UF2.0 Cook Book ~ Planning meals on a tight budget! Post your Recipe!

Ive seen a lot of good recipes posted in the "whats for dinner" thread in both the old and new UFF.

I think this would be a great resource for those looking for new ideas for meals on the cheap.

Please try and limit the discussions to only recipes etc and use the "Whats for dinner" thread for more generalized food chat comments

Happy sharing!! And good eating!

I will start with one of my favs

Taco Pie

Ingredients

* 1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls
* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
* 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
* 8 ounces shredded Mexican-style cheese blend
* 1 (14 ounce) bag tortilla chips, crushed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Lay crescent dough flat on the bottom of a square cake pan and bake according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the taco seasoning and stir together well. When dough is done, remove from oven and place meat mixture on top, then layer with sour cream and cheese, and then top off with the crushed nacho chips.
4. Return to oven and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Tamale Pie
(Makes 6 servings) Print this Recipe

A golden cornmeal crust surrounds savory ground beef in a kicky enchilada sauce for a one-dish wonder of a meal. Serve with a tossed green salad.

FILLING

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups (16 oz) enchilada sauce
1 cup whole kernel corn
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced black olives, drained
1 tsp. salt
CRUST

2 1/4 cups Albers® White or Yellow Corn Meal
2 cups water
1 can (12 fl oz) evaporated milk
1 tsp. salt
1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
Sliced jalapeños (optional)
FOR FILLING:
COOK beef, onion and garlic in large skillet until beef is browned; drain. Stir in enchilada sauce, corn, olives and salt.

FOR CRUST:
PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Grease 12x8-inch baking dish.

COMBINE corn meal, water, evaporated milk and salt in medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened. Stir in chiles. Reserve 2 cups corn meal mixture; cover with plastic wrap. Spread remaining corn meal mixture on bottom and up sides of prepared baking dish.

BAKE for 10 minutes. Cool in dish on wire rack. Spoon beef filling into corn meal crust. Spread reserved corn meal mixture over beef filling.

BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for additional 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with jalapeños.

This is also the link to the website for the recipe. It also has a picture

http://www.alberscorn.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=a4e67d28-6589-4e1c-ba75-4f104fdc1021

Mashed Potatoe Casserole:

Peel and cut into quarters (1) 5 lb. Bag of Yukon Gold Potatoes.

In a large pot, boil until soft (split with fork).

1 Tbsp. Seasoned Salt
1 Tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1 8 oz package Cream Cheese
1 Stick Salter Butter
1/2 cup milk (can substitute Half&Half) (warm the milk in micro 20 seconds)

Whip with hand mixer until creamy. If you like them creamier, add more mile.

Great thing about this recipe it can be made a day ahead if you are having company (or trying to get a jump on Thanksgiving). Just pop in oven at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Also, if you like garlic mashed or chives, just add them in.

Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cake.

1 pkg. Duncan Hines (or other) Dark Chocolate Cake Mix
1 pkg. Instant Chocolate Pudding
1 pkg. Hershey's Chocolate Chips (or other)
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup veg. oil

Mix well. Pour into oblong glass baking dish and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. My oven cooks quickly, so insert the toothpick to make sure it's done.

Very moist. A crowd feeder and a crowd pleaser.

MaryKay...when my ebt card is reloaded next month...Might have to say your CChipCake recipe and make for Easter. It will be my little treat.

You guys are making me drool here..

superstevies wrote:MaryKay...when my ebt card is reloaded next month...Might have to say your CChipCake recipe and make for Easter. It will be my little treat.

It's an oldie but goodie. Tastes better than completely homemade and isn't really expensive. Also, you can cut it in small squares (brownie size) because it's so rich.

I am dying to try your recipe. Soon as my stitches come out, I am.

Tomorrow, I am pulling out the little wooden box I started years ago that has alot of favorites. Some were my Nana's. None are low fat, but good.

Jobless_in_Ma wrote:I will start with one of my favs

Taco Pie

Ingredients

* 1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls
* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
* 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
* 8 ounces shredded Mexican-style cheese blend
* 1 (14 ounce) bag tortilla chips, crushed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Lay crescent dough flat on the bottom of a square cake pan and bake according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the taco seasoning and stir together well. When dough is done, remove from oven and place meat mixture on top, then layer with sour cream and cheese, and then top off with the crushed nacho chips.
4. Return to oven and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

I make a recipe similar to this but I add a layer of refried beans and diced tomato-it changes it up once in a while.

Mexican Dinner Dip

One bag of Tortilla Chips (Your chice can even use doritos)

Tamales
Rice ( I get the boil in a bag) (one bag for two persons or less, two bags for more)
Canned Tomatoes chopped up
Tomato Sauce
Onions
Garlic
Hamburger meat
Salt to taste
Can of chili w/or w/o beans (large can for bigger portions)

Cook the beef
Cook the rice
And cook onions in with beef
everything else is like adding as much as you like
for bigger amounts add more of each item. We never
measured. Daddy always cooked this stuff and we learned
to make it without measuring. You'll get the idea. Most know
Rice is 1 cup makes 2. Anyway... I usually used 2 cups for
big portion meals etc..... More if I wanna freeze it. And
tamales were in the can. Small can for small portion or one
or two person meals and large can or two smalls for family
of four.

It's great... add other stuff as you like. It's what my
daddy always made and it's GREAT!

Not very low calorie, but inexpensive and delicious. For a single person, leftovers for a few days!

TATER TOT CASSEROLE
1 lb ground beef or turkey cooked, seasoned, drained
1 2lb bags tater tots
1 cans cream of mushroom
1 cans evaporated milk
1 cans cream of chicken
Brown meat & place in large cass. dish.
Cover with tater tots. Mix soup & milk together.
Pour over top. Bake at 350 for 1 Hour.

