Cooking for one on a budget...?!


Question: Cooking for one on a budget!.!.!.!?
I'm trying to cut some corners in my budget!. This includes not going out to eat with friends and family as much!.
What are some great, inexpensive recipes or meal ideas when you're just cooking for one or two people!? The only ones I've come up with so far are pasta and sandwiches!.!.!. and they're getting old and fast!.Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
Cheeseburger Macaroni --
1 lb!. ground beef
1/4 onion, minced
1 cloves garlic, minced
14 1/2 oz!. can diced tomatoes
2 cups raw macaroni, (cook according to package directions and drain)
1 can Campbells Cheddar cheese soup
salt & pepper to taste

Saute the onion and garlic in a little olive oil!. Add the ground beef and brown!. Add the diced tomatoes, including the liquid in the can!. Simmer until the liquid is mostly reduced!.!.!.5 to 10 minutes!. Stir in the macaroni and Cheddar cheese soup!. Heat through!.

You can always add more cooked macaroni if you need to stretch the dish a bit!.
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Spaghetti Pizza:
A Kid Favorite:
1 pound box spaghetti noodles
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
1 Jar Marinara Sauce
1 pound lean ground beef
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
13 x 9 glass baking dish

In a large stock pot boil water to cook spaghetti, follow package directions!. Drain!. Measure milk in large bowl, add egg, mix well, add spaghetti and mix well!.

While spaghetti is cooking brown lean ground beef in large saute pan!. Drain excess fat, return to pan and add the marinara sauce!. Simmer on low!.

Lightly grease a 13 x 9 glass baking dish!. Pour spaghetti into dish, top with meat mixture and spread cheese on top!. Bake for 20-25 minutes uncovered or until cheese has melted!.

You could use a mild sausage or turkey sausage for a different twist!.

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Shepard's Pie:
-Brown 1 pound beef/ ground turkey
-Add 1-2 cloves of garlic, 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, and 3/4 cup ketchup
-Cover and simmer 20 minutes
-Coat casserole dish w/ nonstick cooking spray

1st Layer - meat sauce
2nd Layer - Green beans and corn
3rd Layer - mashed potatoes
Top with cheddar cheese (as much as you want)

350 degrees (preheated oven) for 30 minutes - bake uncovered


Meatloaf
1 1/2 pounds ground meat
1 slice of bread
1 egg
1 package of Lipton's Onion Soup Mix
pepper to taste
4 TBSP ketchup
1/2 cup half and half

*SAUCE*
4 TBSP apple cider vinegar
2 TBSP packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup

preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix sauce together until smooth and set aside

Add all ingredients together!. Put in a loaf pan!. Pour suace over and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes!. Do this whether you use the sauce or not


Keilbasa Dinner
BBQ Sauce ----
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 cup water
celery seed > pinch
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp nutmeg and paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
hot sauce to taste
--COOK 'TIL THICKENED--

1 lb kielbasa sliced (like quarters)
BBQ sauce (made already or use 1 cup store bought)
1 cup water

simmer kielbasa, sauce, and water until thickened!. Serve over cooked white rice
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Try Zatarain's Dirty Rice or Jambalaya Mix!. With the dirty rice mix you have to use ground beef!. With the Jambalaya Mix you can use chicken or smoked sausage!.( *It taste best with sausage)!.

My version of ghoulash:

Ground Beef with vegetarain beans(pork and beans without the pork) with chopped onions, picante sauce, and tomato sauce!. Serve over white rice!.

Pasta Salad with veggies: Tri-colored rotini pasta with chopped onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and green olives!. Mix with Robusto Italian Dressing!. Add a little seasoned salt and black pepper!. Chill in the frig!.

Chicken Pettazini:

Spaghetti with chopped, grilled, boneless chicken breast, Four Cheese white sauce or the Roasted Garlic and Parmesan cheese white sauce!. You can also add green pepper if you like!.
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Four Cheese Macaroni Casserole

Ingredients-
3 cups uncooked macaroni
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese


Preparation-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)!.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil over high heat!. Add macaroni, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes!. Drain, and pour hot pasta into a casserole dish!.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together tomatoes, italian seasoning, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper!.
Stir into the hot pasta 1 cup of Cheddar, 1 cup of mozzarella, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan!. Continue to stir until the cheeses have melted!. Then stir in tomato and herb mixture!. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Cheddar, 1/2 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup feta over the top of the casserole!.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 25 minutes!.
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baked ziti

1 jar of good pasta sauce
1 lb zita prepared
1 lb ground beef
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 med onion chopped
1 garlic clove minced
8 oz riccotta cheese
8 oz mozzerrella cheese

take your ground beef and start browning in a pan add onion garlic italian seasoning and a dash of salt and pepper while cooking the meat(I tend to find that this adds to the flavor of the meat) then add the pasta sauce bring to a boil and set down to simmer

now get a good sized baking dish add your prepared pasta and the sauce and mix add dollops of the riccotta and be sure to submerse slightly(frankly i like having larger bits of riccotta in amongst my pasta)sprinkle with the mozzerella on top and put in a 350 degree oven and bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly and serve!.
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bbq chicken legs!.

