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Budget Winter Recipes Anyone?

Ban Lorgaire de na Faolchu
Anaitis
Ban Lorgaire de na Faolchu
Posted On: 05/05/2014 at 09:22 PM
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Hiyas!

My husband and I are going through a bit of a rough time at the moment financially. He lost his job back in January and we're now struggling to make ends meet on my pay alone.

One of the things that I've always hated is having to budget on food - I just really don't like the feeling of having to walk around the store with the calculator on my phone up, adding up everything that gets added to the trolley. Unfortunately we're at that stage. On the upside, it's coming into winter here in Australia - which means stews, soups and casseroles are great comfort food in the cold and can usually be done on a low budget.

So I'm wondering if any of you have any favourite budget meal recipes you'd be willing to share - especially ones ideal for the winter months. There's only so many times I can make chicken and corn soup, chicken soup, irish style beef stew and some of the Persian dishes I know without getting tired of the flavour! We love trying new food, so I thought that reaching out for personal favourites would perk us up and give us some meals to look forward to.

I thought I'd add any recipes that get posted here to to Cookbook section fo the forums as well :)

And yes, I could just google - but this way is more fun and less depressing!!

Thanks! xx

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Response:

Tiarna de na Iolair Corcra
Jairone
Tiarna de na Iolair Corcra
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Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 06:30 AM PDT
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Look for sales on:  Bone in ham, pork chops, and pork ribs.  As long as you don't hate pork, that is.  They are some of the most common super deals in terms of meat... often getting buy 1 get 1 and/or very low price per pound deals.  Adding them to the mix can save a lot of money, especially if you make them stretch with things like potatoes, rice, noodles, etc.  The hams are probably the best deal I have seen for meats, with them often going for $2-3 per lb.  Ham meat can be frozen, and you can use the bone for a soup if you want.  Outside that... I suggest making hearty salads often (aka, get veggies and make salads out of them with little or no lettuce.  You will get nice flavors and feel more satisfied, even if it is slightly more $ than a lettuce based salad.  You can also add fruits, but those tend to be more expensive.)  Finally, learn to make bread at home.  It's not hard, and saves a lot of money.  You can make about 20 times as much bread for the same cost you pay at a store for sliced bread.

Here's an easy one:
8 pork chops.
2 boxes long grain and wild rice.
2 10oz cans of cream of mushroom soup.
2 cans oriental veggies (or something you would rather have!)
4 cups water.

Mix all ingredients except pork in a large casserole dish.  Pork chops should now be submerged.  Bake at 350.  Takes ~1.5 hours to bake, look for the water level to drop below the top of the ingredients (you do want some liquid left.)  You may adjust bake time slightly longer or shorter based on your preference of how much liquid should be left.  Serve warm, reheats well.  I told you it was easy...

If you find pork chops on sale, the rest of the ingredients are about $7-8 for ~8 servings (and pretty decent sized ones too!)  You can also use other meats if you would rather, or find them on sale. 



» Edited on: 2014-05-06 06:31:55



» Edited on: 2014-05-06 06:34:31



» Edited on: 2014-05-06 06:35:42

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Laoch de na Iolair Dearg
Lakshmi
Laoch de na Iolair Dearg
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Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 06:40 AM PDT
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Lentils are a great hearty budget meal.  I recommend this recipe to start, but they do well with just about any seasoning scheme (Indian, Persian, Italian, Mexican, etc).  Very forgiving of substitutions!  http://www.food.com/recipe/monastery-lentils-41384

I load mine up with vegies near the end of the cooking time.  Vegies from the freezer work fine; I stock up when they are on sale.

Spices, at least here in the USA, are far less expensive when purchased from an Asian grocery.  If you have one within reach in your part of Aus, it's probably worth a look. 



» Edited on: 2014-05-06 07:29:37

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Draoi de na Griobhta Bán
Kitty
Draoi de na Griobhta Bán
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Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 07:29 AM PDT
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Hi! I live in Argentina, so we are also starting winter and I'm also on a budget, here are some of my favorite dishes for this season:

Chicken giblets! :D> They are good boiled, or in gravy, with rice or polenta! Or a very nice Mondongo stew (cow stomachs washed with lime or lemon, then boiled, and then added to a stew with soft beans)! :D>

I added sample recipes in the yellow text, those are links to recipes I found online :3

(Was kind of hard to find the recipes translated in english!)

