meals for people who don't know how to cook

[Bob]

i'm gonna be moving out on my own soon, and i don't know anything about cooking. the most complicated thing i know how to make is spaghetti with meat sauce (and it's not great, but i like it at least). i'm trying to spend as little as possible (i'm looking at well over $100k of student loans to pay back by the end of it, even on a conservative budget), so eating out isn't an option, i need to know some things that i can make at home. preferably easy, cheap, healthy things, or at least two out of the three. meat's ok. don't get me wrong, i like spaghetti, but i'd like to eat other things, too.

i'm sure i'm not the only person here who's made the transition from having their parents cook for them to being out on their own before. what did the rest of you do? i'm looking for regular meal ideas, because honestly aside from spaghetti i don't have any, at all

[abcdefz]

Sandiwches are always a fallback, obviously.

Can you scramble eggs? If you can figure out how to make an omelette, that's a good skill.

Buy yourself a rice cooker for about $20 and get that down. Get a George Foreman grill (about $15) and you can do tons of stuff on there -- chicken breasts, fish, vegetables.

Look at cookbooks in the library or something. Cooking's really fun -- it's like chemistry you can eat, I always say.

[beastiegirrl101]

^ I agree with A-Z spend a few extra bucks on some kitchen gadgets that will aide in your cooking.

My first time out of the house I stocked up on tuna, veggies, eggs, rice, bread, pasta, ect. What I found was hard was when you went grocery shopping buying the right things to make meals that will last you all week. What I do now is go grocery shopping once a week with a list of the meals I want to make that week...where as before I would do all this shopping and then look at everything I bough and seriously have nothing to eat. So be a smart shopper!

tuna salad
pasta salad
sammaches
grilled cheese
eggs are good for breakfast or dinner
learn how to make guacamole!

www.allrecipes.com
www.epicurious.com

[Bob]

yeah, my mom's been in wisconsin for the last week or so, so i've been sort of experimenting with cooking things...it is kinda fun, i must say.

a george forman grill is a great idea, thanks. rice is always safe too. a professor gave me some advice i'll always remember, he said when he first started living on his own, he bought a big bag of rice, so that if there was ever nothing else to eat, there was always the rice to fall back on. i think it's pretty good advice.

eggs i can do. i used to know how to make omelettes, i'm sure i can figure it out again pretty quickly.

[abcdefz]

Oh yeah: a lot of stuff you don't realize you need, you can pick up at thrift stores for pennies on the dollar.

Measuring cup (look for a two-cup Pyrex cup)
Measuring spoons
Silverware, glasses, coffee cups
Hot pads
Cutting knives
Ladle
Spatula
Collander
Blender
Sauce pans
Skillet
Plates
Bowls
Baking pans

etc.

See what you use often, then consider investing in a good one. For instance, if you use a blender once every three months when you get an itch to make some pesto, you probably don't need to invest $100 in one that you might need if you were chopping ice every night for shennanigans.

[cosmo105]

places like target often have "kitchen boxes" for going-away-to-school season, that for about $50 have all the stuff you need to get started. granted, it's really, REALLY cheap and won't last long, but it'll give you an idea of what you use like a-z said. i had one years ago and it was a lifesaver when i first moved out. over time i was able to invest in better equipment...i still use the shitty knife set that came with it though.

i figure when i get married i'll get all that shit for free. (y)

oh, and a george foreman is a must.

[abcdefz]

Off topic a little... when you move, if you have a lot of stuff? Make sure you either have one separate box with the stuff you'll need IMMEDIATELY (toilet paper, hairbrush, deodorant, mom's phone number). Either that or pack that stuff on top. Nothing quite like sitting on the crapper and wondering which box you might've packed the Charmin in, or combing your hair on Morning #1 with a fork because that's the best you can find.

[cosmo105]

^haha. sage words. :D

[abcdefz]

or combing your hair on Morning #1 with a fork because that's the best you can find.




