Cooking

Food keeps getting more and more expensive, with causes ranging from supply chain issues to inflation to plain profiteering. For the average worker, a change is needed to resolve this issue. One can go without luxuries like cinemas and concerts, but food is a necessity. Until the abolition of markets, the most anyone can do is manage as best they can.

A few simple ways to cut costs:

Some more niche tips

Below is a list of recipes I have tested and approved, all fairly simple, healthy, and cheap. Most are copied from AllRecipes or old cookbooks I have, though some are passed down to me.

Main Dishes

Bolognese
  • 28oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1# ground beef
  • 1# pasta such as penne
  • 1 onion
  • 1/2 head of garlic, cloves
  • 750ml bottle cheap red wine
  • 8oz brown mushrooms
  • Italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt to water. Put in pasta, stirring occasionally.
  2. Chop onion and garlic cloves fine. Slice and rinse mushrooms. Butter a large pan, add onion and mushroom. Cover, let cook on medium till softened and mushrooms shrunk.
  3. Flatten beef, season with salt, pepper, and italian seasoning. Knead and form into a dozen meatballs. Add to pan, cover, cook until browned.
  4. Add wine, tomato, and season generously. Stir occasionally, cook on high to let boil.
  5. When sauce is reduced and thickened -- a spatula can be dragged through the sauce and it doesn't immediately flow back into place -- and the pasta is cooked, drain the pasta and add the sauce to the pot of pasta. Combine.
Stroganoff
  • 1# ground beef
  • 8oz sour cream
  • 8oz egg noodles
  • 8oz brown mushrooms
  • 1/4c white wine
  • 1/2tb nutmeg
  • salt and pepper

  1. Slice and rinse mushrooms.
  2. In a pot, bring water to a boil and set pasta to cook.
  3. Break up and brown beef in a wide pan.
  4. Remove beef and set aside. Readd beef fat. Add mushroom to pan, cover and let cook until shrunk.
  5. Readd beef to pan. Add white wine and let the wine cook for a minute. Add sour cream, and stir till melted. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  6. Drain pasta and add to the sauce. Combine well.
Lasagne
  • 1# Ground Beef
  • 1 clove Garlic
  • 15oz Petite Diced Tomato
  • 8oz Tomato Sauce
  • 1/2tsp Oregano
  • 8oz Lasagne Noodles
  • 1# Ricotta
  • 1/2c Parmesan
  • 8oz Mozzarella

  1. Mince garlic. Slice mozzarella into strips. Grate parmesan.
  2. Brown ground beef in a greased pan, add garlic.
  3. Add canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer till thickened.
  4. Cook lasagne noodles in boiling water till al dente.
  5. Cover the bottom of an 8x8 greased baking dish with 1-1/2 cups of beef mixture. Cover with noodles.
  6. Spread 1/2 of ricotta on noodles, cover with 1/3 of parmesan, and then 1/2 of the mozzarella. Cover with noodles, and repeat.
  7. Top with remainder of beef mixture and parmesan. Bake in an oven at 350*F for 45 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.
Orange Chicken
  • 3 chicken breasts
  • 5 oranges
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 1 onion
  • 1/2c soy sauce
  • 3tb honey
  • 2tb flour or corn starch

  1. Dice onion and pepper. Chop chicken into cubes.
  2. Add onion and pepper to a large buttered pot and cook till fragrant.
  3. Add chicken to pot. While cooking, juice all the oranges.
  4. When chicken is cooked, add the orange juice, honey, and soy sauce to the pot. Cook till somewhat reduced.
  5. Add flour to thicken the sauce, let cook another couple minutes.
Swiss Steak
  • 3 cuts Eye of Round
  • 1 clove Garlic
  • 3/4c Flour
  • 2tsp Salt
  • 1/8tsp Pepper
  • 3tb Butter
  • 1 Onion
  • 2c Boiling water

  1. Cut garlic in half, rub over steaks. Season with flour, salt, and pepper. Beat mixtures into steaks with hamer till tenderized.
  2. Melt butter in pan. Slice onion, add to butter. Set aside, brown steaks in pan.
  3. Pour boiling water over steaks, re-add onion mixture. Simmer 2-3 hours.
Beef Teriyaki
  • 2# Round Steak
  • 1 Onion
  • 1tsp Ginger
  • 2tsp Sugar
  • 1/2c Soy Sauce
  • 1/2c Orange Juice
  • 1/2c Butter
  • 1 clove Garlic

  1. Slice meat thin. Slice onion. Mince garlic.
  2. Cook meat and onion in a pan, till beef is cooked.
  3. Mix remaining ingredients, pour over beef, simmer till thickened.
Beefaroni
  • 1# ground beef
  • 1# macaroni noodles
  • 8oz mild cheddar
  • 28oz crushed tomato
  • Salt and Pepper

