The Recipe Mission

Hearty Sausage Soup

2011-07-19T18:11:00.002-04:00

Soup is the ultimate food, as far as I'm concerned. It's inexpensive, easy to make, a great vehicle for leftovers, and there's just something comforting and "homey" about a bowl of soup. This recipe evolved while I was trying to use up some of the meat that had made its way to the bottom of the chest freezer, and it's now a family favorite! Use homemade broth and dried, cooked beans to reduce the cost!

Ingredients:

1lb sweet italian sausage (if links, remove from casings)
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped (about 2 cups onion)
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups carrots)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tsp basil
1 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp sage
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
2 cups leafy greens (spinach, mustard greens, kale, escarole, etc), rinsed and torn
about 5 cups broth (chicken or veggie)
1 can beans (Great Northern, kidney or black beans work best), lightly drained
1 cup small pasta (I prefer a tricolor pasta, but use any you like!)

Directions:
In a large dutch oven or stock pot, brown the sausage and break up the pieces.

Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, rosemary, sage and pepper. Stir to mix well. Cook about 7-8 minutes, or until the veggies are just tender.

Add the diced tomatoes and leafy greens, cook about 3-5 minutes until heated through.

Add the broth and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the pasta, cook about 8 minutes or until al dente.

Total Cost:

Sausage: $1.99
Onion: $0.85
Celery: $0.25
Carrots: $0.25
Garlic: $0.10
Tomatoes: $0.85
Greens: $1.00
Beans: $1.00
Broth: FREE! (use homemade veggie or chicken broth!)
Pasta: $0.25
Seasonings: $0.15

Grand Total: $6.69 for 8-10 servings!

Crockpot Spinach Manicotti

2011-06-27T09:59:00.002-04:00

Summer's here, and if I'm not grilling, I certainly don't want to be turning on the oven. My crockpot gets plenty of use all year long, but summer is when it becomes an absolute necessity! This stuffed manicotti cooks up wonderfully in the crockpot without getting too mushy. I stuff mine with a ricotta and spinach mixture, but you can use any other manicotti/stuffed shell stuffing as well.

Ingredients:
1 box manicotti shells (uncooked)
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce

Directions:

Combine ricotta, spinach, 1/4 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, egg, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl, mix well.

In the bottom of the crockpot, pour 1 can of diced tomatoes, and 1 cup of your pasta sauce. Stuff half of the uncooked shells with your spinach mixture, and arrange on top of the sauce. Pour another cup of sauce and the 2nd can of diced tomatoes over the top, sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Stuff the rest of the manicotti with the spinach mixture and arrange on top of the sauce. Top with the rest of your pasta sauce and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Total Cost:
Manicotti - $1.99
Ricotta - $1.99 (or make it yourself for about $0.75)!
Mozzarella - $0.50
Parmesan - $0.75
Diced tomatoes - $1.80
Pasta sauce - $1.00
Spinach - $1.25
Egg - $0.12

Grand Total: $9.40 for 6-7 servings (2 manicotti)

Chinese Chicken & Cabbage Stir Fry

2011-06-19T09:43:00.002-04:00

I'm always looking for good ways to use up leftovers, especially for a whole roasted chicken! Stir-fry is a great vehicle for shredded chicken meat, as well as for leftover veggies. This recipe uses carrots, snow peas and red pepper but you can substitute any veggie of choice! If you want a really speedy stir fry dinner and have some leftover chicken on hand, just use a bag or two of broccoli slaw mix (no dressing) in place of all of the veggies!

Chinese Chicken and Cabbage stir fry

Ingredients:

1 package (9 oz) Asian Udon noodles
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp canola oil
2 tsp ground ginger
1 small head Napa or Savoy cabbage, shredded or chopped thin
2 carrots cut into matchsticks or shredded
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
6 oz fresh snow peas
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 cup shredded chicken (leftovers if you have them!)

Directions:

Boil water and cook the noodles for about 3 minutes until tender. (you may want to break or cut the noodles in half, especially if you are feeding little ones) Drain and toss with 1 Tbsp oil, set aside.