^
True story. PLUS, I had a job interview. :)

[Videodrome]

just eat cereal, that's where it's at!

[abcdefz]

I used to have this great book called College Knowledge, and each section was devoted to Life 101 sort of things: how to deal with renting, maintaining, and vacating an apartment; how to wash clothes; how to choose classes; how to study most effectively, etc.

Anyway, it had a whole section on meals you can cook in one pot, basic cooking instruction, etc. That was an awesome book. EVERYTHING got addressed, from how to choose birth control to where to position your reading lamp to outdoor games for parties to how to tie a Windsor knot.

That book fell apart, and it's expensive as hell now because it's out of print. :(

[HEIRESS]

you pay like 5 bucks for a lil bottle of the white man spices in the store

go the the east indian section and you get like 30 pounds for the same price

cayenne, curry, coriander, cumin, paprika and tumeric are my staples and they go well in any stir fry or chickin dish

[b i o n i c]

I used to have this great book called College Knowledge, and each section was devoted to Life 101 sort of things: how to deal with renting, maintaining, and vacating an apartment; how to wash clothes; how to choose classes; how to study most effectively, etc.

Anyway, it had a whole section on meals you can cook in one pot, basic cooking instruction, etc. That was an awesome book. EVERYTHING got addressed, from how to choose birth control to where to position your reading lamp to outdoor games for parties to how to tie a Windsor knot.

That book fell apart, and it's expensive as hell now because it's out of print. :(


i think i sorta remember a book like that - is it this (http://www.wintergreenorchardhouse.com/new2005.html)?

[b i o n i c]

here you go (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005B6Z1/ref=nosim/002-6102372-5568854?n=284507), bob (http://www.amazon.com/George-Foreman-GR10ABWI/dp/B00005851Z/sr=1-63/qid=1155007997/ref=sr_1_63/002-6102372-5568854?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen) ...

[cosmo105]

^that last one is the one i have. love, love, love it.

[b i o n i c]

me too, theyre so convenient. i keep a list of junk i want to get and this is near the top (http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-1/qid=1155010974/ref=sr_1_1/601-8657234-3454562?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=B0006A305Q) since my old one went into retirement. im quite the sandwich wiz

[b i o n i c]

well lookie here (http://www.amazon.com/Aroma-ARC7031G-6-Cup-Rice/dp/B00006IUV7/ref=br_lf_m_4/002-6102372-5568854?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=kitchen)!

[jackrock]

George Forman is key. So is grilled cheese.

[cosmo105]

i love love love my rice cooker. when fall rolls around, that baby is constantly on the counter.

[abcdefz]

i think i sorta remember a book like that - is it this (http://www.wintergreenorchardhouse.com/new2005.html)?




...there's no author listed, and the format's pretty different. That's kind of like the ADD version of the book I had. :D

That did lead me to Amazon.com to see if anyone was listing it, and they are. (y) The version I had was by Michael Edelhart:


COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE (as I recall), is peppered with thousands of resources and instruction. Need to know how to tie a tie, fight a landlord, make one-pot meals, begin to exercise, find religious kin, get the classes you want, live with a roommate you don't, etc.? This has it; like LIFE 101, it teaches you all kinds of things some take for granted and some desperately need to know. And it's funny. I was amazed how often I would refer to it. Metric conversions, national organizations, automobile savvy -- actually, savvy is perhaps the best way to describe this. I'm hedging my bet with an '8" rating, but after losing the book in a move about 10 years ago, I've not given up on trying to find it.

[Bob]

alright, it's settled, i'm picking up a george forman grill on my way home. what a magical device. god bless you, george forman.

just reading about it made me hungry, i haven't even decided what to cook on it yet.

[abcdefz]

alright, it's settled, i'm picking up a george forman grill on my way home. what a magical device. god bless you, george forman.

just reading about it made me hungry, i haven't even decided what to cook on it yet.


