I just got into a “heated” conversation with a friend who claimed he had eaten German pancakes. That it was he who even made them for me. Of course, I had to argue this and say No. Never. The pancake I remember from him was really just a pancake and an egg cooked together. But this is not what he was talking about. I was talking about EGGCAKES. WTF? Anyway, at the end of the conversation we determined that what he was talking about was just ghetto food, and what he was talking about, he really did for me. And I honestly can’t remember what they tasted like. Probably eggs. Right? We’ll see. this food is NOT on today’s list. However, I will, possibly this week, and we’ll see if after my memory refreshes, if it’s on the next top ten food list. That list will be real food. That people have heard of it and everyone has recipes to do so. Today’s list is called Ghetto Foods for a reason. It’s food thrown together from the pantry that you can’t expect to go together. Foods that are what’s left until payday arrives and you have a little extra money for regular groceries. But other than that, foods that are surprisingly tasty and once you try them, can make you want to always have those ingredients available. For ghetto meal nights.
*Tator Tot Cazuela. This is probably my favorite on this list. The recipe came from a friend of mine at Price. She was doing it when I visited, and I’m glad I tried it. All flavors mix so well that it is difficult to eat it once and then never again.
Ingredients: -1-2 bags of tator tots (judged by the size of your casserole bowl and how many people you are feeding) -1 family-sized can of mushroom cream soup. (I sometimes use chix cream, as mushrooms are disgusting) -1 lb of sausage optional. (In long tubes. it is already soft and easy to cook. Also, don’t buy it with maple flavor.) -Lots of grated cheese. It’s up to you. I like to use both mozzarella and Mexican mix.
Preheat oven to 350. In the casserole, make a layer of tots. I like to align them all to make sure the bottom is covered evenly. After such a layer, make a good layer of cheese on top. This is where I use mozzarella. Then, on top of that, a second layer of children lined up in the opposite direction. In the pan, cook the sausage. Break as much as possible so that groups are very small. Drain the fat. In a medium saucepan, heat the soup. Once heated, add the sausage. When both are nice and warm, pour over the top of the children. Before using all the soup, be sure to tap the casserole on the counter a little so that the soup falls between the cracks. Then load the top with more cheese. This is when I use the Mexican Blend. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 20-30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Voila! Best cheap food ever.
*Flatbread. This recipe is to make them on a griddle. It’s a fast version of food. My mother used to do this for us growing up when we didn’t have money for anything else. We ALWAYS had flour. And with flour, the possibilities are endless. I don’t know if this is the exact way he did it, but this is a successful recipe and very delicious.
Ingredients: -3 cups all-purpose flour -1 cup ice water -3 tablespoons vegetable shortening -2 teaspoons salt (optional) -2 teaspoons baking powder -pinch baking soda
Combine all the ingredients and form a dough. Cut into 4 or 5 equal pieces. Unfolds up to a thin 8-inch circle. Prick the surface of the dough with a fork and cook on a greased hot griddle. Spin with a spatula. Watch these flatbread discs closely because they tend to cook fast. That’s all. It’s that simple. In addition, they can be served hot or cold, and there are a million ways to eat them. I like them hot, lightly smeared with butter, with soup. I like a little butter and honey, fresh or warm. And they’re so good with butter and your favorite jam.
* Pancake/egg thing mentioned above. I have no idea what to call this. It’s not really “invented” or anything. It’s just two delicious foods cooked together. This is the food I thought my friend was referring to, which it isn’t. But he did this for me. Whether you remember it or not. Ingredients: – 1 mixture of egg and pancake, prepared as indicated on the box. Spray a small skillet with cooking spray. 🙂
Bring to a simmer. Crack on the egg. Do not break the yolk. When the egg white begins to turn white, pour the desired amount of prepared pancake mixture over the top of the egg. When you see that the pancake needs to be flipped, it’s okay to do it carefully. As long as the heat is low, the yolk should not be cooked. When ready, serve lightly with butter and syrup.
*Ranch noodles. Another meal my mother prepared for us when we lacked groceries and cash. It’s going to sound a little weird… But just try it. You might like it.
