This thread is for you to post family recipes that are (well) under a fiver .. with costs

[Twiglett]

I'd be interested in this, will allow for basics from stores (like butter and flour and herbs and spices)

You are allowed to guestimate costs

Just made Macaroni Cheese (like my mama used to make) £4.89 will do 2 meals easily

Big packet penne pasta (about 80p)
onion (about 30p)
butter and flour
milk (about 50p)
tin chopped tomatoes (optional but nice about 49p)
mature cheddar (£1.79 somerfield organic offer)
serve with green veg (allow £1)

Boil pasta with chopped onion till cooked
Make white sauce and add grated cheddar to taste, tin tomatoes (optional add tsp english mustard)
Mix together, sprinkle with cheese and bake 45 mins

French bread pizzas - 2 packs of park bake baguettes 78p
tomato puree 35p
grated cheese £1.99 a pack (probably use 3/4 if not all)
Smoked wafer thin ham £1.79 a pack (use half)
Mushrooms 89p a pack (use 2/3 from pack)

                          £5.80 but loads of tomato puree, cheese, ham and mushrooms left over. These costs are based on Lidl prices. 

Beef Stew and dumplings - Casserole steak £2.69
Winter veg pack £1.00
Suet 59p

                                 £4.28 but enough to freeze for another meal. Again, based on Lidl prices. 

I think the key to cheap meals is cheap ingredients. If you are shopping in Waitrose etc then meals will cost a lot more. I only have a choice of Tesco or Lidl here, so most of my shopping is done in Lidl, with Tesco for the bits I cant get.

Lidl meat is actually very good quality, their fruit and veg is far superior to Tesco, and things like wafer thin ham, bog standard cheese etc is £ cheaper!

For example..... Tesco Value Cheddar £3.30ish Same size block in Lidl £1.99
Tesco red grapes £2.40 a punnet Lidl £1.99
Tesco Pasta sauce 95p Lidl 29p (and the lidl one is gorgeous!)
Tesco 4pints semi skimmed milk £1.18 Lidl £1
Tesco smoked wafer thin ham £3.00 Lidl £1.79 (same size pack)

Tesco try to catch you out with 3 for £10 on their meat. Lidl can give you the same 3 items for about £8, and it tastes nicer.

The cue to using cheap meat is to cook it slower and longer, but I find Lidl meat is just as good as Tesco own brand, and much better than the value.

Remus, sorry I didn't see you had already got the red lentil and cocnut soup covered

Some meat dishes: I usually buy mince when it is on 3 for £10 in Asda or Tesco. I think the packs weigh 900gms, so they easily do 2 meals.

Tomato mince:

1lb mince £1.70 if you buy it as above
1 tin chopped toms 60p
1 tin tomato soup 50p
small tin tomato puree 25p
1/2 a bag frozen peas 50p
bag pasta 40p
grated cheese 50p
salt pepper
bit of garlic 10p
oxo cube 10p
1 onion, chopped 10p

Brown mince with onion, garlic and oxo cube. Add soup, tomatoes and puree. Simmer for 20 minutes, Add peas and heat through. Cook pasta. Mix cooked pasta through mince, pour into large casserole dish and top with some grated cheese. Bake at 180 for about 1/2 an hour. this serves at least 6 people.

Mushroom mince

1lb mince £1.70
1 onion, chopped 10p
1 tin cream of mushroom soup 50p
1/2lb sliced mushrooms £1
1 carton sour cream £1
1tblspn smoked paprika
bit of chopped garlic

Brown mince with onions, mushrooms and garlic. Then add paprika. Add soup and cook for about 1/2 an hour. Just before serving stir through sour cream. Serve with rice pasta or mash.

