The "I'm poor as hell recipe collection"

Oh my goodness. This thread is wonderful. I'm a prolific at home cook and I'm constantly looking for cheaper and healthier recipes. I'm nursing a serious holiday party hangover right now, but tomm I will add a bunch of recipes to the thread.

But in the meantime:

* shred your own cheese. Its cheaper to buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself than buy pre-shredded. Healthier too as they add things like wheat or cellulose to shredded cheese to keep it from clumping.

* You can grow all kinds of veggies using just scraps of those veggies right in your kitchen!

25 Foods You Can Grow From Kitchen Scraps

a reply to: Malynn

Kitchen scrap gardening is ideal. You should never have to buy things like green onions over and over again. Ever.

a reply to: Malynn

My neighbor grows her own celery from the stump she cuts off, sticks it in water and it starts growing.

I feel so bad for people who are stuck eating inferior food because they can't cook or can't afford something better. Maybe cooking class in school should be a required subject.

I know eggs aren't all that cheap but if you raise your own chickens or have access to cheap/free eggs, egg noodles are the way to go. I use 20 yolks for every 2 cups of flour. If you have more eggs use more. You can never put too many egg yolks in egg noodles. LOL it only makes them richer. Just make sure the egg/flour ratio is such that the dough isn't too wet/soupy. The dough should be stiff and tough. It's a work out kneading it.

I use no water just egg yolks, flour and salt. Knead dough until smooth, use a little oil on your hands if dough is too sticky. Roll out super thin, cut with knife or pizza cutter, hang on clothes hangers to dry overnight.

Out here in the country friends/neighbors have fresh eggs coming out their ears. They give away the excess or throw them away. Wish there was a way to get them to city people in need.

My cooking methods are very old school and time consuming. It's hard cooking from scratch while working full time but I managed. I cooked on days/nights off and my family ate very well on a tight budget.

I forgot I had these layin around...
Open faced Meatball Sandwich Canapes

...or hors de ovours...or freaking appetizers...whatever you wanna call em. Just don't call me late for 'em...

1 can - Chef Boyardee Spaghetti sauce (trust me...) or 1 - can/jar of your fav... (Chef Boyardee is typically cheap, and reminds me of my childhood...)

1 package - frozen meatballs (try to get plain meatballs...not BBQ or Teriyakke or anything like that...)(each serving will be 4 meatballs...so plan accordingly...)

1 piece toasted bread (yes toasted...cmon...really?) per 4 meatballs you happen to use

1-2 tubs garlic butter (from your fav pizza delivery joint...sometimes it pays to spend an extra buck or two...;-P)

1-2 tablespoons parmasean cheese (I found that 2 packs...again from that fav pizza delivery joint...was good for two pieces of toast...)

Small hadfull of shredded cheddar, cheddar jack, mozerella, whatever shredded cheese you might have on hand...optional


Heat sauce in a pan until slightly boiling. Add meatballs. Return the sauce to slightly boiling. Lower heat, cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
When you start your simmering, toast your bread. Use a pastry brush and coat the toast with the garlic butter. Use as little or as much as you want. This isn't a health experiment...
Sprinkle your garlic buttered toast with parmesean, then top with four meatballs and some sauce. Arrange meatballs so that you can cut the toast into fours. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and enjoy!!!!!!!

The Best Mac N Cheese You've Never Had--From a Box

One box - mac n cheese mix
2 - slices bacon, made into homemade bacon bits (recipe to follow...)
4 tbsp butter
Salt, Pepper and/or Garlic to taste
Bread Crumbs
Shredded Cheese


Homemade Bacon Bits

Take 2 slices of bacon and slice into 1/8ish inch slivers. Place in a cold skillet. (I don't know why...My Mom always told me to start my bacon in a cold cast iron skillet...She was a very good cook and taught me everything I know today. For that, Thanks Mom!)
Heat skillet to about medium. Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until it's not very "foamy" anymore. You'll know what I mean...about 8-10 mins or so to get the bits somewhat crispy. DO NOT DRAIN BACON FAT!!! Remove from heat and set aside. This help to keep the bacon from burning...
(another thing my Mom told me...when bacon foams, turn it over for another minute or so and it's done...Mom liked her bacon a little on the chewy side. For crispier, cook it until it again foams, and so on, for another couple minutes or so...but please DON'T BURN IT!!!

See there? Bonus bacon cooking tips...!!!

While bacon is cooking, cook macaroni noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles.

