One of the most important things I’ve learned from this book is that you don’t have to spend a fortune on meals every night. At my campus dining centers, dinner costs $9.75 per person. For that much money, I can have a home cooked meal on 5/7 nights of the week (keeping in mind that I cook for myself and three roommates). That’s quite a difference in cost per ounce of food.
How do I pull that off? Well, first I purchase my groceries from Aldi’s, a grocery store that has mostly generic brands as opposed to pricey name brands. Second, I sit down once a week and build a menu for my house. Yes, it sounds corny, but you’d be surprised at how well menu planning works.
Seriously- this week, I want you to sit down with a cookbook or cooking website (I like allrecipes.com), and plan out a 4 to 5 night menu, with plans to have leftovers for at least two nights (more if you’re cooking for just yourself). Be sure to get your roommates involved for better savings, but be prepared to work with their tastes as well. Now, as you’re writing down what recipes to use, be sure to start making your grocery list alongside it, so that you know what you need to buy. If you can find recipes that use ingredients that you already have, all the better!
Having a menu and weekly grocery list DOES make a difference- think of all the money you save by buying small ingredients instead of overpriced final products. The trade off comes down to paying a lot of money for the time that you don’t have to spend cooking, but as anyone who’s been a college student knows, there just isn’t that much money in the wallet to spend on overpriced food. As a college student majoring in Drawing, I have to put as much of my extra money towards art supplies as I can for classes. That on top of rent and utilities adds up fast. I know I’d rather spend $10 a week on delicious hot meals that I don’t have to question the contents of.
Having a distinct grocery list will also help to prevent you from making unnecessary spontaneous purchases (I know all about this, believe you me). Just be sure to have eaten before you go to the grocery store. If you forget to do that, then your mantra for that shopping trip is, “Is it on my list? No? Then I don’t need it.” Trust me, when it comes to limited fridge/freezer space and not enough money, you DON’T want to end up with buyer’s remorse.
This week’s recipes are: Flexible Mexican Filling, Homemade Enchiladas, and Cheesy Egg Sammiches.
"Flexible Mexican Filling,"
found on page 352 of “Cheap. Fast. Good!” This recipe makes about 5 cups, and takes about 20 minutes of prep time.
Ingredients:
· 1 lb. ground beef
· 1 large onion
· 1/2 package (or 2 tbs.) taco seasoning
· 1 can condensed tomato soup
· 2 cups shredded Cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese
· 1 cup sour cream
1. Place beef in extra deep 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Begin browning beef, stirring often to break up the meat. Meanwhile, peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop. Cook, stirring often, until all meat is crumbled and cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain any accumulated fat from the skillet.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add taco seasoning and tomato soup and stir until well blended. Add the cheese and stir until it melts, about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Serve at once, or cool and store for future use.
Author's Notes: Flexible Mexican Filling can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for 2 to 3 months. Refrigerate or freeze the filling in 1-cup portions in microwave-safe containers. To defrost, remove the container lid and microwave on the defrost setting according to the manufacturer's instructions. Or defrost the filling in the refrigerator overnight.
Review-
This recipe is one of the most versatile recipes I’ve ever seen. You can use this recipe in enchiladas (seen below), tacos, burritos, and even in quesadillas if you like gooey quesadillas. Not only that, but you can also use this recipe as a homemade nacho dip, or even just eat it by itself (I’ve been caught doing this several times, myself!). And, as another plus, if you have room in your freezer for it, it’ll stay good for three months. How great is that?
Homemade Enchiladas
Photo taken by me.This recipe serves 4, and takes about 10 minutes of prep time, with 25 minutes of optional baking.