Burger slices

2lbs mince £3.50
1 finely chopped onion 10p
4tblspns flour
salt and pepper
mashed potatoes £1
mixed veg 50p

Mix the mince with the flour, onion, salt and pepper. Press it into a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle the top with another little bit of flour. Bake for about 20minutes until cooked through. Cut into squares. In winter, I make some gravy (just with granules) and pour it over the top. if you stick it back in the oven for a few minutes it sucks into the meat. This makes enough for at least 6 people

Patatas Bravas

Enough potatoes, cut into small chunks £1
2 or 3oz sliced chorizo £1
1 carton passata 50p
1 onion, chopped 10p
1 red pepper, chopped, 50p
garlic 10p
smoked paprika 10p
cayenne
spoonful of sugar
spoonful of tom puree 10p
olive oil 30p

Toss potatoes in some oil, season and roast for about 30minutes or so until done. Meanwhile, fry onion, garlic and pepper until soft. add chorizo and cook until it gives up its oil. Add about 1tblspn paprika and a good pinch of cayenne, stir about. Add passata, puree and a spoonful of sugar. Cook together until saucy and delicious. Mix in cooked potatoes and leave to meld for a few minutes.

StressedHEmum have just made your slow braised cabbage pasta - am eating it now! Divine

(tho the smoked paprika I bought specially for the dish is Hot Hot Hot, but it is still very yum)

Zen, I'm so glad that you like it. I know that it seems a bit of an odd thing to cook, but it really is good.

My smoked paprika is more sweet than hot, maybe you get different types of it?

I just got the only one that Sainsbo's sold.... still yum, but a bit blow-your-head-off.... which I like

Also, despite turning it down low on the smallest gas hob, it did catch a few times, I ended up putting water in it to stop it burning. Think I may try the slow cooker next time. (And when I get the induction hob I dream of, it will be fine!) But there definitely will be a next time :)

A great use of the cabbages we get in the veg box, when we have got fed up of stir-fry

Smoked mackerel gratin (good for omega 3s)

Pack of sainsbo's basic smoked mackerel - £2
500g potatoes - peeled And thin sliced

Jumble these up in an oven dish - add tbsp of grain mustard if got. Add milk and double cream ( less or more of latter depending on budget) to almost cover. Season. Bake at 180 til pots soft and liquid thick. Serves 4 easily.

Even cheaper, cook white rice for 4. In frying pan fry spring onions ( or proper onions or mushrooms) and add basics frozen prawns, and tnen frozen peas. Mix into cooked rice, soy sauce on top.

moonmother yes please to your Beef Cobbler recipe, sounds delish!

Homemade pizza - cost depends on your toppings
dough is 3.5 cups bread flour, a sachet instant yeast, 2 tblspoons honey, quarter cup olive oil cup water 1 teaspoon salt.
Topping - puree up a tin tomatoes, oregano, and I usually add a spoon sundried tomato paste.
Topping grated cheese and small bits of whatever you have/ fancy on it - ie a small slice ham, chopped mushroom etc.

The dough makes enough pizzas for 6-8 people if you roll it thin. You can freeze left over dough and use it next time ( and the tomato sauce too)

Darles here you go

Beef Cobbler

pack diced stewing steak
2 carrots
2 onions
clove of garlic
stick of celery
parsnip
thick slice swede
thick slice of celeriac
beef oxo cube
hot water

cobbler
112g self raising flour
112g grated cheese
12g butter/marg
1 egg
1 tbsp milk
sprinkle of mixed herbs
1tsp dijon mustard

gravy granules if needed

in an oven proof dish put the stewing steak and all the chopped veg crumble over a stock cube and pour enough hot water to cover the meat and veg. Add a dash of worcestershire sauce, if you have any. Cover and put in the oven at 160 for 2 1/2 hours.

About 40 mins before you want to eat make up the cobbler mix the flour and butter and mustard, add 3/4 of the grated cheese and a sprinkle of herbs.In a seperate bowl mix the egg, milk and horseradish and pour into the dry mix and mix together to form a dough.

Divide and shape into 4 balls and flatten slightly.

