# Fun with Ramen ... or other cheeep food



## Amelia (May 14, 2012)

Last night I sliced up a strawberry and added it after I stirred up my ramen.  Liked it so well I tried it again today with more strawberries.  




What fun/weird stuff do you do with your cheap food?


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## zzzz (May 14, 2012)

Amelia said:


> Last night I sliced up a strawberry and added it after I stirred up my ramen.  Liked it so well I tried it again today with more strawberries.
> 
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> ...



On a Ramen noodle budget eh?

try these 
http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2009/12/01/100-awesome-ramen-recipes-for-starving-college-students/


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## Agent_Mulder (May 19, 2012)

Years ago I also lived on a Ramen Noodle Budget...Ramen noodles and Peanut Butter sandwiches...now I've upgraded to Garlic shells and Ham and Cheese sandwiches.


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## koshergrl (May 25, 2012)

I like potato chip sandwiches...bread, mayo, a little ketchup and potato chips.

Or potato chip and bolgna, same thing.


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## Sallow (May 25, 2012)

Amelia said:


> Last night I sliced up a strawberry and added it after I stirred up my ramen.  Liked it so well I tried it again today with more strawberries.
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Having been to Japan and China multiple times..Noodles are a big deal there.

Best way to do it..is cook the ingredients separately..and put them together when done.


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## koshergrl (May 25, 2012)

I like pork noodles, made with real pork broth. 

The best I ever had probably was like 3000 year old soup, you know, the kind they just keep going all the time and add to regularly. And probably had things other than pork in it. It was almost black, and it was yummy. That was the restaurant that got fined for using road kill. I don't care, they had the best *pork* noodles I've ever had.

I like boiled eggs and green onions in my ramen, thrown in at the end. A lot of green onion.


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## iamwhatiseem (May 27, 2012)

umm...a pot of vegetable soup is cheap and will feed you for a week. Can be frozen  for later also. 1000 times better for you than softened cardboard..err...ramen noodles.


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## Trajan (May 27, 2012)

when I started out here in cali..  I lived on the shit. 

Top Ramen was 65 cents a pack, add half a bag of Pastables, lunch and dinner for 2 bucks.


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## MeBelle (May 27, 2012)

Trajan said:


> when I started out here in cali..  I lived on the shit.
> 
> Top Ramen was 65 cents a pack, add half a bag of Pastables, lunch and dinner for 2 bucks.



If I could only figure out what Pastables are, I may agree with you


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## MeBelle (May 27, 2012)

iamwhatiseem said:


> umm...a pot of vegetable soup is cheap and will feed you for a week. Can be frozen  for later also. 1000 times better for you than softened cardboard..err...ramen noodles.



But you need your carbs! 

Vegies are not all that inexpensive these days, unless you grow your own, or swipe them from the neighbors garden.


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## koshergrl (May 28, 2012)

Yes veggie soup is great for you.

A straight week of it will turn you into a ravening serial killer.

Stew, beans or chili aren't any better..the only difference being you won't actually eat your victims after killing them when you're forced to subsist on those things for long periods of time.


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## earlycuyler (May 28, 2012)

koshergrl said:


> Yes veggie soup is great for you.
> 
> A straight week of it will turn you into a ravening serial killer.
> 
> Stew, beans or chili aren't any better..the only difference being you won't actually eat your victims after killing them when you're forced to subsist on those things for long periods of time.



Beans are ok though, you just have to get the right stuff to go with them. In the days when food shopping was 2/3 beer 1/3 everything else a few bounds of pinto's went a long way. That and onion, minced garlic, pound or two of jalapeno, chili powder and some ground beef, chicken or ham and you are ready to go. Some tomes I would snare squirrels for the beans, but the wife put a stop to that when she moved in. Add scratch biscuits, tortilla, or corn bread and you got good eats. WAY better then a  sodium flavored ramen .


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## koshergrl (May 28, 2012)

Oh I can't handle ramen every day, either.

I was raised on beans and stew. We always had a pot of something on the wood stove. Yes it's absolutely good food.

But after 2 days of it, I still wanted to kill someone.


