Ghetto Gourmet Recipes: Fine Dining on a Tight Budget

When financing your groceries, it helps to stock up in the beginning of the month on non-perishable items like macaroni and cheese, crackhead soups (Ramen noodles), tuna fish, canned fruits and veggies (fresher may be healthier, but stocking up on the canned goods will guarantee you don't run out of healthful sides) and pasta.

Meats that your family eats a lot should also be stocked up on. You can store each pound of ground beef or family serving of chicken in the freezer, indiviudually wrapped in ziplock baggies. From there, persishable items like bread and dairy should be bought on a weekly or as needed basis. But I am not here to tell you how to grocery shop. I am here to share recipes! So let's begin with an old childhood favorite of mine.

Ghetto Cheesy Tuna Noodle
(aka Mac & Cheese w/ Tuna)

1 box Macaroni and Cheese
1 ban Tuna Fish
butter
milk

Make the macaroni as normal. (Boil and drain, then stir in the cheese mix, butter, and milk.)
Open the can of tuna fish, and squeeze out the water. Stir the tuna fish into the macaroni and cheese.
Yum!

Optional add-ins : You can also add a can of corn or peas for a tasty casserole.

Ghetto Cheesy Chili Casserole

1 box Macaroni and Cheese
1 can chili

Make the macaroni as normal. (Read the box if you don't already know how to do it.)
Add the chili before serving.

Note: As a crockpot owner, I always use leftover chili instead of a can of chili, but it is just as tasty and cheaper.

Ghetto Hamburger Helper

1 lb. ground beef
pasta
pasta sauce (or tomato soup... a cheaper alternative that works just as well.)

Brown the beef, then drain the grease. Cook the beef, sauce, and pasta in a large skillet for about 10-15 minutes.

Optional add-ins : Cheese, canned veggies (corn or green beans), crushed up Cheese Nips, feel free to be creative!

Ghetto Homemade Soup

1 package Ramen noodles (crackhead soup)
1 can peas
1 can corn
1 piece cooked chicken
mustard or seasonings

Just throw it all in together. It's cheap, healthful, and tasty. You can add or subtract whatever you wish. Experiment.

Note- Crackhead soups are very cheap, and you can find several recipes that use them. Don't skip out on getting them when you do your grocery shopping. There's so much that they can be used for!

Ghetto Breakfast Burrito

tortilla(s)
eggs
milk (just a little bit)
salsa
cheese

Scramble the eggs, adding salsa as you do this. Add the cheese when they are almost done cooking. Wrap into a tortilla.

Optional add-ins : sour cream, hot sauce

Note : Okay, maybe this recipe isn't as basic... but it is a recipe I used to make when I did live in the ghetto. Food stamps may make it possible to have more groceries.

Ghetto Grilled Cheese

bread
butter
cheese
tomato soup (optional)

You know how to do it. Make cheese sandwiches, butter the outsides and cook them to a desired brown-ness. Tomato soup is optional but they go together so well...

Ghetto PBJ- Gourmet

peanut butter
bread
jelly
butter

Again, you know how to make PBJ's. Butter the outsides and cook them just as if you were making grilled cheese. Try it, you'll love it!

I will skip the lesson in making a cocktail using a 40 oz. We're not going to get that ghetto. I hope you enjoy these recipes!