"Be the player you want to meet".- Foghladha
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Laoch de na Iolair Dearg
Lakshmi
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Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 07:45 AM PDT
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The chicken giblets look fantastic - definitely going to try that one out!  Personally I'm not one for cow stomachs (tripe), can't get past the texture. :D

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Ban Curadh de na Faolchu
Betony
Ban Curadh de na Faolchu
Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 09:58 AM PDT

Soups!!!  They are filling; easy to make and generally are very inexpensive to make.  I don't have my favorite one handy as I'm at the office now; but will try to remember to dig it up later and post it.  It's a tomato-based soup that but for the cabbage has all the makings of chili and is busting with flavor.

Another inexpensive, easy-to-make COMFORT food favorite of mine is as follows:

 

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, skinless, boneless (could use thighs instead)

1 pound salsa

15 oz canned black beans

15 oz canned tomatoes, diced - (Fire Roasted!)

8 oz cream cheese

Brown Rice OR Egg Noodles

 

Place all ingredients EXCEPT cram cheese in a crockpot.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours.

After 4-5 hours, stir in cream cheese.  When stirring, break up the chicken insto small chunks or shred.  Then cook another 30 minutes to allow the cream cheese to blend.

Serve over brown rice or extra wide egg noodles.

 

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Seaimpin de na Ulchabhan
Dirkdaring
Seaimpin de na Ulchabhan
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Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 04:16 PM PDT
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 making your own soups, stews etc is cheap and much better since they are fresh low sodium etc ,

Baked potatoes are cheap and 1 can actualy be a whole meal .

 

Chicken is pretty cheap and is good a lot of ways   , Also make salads

depending on where you live you might try fishing , its a great sport and can help stock up the pantry  same as hunting . 

 

now on to Recipes  :D  

 

  Texas  Chilli  

Ingredients:
6 anchos
2 pasilla
2 costeñas
2 guajillos
4 chiles de arbol
4 pieces of bacon
4 pounds of chuck roast, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 large onion diced
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 cup of brewed coffee
1 bottle of beer
2 cups of water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp clove
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tablespoon cumin
(For all spices, please feel free to add more to taste throughout cooking if you like.)

2 chipotles in adobo
Salt to taste
1/4 cup masa harina
1/3 Mexican hot chocolate tablet, grated

Method:
Heat the dried chiles (anchos, pasillas, costenos, guajillos and chiles de arbol) in a dry, cast-iron skillet on medium for a couple of minutes on each side. Turn off the heat and then add enough water to the skillet to cover the chiles, and let them soak for half an hour.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy pot, such as a Dutch oven, fry up your bacon. When done, remove from pan and crumble (Don’t worry if you opt to eat a slice—you deserve it!) and leave the bacon grease in the pot (it should be about 3) tablespoons. In the pot, cook your beef in the bacon grease on medium heat, a few minutes on each side until lightly browned. You will probably have to cook these in two batches.

Remove the browned beef from the pot, and add your onions. Cook on medium until clear. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Put the beef back in the pot, and mix in the coffee, the beer, two cups of water, bacon crumbles and the dry spices. Turn the heat up to high.

Your soaking chiles should be soft by now. Drain them and discard the soaking water (it will be bitter) and place them in a blender along with the canned chipotle chiles and one cup of fresh water. Puree until nice and smooth and then add the chile puree to the chili pot.

When chili begins to boil, turn heat down to low and let simmer for five hours, stirring occasionally. Taste it once an hour, and if the flavors are too muted, feel free to add more of any of the spices. Also, it starts to get too dry, add more liquid (your choice!).

After five hours, take a Mexican hot chocolate disc, and finely grate 1/3 of it into the pot. Scoop out 1 cup of broth and add the masa harina. Mix it well and then reincorporate it back into the pot. Stir until chili is thickened.

Let the chili simmer for another half hour or so. When done, serve with cheddar, onions and tortillas.

Note: If you can't find all of these chiles, I would just use the more readily available anchos and chipotles. I'd use 6-8 anchos, following the same soaking and pureeing method, and two chipotles.


» Edited on: 2014-05-06 16:21:02

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Seaimpin de na Ulchabhan
Dirkdaring
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Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 04:24 PM PDT
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More stuff  :D       Stuffed Porck chops  Feta and Spinich 

       

          4  galric cloves minced and  divided 

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 5 sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil, diced
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
  • 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
  • 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese $
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind $
  • 4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops, trimmed $
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice $
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Preparation

  1. Preheat broiler.
  2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 2 garlic cloves; sauté 1 minute. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, tomatoes, and spinach; sauté until moisture evaporates. Remove from heat; stir in cheeses and rind.
  3. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each pork chop to form a pocket. Stuff about 1/4 cup spinach mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper over pork. Arrange pork on the rack of a broiler pan or roasting pan coated with cooking spray; place rack in pan. Combine remaining 2 garlic cloves, juice, mustard, and oregano in a bowl; stir well. Brush half of mustard mixture over pork. Broil 6 minutes; turn pork. Brush remaining mixture over pork; broil 2 minutes or until done.