Put the skillet that your bacon is in back on the burner. Add your 4 tbsp of butter (or margarine or whatever you put on toast lol ;-) ) Turn the heat back on just long enough to melt most of the butter

Add mostly drained noodles

Sprinkle cheese packet on top and let sit for a bit...

Stir all ingredients (bacon bits, bacon fat, butter, cheese mix and noodles)
Let sit for about 5 minutes til everybody is happy...plate and top with bread crumbs and shredded cheese
Dig In!!!

a reply to: Morningglory

I feel bad for them too! My parents couldn't be bothered teaching me to cook, but I've always found it fascinating and taught myself with books and cooking shows. Once I realised how much BETTER everything tastes and how much cheaper it is to eat really well when you cook as much as you can from scratch I've never looked back. We only eat out on special occasions now, and when we do its someplace super swanky because my only criteria is its gotta be something better than what I can cook myself if I'm gonna pay that kind of price for food.

So I was thinking tonight at the busy and crowded grocery store about how many people may be dining alone at Christmas.
Maybe they want to be alone or possibly it is just where they are in life at the moment. Maybe this person has limited funds and can't afford to do the whole spread of turkey and/or ham, homemade dressing, cranberry,mashed taters, and the desserts that always accompany our "overindulgences" around the holidays...

I bought a roasting chicken at the store the other day with plans to do a crock pot chicken. I paid $6.28 for it and tonight I found asparagus on sale for $1.99 pound. I bought two bunches (overindulgences) and they were each around 3/4 of a pound.
Let me add that asparagus is just about the healthiest veggie you can eat (if you like it cause if you don't well then it doesn't matter how healthy it is! )

I bought a 5 pound bag of russet potatoes the other day for $.99 (sale-score)
Now, if you were cooking for just one or had a special someone to make it two, you wouldn't cook the whole bag. These are fairly large so you wouldn't cook the entire bag but maybe 1-2 or 2-3.
the bags I bought work out to about $.11/spud.
You could even wash the taters really well and boil with the skin on...they say it's healthier that way. I don't know but, I do know that sometimes if we are lazy...we do this...We call them "smashed taters" as opposed to "mashed". I'm sure we heard that somewhere and just adopted the term!

So, there you go, fancy huh?
Dinner $
Chicken=$6.28
seasonings=nominal as you probably already have SOMETHING that you could sprinkle even if just salt & pepper.
asparagus=$1.50 (I got lucky and found it on sale...it will be about 3 servings but "overindulgences"...go for it!
smashed taters=$.11/spud so...$.23-$.33
garlic seasoning (prefer the real deal but, whatever you have will do) few drops of oil to coat the asparagus before roasting= $ nominal if you already have on hand.
butter/margarine and milk/cream for taters= $ nominal. You probably have this around and a dab and splash will do...

You CAN make gravy from the drippings of the chicken but, I don't feel the crock pot gets hot enough so...you may want to do that on the stove top.

There's your protein, starch, and veggie all for around...
$8.01
Now, if you simply MUST have dressing...
I found what equates to dried bread crumbs with seasonings in a box for $.99

Remember, I'm trying to save you money not save your life! LOL

Okay so, we are at $9.00

Dessert...
Traditional desserts would be apple pie, pumpkin, or the like...but, you can make a really delicious (IMO) apple dessert FOR CHEAP.

Try a gala apple in the microwave!
Peel about a 1/2 inch from the top...only... and core it and put it in a bowl.
If you have brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins to pack the core with....great, if not...well, it's dessert so maybe you need to splurge on this. Make sure you cover it because it can explode.
Anyway, in about 5 minutes you will have a delicious dessert...
apples=$2.00 for a 3 pound bag. You only need one or two and the rest for snacking through the week. soooooo...
apples=$.33/however many you make.
brown sugar= $.? teaspoon
cinnamon=$.? sprinkle (just a sprinkle!)
raisins=$.15 (we always have those "snack packs" around, you know the little boxes)

Dinner=$9.00
Dessert=$2.50

$11.50=FEAST for two

Either way one should still be able to enjoy/afford a Christmas Dinner if they choose!

