We had our friend Maryanne over for dinner last night. It was a pretty simple meal, and cheap too. I made chicken with orange sauce (used jarred sauce), fried rice, and stir-fried veggies. I made enough to serve 3 adults and a toddler - said toddler only really ate a few bites of broccoli and some chicken. Maybe 3 bites of rice.
Chicken with Orange Sauce
1 lb chicken breast strips ($2)
1/4 small jar Trader Joe's Orange Sauce ($0.70)
2 T. canola oil ($0.10)
Total: $2.80
Season chicken with S&P to taste. Saute chicken in oil until browned. Add a few Tbsp of orange sauce at the end and stir well.
Fried Brown Rice
1.5 cup dry brown rice (0.50)
2.75 cup water
1/2 lb frozen peas and carrots (0.50)
1 ear corn, cooked (0.75) - we had a leftover ear from the CSA this week. You could use frozen, canned, or leave it out to lower the cost. This was the case of "I have it, I'm using it."
1 tsp dark sesame oil (0.07)
1 T canola oil (0.05)
2 T soy sauce (0.18)
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced (0.08)
1 large clove garlic, minced (0.20)
salt and pepper
Total: $2.33 (and this made enough for two meals)
Cook brown rice a day ahead of time (or at least a little bit ahead of time). Heat oil in large frying pan. Add ginger and garlic, stir-fry for one minute. You can add green onions here too, but my friend doesn't like onion. Add rice and saute for a few minutes to warm up. Add defrosted peas and carrots, and corn. Stir well and saute for a couple more minutes.
Add soy sauce, sesame oil, S&P to taste.
Mixed vegetables:
1 lb frozen broccoli, carrot, cauliflower mix from Costco (1.08)
1 T canola oil (0.05)
1 T soy sauce (0.09)
S&P to taste.
Total: $1.22
Steam veggies in microwave to cook. Saute for 3 mins on medium-high heat in oil (this deepens the flavor). Mix soy sauce and S&P at the end.
Total cost of meal for 3 adults:
$1.17 (half the rice)+2.80 (chicken) + 1.22 (vegetables) = $5.26, or $1.75 per serving.
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