# Your saddest Recession meal?



## Les Toil (Sep 17, 2009)

In all honesty, I was going to title this thread "Your favorite Recession meal?" because it really doesn't have to be sad at all! They can be quite tasty!

So I'm wondering what were some of your most pathetic, searching-the-cupboards meals you've ever scraped together due to either lack of funds are just not able to get to the supermarket to get better food?

Here's a few of mine:

A can of peas and a bologna sandwich made with the heels of the bread.

Three old flour tortillas and two frozen veggie breakfast patties my ex housemate left.

Top Ramen Noodles with a frozen chicken drumstick chopped up in it.

Left-over chow mein scrambled with two eggs served over stale Triscuits.


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## goofy girl (Sep 17, 2009)

I was going to say Pop-Tarts, but that sounds gourmet compared to some of your meals LOL


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## tonynyc (Sep 17, 2009)

Well Les: i don't know about pathetic-but, definitely creative. You can usually get a good meal out of the Ramen Noodles. 

Egg Salad Sandwich

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich

Top Ramen Noodles (Spicy Chicken Flavor): stirred in a Raw Egg ( Egg Drop Soup) - some diced left over chicken, sprinkeled in some curry powder, dash of hot sauce.


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## tonynyc (Sep 17, 2009)

goofy girl said:


> I was going to say Pop-Tarts, but that sounds gourmet compared to some of your meals LOL



I like Pop Tarts - but for some reason I find the frosted one way too sweet...


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## goofy girl (Sep 17, 2009)

tonynyc said:


> I like Pop Tarts - but for some reason I find the frosted one way too sweet...



Steve doesn't like the frosted ones either. My favorite are the chocolate chip ones, but we usually have the unfrosted strawberry ones laying around in the cupboards


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## QueenB (Sep 17, 2009)

:] pasta with peas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuMkW35BwK8


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 17, 2009)

Canned pinto beans and corn bread

Typical Poor Man's Supper type stuff here in the south

Beans 'n rice, greens, corn bread.....some might toss in fried taters


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## Inhibited (Sep 17, 2009)

QueenB said:


> :] pasta with peas.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuMkW35BwK8



I luv this link am adding it to my Facebook. Thank you so much for sharing Clara QueenB


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## QueenB (Sep 17, 2009)

Inhibited said:


> I luv this link am adding it to my Facebook. Thank you so much for sharing Clara QueenB



you're welcome! she's my favorite :happy:


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## TraciJo67 (Sep 17, 2009)

tonynyc said:


> Top Ramen Noodles (Spicy Chicken Flavor): stirred in a Raw Egg ( Egg Drop Soup) - some diced left over chicken, sprinkeled in some curry powder, dash of hot sauce.



I do this too! Only addition is some chili powder and sometimes a few finely diced chilis and a small amount of fish sauce.


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## Chef (Sep 17, 2009)

(these are all combinations from my college years)

generic mac and cheese with a generic can of vegetable soup stirred in.
ramen with sliced hot dog and salsa
ramen with generic tomato soup and sardines
rice and veggies (any canned or frozen) with salsa
quesadillas using gov't cheese
cereal (there's almost always a box of raisin bran or lucky charms)


(yes for some reason I always had one of those big 1/2 gallon jugs of Pace Picante)


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 17, 2009)

Chef said:


> (these are all combinations from my college years)
> 
> generic mac and cheese with a generic can of vegetable soup stirred in.
> ramen with sliced hot dog and salsa
> ...



What a horrible time to be out of rep for gov't cheese..... :doh: 


Baked potato with salsa and dab of sour cream tastes just as good as chili on a baked potato - and is cheaper


Oh I knew someone that mixed that canned cheap hot dog chili in with mashed potatoes for lunch one time......ewwww

My friend and I used to open a can of hot dog chili and dab it up with white bread for something to eat as kids.

Tomato/mayo sandwiches and banana/mayo sandwiches are also good and cheap.


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## Chef (Sep 17, 2009)

LOL! Beanie Weenie with those dry potato flakes stirred in... I think I called it Chili con tater head



Green Eyed Fairy said:


> What a horrible time to be out of rep for gov't cheese..... :doh:
> 
> Baked potato with salsa and dab of sour cream tastes just as good as chili on a baked potato - and is cheaper
> 
> ...


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## desertcheeseman (Sep 17, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> What a horrible time to be out of rep for gov't cheese..... :doh:
> 
> 
> Baked potato with salsa and dab of sour cream tastes just as good as chili on a baked potato - and is cheaper
> ...



I gave him one of my rep points for you... Government cheese is awesome. I know this will probably cause some people to question my socioeconomic status, but my family actually got the USDA food surplus cheese when I was a kid. It was not that bad, kind of like a very mild Velveeta, and it actually made pretty good quesadillas and mac and cheese. I don't think they do that anymore. I guess the government no longer feels the need to subsidize the dairy industry, not when Kraft can get $5 a box for real Velveeta.

However, that cheap "hot dog topping" is not awesome. It is as close to real chili as SPAM is to Virginia ham. For the price of a few cans of that stuff, I can put a pound of hamburger, a pound of beans, and a can of tomatoes in a crockpot and make enough good chili to last me for days. Add some rice and you have yourself some very decent recession chow.


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## tonynyc (Sep 17, 2009)

TraciJo67 said:


> I do this too! Only addition is some chili powder and sometimes a few finely diced chilis and a small amount of fish sauce.



Yes - Now that sounds very tasty and the fish sauce and chilis give it that nice flavor.

I like the versatility if the Top Ramen Noodles. You treat them as a base and just add stuff. It makes for a very quick meal 

*Roast Beef Ramen Noodles *: I would just dice some veggies (green peppers- onions) and add them to the soup when it's done & top it off with some thin slices of Deli Style Roast Beef. 

*Some interesting Ramen Noodle recipes Ideas that I've seen online*
*For all the following recipes- ditch the Flavor packet
The fun part is that you get to add your fav spices to these dishes
*


*Tequila Lime Ramen*
Prepare ramen according to package directions minus the flavor packet. Drain noodles. Slice a lime in half and squeeze over the ramen. Add 1/2 shot tequila and a few red-pepper flakes


*Shrimp and Bacon Ramen*
Prepare ramen according to package directions without the flavor packet. Drain and set aside. Chop three slices of bacon into bite-sized pieces. Fry until crispy. Add a few popcorn-sized frozen shrimp. Fry four minutes. Add ramen noodles to the pan and toss with a few cilantro leaves.


*Healthy Ramen*

Use only one cup of water to boil ramen, and toss half a bag of baby spinach in the water while you're cooking it. Add a 1/2 cup cubed tofu and one small grated carrot. Add salt and pepper to taste


*Giada De Lau-ramen*

Prepare ramen according to package directions. Drain. Pour a drizzle of olive oil into a frying pan along with a spoonful of capers and two chopped artichoke hearts from a jar. Cook three minutes. Add ramen, and cook one minute more. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.


*Breakfast Ramen*
Fry three slices of bacon and set aside to crisp, reserving fat. Bring two cups water to a low simmer. Add ramen noodles and two eggs. Cook until eggs are just poached, about three minutes. Remove eggs with slotted spoon, and drain ramen. Place ramen in bowl and toss with one teaspoon reserved bacon fat. Place eggs on top and break yolks into ramen. Top with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon.


*Bloody Ramen*







For the morning after the night before. Cook ramen in one can tomato soup. Add one teaspoon horseradish from a jar, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, black pepper and Tabasco to taste. Garnish with pimento-stuffed olives and a celery stalk. Top with a vodka floater.

*Source*

* Asylum.com-Ramen Noodles Recipes*


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 17, 2009)

desertcheeseman said:


> I gave him one of my rep points for you... Government cheese is awesome. I know this will probably cause some people to question my socioeconomic status, but my family actually got the USDA food surplus cheese when I was a kid. It was not that bad, kind of like a very mild Velveeta, and it actually made pretty good quesadillas and mac and cheese. I don't think they do that anymore. I guess the government no longer feels the need to subsidize the dairy industry, not when Kraft can get $5 a box for real Velveeta.
> 
> However, that cheap "hot dog topping" is not awesome. It is as close to real chili as SPAM is to Virginia ham. For the price of a few cans of that stuff, I can put a pound of hamburger, a pound of beans, and a can of tomatoes in a crockpot and make enough good chili to last me for days. Add some rice and you have yourself some very decent recession chow.



My ex-husband was a poor white kid that grew up in a "project". He and one of his childhood friends used to love joking about gov't cheese all the time back in the day. They thought it was good and had stories about people stealing gov't cheese and also using it as a bartering tool to get stuff they wanted. The term gov't cheese is oddly quite amusing to me now....


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## desertcheeseman (Sep 17, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> My ex-husband was a poor white kid that grew up in a "project". He and one of his childhood friends used to love joking about gov't cheese all the time back in the day. They thought it was good and had stories about people stealing gov't cheese and also using it as a bartering tool to get stuff they wanted. The term gov't cheese is oddly quite amusing to me now....



