Pseudo-cooking

[Huckleman2000]

Using more than one pot results in automatic disqualification.

Kraft Mac'n'cheese with a couple hot dogs cut up in it.

"Gravy Train" (crumble and brown hamburger; drain; add one can baked beans. If you get the cheap baked beans, a shot of ketchup helps the flavor)

Fish sticks and Tater tots (hard, because the boxes say different oven temps )

Adding frozen peas or corn to various types of Hamburger Helper

Are there any that don't require something you buy in a box?

 

[cloudy]

here's one:

slice some potatos and onions, and layer in a baking pan. Brown some pork chops in a frying pan, then put them on top of the potatos and onions. Pour a little water into the pan you browned them in, then pour the drippings/water over the pork chops/potatos/onions. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for about an hour.

(I know it uses an extra pan, but the dish you cook it in doubles as a serving dish )

 

[TheEarl]

Big stew. Chicken stock cubes, chopped onion, thyme, chopped chicken breast, vegetables, potatoes, possibly some chicken soup, possibly some noodles, possibly some pasta, possibly some lentils, possibly anything that's in the cupboard/fridge that needs eating.

Good food.

The Earl

 

[Boota]

A slight variation: Kraft Mac and Cheese with a can of tuna thrown in.

 

[BlackShanglan]

Tuna mush - boil spaghetti, then mix in a can of tuna and a can of cream of mushroom soup. Add frozen peas if you're really living the high life. It's actually good in a sort of bland-comfort-foody sort of way.

Trash. No, really, that's the only name I have for it. Boil dumpling-style noodles in a pot. Set them to drain. While they are draining, brown some ground beef in the same pot (hah!). Return the noodles to it and then add a can of cream of mushroom soup, a packet of spaghetti sauce seasoning, some shredded cheese, and some canned friend onions. It's stick-to-the-ribs sort of stuff, and now and then I have a real craving for it.

All right, this one is really good - braised short ribs and white beans. It's delicious "real" food that is actually as easy to make as junk food. Get some short ribs, brown them with some sliced onions (and carrot if you're feeling energetic), then pour water, some wine, and a can of white beans over them and add a beef stock cube. Season it with salt, pepper, and thyme. Cover the dish, put it in the oven at about 300 degress, and simmer it for a couple of hours.

Frittata. Microwave a potato, then brown it in a little butter with some onions. I like to season it all with salt, pepper, sage, thyme, and cayenne. Throw in any sort of meat available, diced fine, and brown/heat that with it (depending on whether it's already cooked). When it's all hot and the potatoes are browned, pour scrambled eggs over and cook until set. Purists will tell you not to turn it; if, like me, you dislike moist eggs and rather enjoy this dish rustic and browned, ignore the purists and turn it in chunks. Red pepper is a nice addition if you have it (at the browning-veggies stage).

 

[Huckleman2000]

Wow! These sound really good!
Especially that short-ribs one.

 

[minsue]

White trash casserole - rotini pasta, condensed tomato soup, american cheese. Cook the pasta, drain the water, put in the tomato soup (still condensed) and torn up slices of american cheese, heat until the cheese melts. There are no measurements, of course, and I've still never been able to get it to taste the way my mother makes it. Close, but never quite right.

It looks soooooo disgusting, but it's my biggest comfort food. (Much to poor Mat's dismay )

 

[impressive]

Red soup:

1 large bag of frozen, mixed veggies
1 large can V-8
2 pkg Ramen noodles (sans seasoning)
Worcestershire sauce (to taste)

If you're feelin' fancy, add a couple cans of Armor Roast Beef.

 

[kendo1]

True gourmet food.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Tuna mush - boil spaghetti, then mix in a can of tuna and a can of cream of mushroom soup. Add frozen peas if you're really living the high life. It's actually good in a sort of bland-comfort-foody sort of way.

My mom used to make this... without the noodles... we ate it on toast.

My dad used to take that canned franco-american spaghetti and add hamburger to it... or alternatively hot dogs... spaghettios work, too... gotta add ketchup, tho... and sugar... you can sprinkle cheese on top if you wanna get fancy!