I thought those were hokey as hell until somebody bought me one for Christmas a few years back. It became pretty indespensible. (y)

[Bob]

actually, i just spent some time reading negative reviews, they all seem to indicate the same problems (at least with the model i was looking at); it's hard to clean (no removable plates or anything, you can't submerge it, you can only wipe it down, which is far from sanitary), and it heats food unevenly (burnt on the outside raw on the inside). that doesn't sound so good.

which model do you have? what do you use it for? i'm planning to use it for grilling meat, so it's no good if it doesn't cook it properly.

[abcdefz]

I have what is probably the cheapest one. Maybe $12-$15 at Target. The cleaning part -- bah. You clean wash it off with a hot, soapy scrubber, and, as long the water's hot, it's sanitary. I don't submerge mine, but have no problem running the tap and washing it under there.

As far as cooking unevenly -- I've never, ever, ever had a problem with it as long as the meat was thawed out first.

Meat-wise, I usually cook chicken or fish.

[Bob]

hmm. i don't know what to think. here's what i'm looking at.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B00004R93Z/ref=cm_rev_sort/002-0291205-2363200?customer-reviews.sort_by=-HelpfulVotes&x=6&y=3&s=kitchen

the reviews are so divisive. some say it's the best invention since light, others say it's horrible, that it doesn't cook stuff evenly, that it's hard to clean...normally i'd think that the negative reviewers are doing something wrong, but they're all so similar...maybe they're all negelecting to thaw their meat before they cook it?

well, it's only $20. i've spent more than that on things that turned out to suck. i think i'll take the risk.

[beastiegirrl101]

my ex never cleaned his george foreman. He said it added to the flavor.

[abcdefz]

Some people do that with woks, too.

Imagine how unsanitary cooking methods for the last 3000 years seem to peopl in the last few decades!


Anyway, Bob -- buy it from someplace with a liberal return policy, like Target, and save your receipt. Maybe some units have bad heating filaments or something (though the construction seems to belie that theory). But I'm totally sold on mine.

[Bob]

oh yeah; on the subject of thawing, how long are you supposed to thaw it? i know how to do it, but i don't know how long. for example, if i had some chicken in the freezer that i wanted to eat for dinner, could i put it in the fridge before i leave for work in the morning? or would that be too long? is there such a thing as too long?

these are things i want to know but i don't want to learn the hard way

[b i o n i c]

the ones i posted above are really cheap. isnt not cleaning them really bad for you?

[cosmo105]

oh yeah; on the subject of thawing, how long are you supposed to thaw it? i know how to do it, but i don't know how long. for example, if i had some chicken in the freezer that i wanted to eat for dinner, could i put it in the fridge before i leave for work in the morning? or would that be too long? is there such a thing as too long?

these are things i want to know but i don't want to learn the hard way
that would be fine. as long as it's not in the fridge for more than a day or two, and never at room temperature, you're out of the "food danger zone" (the temperature zone at which there is the most rapid growth of harmful bacteria, 40 degrees F - 140 degrees F i think. it's been a while since culinary arts class).

[Bob]

that would be fine. as long as it's not in the fridge for more than a day or two, and never at room temperature, you're out of the "food danger zone" (the temperature zone at which there is the most rapid growth of harmful bacteria, 40 degrees F - 140 degrees F i think. it's been a while since culinary arts class).

oh yeah, i vaguely remember the danger zone...i never took a class per se, just a half-assed training session back when i had a summer job as a food service goon at an amusement park, but they definitely drilled the danger zone into our heads, because the last thing the management needs is some dumbass 16 year old giving a park guest salmonella.

i forget what the numbers are, though. i wanna say 35-135, but that seems low. i remember we had to cook beef to at least 155 and we had to cook chicken to at least 165 (though we always went well above that, just to be safe, even though the food was already technically cooked, just frozen), but i can't for the life of me remember what the low-end numbers were.

in other news, i picked up the foreman grill today, but i haven't had the chance to use it yet. i'm optimistic about the purchase though, it sounds like exactly what someone in my position needs; quick and easy meals for one.