It is rather amusing, isn't it? I bet if you put government cheese and government pork between two slices of bread, you'd have a pretty good sandwich. I grew up in a hillbilly town out in the middle of nowhere. My family was not very well off even based on the standards of the area. Some of the foodstuffs mentioned in this thread sound like things we ate every day when I was a kid (recession or not.) In fact, the ramen discussion is making me hungry... and nostalgic...:happy:


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## imfree (Sep 17, 2009)

Add 1 lb fried ground beef and 1 lb cooked mixed
vegetables to 7-to-16 oz prepared mac & cheese.:eat1:


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 17, 2009)

desertcheeseman said:


> It is rather amusing, isn't it? I bet if you put government cheese and government pork between two slices of bread, you'd have a pretty good sandwich. I grew up in a hillbilly town out in the middle of nowhere. My family was not very well off even based on the standards of the area. Some of the foodstuffs mentioned in this thread sound like things we ate every day when I was a kid (recession or not.) In fact, the ramen discussion is making me hungry... and nostalgic...:happy:




Lol yes.....why I mentioned the Poor Man's Supper and tomato sandwiches...this "recession meal" thread is kind of funny to southerners...

My mother was born in the depression and grew up WWII with ration stamps and the whole nine yards. She would complain about how when she was a kid, her parents would eat first then the kids got the leftovers. Sometimes she just had gravy on bread for dinner. She said she felt cheated/treated poorly until she moved here to the south where biscuits and gravy are such a common meal......


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 17, 2009)

Oh "chili beans"

ground some hamburger meat with onions, add a can of pinto beans or pork n beans and a few dashes of hot sauce.....


Goes good with corn bread.


Gizzards.....just buy those innard pieces from the meat dept, roll them in flour and fry. That spatula full of lard scares me every time......

Only had those damn gizzards ONCE......I think I'll stick with beans and cornbread.


Oh and let's not forget hot dogs cut up into mac n cheese.

Fried hot dog or bologna sandwiches anyone?


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## thatgirl08 (Sep 17, 2009)

I ate two packages of plain chicken Ramen for breakfast a few days ago. yum. :/


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## desertcheeseman (Sep 17, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> Lol yes.....why I mentioned the Poor Man's Supper and tomato sandwiches...this "recession meal" thread is kind of funny to southerners...
> 
> My mother was born in the depression and grew up WWII with ration stamps and the whole nine yards. She would complain about how when she was a kid, her parents would eat first then the kids got the leftovers. Sometimes she just had gravy on bread for dinner. She said she felt cheated/treated poorly until she moved here to the south where biscuits and gravy are such a common meal......



We always had food on the table... it wasn't always the healthiest or the most appetizing, but we seldom went hungry. We had food stamps and the aforementioned government cheese, which put us in a much better place than 90% of the people in the Great Depression. The nice thing about it though is that I learned how to be creative with ingredients and to make tasty meals with random leftovers and cheap staples, like rice and beans. Right now, I work in a place that provides my room and board, but I know that if I had to, I could live on a very tight food budget if I needed to. It's a very good skill to have, especially in this economy.


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## mrwondercake (Sep 18, 2009)

A bottle of maple syrup + white bread = syrup sandwiches.


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## pdgujer148 (Sep 18, 2009)

2 for $2 hot dogs and Faygo last December.


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## Geektastic1 (Sep 18, 2009)

I just made a good freeezer clean-out soup out of a cooked turkey carcass and leftover turkey legs/wings I had in the freezer.

To make the stock I picked most of the meat off the turkey carcass and legs, dumped the bones (left a little meat on) into the pot with just enough water to cover, plus added the peel and butt ends of the onion I planned to put in the soup, and also the butt ends (washed first) of 3 carrots and leaves of 3 celery stalks, plus some garlic cloves and peels, and salt, plus some dried minced onion. I left it simmering for almost 4 hours (planned for 2, but got busy), which made a good stock. Then I strained it and tossed the bones/peels, etc.

To the stock I added the turkey meat, diced onion, carrots, celery stalks, a couple cups of leftover cooked brown rice that I had in the fridge, and some frozen broccoli I had to use up, and cooked it for about 40 minutes, until the carrots were tender. I minced an extra clove of garlic and added more salt, too. It came out pretty good. Well, this is more of a happy recession meal instead of a sad one.


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## Santaclear (Sep 18, 2009)

Stale buns and hot dogs made from real dog


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## Geektastic1 (Sep 18, 2009)

desertcheeseman said:


> I gave him one of my rep points for you... Government cheese is awesome. I know this will probably cause some people to question my socioeconomic status, but my family actually got the USDA food surplus cheese when I was a kid. It was not that bad, kind of like a very mild Velveeta, and it actually made pretty good quesadillas and mac and cheese. I don't think they do that anymore. I guess the government no longer feels the need to subsidize the dairy industry, not when Kraft can get $5 a box for real Velveeta.



I never liked to eat the stuff out of hand or on a cheese sandwich, but yeah, that government commodity cheese makes really good homemade mac n' cheese. My stepmom used to make that. I've also had cheese puffs made with it plus commodity butter and powdered milk, and it wasn't bad.


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## ssbwjedisweetheart (Sep 18, 2009)

Morning meals
* hotdogs+eggs+ potato(s)= potatos and eggs with hotdogs
* toast+fried eggs= eggs on a shingle
Lunch
* 2 tortilla's +chesse= quesadillas (if u have ranch dressing use as a dip)
* tortilla+slice meat(ham,chicken,Ect)+lettuce=wrap
Dinner
* SunVista pinto beans(keep the juice) add water, Mrs.Dash (table blend) and pepper.Boil it and you have Poor bean soup.
* Can of tomato paste(or ketchup)+water+pepper= tomato soup
* Chicken cubes +water+ bag of veggies= chicken soup
Desserts
*Coconut flakes+chocolate bars (melted)= I have no idea if this has a name but, i call it Coco de Samantha ; )
* un buttered popcorn+ caramel( melted)=popcorn balls

OK so that my list.I have eatten this food many-a-times- my friends, most of them are meals i grew up on. Aaww its good to be poor ; )


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## QueenB (Sep 18, 2009)

> *Coconut flakes+chocolate bars (melted)= I have no idea if this has a name but, i call it Coco de Samantha ; )



i do this whenever i have coconut flakes :3.


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## vardon_grip (Sep 18, 2009)

If you have enough money for any type of meat in your dish, you may be poor-but you ain't PO'!

No Dough Hobo Soup.

Find a used styrofoam cup outside a 7-11 or similar convenience store.
Fill cup with water-If you can't find a bathroom faucet-use the air/water hose at a nearby gas station.
Go inside the 7-11 and take 2-4 ketchup packets* from the condiment bin. *(Depending on size of cup and personal preference)
Open packets and add to the cup of water.
Mix with available coffee stir.
Place cup and contents into microwave (available to heat other 7-11 food like burritos, sandwiches etc.) and heat for 60 seconds on HIGH.
Remove from microwave (*CONTENTS MAY BE HOT-CAUTION!*) and season with salt/pepper packets from the condiment bin.
Enjoy your soup!


(In places all over the west and parts of the south-hot sauce/taco sauce may be available in the condiment bin to further enhance your soup experience. Do not forget the free hot dog condiments such as onions or relish and pico de gallo or salsa that is used for nachos. Mix and match according to region, preference and/or religious dietary restrictions)


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## Cors (Sep 18, 2009)

This sounds pathetic, but I get a cheap but huge loaf of bread, freeze the remainder and sloooowly eat it with salt/pepper/butter/olive oil/soy sauce/whatever condiments I have left or manage to pilfer from McDonalds. £2 can last me a week!


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## Friday (Sep 18, 2009)

When I first moved out at 18 and would rather have starved than asked my Mom for help my roommate and I ate a lot of plain or buttered noodles with canned veggies. I used to feed the kids I babysat Ramen with a sliced hotdog or two and whatever veggies their mom had in the house in it. Good thing they loved it because they ate it nearly every day.

Five years later when I had a good job but had just bought a house (my house payment was $323, those were the days lol) and often had to choose between groceries and TP after the bills were paid, I was still eating noodles but usually with cream of mushroom or chicken soup over them. I also learned to make a mean navy bean soup. Smoked ham hocks could be had for 29¢ lb back before they got trendy, a 3 lb box of bacon ends was 99¢ or a drop or two of liquid smoke makes bean soup taste meaty even if there's nothing in it but salt, pepper and onion.


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## fatgirlflyin (Sep 18, 2009)

Fried potatoes with hot dogs sliced up in them.

We were pretty poor when I was a kid and there was a time when it was beans and cornbread for dinner every night. If dad had a bigger than expected paycheck then there would be ground beef or a hamhock in the beans. During this time breakfast was usually white rice with a little milk and sugar.





Green Eyed Fairy said:


> Oh "chili beans"
> 
> ground some hamburger meat with onions, add a can of pinto beans or pork n beans and a few dashes of hot sauce.....
> 
> ...