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Seaimpin de na Ulchabhan
Dirkdaring
Seaimpin de na Ulchabhan
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Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 04:27 PM PDT
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   Carne  Guisada   Tex mex  stew  Great as side dish or  stuffed in a tortilla  .

 

                      Ingredients 

 

4 pounds of chuck or bottom round beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tablespoons of peanut oil
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
5 cloves of garlic, minced (about 1/4 cup)
1 14.05 oz. can of diced tomatoes or 3 fresh tomatoes, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
2 serrano peppers, diced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
1 bay leaf
2 cups of water
1 12 oz. bottle of dark Mexican beer such as Negro Modelo
1 tablespoon of flour (optional)

Method
In a large pot or a Dutch oven, brown the beef on medium high heat in 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil, may have to do in batches.

Remove beef from pot, add the final 2 tablespoons of peanut oil and cook on medium heat the onions and chiles for about 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Throw in the browned beef, add the herbs, spices, water, tomatoes and beer and mix everything really well. Turn up the heat to high, bring the stew to a boil and then turn heat down to low and simmer for five hours, stirring occasionally. At this point, some of the meat will have turned to strings thus thickening the gravy.

Note: If you want your meat to be distinct cubes rather than strings, lessen the cooking time. If you cook the stew for less time, you may also need to add some flour to thicken the gravy. Take out a 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid, stir into it a 1 tablespoon of flour and then incorporate this back into the stew. Stir until gravy has thickened. Also, I like my meat in big stringy chunks, but if you prefer smaller pieces, cut the meat into 1/2 inch cubes.

 

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Seaimpin de na Ulchabhan
Dirkdaring
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Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 04:29 PM PDT
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   Jagerschnitzel  with Bacon  Mushroom Hunter Gravy  .

 

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds pork loin, cut into 6-ounce portions
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons mustard
1 cup crushed unsalted crackers
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 pound bacon, diced
1/2 diced yellow onion, approximately 1/2 cup
2 cups sliced button mushrooms
1/4 cup red wine
Olive oil, for frying
2 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Pound pork slices between sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4-inch thickness. In a shallow medium bowl, mix together 3/4 cup flour with salt, pepper, garlic and paprika. In another shallow medium bowl, combine egg, milk and mustard. In another medium shallow bowl, combine cracker and panko crumbs. Dredge pork slices first in flour, then in egg wash, and finally in crumbs. Let set on a baking sheet fitted with a cooling rack for 5 minutes.

In a medium saute pan over medium heat cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from pan to drain on paper towels. In same pan with bacon fat, add onions and saute for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue sauteing for 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup flour. Cook flour to make roux until light brown, about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook for 3 minutes, reducing by 1/3, then add stock. Continue cooking to reduce by 1/3 again. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Heat 1/4-inch oil in thick saute pan or cast iron skillet to 350 degrees F. Cook pork evenly on both sides, about 5 minutes for the first side, 3 to 4 minutes for the second. Remove to platter when done. Add butter to sauce, stirring until it has melted. To serve, cover pork with sauce. Sprinkle with chopped bacon and fresh parsley to garnish.




» Edited on: 2014-05-06 16:29:54

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Seaimpin de na Ulchabhan
Dirkdaring
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Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 04:33 PM PDT
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                                 Chess  Pie 

 

  • 1/2 cup butter

  • 2 cups white sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 4 eggs

  • 1 tablespoon cornmeal

  • 1/4 cup evaporated milk

  • 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

  • 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
  2. In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar and vanilla together. Mix in the eggs, then stir in the cornmeal, evaporated milk and vinegar until smooth.
  3. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 40 minutes. Let cool. Cut and top servings with whipped cream. You will think you have died and gone to heaven

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Ban Lorgaire de na Faolchu
Anaitis
Ban Lorgaire de na Faolchu
Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 05:32 PM PDT
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Wow! Thanks so much everyone!

I think prices here on meat will differ, but I'm sure we can substitute for cuts and types that are cheap here. All of these recipes sound so flavoursome, and they're all quite different from what we'd see as a 'budget' meal here. So excited to try these out.

Kitty I haven't had chicken giblets or tripe since I was little... I'll have to try find a butcher that will keep me some, they're not something that you'll find readily available in some areas here, and thanks so much for finding me recipes in English.

