We have a fellowship meal every Sunday after church. I need cheap ideas...

[Dianne-TX]

Crockpot is fine. We are just limited with our funds and I feel like I'm scrambling every Sat. night to decide what to do. I want a few, affordable ideas with not too many ingredients to pick from that aren't too expensive, but serve a lot. (now there's a challenge!) In the past, I've done jambalya (2 boxes of Zatarain's with a link of sausage) and then another time mashed potatoes. Other times, I've just bought something and brought it. I would appreciate ideas to choose from. Thanks!

[Jules]

I would suggest some type of stew/chili/or soup, made in the crockpot. You can stretch a few ingredients to make enough for everyone to get full from. Serve in with some homemade bread and thats all you really need. Maybe a cookie tray (if you have some Christmas baking done).

If you need some ideas on soups, let me know. I make about 3 each week to stretch our budget.

[Parrothead]

 

• Meatless spaghetti - warm sauce and cooked pasta in the crock pot. $3.00
  
• Veggie soup in the crock pot. Whatever veggies are in the fridge or freezer $2.00
  
• Bake a cake in a 9x13 pan using store brand mix and top with sifted powered sugar. $1.50
  
• Chili using store bran ingredients $4.00
  
• Cut melons $5.00
  

 

[kalanamak]

Crockpot bean chili and corn bread. You can buy huge bags of beans at Costco, and chili powder can be found in 16 oz jars. Get the big cans of tomatoes and freeze what you don't need this week. Ditto onions.

 

If I had to do this weekly, and people didn't mind chili every time, I'd get a bulk of the above, saute a huge bag of onions with oil and chili powder and some oregano and cumin, mix in the chopped tomatoes and put these in weekly-need sized plops and freeze. Ditto soaking the beans. Then put the presoaked beans and the onion-saute stuff (with canned or frozen tomatoes) in the CP and let 'er rip. A little consideration (like cooking the onions nicely ahead of time) can make this quite flavorful.

 

You could do something similarly with lentil stew.

[rwjx2khsmj]

Help me clarify fellowship meal. Is this where everyone brings a dish to share so you really aren't responsible for making sure everyone is full? Or are you responsible for providing a filling main dish for all?

[MamaAkins]

Chili

Black Bean Chicken Taco Stew

Baked potatoes (with toppings)

Taco meat (in a crockpot) with toppings

meatballs served over egg noodles with mushroom gravy

 

Edited to add that the chili can be stretched by serving it over rice.

Edited December 18, 2010 by MamaAkins

[Dianne-TX]

Help me clarify fellowship meal. Is this where everyone brings a dish to share so you really aren't responsible for making sure everyone is full? Or are you responsible for providing a filling main dish for all?

 

Everyone is supposed to bring enough to feed their families and main dishes are the main ones to bring, but then salads and desserts are needed as well. I'm really thinking main dish ideas for us, I guess. Desserts are easy. BTW, thanks for the replies so far. They sound great!

[Dianne-TX]

I would suggest some type of stew/chili/or soup, made in the crockpot. You can stretch a few ingredients to make enough for everyone to get full from. Serve in with some homemade bread and thats all you really need. Maybe a cookie tray (if you have some Christmas baking done).

If you need some ideas on soups, let me know. I make about 3 each week to stretch our budget.

 

I would love your recipes, even for our family during the week. Thanks.

[Denise in Florida]

Pasta salad.

 

Deviled Eggs (when eggs are under a $1 per dozen) looks fancy, $1 makes 24 servings. People like them.

 

Chopped veggies and dip - very inexpensive if you stick to carrots and celery.

 

Carrot/raisen salad

 

I have attended lots of churches and other groups that do pot luck meals and all of the above items have gone over well.

[kalanamak]

Everyone is supposed to bring enough to feed their families and main dishes are the main ones to bring, but then salads and desserts are needed as well. I'm really thinking main dish ideas for us, I guess. Desserts are easy. BTW, thanks for the replies so far. They sound great!

 

If you don't mind repeats, cole slaw can be done cheaply with Costco sized mayo. Celery seed (get in bulk at Pensey's) makes it special. Bring it until you run out of the mayo.

 

Big bag of eggnoodle for a casserole?