A friend's mom used to make Spam with Orange Marmalade... but I don't know the recipe (not that I want it! )

Here's another one that uses Spaghettios:

6 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated
1 can pitted black olives, sliced
1 can Spaghettio's
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can chili con carne without beans
1 sm. pkg. corn chips

Reserve 1/2 of cheese and about 6 olives. Mix all other ingredients in a 2 quart casserole. Top with reserved cheese and olives. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes (covered first 25 minutes) uncovering last 10 minutes to brown.

----

but enough of the chef boyardee cooking lessons...

this last one we actually still eat:

Bush's Best Pasta Fagiole

* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 jalapeno, minced
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
* 2 (15.5 ounce) cans Bush's Best Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
* 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
* 1 (8 ounce) box elbow macaroni or orzo
* 1/4 bunch chopped Italian parsley
* Grated Parmesan cheese
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat large saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic and jalapeno to pan. Cook until onion is soft but not browned, 4-5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, BUSH'S BEST Great Northern Beans and broth in to onion mixture. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring periodically. Add pasta and return to a boil over high heat. Reduce to simmer, stirring periodically, 8-10 minutes. Add parsley and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm in soup bowls. Top with cheese.

 

[RogueLurker]

Friday Macaroni Casserole (or as I call it Slimy Albino Macaroni)
Boiled macaroni, mixed into a casserole dish with a can of stewed tomatoes and onions. Top with the barest amount of shredded cheese (no cheese mixed with the macaroni .. then it wouldn't be slimy) and breadcrumbs or bread cubes. Bake and serve with Fish Sticks every Friday night.

*actually, the original recipe was developed during the Depression where butter, milk, cheese and meat were not always readily availble ... never sure why we couldn't add cheese after the Depression though.

 

[Guest]

 

[Guest]

you people...
whats wrong with RAMEN?
oh the wonderfully cheap meals that can be made with ramen...i don't believe you could mess it up adding just about *any* other food.

 

[Guest]

 

[SweetPrettyAss]

canned corned beef, potatoes, onions and a little catusp fried together in a frying pan.

 

[Huckleman2000]

Here's another one that uses Spaghettios:

6 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated
1 can pitted black olives, sliced
1 can Spaghettio's
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can chili con carne without beans
1 sm. pkg. corn chips

Reserve 1/2 of cheese and about 6 olives. Mix all other ingredients in a 2 quart casserole. Top with reserved cheese and olives. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes (covered first 25 minutes) uncovering last 10 minutes to brown.

I almost disqualified this, because of the use of the word "reserve". But it's made with Spaghettios!

 

[SeaCat]

Bwahahahahahahahahahaha

All of you are wusses when it comes to Broke Food.

Let's see here.

Cook up some Elbow Macaroni. Drain and strain it.

In the same pot cook up some Hamburger with a little Garlic and Onion. Toss in a pcket or two of hot sauce you swiped from Taco Bell the last time you were there. Drain and add the Mac.

Okay, two pot meal.

Cook the Elbow Mac. Drain and rinse.
Cook up some Hamburger with some Szechuane Sauce. Drain.
Toss Mac and Beef into a Casserol dish with some Monterey Jack Cheese on top. Bake until cheese is golden brown.

Got a day or so?
Dump some chicken(Either cut up wings or Drums,) into a bowl. Cover with BBQ Sauce. ( I add plenty of Hot Sauce.) Let it sit in the fridge for 24 hours. Toss on a grill over low heat until cooked.

Cat

 

[minsue]

Bwahahahahahahahahahaha

All of you are wusses when it comes to Broke Food.

Cat

If you can afford meat, you ain't broke.

 

[Boota]

Hog Slop - Brown hamburger in a skillet, throw in a can of Cream of Mushroom soup and add ketchup until it looks about right. Good on toast, but a spoon will work just as well.

 

[Huckleman2000]

Cat gets extra points for using sauce packets from a fast-food restaurant!

Okay, you all inspired me - I just got back frm the supermarket, and I bought potatoes, an onion, carrots, a zucchini, and six boneless pork chops for $2.99/lb. in the Value-Pack with my Safeway card. I'm going to start with Cloudy's pork-chop recipe, and then move on to the Earl's "Big Stew".

It'll be a race to see if I get through all these recipes before I get a job.