  1. Boil pasta until cooked. Shred cheese roughly.
  2. Break up and brown beef in a pan. Season generously. Add tomato sauce, stir and cook until thickened
  3. Combine pasta and beef. Top with shredded cheese. Cover, cook on low, steam until cheese is melting.
Fried Rice
  • 1 can mixed vegetables OR 1 package frozen peas and carrots
  • 2 eggs
  • 1c dry rice
  • 3tb soy sauce
  • Salt and Pepper

  1. Add rice to small saucepan, add 1.5c water. Bring to a boil, cover, simmer on low until water absorbed.
  2. Add vegetables to a greased pan. Stir and cook for a few minutes.
  3. Beat eggs lightly and add to an empty side of the pan. Stir and beat until scrambled.
  4. Add cooked rice to pan. Combine all ingredients. Toss in soy sauce.

Soups

Chicken Wild-Rice Soup
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 2 packages microwave wild rice
  • 4c chicken stock
  • 2c water
  • 3/4c flour
  • 2c heavy cream
  • 1stk butter
  • salt and pepper

  1. Slice chicken into halves. Boil until cooked. Drain pot. Shred chicken by pulling apart with two forks.
  2. Add chicken, water, stock, and rice into a pot. Bring to a simmer.
  3. Melt butter in a saucepan. Slowly stir in flour. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in heavy cream until combined.
  4. Add roux to the main pot, bring to a rolling boil.
Clam Chowder
  • 3 yellow potatoes
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 13oz minced clam
  • 12oz evaporated milk
  • 4 slices bacon
  • salt and pepper

  1. Cook bacon and crumble, set aside. Add bacon grease to a pot.
  2. Chop celery and add to pot.
  3. Separate clams from juice, add water until one cup of liquid is had. Add liquid to pot and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper.
  4. Dice potatoes fine. Add to pot. Simmer until softened.
  5. Add clams, evaporated milk, and bacon. Heat, but do not boil.
Sausage Soup
  • 2tb oil
  • 1/2# sausage meat
  • 1/2 onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3tb flour
  • 32oz chicken broth
  • 4 yellow potatoes
  • 4oz spinach
  • 12oz evaporated milk
  • 3/4tsp italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper

  1. Mince onion and garlic. Roughly chop spinach. Dice potatoes.
  2. In a large pot, heat oil. Add onion and garlic. Cook until fragrant.
  3. Add sausage meat. Break up and cook until browned.
  4. Stir in flour till the meat has absorbed it all. Add broth. Bring to a boil.
  5. Add spice and potatoes, boil for five minutes.
  6. Add evaporated milk and spinach, simmer five minutes or until spinach has shrunk. Do not boil.
Taco Soup
  • 1 can pinto beans
  • 1 can petite diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • 1 can sweet corn
  • 1# ground beef
  • 4c water
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • (opt.)1c cooked rice

  1. In a large pot, brown and break up ground beef.
  2. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil.
Chicken Noodle Soup
  • 64oz chicken broth
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 8oz egg noodles
  • 3 stalks celery
  • 3 carrots

  1. Peel and chop carrots, discarding end. Chop celery, discarding ends. Cube chicken.
  2. Add broth to a pot and bring to a boil. Add chicken, celery, and carrots. Boil ten minutes or until carrots have softened.
  3. Add egg noodles, cook about five minutes.

Desserts

Apple Spice Cake
  • 2c flour
  • 1tsp baking soda
  • 5tb butter
  • 1c brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1c applesauce
  • 2tsp cinnamon
  • 1tsp nutmeg
  • 1tsp allspace
  • 1/4tsp salt

  1. Cream butter, and mix in brown sugar. Beat in eggs.
  2. Alternatively add the applesauce and the remaining dry ingredients. Mix well.
  3. Cook in a greased breadpan for 75 minutes at 350*F, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Chocolate Pudding
  • 2c skim milk
  • 1/3c sugar
  • 1/4c cocoa powder
  • 1tsp vanilla
  • 3tb corn starch

  1. Heat all but 1/2 of the milk in a pot. Stir in sugar and cocoa until dissolved. Whisk till boiling.
  2. Dissolve cornstarch in remaining milk, then add to mixture.
  3. Whisk a few more minutes, then remove from heat.
  4. Whisk in vanilla, and whisk till cooled. Chill in fridge.
Chocolate Cake
  • 1-1/2c flour
  • 1/2c butter
  • 1c sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2tsp baking powder
  • 1c milk
  • 1tsp baking soda
  • 1/4tsp salt
  • 1tsp vanilla
  • 3tb cocoa powder

  1. Cream butter and beat in sugar. Ad vanilla, egg yolks, and cocoa. Beat well.
  2. Alternatively add dry ingredients and milk. Combine well.
  3. Beat egg whites into stiff peaks, and fold into the mixture.
  4. Pour batter in a greased cakepan, and bake at 350*F for 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cinnamon Rolls
  • 3c flour
  • 2tsp yeast
  • 1c milk
  • 1-1/2tsp salt
  • 3tb butter
  • 3tb sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1tsp cinnamon

