[Jonathan Leane]

Post your most delicious budget-friendly recipes and go into the draw to win a $100 Coles or Woolies voucher!​

Hi guys - happy December! Our household hacks and jokes competitions were both a big hit, so we're rolling out a third one.

This month, we want to hear your most delicious budget-friendly recipes. 'Budget-friendly' is of course a fairly subjective term... We won't be setting a specific upper limit on ingredient costs, but just use your common sense. It's completely fine to have a few 'fancy' ingredients in your recipe, but 'lobster with caviar stuffing' is probably not appropriate

With your recipe, please include:

- Number of servings and approx cost per serving
- Rough prep and cook time
- Ingredients required
- Method

Pics would be great as well, but they're definitely not required!

I'll start with one of my mid-week favourites, Dhal Bhat. I use a pressure cooker to make mine because of how much it speeds things up, but you can use a slow cooker or normal saucepan too.

Number of servings: 4
Approximate cost per serving: $2
Prep time / Cook time: 30 mins / 15 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of yellow split peas (I normally get these: https://www.mckenziesfoods.com.au/product/mckenzies-yellow-split-peas-2/ - they're usually around 2 dollars from Coles, Woolies, etc.)
• Couple of teaspoons of oil (I used olive oil but I guess any kind of oil would do)
• Handful of mustard seeds and/or cumin seeds
• 1 Onion
• A knob of ginger (the paste is also fine)
• A clove or two of garlic
• A few Chillis / Curry leaves (optional)
• 1-2 chopped tomatoes (I normally get lazy and used tinned tomatoes for this)
• A couple of table spoons of turmeric powder
• Some fresh coriander (optional)

Method:

Note: Before starting, you should leave the Dhal (yellow split peas) to soak for as long as possible... At least several hours. And then rinse/wash them thoroughly.

1. Heat the oil in your pan and add the mustard and cumin seeds. Let them simmer for a minute or two.

2. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger (mashed) and saute until the raw smell goes away.

3. Add green chillis and curry leaves, stir for another minute or two.

4. Add turmeric powder and stir until well mixed in.

5. Add the washed Dhal and mix in.

6. Add 1 cup of water (or 1.5 if you want a more 'soupy' result).

7. Set pressure to high. Cook for 10 minutes at pressure, then allow the pressure to release for 10 minutes.

8. After opening, add some fresh coriander and stir for a few minutes on a low heat.


All done! Serve with rice or roti for an amazing, cheap, hearty, vegetarian meal. Add salt (a decent amount usually) and pepper to taste.

The below isn't my video, but this is the recipe I follow:




Now its your turn! What are some of your favourite budget-friendly recipes?

 

[Sherill L.]

Easy Peasy Tea Cake - perfect when you get a call that you're going to get visitors in the next hour and you don't have biscuits in the pantry! It's yummy when eaten hot from the oven (shoul;d be mandatory), and you can experiment with the base recipe such as add coconut, almonds, blueberries etc to the mix - I have even thinly sliced an apple and layered it over the top of the batter in the tin and it cooks very well. So, here it is and enjoy

Ingredients:

1 x egg
2 x tablespoons of butter (I microwave mine to par-melt around 20secs)
4 x tablespoons of caster sugar
6 x tablespoons of milk
8 x tablespoons of self-raising flour
Extra butter, caster sugar and spice condiment (can use cinnamon, allspice or nutmeg) for topping after cooking cake

Method:

1. Heat oven to 200C​
2. Mix egg, caster sugar and butter (can do just with a spoon, but I like to use a mixer)​
3. Add the milk and mix​
4. Add the flour (no need to sift, but I like to) and mix until smooth - you can add a little more milk if you got carried away with the flour scoops)​
5. Add optional ingredient/s (shredded coconut is great, as is slivered almonds or blueberries)​
6. Place into a non-stick or greased loaf pan​
7. Cook in oven approximately 25-mins or until cooked through (test with a skewer or knife)​
8. Leave in pan and spread butter over the top of the cake making sure it has melted over the whole top of the cake​
9. Sprinkle caster sugar and choice of spice condiment​
10. Cut and devour whilst still hot (best)​

Mmmmmmn yummo - think I'll go cook one right now!

