Need help with a 2 week menu.

Ok im done drooling. I'll share some of my favorite recipe ideas to help instead of drool lol:

Chile is one of my favorite things to make! Take 1lb ground beef and brown it in a pan then drain most of the grease but not all bc that adds some flavor. Dice 2 green peppers, 1 medium onion, 1-2 cloves of garlic and a jalapeno pepper. Add it into the pan and let them get soft. I add some water and put a cover on and let it go for awhile. Then once theyre lookin good add 2 8.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes and 1 or 2 cans of kidney beans. I use kidney but you can use others like navy beans too. I then add like 2 cups of water or until it gets to the right thickness. It will thicken up a bit while you let is simmer too, keep that in mind. Then just add chili powder to taste. Add a dash of cumin, garlic powder, or onion powder too if youd like. Also if you like it hotter add some hot sauce. I served it in a bowl over shells (as in the pasta lol) or rice. Sprinkle mexican cheese over it. And if im feeling really ambitious ill make some corn bread to go along with it too haha.

Another good recipe for chicken is my version of like a teryaki chicken. Cut up chicken breasts into bite size cubes or strips and cook them in a large frying pan. Add whatever veggies you like. I usually do broccoli, green peppers, onions, and sliced carrots. Put them in the pan with the chicken and cook them until they get soft. Also put in the pan teryaki sauce, soy sauce, minced garlic, a squeeze of honey, and anything else you think may taste good lol. I usually make it up as i go to an extent. Once it all cooked and smelling good serve it over rice.

For a mexican twist on chicken cook chicken breasts in a skillet. Once theyre almost cooked pour a can of salsa right into the pan over the chicken. Use any type you like, mild med. or hot) depending on heat preference. Add a chopped jalepeno or some hot sauce if you want some more kick. Chop up an onion and a pepper too if you want some more veggies, even though i know theyre already in the salsa lol. I usually take out the breasts and sprinkle mexican cheese over them. Then serve it with rice and beans. Spoon some of the salsa/veggie mix right over the rice and beans. The bland rice and beans takes a bit of the heat from the salsa depending on how hot it is.

I hope some of these help ya out! If ithink of more ill put them up. These are 3 of my favorites. By no means am i a gourmet chef but i like to think my style of wingin' it works pretty well lol. :D

That's how you learn to cook good Mike, experimenting! Beans are great for cooking with as they have lots of protein, and are usually cheap. I have a recipe where you brown a pound of hamburger with 1/2 diced onion. Then cook up as much bacon as you want (recipe only calls for 4 slices but Hubby loves Bacon so I usually use at least half the package). Get a casserole dish and mix together cooked hamburger, cooked and crumbled bacon, 1can of pork and beans (undrained), and two other cans of beans (drained). I usually will use one red kidney and one white kidney, but I believe recipe calls for red kidney and white beans, but use whatever you like best. In a bowl mix 1cup ketchup with brown sugar (sweeten as much as you like), then pour that over the top, cover with foil and bake at 350 for an hour. It makes a bunch so there is always leftovers for lunch. Shrimp marinated in some soy sauce, with a crushed garlic clove, a dash of tobasco, and a dash of lemon juice- grill on Bbq then serve with peanut sauce. Yum. Can't remeber all ingredients and quantities in peanut sauce- peanut butter, garlic, tobasco, water. If anyone is interested I can find it tonight and post it. Oh, and a tip to do meatloaf quick on a week night, make mini ones in a muffin pan. They cook in about 30 minutes!

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Haha yea thats basically how i learned and picked up a few things from working in a kitchen for awhile.

To add to what she said^
always buy your shrimp unpeeled and peel/devein them yourself. Never buy the bags of pre cooked shrimp that you just thaw out bc those are soooo expensive.

I'm guessing this $130 is for the whole month? Whole chickens are by far the cheapest meat. Like 5lb chickens for $3.50 when on sale. I buy beef and pork only when it's on sale and I'll pick up a ton of it. Freezers are you best friend. Stay away from almost anything in boxes, they're usually overpriced. Chili, pasta and soups/stews are all super cheap to make. I make spaghetti sauce, chili and soups 3 gallons at a time and freeze small meals. The big thing is, stay AWAY from most boxed items. The more you can make from scratch, the more you will save.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Parenting/...ory?id=9618348

This I saw a while back. Might prove motivational!

Also, when making spaghetti or pizza sauce I usually make a large batch, and freeze some for next time. I do the same when I make split pea or beef and barley soup. I make a double batch, and freeze some. While you are there making it, its basically just a bigger pot to make more. Then you have a easy week night dinner in the freezer.

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Originally Posted by dart

I'm guessing this $130 is for the whole month?

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That is for 2 weeks.


Thanks for all the ideas and recipes! Keep them coming.

Just a side note, I raise meat chickens (but I'm out right now) so that cuts down on the costs on chicken.

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Originally Posted by DrDooLittle

I like allrecipes too! They have a cool "spinner" app. I really like meatloaf too, I actually use a handful of uncooked oatmeal in mine instead of breadcrumbs. And you cam microplain carrots and zuchinni into it for some extra veggies. How do you make your Mexican lasagne? With pasta? I make a sort of "pie" in a pie pan, layering soft tortillas shells, taco meat, and nacho cheese sauce, then when done layering, top with grated cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes. Then you can serve with green onions, sour cream, and diced tomatoes. If yours is different, please post I would like to see it! :)

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I make mine pretty much the same way! Soft tortillas layed with taco seasoned ground beef with con queso sauce mixed in. I make like 4 layers, bake it for about 20 mins, then add whatever you like ( lettece, salsa, sour cream, etc. )

I'll share my secret for a bangin taco salad. I use doritos instead of plain tortillas chips and I make a sauce of catalina dressing and sour cream that I mix in with the taco meat. So freaking yummy!

Chad actually makes the meatloaf, cause his is so damn good. He puts shredded mozzarella cheese in the middle!

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Oh, and stuffed peppers doesn't have to be expensive. Green peppers are usually $.89 on sale, buy a box of whatever flavor rice you like ( I like uncle bens or rice-a-roni ) some yummy sgetty sauce and ground beef. I top mine with shredded mozzarella and bake them for about 25 mins.

Damn, I'm hungry now.

Lol, I know, makes you want to eat. Gonna have to try your taco salad though. I'm not a bell pepper fan, so no stuffed peppers here. I feed them to my guinea pigs, lol.

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Originally Posted by ChrisS

That is for 2 weeks.


Thanks for all the ideas and recipes! Keep them coming.

Just a side note, I raise meat chickens (but I'm out right now) so that cuts down on the costs on chicken.

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You should raise some layers too! Eggs are always handy to have around. Egg salad sandwiches, hard boiled eggs to snack on, quiche, omlettes...

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