More Easy & Cheap Recipes. Dinner’s Ready!

You asked for it! Here are more easy and cheap recipes that you can get on your dinner table in less than 30 minutes.

Easy Calzone Rolls
$1.10 (two slices per serving)

An easy and economical alternative to take-out pizza, this dish is cheap, yummy and fun to make with kids. Skip the grated cheese and buy a less expensive block. The kids can do the grating while you slice up the meats. Even with less meat than a traditional calzone, there’s still plenty of flavor and all for about $1.10 per serving (2 slices).

Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 30 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

2 loaves frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 pound sliced ham
1/2 pound sliced hard salami
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup jarred marinara sauce

Directions

1. Roll each loaf of dough into a rectangle about 8 inches by 12 inches.
2. Layer ham and salami down the center of each rolled loaf lengthwise.
3. Top meats with 1 cup shredded mozzarella for each roll.
4. Fold short ends of each loaf in about 1/2 inch and seal. Roll from the long sides and pinch well to seal the entire loaf. You should have 2 long rolls.
5. Bake, seam side down on a greased baking sheet in a 375 degree F oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Cut each roll into 8 slices and serve with marinara for dipping.

Tortellini with Edamame & Smoked Sausage
$.85 per serving

Buy larger containers of all ingredients and double the recipe. Freeze leftovers in individual portions for a quick and economical frozen meal later in the week.

Hands-On Time: 30 minutes
Ready In: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
1 pound frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup shelled edamame*
1 cup diced red pepper
1 pound smoked sausage
1/2 cup Italian dressing

Directions

1. Set 6 quarts of salted water to boil in a large pot.
2. Meanwhile, chop red pepper and slice the smoked sausage into 1/4 inch-thick rounds.
3. Stir-fry red pepper and sausage together until heated through — about 5 minutes.
4. Add tortellini to boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add edamame to water and boil for another 2 minutes. Drain tortellini and edamame well.
6. Toss everything together with the Italian dressing and heat through one final time.

*Ingredient Tips
Edamame (ed-ah-MAH-may) are boiled green soybeans commonly served as a mild, crunchy appetizer in Japanese restaurants. They have become more common in Western culture in recent years. Most often sold in the U.S. frozen in shelled or unshelled form, they are packed with vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, calcium, protein and fiber. For this recipe, frozen shelled is best. If you must buy them in the pod, take the prep time of shelling them into account, it can get very tedious.

Easy Chicken Lo Mein
$1.20 per serving

Swapping out tofu for the chicken would make the dish even less expensive and just as protein rich. You can also try using boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of the pricier white meat chicken.

Hands-On Time: 20 minutes
Ready In: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil-sesame or peanut oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin slices
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce or teriyaki sauce
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger or 1 teaspoon powder
1 3-ounce package chicken flavor ramen noodle soup
1 1-lb bag frozen mixed oriental vegetables
1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until no longer pink.
2. Add vegetables and lid. Cook until vegetables are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
3. In the meantime, cook the noodles (without the flavoring packet) according to package directions. Drain.
4. Add soy sauce, garlic, ginger and seasoning packet to water. Mix well. Pour over chicken and vegetables, add noodles and toss to mix.

All recipes from Anne Coleman (aka Short Order Mom).