What are some new, cheap things I can cook?

Question

It seems like I always make the same meals, like meatloaf, fried chicken, or burgers on the grill. My family loves food like that, but I would like to mix it up.

Answer 1

You can always try making some red or green enchiladas with a side salad or add some beans and rice. Another thought would be to make some homemade salsa and either slice an avocado or make guacamole for some tacos. You can also makes some pork chops and top with melted velveeta cheese mixed with picante sauce with a side of mashed potatos and a side of salad. Another very simple dish is smothered burritos......you can use meat chunks or chicken or hamburger meat with a little cheese as well and smother with a mix of cream of chicken or mushroom combined with some green chile and top with a little more cheese.

Answer 2

Quick .... easy ....cheap.....
*Fozen tortellini's or raviloi with sauce and garlic bread
*sloppy joes
*taco's mix it up with hard and soft shells
*grilled turkey sandwiches - grill some turkey lunchmeat in a pan, prepare bread with butter like for a grilled cheese, put the turkey & cheese on and grill again. Add mustard, mayo or italian dressing with some mild peppers
*There are chicken and rice recipes on the back of Campbell's creamed soup cans or on the Campbell's website.

Here's a quick recipe:
Buy 2 cans of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Brown Hamberger & drain
Add tomato paste and italian herbs
Roll out 1 can of rolls and pinch together at the seams
Spread Hamberger mixture on top
Sprinkle shredded Mozzeralla Cheese on burger
Place other can of Pillsbury rolls on top and pinch together at the seams and at edges to form a Calzone
Bake according to roll instructions
(You can actually fill these with almost anything)

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Southwest Skillet is fast, easy and really good. My kids love it.
http://www.campbellkitchen.com/recipedetail.aspx?recipeSource=search&recipeID=24392&page=0&index=0&SearchText=||Southwest+skillet&LastIndex=false

We also like Spaghetti Casserole. Use a handful of spaghetti noodles cooked, a pound of hamberger fried and drained, a jar of spaghetti sauce and a ring of balogna sliced. Mix together and place half in a baking dish. Top with cheese and pepperoni. Pour on the other half. Top with cheese and pepperoni. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until warm. This is a great way to use up leftover spaghetti from a previous night.

Answer 4

YANKEE POT ROAST
Pot roast using the slow cooker/crock pot is the only way to go!
Start it when you wake up, so by the time you get home, its ready!

2 lb chuck roast
1 pkg onion soup mix, dry
1 cream mushroom soup, campbells
2 stalk celery, diced
1 onion chopped
2 whole carrots, peeled and cut
4 potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2
1 crushed garlic cloves
3 tbsp flour

In the crock pot, add cream mushroom soup, 2 cans of water, the lipton dry soup, flour and mix the ingredients well.

Add the roast and the garlic. Mix around til covered with soup mix. Add the onions and veggies. Add water to barely cover the veggies (remember the water level may go up during cooking!).

Cover and turn crock pot to medium/high.
Cook 6-8 hours and it will be so tender!

OR,,,,How about a salad with a zing?!

MEXICAN CHICKEN SALAD
2 Chicken breasts, grilled, diced and chilled
1 avocado, ripe, peeled and diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely diced
1 large tomato diced
1/2 cabbage, sliced and diced
1/4 c diced celery
1/2 brown onion, diced
1 fresh jalapeno, seeds removed then diced
Mayo
salt/pepper to taste

In a large bowl - Add the cabbage, then the cilantro, tomato, celery / onion, jalapeno and a dash of salt/pepper.
Add the avocado and chicken, then 3 tbsp of mayo or just enough to moisten to your taste. Mix well. Chill for 1 hour and serve cold

Answer 5

Chicken pot pie!

Heat up a 16oz bag of frozen mixed veggies, drain and add 1-1/2 to 2 cups of choped chicken (you can use leftover fried chicken) and season to taste. Then put 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup in a seperate pan and add 1/2 of the can of milk. Heat this until its mixed and heated through. Pour over veggies and chicken in a 8x8 pan. Then take 1 can of refrigerated biscuits and cut each one into 4 pieces. arrange these on top and put in the oven (375 degrees) for 10 to 15 min. or until the biscuits are browned on the top.

Answer 6

Cheesy Potato Green Peas Toast
========================
6-8 White Bread cutted in to triangle or round shape.
5 boiled & mashed Potatoes
1 teacup boiled Green Peas
3/4 teacup Milk
1 teaspoon Butter
2-3 Green Chillies (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon Pepper powder
Salt to taste
Some Butter for spreading on bread.
For the Cheese Covering:
3-4 tablespoon grated Cooking Cheese
2 tablespoon Cornflour
2 pinches Baking Powder
1/4 - 1/2 teacup Milk
1 teaspoon Mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon Pepper powder
Salt to taste.



Method
1. Mix boiled potatoes, peas, chillies, pepper powder, salt & butter. To it add milk & mix all the ingredients properly.
2. Take bread, spread butter on one side of it.
3. Now on the other side of it spread the above mixed potato mixture.
4. Mix all the ingredients of the cheese covering & now apply this mixture on the stuffed bread.
5. Sprinkle some red chilli powder on it for decoration.
6. Bake in an preheated oven at 200 degrees for 8-10 minutes or till the bread is crispy.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes, excluding baking time
====================================

Answer 7

Try kabobs...they are very versatile..you can add anything on them y ou like...i.e. Shrimp with veggies with an Hawaiin marinade which can be purchased at your local supermarket. You can even grill fruit on them. Another way to spark up a meal is to make bowls out of tortilla shells. Just bake the shell over a oven-proof bowl (like a stainless steel bowl). You can put salads in them or anything you like... just makes for a new and different way of serving up a meal. Also, try grilling fish. On these hot summer days it is good and easy on the digestive system.

Answer 8

Tuna Casserole

This casserole is very tasty and very frugal. I couldn't believe how good
it turned out to be and easy to prepare when you have nothing else on hand.
You can add any leftover veggies you have on hand to stretch a little
further.

1 can of mixed vegetables or 2c. of frozen
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ bag of egg noodles or 3c.rotini noodles
chopped onion to your liking and 2 gloves minced garlic
Parmesan cheese

I started by boiling ½ bag of egg noodles per directions and drained. In
saucepan, I sautéed chopped onion and garlic, then added all other
ingredients except Parmesan cheese and heated through. When noodles are
finished, fold all ingredients into casserole dish and sprinkle with
Parmesan cheese at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

this can be thrown on a bbq upper level for the 350f oven time once its all stirred together.

Answer 9

Cheesy potatoes.

1 can of del-monte potatoes (drained)
2 slices of kraft american cheese slices
1/4 cup milk (maybe less depending on thickness you like)
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Dump everything in a pan and cook until cheese is all melted and blended in.


Noodles and hamburger

Ramen Noodles (Oriental)
1 cup of your favorite fresh veggies, (I use carrots, green beans, snap peas, potatoes)
1/2 pound hamburger
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups water (maybe more)

Brown hamburger and drain, add veggies and packet from ramen noodles and sugar and water. When veggies are tender add ramen noodles. You may need to add a little water so the noodles can absorb the water to become tender. When noodles are tender and there is about 1/4 cup of water in bottom of pan, you're done.

Answer 10

Try those taco/burrito kits w/ chicken or steak instead of ground beef. Hamburger helper is good. BBQ chicken is good. Make a ceaser salad w/ steak or chicken on top.