I got lots more but let's start here:

Joe's Special

- 4 or 5 eggs (depending how big they are)
- 1 TBSP butter
- 1 TBSP bacon grease (use olive oil if you're precious about using bacon grease lol)
- 1 lb ground beef (I use chuck but use whatever)
- 1 yellow or white onion, chopped. I use a med size one.
- 2 or 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (use could also do fresh if you want but honestly to me this recipe tastes better and is easiest to make with frozen)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- salt and pepper
- grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Beat the eggs and set side, melt the bacon grease and butter in a heavy bottom skillet (cast iron is best) over medium heat. Add the ground beef to the pan after the butter and grease is melty and cook it, stirring occasionally until it's browned and crumbly. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onions are soft but not browned, keep stirring occasionally. Keep it moving! Stir in the spinach and spices (if using fresh spinach cook until it wilts) . Add the beaten eggs and cook until eggs are set (3 minutes or so). Salt and pepper to taste. Stir and chop in the pan with your Spatula so the eggs are distributed well. Serve! Garnish with parmesan cheese to taste if you're using it. SO GOOD.

a reply to: Malynn

Yummm...just yummm...I have got to try this...

It's almost like a "deconstructed" omelet of some sort...

TY

Korean Beef

I always double this recipe because it makes excellent left-overs and my husband likes to take them to work. The version of the recipe shown below is the original normal sized version. In my doubled-version the only thing I do differently than this version is I use 1/4 cup soy sauce & 1/4 cup hoisin sauce mixed together instead of just soy sauce.

1 pound ground beef (again I use chuck usually)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sesame oil (for this version of the recipe I would use 2 TBSP, however in a doubled version I'd use 3 TBSP)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced (I keep a huge knob of fresh ginger in my freezer. When I want to use it I pull it out, use a vegetable peeler or spoon to take off the brown skin on the outside, and then grate it with a cheese grater until I have enough to use. No need to mince with a knife)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red peppers
salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, diced

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the ground beef in the sesame oil. When the ground beef is browned add the garlic and stir around for 30-60 seconds or until fragrant. Drain most of the fat from the pan and add brown sugar, soy sauce and or soy sauce/hoisin sauce mixture, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions.

Edit to add: When I make the normal sized version I make 1 cup of Jasmine Rice to go with it. When I do the double version I make 2 cups of Jasmine Rice to go with it. But any kind of white rice you have would work just fine.

Heres what I do when I'm broke.

1 Box of Kraft Mac N Cheese (1.80) + one Fried Chicken breast from the deli at local Supermarket. (2.95) Tear up the fried chicken meat and mix in with the Mac.

Also if you have time or resources to cook raw meat. Buy a pre made Chicken Kiev or Cordon Blue breast from the deli for about 3 dollars and mix with Mac N Cheese. Serve with can of Beans as Side. Not the best mix but cheap and got decent protein.

One time I found a pound of bacon at the discount section of the market for 2.00 Took it home cooked it all up at once and ate it all in one sitting by it's self. I personally smelled like Bacon for three days but it was satisfying.

Sadly Malt liquor is always a decent augmentation calorie wise if you are broke and need carbs. If your really hungry you won't even feel the alcohol you'll just process it all like it was a few slices of bread.

I just have one word: Chicken Leg Quarters! They go for less than 50cents a pound in my area. Plenty of meat. You can boil a couple with some herbs. Shred the meat and add egg noodles (or rice) for easy/cheap soup. The Wallyworld loafs of bread are now only a buck - for a couple of greenbacks, you could feed an average sized family.

Also, use ground pork instead of ground beef. I use ground pork in my sloppy joes, meatloafs, stuffed pasta shells, etc. Ground pork in my area is about half the price per lbs.

As for the veggies, use whatever is priced for the season (would say in season, but since we import veggies from everywhere - they are always in season some place else).

One of my fav is:
Taco Rice (should feed 3, definitely 2)
1 lb of ground pork
1 package of the cheapest taco seasoning you can find
1 head of reduced price lettuce
a couple of the cheapest priced tomatoes you can find
cheapest container of sour cream you can find (usually costs a buck)
cooked rice

Discard the brown leaves from the discounted lettuce. Shred the rest. Wash and cube the tomatoes. Cook the ground pork, do not drain (it's not beef). Add seasoning and maybe a spoon of water, mix together.

Take a plate - pile on some rice. Top with shredded lettuce and tomatoes. Spoon meat over top. Add a dollop of sour cream.
(You can add shredded cheese if you like...it would make it taste much better, but I'm lactose 'blow-it-up' intolerant.)

I'm gonna keep plugging away adding recipes to this thread when I have time because who doesn't love to spread their love of food? The following is a recipe passed down from my great-grandma to grandma to mom to me. Great-grandma was married to a potato-farmer so they cooked a lot of taters. I've never seen a written recipe because in our family you are taught how to make it and you do. So all my measurements are approximate. Also, it's soup and that's pretty difficult to screw up.