[HEIRESS]

I like cutting up my chicken into lil stir fryable bits when its frozen

[Rancid_Beasties]

Good/easy things to cook:

Anything with mince (find a good butcher first!) ie meatballs, meatloaf, spaghetti bolognese, rissoles, chilli con carne, lasagne, chow mein, etc etc I have a womans day mince cookbook that is awesomely insanely awesome. We are working our way through every recipe. Mince is cheap, if you find a good place then its not too bad for you, and its versatile.

I find anything with chicken is easy, but I've worked in a chicken deli where we used to make parmigianas and cordon bleus and all sorts of stuff like that. In any case, if you have a similar chicken deli sorta thing like lenards over here, get some schnitzels, put some salsa on then some cheese, maybe some jalapenos, bingo! Parmigiana mexicana! Mashed potato is the easiest thing to serve this with.

My hot tip is get a fucking good cleaver. Like we have a japanese made stainless steal, wooden handled, old school beast. It came with the place (dont worry we washed it well first). A good cleaver with a bit of weight (fuck flimsy titanium) makes chopping veggies alot easier.

What else... ohh yes, george is great. Get a family sized one if you are sharing with others. We have a family sized one and a mini one like you want. The mini one is only good for toasted sandwiches/foccacias. An electric frypan is essential if you have a shitty electric ceramic cooktop like we do. It means you can actually cook fish and stuff at a decent temperature. Electric woks also go well. Uhh thats about it.

Good luck dude! :)

[b i o n i c]

i havent really cooked that much since i moved to a smaller place, but when i realized how much money i was spending i tried to find new ways to cook witohut making a big stink.

steak is soooooo easy. oil pan, preheat oven, wash/salt steak throw it in. after 10 minutes check it periodically. i made the MOST incredible steak for two on sun with a cut i got for $3. wow

[Bob]

rancid: what is mince? is it the same thing as what we call ground beef in america? if it is, i agree, it is pretty easy to do stuff with. just brown it in a pan and add it to things (or add things to it), it's a good base.

i havent really cooked that much since i moved to a smaller place, but when i realized how much money i was spending i tried to find new ways to cook witohut making a big stink.

steak is soooooo easy. oil pan, preheat oven, wash/salt steak throw it in. after 10 minutes check it periodically. i made the MOST incredible steak for two on sun with a cut i got for $3. wow

stupid question, but do you cook it in the stove, or do you cook it in a pan on the burners on top? i thought you cooked it on top for some reason.

actually it's probably best to grill it, but i don't have the room for that.

[abcdefz]

Isn't mince ground lamb or something?

[Rancid_Beasties]

rancid: what is mince? is it the same thing as what we call ground beef in america? if it is, i agree, it is pretty easy to do stuff with. just brown it in a pan and add it to things (or add things to it), it's a good base.
Yep Beef mince is ground beef. But theres also chicken mince, lamb mince and pork mince.

[b i o n i c]

stupid question, but do you cook it in the stove, or do you cook it in a pan on the burners on top? i thought you cooked it on top for some reason.

actually it's probably best to grill it, but i don't have the room for that.


it is best to grill but if you live in a small place, cooking it in the stove like i described can give excellent results

[fucktopgirl]

nice things to do in the winter time is a stew!

It is not hard to achieve at all.

steak in cube
carrot
potatoes
brocoli
ognions
garlic
salt
pepper
stew sauce

you cook your cube steak in a pan first with ognions and garlic(you just make them go brown, dont actually cook them) , then you add the sauce (follow the direction) , add it to the meat , let it mix together for like 5 minutes, turn the heat off. Then cut all your vegetables in cube , put them in a pan( not the right word but..) that go into the oven, add the meat stuff, put the top, heat at 375 and let it cook for an hour or so. Check it once in a while to see the tenderness of the meat and vegetables. You should add the broloci near the end if not they will be smoochy.

