Design a epic meal plan for ten dollars or less.. (take the challenge!!)

coltyhuxx

coltyhuxx

CAGiversary!
There's not much in the way of games that interest me right now, so I'm gonna switch gears to my fall back interest... food.

To keep it interesting, some conditions: (a) the meal should feed more than one person, (b) don't factor in costs of little things (butter/spices/etc), (c) estimate costs, (d) sale prices are fair game (meaning you might have to wait a bit to recreate said meal), (e) try and think a little bigger than "a box of mac and cheese with some hamburger meat in it"

Here's what we did last night... it went barely over ten $.

Whole 14lb turkey on sale $6 (good sale, but these are fairly frequent at our Safeway).. brined it with sugar and salt, of course, and did it on the rotisserie. EPIC.
2 Boxes of stuffing $2.00 (also on sale)
Can of generic cranberry sauce $1
Small bag of new potatoes $1.50 (mashed these up)
2 packets of gravy (with a cup of drippings thrown in) $.50

This fed six dudes last night and there are still (some) leftovers. It's pretty much worth ten dollars just to have the scent of a turkey roasting in your house, for no particular seasonal reason at all! Totally epic middle of the year "Thanksgiving" for just around $10. Granted the turkey was far cheaper than usual (I'm going to go pick up another one today for later), but if you get creative you can make a feast, fit pretty much for a king, very cheaply. America.

Allright, let's hear it... what do you guys got?

[EDIT:] Try and see if you can get more than one course going simultaneously.
 
I'll take one of those please.

Although I'm no cook, you could probably provide an epic meal with a lot of pasta, sauce, and some chicken. A giant bowl of spaghetti sounds good to me anytime.
 
Alright, I'm going to take this challenge by braising a cheap beef brisket in BBQ sauce for hours on end ans serving it up with Texas Toast and garlic butter. I'll let you know if I come under $10.
 
Here's one that I make usually:

3 pack of chicken quarters - $2.00
box of Uncle Ben's chicken flavored rice - $1.50
can of green beans - 50 cents
jug of ice tea - $1.50
Total - $5.50 ($4.00 if you just want to drink water/whatever's in the fridge)

This may be pretty generic, but most of the time I'd rather be cheap than eat great. I'll usually prepare this for dinner one night, and then eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. Feeds three easily.
 
[quote name='Tiphireth']Runza with cheese, onion rings, and Pepsi- $5.28. Legendary.[/quote]

Do you MAKE this or get this at a fast food joint - I'm just asking about things people make? And for more than one person. This challenger has been defeated :cry: .What the heck is Runza, anyway?
 
I'm not sure of the total cost, should definatly be under 10 bucks though. For a big ass pot of vegetable soup, get two bags of mixed vegetables from Wal mart for a buck a bag. A couple of large onions for probably 2 bucks. A couple large cans of diced tomatoes for probably about 2.50, and a bag og egg noodles for about a dollar. That should make a big ass pot. Also, feel free to toss in some potatos if you feel like it

Personally, I plan on at least doubling, maybe even tripling, the ingrediants soon and make one insanly huge amount and put in the freezer.
 
Veggie Quesadillas FTW. Cheap ingredients if you buy generic :)

2 Packs of burrito-sized tortillas
1 Lg can of black beans
1 small onion
1 green pepper
1 clove garlic
1 small can of tomatoes with chiles
2-3 bags of cheddar or cojack cheese

Dip = Sour cream and pack of ortega taco seasoning mixed together

Slice up veggies and throw in a skillet with some olive oil or veg oil. Heat em up till tender, then sandwich between 2 tortillas with some cheese and heat on a skillet until the tortillas are crispy. Quarter em and serve them with dip. OMG Mm.

If you really want to get fancy you can serve up refried beans and Lipton's mexican rice side with em. E P I C
 
You can't do homemade cheaper or more delicious than this:

Pasta e Fagoli
1 box of ditallini macaroni - $0.33
1 can of white cannellini beans - $0.50
3 8oz. cans of tomato sauce - $1.00

1. Fill biggest pot in the house with water. Boil and cook pasta. Let pasta settle to bottom of pot and then empty water to about an inch or so above the pasta.

2. In a separate small pot, cover bottom with olive oil and sautee some garlic (3 cloves, finely diced). Add tomato sauce and beans and simmer to a boil.

3. Add contents of small pot to large pot and stir well.

4. Add a few teaspoons of basil, oregano and parsley (italian season) or whatever looks like the right amount

5. SALT TO TASTE. This is the most important part - and you need to add kind of a lot to make it taste just right.

6. Serve in bowls with light sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top

Total: $1.88 and it will feed 2 people for about 4-5 meals.
 
