🌿Limited Ingredient Meals

🌿Limited Ingredient Meals: 4 Simple Dinners That Won’t Break the Bank

By Hey Ivy

If you have been staring into your pantry wondering what to make for dinner – you’re not alone. Groceries cost more than ever, and sometimes you just need a handful of ingredients and a little creativity to get a comforting meal on the table.

These easy dishes use five ingredients or fewer, and they’re proof that simple doesn’t mean boring.

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🍝Easy Pasta Bake

Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Total Time: 25-30 minutes
Servings: 4-6 bowls

What You’ll Need

Saucepan
Large pot – to boil pasta
Slotted spoon- for stirring pasta
Colander
9×13 baking dish

Ingredients

1 lb. ziti pasta
1 jar of pasta sauce 24- 32 oz
1 lb. ground beef (optional)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (use a little more or a little less if desired)

1. Boil pasta until it is just al dente, strain and set aside in your pasta pot (do not put back on a heated burner).

2. While your pasta is boiling, in a saucepan and brown your ground beef (if you are using) for this dish. Then stir in your sauce.

3. Pour sauce over the pasta and stir it well to cover the pasta.

4. Transfer pasta to a greased 9×13 baking dish, sprinkle generously with mozzarella and, bake at 350* F until your cheese is melted.
💡Pro Tip: broil for the last couple of minutes just to brown the cheese a tiny bit. Be sure to check it every few seconds or so. It takes less than a minute to burn when the broiler is on!

Optional: Add in some spices if you’d like. Oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning work really well with red sauce. You don’t need too much unless you are using a plain sauce with no added spices. If your sauce is plain, I would recommend using 1 tsp of each listed spice except for the red pepper flake, for that I would say 1/4 tsp is fine unless you like it spicy.

🍔Smash Burgers

Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Total Time: 20-25 minutes
Servings: 5-6 smash burgers

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 package bulkie rolls or hamburger buns.
Cheese (optional)
1-2 tbsp. olive oil

Instructions

1. Place the ground beef in a mixing bowl and add desired spices. Seasonings are optional but they add a ton of flavor, I use parsley flakes, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix well with clean hands.
💡Pro Tip: Use food safe gloves

2. Roll the meat mixture into evenly sized balls just a bit larger than a golf ball. Set aside until your skillet is heated.

3. Add olive oil to the skillet and heat on medium.

4. Place 2 patties in your skillet, place a square of parchment paper or foil on top of each and press down firmly. Do this quickly for each patty then place the weight on top of each burger for just about 2-3 min before flipping. Repeat the process for your other patties.

💡Pro Tip: If you do not have a weighted meat press to place on your patties you can get creative. I have used a glass measuring cup with water inside to add weight.

🍗Grilled Chicken with Veggies & Rice

Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
Total Time: 35-40 minutes
Servings: 6

What You’ll Need

8×8 baking dish
Measuring cups & spoons
Saucepan

Ingredients

1. 1 lb. pkg boneless skinless chicken breast
2. 1 cup long grain rice or 2 bags of the instant boil in a bag version
3. Mixed Veggies of choice
4. 2-3 tbsp butter
5. 2 cups chicken broth (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F

2. Rinse rice and add to round glass baking dish, or 8×8 square dish, add water or chicken broth for added flavor, add butter in small tabs all across the top of your rice. Cover with an oven safe lid or use foil to cover. Bake until water is absorbed, about 25-27 minutes

3. Season chicken with family favorites or just salt and pepper will do.

💡Pro Tip: Filet the chicken breasts before seasoning. Give your skillet a drizzle of olive oil, heat on medium-high then pan-sear or grill until fully cooked.

4. In a smaller saucepan add 1/4 water, let simmer, toss in your veggies and reduce heat to low. When just a little water remains melt in 1-2 tbsp butter. Add a little garlic powder, salt, and pepper if you have it, keep warm until ready to serve.

Remove rice from oven, fluff with a fork and serve with sliced chicken and your mixed veggies.

Enjoy!

🌮Chicken Crockpot Tacos

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
1 jar of salsa (any heat)
1 taco seasoning packet
Taco kit or shells
Shredded cheese
Top with sour cream, refried beans, and lettuce. Serve with rice or just have tacos! (optional)

Instructions

Place chicken in crockpot
Sprinkle taco seasoning evenly over chicken
Add salsa evenly on top of and around chicken
Cook on HIGH 3-4 hours or LOW 4-5 hours
Remove chicken from crockpot and shred with forks. Add back to salsa in crockpot to keep warm.

Serve on soft shell or crunchy tacos and top with desired toppings. Stretch the meal even further by serving with rice and beans.

Final Thoughts

Meals don’t have to be complicated or expensive to taste amazing. Play around with spices, use leftover salsa chicken to make a creamy pasta dish, or make arancini bites with leftover rice!. With just a few ingredients and a little imagination, you can make cozy, home-cooked dinners all week long. Check out my new Pick-a-Box savings plan it is a nice, no pressure, easy way to save even for the tightest budgets.
-Hey Ivy 🌿