Take the stew out of the oven, add some gravy granules to thicken if needed and place cobbles on top and top with the remaining cheese , turn oven up to 190 and put the stew back in the oven for 20-25mins or until the cobbles are golden and the cheese has melted.

We love it with mixed root veg mash .

I must add credit here to a great mn poster called martianbishop who's beef cobbler recipe is in the recipe section, I use my own beef stew recipe but use her cobble recipe , although her recipe is fab too , I find my easier as I can just stick it in the oven before I leave for the school run and just let it cook.

Thought of some more (I'm having very quiet day, today, because I have to go tonight and tomorrow.)

green Beans and Ham

3lbs or so of potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks £1
1 ham hough £2
1 bag frozen green beans, thawed £1
2 onions, chopped 20p
couple of garlic cloves, chopped 10p

Put potatoes into slow cooker, add green beans, onions and garlic. Sit ham hough on top. Add enough water to cover. Cook all day on low. Just before serving, strip the meat from the hough and return it to the slow cooker. Serve in bowls with just a tiny bit of the stock to moisten. The remaining stock makes lovely lentil soup.

1/2 a bag of lentils 50p
grated carrots 50p
2 chopped onions, 20p
1 chopped leek £1
bit of grated swede 20p
parsley 60p
black pepper

Cook in the ham stock all afternoon. Serve witg rustic type bread.

Potato soup

3lbs potatoes £1
1 of those root veg casserole pack things £1.50
stock 60p or so

I use veg stock for this but you can use ham or beeg if you like. Peel and dice potatoes. prepare veg - grate carrot and swede or whatever other thing is in pack, chop onion and leek. Put in a huge pan with stock, bring to the boil, simmer for a couple of hours. Serve with rustic bread.

Provincial Lady don't worry re coconut and lentil soup duplication - it is so tasty that it needs to be said twice!

Rose Elliot has a v v v cheap lentil soup recipe too - it uses red lentils, an onion and not a lot else. It costs pennies to make, takes less than half an hour and is great for days when you are full of cold but in need of warmth and nutrients fast!

Pasta pesto is cheap, even if you buy good pesto (yes I know homemade is better but pine nuts are mega-expensive) and good pasta (I insist on decent pasta!) and have it with parmesan and a rocket salad. (Sainsbo's do a big block of vaguely parmesan inspired cheese for about 2.50 and it's really nice and lasts for ages).

Lots of vege curries - potato and cauliflower cooked in spices and yoghurt / mattar paneer (paneer is about 1.50 and a big bag of frozen peas the same so if you already have the spices it's dead cheap) / Bombay potato / mixed vege using carrots, potatoes, frozen peas, green beans etc).

Chicken and chickpea stew (£5.02p!)

Pack of thighs and drum sticks £4 (you can get free range for that)
Value toms x2 62p
Half a tin of chickpeas - 30p
onion - 10p
Chilli
salt
pepper
stock cube

Brown of chicken, add onion till translucent. Add chickpeas and seasoning. Add tomatoes and stock cube. Simmer for up to 3hours on vvv low.

Leek and potato bake:

Chop 2 x leeks and 1 onion, and sweat in a bit of butter / oil

Boil some spuds

Put both together in baking dish and cover with a tin of cheapy cheap leek and potato soup. Rinse tin round with a bit of milk, and pour than on too.

Cover with breadcrumbs. I count these as free as I've always got the crusts of sliced loaves in the freezer 'needing to be used up'

Maybe add some grated cheese if you have some, or just a bit of oil on top to make the breadcrumbs crispy.