Might have to post some pics of these - the results could be quite interesting knowing our minimal skills in the kitchen hehe

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Ard Tiarna de na Ulchabhan Buí
Elth
Ard Tiarna de na Ulchabhan Buí
Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 06:09 PM PDT
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Anaitis, keep your eyes open for uncut beef in IGA or your local supermarket.  I picked up a log of Rib Fillet the other day and cut it into 12 steaks and it worked out to be $2 per steak (Much cheaper than the $7 per steak that they try to flog you for in Coles/Woolworths).  If you want to send me a private message with your food budget I would be happy to spare some time for you and develop a quick and easy menu for you.

Try to remember what our grand parents and great grand parents ate, shanks, shin, ribs, pea and ham soup, pumpkin soups, all of the peasant foods (I absolutely love these foods) as well as chicken drumsticks and wings.  When shopping, try to do a little math in your head and work out how much it would cost per person, set yourself a budget and try to spend less than what you allowed for yourself.  In January this year I halved my food allowance by strictly limiting my meat to Chicken drumsticks, Chuck Steak (diced and used in stir fry), and the classic BBQ sausages.  

I'll see what kind of recipes I can dig up.  If your Hubby isn't working, then it's the perfect time for him to learn how to cook (that's how I learned), buy flour and make your own pasta, all you need for a good pasta dish is butter, egg, flour, water and some olive oil.

 

Check out Aussiecooking for cheap recipes for the Aussie taste buds.

 

Zhakim's Pork Spare Ribs

 

  • 1kg of Pork Spare Ribs
  • 2 cloves of fresh local garlic
  • 2 teaspoons of crushed ginger
  • 1 teaspoon of hot sauce (I use Morning Afterburner sauce from the chilli factory for the mango flavour)
  • 2 teaspoons of fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons of Palm sugar syrup (can get from IGA; just use brown sugar if you can't find it)
  • 2 tablespoons of lime juice (approx 1 lime per teaspoon)
  • 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
  • 1/2 a spanish onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup of honey
  • 1/2 cup of tomato sauce

1.  Combine Fish Sauce, hot sauce, Palm sugar, Lime juice, vinegar, oyster sauce, honey and tomato sauce and mix thoroughly

2.  Heat oil in a saucepan; cook garlic, ginger and onion until onion is soft

3.  Stir in combined liquids and bring to the boil; Simmer uncovered for 2 minutes or until thickened slightly

4.  Place spare ribs on a wire rack over a baking dish, brush with sauce

5.  Bake uncovered in hot oven for 10 minutes; reduce heat to moderate and bake for a further 15-20 minutes or until pork is crisp and cooked through (Turn and baste the ribs several times during the cooking process)

Service with  Jasmine Rice and Snow peas and if you want to look fancy slice some green onions (or shallots depending on what they are called where you live)

For the snow peas, place them in a strainer, boil the jug and pour the boiling water over them.  It will cook them through but maintain the crisp freshness.

 



Malay Piquant Chicken

  • 2 Tablespoons of Butter
  • 1.5kg of chicken thigh fillets
  • 1/4 cup of melted butter
  • 1/2 Cup of lemon
  • 1 Teaspoon of ginger
  • 1/2 cup of honey
  • 1/2 cup of water

1.  Brown chicken fillets in 2 tablespoons of butter

2.  Mix ingredients together and pour over the chicken fillets

3.  Bake over low heat for 35-40 minutes.

 

Oven baked Drumsticks

 

One of the cheapest and simplest meals to make is oven baked drumsticks.  You can pick up a 2kg bag of drumsticks for about $6 at Woolies.  If you are only having 4 per meal (2 each for 2 people) you can usually get about three or four days worth of meals out of one bag.

  • Chicken Drumsticks
  • Season-all (masterfoods brand)
  • Olive oil

1.  Cover drumsticks in olive oil

2.  Sprinkle season all over them

3.  Bake in a hot oven for 45 minutes

Serve with rice or salad

 


Malaysian Chicken satay

Makes 14-16 skewers

  • 500g chicken thighs deboned
  • 3 shallots, peeled chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 cm ginger grated
  • 2 lemongrass stalks
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp palm suger
  • black pepper
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 1/2 chilli chopped
  • 4 tbsp. peanut oil
  • Peanut sauce
  • 2 tbsp. oil
  • 1 shallot peeled and diced
  • 1 red chilli
  • 1 tbsp. crushed garlic
  • 1 tbsp. crushed ginger
  • 5 tbsp. roasted shelled peanuts
  • 1 tsp tamarind paste
  • 1 tsp sweet dark soya sauce
  • 100 ml coconut cream + water to mix

1.  For the marinade, grind shallots, garlic , lemongrass, all spices in a processor, adjust seasoning (salt, sugar an fish sauce) to taste . Mix paste with peanut oil, add to chicken, cover and marinate overnight.

