This photograph by Stefano A.: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joesixpac/ Recently I have been receiving many requests from you—the readers of the Secrets For Money™ blog— for ways to stretch a dollar and free-up your precious time.

One of the myriad topics under this subject you have been asking for is preparing home-cooked meals that are speedy, inexpensive, and healthy.

So here are some cheap eats real fast that I have created for you—and get this you do not even need a recipe for my ideas—there is no measuring needed!

So my “Secrets For Money” today are some great “meals in minutes”—shortcuts you can take with just a few ingredients you probably already have on-hand.

Bon Appétit!

Here are 10 fast rush-hour meal ideas:

(1)   Vegetarian Pasta: Boil pasta (any shaped pasta, not flat pasta) and stir together in a serving bowl with heated canned vegetarian (not beef stock based) lentil soup and serve.

(2)   Parisian Pizza: Cut a small loaf of French-style bread baguette (or ½ a large one)  lengthwise to make 2 ‘boats.’  Using your fingers pull out the middle of the bread making a shell. Leave enough bread to make a nice crust but the whole middle is too much.

Place on cookie sheet and toast in the over several minutes until crusty. Spread jarred pizza sauce on bread and top with shredded Mozzarella cheese (do not buy pre-shredded it is more expensive, shred the cheese yourself). Place back in oven and bake until cheese melts and bread is crusty. Remove from the oven, slice and serve.

(3) Mexican-Style Pizza: Follow the directions for meal idea #2 (”Parisian Pizza”) but use these ingredients: jarred chunky salsa instead of the pizza sauce, shredded Jalapeno-Monterey Jack cheese in place of the Mozzarella Cheese, and top with finely chopped green bell peppers, and sliced pitted black olives.  Although you may want to omit the olives if they are too pricey.

(4) Mediterranean-Style Pizza: Bake your favorite frozen pizza (choose a healthy one) and top with steamed fresh vegetables just before serving.   A fun pizza version is to try a Mediterranean-style pizza by topping with Feta cheese, sliced green bell peppers, and sliced red onion.

(5) Vegetarian Chili Baked Potatoes: Enjoy a “Baked Potato Dinner”:  While the potatoes are baking, heat-up some leftover or canned vegetarian chili.  As soon as the potatoes are done, handling them carefully with a potholder (they are very hot) and slice them lengthwise; place one (both halves) on each dinner plate, top with chili and serve at once.

(6) Cheesy-Broccoli Potatoes: Follow meal idea #5 (”Vegetarian Chili Baked Potatoes”) but instead of using chili, during the last 4 minutes of baking, top the baked potatoes with cooked finely chopped broccoli and sprinkle cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese on top.  As soon as the cheese melts, remove from the oven and serve.

(7) Chicken Tortilla Soup: Heat up some canned chicken soup and top with thinly sliced corn tortillas.

(8) Supper Salads are a fabulous fast dinner.  Starting with a standby such as Potato Salad—still an inexpensive homemade salad to make, and then make it even more delicious by adding leftovers, such as cooked rice, cooked pasta, or leftover cooked chopped vegetables.

(9)  Macaroni and Cheese makes a great dinner in a hurry, just add a side-dish of fresh veggies.  Or. Stir in a finely chopped fresh green or red bell pepper.  It is less expensive to make your own macaroni and cheese, but if you do buy a frozen version please check to see that it is a healthy version—many of which are on the market nowadays.

(10) Tomato Soup with Croutons: Heat up some canned tomato soup and top with cubed toast slices for fast croutons for the finishing touch.

Copyright © 2009 by Mara Rogers of Secrets for Money http://www.SecretsForMoney.info

Photo Credit: This photograph “Stuffed Baked Potato” by Stefano A. For more of this Photographer’s work:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/joesixpac/ and http://www.flickr.com/people/joesixpac/

For more “Secrets” to making money, saving money, and managing your money go to the Archives at Secrets For Money http://www.SecretsForMoney.info/blog

This article is featured at Carnival of Personal Finance at Free Money Finance http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2009/03/carnival-of-personal-finance.html.
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