Our Family Recipe Potato Soup

-6-8 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into cubes suitable for soup. Mine are about 1 inch cubes.
-2 medium or large white or yellow onions
-2 large carrots, cleaned and/or peeled, and then grated using a cheese grater
-2 or 3 large stalks of celery, trimmed and then chopped into very small pieces.
-2 cans evaporated milk (EVAPORATED MILK. NOT Sweetened Condensed milk. If you make this mistake you will be in for a gross surprise.) A lot of the time I only have one can of evaporated milk on hand so in that case I would use it and then add a few big splashes of regular milk straight from the fridge to make up for only having one can. It never makes a diff in flavor to me.
- 1 large ring of smoked (or fully cooked) meat of some sort such as: Polish Kielbasa, Andouille Sausage, hell I've even used Chorizo. Whatever is cheap and tasty in the store is what I get. I suppose it doesn't have to be a "ring" of meat but I've always used rings and it's what I'm used to. You can honestly use whatever strikes your fancy as far as soup meat goes. My great-grandmother preferred gently cooked bacon to be her potato soup meat of choice. However, grandma and mom over the years have made Polish Kielbasa the standard of potato soup meat in our family. After you select the meat cut it into pieces relative in size to the potatoes.
-salt and pepper

Place potatoes, onions, carrots, and celery in a large soup or stock pot and cover with cold water so there is about 1 1/2 inches of water covering them. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender. I literally have no idea how long this takes. I just keep tasting the veggies until they are the correct softness. Either remove from heat or reduce heat to the lowest setting. Add the evaporated milk. Stir. Add the chopped meat. Stir. I then let it sit marinating in it's own juices for like an hour usually. Serve. It can be eaten right after you add the meat if you want but it will not taste as good. As with most soups or stews it reaches it's full flavor potential on the second day.

Alternative Fancy Variation: Sometimes if I'm ambitious or at least not lazy I'll melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan, add about a table spoon of cornstarch and stir and cook for a minute or two, slowly add the (room temperature or warm) evaporated milk and or regular milk SLOWLY to the pan, whisking constantly until all the milk has been added and you've got a thickish white sauce. Then (still whisking constantly) I'll slowly add about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese until I've got a rich, thick cheese sauce. I will then add this to the veggie mixture after they have become tender, then add the meat. Regardless if I'm lazy or not my husband eats his face off when I make this soup lol

a reply to: Malynn

Very similar to a recipe my pop used when we needed it. He'd use canned meat (the generic spam stuff, yeah I know) or shredded chicken meat. He'd also add tons of garlic to the pot.

We'd eat this over rice.

Makes me want to make a pot now. I remember the flavors being so simple, yet delicious.

a reply to: ChuckNasty

People can turn up their noses at Spam, but it doesn't change the fact that its delicious. Lol Especially sliced thin and fried. But I've given up canned food except for French Style green beans. Which just taste better to me than other green beans. Fried Spam and eggs though...so good.

It's always nice finding more cheap meal ideas! I know well what a budget is like, with six in the house, so these are very welcome! Here are a few of mine:

Easy Meatloaf

1.5 lb. lean ground beef
1 - 6 oz. can tomato paste
1/4 tube uncooked breakfast sausage
12 saltine crackers, crushed fine
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 tbsp. grated parmesan or parmesan/romano blend cheese.
(seasonings can be adjusted to taste)

Mix all ingredients well, and press into a standard loaf pan. Cook at 350° for about an hour.

Cheap, a real hit, and good comfort food. We feed six on this one. Toss in homecooked mashed potatoes, and a veggie, and you are all set. The potatoes are way cheaper fresh than boxed instant stuff, and taste better. Peel if you want, cut into cubes, biol till a fork goes through easily, drain, and add some milk and butter/margarine, and salt to taste. A little garlic powder, or roasted garlic, and you have garlic mashed.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

4 cups cooked white rice
cooked, cubed/chopped meat from 2 chicken quarters, or a large can, drained (leftovers work well for this!)
1 bag frozen broccoli/cauliflower/carrot mix, cooked
1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup, diluted, or 2 cans if you want more flavor

You can do this a couple of ways. One is to add half the soup to the rice, and spread that in a large baking dish. Add the rest of the soup to the chicken and veggies, mixed, and spread over the rice. Heat in the oven till hot. Another way is to mix it all together in a large pan, warm as needed, and just serve.