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add garlic and sesame seeds, cook while stirring frequently until the seeds brown, about 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, carrots, peas and peppers, and toss until lightly coated with the oil. Add ginger and stir until well mixed with the veggies. Cook about 3 minutes, until the cabbage softens and the veggies are cooked but still crisp.

While the veggies are cooking, combine the soy sauce and honey in a small bowl.

When the veggies are tender, add noodles and chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Add the soy sauce mixture and toss well to coat.

Total Cost:
Udon noodles: $2.50
Cabbage: $1.10
Pepper: $0.65
Carrots: $0.25
Peas: $2.25
Oil: $0.10
Soy sauce: $0.15
Honey: $0.10
Seasonings: $0.10
Chicken: Free!

Grand Total: $7.20 for 6 servings

Healthy turkey nuggets!

2011-05-31T12:47:00.003-04:00

My kids love nuggets. Unfortunately, that usually means the greasy, mystery meat variety from the fast food joint. So when Once a Month Mom posted a recipe for Apple Chicken Nuggets for the freezer, I had to try them!

I used ground turkey instead of chicken, and they turned out fine - the moisture in the spinach kept the meat from drying out too badly. If you don't have spinach eaters in the house, try using grated apple and carrot, or grated zucchini instead. You'll still get the extra nutritional punch from the veggies without the stronger taste.

Homemade nuggets (adapted from OAMM's Apple Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:
1lb ground turkey
1 large onion, diced small
1 large apple, peeled and grated (about 1 cup)
1 tsp dried sage (or 1/2 tsp ground sage)
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried parsley
2 cup frozen spinach (no need to thaw)
Panko crumbs
PAM cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. Use your hands to mix everthing together well.

Pour the Panko crumbs in a pie dish or other shallow dish. Spray a baking sheet with PAM spray.

Form about a 1 1/2" meatball with the meat mixture, then flatten into a nugget shape. Bread all sides with Panko and place on the baking sheet.

Before putting the pan in the oven, spray the tops of the nuggets with PAM spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, turning the nuggets over about halfway through baking. Makes about 2 dozen nuggets.

**To freeze: flash freeze in a single layer on a cookie pan, then store in a gallon freezer bag. Reheat in the microwave for a minute or so, or in the toaster oven (about 8-10 minutes at 425 degrees)**

Total Cost:
Ground Turkey: $1.805.35
Onion: $0.30
Apple: $0.30
Frozen Spinach: $1.80
Panko: $1.99
Seasonings: $0.15

Grand Total: $5.34 for about 48 nuggets, or 8 6-nugget servings!

"Cheater" Chili

2011-03-29T18:02:00.002-04:00

As a chili lover, I know that the best chili is the one that cures over many hours, simmering into deliciousness that is best served with cornbread. But sometimes, I forget to break out the crockpot before work. So what's a girl to do with a chili craving and limited cooking time? Cheat, of course!

I threw this little gem together one night after work when the kids were hungry and I had a hankering. It's quick and dirty, but oooh so good :) I like to have it over crunched up Fritos!

Cheater Skillet Chili

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb ground turkey or beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 can black beans, lightly rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
3/4 cup ketchup
Hot sauce to taste

Directions:

1. Brown the ground meat over medium heat, drain excess juices.
2. Add onion, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, beans, tomatoes, and ketchup. Stir to mix well.
3. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Total Cost

Ground turkey: $2.00
Onion: $0.30
Pepper: $0.80
Ketchup: $0.25
Beans: $0.75
Tomatoes: $0.85
Spices: $0.30

Grand Total: $5.25 for 6-8 servings!

Bacon Spinach Penne

2011-03-16T19:37:00.002-04:00

This recipe hails from AllRecipes.com - it was fast, inexpensive and delicious! I had never thought of wilting my spinach with the hot pasta, what a great time saver!!

Bacon Spinach Penne

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) package penne pasta (or other pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 10 oz bag of fresh spinach, torn (or one 10 oz bag baby spinach)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place bacon in the skillet, and cook until browned and crisp. Add garlic, and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook until heated through.
Place the spinach into a colander, and drain the hot pasta over it so it is wilted. Transfer to a large serving bowl, and toss with the remaining olive oil, and the bacon and tomato mixture.