2.  Soak bamboo skewers in warm water, thread with chicken until 3/4 full. BBQ or grill chicken and brush with oil.

3.  For the sauce – fry shallots, chilli, garlic and ginger until soft. Grind peanuts until oily and add to mix with tamarind , sweet soya sauce and coconut cream. Serve with the chicken.



» Edited on: 2014-05-06 19:35:33

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Curadh de na Fhiaigh
Meagh
Curadh de na Fhiaigh
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Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 06:41 PM PDT
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While we don't have winter on the islands we do alot of soups. We make stews (local Kadu) and serve over rice. Kadu with rice is great because it can make a little meat and whatever you have around the kitchen go a long way.

In preparation I dice the meat (any will do really - chicken / beef / pork / fish) and season it with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

If I were just cooking for two, I would use half an onion, a couple cloves of garlic. A serving or two of meat.

Generally I start by sautéing onions & garlic until they get a good sweat... Before they brown I throw in my meat . I let the meat cook up 2/3 of the way.. Then I throw in diced potatoes if I have them... Let the potatoes cook and play nice with the meat. Add water a cup of water or so to help stew it up.

Add vegetables - Green beans, cabbage, tomatoes (canned or fresh), bell pepper - whatever you have around.. I also add a bit of white vinegar to taste. Season as needed to taste (I dont usually need much since i preseason the meat). Serve the soup over rice.

alternative Guam style (chicken or pork) - cook your meat as mentioned until the vegetable step. at that point add 1 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup soy sauce. let this simmer. If you're cooking pork this is a good place to stop. If you are cooking chicken add pumpkin tips or green beans. once they are about cooked add one can of coconut milk. Don't let it boil just simmer a bit. You can add hot pepper to taste. We call this kadun pika.

This style of cooking is a staple food on my island for large families where there is generally a tight budget and alot of hungry stomachs..

Now that Ive shared that.. here is a really good video about an entirely different (but still very good and budget friendly) recipe :P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_IGZtjwIVY

 

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Ard Tiarna de na Ulchabhan Buí
Elth
Ard Tiarna de na Ulchabhan Buí
Replied On: 05/06/2014 at 07:27 PM PDT
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@Dirkdaring.. there seems to be a cultural discrepancy between what you described as a dutch oven.

In Australia a dutch oven is when you fart in bed and pull the covers over your partners head.

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Lorgaire de na Capall
TeleTanker
Lorgaire de na Capall
Replied On: 05/07/2014 at 02:30 AM PDT
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I sort of have these general tips, which might be obvious: 

 

--as said before prefer meat on big bundles, I can't fully comprehend how much a good knife and some cutting skill has saved me on money and has added flavor and variety to my cooking 

 

- -Make that big bundle of meat for few days and use it in different forms:

I usually cook my pork/other selected meat on a stove(yeah in a normal kettle) or in the oven with low heat and time(you can add vegetables, onions and  other stuff to the oven variant). When the meat is ready(as it is in low heat you don't really stare at it intensively for the whole duration of the cooking as long as there is enough water) I take it out, cut it, throw some salt and spices on the surface and split  the meat. I usually throw about 1/3 of it back to the kettle with some vegetable stock, frozen vegetables, rice/pasta/small potato chunks and selected spices. I then let it cook as long as it takes for the pasta/rice to cook up(if I use potato I throw it in immediately when I take the meat out to be cut). Tadah you now have a warm soup

 

 The second part of the meat is eaten with salad/ tortillas/ nachos /warm sandwiches  and the third part I use with meaty pies(if there is really a lot of it). As I work  from home I usually make this at a time around for late lunch so my girlfriend will have a warm soup/salad meal waiting for her.    We then eat the remaining variant as a dinner or I make the meaty pie to be served with the same salad. This can be easily rotated and the best part is that I usually make enough of the pie to be able to freeze it(the soups and salads also last for few meals). This way there is always something in the freezer and she can also take a form of packed lunch to work(good piece of the pie, salad and some rye cheese carries you a long way). 

 

Also the stock and vegetables of the oven variant can be turned to a great sauce. You can also do these variants with minced meat or whichever you prefer. 

