Archive for the ‘* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving’ Category
Bowtie Pasta with Meat Sauce
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. Any bite size pasta will work with this, such as macaroni, shells, or spirals. I made this on 9 Feb 2023, easy to put together, common ingredients, and delicious. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
Ingredients
- 340 grams ground beef, (¾ lb / 12 oz)
- 113 grams bulk pork sausage, (¼ lb / 4 oz), Shortcut
- ¼ cup onion, diced
- ¼ cup celery, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, drained, (16 oz / 454 g each / 4 cups)
- 1 can tomato paste, (6 oz / 170 g)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus additional for serving
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt, or as desired
- ½ teaspoon MSG, optional
- 170 grams dry bowtie pasta, or any bite size pasta, such as macaroni, shells, or spirals, (6 oz)
Instructions
- Lightly brown beef and sausage in a large non stick pan. Add onion, celery, and garlic. Mix together and cook until vegetables are tender, pour off excess fat.
- Add remaining ingredients except the pasta.
- Stir together, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 1 to 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- About 20 minutes before serving, cook the pasta in boiling salted water until tender, drain.
- Serve sauce over hot pasta, with Parmesan for topping. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Bulk Pork Sausage.
Variants: 1. Use 500 grams ground beef in place of the beef and pork mixture. 2. Any bite size pasta works for this.
Updated on 9 February 2023.
Burger-Q Buns
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1½ cups onion, diced
- 1½ cups celery, diced
- 500 grams ground beef, (1 lb)
- 1 cup seasoned tomato sauce
- 1 can condensed tomato soup, Shortcut
- 2-3 drops hot pepper sauce, as desired
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon MSG
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- dash black pepper
- 6 hamburger buns, split, toasted, for serving
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large non stick pan, add the onion and celery and cook until soft but not browned.
- Add beef and brown, breaking meat up with your spatula. Cook until just no longer pink.
- Add tomato sauce, soup, and seasonings. Stir together and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or to your preferred consistency.
- Spoon over toasted bun halves, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Condensed Tomato Soup.
Stroganoff Beefburgers
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 500-750 grams ground beef, (1-1½ lb)
- 3 slices bacon, diced
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- dash black pepper
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, (10½ oz / 298 g), Shortcut
- 1 cup sour cream, Shortcut
- 6-8 hamburger buns, split, toasted, or toast
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef and bacon in a large non stick pan. Add onion and cook until onion is tender but not browned. Drain off excess fat.
- Stir in flour, salt, and paprika. Add pepper as desired.
- Stir in soup, heat slowly, stirring often, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in sour cream and heat through.
- Serve on toasted buns (may be a bit sloppy) or over toast (less sloppy), enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, Sour Cream.
Meatball Garden Skillet
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- ¼ cup onion
- 1 tablespoon butter, and as needed
- 500 grams ground beef, or ½ beef ½ pork, (1 lb)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup milk
For the Veggies
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 can beef consommé, (10½ oz / 298 g)
- 4-6 medium potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
- 12 small carrots, peeled
- 2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 bunch spring onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large non stick pan, add the onion and cook until tender but not browned. Drain excess fat, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef, 2 tablespoons of flour, salt, pepper, egg, and milk. Mix together thoroughly. Mix in the onion.
- Shape mixture into 1 inch meatballs.
- Using same pan that onions were in, brown the meatballs, add butter as needed. Brown on all sides, shaking the pan to roll them around.
- When all browned, push meatballs to one side of the pan, in the open area, stir in the 2 tablespoons of flour into the fat. Pour in the beef consommé. Cook stirring constantly until mixture thickens.
- Add the vegetables, arranged nicely, with the meatballs in one section, season with salt and pepper, cover and simmer, let cook until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving if the beef is sourced correctly or use a mixture of beef and pork for savings.
15-minute Tuna Curry
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup onion, diced
- ¼ cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup sour cream, Shortcut
- 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- dash black pepper
- 1 can tuna, drained, average size can, up to you
- hot cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large non stick pan, add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until tender but not browned.
