I don’t have one, and probably will never get one because I am kitchen gadget-averse, but that is definitely a great time saving measure. Then again, maybe I should get one because the big problem with beans is not having time to soak them.
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Polish noodles look good- like my Dad’s family used to make. I’m going to try them.
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I’ve been cooking dried pinto beans with bacon served with cornbread my whole adult life. I quit soaking them overnight early on and just cook them until tender without a soak. They always turn out perfect.
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We’ve been buying big pork loin, cut into several roasts - one to cook (usually crockpot) and others to freeze. Each roast costs under $5, makes at least two nights of dinner. Last night we tried a new crockpot recipe - pork loin cooked 4+ hours with 1/2c water; discard water then add sauerkraut and swiss cheese and caraway seeds and cook longer. It was good. Served with veggies and bread. Had friends over (good friends, willing to try a new recipe with us) and still had leftovers.
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They are a big hit in my house. I serve them and then we each season to our liking (I like to sprinkle with Trader Joe’s Umami powder, my H likes hot sauce and my D24 loves them with a bit of brown sugar sprinkled in).
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We like unstuffed cabbage, it’s similar to cabbage rolls without the extra work - 1 lb. ground beef, one bag of coleslaw mix (shredded green and red cabbage plus shredded carrots), 1 diced sweet onion, 1 lg. can of diced tomatoes (could add a small can of tomato sauce as well, but we don’t), a pinch of sugar, olive oil, salt & pepper, plus any seasonings you’d like - paprika, garlic, oregano, etc. I leave out the rice for H (T2D), but you could easily stretch this by adding rice.
I like to cook down the cabbage mix and onion until nearly translucent before adding the other ingredients. Cooking the ground beef with the vegetables or beforehand depends on the fat content. If I can’t get lean ground beef, I’ll cook it separately then add after straining the fat.
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We have several, but a lentil and quinoa soup and a tomato dal are two of our easy/cheap favorites.
For the soup, I sauté 2-3 diced carrots, 2 diced shallots, and 2 chopped celery ribs in olive oil until tender. Add 4 cups vegetable broth, 4 cups water, 1 cup red lentils, and 1/2 cup quinoa. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for about 20 minutes.
I use the Instant Pot for the dal, but it can be made on the stove as well. Place 1.5 cups red lentils, 4 cups of water, 1 16 oz jar of diced tomatoes, 1 tbsp spice mix*, 1 cup raw roughly chopped spinach (or more) to the IP and cook at sealed/high pressure for 20 minutes. Natural pressure release.
*Spice Mix: 1 tbsp each coriander, cumin, turmeric, 1/2 tsp each salt, sugar, and 1 tsp each ginger, black pepper.
If you want to get fancy (tastier), roast coriander and cumin seeds and grind them for the mix. I just used powdered.
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Yeah I definitely get not wanting to add one more gadget or appliance to the kitchen. However, it’s been surprising how much I use my instant pot for great soups, pastas, shredded chicken for tacos, eggs (hard boiled and poached) etc. I’ve also used dried chick peas to make hummus. Definitely nice to make some meals with just that one pot!
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Just popping in to say that I got an Instant Pot years ago after seeing a thread here on the Parent Cafe about IP recipes. I had never heard of it at that point and generally had a vague impression that pressure cookers were scary. But after reading the thread, I bought one and was hooked.
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Good to hear. We don’t really use ours much (but maybe will soon… the crockpot is getting wonky). What kind of things do you make in your IP?
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I use it every Saturday morning to make steel cut oatmeal. Favorite recipes include butter chicken, beef stew, red lentil stew, tortellini w/sausage soup, butternut squash soup, chicken chili, cheesecake. I don’t really use my crockpot anymore because I prefer my IP.
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Butter chicken? Do tell!
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This is the butter chicken recipe that I use: 30 Minute Indian Butter Chicken Recipe | Instant Pot Butter Chicken
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Peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
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Can of mushroom soup made with milk. Made with rice and a few ritz crackers on the side.
I bought a package of ramen for $0.39 this past weekend.
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Some inexpensive meals are also seasonal.
Tomato sandwiches (or even blt’s) in the summer.
Stuffed peppers (I make mine in the instapot) in the summer when peppers are plentiful and cheap
Pasta with a fresh tomato marinara
Pasta salad with garden vegetables and cheese
Homemade pizza also can be a cheap meal. Dough, sauce, odds and ends from the refrig for toppings and odds and ends of cheese for topping!
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My “cheap” meals are actually repurposing my leftovers into other meals or using them up rather than letting them go to waste and end up in the trash.
Most of my work lunches involve a head of cabbage and a bunch of kale that I shredded up on Sunday night and put in a big Tupperware container to use throughout the week. I grab a huge bowl full and top with a protein (usually chicken) for a salad each day (unless there are so really yummy dinner leftovers available). Whatever doesn’t get used up by the weekend I cook up with sweet potatoes and top with eggs for a hash or mix with rice and kimchi and top with an egg.
Fried rice is another cheap way I use up leftovers.
Believe it or not, lobster is my “cheap” splurge meal. I shop after work so I usually have them steam one for me while I’ll shopping (They are under $8 / lb here. Until Covid it was often under $6). Our grocery store has great, freshly made hamburgers made to order for $3 with fries! I grab those for the husband and kids (I have celiac so can’t partake) and it’s just about the cheapest/highest quality take-out meal around. The burgers are cheaper than if I made them at home and I hate having to cook after shopping and unpacking everything.
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I don’t even use dough. Pita bread => nice individual serving pizzas with whatever people want on them. takes longer to pull the stuff out of the refrig than to make. 15 min in the oven, done. That’s a staple in our house.
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Love this recipe. I leave out the meat and use rice, for my vegetarian husband and vegan daughter. Not quite as tasty but still good.
I suppose you could also use lentils or plant-based “hamburger.”
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I make unstuffed cabbage, too! My version includes shredded pork (Costco sells it in prep food section in vacuum sealed bags). Sauté some onions and garlic, throw in some of that pork, then follow with a couple of bags of shredded cabbage from TJ and a half a bag of TJ’s shredded carrots. Add some favorite spices, bay leaf, and some pasta sauce. Cook until everything is tender and the flavors have had a chance to meld. Serve with sour cream. Yum.
I also make a giant pot of rice pilaf once in a while. Chicken or beef. I’m too lazy to mix my spices so buy spice packets for pilaf at the local deli.
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