Ingredients: -Egg noodles (not mandatory, but taste better) -1 bottle of ranchero dressing -salt and pepper (optional)
Just prepare the noodles as directed. Once soft and drained, pour the desired amount of dressing. Add some salt and pepper and you’re done. I’ve added corn, tuna, and sometimes chicken (not all at once)… And they’ve all known pretty well.
*S.O.S Also known as shit on a tile. It’s not very appetizing, is it? Don’t let the name of the dish fool you. It’s delicious. There are recipes for this dish, but my mother prepared it differently. Click here for a way to do so. Otherwise, read on.
Ingredients: -1 lb ground beef, cooked. -1 clove of garlic or ground garlic salt -Salt and pepper -Thickener (water and flour, or cold water and cornstarch) -1 cup milk (I added this) 1 can of peas (or fresh… After
the
meat has been cooked and drained, add all other ingredients except the thickener. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add thickener. Note: If you use cornstarch, be sure to mix it with cold water before adding it to the pan with the mixture. If you don’t, the starch will clump together and not thicken… In addition, you can eat some delicious starch groups. Yum! Once the dish is thick, pour over toast.
* Pork and beans with chips. This is exactly what it is. Pork and beans and chips. I have no idea how I came to test this, when I tried… nothing. And it’s not a real meal. But I used to make it my food quite often by choice. I just opened a can of pork and beans (van camps, of course), poured some chips into a bowl, and started wetting. Sometimes he would even throw the beans over the potato chips and eat them with a spoon. When I tell people about this, they get the strangest look. But really… It’s surprisingly tasty. Just give it a try.
*Untitled… I don’t know what this one is called. Not all ghetto food as a name. The same person who introduced me to tator tot casserole created this.
Ingredients: -1 can of
pizza dough Pizza Pillsbury -1 family-sized can of mushroom soup cream -1 pound of ground beef or sausage -Lots of grated cheese -Melted butter
Preheat to 350. Spread the dough on a plate of greased cake. Spread a thin layer of cheese over the dough. In a medium skillet, mix the soup and prepared meat until hot. Pour into a cake dish. Fold the dough over the filling until it is completely covered (it does not have to be pretty). Spread the melted, thin, even butter on top. Then stack the desired amount of cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20-30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake another 10-15 minutes. Serve.
*Mashed potato bowl. This existed long before KFC introduced theirs, and the real one is better. Another dish from my mother.
Ingredients: -Prepared mashed potatoes -1 pound of prepared ground beef (or cut Salisbury fillet) -Brown sauce -Corn
Mix it all together in your bowl and drizzle with the sauce. I like to eat this with toast or muffins.
*Ghetto biscuits. This is more of a pleasure than a dinner dish. My grandmother used to make them for my mom, and my mom made them for us.
Ingredients: -Crackers -Chocolate frosting
.
Just spread the frosting on the cookies and enjoy. It’s like… The super cheap cookie. Most people will eat the graham cookie frosting, but the salt in the salt flats complements the ultra-sweet frosting.
*Pop cookie doughnuts. I got this from the mother of a friend of mine. It’s so easy and they taste so good. Plus, you can beat them with anything to make your experience super unique.
-1 can of cookies -1 soda bottle cap (or something of a similar size) -Vegetable
oil
In a pan, pour oil and heat. Make sure the depth is about two inches. Place the pop cookies. Flatten them a bit… but not too much. Cut the hole in the middle with the bottle cap. Leave the pieces you cut aside for later use. Once the holes are cut and the oil is hot, carefully drop the cookies into the oil. As they are fried, flip to cook evenly and make sure you get a nice golden brown color. Place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the oil. If desired, you can make a glaze of powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract and dip them in it. Or while it’s still hot, sprinkle with sugar or your choice of any topping. Remember those little rounds you cut? Fry them too. Now you also get doughnut holes! You are so lucky.
Some of these foods may sound a bit strange. But don’t let that stop you from trying them out and altering them as you see fit. Ghetto food can be cheap and delicious, and made to suit your taste buds.
See you tomorrow, good night, world!