 

Just wondering:

If you are supposed to bring enough to feed your family, how is this pricier than staying at home and eating?

[KarenNC]

Macaroni and cheese is popular with the kids especially (you can throw a bit of shredded cheese into boxed mix to jazz it up). If you wanted, you could add ground beef or chopped smoked sausage to this to up the protein--my husband particularly likes chopped ham in mac and cheese. I often add frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained), though my daughter objects ;).

 

Pigs in a blanket are fun for the kids and the ingredients tend to be on sale this time of year. Deviled eggs are good and can be cheap when you can find them on sale for 99 cents a dozen (often happens around Easter, especially). I've cooked them, halved them, mixed the yolks and put the white halves in one container, the yolk mix in a ziploc bag and transported them this way. When I got to church, I laid out the whites on the tray, snipped a bit of corner of the ziploc and piped the yolk mix in the whites, sprinkled with a bit of paprika to dress it up.

 

Take a favorite meat dish and add veggies, pasta or rice to stretch it. Add more veggies, pasta or rice to a casserole. I take this one http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,178,130181-253199,00.html and add a bunch of chopped spinach (frozen, thaw then drain) or peas or broccoli and cooked rice or pasta. It makes it stretch quite a lot. I made one today of cooked brown rice, cream of chicken soup, sour cream and chopped turkey. I buy the biggest turkey I can when it's at it's lowest price per pound (before Thanksgiving), cook and bone it, then freeze the meat. You could also do this with chicken thighs, leg quarters, etc which can sometimes be had around her for 39 cents a lb.

 

I do burrito/taco filling using half meat and half refried beans and add in spinach, drained diced canned tomatoes, garlic, onions, etc. Wrap in small tortillas and serve with some shredded cheese and sour cream (or in a bowl with tortilla chips as a nacho topping instead of the burritos).

 

Wacky cake is inexpensive and vegan---I do a double recipe in a 13x9 pan http://southernfood.about.com/od/chocolatecakes/r/bl01018c.htm. Comes out very moist and very chocolate.

 

Fried rice? It's basically cold cooked rice studded with bits of chopped veggies and, if you want, bits of meat. This beefy mushroom rice has always been popular at church suppers http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/easy-mushroom-rice/Detail.aspx. I'm making green bean casserole (yes, that one;) ) to take to a church potluck tomorrow. Baked beans might also work.

 

There have been times I've done a huge batch of popcorn to take to something (though that's usually a party, not a meal).

[Dianne-TX]

If you don't mind repeats, cole slaw can be done cheaply with Costco sized mayo. Celery seed (get in bulk at Pensey's) makes it special. Bring it until you run out of the mayo.

 

Big bag of eggnoodle for a casserole?

 

Just wondering:

If you are supposed to bring enough to feed your family, how is this pricier than staying at home and eating?

 

Those are the recommendations. I think I need to take more. Also, I don't usually cook a large crockpot or large dish for us at home (2 adults/2 children/1 baby), which is what is needed. We do grilled chicken breasts a lot with veggies and noodles or rice on the side, things that feed us fine. I've also seen how limited some of the dishes are at times and want to bring a larger serving. I think of a big dish meal for church, but not usually for here at home. kwim? If I were to bring enough to feed my family it wouldn't last long, so I like to bring more.

[KarenNC]

Those are the recommendations. I think I need to take more. Also, I don't usually cook a large crockpot or large dish for us at home (2 adults/2 children/1 baby), which is what is needed. We do grilled chicken breasts a lot with veggies and noodles or rice on the side, things that feed us fine. I've also seen how limited some of the dishes are at times and want to bring a larger serving. I think of a big dish meal for church, but not usually for here at home. kwim? If I were to bring enough to feed my family it wouldn't last long, so I like to bring more.

 

Agreed. We have only three of us at home (2 parents, one 10 yo girl). While I do try to cook frugally, there are things that I can afford to make for three that I can't really afford to make for 8-10, which is what is really needed for a church potluck. This is especially true for main dishes and particularly after service when we may have visitors (individuals or families) who didn't bring anything or folks who forgot it was potluck Sunday or just couldn't afford to bring anything much.