And if you dont like thoses vegetables, add the ones you like!

[Bob]

i tested out the grill this weekend, i cooked some shitty $3 steaks. they weren't so good but it wasn't the grill's fault. i overcooked them but they were very thin, i probably didn't need to grill them for so long.

i'm impressed with the grill. it even cleaned up easily, i was surprised. there was some pretty stuck-on black stuff (grease? i dunno), that didn't chip off too well with the plastic spatula thing, but it wiped right off with a wet paper towel. went right in the grease trap, too. what a design!

$20 well spent IMO

[abcdefz]

(y)

Yeah -- the plastic scraper is a little iffy. Stuff comes off easiest while the grill is still hot, but that temperature will melt the scraper.

I usually let it cool off, then wipe it down but don't worry if all the burnt grease doesn't come off; then, after a few uses with that method, I use a sponge pad I'm willing to sacriice and give it a few quick swipes while the grill is still hot. The stuff comes right off, and it's all pretty harmless.

[cosmo105]

just wipe it down with a really wet sponge when it's still pretty hot. it comes clean enough that way.

did you get the one with the bun warmer? that one rules.

[jackrock]

French toast.

Mixing bowl, fork, 2 eggs, milk, bread, pan, syrop, brown sugar (opt)

Mix 2 eggs in the mixing bowl with a tiny tiny dab of milk. when pan is heated take bread and lie the bread down in the egg concotion. cover both sides and place on pan, should grill pretty fast. put syrop on and brownsugar. 2 eggs makes about 3-4 slices.

[Bob]

just wipe it down with a really wet sponge when it's still pretty hot. it comes clean enough that way.

did you get the one with the bun warmer? that one rules.

yep, the bun warmer. i'm wary of using a sponge, like AZ said, i'd have to be willing to sacrifice it. i used a few paper towels, and they got pretty damn nasty. i wouldn't want to go through sponges that quickly. i love my sponges like children

[abcdefz]

i'm wary of using a sponge, like AZ said, i'd have to be willing to sacrifice it. i used a few paper towels, and they got pretty damn nasty. i wouldn't want to go through sponges that quickly. i love my sponges like children



Bah. It's not like one cleaning = one dead sponge.

I use those sponges that're, like... sponge on one side, and a thin, sorta plasticy scrubber pad on the other side. It just gets a little signed if you clean the grill quickly. No reason why the sponge can't last you a month or more, even if you clean the grill thoroughly twice a week.

[cosmo105]

then wait a little bit until it cools down just enough to not burn the sponge. i never clean it when it's still plugged in and cooking-hot. they're just fucking sponges, christ. sanitize them in the dishwasher btw.

[Drederick Tatum]

everyone loves pizza but what some don't realise is that pizza can also be made at home. it's called...homemade pizza.

I lived on these for most of my early years away from home and since I was using lots of vegetables and all that, I wasn't eating that badly.

I used to use frozen premade bases and then just slammed everything on top, but now I make my own dough and the difference is massive. I still use premade bases when I don't have the time or energy to make some dough and they still taste good.

the cool thing about homemade pizzas is that you can put whatever you want on them. no like, bowing down to the man, man.

[cosmo105]

then just slammed everything on top
eh heh.


i love homemade pizza. sometimes i use dough, sometimes a crust, but most of the time i'll buy a loaf of fresh french bread and slice it into quarters and just use that. mmm. little olive oil, spices, tomato sauce, veggies, etc...bitchin'.

[sjp]

well if it hasn't been said most likely has, but tv dinners.