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## fatgirlflyin (Sep 18, 2009)

Geektastic1 said:


> I never liked to eat the stuff out of hand or on a cheese sandwich, but yeah, that government commodity cheese makes really good homemade mac n' cheese. My stepmom used to make that. I've also had cheese puffs made with it plus commodity butter and powdered milk, and it wasn't bad.



yup powdered milk. We drank that a lot as kids too. It wasn't too bad as long as it was really really cold.


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## Esther (Sep 18, 2009)

I'm pretty broke these days, but not as broke as I was as a kid. When you're a kid, broke parents mean you're broke too - there's no way to dig yourself out.

Here is what my mother used to make in rough times, and what my siblings and I referred to as 'recycled chicken':

- Boil the living shit out of a big econo-sized package of chicken thighs and drumsticks. Fish out the chicken and dump maybe four thighs worth of meat back into the broth. Add potatoes, carrots, onions, noodles and seasoning and you have soup. Serve day one. Not too shabby.

- Take the remaining chicken thighs and drumsticks and attempt to "crisp them up" on the barbecue. Drench them in barbecue sauce to try and hide how dried out they are. You will inevitably fail. Serve day two with frozen peas and minute rice. Pretty shabby.

- Take the remaining barbecued chicken thighs and drumsticks, peel off the charred skin, and chop up the meat. Mix the meat with mayonnaise (because at this point it is so parched you wouldn't be able to get it down otherwise) and serve it on day three as chicken salad sandwiches. Shabby.


This pattern happened several times a month. I think this is one of the reasons I no longer eat chicken as an adult.


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## Emma (Sep 18, 2009)

Half a tiny pizza shared with nik.


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## ssbwjedisweetheart (Sep 18, 2009)

QueenB said:


> i do this whenever i have coconut flakes :3.



Aren't they amazing.:eat2: sometimes i but peanut butter in them,when am mixing it all together by the way i love your video


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## Emma (Sep 18, 2009)

ssbwjedisweetheart said:


> Aren't they amazing.:eat2: sometimes i but peanut butter in them,when am mixing it all together by the way i love your video



urgh


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## TraciJo67 (Sep 18, 2009)

We were very poor when I was growing up, but we had livestock and turkey/chickens that we bred for food, and my father tended a huge garden that he filled with root vegetables, lettuce & cabbage, corn, and a variety of berries. My father & brothers also hunted for animals to supplement our diet during the wintertime -- usually deer, squirrel, rabbit, pheasant (I loved deer but couldn't bring myself to choke down anything else). We were actually very fortunate in that we always had plenty to eat. My mother was a very good cook, and we always had a hot breakfast and huge dinners. I can't believe it now, but back then, I'd have gladly traded my steaks and chops for a hotdog or a cheap Totinos pizza or standard "kid" food. Ironic, I know 

Some of my favorites were, actually, the cheapest things to make: wilted lettuce salad with crumbly fried bacon & coated in the hot bacon grease ... corned beef & cabbage with new potatoes ... chicken 'n dumplings ... huge pots of spaghetti sauce using tomatoes & fresh herbs from the garden with savory hand-made meatballs. I loved biscuits & sawmill gravy (though my dad grew up during the Depression era when this was the only food he got, so if we had this too often, he'd complain). 

I'm not much of a cook, but I have become adept at putting together a few simple ingredients for relatively cheap meals. Ramen noodles are a staple in our home, though I at least never use those disgusting sodium-infused spice packets that are included with the noodles.

My all-time favorite cheap meal: Stuffed bell peppers. Recipe as follows:

3-4 large green bell peppers - tops sliced off & seeds/innards scooped out.
1 pound of ground beef
1-2 medium sized diced tomatoes (can use canned tomatoes as well)
1 cup of cooked white rice
1/4 cup of italian-style breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 minced garlic cloves
Seasoning salt & onion powder to taste
1 1/2 tsp worchester (spelling?) sauce
1/4 jar of spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup cheddar cheese plus another 1/4 cup set aside


Fry the garlic (and onions, if you use them) in a small amount of oil. Add the hamburger and brown it. Add all other ingredients when the hamburger is nearly done and simmer until it's a nice, thick, fragrant paste. Scoop equal portions into each bell pepper, adding some fresh cheddar cheese to the top of each. Bake @ 350 until done -- usually about 20 minutes.

Oh, one last thing ... sometimes I will boil the peppers first, for about 3-4 minutes, before putting them in the oven. That makes them nice and soft.


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## ssbwjedisweetheart (Sep 18, 2009)

CurvyEm said:


> urgh



lol. Its good trust me


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## QueenB (Sep 18, 2009)

ssbwjedisweetheart said:


> Aren't they amazing.:eat2: sometimes i but peanut butter in them,when am mixing it all together by the way i love your video



oh man. peanut butter! you're a genius :]

anyway, thanks. i think i got the link in another thread on this board. clara is so adorable.


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## Risible (Sep 18, 2009)

I made some french onion soup last night, and that's cheap and easy to make. Slice up 2-3 onions, sweat them in a couple tablespoons of butter for about 20 minutes over medium-low heat, add 2 cups beef broth (I used chicken stock) and two cups water, season with salt and pepper, bring to boil, return to simmer for 20 minutes. In the meantime, stick some stale bread under the broiler to brown them, then rub them with a clove of garlic. Put the bread in bowls, divide the soup up over them (two servings, or one very generous serving), top with cheese. I used jack and parm cheeses - use whatever you have on hand (swiss is good). You can stick the ovenproof bowls under the broiler to melt the cheese if you want.

Cheap and tasty.


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## fatbottomedgrrl (Sep 18, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> My ex-husband was a poor white kid that grew up in a "project". He and one of his childhood friends used to love joking about gov't cheese all the time back in the day. They thought it was good and had stories about people stealing gov't cheese and also using it as a bartering tool to get stuff they wanted. The term gov't cheese is oddly quite amusing to me now....



My mother used to buy blocks of "govment" cheese from her co-workers around the holidays because she insisted that they made the best macaroni and cheese. 

My very southern father had a huge garden about 40 miles away from the urban suburb where I grew up. The yield from tending that space in the spring and summer was the difference between feast and famine a lot of the time. When things got tight and it was every man for himself, my standby meal was (and still is) plain cooked spaghetti tossed with butter and a very generous amount of black pepper.


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## Tooz (Sep 18, 2009)

mrwondercake said:


> A bottle of maple syrup + white bread = syrup sandwiches.



Oh God that sounds awful...


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## Rojodi (Sep 18, 2009)

Lentan Fridays when my father's job didn't pay much, we had "poor Man's Omlettes", fried potatoes and onions, then eggs poured over it.

In college, I think 3 day old pizza my roommates actually left me.


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## Geektastic1 (Sep 18, 2009)

Rojodi said:


> Lentan Fridays when my father's job didn't pay much, we had "poor Man's Omlettes", fried potatoes and onions, then eggs poured over it.



Oh, I like that! That's one of my favorite quick meals. It's good with fresh-ground pepper.


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## Rojodi (Sep 18, 2009)

Geektastic1 said:


> Oh, I like that! That's one of my favorite quick meals. It's good with fresh-ground pepper.



My mom was a Fish-on-EVERY-Friday Catholic, but when we had no money this was what we were given. I prefered it to fish!


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## Geektastic1 (Sep 18, 2009)

I ate a lot of this growing up:

SOS (shit on a shingle):

Hamburger
Cream of Mushroom soup
Chopped onions and celery

Fry onions, celery, and hamburger, mix in cream of mushroom soup diluted with milk, powdered milk, half milk/half water, or water (bleah). Put over noodles.

I think the original SOS is supposed to be on toast, which is the "shingle", and I think the army version was probably creamed chipped beef? Anyway, I always had it over noodles.


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## tonynyc (Sep 18, 2009)

Risible said:


> I made some french onion soup last night, and that's cheap and easy to make. Slice up 2-3 onions, sweat them in a couple tablespoons of butter for about 20 minutes over medium-low heat, add 2 cups beef broth (I used chicken stock) and two cups water, season with salt and pepper, bring to boil, return to simmer for 20 minutes. In the meantime, stick some stale bread under the broiler to brown them, then rub them with a clove of garlic. Put the bread in bowls, divide the soup up over them (two servings, or one very generous serving), top with cheese. I used jack and parm cheeses - use whatever you have on hand (swiss is good). You can stick the ovenproof bowls under the broiler to melt the cheese if you want.
> 
> Cheap and tasty.



_
Risible 

Wow.. I'm hungry - I think I'll just stop by and grab Bio's bowl of soup ( I don't care that he's 6'7") - that is too tasty a soup to pass up :happy: 

Great recipe - what I like is that you can adjust the amount of salt in the soup.
_



Rojodi said:


> Lentan Fridays when my father's job didn't pay much, we had "poor Man's Omlettes", fried potatoes and onions, then eggs poured over it.
> 
> In college, I think 3 day old pizza my roommates actually left me.



_
That is a very tasty omlette... Do you add any shredded cheese to the dish?

_



Rojodi said:


> My mom was a Fish-on-EVERY-Friday Catholic, but when we had no money this was what we were given. I prefered it to fish!