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## Trajan (May 28, 2012)

MeBelle60 said:


> Trajan said:
> 
> 
> > when I started out here in cali..  I lived on the shit.
> ...



they don't seem to make them anymore, but I think it was Birdseye, they packed veggies like broccoli carrots corn and elbow macaroni together in a frozen 2 lb bag. 

you mix them in with the top ramen to give it some substance. they were like $2 a bag....one bag 3 top ramens and you have like 5 meals....oh and 2 pieces of white bread on the side 

a hold over 'snack' when I was growing up was mayonnaise slathered on a piece of bread


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## Sarah G (May 28, 2012)

They have 20 piece packs of chicken drums or thighs at my store for 3.99.  When I was poor starting out, I used to buy that kind of stuff along with veggies and potatoes.  You can get quite a few meals out of that.  One drumstick and a boiled potato is a lot better than a styrofoam cup of noodles.  

I still buy a big 24 piece sausage link,  bigger packs of ground beef, etc,  divide it up into smaller bundles and freeze it.  

Of course I never bought beer in place of food.  I never even heard of Ramen noodles until later in life.  We all have our priorities but shopping well should be part of the curriculumat school.  Real life stuff.


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## koshergrl (May 28, 2012)

Ramen is okay once in a while...it's bouillon and noodles, and you can add anything to it. Peas, shrimp, pork, eggs, corn, green onions.

I get the packages of thighs..thighs work well for making soups/dumplings. I throw a couple or three thighs in a pot, fill it with water, salt it...if I have it on hand and want to speed up the process I might use chicken broth instead of or in place of some of the water. Cut up half an onion, salt, pepper, boil until the meat comes off the bone. Then add dumplings or noodles...


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## Samson (May 28, 2012)

Amelia said:


> Last night I sliced up a strawberry and added it after I stirred up my ramen.  Liked it so well I tried it again today with more strawberries.
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> ...



You are a freak.



I was watching that TV show with the Sheldon character (As I'm not a fan, I cannot recall the title). The slaves enjoy it.

Anyway, during the episode Sheldon mentioned his favorite dinner: Spagetti with cut up hot dogs.

Disgusting.

But I made it anyway, because it was cheap and easy. 

Amazingly, the slaves loved it.


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## Sarah G (May 28, 2012)

koshergrl said:


> Ramen is okay once in a while...it's bouillon and noodles, and you can add anything to it. Peas, shrimp, pork, eggs, corn, green onions.
> 
> I get the packages of thighs..thighs work well for making soups/dumplings. I throw a couple or three thighs in a pot, fill it with water, salt it...if I have it on hand and want to speed up the process I might use chicken broth instead of or in place of some of the water. Cut up half an onion, salt, pepper, boil until the meat comes off the bone. Then add dumplings or noodles...



I cook those thighs and pull the meat off with a fork, put a little mayo, grapes, nuts, celery and it makes a good summer meal.  Put it on bread or just lettuce.  A glass of lemonade along with it.

Paula Deen used to run a business called The Bag Lady where she sold chicken salad sandwiches to construction workers.  Her recipe called for a couple of tablespoons of chicken stock added to the chicken salad.  It really makes it, imo.


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## earlycuyler (May 28, 2012)

Trajan said:


> MeBelle60 said:
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> > Trajan said:
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We get something like that. Good stuff for microwave food. I like to take it for lunch.


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## MHunterB (Jun 22, 2012)

One weird tip for those who make tuna salad - try substituting either plain lowfat yoghurt or nonfat sour cream for half of the mayo.....  Less calories, more protein, and better taste.  (The yoghurt will separate if there are leftovers)


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## MHunterB (Jun 22, 2012)

I still cruise the 'scratch 'n' dent' shelves in the supermarket to decide what would be on the menu....  sometimes there are 10 or 12 packages of mushrooms for a buck each (instead of $2.49 or more!), which can be cooked up en masse and stashed in the freezer in baggies of assorted sizes.

I also freeze leftover veggies, and then throw them into soup/stew/pasta.  Or else just stash 'em in the fridge to add to the next day's salad.

It's cheaper to just use regular pasta and add 'broth' - you can get 'gravy starter' in several different flavors and add as desired.  Or freeze leftover gravy to toss in.  

And then there's the all-purpose easy meal:  Glop.  Thing-in-a bowl.  There are many many variations of this, but the basic idea is some kind of meat with some kind of veggies in some kind of sauce over some kind of starch.   It could be a pound of boneless chicken strips, a package of mixed veggies and a jar/can/packet of gravy, served over rice or potatoes.  Or pasta with meat sauce.   Or 'Sloppy Janes' - which is ground turkey with the sauce AND half a bag of diced onions and peppers added, on buns.


