some ideas on the cheapest home made meal for 7 people?

Answer 1

Macaronni Cheese

Answer 2

Lasagna
Spanish Omelet
Pasta Bake
Potatoe Bake
Quiche with salad

or Gratin of Pasta with Leeks and Bacon
6 oz (175 g) pasta
2 medium leeks
1 x 300 g tub Sainsbury’s Leek and Fontal Sauce(or any supermarket Fresh Cheese Sauce)
1 x 130 g double pack of pancetti cubetti (Italian cured bacon)
1 x 250 g ball mozarella
1 x 60 g tub ready-grated Parmesan
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5, 375°F, 190°C.

First put a large pot with 4 pints (2.25 litres) of water in it on to boil. Then begin with the only real work you’ll have to do and that’s trim most of the green part off the leeks, slit them lengthways to halfway down, and fan out the layers under a cold running tap to get rid of any grit. Now slice them in halves lengthways all the way down and slice the halves into small squares about the size of your thumbnail. Next cut the mozzarella into slices and those slices into halves.

When the water boils, add salt and throw in the pasta – a timer would be useful here as it only needs 6 minutes. Meanwhile heat up a solid, medium frying pan (no fat in it) and when it’s good and hot, add the pancetta and let it cook in its own fat for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time. Then add the leeks, stir well and let these cook for a further 5 minutes.

When the pasta has had its time, drain it in a colander, then tip it swiftly back into the saucepan, leaving a little moisture still clinging to it. Stir in the Leek and Fontal Sauce, followed by the leeks and pancetta plus half the grated Parmesan and a good seasoning of salt and pepper. After a good old stir, tip the lot into a heatproof gratin dish (I used an Apilco dish 7½ x 7½ inches/19 cm x 19 cm) base measurement). Scatter the slices of mozzarella over the top followed by the rest of the Parmesan and bake in the oven on a high shelf for 20 minutes. (Note: if you would like to make this ahead of time, it will need 30-40 minutes in the oven to heat through from cold).

We served this with a plain lettuce and rocket salad with cubes of avocado in it and, of course, something very Italian and red to drink.

Answer 3

Pasta's pretty inexpensive, and you can do fun things with it besides the common "spaghetti".

I just made the weirdest thing last week that turned out to be pretty tasty. Curley-cue pasta with a sauce made in a food processor of green olives, olive oil, and a little honey. It was a thicker consistency than a sauce, like pesto, so I mixed it into the pasta before serving. Added a bit of pepper and parmesan cheese on top, and it was really good!

Answer 4

Any kinds of casseroles are best to serve a large family. I find a lot of good recipes at webcipes.com. Chicken casserole is always a winner and serve it with a couple vegetables.

Answer 5

Shepherds Pie, Spaghetti Bolagnaise
Sausage and Mash with onion gravy
Toad in the hole
There are loads of cheap dishes.

Answer 6

I suggest a pasta dish as main course followed by turkey steaks (marinated in soya sauce lemon, garlic and bay leaves, very tasty!!) with mix of roast potato, carrots, onion and mix salad.
Italian tasty staples...

Answer 7

soup 4 starters,spag bol 4 main course and fruit salad 4 desert! cheap but tasty and filling!

Answer 8

Either roasted chickens with potatoes, carrots and salad; or ground beef casseroles.

Answer 9

soup 4 staters using seasonal vegtables
pizza aand icecrem

Answer 10

steamed rice is filling and goes with any kind of meat or vegtable.salad, bacon sanwhiches tuna on crackers with lemon juice, quesadeas, noodles top roman