_
 Catholic School Memories 

_


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## HottiMegan (Sep 18, 2009)

All this government cheese talk makes me remember my grandma. My grandma lived in VERY rural Michigan and she didn't have a lot of dishes she could prepare for us vegetarians so she'd make my favorite EVER mac n cheese. She used government cheese and chopped onions. I think she started my love affair with mac n cheese. I stayed with her for a month at a time a few summers and we'd go get her government cheese, milk in baggies and a few other staples. It brings back memories of the one on one time i got with her. I didn't get much of that with me being one of over 30 grandkids. 

My poor meals:
I doctor up Kraft mac n cheese with things like salsa, chili powder or soy meat. It's 68 cents a box so it's very cheap.
I also make oriental flavored top ramen and throw in cubed sauteed tofu.
Top Ramen with vegetarian veggie soup mixed in. 
I also make a casserole with cous couse, corn tortillas, a can of tomato sauce and 3 cans of vegetarian chili all baked in the oven with a smattering of cheese on top. It feeds my family of 3 two meals for less than 7 dollars


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## Chef (Sep 18, 2009)

Yes.. Hormel Dried Beef. I would make the mistake of salting the gravy AND not rinsing the beef. Most often, I would pour it over biscuits rather than toast. (refridgerator pre-fab in a can biscuits)



Geektastic1 said:


> I ate a lot of this growing up:
> 
> SOS (shit on a shingle):
> 
> ...


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## Sugar (Sep 18, 2009)

TraciJo67 said:


> We were very poor when I was growing up, but we had livestock and turkey/chickens that we bred for food, and my father tended a huge garden that he filled with root vegetables, lettuce & cabbage, corn, and a variety of berries. My father & brothers also hunted for animals to supplement our diet during the wintertime -- usually deer, squirrel, rabbit, pheasant (I loved deer but couldn't bring myself to choke down anything else). We were actually very fortunate in that we always had plenty to eat. My mother was a very good cook, and we always had a hot breakfast and huge dinners. I can't believe it now, but back then, I'd have gladly traded my steaks and chops for a hotdog or a cheap Totinos pizza or standard "kid" food. Ironic, I know



Growing up...we never got meat from the store. My parents had a huge garage and all the kids and cousins and parents got a hunting licenses and we'd have 10-12 deer hanging in our garage. 

Then after they were done hanging we'd have a big butcher party where my Mom and aunts would make a big family dinner and everyone would help butcher in some way. 

It seems morbid for some but really those memories are so wonderful I get a little weepy when I think back. 

My favorite cheap eats is brown rice with tofu and broccoli covered in a teriyaki peanut sauce. 

Take the cheapest brand of teriyaki sauce, mix with 1 c peanut butter, a dash of soy and a dash of chili paste and you'll have a giant container of sauce that you can freeze and just spoon out as much as you need as you need (it doesn't freeze hard).


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 18, 2009)

Lucky said:


> Growing up...we never got meat from the store. My parents had a huge garage and all the kids and cousins and parents got a hunting licenses and we'd have 10-12 deer hanging in our garage.
> 
> Then after they were done hanging we'd have a big butcher party where my Mom and aunts would make a big family dinner and everyone would help butcher in some way.
> 
> ...



That sounds interesting....what else do you put peanut sauce on?


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## Sugar (Sep 18, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> That sounds interesting....what else do you put peanut sauce on?



Plain noodles, any kind of stir fry, to dip lettuce wraps or spring rolls in...really anything you want some peanutty asian sauce. 

I also sometimes add rice wine vinegar but it's not the cheapest of vinegars.


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## desertcheeseman (Sep 19, 2009)

Geektastic1 said:


> I never liked to eat the stuff out of hand or on a cheese sandwich, but yeah, that government commodity cheese makes really good homemade mac n' cheese. My stepmom used to make that. I've also had cheese puffs made with it plus commodity butter and powdered milk, and it wasn't bad.



I still have nightmares about government powdered milk. By the time we got it, it was incredibly chalky and stale. Since nobody wanted to drink it, we used it to thicken up cream-based soups and also to make homemade yogurt. That didn't get rid of it fast enough, though. I think my parents still have a pantry full of it back at home.


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## smithnwesson (Sep 19, 2009)

Geektastic1 said:


> I ate a lot of this growing up:
> 
> SOS (shit on a shingle):
> 
> ...



Yes, it was. They used dried beef and powdered milk up from at least the beginning of the last century up until the early 70's. Both kept well and were useful in the field when resupply could be a problem. They changed from dried beef to hamburger in the early 70's. 

I really like it and fix it every couple of months.






















On toast is traditional, but biscuits and noodles also work. Yummy!

- Jim


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## Geektastic1 (Sep 19, 2009)

smithnwesson said:


> Yes, it was. They used dried beef and powdered milk up from at least the beginning of the last century up until the early 70's. Both kept well and were useful in the field when resupply could be a problem. They changed from dried beef to hamburger in the early 70's.
> 
> I really like it and fix it every couple of months.



Fantastic photos, as usual, Jim! I really enjoy your food photography. Now I'm going to have to try the dried beef version of SOS sometime.


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## Geektastic1 (Sep 19, 2009)

desertcheeseman said:


> I still have nightmares about government powdered milk. By the time we got it, it was incredibly chalky and stale. Since nobody wanted to drink it, we used it to thicken up cream-based soups and also to make homemade yogurt. That didn't get rid of it fast enough, though. I think my parents still have a pantry full of it back at home.



Yeah, that stuff's much better for cooking than for drinking. Hard to dissolve the lumps in it, too, when you mix it up. Then again, I don't like drinking even the "good" powdered milk (Carnation, et. al) much.


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## Les Toil (Sep 20, 2009)

Has anyone mentioned rice and eggs? The cheapest and quickest way to bring life to an old pot of rice hidden in the back of the fridge.


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## Hathor (Sep 20, 2009)

Rice with butter, a banana and a glass of water.  LOL


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## Brandi (Sep 20, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> That sounds interesting....what else do you put peanut sauce on?



you can also put it on chicken and grill it....very nice


I don't really have a sad meal...but when money is tight...pasta and sauce always works for me! 2 bucks can feed me for a couple of days!


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## Emma (Sep 20, 2009)

I think we have a contender for the saddest recession drink. My partner just dug teabags out of the bin to reuse them. GROSS!


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 20, 2009)

CurvyEm said:


> I think we have a contender for the saddest recession drink. My partner just dug teabags out of the bin to reuse them. GROSS!



Not quite the same but my mom saves her tea bags on the side of the sink (and does it at my house, too :doh to reuse. Years ago, my oldest sister tossed out her saved tea bag so my Mom got angry and called my sister "extravagant" :eyeroll:


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## Sugar (Sep 20, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> Not quite the same but my mom saves her tea bags on the side of the sink (and does it at my house, too :doh to reuse. Years ago, my oldest sister tossed out her saved tea bag so my Mom got angry and called my sister "extravagant" :eyeroll:



1 bag can get you 2-3 6oz cups...after that...ew.


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## thatgirl08 (Sep 20, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> Not quite the same but my mom saves her tea bags on the side of the sink (and does it at my house, too :doh to reuse. Years ago, my oldest sister tossed out her saved tea bag so my Mom got angry and called my sister "extravagant" :eyeroll:



Extravagant hahaha.


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## Santaclear (Sep 20, 2009)

Newspaper or magazine ads or articles about food - the actual paper can be eaten.


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## MLadyJ (Sep 20, 2009)

I almost hate to say this cuz people usually make faces..but I really like a can of hominy drained (not the grits kind) sauted in some butter..onion if you have it.. and lots of fresh cracked pepper. Makes me hungry just thinking about it.


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## thatgirl08 (Sep 20, 2009)

I got this idea a few years ago after eating the creamy chicken Ramen noodles.. sometimes I add a little milk and/or butter to my Ramen to make it more like a creamy pasta rather than a soup.


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## TraciJo67 (Sep 20, 2009)

Hathor said:


> Rice with butter, a banana and a glass of water.  LOL



I love rice w/butter!

Also rice with butter, sugar & milk ... a yummy breakfast treat.


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## CrankySpice (Sep 20, 2009)

Like others here, I was on a farm (during my tween/teen years) and we raised chicken, turkey, lamb, pig, goose, duck, and rabbit for meat. I'm kinda proud of the fact that, if need be, I know how to slaughter and dress a chicken.

We were also quite poor, and had all kinds of interesting sandwiches. Baked bean sandwiches and spaghetti sandwiches among them. My mother worked on the premise that if it could stay between 2 slices of bread, it worked for a sandwich.


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## mybluice (Sep 20, 2009)

Creamed eggs over toast. My mom would do this when she only had a few eggs to make them stretch, but never when my dad was home. Hard boil the eggs when they are done start making a rue (butter, flour, milk) as it thickens add the eggs peeled and chopped with salt and pepper to taste.


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## thatgirl08 (Sep 20, 2009)

mybluice said:


> Creamed eggs over toast. My mom would do this when she only had a few eggs to make them stretch, but never when my dad was home. Hard boil the eggs when they are done start making a rue (butter, flour, milk) as it thickens add the eggs peeled and chopped with salt and pepper to taste.