Your basic grilled chicken with yams and onion slices.

Package of 4-6 bone-in Chicken Breasts - $7
3-4 Yams - $2-3
Red or Sweet Onion - < $1
Bulb of garlic - < $1

1) Season the breasts any way you like. I usually just do S+P with some cayenne - be sure to get the seasoning under the skin.

2) Microwave the yams to get them semi-cooked. Maybe 20 minutes total. You can cook them 100% on the grill but it takes a really long time. So long you may have to add more coals part way through, plus the chicken will be done a good 30 minues earlier...

3) Slice the onion into 1/4" slices. If you want to avoid losing half your onion run a skewer through each slice to hold it together. I use small (disposable) wooden ones. Season the onions with S+P and some olive oil.

4) Slice off the top of the garlic bulb (so that the majority of the cloves are exposed) S+P and splash some olive oil on the top and wrap in aluminum foil.

5) Light up your (preferably charcoal) grill and once the coals are hot pile them so that half the grill is over the coals (direct cooking) and the other half is bare (indirect). Place the yams and garlic on the indirect side. The garlic will need 40-60 minutes total. You want it really soft. The yams should be done with the chicken assuming you pre-microwaved. You want them really soft as well.

*** Keep the grill covered as much as possible. ***

6) Grill the chicken over direct just until it gets some color. A few minutes. Then move them to the indirect side. They'll need about 30 minutes total.

7) Grill the onion slices over direct heat. They should take 7 minutes or so total. Once they are done remove and/or put them on top of something on the indirect side so they stay warm. Or just start them so they finish with everything else. You get the idea.

Enjoy!

Grilled yams with some butter and cinnamon is pretty much my absolute favorite thing to do on the grill. So easy and so good. A clove or two of roasted garlic mixed in with the yam is also very good.

If you want to get really fancy use a vinegar based mop on the chicken as it cooks and finish with some BBQ sauce when it has just a few minutes left on the grill.

Generally I'll do something like the chicken breasts at the same time I'm doing steaks, burgers, etc. and then I eat the burgers and pop the chicken in the fridge to have later in the week. Some roasted garlic on a steak or on a hamburger bun is awesome.
 
[quote name='cochesecochese']I want JimmieMac to chime in on this one.[/QUOTE]

Just watch Food Network. You get identical recipes with 10% less sass mouth.
 
[quote name='cochesecochese']I want JimmieMac to chime in on this one.[/quote]
He'll be here, you know this.
 
$4 1 pound skinless headless medium shrimp
$2 1 pounds boneless chicken breast [I regularly get this for $2 a pound]
$2 1 pound Calrose or Botan rice
$1 Bottle of soy sauce
$1 Assortment of fresh garlic and ginger

I assume you don't count the cost of oil, salt, water, etc, you should have this at home

Steam enough rice for three in the traditional Asian style, prepare the chicken teriyaki style, cook the shrimp in a mix of ginger and garlic..with some soy and some oil of course..

At least that is what I think is an "epic meal", add some eggs and some peanut oil and you could actually do fried rice...$10 more and we can make tempura and thin sliced beef...
 
A three pack of Hamsteaks on sale for BOGO and that would be about $3. I'll say $6 not on sale.

A box of shells for $0.59.

Garlic in some form for $1.00


Then you fry up the ham in a pan with butter and olive oil and rosmary and garlic. After cooking them all add some more butter and rosmary to the pan along with some flour to thicken it. Add a little heavey cream and the juices from the pouch the ham came in to it. Add the pasta to that and you are all set.

Buy some break and a veggie like corn and you have a diner.
 
[quote name='coltyhuxx']Do you MAKE this or get this at a fast food joint - I'm just asking about things people make? And for more than one person. This challenger has been defeated :cry: .What the heck is Runza, anyway?[/quote]

... Runza is the best fucking food in the world, dude. But it is a fast food thing, but it's still a legendary cheep meel.
 
Allright I'm gonna bring out another one here, since Sarausagi got me thinking seafood. Again, with this one, your wallet will be helped out if you buy on sale (and from the seafood counter as opposed to the regular freezer). This one is SUPER easy and doesn't require many ingredients....and the lady(s) (or dudes) will love you for it.

Now, I'll ask you, have you ever had clams steamed in white wine? If no, get ten dollars together and get in your car.