 

- Make things at home and try to avoid ready meals or just going to the shop to ''buy something quick'' like a sandwich and a latte . Nutritional content on those can vary a great deal(they usually leave me sort of hungry or I am hungry again in 2-3 hours and I have noticed that atleast  over here(in Finland) those can easily add up to a cost of your days meals at home,  especially if you add in some candy for dessert 

 

- If you snack, make  it smart. Preferably make it yourself( like a no-bake nutella cake)  so you know whats in it, how much it adds up to and its cut to portions so you can eat it up on specific days or during a specific interval

 

- Use eggs as a variant source of protein

 

- instead of canned see if there is a dried variant especially with chick peas/beans etc. Their pound/kilo price and be significantly lower than the canned variants in here

 

This is pretty much what comes  to my mind at the moment. personally I try to concentrate on buying things at once so I don't have to jump in to the store close by, buying bits of something that can add up to a surprisingly high amount. Keeping control of weekly averages is the key in my opinion(I average about 50 euros / 74,66 AUD / 69,75 USD a week for more or less two people) This might sound like a lot for some, but then again I can eat a varied diet and my budget doesn't break if extra person pops in to eat.   . I also try to keep my driving to minimum so my ''bargain hunting'' doesn't end up costing me time and money with the extra driving.   

 

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Anaitis
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Replied On: 05/07/2014 at 03:40 AM PDT
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Thanks for the added recipes and tips everyone :)

Yup Elth, I discovered a Supa IGA near us which has whole fillets etc of beef, lamb and pork, so we always go there for our meat now. We buy whatever's $12 or under per kilo. I've noticed that things like shanks have skyrocketed in Perth, compared to previous years... but then lamb in general has gone up in price I think. It's the same with chicken thighs though, they used to be scorned, but I think they've become trendy now so now they're on par with and sometimes higher than chicken breast to buy!

I actually mentioned to hubby yesterday that we should look at buying dried beans instead of tinned - and being more organised so that we soak them the night before etc. We're also doing the strictly what's on the shopping list thing, and going once a pay for a big shop, rather than lots of little shops which means we'd potentially spend more by picking up extras etc.

The best thing about asking you guys for recipes is that I'm now excited to go food shopping and trying out these new dishes - so thanks so much for that boost all of you!! :D

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Elth
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Replied On: 05/07/2014 at 07:13 AM PDT
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Chicken thighs are still relatively inexpensive compared to skinless breast but they are a little higher than thighs with the bone.  The best value chicken though is in the drumsticks and wings.  Those 2kg bags are really cheap and good for a few meals and they have drumsticks or mix of drumsticks and wings.  Corned Silverside is good value as well, you can generally get two or three nights of meals from one silverside.

 

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Dirkdaring
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Replied On: 05/07/2014 at 08:09 AM PDT
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  LMAO  Eth  .  yep  Always go for dried beans over canned if trying to cook cheap.  A great cheap meal that is filling  I made just this week was Charro Beans  and Jalapeno cornbread .

 

I went easy on making the Jalapeno cornbread and just bought the mix packaged for 45 cents lol  .

 

However Charro beans  are easy and cheap ,  Dried Pinto beans  soak over night in cold water with dash of salt , then rinse  and add new water to pot before cooking .

  Add  half pound of bacon or ham hocks , cut up some sasuage  , and bring beans to a boil then reduce heat to low cover and cook for 1 hour.

 Add 1  med sized onion chopped , Some diced Tomatoes , 1 or 2  Jalapenos stemmed and corase chopped . 

 cook for another 40 min or so  until beans are done and veggies are soft . 

 

 Serve in bowls over a slice of cornbread and add a few cilantro leaves on top for garnish and extra flavor .

 

 Also shop at day old bakery for bread  , you can get  it very cheap and its  still good .

 

Take up fishing if you are near  water ,  Seafood or even freshwater  fish, etc is  cheap when you catch it yourself .  and a little goes a long way  esp with veggie side dishes , rice , beans etc .

If you have any space big enough for say a  small garden you could try plant  something easy like tomatoes, squash, green beans etc . as well .

 

 



» Edited on: 2014-05-07 08:37:24

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Dirkdaring
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Replied On: 05/07/2014 at 08:47 AM PDT
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  Speaking of Tripe  :D   here`s one for you its easy 

 

           Menudo 

 

Ingredients
1 pound beef tripe, cut into small squares
3 fresh cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup red chile powder
2 teaspoons oregano leaves
1 tablespoons coarse black pepper
1 teaspoons cumin powder
1/2 small onion chopped
1 small can hominy, yellow or white
Directions
Place beef tripe into a pot of boiling water, just enough to cover the tripe. Add garlic and onions and salt. Cover and cook for about 1 hour. When tripe is tender add the remaining ingredients including the hominy and cook about 15 or 20 minutes longer. Add more salt if needed. This is a spicy dish and it goes well with tortillas and cilantro .