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## Ringel05 (Jun 23, 2012)

Cream of mushroom soup, mixed veggies and hamburger over rice was one of my staples, it would last for days, I ate once, maybe twice a day back then.  Still do it on occasion but now I use chicken and add cheddar cheese soup, diced onion, garlic, dijon mustard and real cheddar cheese. 
Another one that's cheap and goes a long ways is make a bread pudding but instead of it being a desert use a pound of breakfast meat and a pound of shredded cheese layered in the bread.  You can use the cheap white bread or save up (refrigerate) any stale bread you have left until you have enough.


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## Sarah G (Jun 23, 2012)

Ringel05 said:


> Cream of mushroom soup, mixed veggies and hamburger over rice was one of my staples, it would last for days, I ate once, maybe twice a day back then.  Still do it on occasion but now I use chicken and add cheddar cheese soup, diced onion, garlic, dijon mustard and real cheddar cheese.
> Another one that's cheap and goes a long ways is make a bread pudding but instead of it being a desert use a pound of breakfast meat and a pound of shredded cheese layered in the bread.  You can use the cheap white bread or save up (refrigerate) any stale bread you have left until you have enough.



I used to and still do make gr. beef, chopped pepper, can of mushroom soup and a can of tomato soup and put it over bread, rice or even mashed potatoes.

It stays good for several meals.


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## koshergrl (Jun 23, 2012)

Mushroom soup is a thing of wonder.


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## Ringel05 (Jun 23, 2012)

Here's one that goes a long way:
(Remember, when do this I'm cooking for 30+)

4 large cans condensed cream of chicken
4 large cans condensed cream of mushroom
6 regular size cans condensed cheddar cheese soup
4 bags frozen broccoli pieces, thawed and the big pieces diced up. 
2 onions, diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 5lb bag potatoes, diced
5 lbs diced, cooked chicken
1 small bottle Dijon mustard
1 2lb bag shredded cheese (Colby or cheddar)

Mix everything except the mustard and cheese, cook till the potatoes are done then add the mustard and cheese, let simmer on low for about 15 to 20 minutes.  They'll be coming back for seconds.


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## Sarah G (Jun 23, 2012)

koshergrl said:


> Mushroom soup is a thing of wonder.



Love the stuff.


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## earlycuyler (Jun 23, 2012)

Its hard to beat the canned biscuit as a component is a cheap and easy meal.


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## earlycuyler (Jun 23, 2012)

I also forgot to point out that Amelia is obviously a stoner.


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## Amelia (Jun 23, 2012)




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## MHunterB (Jun 23, 2012)

Sheeeesh,  Ringel - Only 2 cloves of garlic for all that????  What are you, Swedish?????*
Now if it were bulbs, then it'd be OK........




*(My friends of Swedish descent claim that garlic is considered an exotic spice by Swedish cooks)


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## Ringel05 (Jun 23, 2012)

MHunterB said:


> Sheeeesh,  Ringel - Only 2 cloves of garlic for all that????  What are you, Swedish?????*
> Now if it were bulbs, then it'd be OK........
> 
> 
> ...



Ya have to remember, the numbers I cook for are typical American mix of tastes some of who don't always like "stronger" flavors.  Besides, it's a soup which is supposed to accentuate the Cheese and Dijon, not the garlic. 
Now if ya want garlic, when making Chicken Cacciatore cut two bulbs in half and add them............  You'll be sweating garlic for weeks.


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## Samson (Jun 23, 2012)

I found a Hawaiian Fast Food place in San Diego, L & L Hawaiian BBQ and HAD TO GET THIS:

Musubi:








A block of rice with your choice of meat, wrapped in flavored, dry seaweed. Available with spam, Portuguese sausage, chicken katsu, or barbecue chicken. A local favorite!




OMG SOOOOOOOOooooOOO CHEAP!


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## MikeK (Jun 24, 2012)

Sarah G said:


> They have 20 piece packs of chicken drums or thighs at my store for 3.99.  When I was poor starting out, I used to buy that kind of stuff along with veggies and potatoes.  You can get quite a few meals out of that.  One drumstick and a boiled potato is a lot better than a styrofoam cup of noodles.
> 
> I still buy a big 24 piece sausage link,  bigger packs of ground beef, etc,  divide it up into smaller bundles and freeze it.


I do the same -- especially with ground beef.  Buy the big packs, chop up a couple of vidalia onions, mix it in, mold a batch of burgers and chopped steaks, wrap them and freeze them.  