 

[AvieP]

This is an old family favourite that has been passed down through the generations. It's easy and economical.
CHINESE CHICKEN

1 whole chicken

5 Tbs cooking Oil

1 tsp salt

½ cup soy sauce

2 Tbs Vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1 punnet mushrooms

Into a pot add salt and oil together with the chicken. Brown the chicken in the oil. Mix together the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar and pour over chicken. Allow to cook for 5 minutes reducing heat a little. Slice mushrooms and add to pot. Add 2 cups boiling water and bring to the boil.

Cover and cook for 1 hour (depending on size of chicken) or until chicken is cooked. Turn off stove and remove chicken from the pot. Allow chicken to cool and take all the meat off the bones and put chicken meat back into the same pot.

1 bunch Spring onions 2 Tbs Cornflour

Return the pot to the stove and add the cornflour to the pot, stirring until sauce thickens. Add more cornflour (mixed with a little water) if sauce is not thick enough.

Clean and slice spring onions and add to chicken.

Serve on rice with a green salad.

 

[Peppa]

Berry sauce. 2 punnet of strawberries and blueberries. You can add other berries. Remove green from strawberries. Place all in a saucepan with 1/4 cup of water . I add a teaspoon of sugar substitute. Bring to the boil and simmer until your happy with how you like you berries Fantastic and healthy on ice cream, pavlova, pancakes etc

 

[Terese]

Very easy stir fry chicken. Loved it...
You need olive oil to do chicken peices
Soy sauce
Honey
Brown sugar
Juice of 1 orange
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Rind from Orange and lemon
Garlic to your taste
Spinach ( from garden )cut up
Capsuim (from garden )sliced
Some seeds l had pine
Spring union ( from garden) to garnish
METHOD...
1. Place diced or sliced chicken in heated oil and cook .
2. In a mixing bowl Place all other ingredients and mix well.
Pour over chicken and heat well. When cooked garnish with sliced thinly spring union.
Had chicken , so looked in cupboard and garden. Enjoy

 

[Ricci]

Back in the day I was famous in the family for my one pot wonders and making something out of nothing. One family favorite that has no actual recipe as it depends what you have left in the fridge/freezer

2 Beef burger patties (cut into 1/8ths) or sausages cut into bite size pieces.
1 cup uncooked rice
water
any veg going. I usually had frozen peas, carrots, corn and beans.
dash soy sauce or whatever takes your fancy to add flavour.

In a deep sided frying pan cook the burger/sausage pieces. You don't need extra oil as there is enough moisture in the patties. Move them to one side and chuck in the rice, cook for a minute or two whilst stirring. add enough water (about a litre) to enable the rice to cook. When almost all the water has been taken up by the rice stir through the veggies and any flavouring desired. Continue cooking until no water remains..

This used to feed a family of four when money was tight.

 

[Xe]

Easy Peasy Tea Cake - perfect when you get a call that you're going to get visitors in the next hour and you don't have biscuits in the pantry! It's yummy when eaten hot from the oven (shoul;d be mandatory), and you can experiment with the base recipe such as add coconut, almonds, blueberries etc to the mix - I have even thinly sliced an apple and layered it over the top of the batter in the tin and it cooks very well. So, here it is and enjoy

Ingredients:

1 x egg
2 x tablespoons of butter (I microwave mine to par-melt around 20secs)
4 x tablespoons of caster sugar
6 x tablespoons of milk
8 x tablespoons of self-raising flour
Extra butter, caster sugar and spice condiment (can use cinnamon, allspice or nutmeg) for topping after cooking cake

Method:

1. Heat oven to 200C​
2. Mix egg, caster sugar and butter (can do just with a spoon, but I like to use a mixer)​
3. Add the milk and mix​
4. Add the flour (no need to sift, but I like to) and mix until smooth - you can add a little more milk if you got carried away with the flour scoops)​
5. Add optional ingredient/s (shredded coconut is great, as is slivered almonds or blueberries)​
6. Place into a non-stick or greased loaf pan​
7. Cook in oven approximately 25-mins or until cooked through (test with a skewer or knife)​
8. Leave in pan and spread butter over the top of the cake making sure it has melted over the whole top of the cake​
9. Sprinkle caster sugar and choice of spice condiment​
10. Cut and devour whilst still hot (best)​

Mmmmmmn yummo - think I'll go cook one right now!

