Tasty Tuesday: Quick and Cheap

I think my dad invented the 30 Minute Meal, NOT Rachel Ray (if only he knew how much he could have made pitching that gig).  See I am an only child.  An only child that had a deep competitive side and started competing in gymnastics at age 6, which led to 5 hour practices every day of the week, which means I didn’t get home until well after 8pm every night.  My parents wanted to eat without me and according to them, I wanted nothing to do with that idea. In fact I’m still kind of like this; I HATE eating alone (yes I might have married into the wrong profession).  Therefore, my dad was tasked to making dinner while my mom picked me up from gymnastics and I was tasked with eating it as quickly as I could so that I would have time for homework and a shower before bed because, yes, gymnastics practice started at 4:30am the next morning.  Turns out, quick and cheap was a skill set I indeed needed to learn.  When my husband started medical school, I was tasked with finding a meal that was not only quick to make, quick to eat, but also cheap to make.  When residency came, I needed it even more than ever (especially since I now had an additional two mouths feed).  Down memory lane I went (and to the phone to call Dad).  Here are a few of our favorites (all meals based on 4 people)….

Sausage and Mac N Cheese

Ingredients:

Linked Sausage

1/2 bag LARGE elbow noodles 

1/4 block Velveeta cheese 

Whole milk

Country crock butter 

Salt

Vegetable oil 

Directions: 

In large pot salt H2O and add a few tablespoons of vegetable oil. Bring water to boil. Add 1/2 bag of large elbow noodles. Cook until soft but still have a small bite. Drain immediately. Put noodles back into pot. Add one large spoon sized scoop of country crock butter. Add milk until so slightly see it through the noodles. Cut 1/4 of Velveeta cheese block into cubes and add them. Turn stove on low-low/medium. Stir constantly. Pull off immediately. Either boil or grill sausage links. 

*Note: should be runnier than "normal" Mac n cheese. May need to add more cheese or milk but don't add more butter to get the right consistency.

Sloppy Joes and Green Beans

Ingredients:

1-Pound Ground Beef

1 Package McCormick Sloppy Joe Mix

1/3 Cup Ketchup

Garlic Salt

1 Cup Frozen Green Beans

2 Tbs Butter

Hamburger Buns

Directions: 

Brown the ground beef.  Drain Fat.  Season with garlic salt.  Add Sloppy Joe Mix and Ketchup.  Mix well.  Meanwhile sauté green beans with butter and seasoned with garlic salt.  Toast hamburger buns.  Place meat mixture inside buns and serve!

Tacos/Taco Salad

Ingredients:

Tortillas

Lettuce

Grated Cheese

1-Pound Ground Beef

1 Can Rotel Tomatoes (original flavor)

Garlic Salt 

1 package McCormick Taco Mix

Directions: 

Brown the ground beef.  Drain Fat.  Season with garlic salt.  Add Rotel tomatoes and taco mix.  Mix well.  Warm tortillas.  Add toppings Enjoy!

So what are your favorite meals that are inexpensive and that get hot food on the table FAST???