Cooking between paychecks

[VTMama]

Macaroni Tomato al Carbon (?) not sure about the al carbon part.

You'll need a box of elbo macaroni, 2 cans stewed or diced tomatoes, even Rotel type (what ever you have on hand would probably do) and a few pieces of bacon (up to half a pack)

Cook the macaroni, drain.
Drain tomatoes but reserve the juice.
Fry the bacon till crispy but not burned.

Add the tomatoes to the hot macaroni. Crumble bacon over top and toss. If it is too dry, add some of the tomato can juice.

It's pretty good. It's also a good side dish if you aren't between paychecks.

I'd love to see some more recipes......I need 'em! :)

[ajrsmom]

I mix chili seasoning in with canned, diced tomatoes and serve over pasta.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

This sounds like something that I have made in the past except I also add the juices and onion. Thanks for reminding me of this. I LOVE noodles and tomatoes.

[Coll]

I always have ground beef and chicken breast on hand for between paycheck cooking. Both can be used so many ways.

Coll

[cat lover]

This is a dish from my early married days. It is quite good, but still an inexpensive meal.


1 box macaroni and cheese
1 tbsp margarine
1 onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes with juice (15 oz can)
1 tbsp chopped dried parsley

Boil macaroni from mac & cheese and drain. While that is cooking cook onion in margarine till softened but do not brown. Add drained macaroni to onion, add remaining ingredients and sprinkle cheese mix from mac & cheese package into the skillet of ingredents and stir till combined and heated through. You can add peas to this also, but I like them as a side dish. Have some rolls you got off the reduced bakery rack and you have an entire meal that was inexpensive but filling! Applesauce as a side is good too!

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Another good standby is macaroni and cheese casserole. I make a white sauce, add leftover cheeses and hot sauce. Then, I pour it over drained and cooked macaroni macaroni noodles. I pour that into a caserole dish and then sprinkle cheese on top and bake until hot and bubbly.

[cat lover]

1 1/2 cups large dry limas( 12 oz)
3 cups cold water
1 15 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt

1 12 oz can luncheon meat, cubed (like Spam)
1 beef bouillon cube
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup milk
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp browning sauce (or soy sauce)

Rinse beans and put in large pan and add water. Bring to boiling and cover and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour. Do not drain. Add tomatoes, onion, and salt; cover and simmer for 1 1/4 hours. Add luncheon meat, bouillon cube and pepper. Bring to boiling and reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine milk and flour; add to stew mixture. Cook, stirring constantly; till thickened and bubbly; stir in soy sauce. 8 servings

Good with Cornmeal Muffins

[VTMama]

Yum, Cat Lover! The Thrifty Meat-Bean Stew sounds good. I adore lima beans, although I'm the only one in my house who does :( I bet if you had a ham bone in the freezer from a previous meal it would certainly add some flavor too.

I happened to see Spam in the grocery store last week and they included a plastic container to keep it in if you didn't finish at once. I thought that was a cute gimick.

Thanks for the idea!

[DeBora4BobbyL]

I'll have to look for that next time I go to the store. I love Spam salad sandwiches with it. Velvetta did have a plastic container as well. I don't know if they still do. The price with the added container was the same as without the container.

[VTMama]

If you like oriental food and/or Ramen here's one to try.

Stir fry veggies that you usually would have with stir fry, add a bit of soy sauce. (Keep the veggies hot)
Boil up how ever many packs of Ramen noodles your family might eat but DON'T boil with the sauce packet.
When the noodles are soft, lift them out of the water into a wide shallow bowl with a spaghetti tool.
Sprinkle one flavor packet over noodles and toss them. Add a small bit of the boiling water and another flavor packet, toss again.
Add your hot stir fried veggies, toss again & you have a cheap meal.

If you happen to like tofu, it is very good in stir fry and would add some protein.

You have your veggies, starch and not as much sodium as you would if you made regular ramen because you usually don't use all the flavor packets.

There've been times I haven't even had scallions or onions on hand ~ chives from the garden worked just as well but you can't stir fry them for long before they turn to mush. :p

Hmmmm...I think I have dinner figured out for tonight! LOL!:rolleyes:

[ajrsmom]

If you like oriental food and/or Ramen here's one to try.

Stir fry veggies that you usually would have with stir fry, add a bit of soy sauce. (Keep the veggies hot)
Boil up how ever many packs of Ramen noodles your family might eat but DON'T boil with the sauce packet.
When the noodles are soft, lift them out of the water into a wide shallow bowl with a spaghetti tool.
Sprinkle one flavor packet over noodles and toss them. Add a small bit of the boiling water and another flavor packet, toss again.
Add your hot stir fried veggies, toss again & you have a cheap meal.

If you happen to like tofu, it is very good in stir fry and would add some protein.

You have your veggies, starch and not as much sodium as you would if you made regular ramen because you usually don't use all the flavor packets.

There've been times I haven't even had scallions or onions on hand ~ chives from the garden worked just as well but you can't stir fry them for long before they turn to mush. :p

Hmmmm...I think I have dinner figured out for tonight! LOL!:rolleyes:


I think that I just found another meal that my family would like!

Thanks for sharing!!

[cat lover]

Yum, Cat Lover! The Thrifty Meat-Bean Stew sounds good. I adore lima beans, although I'm the only one in my house who does :( I bet if you had a ham bone in the freezer from a previous meal it would certainly add some flavor too.

