This is a guest post from Theresa - If you would like to guest post, please let me know.
I came across a great site called Cheap Eats. Their recipes are just wonderful tasting and meals fit only "for a King" but at the price affordable for a "pauper", if we were in those past days. But for today's standards, these are fantastic prices and showing frugalness and savings in one of it's top forms. They even have a handy 3 dollars or less area as well.
So, for your enjoyment and perhaps wanting to try them, here are a couple of recipes that I borrowed from the site.
Clam Spaghetti - total cost of $2.97
2 3.5 oz pouches of baby clams — $2. 00
2 tbsp e.v. olive oil — $0.10
3-4 cloves minced garlic — $0.07
1/2 lb dry spaghetti / spaghettini — $0.50
1-2 tbsp chopped parsley — $0.051
1/2 cup chicken stock — $0.15
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese - $0.10
red pepper flakes — optional salt, pepper, water - negligible
Get a pot of water for the spaghetti going on high. Mince up the parsley and set aside. Mince the garlic and set that aside. Open the pouches and drain the clams, reserving the liquids.
Wait until water boils, then add the dry spaghetti. Start melting the butter in the olive oil in a skillet on medium. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the reserved clam liquid and chicken stock and simmer for 3-5 minutes. (Keep and eye on the spaghetti so it doesn't get overcooked!) Some people also put in a few tablespoons of Chardonnay or other white wine as well. If you do so, add that first and make sure to cook it out before adding the chicken stock and clam juice.
Add the clams to the skillet (do NOT cook this for too long). When the spaghetti is al dente, take it out with tongs and put it directly into the pan. Then whack the parsley in there along with the parm cheese and salt/pepper to taste. If it's too dry, add a bit of the pasta cooking water. Toss it a bit and serve. A delightful meal!
Ghetto McMuffins - total cost of 62 cents
1 english muffin — $0.25
1-2 eggs — $0.15
1/2 - 1 hotdog — $0.12
1 slice cheese, optional — $0.10
pepper, optional
Cut the english muffin in half and put it in the toaster set for extra crispy. Meanwhile, beat the egg(s) lightly in a small bowl. Throw in pepper if you like. Cut up the hotdog into chunks. Get a medium fire under a small (8-9 inch is fine) non stick omelette pan going. At some point you might want to put a bit of oil in the pan but you'll find that you can avoid it for non-stick pans.
Cook the hot dogs until slightly browned. Distribute them across the bottom of the pan and pour in the egg(s). Lower the fire. Stir a bit with a spatula. Let it set up a bit, a few minutes. You can cover it to speed it along.
When the top is nearly cooked, get a rubber spatula and cut the scramble down the middle. Here, you can insert a slice of cheese or whatever you want on each semi-circle. Fold the egg semi-circle over so it's a quarter-circle.
Put each quarter-circle on a toasted english muffin half. This makes 2 open face McMuffins, or close it up for a gigantic McMuffin.
Yummmm!!! A delightful breakfast meal for the kids…And adults too!
If you have any other sites that have cost-saving recipes, let us know in the comments area or email me. Thanks
I would like to see more of these recipes. Have any more up your sleeve?
The above links in the post to the cheap eats site and their category for 3 dollars or less should give you a few more ideas
I make something similar to the "Ghetto McMuffin". I dice a small potato and fry it. Then I add the eggs and sliced hot dog. We skip the English muffin and cheese. I like it with ketchup.