EASY CHEAP COOKING: A to Z

Easy cooking is a necessity for those who work long hours as well as for those learning to cook. Cooking lessons are often geared to the more complicated foods instead of the easy cheap ones. These alphabetical of lessons will focus on easy cooking ideas. Recipes and tips will be provided to help the novice learn to cook or to help the experienced cook for easy methods for their cooking.

Easy Cooking Lesson B focuses on inexpensive and simple to cook food items. Cheap dinner meal plans can be prepared using baked potatoes, boil-in-bag rice, and simple breakfast items. New cooks can add these items to their list of new meals to try while more experienced cooks can use them to boost their cheap easy meals for menu planning.

This easy cooking lesson provides five recipes you can use to for meal planning. These five recipes give you a starting point for thinking of other similar type menu items you might be able to add to your cheap dinner and easy meal plans.

The first two recipes use Baked Potatoes. Even though potato prices have risen over the years, a 5 pound bag of potatoes is still a good buy. A 5 pound bag should make at least 3 or 4 meals for your family. For recipes which call for baked potatoes, plan to bake them early in the day or the day before. Baked potatoes are definitely easy cooking items, just wash them off, pierce the skin with a fork, wrap in foil and back at 375 for about an hour.

Easy Cooking Cheap Dinner #1 using Baked Potatoes:

Once your potatoes are baked you can have a meal just from the potatoes, and whatever topping you choose. Or you can make Baked potato soup from this recipe:

Baked Potato Soup

2/3 cup butter

2/3 cup flour

7 cups milk

4 large baked potatoes

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 pack bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled

1 1/4 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

In a large over low heat, melt butter. Stir flour into the butter until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened. Add potatoes and onions. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until soup begins to bubble. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; stir until cheese melts

Easy Cooking Cheap Dinner #2 using Baked Potatoes:

CHEESEBURGER BAKED POTATOES

1 lb. ground beef (leaner is better)

1 lg. clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

4 lg. baking potatoes

1/3 c. hot milk

2 tbsp. butter, soft

1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat garlic and oil in skillet. Add the beef. Cook until browned. Add salt and pepper. Using potatoes you already baked, cut a thin slice from top of each. Scoop out the potatoes, leaving a 1/4 inch shell. Place potato in a mixing bowl. Arrange shells on baking pan. Add milk and butter to potato. Whip until smooth and fluffy. Stir in half the cheese. Fill potato skins with cooked ground beef. Press potato mixture over the meat. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees until cheese is melted.

Another set of Easy cooking recipes start with a main ingredient of Boil in Bag Rice. Boil in bag rice is a convenience food prepackaged in 2 cup packages and can be dropped in a pot of boiling water for easy cooking. These recipes use the cooked rice as a main ingredient.

Easy Cooking Cheap Dinner #3 using Boil-in-Bag Rice:

Tex Mex Rice

1 bag rice

1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes & green chilies

1 lb ground beef, browned

4 cups tortilla chips, crushed

1 can chili beans

1 16 ounce block of pasteurized prepared cheese, cut into cubes, divided

Boil the rice according to the directions on the box. Place rice in a mixing bowl and add tomatoes and chilies and ground beef. Place a layer of crushed chips in the bottom of a casserole dish. Cube some of the cheese over the chips. Add a layer of beans and a layer of the meat mixture. Repeat the layers. Cook at 350 for 15 to 20 min

Easy Cooking Cheap Dinner #4 using Boil-in-Bag Rice:

This is an easy chicken recipe which uses boil in bag rice.

Cook one bag of rice according to the package directions. Using one packet of chicken bouillon, mix with a small amount of hot water to dissolve. Add to the rice, and add any other seasonings you may desire like oregano or Italian seasonings. Wash two boneless skinless chicken breasts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tear a square of aluminum foil large enough to wrap the chicken with some space to spare. Place one piece of the chicken on the foil. Top with half of the rice. Fold the foil around the chicken and rice leaving a small vent in one corner. Repeat for the other piece of chicken. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Be careful opening the packet as the content will be very hot.

Breakfast food items for dinner are an inexpensive and easy way to feed your family for the evening meal.

Easy Cooking Cheap Dinner #5 having Breakfast for Dinner:

One of the easiest breakfasts for dinner dishes to make is Picante Egg Pie:

1/2 cup Picante sauce

1 cup Monterey jack cheese shredded

1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

6 eggs

1 cup sour cream

Spread picante sauce in lightly greased 9 or 10-inch pie plate. Spread cheeses on top of picante sauce. In blender, mix eggs and sour cream until smooth. Pour over cheeses. Bake at 375 F for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.