I happened to see Spam in the grocery store last week and they included a plastic container to keep it in if you didn't finish at once. I thought that was a cute gimick.

Thanks for the idea!


You are very welcome! I'll have to take a look in our grocery and see if I can find that container; it would be nice to have one that fit the Spam"s odd shape! LOL

[mouse]

VTMama that stirfry looks so good, I can't wait to try it. We love ramen noodles and stirfry so I am sure we are going to love this recipe. I put it on the menu for next week.
I have the Spam and Velveeta containers. They had them in our stores up here about 9 months ago. We use the Velveeta one all the time, the Spam one not as much cause we usually end up finishing the can of Spam once it is open.

One of our thrifty meals is
spam
eggs
cheese
bread
slice the spam and cook it in a skillet, set aside when browned
scramble or fry the eggs
mayo the bread, (good with mustard also)
put the spam, eggs and cheese on the bread and there you have it.
It is also good on English muffins.
mouse

[cat lover]

Hers a frugal and easy recipe!

Easy Chicken and Noodles
1 can ( 10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp pepper
3 cups cooked wide egg noodles
2 cups cubed cooked chicken

In a pan combine soup, milk, cheese and pepper. Stir in noodles and chicken; heat through. 4 servings

[DeBora4BobbyL]

I will be going on a diet on the 30th, so I will be doing more shopping at the local farm markets instead of the cheap potatoes, rice, and pasta.

[cat lover]

This is a budget dish that is good


1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cans (8 oz each) tomato sauce
1 pkg. ( 10 oz) frozen peas
1 tube ( 7 1/2 oz ) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet cook beef, celery and onion till meat is no longer pink and celery is tender. Drain off any fat. Stir in flour, salt, oregano and pepper till blended. Add tomato sauce and peas; simmer 5 minutes. Puit into a 13 x 9 x 2" baking dish. Separate biscuits and arrange over beef mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or till biscuits are golden. 6 servings

[DeBora4BobbyL]

This sounds like something my DH might like.

[cat lover]

This is a great recipe for a tight budget!

2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3 1/3 cups milk, divided
1 2/3 cups Bisquick

In a 3 qt. pan, combine soup and 2 2/3 cups milk. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. In a bowl combine bisquick and remaining milk just till blended. Drop by rounded tbsp onto simmering soup. Cook uncovered about 10 minutes or till dumplings test done. Serve immediately. 4 servings

[cat lover]

This is a frugal side dish that is good!

Lime-Thyme Potato Wedges

1/4 cup margarine.,melted
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp grated lime peel
1 tsp dried thyme
3 large potatoes
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp paprika

In large bowl combine the first four ingredients. Cut each potato into eight wedges and add to lime mixture and toss to coat. Place wedges skin side down on a greased baking sheet. Combine cheese, salt and paprika and sprinkle over potatoes. Bake at 400 degrees 20-25 minutes or till tender. 6 servings

[Janet]

Depression Stew

Elbow Macaroni
Tomato Juice
Margarine
Evaporated Milk
Salt & Pepper

Cook elbow macaroni, al dente, drain and put back in pot...add margarine, 1 stick if you are making a large pot..evaporated milk, tomato juice, and simmer till it gets as thick as you like..salt & pepper. Add ingredients slowly for it all depends on how much pasta you cooked.

Janet

[cat lover]

This is a meatless dish that is inexpensive and if you serve a tossed salad and some rolls with it you have a whole meal.

Black Beans and Rice

1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped fine
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained , but reserve juice
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic salt
3 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
2 cups cooked white rice

In a large skillet heat oil and cook onion and green pepper till crsip tender; stir in tomatoes, beans, thyme and garlic salt, cook 3 minutes add vinegar, pepper sauce and reserved juice and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Serve over rice. 4 servings

[noctowl]

I came up with this just before payday, way back when the ex was in the Marines. It will feed 4 with a bit leftover. It tastes great with a spinach salad.

1 lb. fully cooked smoked sausage(if you can find the kind with cheese in it,even better) sliced in half then into 1/4 in thick half moons
2-3 lbs of peeled dice potatoes
2 med. onions, diced
salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, paprika and a bit of cayenne to taste
1 stick of margarine, melted

mix all in a large bowl then dump into a prayed 13x9x2 pan, cover with foil and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. Remove foil and stir. Reuce heat to 350 and bake uncovered for about another 40 minutes or til taters are tender. My kids like this with ketchup also.

[cat lover]

noctowl, that sounds good! Using DH's healthy coice smoked sausage would make this something DH could eat. Going to copy it for another day, thanks!

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Noctowl, what could be better than something with onions, potatoes, and sausage? Sounds delicious.

[Coll]

I'll bet my kids would even enjoy this. If not the next time I'd use hotdogs. They'd eat those everyday if I let them, LOL.

[cat lover]

Ramen Noodles can be stretched into a meal very easy and you can usually find them on sale for 10 cents a pkg. So stock up when they are that price and here's a recipe using them that is good.

Ramen Noodle Taco Salad

1 pkg. beef ramen noodle
1/2 pound groun beef
1 tomato, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Thousand Island Dressing
Tortilla chips

Cook noodles according to pkg directions except leave out seasoning; drain. Brown beef and drain and then stir in 1/2 of the seasoning packet. Mix all ingredients except tortilla chips and serve over tortilla chips