Antipasto Ramen Salad - Ramen Noodle Recipe
1 package any flavor ramen noodles
1/4 cup pepperoni, sliced
1/4 cup black olives
1/8 cup bermuda onion, sliced
Italian dressing

What to do:

Cook noodles according to package directions and drain. Add
pepperoni, olives and onions. Sprinkle on dressing and toss.

These sound great. Can't wait to try. I am a tater-tot lover.

Here's something else I do when I go to the grocery store, I have a mini-chopper, so when I get home after unloading, I chop an onion, pepper, one bunch of parsley and put them in a small glass or dish and cover and keep in the refrigerator. That way, when I'm ready, I have what I need and it makes it alot quicker. I usually do it once a week and use all of it by weeks end. Great for a quick omlette, no chopping involved, or just adding to a ground beef or chicken recipe. Also, for a quick salad, everything is ready.

This peanut butter pie makes 2 pies and takes less then ten minutes to make. All you need to do is whip your cream cheese with the peanut butter until creamy then add the confectioners sugar and milk. Mix together well then fold in the cool whip. Once all mixed together pour pie shells and place in the freezer for an hour or two then dig in. I recommend that you add chocolate sauce and whipped cream when serving.

1 Jar peanut butter
1 cup confectioners sugar
16 oz cool whip
1 cup milk
8oz cream cheese room temperature
2 graham cracker pie shells (chocolate pie shells are great too!)

I thought this was humorous. It is recipes written by kids

Christmas Cookies

Take 10 pounds of raisins and boil them until they stink.
Mash them up and add 5 pounds of butter.
Add 9 broken eggs and about 2 cups of salt.
Mix that until it gets brown and add another pound of flour.
Pound it down very hard onto a table and make it flat.
Then grab the cookie cutter and punch out a gingerbread man.
Don't punch it too hard or his head will fall off.
Bake for 3 hours until you can stick a fork in it to see if it's done.
Then make some frosting and put a happy face on the cookie.
_____________________________________________

Too cute. Thanks rainer.

**Decadent Grilled Cheese**

Store brand or frozen sliced garlic toast (Texas Toast)
American Cheese
Honey Mustard

Place american cheese on the frozen garlic toast
Spread a little honey mustard on the other slice and place on top
Place sandwiches in skillet and cover
When bottom slice is nicely browned, flip and cover.
Cheese is gooey, honey mustard gives a nice little kick.

Quick and easy meal, sometimes I make it with ham and cheese or left over bacon.

superstevies wrote: Tamale Pie
(Makes 6 servings) Print this Recipe

A golden cornmeal crust surrounds savory ground beef in a kicky enchilada sauce for a one-dish wonder of a meal. Serve with a tossed green salad.

FILLING

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups (16 oz) enchilada sauce
1 cup whole kernel corn
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced black olives, drained
1 tsp. salt
CRUST

2 1/4 cups Albers® White or Yellow Corn Meal
2 cups water
1 can (12 fl oz) evaporated milk
1 tsp. salt
1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
Sliced jalapeños (optional)
FOR FILLING:
COOK beef, onion and garlic in large skillet until beef is browned; drain. Stir in enchilada sauce, corn, olives and salt.

FOR CRUST:
PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Grease 12x8-inch baking dish.

COMBINE corn meal, water, evaporated milk and salt in medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened. Stir in chiles. Reserve 2 cups corn meal mixture; cover with plastic wrap. Spread remaining corn meal mixture on bottom and up sides of prepared baking dish.

BAKE for 10 minutes. Cool in dish on wire rack. Spoon beef filling into corn meal crust. Spread reserved corn meal mixture over beef filling.

BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for additional 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with jalapeños.

This is also the link to the website for the recipe. It also has a picture

http://www.alberscorn.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=a4e67d28-6589-4e1c-ba75-4f104fdc1021

I'm trying this for supper tonight - just finished assembling it and will pop it in the oven shortly.

tiya wrote:Not very low calorie, but inexpensive and delicious. For a single person, leftovers for a few days!

TATER TOT CASSEROLE
1 lb ground beef or turkey cooked, seasoned, drained
1 2lb bags tater tots
1 cans cream of mushroom
1 cans evaporated milk
1 cans cream of chicken
Brown meat & place in large cass. dish.
Cover with tater tots. Mix soup & milk together.
Pour over top. Bake at 350 for 1 Hour.

I made this once before and I loved it - the boys didn't like it - my son said "what a waste of tater tots. Maybe I'll make a smaller version and have it just for myself.

mrmarti wrote:

tiya wrote:Not very low calorie, but inexpensive and delicious. For a single person, leftovers for a few days!

TATER TOT CASSEROLE
1 lb ground beef or turkey cooked, seasoned, drained
1 2lb bags tater tots
1 cans cream of mushroom
1 cans evaporated milk
1 cans cream of chicken
Brown meat & place in large cass. dish.
Cover with tater tots. Mix soup & milk together.
Pour over top. Bake at 350 for 1 Hour.

I made this once before and I loved it - the boys didn't like it - my son said "what a waste of tater tots. Maybe I'll make a smaller version and have it just for myself.

mrmarti can you add your meatball recipe here I loved it.

Lots of good recipes being posted. This thread is making me

gettheminNOVEMBER wrote:


mrmarti can you add your meatball recipe here I loved it.

I make these meatballs all time - never use pork or veal, just plain old hamburg - mix it with egg, breadcrumbs, dried parsley (or fresh if you have it), garlic power, minced onion (or onion powder), a little parmesan cheese if I have it, salt and pepper, I throw in a little cayene pepper as well. Form the meatballs, brown in oil then add to sauce and simmer til meatballs are done. I never measure - just eyeball everything.