- Stir in the sour cream, curry powder, salt, and pepper as desired.
- Stir in the tuna. Heat slowly until hot.
- Serve over hot cooked rice, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Sour Cream.
Chopstick Tuna
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (8x8 inch)
Ingredients
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, (10½ oz / 298 g), Shortcut
- ¼ cup water
- 1½ cups chow mein noodles
- 1 can tuna, drained, average size can, up to you
- 1 cup celery, sliced
- ½ cup cashews, salted, toasted
- ¼ cup onion, diced
- dash black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190° C (375° F), get out a 8x8 inch baking pan.
- In a mixing bowl, add the soup and the water, mix together. Add 1 cup of the chow mein noodles
- Add remaining ingredients and mix together.
- Pour mixture into the baking pan. Top with remaining chow mein noodles.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until hot.
Notes
Low cost per serving if using the shortcut for the soup.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Quick Tuna Bake
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list.
Equipment
- Oven
- Casserole (1 quart)
Ingredients
- 1 box mac and cheese dinner
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 cup tomatoes, diced
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons onion, minced
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 can tuna, drained, average size can, up to you
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- dash black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornflakes , crushed
Instructions
- Cook macaroni according to package instructions, drain, then mix in the cheese packet from the box and the 3 tablespoons of butter.
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), get out a 1 quart casserole and grease with butter or cooking spray.
- Add remaining ingredients except the crumbs, to the macaroni and mix together.
- Pour mixture into the prepared casserole, sprinkle with the cornflake crumbs.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until heated through.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
I will say low cost as you can use 3 cups of of your homemade mac & cheese in this recipe instead of the much higher cost of the boxed (imported) version. You could even use 3 cups of leftover mac & cheese from another meal.
Cheese Noodle Ring with Chicken
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Ring Mold (5 cup)
- Baking Pan
Ingredients
- 170 grams dry egg noodles, (6 oz)
- 1½ cups milk
- ¾ cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
- 3 eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cans chicken a la king, (10½ oz / 298 g each), Shortcuts
Instructions
- Cook noodles in a pot of boiling salted water until just tender, drain well.
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), get out a 5 cup ring mold.
- Pour noodles into the mold and distribute them evenly.
- In a mixing bowl, add the eggs and lightly beat, then mix in the milk, cheese, salt, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Pour mixture over the noodles.
- Place the ring mold in a baking pan, add 1 inch of water to the pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until firm.
- Just before the noodles are done baking, heat the chicken a la king in a saucepan.
- Unmold the noodle ring onto a serving tray, place a bowl in the center (to fit), and pour hot chicken a la king in the bowl.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
I am going to go with Low cost per serving, provided you use one of the shortcuts to make the chicken a la king instead of canned, which may be costly.
Shortcuts: Chicken a la King I, Chicken a la King II (Slow Cooker).
Chili con Wiene
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. I made this on 2 Sep 2021, and even my parents liked this, and when my Dad reaches for seconds, it is good! Very easy to prepare and delicious. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground beef, (1 lb)
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 can chili, with beans, (16 oz / 454 g / 2 cups), Shortcut
- 8 hot dogs, cut at an angle, ¼ to ½ inch thick slices
- 1 can condensed tomato soup, (10½ oz / 298 g), Shortcut
- ½ cup chili sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup green bell pepper, diced
- 6 hamburger buns, split, toasted, for serving
Instructions
- In a pot, and the ground beef and onion, cook and brown the beef, breaking up the beef with your spatula. When no more pink is visible, drain off excess fat.
- Add the canned chili, hot dogs, soup, chili sauce, and salt. Heat through.
- Mix in the bell pepper a few minutes before serving.
- Serve over toasted buns. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving if using the shortcuts. Feel free to use your favorite homemade chili, several shortcuts are given for chili that I like to make.
Shortcuts: Condensed Tomato Soup, Basic Chili I, Basic Chili II, Pinto Bean Chili.
