Cheap Meal-Score

So, I was participating in another thread on this forum:
Cooked in a Crock Pot for the First Time
and it inspired me to use my (the old man's) newly acquired 5 QT crock pot for some deer chili. As I was preparing it I was struck by just how darn inexpensive this meal was...

CrockPot=free. Won at dirty santa
Ground deer meat=given to us every year by some "awesome" friends
Dried kidney beans=1 lb. about $1.49
Petite diced tomatoes (28 oz) =$.99 ( I didn't have any "home" canned)
Tomato sauce (8 oz)=$.49 (same as above)
Chili seasonings of your choice=free if you have them on hand already!

So far, we're at $2.97.

Now, we ladle ours onto sweet cornbread. As if it isn't rich and filling enough already!

recipe:
1 cup AP flour=$.40
1 cup cornmeal=$.56
1/2 cup sugar (you can certainly eliminate this option!)=$.10 (my local grocer had it on sale last week for $.99/5 pound bag, that will last us forever!)
pinch of salt=$.0 (on hand)
3 1/2 tsp baking powder=$nominal
1 egg=$.24 (friends again!)
1 cup milk=$.40 (again on sale)
1/3 cup vegetable oil=$.25 (truly a guess on this one!)

Now, we're at $1.95 for the corn bread.
Mix all ingredients up real well. May be a little lumpy but, that's okay. Trust me.
Spray your cast iron (I recommend as it makes a nice "crust" on the bread) or put a dab of butter in the bottom so it melts as your pan heats. When you get the pan out just "swirl" it around to coat.
Pour (spoon) the bread mixture and bake about 20 mins on 350

Yummy!

Less than $5.00 for the entire meal which will feed 5 of us tonight!
The bread is truly an indulgence so, it would be just as good w/out.

If you really want to go "over the top" (which we HAVE on occasion!) you could add chopped scallions, shredded cheese, and sour cream to the finished product.
It will increase the cost certainly but, you won't need dessert!

I hope you enjoyed reading!

The beginnings of a warm and "inexpensive" meal!

oh man, I want it .... I want your deer chili!!! I should definitely try using dear meat for chili. I used ground Turkey once, it was so-so .

I just had to click this thread...

(stomach grumbles)

one more hour, ack.

a reply to: TNMockingbird
You can't go wrong with venison. That's what I call fast food.

That sounds really nice.

How about adding a bit of HP brown sauce.

Love, love, LOVE this idea! In fact, I'd love to maybe see or start a thread that would be a collection of low-cost or virtually free recipes like this...I'm not yet at the requisite number of posts to start one, but will put that on my ideas list for when I am...and it looks delicious! Cold up here on the mountain tonight - the perfect night for a meal like that!

-=Vel=-

a reply to: TNMockingbird

originally posted by: Ismynameimportant
That sounds really nice.

How about adding a bit of HP brown sauce.

WHAT?!?!?

No. Just no. Chili should be a simple mix of ground or minced meat (beef is great, i like to blend beef with pork and veal myself), spices (chili powder(s), cumin, garlic, salt, etc, etc), maybe some tomato paste. I like carmelized onion puree, too.

But nothing like vinegar. Ever. And no chunks of anything, or its just not chili. It should be meat and chili sauce.