Gosh, thinking of all the stuff I used to cook in high school and college.
Hash browns
Bake 2 potatoes in the microwave.
Put 4 bacon slices in a skillet and cook. Take bacon out, leave grease in the pan, crumble bacon separately. Slice 1/2 onion thin and fry it in the grease.
Slice baked potatoes into bite-size chunks, then add to the pan just to fry the surface.
Add seasoning--thyme, Italian herbs, dill, salt, pepper, chili powder, whatever you got.
Top with a couple tbsp. parmesan and the bacon. Serve w/ eggs.
Pancakes, for sure, very cheap.
baked beans
Put in a bean pot (can find bean pots at flea markets and such, or use a big heavy Dutch oven):
1 lb. dry beans
1 large or 2 medium chopped onions
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp. mustard*
1/3 - 1/2 c. brown sugar or maple syrup*
2 tsp. salt*
2 tsp. thyme*
*I'm guessing on measurements here, the actual unit of measure on these things is "to taste" or "some"
Fill bean pot to about 2-3 inches from the top with water. Put in 325F oven and be patient for a couple of hours. This is adaptable to slow cookers, too. Can add things like salt pork, bacon, ham hocks if, you know, they're on sale. Baked beans in quesadillas, baked beans with sausage, baked beans with hot dogs on sale were recurring themes in college food.
Dandelion salad (it's good, I swear)
Fry 4-6 strips bacon in pan. Take bacon out, crumble in a dish, leave grease in pan. Fry a small chopped sweet onion or 1/2 bunch chopped scallions in the grease. Pour the hot grease and onion into a salad bowl, and mix in 1/4 c. cider vinegar, 1/4 c. water, 1/4 c. sugar, a bunch of black pepper, and whisk to dissolve sugar. Mix in 1 bunch dandelion greens, 1 head Romaine, washed and cut into pieces. Toss to coat leaves and wilt them a tiny bit. Add chopped hardboiled eggs to taste.
Soup of the day
2 tbsp. oil/melted butter
2 tbsp. flour
-Mix in large saucepan over heat till bubbly
4 c. broth (usually from bouillon cubes)
-Gradually stir into the flour/oil mix
Add chopped veggies, sausage, ground turkey, pasta, canned beans, cheese, baked potato chunks, corn, bacon bits, whatever is in the fridge
Simmer 15 minutes, then add Mixed Herbs to taste.
Serve w/ salad, bread.
Cheap dessert:
Bread pudding
4-5 pieces stale bread
3 eggs
1 1/3 c. milk
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
cinnamon, apple/pumpkin pie spice,
vanilla & raisins if you got em
Whisk together last 6 ingredients. Cut stale bread into crouton-size pieces, then stir into egg mixture. Pour into a casserole dish and bake at 325F for 45 minutes or so. Serve w/ apple slices, vanilla ice cream if it's on sale.