Total Cost
Pasta - $0.89
Bacon - $1.00
Diced Tomatoes - $0.85
Spinach - $1.00
Olive Oil, Garlic - $0.20

GRAND TOTAL: $3.94 for 6 servings!

Broccoli Cheese Quiche

2011-01-17T17:59:00.003-05:00

It never occurred to me to serve quiche...long ago it had been categorized as a "fancy" dish to be reserved for special brunches and such. But then I learned how inexpensive they could be to make, and I was sold! Quiches can be used to get rid of the last of your leftover broccoli or asparagus from previous dinners, become a savory home for bacon or ham scraps, or turn "brinner" into something more than eggs and toast!

This recipe is for a broccoli cheese quiche, but you can substitute fillings and cheeses for whatever suits you! Any of the ingredients can also be exchanged for some of their lower fat counterparts.

Broccoli Cheese Quiche

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups frozen broccoli, thawed
1 frozen pie crust

Directions:

-Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
-Whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream, thyme, salt and pepper. Be sure the eggs are well mixed in. Add the cheese and stir to distribute.
-Put thawed broccoli in the frozen pie crust. Pour the egg mixture over the broccoli. You may have to use a spoon to distribute the cheese a little, as it may settle on the bottom.
-Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes, or until cooked through and top is a golden brown.

TO FREEZE: Allow the baked quiche to cool. Cover with aluminum foil and then wrap in plastic. When you are ready to eat it, place the quiche FROZEN into a 375 degree oven for about an hour or until heated through.

TOTAL COST:

Eggs: $0.56
Milk: $0.14
Sour Cream: $0.50
Cheese: $0.75
Broccoli: $0.60
Pie Crust: $0.90
Seasonings: $0.15

GRAND TOTAL: $3.60 for 4 servings! Less than $1 per serving!

Crockpot Seafood Paella

2010-12-16T21:57:00.002-05:00

I love introducing my kids to new flavors! I've been wanting to try paella and when I found this recipe in Parents' Magazine, it was time to expand their little palates again! It was very easy, relatively inexpensive, and it would be easy to substitute chicken or sausage for one or both of the seafood ingredients to suit your own tastes!

Crockpot Seafood Paella

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
3/4 cup chopped sweet peppers
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked rice
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (reduce by half if you have younger kids)
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
12 oz. fresh or frozen shrimp (I used precooked cocktail shrimp)
12 oz. tilapia fillets, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas

Directions:
1. Coat a 3-1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray; add peppers, onion, and garlic and set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl combine the broth, rice, thyme, crushed red pepper, and turmeric. Microwave on high for 4 minutes or until just boiling. Pour over vegetables in cooker.

2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 4 hours. An hour before it's finished cooking, stir in shrimp, tilapia, and peas. Cover and cook for the last hour. Remove cooker from liner; let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Total Cost:
Sweet pepper: $0.80
Onion: $0.30
Chicken broth: free!
Rice: $0.40
12oz precooked cocktail shrimp: $3.99
12oz tilapia: $2.75
Peas: $0.40
Seasonings: $0.25

GRAND TOTAL: $8.89 for 6 servings!

Simple Snickerdoodles

2010-11-10T13:42:00.002-05:00

I love finding delicious dessert recipes that only use ingredients I already have in my pantry! I wanted to try a batch of Snickerdoodles, but every recipe I found called for Cream of Tartar - until I found this one!! The cookies baked up light and crisp, with just the right amount of sweetness. Win!

Snickerdoodles WITHOUT Cream of Tartar - courtesy Frugal Village Forums: "Snickerdoodles
(from Martha's Holiday Cookies 2005)

makes about 20 (or 40, if you make the balls very small)

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs

2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Put butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture.

2. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. (at this point I needed to chill the dough for about half an hour) Shape dough into 20 (1 3/4-inch) balls; roll in cinnamon sugar. Space 3 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

3. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

Total cost:
Flour: $0.49
Baking powder: $0.05
Butter: $1.00
Sugar: $0.25
Eggs: $0.30
Cinnamon, salt: $0.10

GRAND TOTAL: $2.19 for about 2 dozen cookies!

