,& throw Em back in the hot pan. Crack 8 or 10 eggs of those free eggs on top. Stir fry until crispy. (onion,peppers,ham bits optional)

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

My kids favorite "cheap meal" is fried rice. I always have the ingredients on hand and its cheap, filling and on the table in less than 15 minutes.
I just toss in whatevers in the freezer, leftover pork or shrimp or chicken. We love it! I always make double batch of jasmine rice when I cook it for another meal to have cold rice in the fridge for later in the week to make this.
Here is the recipe but to be honest I never measure just guesstimate.
courtesy of kittencal on recipezaar.
* 3 eggs (or use as many eggs as desired)
* 1 tablespoon water
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 2 tablespoons oil
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped (I use a little onion powder to appease the kids)
* 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped (or use as much garlic as you desired) I just toss a little garlic powder in, no where near this amount.
* 4 cups cold cooked white rice (very important is cold or it will mush)
* 4 tablespoons soy sauce (more or less to taste)
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil (not optional if you want restaurant taste)
* 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
* 2 green onions, finely chopped

Directions

1.In a small bowl beat the eggs with water.
2.Melt the butter in a large skillet or a wok over medium heat or until sizzling.
3.Add in eggs and leave flat for about 2 minutes or until cooked through; remove to a plate then chop.
4Heat oil in the same skillet; add in onion and saute until softened (about 3-4 minutes, adding in the garlic the last 2 minutes of cooking time).
5.Add in cold rice, soy sauce, sesame oil and black pepper; stir-fry tossing continuously for about 5 minutes (adding in more soy sauce and black pepper if needed to suit taste).
6Stir in the egg and green onion.
ENJOY

 

[ChickenToes]

One of my favorite meals is so simple, but so good. I grate leftover boiled potatoes and fry them in bacon grease, making hashbrowns. I top the hashbrowns with a fried egg and some cheese. Perfect! And it's just as easy to make for 1 person as it is for 5.

 

[annmarie]

Brown Rice and Lentil Casserole

3 cups broth (I just do bouillon cubes and water.)
3/4 cup lentils
1/2 cup brown rice
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup grated cheese (I use cheddar and it’s delicious!)

1.Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2.Mix all ingredients except the cheese in a baking dish (I've used a few different sizes, usually 11 x 7).
3.Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes.
4.Then remove the foil, add the cheese, and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

 

[chickabator]

pinto beans and cornbread you can always take the leftover beans and make bean cakes or chili and you can take the leftover cornbread and make dressing for chicken or turkey or anything.