Oily Rag column: Winter-warm penny pinching recipes

The winter chill has set in so we thought it time to share a selection of reader tips about low-cost warm-winter meals.

Linda from Te Puke says, “We empty a tube of sausage meat and a finely chopped onion into a glass dish, squish together, then microwave until cooked. Add tin of baked beans and spread over, then cover with mashed potato and a sprinkle of grated cheese. Grill until brown.”

M.M. has a fantastic recipe that their mum used to make. “It's cheap, quick and delicious and is now a family favourite in my home. This recipe also freezes really well, so you can make it in advance or freeze the leftovers. Use chicken legs and/or thighs, a large tin of tomato soup, a large sliced carrot, 10 chopped mushrooms, a thinly sliced large onion, and 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs. Place all ingredients in a casserole dish, mix, then place the lid on the dish and cook in a moderate oven for approximately 45 minutes - 1 hour. I usually stir it after 30 minutes to mix it all through. Serve with rice and beans or peas. Mum used to coat the chicken pieces in flour and brown them before placing in the casserole dish. However, as a busy mum myself, I skip this step and it turns out just fine. It is such a hearty meal, you will all love it!”

Cate from Hamilton knows what it like being a student living off the smell of an oily rag. “When we were both studying with a young family we discovered that adding a good heap of rolled oats to the mince mixture was a fantastic healthy 'stretcher' to bulk up the patties. Even better is to then add grated carrot or zucchini which puts moisture back into the patty and is unrecognisable to those fussy vegetable averse people!” Great tip Cate!

Onelady7 from Hamilton has a sausage pie recipe for others to try. “Use two of the tubes of sausage meat for a family size pie, or just one for a smaller one, a packet of puff pastry, some herbs of your choice, fresh or dried, some onions (chopped and sautéed). Use a dish that can go in the oven. Put pastry on the bottom and sides, then a layer the bottom with a layer of sausage meat. Cover with a layer of herbs & onions, then the rest of the meat. Put a top on and bake til the pastry is cooked. Delicious! A family favourite when we were growing up.”

JayFKay from Manurewa also works wonders with simple sausages. “Cook cubed potatoes. Fry sausages and sliced onions. Drain off fat and cut sausages into 3. Make up a packet of Maggi Oxtail soup with 1 1/2 cups of water, add to pan with sausages, onions, potatoes and mixed frozen veges. Heat until frozen veges are cooked. I love this recipe.”

M.E. from Auckland has a favourite chicken recipe. “Buy fresh or frozen whole chickens on special and cut it up yourself. It is so easy, and you get 2 full chicken breasts, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 drumsticks and a carcass for chicken stew and dumplings. Cooking for one, a chicken can last me up to two weeks. I also get 3 servings out of each breast by cubing and using in gravy and steamed rice dishes like butter chicken, Thai curries or teriyaki chicken. Think about when you get a takeaway butter chicken. You really only get about a breast worth in a container and that covers 2-4.”

M.E. also has a favourite recipe for rice, which must be one of the cheapest ingredients to use, which is why it is one of the world’s most popular. “One of my fav' cheap yummy meals mum makes is eggs and rice. Cut onions into thick slices and cook till translucent, and add scramble egg mix, salt to taste. Cook on medium so it doesn't burn and barely stir so you have nice big fluffy scramble. Take off 30 secs to a min before you think it’s cooked because egg keeps cooking. Serve on fresh steamed rice.”

If you have a question or favourite tip share it with others by visiting the oily rag website or write to Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag, PO Box 984, Whangarei. The book Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag by Frank & Muriel Newman is available from all good bookstores or online at www.oilyrag.co.nz.

* Frank and Muriel Newman are the authors of Living Off the Smell of an Oily Rag in NZ. Readers can submit their oily rag tips on-line at www.oilyrag.co.nz. The book is available from bookstores and online at www.oilyrag.co.nz

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