Stumble It!

Sweet and Savory Crockpot Pork Roast

2010-10-17T05:54:00.003-04:00

This gem landed in my crockpot on a day when I needed to throw something in the crockpot quickly, and had to use whatever was available in the pantry. The combination of sweet and savory flavors pleased all the palates in my house!

Sweet and Savory Pork Roast

1 1/2 to 2 lb pork roast
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 1/2 cups apple juice
3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
3-4 potatoes, peeled and quartered

Place the pork roast fat strip up in the bottom of a 6 quart crockpot. Arrange carrots and potatoes around the roast. Pour the apple juice over everthing, then sprinkle the dry onion soup mix over everything. Stir the veggies lightly to coat with the soup mix.

Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, or on high 3-4 hours, until the roast is no longer pink.

Total Cost:
Pork Roast - $3.60
Soup mix - $0.50
Apple juice - $0.10
Carrots - $0.75
Potatoes - $0.80

Grand total - $5.75 for 4-6 servings!

Hearty Baked Stuffed Zucchini

2010-08-17T11:17:00.003-04:00

I decided to try this recipe from Boston.com in search of a different variation on my usual baked stuffed zucchini. The verdict? It was savory, filling, and the kids (even the baby) cleaned their plates! You almost don't need a side dish with this, but it would be great with a light pasta salad!

Baked Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients:
1 extra large or 4 medium zucchini
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef, chicken or turkey
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (from the can or fresh grated)
1 Tbsp fresh (or 1 tsp dry) thyme and oregano
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2-4 medium tomatoes, sliced thin
appx 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. For an extra large zucchini, cut into 4 pieces.

-With a spoon, remove the seeds. You can save them or discard, depending on your preference. Take a small knife and remove as much of the flesh as possible from the zucchini without puncturing the shells. Save the flesh (and seed cores if you choose) in a bowl.

-Place the shells face-down in a roasting pan with 1/4 inch of water. Bake for 15 minutes or until the shells are soft but not fully cooked. Leave the oven on. Pour the water out of the roasting pan and lightly grease with olive oil.

-While shells are baking, chop the zucchini flesh coarsely.

-In a large skillet, heat the oil and saute the onion until softened. Add the ground meat and cook until browned. Remove the skillet from the heat.

-Add the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano and lemon juice. Stir in the chopped zucchini flesh. Mix until it makes a nice sticky filling.

-Fill the shells with the stuffing, it should flatten them out quite a bit and make a good sized mound of stuffing in the shell. Place in the roasting pan. Lay the thin sliced tomates over the top of the stuffing. Sprinkle a little extra parmesan cheese over the tomatoes.

-Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and a little more parmesan cheese, bake an additional 20 minutes or until the cheese lightly browns.

Total Cost

Zucchini - $2.00
Onion - $0.30
Ground turkey - $1.79
Bread Crumbs - $0.10
Parmesan - $0.50
Tomatoes - $1.50
Mozzarella - $0.50
Seasonings - $0.15

Grand Total: $6.34 for 4 servings

Summer Style Chicken

2010-07-20T13:28:00.002-04:00

This recipe came from AllRecipes.com when I was searching for things to make with the abundance of zucchini we have - it's fast, light, and very versatile!

Many of the comments on the original recipe suggest marinating the chicken in italian dressing beforehand, and using italian-style spices in the dish. Below is my version, I took things in a different direction with the citrus flavor of coriander and sweet herbs.

Summer Style Chicken

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb boneless chicken breast, diced large
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1-2 yellow squash, thinly sliced
1-2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sweet basil
1 tsp thyme

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
2. Arrange chicken in the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with garlic powder, basil and 1 tsp coriander. Top with diced tomatoes. Arrange squash and zucchini slices around the chicken. Sprinkle with thyme and 1 tsp coriander. Top with mozzarella cheese.
3. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Serve over angel hair pasta or with rice!

Total cost
Chicken - $3.00
Tomatoes - $0.89
Squash and zucchini - $2.50
Cheese - $0.75
Spices - $0.30

Grand Total: $7.44 for 4-6 servings!

