Anyone have a recipe...?
Hey f-list! ^__^ Help me out here please. What's your favorite cheap-to-make recipe? As in, under $10 per meal.
I've got all the basic plain stuff on our menu, but I'm looking for ethnic foods that would give us a change of pace but not kill our budget. So since you all are from all over the world, I thought I'd ask if you had any favorite cheap meals that you'd be willing to share recipes for. I trust all of you more than random websites, because you obviously all have wonderful taste or you wouldn't be here. XDD *runs away*
And please feel free to share this post with anyone you think might be interested. :)
For the below:
t=teaspoon, or 2 cm diameter pile on the palm of your hand
T=tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
If you want vegetarian, in step 2 use 32 oz vegetable broth instead of the water, broth and ham, and don't add any salt until the end when you can taste the reduced mixture.
(Red) Beans and rice
8 servings
Ingredients
2 c dried beans (any kind work really except like split peas. I tend to use pinto.)
cold water
1-2 smoked ham hocks or otherwise cheap-ass piece of salt pork (I like a 1/4 lb piece of smoked pork butt (and no that's not a sexual preference ;P))
14 oz can low-sodium chicken broth or make your own
1 large onion, diced (optional)
2 green peppers, diced
1 T minced garlic (I like lots; you can use less)
1 bottle cheap-ass beer
1 bay leaf
1 t dried marjoram
1/2 t ground cumin
2 T light brown or regular sugar
1 T dried parsley or 1/4 c fresh, minced
1/2 t salt (or less - I use none and salt it at the end)
cayenne pepper (1/2 t or to taste)
1 T vinegar or 1 t hot sauce
Steamed rice
Optional toppings:
Fresh parsley and green onions, minced
------------------------
Instructions
1. Rinse beans and sort for stones. Soak overnight in cold water with at least an extra inch of water above them. If your water is hard, add a little bit of baking soda.
2. The next day drain and rinse. Put in a big pot with about 4 cups water (or broth and 2 cups water or more if it looks like it needs it) and the meat (not cut up). Bring to a boil, simmer with lid on about 45 minutes.
(It's important not to put anything acidic in for the first 45 minutes or the beans won't soften.)
3. Add in onions, peppers, garlic, beer (heh I typed bear), bay, marjoram, cumin, cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Let it cook, lid off, another 30-60 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water if it looks like it needs it. You want it thick and stew-like at the end though. 15 minutes before it's done take the chunk o' meat out and cut it from bones and dice and toss back in. Give bones to dog. Or to the bear if he didn't try to eat you after trying to add him to the beans.
4. Before serving adjust for salt, pepper. Ladle over rice. Top with parsley and/or green onions if you want. Tastes pretty darned good with corn bread. And is especially good the next day.
I have all the spices sitting around, so the cost for me is always the beans ($.50), smoked hock or shoulder piece ($2.49), beer ($.80), broth ($1.79), and peppers ($2.10), onions ($1.50, white and green), parsley ($.99), 1.5 c rice ($1.25).
$11.42/8 servings = at least 2 meals + some lunches.
I've got all the basic plain stuff on our menu, but I'm looking for ethnic foods that would give us a change of pace but not kill our budget. So since you all are from all over the world, I thought I'd ask if you had any favorite cheap meals that you'd be willing to share recipes for. I trust all of you more than random websites, because you obviously all have wonderful taste or you wouldn't be here. XDD *runs away*
And please feel free to share this post with anyone you think might be interested. :)
For the below:
t=teaspoon, or 2 cm diameter pile on the palm of your hand
T=tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
If you want vegetarian, in step 2 use 32 oz vegetable broth instead of the water, broth and ham, and don't add any salt until the end when you can taste the reduced mixture.
(Red) Beans and rice
8 servings
Ingredients
2 c dried beans (any kind work really except like split peas. I tend to use pinto.)
cold water
1-2 smoked ham hocks or otherwise cheap-ass piece of salt pork (I like a 1/4 lb piece of smoked pork butt (and no that's not a sexual preference ;P))
14 oz can low-sodium chicken broth or make your own
1 large onion, diced (optional)
2 green peppers, diced
1 T minced garlic (I like lots; you can use less)
1 bottle cheap-ass beer
1 bay leaf
1 t dried marjoram
1/2 t ground cumin
2 T light brown or regular sugar
1 T dried parsley or 1/4 c fresh, minced
1/2 t salt (or less - I use none and salt it at the end)
cayenne pepper (1/2 t or to taste)
1 T vinegar or 1 t hot sauce
Steamed rice
Optional toppings:
Fresh parsley and green onions, minced
------------------------
Instructions
1. Rinse beans and sort for stones. Soak overnight in cold water with at least an extra inch of water above them. If your water is hard, add a little bit of baking soda.
2. The next day drain and rinse. Put in a big pot with about 4 cups water (or broth and 2 cups water or more if it looks like it needs it) and the meat (not cut up). Bring to a boil, simmer with lid on about 45 minutes.
(It's important not to put anything acidic in for the first 45 minutes or the beans won't soften.)
3. Add in onions, peppers, garlic, beer (heh I typed bear), bay, marjoram, cumin, cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Let it cook, lid off, another 30-60 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water if it looks like it needs it. You want it thick and stew-like at the end though. 15 minutes before it's done take the chunk o' meat out and cut it from bones and dice and toss back in. Give bones to dog. Or to the bear if he didn't try to eat you after trying to add him to the beans.
4. Before serving adjust for salt, pepper. Ladle over rice. Top with parsley and/or green onions if you want. Tastes pretty darned good with corn bread. And is especially good the next day.
I have all the spices sitting around, so the cost for me is always the beans ($.50), smoked hock or shoulder piece ($2.49), beer ($.80), broth ($1.79), and peppers ($2.10), onions ($1.50, white and green), parsley ($.99), 1.5 c rice ($1.25).
$11.42/8 servings = at least 2 meals + some lunches.