2-3 chicken legs(or how many you like)
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 bottle of your fav bbq sauce

first take your chicken and place in a baking dish sprinkle the seasoned salt to the chicken and place in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour!. then add the bbq sauce all over the chicken and bake for an additional 15 minutes and serve!. (I usually make this while i am helping the kids with homework!.

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fast and easy bacon homefries

4 potatoes cubed(no need to peel if you don't want to)
1/4 lb bacon chopped

first you chop your bacon and add it to a large fry pan fry till some of the fat is rendered then add potatoes and sprinkle with some salt and pepper and cook untill soft and lightly brown!.
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Quick and Easy Egg casserole

6 slices white bread, coarsely torn
1 lb!. bulk sausage, cooked, drained
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
6 medium eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp!. salt
1/4 tsp!. pepper

PREHEAT oven to 350°F!. Lightly grease 13x9-inch baking pan or oven-proof casserole!. Place bread into bottom of pan; sprinkle with sausage and cheese!.
BEAT eggs, milk, salt and pepper in medium bowl with wire whisk!. Pour over bread mixture in pan!.
BAKE 40 to 45 min!. or until mixture is set in center and lightly browned!.

Brunch Bake

Take 2 cups KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese, 4 eggs and 2 cups milk and mix & match your recipe from these options!.!.!.

2 cups drained cooked Italian sausage
mixed sliced mushrooms, chopped bell peppers and chopped onions
Stuffing Mix for Pork

Then follow our 3 simple steps:

MIX meat, 2 cups vegetables, the STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix and 1-1/2 cups of the cheese in 9-inch square baking dish!.
BEAT eggs and milk with wire whisk until well blended; pour over meat mixture!. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 min!.
PREHEAT oven to 375°F!. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour or until center is set!. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese; continue baking until cheese is melted!.

Cheesy Bake

12 large eggs
1/3 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1 lb!. pork sausage
1/4 lb!. (4 oz!.) sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cups KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 cups KRAFT Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese or KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

PREHEAT oven to 400°F!. Beat eggs with sour cream with wire whisk until well blended!. Pour into greased 13x9-inch baking dish!. Bake 10 minutes or until egg mixture is softly set!. Meanwhile, cook sausage, mushrooms and onions in large skillet until sausage is cooked through, stirring occasionally!. Drain!.
REDUCE oven temperature to 325°F!. Spoon tomatoes over the baked egg layer; top with the sausage mixture!. Sprinkle with cheeses!.
BAKE an additional 30 minutes or until egg mixture is set in center!.

Morning Sausage Bake

2 Tbsp!. margarine
1 lb!. mushrooms, finely chopped
1 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 pkg!. (16 oz!.) frozen LOUIS RICH Turkey Sausage, thawed
1 medium red or green bell pepper, chopped
3 Tbsp!. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp!. ground red pepper (cayenne)
2 cartons (8 oz!. each) egg product

PREHEAT oven to 350°F!. Melt margarine in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat!. Add mushrooms; cook and stir 10 min!. or until mushrooms are tender and moisture has evaporated!. Remove from heat; stir in bread crumbs!. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; press firmly onto bottom of dish to form crust!.
ADD turkey sausage to skillet; cook on medium heat 12 min!. or until no longer pink, stirring frequently to break turkey sausage into small pieces!. Remove from heat!. Add bell peppers, parsley and ground red pepper; mix well!. Spread over crust; cover evenly with egg product!.
BAKE 25 min!. or until center is set!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

When I am on my own and just feeding myself, I am naughty!.
I eat cereal, eggs and rice salad (with red kidney beans in)!.
Potatoes cubed and roasted with garlic oil, is something else I do!.
Oh and don't forget my battered onion rings!.
I don't have "my time", very often so I make the most of hardly any washing up to do!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

chili, a can or two of chili beans with a can of some type of tomatoes and a chili packet, and some kind of beef, or ground chicken or turkey, and a package of corn bread, cheap and good,Www@FoodAQ@Com

I use a lot of cheap mixes/boxed foods that you can recycle easily!.

Usually tuna helper, ramen noodles, mac and cheese, canned soups, cake mixes, and things like that!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

tuna casserole! you can either make it in a bug dish or small!.
it may sound gross but is good and its cheap and easy!Www@FoodAQ@Com

go to cosco buy bulk, flour, sugar, etc!. and make ur own perogies buns etc!. grow a gardenWww@FoodAQ@Com





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