Kielbasa Dirty Rice

2010-04-11T13:21:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine made this suggestion when I was looking for a kielbasa recipe that didn't include cabbage or sauerkraut :) I did some research and came up with this little gem for the crockpot!

You can substitute any sausage type for the kielbasa, and vary the spices to make the dish as spicy or savory as you'd like! Use homemade stock to make this a frugal treat :)

Crockpot Kielbasa Dirty Rice

Ingredients:
1lb kielbasa or other smoked sausage, cut into bite sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups uncooked long grain rice
4 cups chicken stock (can substitute veggie stock or water) plus 1/2 cup stock or water
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/8 tsp red pepper flake
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
Brown kielbasa in a skillet. After about 3 minutes, add garlic and onion, cook until the sausage is well browned and the onions are translucent. Transfer to crockpot. Turn the heat up to high, and add about 1/2 cup cold chicken stock to deglaze the pan. Let it boil up and use a small spoon or spatula to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour over the sausage and onions in the crockpot.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the crockpot except the cilantro. Cover and cook on low for about 2-3 hours, or until the rice is cooked through. Stir in the chopped cilantro before serving.

Total Cost:
Kielbasa: $1.70
Onion - $0.30
Rice: $0.20
Chicken stock - Free!
Bell Pepper - $0.90
Celery - $0.10
Cilantro - $1.00
Seasonings - $0.20

Grand Total: $4.40 for 6-8 servings!

Black Bean Salsa Chicken

2010-03-22T21:50:00.003-04:00

This Recipezaar treat crossed my path thanks to the awesome ladies at Once a Month Mom and their February menu! This particular gem is SO easy to throw together whether you're cooking it right away or bagging it in the freezer for later. The link to the original recipe is below, I made a few adjustments to fit our budget and our pantry staples!

Serve it over Adobo rice the first time you make it, and then use the leftovers as filling for burritos or quesadillas later in the week!

Black Bean Salsa Chicken

Ingredients:
Appx 1 1/4lb boneless chicken breast, or 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 cups frozen corn
1 1/2 cup cooked dried black beans
1.5 cups salsa
8oz cream cheese

For the freezer: dump all ingredients EXCEPT the cream cheese into a gallon freezer bag. Store up to 3 months.

To cook:
Place all ingredients EXCEPT the cream cheese into a crockpot, cook on low for 6 hours.
Add cream cheese and stir until melted, the chicken should shred a bit as well.

Total Cost:
Chicken: $2.25
Corn: $0.40
Beans: $0.25
Salsa: $0.89
Cream Cheese: $0.99

Grand Total: $4.78 for 6-8 servings!

Tomato Florentine Soup

2010-02-23T21:02:00.005-05:00

I had some really good Tomato Florentine soup at the cafeteria at work, and it got my wheels turning...I knew I had most of the ingredients at home so I did a little experimenting and this is what I came up with! Not only is the soup packed with nutrients, but with the added rice or pasta it's hearty enough for a main dish. It's great topped with some parmesan cheese!

(if you want to turn this into Italian Wedding soup, just add small sausage meatballs!)

Tomato Florentine Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small can sliced mushrooms (4 oz)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 Tbsp basil
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4-5oz package frozen spinach, thawed (about half a package)
1 1/2 cup cooked small pasta or rice

Heat the oil in a large pot. Cook mushrooms, onion and garlic in oil until just tender. Stir in tomatoes, broth, basil, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover, cook for 10 minutes. Stir in spinach and pasta/rice and cook an additional 7-10 minutes. (if the soup is too thick for your tastes, add a little extra broth or water with the spinach)

Total Cost
Oil - $0.05
Mushrooms - $0.60
Onion - $0.15
Diced tomatoes - $0.80
Broth - FREE! (homemade)
Spinach - $0.50
Rice - Free! (use leftovers!)
Seasonings - $0.25

Grand Total: $2.35 for 4-6 servings

Japanese-style Beef Curry Rice

2010-02-15T09:52:00.002-05:00

This recipe comes from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook - the original recipe calls for cubed beef but I did it with ground beef instead - either way it is a great beef stew/hamburger soup alternative!