Steak and Gravy, Crockpot recipe

Amounts here are variable, so prep as much as you personally need.

cheap round steak, trimmed
cream of mushroom soup

You brown the steak in bite-sized pieces, just browned, and toss in the Crock Pot. Cover with soup, and heat on high about 2 hours, or low for twice that. The soup and beef make a great gravy, and it's best served with mashed potatoes.

Spam Made Tasty

Mix honey and mustard, in equal portions, enough to cover the amount of meat you want. A can takes about a tsp, of each, roughly. To taste, so adjust as needed. Place the SPAM, or cheaper store version, on a microwavable plate, and cross-hatch the side. Spread the honey-mustard mix over the top, and down the sides, and heat till hot in microwave. Just takes a couple of minutes, and it's pretty good.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

canned corn beef to serve your number, either chilled or warmed, depending on your preference
cabbage, 1-2 heads, based on your people numbers.

You just chop the cabbage into chunks, 1-2 inches, separate the leaves as needed, and toss into a large pot, like a Dutch oven or stew pot. Cut butter/margarine into this, and cover with a milk/water mix. Pepper is a must, as much as you like. Boil it till soft, stirring as needed, and watch, because it will boil over! The cabbage is super cheap, and filling. Just mix in the corned beef, and enjoy! That one, my dad called Depression food. Good stuff!

Tuna Casserole

1 large (16 oz.) bag egg noodles, cooked
2 cans tuna, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
either peas or broccoli, to suit your taste, can or small frozen package
1/3 to 1/2 block of Velveeta or cheaper version, cubed small

Mix all, heat in casserole dish in the oven or large pan on stove top, till the "cheese" is melted. If you want, you can use crushed chips or croutons for a topping. Very easy and cheap.

******************************************************************************************************************************************************

Homemade spaghetti is pretty easy, using canned tomato sauce, oregano, basil, thyme, a tiny pinch of rosemary, just a touch of garlic, and sauteed mushrooms and onions. Please don't ask for seasoning amounts; I do it by nose. The oregano and basil are pretty generous, though. Italian bread, buttered, and topped with garlic, parsley, and paprika, heated till warm or toasted, your taste, is a perfect complement. Toss in a simple salad, and you are done. We use the grated parmesam/romano on the spaghetti. You can add meatballs from the freezer section if you want, or toss in some ground beef.

Cooking your own rice isn't really complicated, either, though many don't know how. For those, it's this easy. Two parts water to one part rice, and a tsp. of butter per uncooked rice cup, with a dash of salt. Boil the water, with the butter and salt, stir in the rice, IMMEDIATELY turn the burner to LOW, put on a lid, time for 19 minutes, and do NOT open it at all. Should be right every time. You get a lot more for your dollar with the simple bags than with instant or boil-in varieties. To serve it with roasted chicken, just saute some mushrooms and onion in butter, with whatever seasonings you use in your chicken, and stir that into the finished rice. Very tasty and simple seasoned rice!!

Beans are always cheap, and pintos and cornbread is complete protein and a budget meal, plus being, in my book, comfort food!

I do chicken and dumplings, too. Boil the chicken pieces (quarters or whatever) seasoning the broth with parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme to taste (cue Scarborough Fair). Remove the done chicken from the bones, cut small and set aside. Mix up some biscuit dough (I use a baking mix), roll out and cut into pieces about 1x2 inches. Scissors work best for this. Drop a few at a time into the boiling broth, and cook till done. Stir in the chicken, and serve. Just adjust the amounts for what you need.

Using leftover meat in casseroles or soups is a good budget trick. Most any meat and veggies can be mixed in with rice or noodles or pasta, with some soup and/or cheese, to stretch it out. I have made turkey soup by boiling the stripped carcass before, removing the bones, tossing in noodles and veggies, and a little seasoning. Trimmed fat from steak (such as above) can be boiled for a broth as well. We made homemade turkey pickets this year (idea from my eldest), using chopped up turkey, cooked broccoli, and cheddar cheese in crescent rolls. One roll for the bottom, top with the mix, and top with another roll, press the edges together, and cook as the package directs. Super easy, and the kids LOVED these! You could get creative with those as well.

When shopping for meat, remember that fat cooks off ground beef, so leaner cuts are a better deal by far. Avoiding convenience packaging is almost always best, when possible. Grating or slicing your own cheese, cooking your own bacon, etc, can make a difference. If buying for one or two, and if you can, buy the cheaper, larger packages, and freeze in portions. Be sure you calculate cost per ounce or whatever, too, because packages can be deceiving, and the larger one isn't always the better deal. Try the store brands and generics, and use those you can handle. Often they are as good as the big brands. Sometimes, better.

