I'm in college and on a very limited budget, and I'm looking for good recipes for cheap. Generally my go-to meals are some form of stir-fry or fajitas, because they're quick and easy, and with a couple of tweaks it's a completely different meal, so I'm not eating the same thing four nights in a row. Can I get any other suggestions?

Pasta is good and full of carbs. Plus you can eat it for breakfast if you fry it with some eggs and butter. Top Ramen or cup of noodles is usually a cheap filling form of food. Look for stores that have the lower end products at reduced prices. Here is something else you might consider. The prices are good.

Welcome - Angel Food Ministries (http://www.angelfoodministries.com/)


Just search for a location near you. Its good food too.

Sounds great, califdad! Can you please send me a recipe for how to make a top ramen?

As for the link you've sent me, I don't think that's appropriate. I'm not looking for charity food, but thank you.

You buy top ramen in the store. It's a packaged product (in the U.S.)

It sells for anywhere from 10 cents to 25 cents a package. Very cheap.

Nissin Foods - Top Ramen (http://www.nissinfoods.com/topramen/)


That site isn't charity food. You buy into package deals. Its more like a Co-Op. Its just it was started and usually distributed through churches. You don't get a sermen you get food deals. They have the menu listed online. Check out what is available this month.

Here is the one for May. It changes monthly.

Food Menu - Angel Food Ministries (http://www.angelfoodministries.com/menus/menu_2011-05_en.asp)

Oh, now I see!

I was actually looking to get some Recipes from this thread, because pre-packaged food is bland and not at all healthy. I love cooking and eating healthfully-- I try to avoid prepackaged food as much as I can. I have no problem shopping for groceries either, because there are six grocery stores on my street alone, haha.

Do you have a stove and refrigerator?

Yes, I have my own house.

I like to layer (in a big greased casserole dish) thinly sliced potatoes, thinly sliced onions, chopped celery, chopped green peppers, crumbled up raw ground beef, and a large can of tomatoes (whole or stewed or whatever floats your boat), plus maybe a half cup of water. Bake uncovered at 350 for two hours or so. (You can layer in any vegetables you like -- water chestnuts, hot peppers, peas, corn, etc.)

I do the same layering thing (like lasanga, with repeated layers) with tortillas, refried beans, browned and drained ground beef, shredded cheese, etc.

I would like to suggest a slow cooker--- pop stuff in in the morning and when you're done class and all you'll come home to a delicious meal :-)

Black bean mole

2 cans drained black beans
1 jar salsa
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced garlic

(combine above ingredients in a pot and cook on medium until heated through and well blended)

1 cup uncooked couscous
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut flakes

(cook couscous to package directions. In another pan, spread out shredded coconut and toast until light brown. Add coconut and cinnamon to cooked couscous and fluff together with a fork.)

To serve: Spoon mole sauce over the couscous. Fresh, sliced avocado, shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream are great accompaniments, but the couscous and mole stand alone as a great dish.

It's super cheap, can be made in bulk, DELICIOUS, vegan (unless you want to add meat and dairy ;)), and definitely not your standard-issue dinner. Bon appetite!

General Tao's Tofu-VegWeb (http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=8769.0)

This recipe is for General Tao's Tofu. It is so unbelievably good, it tastes like you're eating at a classy Chinese bistro. I make it for my boyfriend who isn't vegetarian, so I use chicken instead of tofu, which I hear is equally delicious.

These ingredients aren't necessarily in everyone's pantry, but once you get those sauces, you can use them over and over in a lot of various Asian recipes.

What kind of stuff should I put in my slow cooker?

What kind of stuff should I put in my slow cooker?

Anything really.

Here's a couple recipes I like:

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

3 medium russet potatoes
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 teaspoon beef flavor concentrate or equivalent base or granules
2 cans (14 to 15 oz each) green beans, drained
Shredded cheddar cheese, for topping
Preparation:

Spray crockpot with cooking spray. Scrub about 3 medium russet potatoes and cut into small chunks, leaving the skin on. (If you cut the spuds into too large a size pieces, they will take too long to cook since everything else is basically done.) This made one layer on the bottom of my 5-quart crockpot. Season spuds with salt, pepper and garlic powder to your own taste. Brown 1 pound of ground beef with 1/2 chopped onion, drain fat. Put on top of spuds. Mix one can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup with 1 tsp beef concentrate flavor. Drain two 14 or 15 ounce can of cut green beans and put in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, stirring a couple of times. Turn to low and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of shepherd pie and cook for 30 minutes or so.
Makes 4 servings

Ribs

Ingredients

3 lb (1.5 kg) pork back_ribs (2 racks)
4 tsp (20 mL) mesquite or Cajun_seasoning
2 cups (500 mL) ketchup
1/2 cup (125 mL) wine_vinegar
2 tbsp (25 mL) granulated_sugar
2 tbsp (25 mL) Worcestershire_sauce
Preparation:

Trim any visible fat from ribs. If necessary, remove membrane from underside. Cut into 2-rib portions; place in large shallow glass dish.

In small bowl, stir together mesquite seasoning and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper; rub all over ribs. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)

Place dish with ribs under broiler; broil until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to slow-cooker.

In bowl, whisk together ketchup, vinegar, sugar and Worcestershire sauce; add to slow-cooker, stirring to coat ribs. Cover and cook on Low until tender, 8 to 10 hours.

Beef and Mushroom Stew

Ingredients

2 lb (907 g) stewing beef cubes
1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil
2 cups (500 mL) sodium-reduced beef stock
1 onion, sliced
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme
4 cups (1 L) button mushrooms, halved
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 cups (750 mL) potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 pkg (14 g) dried porcini mushrooms
1 bay leaf
1 cup (250 mL) frozen peas
Preparation:

Trim and cut beef into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes; toss with 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the flour. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; brown meat, in batches and adding more oil if necessary. Transfer to slow cooker.

Add stock to skillet and bring to boil, scraping up any brown bits; pour into slow cooker.

In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat; fry onion, bacon and thyme for 1 minute. Add button mushrooms; cook until softened and almost no liquid remains, about 8 minutes. Add to slow cooker.

Add celery, potatoes, porcini mushrooms, bay leaf and 1 cup (250 mL) water to slow cooker; stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

Whisk remaining flour with 1/4 cup (50 mL) water; whisk into slow cooker. Add peas. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened. Discard bay leaf.

Pot Roast


Ingredients

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 1/4 cups water
5 1/2 pounds pot roast
Directions

In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.
Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.


Whole Chicken

Ingredients

1 (2 to 3 pound) whole chicken
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
Directions

Wad three pieces of aluminum foil into 3 to 4 inch balls, and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with the salt, pepper and paprika, and place in the slow cooker on top of the crumbled aluminum foil.
Set the slow cooker to High for 1 hour, then turn down to Low for about 8 to 10 hours, or until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.



These are (most of) my bookmarked slow cooker meals and I promise they are all delicious ;-)

Haha wow, a whole cook book :D... this all looks delicious

I've totally been there myself - I made it through college on:
Spaghetti
Salads (a head of lettuce is still pretty cheap)
Pot roast (crock pot with a roast a few cans of beef broth, onions, carrots, potatoes)
Breakfast for dinner (omelets, grits, etc)

Hope this helps.