Japanese-Style Beef Curry Rice

Ingredients:
3 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
3-4 medium carrots, sliced
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups beef broth
2 cups water
3 tsp curry powder
1 cup frozen peas (optional)

Directions:
-Put potatoes in the slow cooker. Layer sliced carrots on top.
-In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, drain well and place in the cooker. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel to remove most of the leftover grease.
-Heat the oil in the same skillet, add the onion and garlic, and cook until softened. Add the curry, salt and pepper and cook 2-3 minutes more. Transfer to the cooker.
-Pour the broth in the skillet, bring to a boil and scrape up any bits stuck to the pan. Pour into the cooker and add water.
-Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hrs. Serve over rice.

***optional: if you like the stew thicker (best when using stew meat instead of ground beef), skip adding the curry to the onions. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a small skillet. Add 3 Tbsp flour and cook, stirring, until it becomes brown (about 5 minutes). Add 1 Tbsp curry and stir for another minute. Remove from heat. Turn your slow cooker on HIGH. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of the liquid, and add to the flour mixture, stirring until there are no lumps. Slowly add this mixture back into the slow cooker (stir carefully, don't break up the potatoes). Stir in frozen peas. Cover and cook on high about 20-30 minutes, until the sauce is thickened.

Total Cost:
Potatoes: $0.50
Carrots: $0.40
Vegetable oil: $0.03
Beef: $2.00
Onion: $0.30
Broth: $0.60 (free if you made your own!)
seasonings and garlic: $0.20

Grand Total: $4.03 for 6-8 servings!

Crockpot Hot & Spicy Sloppy Joes

2009-12-16T23:13:00.004-05:00

I have fond memories of sloppy joes as a kid - they're the perfect kid food, messy and full of ketchup! This recipe came from Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes (Better Homes & Gardens Cooking) and is a slightly more mature take on the traditional Joe :) So that it's not too spicy for the kids, I used cayenne pepper instead of the Scotch Belle chile pepper - cooking in the crockpot tends to mellow powdered spices and this kept it edible for the younger palates.

Hot & Spicy Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef (or turkey)
4 medium onions, cut into strips
3 large-ish green peppers, cut into strips
2 medium sweet red peppers, cut into strips
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or 1 Scotch bonnet chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:
-In a large skillet, cook ground meat and onions until the meat is browned and onions are tender. Drain off fat.
-In a 5-6 quart crockpot, combine ground meat and onions and all other ingredients. Stir to blend.
-Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours, or on high heat for 4-5 hours. Serve in rolls or on buns.

Total cost
Ground beef - $3.60
Onions - $1.20
Green peppers - $1.35
Red peppers - $1.86
Ketchup - $0.40
Cider vinegar - $0.05
Seasonings - $0.20

Grand Total: $8.66 for 12-14 sandwiches!

Leftover links:
Use as an add-in for Stovetop Mac & Cheese

Sweet Potato Apple Muffins

2009-12-09T01:03:00.000-05:00

Another great recipe that grew out of my need to get rid of some mashed sweet potato leftovers from Thanksgiving - these muffins bake up nice and soft, and anytime I can get both a fruit AND a veggie into my kiddo is a good time :)

Sweet potato Apple Muffins

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 small apples, peeled and diced
1 cup leftover mashed sweet potato
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla

-Preheat oven to 400 Degrees
-In a medium bowl, whisk oatmeal, flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
-In another small bowl, combine sweet potato, brown sugar, oil, egg, milk and vanilla, whisking to blend well. Pour over dry ingredients and stir to combine.
-Add apple dices, stir to combine.
-Scoop into muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Total Cost:
Oats: $0.12
Flour: $0.09
Apples: $0.40
Sweet potato: Free! (leftovers)
Brown Sugar: $0.15
Oil: $0.20
Milk: $0.04
Egg: $0.12
Vanilla: $0.04
Other ingredients: appx $0.15

Grand Total: $1.31 for 12 small muffins or 6 large muffins!

Curried Veggie Flatbread Pizza

2009-12-08T18:24:00.002-05:00

I found the suggestion for this at Project Foodie while looking for creative ways to use up the large amount of leftover Crockpot Vegetable Curry we were contending with! The end result was a funky, fast dish that everyone loved!