[beastiegirl23]

eh heh.


i love homemade pizza. sometimes i use dough, sometimes a crust, but most of the time i'll buy a loaf of fresh french bread and slice it into quarters and just use that. mmm. little olive oil, spices, tomato sauce, veggies, etc...bitchin'.

we are on the same boat cosmo.....i always try tp put some left over ham and bacon, meat and even tuna...yummy....

[hitmonlee]

easy meals i make:

spaghetti bolognaise. simple, change it up by using different types of pasta, adding extra chilli, different herbs (change the amounts of oregano, thyme and basil used).

generally i buy a jar of pasta sauce and then add extra ingredients (ground beef, onions, chilli, garlic, red wine, basil, oregano, thyme). for another varitation, use chicken mince, or diced chicken breasts instead of the beef.

tacos: cook ground beef with taco spices or chilli mix (i buy a packet -cheap) just chop up a bunch of vegetables you like (personally i use lots of vegies in tacos so i get some goodness in my diet - lettuce, tomato, grated carrot, spring onion, grated zucchini) and serve with cheese, sour cream and guacamole. yum. also easy is enchiladas (these are better with chicken) or fajitas or whatever.

curry: chicken, beef or lamb all make good curries. i also add diced potatos because they are cheap and you get extra curry (just means you need to cook it for a few hours - or par boil the potatoes before adding them). i buy jars of curry paste because i think they are great, quick and easy, but heiress listed basic spices you need. serve with rice and natural yogurt.

stir fry: can make a simple stir fry sauce with soy, sweet chilli, fish or oyster sauce, sesame oil. brown onions, remove from wok. brown the meat (chicken or beef) with lots of ginger, garlic, fresh chilli. remove from wok. stir fry vegies in order of time they take to cook (i use capsicum, carrot, mini corns, broccoli, spring onion), then put the onions, meat and sauce in the pan. just adjust the sauce to taste. adding either coriander or fresh basil can change up a stir fry nicely. another one i make with just coconut milk, chilli and coriander, its sort of a laksa. easy. serve with noodles or rice.

toasted sandwiches or fresh sandwiches. buy a roast chicken or ham or something for these.

steak. if you get bored of steak try serving it with different sauces each time, different marinades, cajun spices, etc. serve with mashed or boiled potatoes or chips. salad or steamed vegies on the side.

[beastiegirl23]

easy meals i make:

spaghetti bolognaise. simple, change it up by using different types of pasta, adding extra chilli, different herbs (change the amounts of oregano, thyme and basil used).

generally i buy a jar of pasta sauce and then add extra ingredients (ground beef, onions, chilli, garlic, red wine, basil, oregano, thyme). for another varitation, use chicken mince, or diced chicken breasts instead of the beef.

tacos: cook ground beef with taco spices or chilli mix (i buy a packet -cheap) just chop up a bunch of vegetables you like (personally i use lots of vegies in tacos so i get some goodness in my diet - lettuce, tomato, grated carrot, spring onion, grated zucchini) and serve with cheese, sour cream and guacamole. yum. also easy is enchiladas (these are better with chicken) or fajitas or whatever.

curry: chicken, beef or lamb all make good curries. i also add diced potatos because they are cheap and you get extra curry (just means you need to cook it for a few hours - or par boil the potatoes before adding them). i buy jars of curry paste because i think they are great, quick and easy, but heiress listed basic spices you need. serve with rice and natural yogurt.

stir fry: can make a simple stir fry sauce with soy, sweet chilli, fish or oyster sauce, sesame oil. brown onions, remove from wok. brown the meat (chicken or beef) with lots of ginger, garlic, fresh chilli. remove from wok. stir fry vegies in order of time they take to cook (i use capsicum, carrot, mini corns, broccoli, spring onion), then put the onions, meat and sauce in the pan. just adjust the sauce to taste. adding either coriander or fresh basil can change up a stir fry nicely. another one i make with just coconut milk, chilli and coriander, its sort of a laksa. easy. serve with noodles or rice.

toasted sandwiches or fresh sandwiches. buy a roast chicken or ham or something for these.

