Chocolate chip cookies are one of our go-to bakes. Our Test Kitchen regularly whips up these big and buttery cookies (and they are an office favorite!). But there are lots of ways for you to create your version of a great cookie at home. If you want to play around with the recipe, then learn how to make a giant chocolate chip pizookie.
Also before moving ahead, take a quick look at this cookie salad recipe perfect as a sweet side.
You don’t have to spend a lot to make something delicious. It can be on your table in an hour or less. Save money by choosing cheaper proteins like chicken, ground beef, turkey, or vegetarian options. Save time by making these dishes all in one pan or using some of our top kitchen shortcuts. Whatever your style, these 83 cheap and easy meals will please your entire family without breaking the bank.
One of the easiest ways to cut down on dinner costs is to go for cheaper cuts of meat. You can also utilize more expensive ones in creative ways. Try adding ground beef, turkey, or chicken to help bulk out old standbys. Try roasting a whole chicken. You can also buy a rotisserie chicken. Utilize it for everything from pizza to tacos all week long. Try adding more expensive seafood or steak to pasta or rice to help make smaller, more affordable portions go further, like in our salmon & potato skillet or our creamy steak fettuccine. It’s all about the way you use the protein that matters, not avoiding them altogether.
If you’ve been on the fence about certain kitchen appliances, like slow cookers, air fryers, and Instant Pots, consider this your sign to take the plunge and get one. They help dinners come together SO fast. Check out our more in-depth lists for your air fryer (over 100 recipes!), Instant Pot, and Crockpot.
Even if you’re not ready for another appliance, we bet you have some things in your kitchen already that’ll help you get dinner on the table fast, like sheet pans, a Dutch oven, and casserole dishes. We’ve included a number of our favorite recipes here, like our sheet-pan garlicky shrimp & veggies, our hamburger casserole (no more flipping individual burgers!), or our Mexican beef ‘n rice skillet, but once you’ve got the basics down, feel free to get creative.
One of the best ways to save some money is to go meatless (and not just on Mondays). And we don’t mean by replacing proteins with all those high-priced meat substitutes (though we’re all about those sometimes)—instead we’re talking about making vegetarian meals out of cheap beans, tofu, and plants. Try our Indian butter chickpeas, our BBQ pulled mushrooms, our sesame tofu & broccoli stir-fry, or our vegan crunchwraps to see how versatile and filling these meals can be.
Want more cheap and easy meals? Check out our favorite 5-ingredient meals, our top 30-minute meals, and former food editor June’s entire Budget Eats series. You won’t believe what she came up with for under $25!
We all know that weeknights get busy—whether you’re working late, shuffling kids to soccer practice or trying to squeeze in an evening yoga class—and there’s not always time to whip up an elaborate meal. That’s why we love having a few tried-and-true 30-minute recipes to rely on. They make meal prep easier and allow you to spend less time in front of the oven and more time enjoying whatever it is you like to do in the evenings.
With the help of shortcuts like rotisserie chicken and naturally speedy dishes like stir-fries, weeknight dinners don’t have to take all night. We’ve found plenty that feature family-favorite chicken and can be on the table in 30 minutes or less. Read on for our favorite easy ideas.
Curiously, water and oil work together to make a magical one-skillet weeknight chicken dinner in this easy recipe. A true hands-off meal, potatoes boil in water alongside crispy chicken thighs until they are tender. Then they fry into golden nuggets in the remaining oil.
Anyone who has lived in a cowboy town knows that the Wild West is still very much alive. Rodeos, cattle drives, coal-powered railroad rides and mining tours are all still a part of daily life for those who live in picturesque mountain towns. In addition to Wild West vibes, the cowboy appetite is also quite real. After a long day of working outdoors, there’s nothing more comforting than hearty cowboy recipes, especially a big bowl of cowboy soup.
The beauty of this one-pot cowboy soup recipe is that it’s completely customizable. Mix and match ingredients from the pantry and refrigerator, use other types of ground meat or change up the spices and vegetables to your personal preferences. This soup is traditionally made with pinto beans, but even those aren’t off-limits when it comes to making it your own. Black beans, cannellini beans, great northern beans or kidney beans all taste great in cowboy soup.
What is cowboy soup?
Cowboy soup is a simple yet flavorful soup that’s packed with filling ingredients like ground beef, tomatoes, green chiles, pinto beans and other vegetables. It’s a one-pot meal that comes together in about 30 minutes.
Some say cowboy soup is similar to a hearty chili. While it does have a comparable spice profile thanks to the combination of tomatoes, chili powder and ground cumin, cowboy soup is not typically as spicy as most chili recipes. It also contains extra ingredients that make the soup more filling, like chunks of potatoes, sweet corn and canned mixed vegetables.
Ingredients for Cowboy Soup
Taste of Home
Ground beef: You can use fresh or frozen ground beef for this recipe. It’s best to defrost ground beef in the fridge overnight, but if you forgot, you can cook ground beef from frozen. Just make sure to flip the frozen brick over frequently and scrape off the outer layers as they brown.
Onion and garlic: These aromatic vegetables season the ground beef and add the first layer of flavor to this hearty cowboy soup.
Beef broth: Use low-sodium or homemade beef broth if you want to keep the salt content low. Alternatively, you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
Ranch-style beans: These canned pinto beans are seasoned with tomato sauce, spices and a splash of vinegar to give them a tangy finish. They’re available at most grocery stores, but regular pinto beans also work. (You can make homemade ranch-style beans if you prefer to cook from scratch.)
Tomatoes and green chiles: The combination of drained diced tomatoes and undrained diced tomatoes with green chiles gives the soup a bold flavor, a stew-like consistency and the perfect hint of heat.
Veggies: You can use any type of vegetable in this soup. We like peeled and chopped potatoes, frozen corn and a can of mixed vegetables, but feel free to experiment.
Seasonings: Chili powder adds a hint of spice, while ground cumin boosts the smoky vibes. A little bit of salt and pepper rounds it all out.
Jalapeno pepper: Garnish the soup with thinly sliced jalapeno peppers for some spice.
Book Reviews by the Reluctant Retiree 