This sounds divine. Will normal sugar work as a substitute for castor?

 

[Xe]

This is an old family favourite that has been passed down through the generations. It's easy and economical.
CHINESE CHICKEN

1 whole chicken

5 Tbs cooking Oil

1 tsp salt

½ cup soy sauce

2 Tbs Vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1 punnet mushrooms

Into a pot add salt and oil together with the chicken. Brown the chicken in the oil. Mix together the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar and pour over chicken. Allow to cook for 5 minutes reducing heat a little. Slice mushrooms and add to pot. Add 2 cups boiling water and bring to the boil.

Cover and cook for 1 hour (depending on size of chicken) or until chicken is cooked. Turn off stove and remove chicken from the pot. Allow chicken to cool and take all the meat off the bones and put chicken meat back into the same pot.

1 bunch Spring onions 2 Tbs Cornflour

Return the pot to the stove and add the cornflour to the pot, stirring until sauce thickens. Add more cornflour (mixed with a little water) if sauce is not thick enough.

Clean and slice spring onions and add to chicken.

Serve on rice with a green salad.

This sounds really good. So since the chicken is being stripped, it's not necessary to brown every part of it right? Because I've never tried to brown a whole chicken before

 

[Maddison Dwyer]

omg you are all amazing!!! I'm trying all of these recipes!

 

[Xe]

Non Traditional Butter Chicken
4 - 6 servings

Ingredients:

- 4 chicken fillets

- 2 tomatoes

- 1 onion

- 1 chilli

- 1 stem of curry leaves

- 1 teaspoon of ginger and garlic paste

- 250ml fresh cream

- 1 cinnamon stick

- 1 star anise

- 2 cloves

- 1 large bay leaf

- 1/2 a teaspoon of cardamom powder

- 1/2 a teaspoon of fennel powder

- 1/2 a teaspoon of coriander powder

- 1/2 a teaspoon of cumin powder

- 1/2 a teaspoon of garam masala

- 1 teaspoon of turmeric

- 1 tablespoon of chilli powder

- 1 teaspoon of coarse salt

- 1/2 a cup of cooking oil

Method:

Prep:

- thinly chop tomatoes
- thinly slice onions
- slit chilli in half
- remove curry leaves from stem and break stem in half
- cube chicken fillets
- in a separate vessel, combine cardamom, fennel, coriander, cumin garam masala, turmeric, chilli powder, and salt. Add half a cup of boiling water and mix thoroughly

Cook:

- On high heat, add the oil to a medium-sized pot.
- Add in cinnamon, star anise, and bay leaf. Simmer until slightly brown
- Add onion, curry leaves (including stems) and chilli and cook until they are well caramelised
- Add in mixture of powder spices and cook for 5 minutes. Add small amounts of water if necessary so that the spices don’t burn.
- Add in chicken and stir
- Add in tomatoes and ginger and garlic paste and stir
- Place the lid on the pot and cook for 10 minutes. Do not add any more water during this time
- Add in fresh cream and cook until the curry has thickened.

 

[TrishH]

 

[Xe]

View attachment 676

This sounds delicious Trish! Do you have any more info on how to do the pastry? Or would it be easier just to buy readymade pastry?

 

[Dr.Page]

As Mint Sauce goes with Lamb and Horse Radish with Beef, I have never served my Christmas Chicken without its Bread Sauce!

Ingredients:

BREAD SAUCE​

The sole survivor of the medieval bread-thickened sauces, the traditional British bread sauce is made with milk, butter or cream, and bread crumbs, flavoured with onion, salt, cloves, pepper, and bay leaf, with the fat from roasting often added too.

For the bread sauce, stud the onion all over with the cloves (4-6), then place into a saucepan along with the bay leaf, peppercorns and milk. Bring the mixture to the boil, remove the pan from the heat and set to cool for 15 minutes. Remove the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns, then stir in the breadcrumbs until the mixture thickens to your liking, and then stir in the Cream or butter. (you can shred the onion and leave it in if you prefer).

Yes you can freeze finished bread sauce (before you add the remaining cream and butter). In a freezer bag or box for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge. As to how many it will serve - it depends how much you put on each plate.

Enjoy it hot with your Christmas Dinner or cold on a sandwich with Chicken,

Dr. John Page.