Ingredients:
· Cooking oil spray
· 1/4 cup Flexible Mexican Filling per enchilada, defrosted if frozen; alternatively, 1 lb ground beef
· 4 large (10- to 12-inch) flour tortillas
· 1 can (16 oz) refried black beans or regular refried beans
· 1/2 cup already cooked rice (optional)
· 1 jar (16 oz) mild or hot Mexican-style salsa or taco sauce
· 1/3 cup regular or reduced-fat sour cream (optional)
· 2 tablespoons regular or reduced fat mayonnaise (optional)
· 1/2 cup shredded taco-style, Mexican blend, or Cheddar cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 13x9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking oil spray
2. Place the Flexible Mexican Filling in a small microwave-safe bowl and cover it with a paper towel. Microwave on high power until just warm, about 2 minutes. Remove the dish from the microwave oven and set aside. Alternatively, brown the beef in a skillet, seasoning to taste.
3. Assemble the enchiladas by placing ¼ cup of the filling in the center of each flour tortilla, and then spooning one fourth of the refried beans and 2 tablespoons of the rice (if using) over the meat mixture. As you fill each tortilla, fold it up, tucking in one end burrito-style, and place it, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
4. Stir the salsa, sour cream, and mayonnaise together in a bowl and pour this sauce evenly over the enchiladas. A simpler option here is to simply use taco sauce to cover the enchiladas. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake until the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes. Baking optional if all ingredients have been properly cooked.
5. Remove the pan from the oven, uncover it, and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the enchiladas. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese melts, about 3 minutes. To serve, use a spatula to place an enchilada on each plate.
Review-
This recipe is a personal favorite of mine, especially given that you can make it as simple or as complex as you want. I’ve made this recipe countless times, each time doing something different to suit my mood. For instance, the first time I made this, I followed the recipe to the letter, except for where I forgot to use foil. The enchiladas came out just fine. Since that fateful first attempt, I’ve discovered that you can substitute taco sauce for salsa (we like to use mild, so that it doesn’t overpower the enchilada itself), and that you don’t have to bake this recipe. If you want other kinds of fillings, like green peppers, more onions, black olives, tomatoes, etc;, you can just add them to it, and even if you choose to bake, they’ll be just fine. Bake for the 25 minutes, or even just throw them together and then pop them into the microwave (for 2 minutes or longer for two enchiladas) or not, these make for a fantastic meal or snack!
Cheesy Egg Sammiches
Photo taken by me.
This is for a single serving, and takes a maximum of ten minutes.
Ingredients:
· 2 large eggs
· ¼ cup milk
· tbsp. vegetable oil
· American cheese slices, or alternate cheese
· Two slices of your choice of bread
1. Heat the oil in an 8” skillet. At the same time, mix the eggs and milk together in a bowl with a fork. When the skillet is heated, pour the egg and milk mixture into the skillet.
2. Cook the egg until the bottom begins to solidify, and use a spatula to fold the egg into a half-circle, much like an omelet. Use the spatula to push the egg into the center of the pan, either forming a rectangle or retaining the half-circle shape, and let cook for another minute.
3. Add one cheese slice to the left or right side of the egg, and then use the spatula to fold the egg in half again, covering the cheese slice. Let cook for two minutes, until the center of the egg is solid enough to flip in the skillet. Flip the egg in the skillet, and let cook for another two minutes or so, until the egg is cooked all the way through. Keep in mind that the cheese will ooze as it melts, and this may be mistaken for uncooked egg.
4. When the egg has finished cooking, use the spatula to place it on a slice of bread (toasting optional). Put the second cheese slice on top, followed by any condiments you’d prefer, and the second piece of bread. Let cool for one minute, and then enjoy.
Review-
This is a recipe that my mother taught me, and I still use it to this day. If you have an 8” skillet, the sizing is perfect, but you may use a larger skillet if you’re willing to do some extra folding to make the egg fit on your bread. This recipe is fast, easy, and incredibly cheap. It’s great for a quick, hot breakfast, lunch, or breakfasty dinner. Also, don’t be afraid to experiment and mix things into the egg/milk mixture such as bacon bits, spices, etc; to suit your tastes. :)