That sounds really good!


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## fatgirlflyin (Sep 21, 2009)

TraciJo67 said:


> Also rice with butter, sugar & milk ... a yummy breakfast treat.



I have never known anyone to eat rice like this. We had rice for breakfast many times when I was a kid.


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## Sugar (Sep 21, 2009)

fatgirlflyin said:


> I have never known anyone to eat rice like this. We had rice for breakfast many times when I was a kid.



We had rice for breakfast 3-4 times a week with milk and sugar. I personally liked english muffins with it, but that's a bit much on the carbs. :eat1:


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## TraciJo67 (Sep 21, 2009)

fatgirlflyin said:


> I have never known anyone to eat rice like this. We had rice for breakfast many times when I was a kid.



I think it's actually fairly common and I would guess that it may be moreso in the South. Many of the foods that we ate when I was growing up were influenced by my father's Southern roots (his parents were born in Mississippi): Grits, sawmill gravy with biscuits, cornbread with just about every meal, deep fried foods always seasoned with cayenne pepper and buttermilk, etc etc. 

Rice with milk & butter is actually a lazy man's rice pudding  I don't like the consistency of rice pudding though, so when I'm in the mood for a bowl of rice with milk/sugar I just make a big pot of regular rice and dump it all together -- will sometimes add cinammon/brown sugar and chopped bits of toasted pecans. YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMY. I swear, it is.


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## fatgirlflyin (Sep 21, 2009)

TraciJo67 said:


> I think it's actually fairly common and I would guess that it may be moreso in the South. Many of the foods that we ate when I was growing up were influenced by my father's Southern roots (his parents were born in Mississippi): Grits, sawmill gravy with biscuits, cornbread with just about every meal, deep fried foods always seasoned with cayenne pepper and buttermilk, etc etc.
> 
> Rice with milk & butter is actually a lazy man's rice pudding  I don't like the consistency of rice pudding though, so when I'm in the mood for a bowl of rice with milk/sugar I just make a big pot of regular rice and dump it all together -- will sometimes add cinammon/brown sugar and chopped bits of toasted pecans. YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMY. I swear, it is.



That does sound good. We had cornbread quite often growing up and biscuits all the time. I knew how to make biscuits by the time I was 8 and had entered mine into a county fair in 5th grade (took 1st place ). Grits I didn't have until early this year, they were pretty good.


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## JerseyGirl07093 (Sep 21, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> Not quite the same but my mom saves her tea bags on the side of the sink (and does it at my house, too :doh to reuse. Years ago, my oldest sister tossed out her saved tea bag so my Mom got angry and called my sister "extravagant" :eyeroll:



I bet your sister only uses her toilet paper once too! Hoity toity!  

I'm actually getting a lot of good ideas for cheap eats from this thread. Some of these meals sound pretty good. :eat2:


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## Esther (Sep 22, 2009)

fatgirlflyin said:


> I have never known anyone to eat rice like this. We had rice for breakfast many times when I was a kid.



You can turn minute rice into a nice breakfast porridge very, very easily and with very few ingredients. I posted a recipe for simple rice porridge in the dummy-proof recipe thread!



TraciJo67 said:


> Rice with milk & butter is actually a lazy man's rice pudding  I don't like the consistency of rice pudding though, so when I'm in the mood for a bowl of rice with milk/sugar I just make a big pot of regular rice and dump it all together -- will sometimes add cinammon/brown sugar and chopped bits of toasted pecans. YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMY. I swear, it is.



I generally don't like the texture of most rice puddings either... I find it very slimy a lot of the time, especially if you buy it premade in single serving cups (which my mother does - it is so gross!). I tend to keep my porridge nice and dry so I can reheat it the next day and add whatever amount of milk suits my mood.


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## pdesil071189 (Sep 22, 2009)

Potato Chips and Ketchup


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## BubbleButtBabe (Sep 22, 2009)

This thread reminded me of when I was a kid and would go visit a friend of mine..They never had much in the house to eat..10 kids and Dad didn't have a good job..They would take light bread(white bread) and smear bar-b-que sauce on it and fry it in a dry skillet...They loved it..


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## Friday (Sep 22, 2009)

TraciJo67 said:


> I think it's actually fairly common and I would guess that it may be moreso in the South. Many of the foods that we ate when I was growing up were influenced by my father's Southern roots (his parents were born in Mississippi): Grits, sawmill gravy with biscuits, cornbread with just about every meal, deep fried foods always seasoned with cayenne pepper and buttermilk, etc etc.



I had to look up sawmill gravy (we always just called it sausage gravy) but that's my favorite and I could eat it everyday, all winter. Homemade biscuits are best but tube ones will do in a pinch. Then again, no one in my family has ever lived further south than St Louis. Where does the sawmill part come in?

Got into a discussion Friday about the 'gravy' in 'gravy and biscuits' with a friend who grew up in Texas and she insisted that it was white sauce made with bacon grease instead of butter. She didn't call it white sauce but what else would you call fat, flour and milk? One of the few times the word bacon didn't make my mouth water.


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## cinnamitch (Sep 22, 2009)

Friday said:


> I had to look up sawmill gravy (we always just called it sausage gravy) but that's my favorite and I could eat it everyday, all winter. Homemade biscuits are best but tube ones will do in a pinch. Then again, no one in my family has ever lived further south than St Louis. Where does the sawmill part come in?
> 
> Got into a discussion Friday about the 'gravy' in 'gravy and biscuits' with a friend who grew up in Texas and she insisted that it was white sauce made with bacon grease instead of butter. She didn't call it white sauce but what else would you call fat, flour and milk? One of the few times the word bacon didn't make my mouth water.



Well yeah , technically it would be a white sauce although probably a bit thicker. Never used butter to make gravy, thats wrong.


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## cinnamitch (Sep 22, 2009)

Well when i was a kid there were no food stamps, just the commodity boxes. Big cans of chicken and pork, the hunk of butter and big block of cheese and some rice and powdered milk. UGH. So needless to say we ate po folks stuff. 
For a solid year we ate beans one night, potato soup the next. We had no money, my grandfather could not keep a job so we existed on what little welfare was offered . A treat was hot dogs. My grandmother also used to slice the hot dogs nearly in half, stuff with unsweetened cooked cream of wheat, add a slice of cheese and cook in the oven till melted. Ate spam a lot. Vienna sausages wrapped in a biscuit and fried in hot oil to make pigs in a blanket. We ate water gravy a few times when we had no milk. (flour, oil, water). That was icky. Ate a lot of fried potatoes, they were cheap and would fill you up. We also ate a lot of potted meat salad. 2 cans potted meat, add chopped onion, egg, celery and miracle whip and voila. I guess we were probably considered worse than trailer park trash, we were poor white trash:eat1:


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## Friday (Sep 22, 2009)

Yeah, butter in gravy is wrong but all the gravies I ever had over biscuits had meat in the gravy or under it, not just sauce.


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## TraciJo67 (Sep 22, 2009)

Friday said:


> I had to look up sawmill gravy (we always just called it sausage gravy) but that's my favorite and I could eat it everyday, all winter. Homemade biscuits are best but tube ones will do in a pinch. Then again, no one in my family has ever lived further south than St Louis. Where does the sawmill part come in?
> 
> Got into a discussion Friday about the 'gravy' in 'gravy and biscuits' with a friend who grew up in Texas and she insisted that it was white sauce made with bacon grease instead of butter. She didn't call it white sauce but what else would you call fat, flour and milk? One of the few times the word bacon didn't make my mouth water.



My father called it "sawmill gravy" so that name has always stuck with me. But yep -- white gravy made of flour, milk and generous dollops of homemade LARD with big chunks of sausage mixed in. The one thing that my mother wasn't the greatest at was making biscuits. Hers were always more like pucks than airy morsels of flaky goodness. But smothered in gravy -- who cared? Not me  

I have an Italian friend who calls spaghetti sauce 'gravy'. It led to some amusing misunderstandings between us at first. I couldn't understand why she'd put flour, milk and lard over spaghetti noodles and call that mess good eatin'.


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## LillyBBBW (Sep 22, 2009)

Lipton Pasta Sides made with tap water and powdered non-dairy creamer.


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## Tracyarts (Sep 22, 2009)

" I almost hate to say this cuz people usually make faces..but I really like a can of hominy drained (not the grits kind) sauted in some butter..onion if you have it.. and lots of fresh cracked pepper. Makes me hungry just thinking about it. "

I haven't had that in years, but I do truly miss it and will have to buy a can of hominy one of these days.