1 lb of uncooked clams in shell ($5 if you find a good sale). they should all be closed
1 bottle of cheap (but as good as you can afford) dry white wine (eg Chardonnay). let's say you're a CAG and you elect to buy a $2 "two buck chuck" bottle.. you're cooking with it, so this can be acceptable if you're broke or saving for your Wii/PS3 fund)
1 loaf of crusty french bread (we have great bread at safeway for $1.50/loaf)
1 bunch of fresh parsley ($1)
butter/ fresh garlic/dash of olive oil

saute garlic for 1 minute in some olive oil. Pour in 1/3 bottle the white wine. Drink the rest, straight out of the bottle, while you cook. You'll look like some maverick chef and, you will get the glowing. Boil until wine has reduced to half its original volume. Take a whiff of this, garlic and white wine smell pretty damn good when they are reducing together. Add clams into a steamer basket or colander that fits in your pot (keep them out of the wine), cover, and steam. The clams are ready when they open. Pretty damn easy, right? Add a pat or two of butter, cover, and cook another minute or two until most or all of the clams open. Throw out the ones that don't open. Transfer clams and broth to the two best bowls you own. Sprinkle with parsley all over the top. Serve it up with some french bread and butter on the side. Add some green beans or a veggie if you want another dish. :D
 
[quote name='GF_Eric']Just watch Food Network. You get identical recipes with 10% less sass mouth.[/quote]

I like when I can touch lives so much that a dude that's been here for 3 years and only has 200 some odd posts can chime in and show his hate for me. It makes it all worth it.

You can braise, which is really the cheapest way to cook stuff and give you lots of flavor for little work. A can of diced tomato, a can of tomato sauce, a can of corn and some blade steaks, usually sold in a four pack, will set you back 3 bucks. Serve over some rice, 3 bucks for a 5 lb bag which will last you 10 + meals, gives you your 3 food groups and takes about 20 minutes.

I'll just post what I'm having tonight, 2 thin slices London Broil steaks, picked 'em up yesterday for $2.40. A package of Baby Bella mushrooms, 1.49. Little single serving bottle of Sutter Home wine, $1.39. Side of rice, which is the last of a ten pound bag I bought 2 months ago. Finally, can O corn, like 55 cents when I got a bunch on sale. I'm gonna sear the steaks 2 mins a side, pull 'em then deglaze the pan with the wine, add some butter then toss in the mushrooms that I've already par-roasted in wine and butter. Plate the rice in the middle, put the corn to the right and lay the meat over the top, topped off with the pan sauce so the rice will soak it up.

Or I could have seared the steaks, left them in the pan, put in a can of corn, a can of diced tomatos and a can of tomato sauce, cover the pan and slide it back into a 325 oven for 40 minutes or so. Still serve it over rice but with this method I could save the sauce and use it tomorrow for pasta or for meatball subs or freeze it till I had a use for it.

You can do things cheaper if you look at the long term of cooking and not just day to day. Think "If I have this as leftovers, what can I do with it tomorrow?" Like with your turkey, you could save the meat you didn't use and make turkey pot pie, or "Thanksgiving sammichs" which would set you back even less money overall. What's Thanksgiving sammiches ? Well, just get a loaf of foccacia, cut it into sandwhich slices, put down a layer of stuffing, a layer of the cranberry sauce, then the turkey or both sides, lay it up, both halves and heat up some gravy for dipping. Now you've eaten again, for "free"

Have some berries? You know, blueberries, raspberries, strawberies, put 'em on a salad and make a vinigrette with the ones that don't look pretty. Put them in a blender, grind 'em up and in red win viniger and drizzle in oil at a 3 vin 1 oil ratio. Salt, pepper. boom. Done.

Think about what you like then think about what you have and what you can do to maximize the distance it can go and you can be eating for less than 4 bucks a day for two people.
 
Hey anyone have any ideas to do with left over canned Cranberry sauce? God after every Thanksgiving, after the turkey is long and gone, this stuff sits in the fridge for weeks untouched until I'm sick of looking at it.
 
I bought a 25 lb bag of rice, it cost me $12 but lasts me months,

and a pack for 12 eggs for less than $2,

I dont kno whether to factor those in or not....

anyway, buy a few things of chicken (~$4 or $5)

and a head of cabbage (~$1-$3)

season & bake chicken (375F for ~45-50 minutes, assuming I cook 3 or 4 pieces)

stir fry the cabbage w/ eggs (with soy sauce, it's hella good)

serve over rice, it feeds me like 3 times,

or it could feed 3 people.
 
I'm gonna give a little bump here as we're approaching a 3 day weekend and I know people are going to be doing a lot of cooking and grilling.

If you haven't yet, chime in.
 
[quote name='TurkeyOnRye']Wow. I'm actually impressed by JimmieMac. Kudos to you good sir.[/quote]

Well, he is a chef for a living. If thats the term you use Jimmie...correct me if I'm wrong though...
 