steak. if you get bored of steak try serving it with different sauces each time, different marinades, cajun spices, etc. serve with mashed or boiled potatoes or chips. salad or steamed vegies on the side.

wow you are making me hungry :p

[lyneday]

If you have a toaster over, a real quick and easy meal = english muffin pizza's

split the muffin, toast it a bit
put some sauce, spices and cheese
toast a bit more to melt the cheese.

they can be done in the oven too .. but for one person the toaster oven is easier

[King PSYZ]

Bob, I'm here to help:

First off, Super Ramen. This one is a perfect "I got shit in the house but not enough to make a full meal with" meal. Veggies, meats, whatevers. I take a wok (which should be the next cooking untensil after a rice cooker) and a little vegetable oil. Chop, dice, slice, mince up the ingredients at will. If you're using raw meats, fry them first and wait til they start to cook before adding anything else. With veggies, the denser the veggie indicates the cooking order. So Potato, Carrots, and the like are first, while Tomato and other soft foods would be last. While that's frying up take a bowl and your ramen noodles, throw out the msg pack and add some water and soy sauce in the bowl with the brick o noodles. Don't bother to measure the water, just make sure there's a decent ammount for cooking the noodles. Strain noodles and add to the stir fry and mix well. Add some splashes of Soy and if you have some, a dash of ginger powder and brown sugar for a teriaki taste.

Second are the prepacked frozen rice or noodle stir frys you see in the frozen foods section. These are great and was a great diet too, I was at my healthiest when I lived off this because you get veggies and a starch. Add some tofu or meat and you're set. If you're really broke get some plain peanuts and throw them in the mix. These things are great, just heat a wok and throw the bag in. You can always store the leftovers for the next time, or for lunch the next day.

Other than that, rice, beans, and long lasting veggies are key. Onion, Garlic, Potato, and Carrot should be your new friends. Stews are choice as well, don't be afraid to small scale experiment. The longer you cook, the easier it is to figure out what goes well together.

[*Paris*]

If someone didn't know how to cook, I'd fire them.

[zorra_chiflada]

If someone didn't know how to cook, I'd fire them.

yeah, like you eat anything but dick anyway

[ggirlballa]

yeah, like you eat anything but dick anyway

lol

[lyneday]

Bob, I'm here to help:

Second are the prepacked frozen rice or noodle stir frys you see in the frozen foods section. These are great and was a great diet too, I was at my healthiest when I lived off this because you get veggies and a starch. Add some tofu or meat and you're set. If you're really broke get some plain peanuts and throw them in the mix. These things are great, just heat a wok and throw the bag in. You can always store the leftovers for the next time, or for lunch the next day.

If you have a Trader Joe's near you, their stir frys are awesome!! Anything I've had from that store has been good and it's cheaper than shopping in a regular grocery store.


Found these (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/69840/holiday_gifts_for_people_living_on.html)when I was searching gift ideas ...

How To Cook Everything

This comprehensive book by Mark Bittman is great for anyone navigating his or her own kitchen for the first time. Although it assumes some of the most basic culinary skills, Bittman's helpful tips and easy-to-understand instructions will help the neophyte…well…cook everything. Saves money, too, by offering recipes that don't require expensive ingredients or fancy equipment, so you can make dishes that will let you keep to your budget and eat well, too. Available from amazon.com or most bookstores. Amazon pricing: Hardcover - $23.10; Paperback - $14.93


Subscription to Real Simple Magazine

I picked up a copy of this magazine casually at the gym one day and was immediately hooked. It's full of money-saving tips for decorating, shopping and menu planning, as well as advice for optimizing time spent doing household chores and errands. Geared toward women, but I doubt most men would be embarrassed to have it sitting on their coffee tables. Order a subscription or a free sample from their web site. $23.95 for 12 issues; $17.95 for each additional gift for those other people in your life who could use a little simplicity.