ok... ingredients are as follows:

1 box of mac and cheese ( i prefer the blue box, you guys can use whatever)
1 can of beanless-chili

step one: cook the mac and cheese as directions state on box. however, don't add milk or butter. adding the powdery cheese stuff is option. for me, it depends on my mood.
step two: heat up your can of chili.
step three: combine together.

I like this meal because i had the MRE (military ration, Litterally 'Meals Ready to Eat') Macaroni and Chili. It was very delicious, but i got to the point where i wanted to make my own, and this was the result. its quite good.

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Tortellini Tomato Spinach Soup

Olive Oil
1 Green Pepper - Diced
1 Onion - Diced
1 Clove Garlic - chopped finely
Salt
1 Can Tomatoes - I get the kind that's diced and has garlic and pepper in it
1 Box Chicken Broth - or 2 cans, whatever
1 small can Garbanzo Beans, drained
1 package fresh Tortellini, any kind - usually found in the cheese section at the grocery store
Fully cooked chicken, cubed or shredded, if you want meat
2-3 Big handfulls fresh spinach, chopped

Heat a big pot over medium heat.  Put a little bit of olive oil in the bottom.  Add the pepper, onion, and garlic and pinch of salt.  Saute until they get soft.  Dump the can of tomatoes in, juice and all.  Add the chicken broth too, and the garbanzo beans and chicken if you're using it.  Bring up to a simmer.  Add tortellini once liquid is simmering, cook per package directions (usually don't have to cook quite as long as the package says)  With one minute-ish to go on the tortellini, add the spinach.  The last minute will wilt the spinach in the soup.  Serve with good crusty bread.

I'm from Columbus, Ohio - I got this recipe somewhere from Food TV, but modified it to what I like.  I like it cause it's soup, but it's not boring.
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I make the best artichoke dip ever!

1 can artichokes (drained)
1 package cream cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup mayo
Salt and pepper to taste

mix it all together in a bowl with a hand mixer, put it in an oven safe dish
and put in a 350 degree oven for like a half hour.

It's such an awesome dip.  You can use really whatever cheese you like and
more and less of it you'd like.  Monterey Jack is good too.  It can also be
made with fat free cream cheese and fat free mayo (or lower fat).  I add
horseradish to it and it was amazing!!!  yum.  you can also add 1 pkg
chopped spinach (if you like)

You can serve it with tostitos, or crackers, or pretzel sticks or whatever! 
It truly is an excellent appetizer!  AND it's UBER easy!

This really is just a few tips on already existing recipes that I think make
them taste better.

Ramon: Add a scrambled egg or two. It tastes yummy and you get some protein
along with it still being cheap.

Mac&Cheese: Ground turkey/hamburger mixed up is better than hot dog chunks.
Also, mix the butter, milk and cheese powder in a separate pot along with
Velveeta if you feel super cheesy, and pour it over the noodles. Yum.

Tuna: I never ate tuna because I hate Mayo. I discovered that tuna is not
only cheap and filling, but pretty tasty. I mix my tuna with creamy Italian
dressing, or Caesar. Or any kind of creamy salad dressing that I fancy! I
eat tuna in a rollup or as a dip for chips. (ok, that's a little weird I
know)

The best cheap salty snack food is popcorn. Everyone should have a cheapy,
garage sale air popper. After you pop your cheap kernels, douse it in spray
butter and salt and parmesan cheese and lawrys seasoned salt. YES!

Ok, those are my tricks having been a poor/unemployed/student/cheap/lazy for
most of my life. Enjoy!

Sarah
Minneapolis, MN

Aaaah!

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Greetings!

Who doesn't love fried foods, I ask you? That said,
here's the best beer batter recipe that you can use
to coat just about anything before you drop it into
hot oil and fry the crap out of it! I use this batter
to fry:

Veggies:
onion rings
broccoli florets
cauliflower florets
button mushrooms (whole)
zucchini sticks
asparagus stalks (tough ends removed)

Fruits:
apple slices
firm banana chunks (sliced on the diagonal)
pear slices

Okay, the recipe:

All-Purpose Beer Batter

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons of seasoned salt, garlic salt or
whatever
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 bottle (12 oz.) PLUS 1/2 cup of GOOD lager or ale
(seriously, don't dump frickin' Bud Light or Pabst
into this recipe - it'll suck)

oil for frying (use corn, canola, vegetable,
safflower, or some other high-heat, neutral-tasting
oil)

more flour for dredging

Pour the beer into a bowl and let the foam settle.
Dump the rest of the ingredients into the bowl, stir
to incorporate, and let the batter rest for 15-20
minutes.

Prepare your fruits and/or veggies by slicing,
washing or whatever.

Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot. Make
sure the oil is HOT, but not smoking.

Dredge each veggie and/or fruit piece in flour, dunk
into the batter to coat well, and drop a few at a
time into the hot oil. Fry each side for 1-2 minutes,
remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer
to paper towels to drain the excess oil.

If you want to be super-fancy and make a whole
project outta this, here are a couple of suggestions:

For the veggies:
Marinara sauce: I use the jarred kind - heat it up a
little, it's good.

Lemon Dipping Sauce:

1 cup plain yogurt (I use soy yogurt - dairy sucks)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Done.

For the fruits:
Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

That's it! Now go and get greasy!

-Tina from Madison, WI

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