Thanks for the tip. I’d probably do this now, but in those days I was too young and lazy. 
Unfortunately no, CrazyCatLady. No poultry of any kind. It’s strictly fish, pork and veggies at our house. She can eat shellfish too, but that’s rather expensive.
Another Peg Bracken fan here. Like Lora Brody, she’s in the rare class of cookbook authors who can actually write.
Another recipe:
Cut up and boil one sweet potato and one equal size red potato with the skin till soft. Thin one can whole berry cranberry sauce with some orange juice. Drain the potatoes, add the cranberry sauce and heat.
One really easy potato side dish I’ve made many many times:
Preheat the oven to 475. Slice some potatoes into discs with a V-slicer, or by hand if you’re good with a knife. Spray a cookie sheet with a butter-flavored nonstick spray. Lay the potatos on the cookie sheet evenly; you can double-stack a few, but don’t overdo it, you want every potato to have access to the hot air of the oven. Spray the potatoes on top with the butter-flavored spray, or use spray-butter to make it richer. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake in the oven for about 10-13 minutes, until you see a little browning. Then, flip them over with a spatula, cover the other side with the butter spray and garlic salt, and go another 10-12 minutes. When they’re slightly browned and crispy, take them out, sprinkle with parsley or Italian herb seasoning, and serve. You can eat 'em with your fingers like potato chips.
My mom eats cold pasta salad. It’s horribly nasty.
I have a good cold pasta salad recipe.
One pound pasta (any style), cooked and cooled
Eight ounces (more or less) pepperoni, quartered (more is always good)
One large cucumber, sliced and halved
One can black olives, drained
One large bunch of spring onions, chopped
One 16-ounce package of finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
One medium-size bottle Kraft Zesty Italian dressing
Mix all the ingredients except the dressing. Add most of the dressing (not all or it gets soggy). Toss well and serve chilled.
I love making soups, the easier the better. This is one I made just the other day:
Leftover steak - cut in small pieces. Stew meat works too.
1 can beef broth
1 small can V8 juice (tomato juice would work too)
1 tbsp of dried minced onions
garlic
pepper (I used dried crushed red pepper)
whatever seasonings you like
1 lb bag of frozen mixed veggies
Mix everything but the veggies, bring to a boil, then simmer for about an hour. Add the veggies, bring back to a boil and simmer about 30 minutes or so. This makes 2 or 3 servings, depending on how big a serving you like.
It’s even better the next day. And if you don’t have the beef, just mix everything except the veggies, boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
Here’s an easy and good one especially if you try some of the Spaghetti recipies and have some left over pasta in the fridge.
Spaghetti Pancake(Fritate)
Take a decent handfull of Spagetti and throw it in a bowl.
Crack 2 eggs into the same bowl.
Add some salt and pepper.
Chop a little bit of onions and garlic and throw in the bowl(or powder if thats all you got).
Throw in some cheese grated or chopped into little bits.
Mush around with your hand until it’s all mixed.
Get a decent sized pan and melt a pat of butter over medium heat.
Dump the bowl into the pan.
Cook for 5 minutes, flip and cook for five more minutes* Put on a plate and eat.
It’s good with simple butter on top, Pasta sauce or salsa.
*That’s if your pancake is about 1/2 an inch thick. If the mixture looks thicker or thinner in the pan cook longer or shorter respectivly.
My mom invented this recipe to feed lots of kids cheaply. You can dress it up with cheese, chilis, or whatever strikes your fancy.
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
Ketchup
1 c. cooked macaroni
Brown ground beef, drain if necessary, then add onion. When onion is translucent, dump cooked macaroni in and add enough ketchup to make everything goopy. Simmer about 2-3 minutes, and serve.
On a similar note, my oldest sister makes a taco dinner, as follows:
1 lb ground beef
I package taco seasoning mix
Cheapest possible nacho cheese tortilla chips
Shredded cheese
Brown ground beef; add taco seasoning mix and cook per package instructions. Smush about three large handfuls of nacho tortilla chips, and mix into meat in pan. Sprinkle lots of cheese on top, cover for about 1 minute, until cheese melts.
I just LOVE easy, cheap meals that entice a picky kid to eat.
The newest Peg Bracken cookbook is called something like The Compleat I Hate To Cookbook, and it contains the original IHTCB, the Appendix (which was a second cookbook), and, I believe, some additional notes and updates on things like microwaves and slowcookers. She’s funny to read, and the recipes all WORK. Now, I don’t like all of her recipes, but that’s generally because I don’t like eggplant or liver or whatever that recipe is based on. She’s considerably fonder of eggplant than I am.
When making a beef soup or stew, I find that about a cup of V8 or tomato juice will liven things up, as other posters have also discovered.
My version of Mexican Mess, as it’s called around here:
1 pound of ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 medium bell pepper, diced (optional)
I can refried beans, or can of pinto beans, or 2 cups leftover cooked pinto beans if they happen to be available
Lots of grated cheese, usually cheddar but sometimes colby or coljack
Tortillas cut up into strips
I packet of Mexican entree seasoning (taco, burrito, enchilada, whatever) and whatever else that packet calls for (usually a can of tomato paste or sauce and some water)
Panfry meat, onion, and pepper until meat is brown and the veggies are softened. While that’s cooking, make the Mexican seasoning according to the directions on the packet. When the meat mix is done, dump in the beans (drained if they’re not refried beans) and mix. Then mix in the Mexican sauce. Line an oven or microwave proof dish with flour strips. Add a layer of the meat/veggie/sauce mix. Top with a layer of grated cheese. Repeat until you run out of ingredients. Try to end up with a layer of grated cheese. Put in oven at 375 until the cheese gets all nice and melted.
Optional toppings: chopped green onion, with plenty of the green, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, corn or tortilla chips. Best served with a lettuce and tomato salad with Ranch dressing, or with cucumbers dressed with olive oil and vinegar. Drink options: sweet iced tea, Mexican beer, or margaritas.
I get compliments every time I serve this dish. It’s cheap and easy and tasty. If you choose lowfat options, it’s even fairly healthy. It is NOT lowcarb, though.