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Monday, August 15, 2011

Eating Cheap in Hard Times | 10 Delicious Low-cost Cajun Meals

Listed below are 10 gourmet-style Cajun recipes that can be prepared on the cheap during hard times without sacrificing flavor, taste and the piggy bank.

Long grain rice, dried beans, inexpensive meats, (hamburger, chicken, bacon), potatoes, onions, bell peppers, celery, butter, eggs, and a few basic spices make-up the majority of ingredients in these ten simple recipes.

During hard times, we must often cut back on some of the more expensive foods which we like, and have grown accustomed to, during the good times.

This is especially true if our recipes call for special meats (seafood, prime cuts of pork and beef, etc.), and exotic add-ins. But, it does not mean that we have to sacrifice flavor and taste when cooking gourmet-quality low-cost meals.

Spices are the first things which come to mind. Since I grow most of my own herbs indoors or outside on the patio, I have a constant stock on hand and that saves me money. When I must get spices from the store, I will usually wait until I see them on sale before I buy.

Most of the time, however, spices purchased from the grocer will cost, on average, about $3 to $5 for a small container of the dried stuff (at today's prices). Growing your own herbs makes a lot of sense (and cents). Fresh herbs will intensify the already delicious taste of these meals.

As you consider these KT (kitchen tested) recipes, you will notice that the costs to prepare these foods are relatively low, but the quality is deliciously high. Bon appetite!


10 Low-cost Cajun Meals

Breakfast Fried Rice (video)
Add cooked white rice, stir fry until hot. Stir cooked onion and bacon mixture back into the rice. Push the rice, bacon, and onion to the outside of the pan. Pour beaten eggs into the middle of the pan. ...
Chicken Gumbo (a good winter meal)
Ingredients | 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 cup cooking oil; 1 (4 to 5) lb. chicken, cut into pieces; 1 cups onion, chopped; 1/2 cup celery, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced; 1/2 cup green onions, chopped; 1/4 cup parsley, chopped; Water ...
 Cajun Rice Dressing (a/k/a Dirty Rice)
Brown ground meat. Add onions, bell pepper and celery. Cook until tender. Add ½ cup water, onion soup mix and seasonings. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Add mixture and green onion tops to cooked rice. Stir and mix well. ... 
 Red Beans and Rice 
Ingredients | 1 lb. dry red kidney beans (large or small); 2 medium onions, chopped; 6 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped; 3 ribs celery, chopped; 1 cup chopped bell pepper; 2 tsp Colgin liquid smoke ... 
 Hamburger, Cheese and Potato Casserole (video)
This meal is a kid-pleaser without a doubt. Not only very tasty, it is simple to prepare.
 Jambalaya
Ingredients|1 large green bell pepper, chopped, 3 stalks celery, chopped, 2 large onions, chopped, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1/2 cup green onion, chopped, 2 Tbsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp red pepper, 1/2 cup oil, 2 cups long grain white rice...
 Chicken Stew
Ingredients |1 four to five pound hen cut into pieces (never use fryer); 1/2 cup oil; 1/2 cup all-purpose four; 2 cups onions, chopped; 1/2 cup celery, chopped; 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 2 cups water
 Crock Pot Beef Stew
Ingredients 2 lbs. beef stew meat 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 4 Tbs butter 1 can beef broth (10.5 oz.) 1 can cream of mushroom soup (10.5 oz.) 1 cup onions, chopped 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped 1/2 cup celery, chopped ... 
Cajun Hobo Dinner 
The reason I called this meal a Cajun Hobo Dinner is because I added the vegetable 'trinity' to the meal, i.e., onions, bell pepper and celery, as well as the other vegetables and seasonings outlined in the list below.  
 Combo Salmon-Tuna-Potato Patties
This is a simple combo meal you can whip-up in just a few minutes. I use a combination of two kinds of canned fish and a couple boiled potatoes to make these yummy ...

    Look around our site, you will find several more recipes for low-cost meals which may help to get you through rough times. Bon Appetit! 

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    1 comment:

    1. From FB by Craig J. Doucette. "Because of the intense flavors of Cajun cooking and variety of ingredients, cheaper cuts of meats and less flavorful vegetables end up tasting great. Thanks Jacques."

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