Realistically, I think it's going to take awhile to work through all these. I still need 2-3 servings from the Pizza food group each week.

 

[Huckleman2000]

LOL, the best things about these recipes are the names we have for them!
Gravy Train
Big Stew
Tuna Mush
Trash
White Trash Casserole
Red Soup
Bush's Best Pasta Fagiole (named for the beans, not the Pres.)
Slimy Albino Macaroni
Jammie's Peasant Food
and
Boota's Hog Slop

C'mon down to HUCK'S One-pot Restaurant! What a freakin' menu we got here!

 

[cloudy]

I'm going to start with Cloudy's pork-chop recipe, and then move on to the Earl's "Big Stew".

You'll have to let me know what you think...my family loves it.

 

[English Lady]

corned beef hash is my daughters favourite meal and it's so simple I can do it*L*

Simply cook enough potatoes for a generous portion for each person (around 2 bigs puds or 3/4 medium ones each) cut into cubes, add to boilng water and simmer till soft. drain, mash add a bit of butter, a little spash of milk, mash more. Add corned beef (I add just over half a tine for 3 people) which you've cubed, mash some more till the mix is mottled pink.

serve with cooked frozen peas, green beans and/or baked beans.


Fantastic, cheap and oooh so yummy.


I'll be back with more

 

[Weird Harold]

Are there any that don't require something you buy in a box?

Lots of them -- most fall under the umbrella of "Basic Splat."

Basic Splat is any combination of approximately one pound of protein (meat), 2-4 cups of Stomach Ballast (pasta, rice, beans, etc) and a "binder" (tomato sauce, condensed cream soup, cheese sauce/soup, etc.)

The best investment you can make for cheap meals is a case of mushroom soup, a case of tomato sauce and a very large jar of seasoned salt. A fe w cans of Cheddar Cheese Soup. (If you're one of those weirdos who don't like mushrooms, Cream of Celery soup is almost a suitable subsitute.

Potatoes A La Grandpa:

Four to six russet potatoes.
One can condensed Mushroom Soup (Campell's original is what I use because store brands and helthy request don't have enough salt for the entire dish.)
One can Condensed Cheddar Cheese soup.
Optional: Sliced or chopped meat to taste or budget.
One loaf pan or caserole dish. (adjust quantities to suit.)

Slice the potatoes thin and evenly (with or without peel) -- (a food processor's slicing blade works well to save time, if not clean-up)

combine half the cheese soup and all of the mushroom soup and mix well.

Layer one third of the potatoes (and meat) even in the bottom of the loaf pan.

Cover the potatoes evenly with half the cheese/mushroom mix.

Layer in the second third of the potatoes (and meat.)

Cover with the remaining cheese/mushroom mix.

Layer the remaining potatoes (and Meat).

Seal the top with the rest of the Cheddar Cheese soup.

Bake one hour at 375 F or until potatoes are tender.

Serves four to six as amain dish, eight to twelve as a side dish.


Fire Rice (a variation of "Basic Splat")

One pound of meat (hamburger or diced chicken or pork)
One can tomato sauce
One can of water
One can of Long Grain White Rice. (NOT precooked or instant!)
Seasonall (to taste)
Chili Powder (to taste)

Brown one pound of hamburger (or dice and sear one pound of boneless chicken breasts) Drain as required.

Season liberally with Seasonall and about one third of whatever chili-powder is on hand.

Add tomato sauce and water -- bring to a slow boil.

Add Rice and cover. Reduce heat to a low simmer (just hot enough to maintain the slow boil)

Cook covered for thirty minutes -- DO NOT uncover to check it; that let's the steam out and increases cooking time and causes the bottom to burn!

Serves six to eight and leftovers freeze/microwave well.

 

[Huckleman2000]

...
Fantastic, cheap and oooh so yummy.

I'll be back with more

OOOHH, I've been waiting for the Greenwich Mean Time contingent to weigh in! No offense to the North Americans, but they've been at this a long time. I refuse to believe that all of the European culinary advancement has been in the direction of complex dishes. There must be people who hate to cook in the Old World, even if just from time to time, and have arrived at quick and tasty dishes.

And by 'quick and tasty dishes', I'm referring to things you like to eat.