  Or this one              Posole  

 

                             Ingredients:

 

  • 1 lb pork loin cut into small cubes
  • 1 whole onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 4 green chiles, roasted, peeled and diced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded, and finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons oil or lard
  • 2 cups dried hominy or 3 cups fresh nixtamal with hulls removed (see below)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Dried Hominy-
Soak dried hominy in lightly salted water overnight.
 

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onions and garlic for approximately two minutes. Brown the meat in the pan with the onions and garlic. Add enough water to cover the meat with a least 2 inches. Stir in the dried hominy, salt, cumin, oregano, cloves, pepper and chiles. (If using fresh hominy instead of dried, do not add at this time.) Let simmer for 1 hour.

Remove the meat from the liquid. Remove excess fat and cut the meat into small cubes. Set aside.

Add chicken broth as necessary to replace liquid. If using fresh hominy or nixtamal, add it at this time. Simmer for an additional hour. Add in cubed pork and simmer for an additional 20 minutes or until hominy is thoroughly cooked. Salt to taste

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Morigana
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Replied On: 05/07/2014 at 03:38 PM PDT

It is spring here in Arizona and the temps have already started to reach the 90's on some days but I still make this since it is my favorite.

First you can make it with any meat... beef stew meat, chicken, pork, ground meat or any type... 

Second you can make with beans, potatoes, noodles or put over rice - it changes from chili to stew - to stove top casserole but the base is all the same.

I'm not listing quantities since it varies depending on personal taste and I typically use 2x as much onion as anyone else I know and also cook by smell.  I know this may be off in left field for you - but I look at the quantity of meat I have then visualize the amount of onion and peppers to use.   My daughter asked me for a recipe once and it took me 3 days to attempt to write it down.  I learned to cook from my grandmother and she never had a recipe written down any where - neither do I.

Sauté onions, green peppers, jalapenos,  and garlic (may be whole, powder, or package minced).  I will also use other peppers if they are in season and cheap enough. 

Add meat in chunks (or ground meat) and brown.

Mix in...

Paprika

Chili powder

Hot sauce (the liquid kind - whatever you like)

Black pepper

Basil

Cumin - dash

Cinnamon - dash

Small sprinkle of brown sugar (I use splenda since I don't eat sugar)

Tomatoes (may use fresh or canned depending on cost)

Stock (either homemade or packaged - and use to compliment meat) to cover all the ingredients.  Or you can use water but add more seasonings to taste.

Let simmer for about 2 hours (might need longer depending on cut of meat) until meat is tender.

Add salt to taste along with more hot sauce if you are like me...

Add your potatoes, beans, or noodles or all of them - I don't care and add more water to cover new ingredients.  If serving with rice I make the rice and serve it over it.

The trick I use with seasoning is to start small and build.... let it simmer for about 30 mins. then smell and taste - adjust.  It usually needs more garlic, hot sauce, or chili powder for me.  A little cumin goes a long way as does the cinnamon.  You can also add hot sauce, salt and pepper individually at the table.

When simmering leave on low heat and covered. 

You can make this very versatile as I stated depending on the meat and the starch (beans, noodles, etc) you add.  You can also use more liquid for a soup, add a roux to turn it into a stew - especially with the potatoes, or let most of the liquid simmer away with the lid off and place in a casserole dish with the noodles - sprinkle with bread crumps and cheese of your choice - bake and serve as a casserole with some bread.   If you use beans - you can use pinto beans and a lot less liquid and when it simmers down wrap in tortillas with some rice and cheese for burritos cover with green or red sauce with cheese - then you have burritos enchilada style.

I have also had great success just by adding broccoli, squash, or zucchini with the chicken or pork and using more tomatoes when serving with pasta noodles sprinkled with some parmesan cheese.

If you wish to watch your carbs (which I do - thus the splenda) I never use noodles or rice and use very few beans or potatoes.  It is actually a pretty low carb dish this way.

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Dirkdaring
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Replied On: 05/08/2014 at 08:13 AM PDT
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Elth
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Replied On: 05/08/2014 at 03:13 PM PDT
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Rice is cheaper than Quinoa.

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Anaitis
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Replied On: 05/08/2014 at 08:22 PM PDT
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Yeah, we usually sub rice with quinoa, but it's much more expensive because it's in the 'health food' aisle of the supermarket. At least here in Australia. Anything trendy or labelled as a 'health food' (I'm not disputing that quinoa isn't healthier btw - just commenting on the marketing involved) jumps in price by miles. So anything out of the 'health food' aisle is off the list for now. But I'm saving that link for when we're out off this rut! Thanks!