 

[Maxie58]

Hi guys - happy December! Our household hacks and jokes competitions were both a big hit, so we're rolling out a third one.

This month, we want to hear your most delicious budget-friendly recipes. 'Budget-friendly' is of course a fairly subjective term... We won't be setting a specific upper limit on ingredient costs, but just use your common sense. It's completely fine to have a few 'fancy' ingredients in your recipe, but 'lobster with caviar stuffing' is probably not appropriate

With your recipe, please include:

- Number of servings and approx cost per serving
- Rough prep and cook time
- Ingredients required
- Method

Pics would be great as well, but they're definitely not required!

I'll start with one of my mid-week favourites, Dhal Bhat. I use a pressure cooker to make mine because of how much it speeds things up, but you can use a slow cooker or normal saucepan too.

Number of servings: 4
Approximate cost per serving: $2
Prep time / Cook time: 30 mins / 15 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of yellow split peas (I normally get these: https://www.mckenziesfoods.com.au/product/mckenzies-yellow-split-peas-2/ - they're usually around 2 dollars from Coles, Woolies, etc.)
• Couple of teaspoons of oil (I used olive oil but I guess any kind of oil would do)
• Handful of mustard seeds and/or cumin seeds
• 1 Onion
• A knob of ginger (the paste is also fine)
• A clove or two of garlic
• A few Chillis / Curry leaves (optional)
• 1-2 chopped tomatoes (I normally get lazy and used tinned tomatoes for this)
• A couple of table spoons of turmeric powder
• Some fresh coriander (optional)

Method:

Note: Before starting, you should leave the Dhal (yellow split peas) to soak for as long as possible... At least several hours. And then rinse/wash them thoroughly.

1. Heat the oil in your pan and add the mustard and cumin seeds. Let them simmer for a minute or two.

2. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger (mashed) and saute until the raw smell goes away.

3. Add green chillis and curry leaves, stir for another minute or two.

4. Add turmeric powder and stir until well mixed in.

5. Add the washed Dhal and mix in.

6. Add 1 cup of water (or 1.5 if you want a more 'soupy' result).

7. Set pressure to high. Cook for 10 minutes at pressure, then allow the pressure to release for 10 minutes.

8. After opening, add some fresh coriander and stir for a few minutes on a low heat.


All done! Serve with rice or roti for an amazing, cheap, hearty, vegetarian meal. Add salt (a decent amount usually) and pepper to taste.

The below isn't my video, but this is the recipe I follow:




Now its your turn! What are some of your favourite budget-friendly recipes?

Spring surprise
two packets two minute noodles ( no seasoning)
two packets steam fresh vegetables
seasonings of choice ( Chile, garlic, curry , whatever you have )
grated cheese
Cook noodles without flavour, cook steam fresh vegetables, drain both and add to large pan. add seasonings and about a quarter cup of cheese and stir through. Add more cheese and put lid on pan. Have temperature at medium high.Keep checking the bottom of pan ,
a cheesy crust should have formed. Carefully turn the whole thing over until a crust forms on the other side. Enjoy. Serves at least 4. Cost approx six dollars. delicious crunchy on the outside soft in the centre

 

[Maddison Dwyer]

@TrishH I love how this is on a plate very special

 

[chezna]

3 ingredient Fruit Cake. (16 pieces approx.)
( I use it for my Christmas cake as well by using 1/2 iced coffee & add other half Baileys)

Ingredients​

• 1 kg (6 cups) dried mixed fruit see recipe notes
• 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) iced coffee see notes
• 265 g (2 cups) self-raising flour

Instructions​

• Place the mixed dried fruit into a very large bowl. Add the iced coffee (or liquid substitute) and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the fridge overnight.
• Preheat oven to 160 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease and line a 23cm cake tin with baking paper and set aside.
• Stir the self-raising flour through the fruit mixture and pour into the prepared tin.
• Bake for approximately 1 hour (see notes) or until the cake feels firm in the middle and a skewer inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

RECIPE NOTES​

Mixed dried fruit- can be bought pre-packaged from the dried fruit/nuts section of any major supermarket. I like to use the Sunbeam Mixed Fruitthat contains sultanas, currants, raisins, orange peel, lemon peel and glace cherries.

