Meals for 2: $5 Dinners in Just 5 Minutes

Here is my favorite collection of recipes to make with easily available ingredients and in a short time. When I have my best pals over, I want to spend less time cooking and more time catching up with them. At the same time I want the meal to be satisfying and tasty. Being a student, my food budget is pretty slim as well, so every opportunity to save a few bucks on eating out is very welcome. I hope these recipes are useful to you in the same way. Try them out!

Hearty Pasta soup
This is best made with very small pasta like Orzo or Pepperini which cook very fast and absorb soups and sauces easily.
Boil one cup of Orzo in four cups of water and half a spoon of salt for about 4 minutes. In the meantime, on a skillet heat a tablespoon of fat ans soften one chopped onion. Season with pepper, oregano and parsley and add two tablespoons of tomato paste. Bring it to a boil and add salt. When the pasta is done drain it and add it to the sauce. Let it simmer for a minute and serve, topped with some grated cheese. This lip smacking dish is almost as easy as instant pasta but a lot tastier and healthier.

Stir fried vegetables in peanut sauce
This is the best way to serve up a delicious vegetable dish using frozen vegetables and easily available seasoning. Frozen broccoli, frozen peas, carrots and beans taste great when stir fried. Heat a pan with a tablespoon of vegetable oil and add some chopped onions garlic, ginger and green chillies. Add some soy sauce and tomato ketchup. Add a some salt to taste and small amount of sugar to add a glaze to the vegetables. Add the vegetables and stir on high heat till the vegetables are thoroughly coated. Add a teaspoon of peanut butter to thicken the sauce and add a nutty flavor. Heat for another minute and serve piping hot with warmed bread and butter.