I grew up eating a lot of the things mentioned in the thread. Beans and cornbread were common in my house. And my dad liked to crumble up leftover cornbread into a bowl, and pour milk and a little molasses over it and eat it for breakfast. We ate all kinds of greens, they were cheap and healthy, and if my mom could cut up some turnips with the turnip greens, all the better. She also made several different dishes with rice or pasta, ground beef, and tomato sauce. Stuffed peppers, "Spanish" rice, cabbage rolls, beefy macaroni... She could stretch a pound of ground beef into six or eight servings. Spaghetti sauce was always watered down. Sometimes we had spaghetti with a little margarine and chili powder instead of actual sauce. My dad *loved* it that way. Garlic bread was made from half of a hotdog bun with a little margarine and garlic juice spread on before broiling it a minute to toast it. Chicken livers and gizzards were common too, had them a lot since they were cheaper than drumsticks or wings. Beef liver and onions, okra and tomatoes, potato soup, chicken noodle or rice soup. Toast and eggs for breakfast. Egg drop soup (my dad made this and it was pretty good). 

See, that's all childhood memories for me, and I consider it to be comfort food and still like most of it. 

In adulthood, my saddest recession meals always involve ramen noodles or something out of a can or off the dollar menu at a drive-through.

Tracy


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## Crystal (Sep 22, 2009)

I LOVE Hominy, Tracy.  My grandparents used to make it for me all the time when I was younger. I haven't had it in so long, though. Makes me crave some...

Being in college AND a recession makes for some interesting creations. Though, right now, I'm just having your average Hot Pocket. Talk about luxury!


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## TraciJo67 (Sep 22, 2009)

Tracyarts said:


> Beans and cornbread were common in my house. And my dad liked to crumble up leftover cornbread into a bowl, and pour milk and a little molasses over it and eat it for breakfast. .
> 
> Tracy



I can't believe I forgot about the beans. The ultimate in comfort food ... a gigantic pot of soft, tender beans flavored with ham hocks, with great big chunks of starchy potatoes added in the final hour of cooking. There is not a more satisfying lunch on a cold winter afternoon. 

My dad did the same thing with cornbread. He would also crumble plain saltines into a glass of milk and dig the chunks out with a spoon. I can't say that I developed a taste for it, though.


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## mossystate (Sep 22, 2009)

I am still amazed at how my parents were able to provide for allllll of us the way they did. Being on a farm, once my Dad left the department of defense, we had great gardens and all that. Worked so hard, those two.

One of my most hideous meals ( ok...a few days of them ) when I ran waaaaay out of money years ago......saltines and Bailey's.......................makes me wanna barf just thinking about it!


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## TraciJo67 (Sep 22, 2009)

mossystate said:


> I am still amazed at how my parents were able to provide for allllll of us the way they did. Being on a farm, once my Dad left the department of defense, we had great gardens and all that. Worked so hard, those two.
> 
> One of my most hideous meals ( ok...a few days of them ) when I ran waaaaay out of money years ago......saltines and Bailey's.......................makes me wanna barf just thinking about it!



My hideous meal choice is a peanut butter & velveeta cheese sandwich. Sometimes grilled. Sounds disgusting but it's heaven in a carb load of ooey, chewy goodness.

Did your parents enlist your help in keeping the garden, Mossything?


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## Melian (Sep 22, 2009)

Just ate a mustard and hot sauce sandwich.....it was every bit as impressive as it sounds.

(and there was only one piece of bread left, so it had to be folded) :doh:


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## Miss Vickie (Sep 22, 2009)

Back in the 80's, my (now ex) hubby and I moved to SF from Seattle with the promise of a computer job that didn't pan out; we ended up poor as church mice, living in a residence hotel while he fixed bicycles and I did temp work. We had only an ice chest, an electric fry pan, and a toaster oven to cook with, and very little money. He had brought a jar of pesto with him that he'd made and that jar lasted us almost a year. Almost every meal had pesto in it; you'd think I'd be tired of it but I STILL love the stuff.

One night we were hungry, hadn't eaten all day, and had pesto, some spaghetti, and 39 cents to our name. So we went to the grocery store and asked for 39 cents worth of hamburger (at the time it was an amount the size of my palm). We brought it home, sauteed it with a little bit of garlic we had, and tossed it with pasta and sprinkled parmesan cheese on top. It actually wasn't that bad! Of course, when you're that hungry you'll eat anything.

Other than that, we ate a lot of peanut butter, top ramen, and bean soup. Sometimes we'd buy Campbell's beef barley soup and add some canned veggies or leftover potatoes to it to spruce it up. It wasn't half bad.

It's amazing what you can cook without a proper kitchen. We may have tripped more than our share of breakers which pissed off our neighbors, but at least we had tasty food!


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## Santaclear (Sep 22, 2009)

There was a time in 1978 when all I had for a couple days was plain spaghetti. It was all I had to feed to my cat Ned too.


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## Chef (Sep 22, 2009)

Miss Vickie said:


> Back in the 80's, my (now ex) hubby and I moved to SF from Seattle with the promise of a computer job that didn't pan out; we ended up poor as church mice, living in a residence hotel while he fixed bicycles and I did temp work. We had only an ice chest, an electric fry pan, and a toaster oven to cook with, and very little money. He had brought a jar of pesto with him that he'd made and that jar lasted us almost a year. Almost every meal had pesto in it; you'd think I'd be tired of it but I STILL love the stuff.
> 
> One night we were hungry, hadn't eaten all day, and had pesto, some spaghetti, and 39 cents to our name. So we went to the grocery store and asked for 39 cents worth of hamburger (at the time it was an amount the size of my palm). We brought it home, sauteed it with a little bit of garlic we had, and tossed it with pasta and sprinkled parmesan cheese on top. It actually wasn't that bad! Of course, when you're that hungry you'll eat anything.
> 
> ...



I must love all your posts, because I'm out of rep again!


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## Sugar (Sep 22, 2009)

mossystate said:


> I am still amazed at how my parents were able to provide for allllll of us the way they did. Being on a farm, once my Dad left the department of defense, we had great gardens and all that. Worked so hard, those two.
> 
> One of my most hideous meals ( ok...a few days of them ) when I ran waaaaay out of money years ago......saltines and Bailey's.......................makes me wanna barf just thinking about it!



The Irish Creme?


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## mossystate (Sep 22, 2009)

Lucky said:


> The Irish Creme?



* urp *

yes


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## Sugar (Sep 22, 2009)

mossystate said:


> * urp *
> 
> yes



The family that gets sauced together stays together! That's the slogan your brother should have used for his campaign.


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## liz (di-va) (Sep 22, 2009)

I've had to do a lot of Recession cooking the last few years. Most of the really cheap meals involved whole grains of some sort, with a bit of meat. I've also aggressively cooked everything out of my freezer and cupboards; no more languishing freezer burn these days; can't afford it.


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## mossystate (Sep 22, 2009)

Lucky said:


> The family that gets sauced together stays together! That's the slogan your brother should have used for his campaign.




This was when I was an adult, living on my own. LOL


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## Sugar (Sep 22, 2009)

mossystate said:


> This was when I was an adult, living on my own. LOL



Still an excellent slogan.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Sep 22, 2009)

Friday said:


> I had to look up sawmill gravy (we always just called it sausage gravy) but that's my favorite and I could eat it everyday, all winter. Homemade biscuits are best but tube ones will do in a pinch. Then again, no one in my family has ever lived further south than St Louis. Where does the sawmill part come in?
> 
> Got into a discussion Friday about the 'gravy' in 'gravy and biscuits' with a friend who grew up in Texas and she insisted that it was white sauce made with bacon grease instead of butter. She didn't call it white sauce but what else would you call fat, flour and milk? One of the few times the word bacon didn't make my mouth water.






TraciJo67 said:


> My father called it "sawmill gravy" so that name has always stuck with me. But yep -- white gravy made of flour, milk and generous dollops of homemade LARD with big chunks of sausage mixed in. The one thing that my mother wasn't the greatest at was making biscuits. Hers were always more like pucks than airy morsels of flaky goodness. But smothered in gravy -- who cared? Not me



My ex stepmother in law showed me how to make that sausage gravy from scratch once (and yes she called it just "gravy" -it tends to be something just understood here in teh south that it's white and made with sausage/grease).
She fried up crumbled sausage, added pinches of flour to it and the "secret" seemed to be letting the flour "cook" (she even told me this), then adding some milk (I used to have neighbors that used a can of condensed milk- she did just fine with regular 2% though). 

My friends Mom used to make biscuits with a bowl full of flour with some lard and water tossed in the middle. She "stirred it" with her right hand while she held a harlequin romance to read in her left. She then would then a plop a handful of this dough on a baking pan several times, toss it in the oven and call them biscuits. 