[ktgrok]

baked beans or pasta salad with a can of tuna mixed in.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

I've never made this. I had it once at a potluck and you wouldn't believe how the ppl raved. B/c so many ppl asked for the recipe, she just sent it out to everyone.

 

Melt a block of velveeta with a stick of butter and splash of milk.

Pour over pkg of cooked egg noodles.

sprinkle with paprika.

serve

 

I know that's her basic recipe but since then I've also had it when she put in a pkg of thawed broccoli or peas.

 

Honestly, the ppl rave.

[Carol in Cal.]

How about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?

I have found that when I bring a platter of those, they are VERY popular. It's nice to cut some of them in half diagonally and some crosswise. That way the kids who are used to each style don't get all in a snit. Costco carries Skippy plain peanut butter in two packs, and also some pretty good strawberry jam that is not too lumpy. Inexpensive and popular!

 

Another dish that is very good and not pricey is rice pilaf:

1 cup white long grain rice

2 cups chicken broth (I use Bovril or Better than Builon (sp)

1 large onion

2 cloves garlic

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, optional

1/2 stick of butter

 

Melt the butter and saute the onion, chopped, until kind of limp and golden.

Add the garlic, chopped, and the rice. Saute, stirring constantly, until the rice becomes dead white instead of translucent.

Pour in the broth, heat to boiling, then turn down heat.

Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes or until water is absorbed.

Just before serving, stir in the parmesan cheese, if desired (this is the el cheapo stuff in the green can. Expensive parmesan is totally wasted on this dish)

 

This is so good! You can triple the recipe without any trouble. People love it with or without gravy. It's almost like a main disk. The only trouble is getting people to try it--it looks very bland, like plain white rice; but once people taste it they always come back for more.

[tex-mex]

I've never made this. I had it once at a potluck and you wouldn't believe how the ppl raved. B/c so many ppl asked for the recipe, she just sent it out to everyone.

 

Melt a block of velveeta with a stick of butter and splash of milk.

Pour over pkg of cooked egg noodles.

sprinkle with paprika.

serve

 

I know that's her basic recipe but since then I've also had it when she put in a pkg of thawed broccoli or peas.

 

Honestly, the ppl rave.

We do something similar a la Pioneer Woman with:

 

1 lb. cooked spaghetti, drained

2 cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 can Ro-Tel

1 1/2 cup of water

1/2 stick of butter

3 TBsp pesto

1/4 tsp Garlic Salt (OPTIONAL)

2 chicken Bouillon cubes (OPTIONAL)

1/2 block of Velveeta (cubed)

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese (OPTIONAL)

 

While spaghetti is cooking, heat water, butter, and bouillon cubes in a soup pot on medium heat. Let cubes dissolve. Mix in soup, Ro-Tel, pesto, garlic salt, and velveeta on low heat -- 'til velveeta is melted.

 

Drain spaghetti -- split noodles into TWO 8x8" (or one 9x13" pan) pans -- and pour half of the soup mixture over the two dishes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Save one dish and freeze it for a future meal. Bake the remaining dish at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Serves 4-6.

 

(You can also throw in some cubed chicken in the casserole.) I bring this dish to potlucks and folks LOVE IT. Heart cloggin' yummy!!

[FriedClams]

Sheet cake is a cheap and easy desert

[HollyDay]

crock pot things I have taken to fellowship meals before:

macaroni and cheese (I use velveeta recipe)

spaghetti with red sauce (add 1 lb burger meat if it is on sale)

red beans and rice

meatballs (only when they are on sale though)

egg strata with hash browns and cheese

bean soup

 

some side things:

bread

cheese and crackers (grapes if they are on sale)

pasta (think elbows with some spices, olive oil, maybe a can of tuna)

raw carrots and celery

[JoyfulMama]

I just made a new recipe for dinner, which I think would make a great pot-luck item.

 

Jan's Crockpot hamburger Soup

 

I did not make this in the crock pot - I made it on the stovetop. The ingredient list looks long, but it was very, very simple. Oh, and I didn't add the barley, seasoned salt, or the soy sauce, as I don't have any.

[Dianne-TX]

All of these are GREAT! Thanks so much for offering your ideas. I'm printing them out.