Iced coffee -I like to use a store-bought iced coffee that is slightly sweetened for this recipe. There are many different brands of iced coffee that you can use, including: Big M, Farmers Union, Dare, Ice Break, Starbucks etc.

Iced coffee substitutes - if you prefer, you can substitute the iced coffee with: juice (orange, apple, pineapple etc), black tea, coffee or chocolate milk.

Adding alcohol - a splash of alcohol can be added to the mixture. These all work well: brandy, whisky, sherry, dark rum, orange-flavoured liqueur, Baileys Irish cream, Kahlua or port.

Preparation time - This recipe need to be started the day before baking as the dried fruit needs to soak in the liquid overnight.

Storing the cake - This cake can be stored for up to 1 month. To store, simply wrap in foil or place into an airtight container at room temperature.

Freezing -Simply wrap the completely cooled cake in a layer of plastic wrap and then two layers of foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

Serving the cake - Serve at room temperature or warm it up and serve with a drizzle of cream or custard (brandy custard is delicious too).

Baking the cake - Cook at 160 degrees celsius fan-forced (320 degrees fahrenheit). If using a conventional oven (not fan forced) increase the temperature to 175 degrees celsius (350 degrees fahrenheit).

Cooking time - Cooking time can vary from 1 hour up to almost 2 hours (normally 1 hour -1 30 minutes) depending on your oven. The cake is cooked if the middle is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

If the cake is browning too much - loosely place a sheet of foil over the top and continue cooking.

 

[Nancyjoy]

Chilli Con Carne

500 gr mince steak
1 tin tomato soup
1 tin red kidney beans
red capsicum
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
rice

Cook mince beef (I generally boil it to leach out the fat and then drain it)
Add the tomato soup and kidney beans (undrained)
Add sliced capsicum
Add chilli powder (you can add more or less depending on your taste - I like it hot so generally put in a whole teaspoon)
Cook till capsicum is tender

Serve with boiled rice.

This recipe is quick and easy to make, very tasty, and any leftovers can be served on toast the next day. Yummo!

 

[LGM548]

Spaghetti Tuna Sauce​

Serves- 4
Prep Time: approx 10 mins
Cooking Time: approx 30 mins


Ingredients:

10ml olive oil
425g Canned Tuna (in oil)
2-3 cloves of crushed garlic
½ bunch of fresh Pasley, chopped
1x bottle of Italian passata sauce
3x tablespoons of Tomato Paste
1x packet Spaghetti
Pinch of Salt and Pepper

Method:

In a medium saucepan on medium heat, add olive oil and garlic.
Once the garlic begins to sizzle, immediately add the tuna and continue to stir for 1 minute.
Add the passata sauce, stir in the parsley, tomato paste, and salt and pepper.
In a separate saucepan, boil spaghetti, and add salt.
When the sauce has begun to boil, turn the heat down and stir, keep at a simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
Once the spaghetti is cooked and drained, mix half of the sauce into the spaghetti, and serve.
Finish off by using the remaining sauce as a topping for each serving.

Enjoy.

 

[Cheb]

These recipes sound so yummy.
I would like to add a cake/slice recipe.
It uses simple ingredients that you probably already have in the pantry.
I like the tangy flavour of the apricots but you could use pureed apples or a pureed tin of peach slices.
I have often taken this slice on picnics, minus the whipped cream.

APRICOT SHORTCAKE SLICE.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of plain flour
1 1/2 cups of self raising flour
1 1/2 cups of castor sugar
2 eggs
250 gms of butter
1 large tin of apricots / drained and pureed

Method:
Mix the first 5 ingredients together to form a stiff dough.
Press 1/2 of this mixture into the base of greased and lined slice pan.
Top this with the pureed apricots.
Crumble the remaining mixture evenly over the puree.
Cook in 180 oven for 35 - 40 minutes.
Dust with icing sugar and add some whipped cream if you like.

Enjoy

 

[Pam Maag]

Sometimes it's the simple things that work the best
This is my 2 ingredient basic party dip
Ingredients:
1 tub of sour cream (use light if lower fat is desired)
Sweet chilli sauce - approx 1/4 cup
Method:
Stir sauce into sour cream - add more or less according to taste
Keep in refrigerator till required
You can serve as it is or add whatever you fancy. Bacon bits, chopped green onions etc.
This is a soft dip so it is easy to serve with corn chips or delicate crackers