Chicken n dumplings are cheap and easy.....just boil some chicken legs (or whatever kind of chicken you like), add pieces of biscuit dough to the water/chicken and then add milk. If you want to get fancy, add a can of creamed chicken soup, de-bone the chicken meat and serve it over rice. 







cinnamitch said:


> Well when i was a kid there were no food stamps, just the commodity boxes. Big cans of chicken and pork, the hunk of butter and big block of cheese and some rice and powdered milk. UGH. So needless to say we ate po folks stuff.
> For a solid year we ate beans one night, potato soup the next. We had no money, my grandfather could not keep a job so we existed on what little welfare was offered . A treat was hot dogs. My grandmother also used to slice the hot dogs nearly in half, stuff with unsweetened cooked cream of wheat, add a slice of cheese and cook in the oven till melted. Ate spam a lot. Vienna sausages wrapped in a biscuit and fried in hot oil to make pigs in a blanket. We ate water gravy a few times when we had no milk. (flour, oil, water). That was icky. Ate a lot of fried potatoes, they were cheap and would fill you up. We also ate a lot of potted meat salad. 2 cans potted meat, add chopped onion, egg, celery and miracle whip and voila. I guess we were probably considered worse than trailer park trash, we were poor white trash:eat1:



The biscuit lady family I just mentioned above would have white bread, mayo, mustard, onions and salami. The brothers would cut up raw onions on a plate, cover them in mustard and eat it like a salad. Top it of with salami sandwich that had a huge slather of mayo and you had, what seemed to be, their version of Sunday dinner. 




Tracyarts said:


> I grew up eating a lot of the things mentioned in the thread. Beans and cornbread were common in my house. And my dad liked to crumble up leftover cornbread into a bowl, and pour milk and a little molasses over it and eat it for breakfast. We ate all kinds of greens, they were cheap and healthy, and if my mom could cut up some turnips with the turnip greens, all the better. She also made several different dishes with rice or pasta, ground beef, and tomato sauce. Stuffed peppers, "Spanish" rice, cabbage rolls, beefy macaroni... She could stretch a pound of ground beef into six or eight servings. Spaghetti sauce was always watered down. Sometimes we had spaghetti with a little margarine and chili powder instead of actual sauce. My dad *loved* it that way. Garlic bread was made from half of a hotdog bun with a little margarine and garlic juice spread on before broiling it a minute to toast it. Chicken livers and gizzards were common too, had them a lot since they were cheaper than drumsticks or wings. Beef liver and onions, okra and tomatoes, potato soup, chicken noodle or rice soup. Toast and eggs for breakfast. Egg drop soup (my dad made this and it was pretty good).
> 
> See, that's all childhood memories for me, and I consider it to be comfort food and still like most of it.
> 
> ...



Please tell me more about this egg drop soup? Do you know how he made it?

Oh my mother would make el cheapo homemade salad dressing by mixing mayonnaise and ketchup and calling it "Russian dressing".


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## Santaclear (Sep 22, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> Please tell me more about this egg drop soup?



Egg drop soup made with eggs that were really dropped. 

Also chicken drop soup, made with real chicken droppings.


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## Sugar (Sep 23, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> Oh my mother would make el cheapo homemade salad dressing by mixing mayonnaise and ketchup and calling it "Russian dressing".



Homemade Russian has lots of variations but ketchup mayo pickle and vinegar is typical restaurant style. (same for thousand island minus the vinegar)


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## lypeaches (Sep 23, 2009)

CrankySpice said:


> Like others here, I was on a farm (during my tween/teen years) and we raised chicken, turkey, lamb, pig, goose, duck, and rabbit for meat. I'm kinda proud of the fact that, if need be, I know how to slaughter and dress a chicken.
> 
> We were also quite poor, and had all kinds of interesting sandwiches. Baked bean sandwiches and spaghetti sandwiches among them. My mother worked on the premise that if it could stay between 2 slices of bread, it worked for a sandwich.



Baked bean sandwiches...I can't believe there was another child who was inflicted with those beauties. My Mom also made this weird salad of grated cheese and carrots (equal quantities) with raisins, in a miracle whip based dressing...and put that lovely atrocity in between two slices of bread. 

My parents were not Southern, but a big treat for us as kids was that whenever Mom made cornbread, for dessert we would get a piece of cornbread in a bowl, drizzle with Karo syrup, and then pour milk over top of it. Anybody else heard of this? 

Creamed eggs on toast is yummy


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## Tracyarts (Sep 23, 2009)

" Please tell me more about this egg drop soup? Do you know how he made it? "

It was simple as could be. He'd take some chicken stock (homemade or canned or from bullion cubes, didn't matter) and put it in a pot and bring it to a full rolling boil.

In a little bowl, he'd whisk up a couple eggs, a little bit of milk, and just a little bit of flour into a very loose batter, about as thin as crepe batter maybe even a little thinner. The flour was just to add a little more substance to the eggs and help hold them together. And then he'd drop it into the boiling broth a little at a time, kind of drizzling it out of a spoon. It made a soup with thin bits of cooked egg that weren't quite noodles or dumplings but were a little bit more substantial than just plain egg. Then salt and pepper to taste and that was a quick, cheap, and easy meal for him. My mom didn't like it, she liked potato soup, but I remember watching him make it many times. 

It was one of those no measurements kind of recipes, you just add milk and flour until it looks right. But, I'd go with two eggs, a half teaspoon of flour and a tablespoon of milk to start with, and adjust as necessary to get a thin mixture that will drip easily off of a spoon.

Tracy


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## smithnwesson (Sep 24, 2009)

Hey! There's some yummy stuff in this thread. . .


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## PhatChk (Sep 24, 2009)

hmmm someone I know offered me some deer meat. And there was no meat in the house or money until Friday. I took it. Didn't tell anyone. Prepared it and cooked it like stir-fry. They ate it, and I never told them. >_< sorry fam!


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## Ruffie (Sep 24, 2009)

Wiener soup
Hot dogs cut up and boiled with tomato soup and macaroni. If lucky can add frozen veggies in it LOL

Pork and beans Sandwich


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## smithnwesson (Sep 24, 2009)

Risible said:


> I made some french onion soup last night, and that's cheap and easy to make. Slice up 2-3 onions, sweat them in a couple tablespoons of butter for about 20 minutes over medium-low heat, add 2 cups beef broth (I used chicken stock) and two cups water, season with salt and pepper, bring to boil, return to simmer for 20 minutes. In the meantime, stick some stale bread under the broiler to brown them, then rub them with a clove of garlic. Put the bread in bowls, divide the soup up over them (two servings, or one very generous serving), top with cheese. I used jack and parm cheeses - use whatever you have on hand (swiss is good). You can stick the ovenproof bowls under the broiler to melt the cheese if you want.
> 
> Cheap and tasty.


Ris -

We fix this all the time. We make it just like you do, except we add a splash or two of dry white Vermouth (like Noilly Prat) at the end.

There's also leek and potato soup.

Peal a coupla spuds, dice them up and start them boiling in a pot of water. Clean the leeks carefully (they have sand down in them) and chop them up fine. Saute them in a skillet with some butter and peanut oil until transparent, but not brown. Dump the leeks in with the taters and boil. Mash the mixture up with a potato ricer, and salt and pepper to taste. That is all. This is incredably good.

- Jim


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## smithnwesson (Sep 24, 2009)

Oops! Douboe post.


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## Chef (Sep 24, 2009)

After reading alot of these, my recession meals appear to be rather progressive. I'm amazed that some of y'all survived.


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## cinnamitch (Sep 24, 2009)

Chef said:


> After reading alot of these, my recession meals appear to be rather progressive. I'm amazed that some of y'all survived.



You know what though?, it didn't seem so bad. We had 2 big pear trees, two pecan trees, the neighbors had a couple of plum trees, the lady down the road had a big ol black walnut tree. We even had a blackberry bush. So in the summer you could fill up on berries and fruit pretty easy. Wasn't unusual for a neighbor to buy a big watermelon and divide it up between the neighborhood kids. We would sit on the grass and eat to our hearts content and then get squirted with the water hose later on. Ok so there wasn't much steak to eat, but i got full, probably too full lol. Developed bad eating habits early on but for those of us who grew up having to hustle to get to eat, we can make it a little better when it comes to belt tightening, and for that i'm thankful.


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## JerseyGirl07093 (Sep 25, 2009)

Way back in the day when I was dating my ex husband I came over to his apt. when he was making dinner. He told me to sit down because he had something new for me. He cut up a hot dog and fried the pieces in a frying pan. He put the pieces on some white bread and topped them with potato chips and another slice of bread. Squish together and eat. You know what? That was some good sandwich! :eat2:


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## MisticalMisty (Sep 25, 2009)

Friday said:


> Got into a discussion Friday about the 'gravy' in 'gravy and biscuits' with a friend who grew up in Texas and she insisted that it was white sauce made with bacon grease instead of butter. She didn't call it white sauce but what else would you call fat, flour and milk? One of the few times the word bacon didn't make my mouth water.



That's white gravy!

I never, ever, EVER make gravy for biscuits and gravy with butter as my fat. BLECK. I either use bacon grease, sausage grease or chicken grease..LOL

You have to try it..I promise you'll be a convert. Yummers:eat2:


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## Friday (Sep 26, 2009)

I don't want sausage grease, I want the sausage! That's how we make it. Brown off the sausage, stir in the flour and let cook a bit then add the milk. Cook and stir until thickened and season to taste. Gotta have the meat in it though.


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## MisticalMisty (Sep 26, 2009)

Friday said:


> I don't want sausage grease, I want the sausage! That's how we make it. Brown off the sausage, stir in the flour and let cook a bit then add the milk. Cook and stir until thickened and season to taste. Gotta have the meat in it though.