  1. Melt butter. Beat egg. Warm milk.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add yeast and stir till dissolved.
  3. Add 2tb of sugar, egg, salt, and half of the flour. Mix well.
  4. Add 2tb of butter and mix, then knead in the rest of the flour. Cover bowl and let dough rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
  5. Knead down, then let rise again until doubled. Roll into a rectangular sheet.
  6. Coat with melted butter, cinnamon, and sugar. Roll up into a loaf, and cut into half-inch discs.
  7. Lay discs on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise about twenty minutes. Bake at 400*F for 25 minutes, or until slightly browned.
Lemon Bars
  • 1/2c butter
  • 1c+2tb flour
  • 1c sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 lemon

  1. Juice lemon. Mix butter, 1c flour, and 1/4c sugar in a large bowl, until crumbly. Press in an 8x8 baking dish. Bake at 350*F for 15 minutes.
  2. Beat remaining ingredients till smooth. Pour over crust. Bake at 350*F for another 25 minutes.
Pumpkin Pie
  • 2 small pumpkins
  • 1/4c brown sugar
  • 1/2c sugar
  • 1/2tsp salt
  • 1tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2tsp ginger
  • 1/4tsp nutmeg or allspice
  • 1/8tsp ground cloves
  • 2 eggs

  1. Slice pumpkins in half. Remove seeds and string. Discard stem. Place cut side down on a baking sheet, and bake at 325*F for about an hour, or until meat is tender.
  2. With a spoon, remove the meat from the skin. Mash into a smooth pulp, blend, or put through a ricer.
  3. Beat the eggs slightly. Combine 2 cups of cooked pumpkin mash with the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth.
  4. Pour mixture in a 9 inch pie crust. Bake at 425*F for 15 minutes, then lower temperature to 350*F and bake for another 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
Salted Caramel Rice Pudding
  • 4c whole milk
  • 1/3c jasmine rice
  • 1/4c brown sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2tb salt
  • 2tsp vanilla
  • 1/4c sugar
  • 1/3c heavy cream
  • 1tb butter
  • 2tb water

  1. Combine rice, brown sugar, and milk in a large pot. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  2. Remove 1c of the pudding. Whisk in egg yolks and vanilla, then mix back into the pudding. Chill completely, about 3 hours.
  3. Melt butter. Combine sugar and water in a small pan. Heat till amber, about 8 minutes, constantly swirling but not stirring. Add butter and cream, and stir for one minute. Add salt and vanilla, and let cool.
Plain Cake
  • 1-1/2c flour
  • 1/2c butter
  • 1c sugar
  • 1/2c milk
  • 1/4tsp salt
  • 1tsp vanilla
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs

  1. Cream butter, beat in sugar. Beat in egg yolks.
  2. Alternate between adding dry and wet ingredients. Beat till smooth.
  3. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold into batter.
  4. Pour into a greased pan. Bake at 350*F for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out smooth.

Sides and Others

Chicken Broth
  • Chicken scraps (carcass, skin, meat trimmings, fat, organs)
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Onion
  • 10c water

  1. Add chicken scraps into a pot.
  2. Roughly chop vegetables. Add to pot. Cover with water.
  3. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3-4 hours.
  4. Strain into a half-gallon jar. Store in the fridge.
Fish Batter
  • 1c flour
  • 1/2c milk
  • 1/2c water
  • 2tb baking powder
  • 1tsp salt

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Glaze
  • 1/4c milk
  • 1c powered sugar
  • 1/4tsp vanilla

  1. Mix all ingredients till smooth.
Buttercream frosting
  • 1/2c butter
  • 2c powdered sugar
  • 1-1/2tsp vanilla
  • 2tb milk

  1. Cream butter in a mixing bowl. Work in powdered sugar.
  2. Add vanilla, work till combined.
  3. Add milk, beat till smooth.
Mashed Potato
  • Potato (1 per person)
  • Butter (1/2tb per potato)
  • Milk

  1. Scrub and dice potatoes -- smaller cooks faster.
  2. Boil in salted water until a knife goes through effortlessly.
  3. Drain water, mash with a masher or fork.
  4. Add butter on low heat, stir until butter is melted and incorporated.
  5. Add little splashes of milk until at desired thickness.
Biscuits
  • 2c flour
  • 1tsp sugar
  • 1tsp salt
  • 1tb baking powder
  • 1/2c butter
  • 3/4c milk

  1. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  2. Cut butter into cubes and work into dough.
  3. Add milk, and mix until combined.
  4. Roll dough onto a floured table, till about a half-inch thick. Use the rim of a cup to cut the dough into discs, recombining and rolling leftover dough until all used.
  5. Bake at 425*F for 15 minutes.