> Of course I never bought beer in place of food.  I never even heard of Ramen noodles until later in life.  We all have our priorities but shopping well should be part of the curriculumat school.  Real life stuff.


I agree!


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## koshergrl (Jun 24, 2012)

Samson said:


> I found a Hawaiian Fast Food place in San Diego, L & L Hawaiian BBQ and HAD TO GET THIS:
> 
> Musubi:
> 
> ...



We have a place that sells $5 hawaiian lunch specials, and another that's "aloha sushi" which I imagine sells something like that, lol.

I'm going to have to try it. Not the spushi, but the lunch specials. $5 is a better deal than McDonald's.


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## Amelia (Jun 27, 2012)

^^^
Why does Ramen get such a bad rap? lol ... I like it better than those other foods.


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## koshergrl (Jun 27, 2012)

Amelia said:


> Last night I sliced up a strawberry and added it after I stirred up my ramen. Liked it so well I tried it again today with more strawberries.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Boiled egg and green onions in ramen. Not weird, I guess, except I use soft boiled egg.

Mayonaise and cold spaghetti sammiches. Yum.


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## koshergrl (Jun 27, 2012)

Amelia said:


> ^^^
> Why does Ramen get such a bad rap? lol ... I like it better than those other foods.


 
You could eat buckets of it every day and still starve to death.


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## tjvh (Jun 27, 2012)

You could smoke those Bath Salts, then even your neighbor, or their pet might become palatable.


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## koshergrl (Jun 27, 2012)

Lol..no thank you.

Zombie drug.


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## Missourian (Jun 27, 2012)

Homegrown tomater sandwich.

My wifes from Michigan...she calls it my "poor people food "...but she knows I'd trade a porterhouse steak for a homegrown tomater sandwich and know I'd got the better end of the deal.

Two slices of toast,  REAL mayo,  1/4 slice of tomato,   salt and pepper...very thin slice of onion optional.   Mmm...mmm,  good.


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## Amelia (Jun 27, 2012)

Missourian said:


> Homegrown tomater sandwich.
> 
> My wifes from Michigan...she calls it my "poor people food "...but she knows I'd trade a porterhouse steak for a homegrown tomater sandwich and know I'd got the better end of the deal.
> 
> Two slices of toast,  REAL mayo,  1/4 slice of tomato,   salt and pepper...very thin slice of onion optional.   Mmm...mmm,  good.





Oh yeah ... I'd just trade the toast for my mother's homemade whole wheat bread.


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## Sarah G (Jun 27, 2012)

Missourian said:


> Homegrown tomater sandwich.
> 
> My wifes from Michigan...she calls it my "poor people food "...but she knows I'd trade a porterhouse steak for a homegrown tomater sandwich and know I'd got the better end of the deal.
> 
> Two slices of toast,  REAL mayo,  1/4 slice of tomato,   salt and pepper...very thin slice of onion optional.   Mmm...mmm,  good.



Last year we had some storms and lost electricity for quite a while.  We had that for dinner, no toast unfortunately.  So good.


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## Unkotare (Jun 27, 2012)

If you're talking about cup ramen, crack a raw egg and mix it in while the water is still hot. 



Better yet, go to a real ramen restaurant and wonder at how they even have the same name.


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## Unkotare (Jun 27, 2012)

Anyone ever try natto on toast? Delicious - and you are assured some private time.


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## tjvh (Jun 28, 2012)

Ringel05 said:


> Here's one that goes a long way:
> (Remember, when do this I'm cooking for 30+)
> 
> 4 large cans condensed cream of chicken
> ...



By the sounds of it, you'll need this:


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## Two Thumbs (Jun 28, 2012)

Red beans and rice with chilli powder.

Fried Spam Sammiches!  or if you have the stuff;  SLT.

mmmm


or if you want to cook;

fry chicken legs, make rice, put in oven pan together with green bean, cover with cheese and bake.


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## NeoTemplar (Jun 28, 2012)

Cheap bean burritos, cooked in the Microwave with 99 cent cheese.

Gravy and Toast


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## Sarah G (Jun 28, 2012)

Two Thumbs said:


> Red beans and rice with chilli powder.
> 
> Fried Spam Sammiches!  or if you have the stuff;  SLT.
> 
> ...



If you like beans, my sis brings this to family events and it's always a big hit.  Inexpensive, warm, crock pot easy..  This is called calico beans or cowboy beans.  Grab a bowful and eat it just like it is.

Calico Beans Recipe - Allrecipes.com


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