Oh, forgot a recipe!

Delicious Baked Fish

This is SO simple, and so very good. We normally use tilapia, but any white fish will do. Arrange frozen fillets on a cookie sheet. Using a basting brush (for non-cooks, looks like a little paint brush, available where kitchen utensils are sold, likely your grocery store), brush each fillet lightly with mayonnaise. Put that in a bowl first, so you aren't dipping into the jar. Sprinkle with lemon pepper and parmesan cheese, and bake as directed. Maybe about fifteen minutes. This is as easy as they come, and it's amazing the flavor you get. If you buy the fish on sale, and use just what you need, a bag can last a while for smaller households. Rice and broccoli go well with this.

Smoked sausage, of the kielbasa type, can be a bargain meal, too, warned and served with sauerkraut or rice and veggies.

Making your own burgers is a huge money saver. You might find they are better, too! Some cheap seasoned salt either mixed in the meat or sprinkled on top adds some zest. Grilling chopped onion in the grease, to serve on them, is good as well.

Spuds are usually cheap to buy and always easy to grow.

3 simple ways with spuds

Dauphinoises

1-2 potatoes per person
A pint for every 4 potatoes cream/cream cheese/milk - any of these or combination of any, cream cheese flavoured
with herbs = easy cheat (I have heard nut milk works but have not tried this so cannot vouch)
Garlic - any form you like
Herbs - any but thyme for tradition
Butter/butter substitute

Use the Butter/butter substitute to grease an oven proof dish

Peel and slice the potatoes
these can be par cooked before baking but best left raw if using milk only.
Par cooking for 5mins in the microwave reduces cooking costs

Place potatoes in baking dish

Mix cream/cream cheese/milk selection, garlic, salt, pepper and herbs in microwave safe jug and cook on high for 2mins
Whisk together, it does not matter if there are some lumps but if using a combination, mixture needs to be fairly well amalgamated.
Pour over potatoes.


Bake, covered for 2/3 of the cooking time
Uncooked potatoes baked in milk - 160c - a couple of hours
Par-cooked potatoes baked in cream - 190c - up to an hour


Charcutiuery

1-2 potatoes per person
Pint of stock for every 4 potatoes
Garlic - any form you like
Herbs - mix it up any way you like
Butter/butter substitute
Sliced onions (optional), cooked or raw as you like

Same principle as the Dauphinoises. If using onions, alternate layer them in the dish with the potatoes. Best outcome achieved with raw spuds, hot stock poured over ad baked for a couple of hours at 160c.

Both are excellent as leftovers chopped up a bit with added bacon, chorizo, chopped cooked veg, whatever. Add a splash of milk, stock or water, grate some cheddar over the top and bake in fairly hot oven for 15-20 mins.


Cheese and Tatty Pie

1-2 potatoes per person
1 onion to every 2 potatoes
Grated cheddar cheese
Butter
Milk or cream (optional)

Use the butter/butter substitute to grease an oven proof dish

Peel or don't peel, wash and cut up. Place in large pan, cover with cold water, add a little salt and bring to boil, 15-20mins.

Treat the onions as you will. Chop or slice, raw or cooked

Mash the spuds, adding milk/cream/butter to soften. (If only using butter, you may want to add a little of the cooking water to soften.)

Add the onions and 2/3 of the cheese. Season with pepper.

Put in oven dish and smooth over top a bit.

Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top, add breadcrumbs or crushed tortilla for more crunch.

Bake at 190-200c for 20mins or so.


All the above work as dishes in themselves, (especially when skint) or as accompaniments

I just cooked New Years dinner for about $15.00. Ham was the most expensive but got a 7 lb one for about $10.00, Had a bag of potatoes so I made potato salad and a bag of black eyes peas was .99 cents.

Ham is baking now. Smelling good

OK guys. Got a budget for the next 11 days at $12 a day for food. Want to try and keep it to $5 a day, focusing on protein if possible. Any ideas?

Also, some advice. Dads christmas present failed to arrive in mail. Wont be arriving for a month. Want to get him something in the mean time. He didn't get any presents from me other than the one I'm still waiting on delivery of. Now with this budget issue should I

A. not pay my cell bill and be a month behind risking having it shut off? Use that money to get my dad a christmas present. B. Buy my dad a $40 present, pay the phone bill and take the hit on my food budget hoping I'll find a way to eat.
C. wait till the 15th for Dad. Pay Verizon today to bring me current, and use the $12 for food?