Probably costs about £2.50 to feed 4 adults or 2 adults and 4 little uns.

lentil and ginger stew
1tbsp oil
1onion,fine chop
2 carrots,fine chop
2x400g cans lentils(or cook 250g raw red lentils,cooked and drained well)
500ml veg stock
250ml coconutmilk
1tsp grated ginger
large handful baby spinach leaves
1tbsp flaked almonds
2tbsp fresh coriander/parsley(or 2tsp dried)

heat oil adsaute onion and carrots gently for 10mins to soften slightly
add ginger and lentils for 1-2mins
add stock and coconut milk.cover and bring to the boil
simmer 5mins.blend half and return to the pan.
add spinach and stir to wilt
serve sprinkled with almonds and herbs(and some cooked rice)

another money saving tip-i got coconut milk powder from little corner shop
its MAGGI brand.(just add water to make coconut milk or cream with no waste!

Just marking my place. Have read some of the recipes out to DS and he's asked for Macaroni Cheese and the Lentil and Oat Bake this weekend!

Marking my place!

I've thought of another one! Except this is more £10 for 3 meals for 4, as the initial outlay is a bit pricy. But bear with me, as this is what we're eating this week and it's ace.

So, you start off with coq au vin with mash and cabbage:

Braise appropriate number of chicken thighs, take out of pan. braise mushrooms, carrots, celery, onions. Lots of. Put chicken back in, throw in some wine, stock and water. Simmer for ages, or stick in the bottom of an oven, or in a slow cooker.

Cook up mash and cabbage.

Meal 1: Coq au vin, mash, cabbage.

Meal 2: Gravy and veg left over from coq au vin on tagliatelle.

Meal 3: Colcannon, made with mash and cabbage with egg cracked on top.

Ok, so the wine aspect might take it over £10 for 3 meals, but unless you really splash out on the wine, I still reckon you can do it for under £15, and therefore under £5 per meal. And because you get a really lovely meal, it doesn't really feel like economising.

Lamb and sweet potato salad

2 lamb steaks
3 sweet potatoes
Green beans
Salad leaves and other salad bits
Pesto

Chop sweet potatoes to bitesize and roast in the oven. Cook green beans. Dry-fry lambs steaks. Chop up lamb steaks into small chunks or thin strips and put into mixing bowl with sweet potato. Spoon over pesto to taste and mix around until all coated then put on top of salad leaves and top with green beans. It's nicer with tub pesto than jar pesto but it's still nice with a jar. Pine nuts on top if you have in the cupboard. Serves up to 5 (these were unexpected guests when only had steaks for two) but depends how much salad you have to go round.

I don't know how much it would cost but v cheap
this recipe is a staple and really good most things you generally have around and ugly carrots are a must!!! I usually make with coconut milk for a bit of luxury and add naan bread - appreciate this makes it a bit more expensive but can be made with out.

star wars stew
feeds 4

one onion - 40p
1 packet plain crisps - 40p
cheese to sprinkle on top - ??
enough potatoes for 4 - £1
pack sausages - £2
tin tomatoes - 40p
tin beans -50p
tin sweetcorn -55p
herbs

chop onion and add to casserole dish with contents of all tins, and herbs.
Peel, slice into thin slices and boil potatoes.
Crush up crisps, and grate cheese.
grill sausages. When cool, chop and add to casserole dish.
Layer potatoes on top. Bake in oven for about an hour.
10 mins before serving, grate cheese on top and sprinkle crushed crisps on top.
Yum!!!

Why Star Wars stew?

5 meals from one list

You need to buy

2 2.5kg bags of potatoes £2
bag onions £1
2 cabbages £1.50
carrots £1
cheese £2
milk £1.50
bag of pasta 40p
bag frozen cauliflower £1
2 loaves £2
pack of bacon £3
baked beans £1

meal one cauliflower and bacon soup.