Well yeah..but you don't use butter..LOL. It's the same for bacon..I swear...crumble the bacon in the gravy..pour it over..well anything and it's yummy.


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## sunnie1653 (Sep 27, 2009)

Weird. I always use butter if I don't have enough sausage grease to make up for it.


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## Neen (Sep 27, 2009)

hmmm i'd have to say ... this dented unmarked can in the cupboard. Luckilly for me it turned out to be spaghetti o's.. would have been PISSED if it was dog food! Only 10 cents at the store!


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## buttbooger (Sep 30, 2009)

My saddest recession meal consists of nothing in the cabinets, pantry, fridge, freezer or on the table. 
Having to go to a soup kitchen sometimes.
(Im on a fixed income)
That was in July when I was hit hardest with bills, bills, bills. Making a few adjustments since then.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Oct 1, 2009)

buttbooger said:


> My saddest recession meal consists of nothing in the cabinets, pantry, fridge, freezer or on the table.
> Having to go to a soup kitchen sometimes.
> (Im on a fixed income)
> That was in July when I was hit hardest with bills, bills, bills. Making a few adjustments since then.



Your post reminds of a story I read in the local paper here once....about how a lot of families in this area have to eat at the soup kitchens just so they are able to pay their bills. 
Is there a local food bank where you are? The one here gives out food packages to people in need.....there is also a local church that runs a "food pantry" that hands out boxes full of assorted food items one day a week. Churches seem generous about feeding the poor/hungry, as well. 
Not sure how you would look into those things though....other than google or some phone calls?


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## buttbooger (Oct 3, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> Your post reminds of a story I read in the local paper here once....about how a lot of families in this area have to eat at the soup kitchens just so they are able to pay their bills.
> Is there a local food bank where you are? The one here gives out food packages to people in need.....there is also a local church that runs a "food pantry" that hands out boxes full of assorted food items one day a week. Churches seem generous about feeding the poor/hungry, as well.
> Not sure how you would look into those things though....other than google or some phone calls?



Yep, I do hit the food banks. But it is better for me to not jack the bills up so high, cuz the food banks only give you food every 30 days(only one in my area that I qualify for) and they only hand you a small bag of missmatch shit you cant cook with(loaf of bread=no lunch meat or peanut butter, 1 can of fruit, bag of rice=no beans, and some shake n bake stuff=no chicken-that is about all they can afford to give you)
but since july, we have been doing alot better. We still go to the soup kitchen sometimes, but its not as bad as it was financially. Prayer helped us.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Oct 4, 2009)

buttbooger said:


> Yep, I do hit the food banks. But it is better for me to not jack the bills up so high, cuz the food banks only give you food every 30 days(only one in my area that I qualify for) and they only hand you a small bag of missmatch shit you cant cook with(loaf of bread=no lunch meat or peanut butter, 1 can of fruit, bag of rice=no beans, and some shake n bake stuff=no chicken-that is about all they can afford to give you)
> but since july, we have been doing alot better. We still go to the soup kitchen sometimes, but its not as bad as it was financially. Prayer helped us.



Have you tried any churches? Glad to hear that your situation is improving though


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## buttbooger (Oct 5, 2009)

that is where the food banks are located-in the churches. Glad my situation has improved also-thanks for your concern


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## TraciJo67 (Oct 5, 2009)

I found out earlier this year that the government has suspended some rules regarding food stamp/food support benefits for adults without dependents. Just an FYI for anyone who may have been as in the dark as I: Anyone who meets the income and asset guidelines will qualify for food support benefits. It used to be (and this I knew) 3 months of eligibility in a 36-month period of time. That part has been suspended due to the suckage of the economy. Since food support is a federally funded entitlement benefit, I'm sure that this would be true across all 50 states.

Also, I have referred some of my low-income clients to unemployment compensation even in cases where they've been fired or I just really didn't believe they'd get the benefit. I think that the UC has suspended or relaxed some of their requirements as well. 

Also, unitedway.org has some really great resources for community-based agencies that can help with a variety of needs.


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## cinnamitch (Oct 5, 2009)

Also, Angel Food Ministries offers low cost groceries. You order what package you want and pick it up at a designated site ( usually a church) I believe you can also order online now. You can get some great deals and they take food stamps/EBT You can get a box of groceries for 30 dollars and they offer additional boxes at varying prices. the website is http://www.angelfoodministries.com/



TraciJo67 said:


> I found out earlier this year that the government has suspended some rules regarding food stamp/food support benefits for adults without dependents. Just an FYI for anyone who may have been as in the dark as I: Anyone who meets the income and asset guidelines will qualify for food support benefits. It used to be (and this I knew) 3 months of eligibility in a 36-month period of time. That part has been suspended due to the suckage of the economy. Since food support is a federally funded entitlement benefit, I'm sure that this would be true across all 50 states.
> 
> Also, I have referred some of my low-income clients to unemployment compensation even in cases where they've been fired or I just really didn't believe they'd get the benefit. I think that the UC has suspended or relaxed some of their requirements as well.
> 
> Also, unitedway.org has some really great resources for community-based agencies that can help with a variety of needs.


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## superherogirl09 (Oct 14, 2009)

In response to the original question, I'd have to say two-week-old leftover bean dip mixed with rice. Either that or Kraft mac 'n' cheese with frozen broccoli mixed in (an effort to make it appear slightly healthier )


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## JerseyGirl07093 (Oct 14, 2009)

This thread and the talk of government cheese and peanut butter made me think of a recipe I found many years ago. It's good for when you don't have much on hand but want a snack. I haven't made them in a while but I remember them being pretty good. Just don't overcook them or they'll get too hard.

Peanut Butter Puffs

1 egg white
dash salt
6 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter

In a bowl beat egg white and salt til stiff peaks form. Gradually add sugar; beating til stiff peaks form. Stir in peanut butter. Drop from teaspoon 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes til lightly browned. Cool slightly before removing from pan to cooling rack. 
Makes 1 dozen.


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## succubus_dxb (Oct 14, 2009)

Recesswhat? I'm too busy being a broke student to notice a difference! Rice with ketchup and mustard. No i'm not joking. The next night was the same with pasta...... 

But I went to the market this morning and got myself some LOVELY things, the Brie is already gone....:eat1:


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## SuperMishe (Oct 18, 2009)

I didn't have "real" pizza until I was at least ten years old. We had homemade pizza which was a slice of wonderbread, topped with a slice of American cheese, topped with a slice of tomato and a sprinkle of oregano toasted in the toaster oven.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Oct 18, 2009)

SuperMishe said:


> I didn't have "real" pizza until I was at least ten years old. We had homemade pizza which was a slice of wonderbread, topped with a slice of American cheese, topped with a slice of tomato and a sprinkle of oregano toasted in the toaster oven.



You can make it with english muffins or bagels with tomato sauce and cheese- 

My mom used to get those "pizza in a skillet" kits when I was small and make them with cottage cheese....OMG DISGUSTING!!

She never bought real milk....just powdered milk. I would only have it on cereal- with was usually just cornflakes.....because they are cheap. 

She would never buy real sugar either......she only bought sweet n low because she was always on a diet. She would buy those unsweetened kool aid packets and tell me to put a pack of sweet n low in it. It was the nastiest sour drink ever.

I drank water. 

I just didn't eat often time......no wonder I was a really skinny child :doh:

I thought school lunch was like gourmet food....I'm not kidding. Most of the hot, complete meals I got as a child came from the school cafeteria. No kidding.


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## Sugar (Oct 18, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> You can make it with english muffins or bagels with tomato sauce and cheese-
> 
> My mom used to get those "pizza in a skillet" kits when I was small and make them with cottage cheese....OMG DISGUSTING!!
> 
> ...



I consider english muffin mini pizzas a treat lol. I even do a little mini pizza dance when I make them.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Oct 18, 2009)

Lucky said:


> I consider english muffin mini pizzas a treat lol. I even do a little mini pizza dance when I make them.




They are.....just don't use cottage cheese on them


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## Sugar (Oct 18, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> They are.....just don't use cottage cheese on them



LMAO. In grade school the cafeteria would mix cottage cheese and macaroni and cheese it looked like barf. I'm not sure what they were thinking.


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## Green Eyed Fairy (Oct 18, 2009)

Lucky said:


> LMAO. In grade school the cafeteria would mix cottage cheese and macaroni and cheese it looked like barf. I'm not sure what they were thinking.



They weren't....they were just cheap. 


They probably got a big supply/surplus of it from the government.....and how else would you get school kids to eat that crap? 
My mom worked in the school cafeteria one year when I was small. She still talks about how they would have to put one of those HUGE sticks of butter into every vegetable they made.....no wonder I liked their veggies so much, eh?


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## SuperMishe (Oct 19, 2009)

Green Eyed Fairy said:


> You can make it with english muffins or bagels with tomato sauce and cheese-



Are you kidding?!! English muffins would have been a luxury - and bagels!!?? Didn't have one of those til high school at least! Was probably in my early 20's when I first had cream cheese on a bagel!! LOL


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