Food Ideas - Oswego,IL

I agree, try the crockpot. Are you familiar with the lady who did a crockpot recipe every day for a year? I use a lot of her ideas and they also happen to be pretty budget-friendly. Also with a crockpot, you can easily double the recipe and freeze a portion to reheat the following week.

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

My favorite budget-friendly family meal is rice and beans. Cup of rice, can of black or pinto beans, two cups water, cook. Sprinkle shredded cheddar or a mexican cheese blend on before serving. You can serve it on its own or in taco shells or soft tortillas. It's (relatively) healthy, my kids love it and it also reheats well.

Hi Osmom,
One dinner I like and is super easy and good is chicken and stuffing.You put boneless chicken breasts in a glass baking dish then dump cream of chicken soup over them, top with premade stuffing mix, cover with foil. Bake at 400 for about 1 hr. make veggies for sides and you have an easy meal. I also like homemade Mac and cheese 1lb elbow mac,melt 3 tbs of butter stir and coat mac,add 8oz of shredded cheese,cover with 4 cups of milk in a round baking dish. Bake at 325 for 1 hr. Hope these help. H.

make casseroles and freeze them like lazana with n without racotta cheese, sheppards pie you can find turkey/chicken/beef vierations and can pack them full of veggies i would just make the meat/veggie/gravy part then make the mashed potatoes fresh. you can do stuffed peppers, hamburgers hot dogs, steak/chicken salads with fries

Will the guests, ALWAYS be at home, morning/noon/and evening... to eat?
Or will they be out and about... and also eating out????
If so, you do not have to cook for them, 3 meals a day, every darn day.

We have had guests that stayed for awhile,and they were mostly out ALL day... and into the night.
Thus, I did not have to cook 'for' them every day all day. Because, they were self-sufficient and busy and mostly just came back to rest and sleep.

Make:
salads
Omelettes
BBQ on grill
Crock pot anything
Pastas
Casseroles
Stews
Soup and salad.

It does not have to be 'fancy' foods.
It is not a hotel restaurant.

I blogged about this a while ago. Although the topic was about feeding a family of 4 on a budget, it works here just as well. http://heyyougetreal.com/momblog/how-can-i-feed-a-family-...

B.
Family Success Coach

Well using a crock pot is always nice because you can fix it and forget it and have a wonderful hot meal, also because the crock pot cooks slow you can buy cheaper cuts of meat and still have it be tasty. My mom will make a big beef brisket or spiral cut ham when she has company, then you have it as a main meal and then use it for sandwiches for lunch over the week.
We are big on Spaghetti, you can round it out with a nice crusty loaf of bread and a salad. You can make grown up versions of kid favorites...a made from scratch macaroni and cheese with diced ham is a meal, or even something we love is tomato basil soup with grilled cheese made on Texas toast. Adding "courses" to your meal makes the main dish go further, we eat a lot of salads or soup before the main meal...French onion soup looks expensive when served traditionally with the round of french bread and cheese on top ( but is really inexpensive to make) Cooking hot dogs and burgers out on the grill can be rounded out into a meal with easy additions of baked beans or a pasta salad, chips, pickles. Muffins make for nice addition to breakfast and are relatively inexpensive. The most inexpensive desserts are making a cake from a box mix or a jello salad.

I buy Hormel pork loin (plain) when they go buy one get one free and then cook them in a crock pot all day for great pulled pork.

Put the loins (2-3) in the pot, pour a little apple cider vinegar in the bottom and then set on low for 7 hours. I then clean out the pot, put the pork back in, shred it and then pour BBQ sauce on top and heat for another 20 - 30 minutes. serve w/ rolls, slaw, corn bread, beans, salad... you name it! DELICIOUS.

If you don't have apple cider you can use apple juice or just water... about 2 inches.

Do easy stuff - grill out, make sandwiches and salads, have a grilled cheese and canned soup night - think childhood comfort foods.

I have a few Pampered chef recipes in my files - send me a reply with your email and I will copy and paste them to you - they are prepared very quickly.

M.

I would cut up fresh veggies and fruits and put those out at every meal, make a simple side like baked beans, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, fries, rice, and then either a crockpot of inexpensive meat cut add in either bbq sauce, or chicken,hot dogs or burgers, crockpot casserole or soup and just have it available at meal times. No need to serve extravagent meals that cost alot and no need to buy cold cuts that cost alot soup/grilled cheese/french toast, quiche all quick all easy and not too expensive. good luck and have fun with your guests and don't spend too much time in the kitchen.