Chop 2 onions and cut 4 rasher of bacon into small bits. Fry until onions begin to soften. Add about 2lbs of potatoes, peeled and diced, and 2litres of water or stock. Season well with black pepper (you can add garlic if you have any). Bring to the boil and simmer for about 1/2 an hour. Add half the bag of cauliflower and cook for another 20minutes or so until everything is well cooked and flavours blended. Serve with bread. You might need to add a bit more stock depending on how thick you like your soup.

meal 2 potato and bacon bake

thinly slice enough potatoes (one very large one per person or equivalent). Chop 2 or 3 onions, quite finely. Cut the remaining 4 rashers of bacon into thin strips. Layer the potatoes, onions an bacon in a baking dish, seasoning well between cycles. If you have any nutmeg sprinkle some of that on as well, but you don't actually need it. Finish with a layer of potatoes. Make 1 pint of white sauce with the milk, some flour and butter. Bake for 2 hours at 160. Serve with half a cabbage and some carrots.

meal 3 pasta with cauliflower

Cook a bag of pasta and the rest of the cauliflower. Make a white sauce and add 4oz of grated cheese and a pinch of nutmeg if you have it. Mix sauce into pasta and cauli and pour into a baking dish. Scatter with a little more cheese and bake for 20minutes or so until bubbly and golden. Serve with carrots.

potatoes and cabbage

Dice 3lbs of potatoes and parboil. Chop 2 onions and fry in a decent amount of oil/butter until soft. Finely shred a head of cabbage and add to onions along with a tablespoon or so of curry powder. stir around until wilted. Add potatoes and cook, stirring, until everything is fully cooked. serve with bread and butter.

Bubble and squeak.

Cook and mash remaining potatoes. Fry a chopped onion, the remaining 1/2 cabbage and any remaining carrots until soft. Mix with mash and season well. Shape into patties and fry until browned and crisp on both sides. Serve with beaked beans sprinkled with any remaining cheese, grated.

So 5 meals for around £16.

potato and lentil curry

1/2 a bag of lentils 50p
2lbs of potatoes, peeled and diced 50p
2 onions chopped 20p
1 tin coconut milk £1
1 tin water
curry powder
blob mango chutney 25p
flat bread £1.50

Fry onion in some oil until soft. Add spices and cook for a minute. Stir in lentils and potatoes. Add coconut milk, water and mango chutney. Mix well. bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes or so until everything is cooked. Keep an eye on it that it doesn't boil dry and stick on the bottom. Serve with flatbread.

salmon and potatoes

1 400gm tin pink salmon, deboned and flaked £2
enough potatoes, peeled and diced £1
frozen peas, thawed 50p
1 pint white sauce 75p
sprinkling of grated cheese and breadcrumbs 50p

Boil potatoes. Mix salmon, potatoes and peas together in a baking dish. Pour over sauce and sprinkle with cheesy breadcrumbs. bake for about 30 minutes until browned and bubbly.

Tomato rice

2 onions, chopped 20p
2 cups rice 50p
4 cups water
2 tins chopped tomatoes £1
salt, pepper, oil
grated cheese 50p
tortillas £1.50

Fry onions in oil Add rice and cook for a coupl of minuted. Add tomatoes and water and mix well. Season well. Bring to the boil, cover tightly and reduce heat to very low. Cook for about 15minutes until all the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Serve with a sprinkle of grated cheese and tortilla wraps. If you have any chili/taco seasoning you can flavour the rice with that, if you like, for a change.

Haggis shepherds pie

1lb haggis £2
carrots and swede £1
potatoes 50p
cabbage £1

Cook and mash carrots and swede, season well. Cook and mash potatoes with a little milk and butter. Mash haggis into the bottom of a baking dish and cook through in the oven. Spread the carrots on top of cooked haggis and top with mash. Bake for about 1.2 an hour until hot and golden. Serve with cooked cabbage or baked beans if preferred.

root veg stew

2 onions, chopped 20p
4 carrots 50p
2 parsnips 50p
4 decent sizes potatoes 50p
chunk of swede 50p
good handful pearl barley 25p
tblspn cumin
salt and plenty of pepper
veg stock cube 10p
water to almost cover.
crusty loaf £1

Put everything in a big pan, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer until barley is soft. Keep your eye on it to make sure that it doesn't boil dry. Serve with crusty bread.