If you find yourself fixing the same old dishes for dinner night after night, you may be looking for something new and exciting for your evening meal. However, should your grocery budget be a bit limited, you may think you will be stuck with the same things you are currently fixing. Yet once you start doing some research, you’ll be surprised to discover there are many fancy entrees you can prepare with ingredients that are quite cheap. If you’re ready to put your cooking skills to the test and try something new in the kitchen, here are five meals that won’t break your budget.
Chicken Satay
Needing primarily onions, brown rice, garlic, some chicken stock, and satay sauce, Chicken Satay can be prepared in only 30 minutes and is a great Asian inspired dish for you and your family. To cook, it is often best to use a wok, but any type of skillet or frying pan works as well. If you have additional spices or ingredients to add in, like lemongrass, turmeric, peanuts, or chili paste, these will give the dish more flavor and variety. However you can also keep the meal fairly simple for a lower price.
Pork Cutlet Parmigiana
If you love parmesan dishes but find they are sometimes too expensive for your budget, try this recipe for pork cutlet parmigiana. While you’ll need two pounds of pork tenderloin, other ingredients are rather inexpensive, such as spaghetti sauce, breadcrumbs, eggs, and mozzarella cheese. Once you’ve got this ready to go, make sure you have some great wine purchased from a liquor store to wash it down.
Mushroom and Bacon Pasta
When you combine pasta, bacon, mushrooms, hot pepper flakes, and more, you’ve got mushroom and bacon pasta that is cheap to fix and tastes superb. Usually served with parmesan cheese on the side, expect this to become a go-to dish for you and your family. For some extra flavor to this dish, visit your local liquor store to pick up a wine to pair with it as well as vodka to include in the sauce.
Wasabi-Seared Tuna Salad
Once you eat this type of tuna salad, you’ll never want to go back to traditional types. Able to be fixed in only 20 minutes, you’ll need sushi-grade tuna steaks, but after that you can use such cheaper ingredients as soy sauce, salad greens, avocados, wasabi powder, and others. By searing the tuna just enough to develop a crust, you’ll have a great meal at the ready.
Cajun Chicken Burgers
If you think burgers can’t be fancy, think again. By fixing Cajun chicken burgers, you can combine bacon, ciabatta rolls, spinach, and sliced cheese to have a meal you will look forward to on a regular basis.
Whether you only fix one of these meals or decide to try your hand at all five, you’re sure to find at least one that will take your taste buds to the next level.