 

 

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Morigana
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Replied On: 05/08/2014 at 10:35 PM PDT

BTW - my grand kids call me Ratatouille - after the movie since I often proclaim... "Anyone can cook" but I've been saying it for years before the movie and I'm not fond of being compared to a RAT - but I know what they mean.

The hint for cooking by smell if you don't know  - is to start with a simple base and then after it begins to simmer - breathe in the steam and at the same time inhale the spice(s) you wish to add.  If it smells good - then you can add - slowly.... if it smells "off" and you will know it - then put it back on the shelve.   Then after a little more simmering take a taste - if it lacks something - needs a little more - you can tell by smelling the spices just after you taste.  

I know it seems a tad complicated - but this is how you cook to suit you and your family instead of cooking to please someone else's taste.  I never use package mixes but I do take ideas from reading the ingredients - I just have the knowledge I left out all the artificial crap that they put in them to prevent caking, clumping, add color, and enhance flavor since they use the cheapest ingredients.  Cooking this way becomes an experience - and not just a chore.

Need to go stir the pot.... enjoy what you do - or why are you doing it?   Safe journ!

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Coffee
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Replied On: 05/11/2014 at 12:42 AM PDT

We do Curry Lentils quite often in our house. I also do not use recipes or measuring tools while cooking.

start with oil (I use olive oil) be sure to add enough oil to lightly coat the amount of beans/lentils you are making. could be up to 1/4 cup.

add curry a tablespoon or 2, start light you can add seasoning as you cook. if your feel like it adding mince onion or garlic at this time is also good

you want to "sweat" or "brown" the curry heat it up just long enough to release the aroma

add beans/ lentils stir to coat beans with oil and curry

We buy these in bulk and mix as desired some ideas are 

   Garbonzo aka Chickpeas

   Lentils

   split peas

   navy white black  beans

 add water to cover bean and simmer till beans are soft season to taste I will always add more curry and a bit of salt towards the end but I like spicy

we cut the soup with either greek yogurt or cocnut milk for variation as well

 

Coffee

(kat)

 

 I also make my own meat stock use vegetable trimings and which ever meat I'm making stock for  water and simmer forever strain the chuncks out then place in ice cube trays freeze then bag or tuperware to store in freezer lasts forever just pull some cubes out and add to your cooking for flavor intead of using boullione cubes.



» Edited on: 2014-05-11 01:00:29

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Tenebraeleo
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Replied On: 05/15/2014 at 07:44 AM PDT

I have been searching for reasonable alternatives for dinner, too.
Anaitis, thank you inciting such a wonderful outpouring of recipes.

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Fym
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Replied On: 05/15/2014 at 05:44 PM PDT

I love french onion soup.  I don't have my recipe handy, but it is basically sauteed onions, beef broth, seasoning (a small amount of Worcestershire Sauce and red wine are nice).  I usually serve it with croutons floating on top instead of bread and melted cheese.

 

It is really tasty and very economical.

Fym

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Scorpeda
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Replied On: 05/16/2014 at 11:55 AM PDT

I will add my comment to the many other great ideas. I haven't read through all of them, but here are one trick I used as a single mom with one salary and two growing boys. I prowled the meat aisle looking for the sale meat that is just about off-date. I put it directly into the freezer when I got home and used it days or weeks later. (Do they still put the off-date meat on sale?)

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Syreine
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Replied On: 05/16/2014 at 01:02 PM PDT
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Thought I'd post this. It's a favorite in our house when money is tight. The entirety of ingredients costs about $7 (without cheese and fritos)

Hobo Chili

1 15oz can pinto beans
1 15oz can black beans
2 15oz can kidney beans
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup frozen peppers (fresh are best, but if you're on a budget the frozen work just as well and are cheaper)
1 cup frozen corn
1 medium onion chopped
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
dash of tabasco


Toss all in a crockpot and cook for 6 hours on low. Serve with fritos and cheddar cheese for a quick and easy frito pie. Recipe will feed about 8 good sized servings.

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Morigana
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Replied On: 05/16/2014 at 03:50 PM PDT

Oh yum - Frito pie :)

and yes, Scorpeda,  at least here in Az they still reduce meats for "quick sale".  We also have one grocery store that does a lot of "Buy one, get one free" sales on roasts and chickens.   Watching adds is a great way to save money - especially since all my stores are along the same travel route.

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