[quote name='Moxio']Taco Bell:

10x - 1/2lb Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito

Total cost: $9.95+tax[/QUOTE]

Real "Total Cost"...

Sitting on the tiolet all night long.
 
My "wife's out of town" dinner selection:

box of thin spaghetti
jar of ragu four cheese spaghetti sauce
Grated mozarella cheese, and whatever pizza toppings I have around the house.

Cook spaghetti, drain, put spaghetti in casserole dish, add sauce,
top with cheese and whatever else, bake at 400F for 5-10 min, enjoy. Feeds 2-4 if you use the whole box of pasta and all of the sauce, but I usually make just enough for me.
 
[quote name='David85']Real "Total Cost"...

Sitting on the tiolet all night long.[/QUOTE]


Okay, 9 burritos.

And what is with this forum and having such finicky digestive systems? I've never gotten the runs from any Mexican / Amerimexican-fast food before.
 
Get a long flexible tree branch and carve it into a nice long shape. Just make sure you can hold it and swing it like a whip. The knife hould cost one buck if it is a butter knife or you can swipe one from cutco/vector since they are scammers anyways.

Get a clothing wire for hangining up clothing on line. which will cost 1.00 at a dollars store if your lucky.

Then finally rip a clothing hook from a wall or make a nail turn U shaped. Should cost less then on hundred pennies.

Finally wrape the clothing wire around the U shape sharp ended stuff and tie the wire on to the nicely cut tree branch and head out to the ocean. Along with way you might want to pick up a couple of things like worms and kill some rodents like squerrls.

Put the dead worms at the end of the U shaped thingy and jolt it out to sea.

Eventually you should be able to get something like a fish or crab before dayts end.

Then we need to start a fire. To do that buy a one dollar lighter and then get some crumpled papers or some sticks from a tree and then take your catch and dorp it in the flames. The fire should cook it up right away.

My meal should cost you less then three dollars. If not then I suggest buyin one orange or apple and save the seeds. Then put them in dirt and protect them from preditors. Sooner or later a tree will grow then you will have many fruits.
 
[quote name='Moxio']Okay, 9 burritos.

And what is with this forum and having such finicky digestive systems? I've never gotten the runs from any Mexican / Amerimexican-fast food before.[/quote]Neither have I. And I'm six of the Taco Bell stereotype. I've eaten more Taco Bell than probably 50% of the people on this forums (OMg u must be a fatass then!), and I have yet to notice that, moreso than any other food, it gives me the craps.
 
anything that will fatten Cheapy into this:
gameface5.jpg
 
99 packs of top ramen: 9.90
1 paper clip: .10 (it's an EXPENSIVE paper clip)

Trade paperclip for doughnut.
Trade doughnut for beer.
Trade beer for half rack of Coke.
Trade half rack of Coke for autographed hat (autograph of some no-name player).
Trade autographed hat for baseball ticket.
Trade baseball ticket for slightly used blow-up doll.
Trade blow-up doll (after maybe an extra use....to test it, of course) for airplane ticket to Somalia.

99 packs of top ramen will feed at LEAST a couple hundred starving children...you always hear about the "pennies a day" commercials...now you can test the theory for yourself.

The end.
 
Well a nice meal I like to eat is a EXTRA big cup of Ramen and then top it off with seperated raw egg yolk. Then I might add garlic and Onion for taste. Ether way it should be below ten dollars.

Then I suggest buffets and then running out the bathroom.

Or Fridays and comlaining how there is a big ugly hair in my meal. Seeing how the people there do not really clean the plates.

Also the Olive Graden is very freindly. Just find a seat where you are in a group and order all the food you want then bail out yelling poisin 911. Or just walk out like normal.
 
[quote name='Moxio']Taco Bell:

10x - 1/2lb Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito

Total cost: $9.95+tax[/QUOTE]

You could get a precooked rotisserie chicken for well under $10. If you are only feeding one or two, you can get several meals from this with minimal effort. These chickens are available at most grocery stores, as well as places like costco (a bit cheaper than the grocery store!). Carve and serve with your desired side dishes the first night, then make sandwiches or soup or quesadillas from the leftovers. Healthier than taco hell.

I like the occasional taco bell, but I miss the chicken burritos that they used to have with the red sauce and rice. The closest now are the fiesta burritos, but they are pretty pricey. The burrito which you mention is ok, but the cheese sauce is a little heavy for my taste.
 
One bag family-size Tostitos: $4.50
Two pounds of store Velveeta: $3.00
Four cans Rotel on sale: 2.50

Chips, salsa and dip? Priceless.
 
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