Curried Veggie Flatbread Pizza

Ingredients:
4 Naan flatbreads
2 cups leftover Crockpot Vegetable Curry
8 oz feta cheese

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees
-Line two baking sheets with foil. Place the 4 flatbreads on the baking sheets, top each with 1/2 cup of the vegetable curry and 2 oz feta cheese, crumbled.
-Bake for 7-10 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the cheese is browned and the edges of the bread are crisped.

Total Cost:
Naan (2 packages) - $3.00
Vegetable Curry - free!
Feta Cheese - $3.99

Grand Total: $6.99 for 4 servings

Honey Ginger Pork Chops

2009-10-27T10:18:00.003-04:00

I found this on Recipezaar.com, while searching for simple recipes that wouldn't require anything that wasn't already in my pantry. This recipe will serve well as either an overnight marinade, or as an OAMC dish!

Honey Ginger Pork Chops

Ingredients:
4 pork chops
1 tsp ginger
2 garlic cloves
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Directions:
-Prick pork chops with a fork and rub the ginger and garlic on both sides of each chop.
-Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then add the soy sauce and honey and cook for 1-2 minutes on low or until blended.
-Pour over chops and marinate in the fridge overnight.

(**if making for OAMC, allow the marinade to cool, then place chops in a gallon freezer bag and pour marinade over them. Seal and keep frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw completely and cook as directed below)

-When ready to cook, remove chops and discard marinade. Grill 8-10 minutes per side, turning several times.

(These can also be baked in a shallow baking dish at 375 degrees for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chops)

Total Cost
Pork Chops: $4.00
Honey - $0.55
Butter - $0.14
Seasonings - $0.15

Grand Total: $4.84 for 4 servings

Butternut Mac

2009-10-21T22:24:00.002-04:00

This recipe showed up in my November '09 issue of Parents Magazine, and I just happened to have some mini-pasta and squash on hand to give it a try! The result - creamy, cheesy mac with a little fall flair! The original recipe was for 6 small servings baked in ramekins - I doubled everything and made a 9X13 pan. The recipe below reflects my adjustments.

The recipe calls for white cheddar cheese, but you can use any hard or semi-soft cheese - try a fontina, farmer cheese, or cheddar jack to mix up the flavor!

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (about 2-3 pounds), peeled and cut into half-inch cubes
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1 lb box elbow pasta (or other small pasta)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk
3 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
-Toss squash with oil and salt on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until tender, set aside.
-Cook pasta for 2 minutes less than recommended time. While pasta is cooking, melt butter on low heat in a medium saucepan. Whisk in flour, cook for about 2 minutes.
-Slowly whisk in milk. (add about a half cup at a time to avoid scalding the milk) Increase to medium heat and bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer. Cook for 3 minutes, whisking occasionally.
-Add 3 cups of cheese, whisk until melted.
-Combine drained pasta and baked squash in a 9X13 baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and squash, fold to combine and spread evenly (I used a slotted spoon)
-Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top of the pasta. Bake 10 minutes.

Total Cost:
Squash - $1.80
Pasta - $0.75
Olive Oil - $0.12
Butter - $0.20
Flour - $0.02
Milk - $0.42
Cheese - $1.75

Grand Total: $5.06 for 8 servings!

Chicken Bombay

2009-09-20T08:56:00.002-04:00

This recipe comes from the OAMC annals of Recipezaar.com - it has a great flavor and the sauce caramelizes nicely in the oven! You can bake a batch and then freeze it to reheat later but I made just the sauce, let it cool, then put into gallon freezer bags with the raw chicken and froze it that way - it works great with either method!

Chicken Bombay

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3 lbs chicken (I use boneless chicken breast cut into big pieces, but you can use any chicken parts!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Combine all ingredients except the chicken in a sauce pan. Heat over medium heat until smooth and slightly warmed.

***(if you want to freeze at this stage, let the sauce cool, place chicken in a gallon freezer bag and then pour in the sauce. Seal the bag and freeze up to 2 months. To serve, thaw and then bake in a greased baking dish at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, turning chicken about halfway through and basting with the sauce)

Roll each piece of chicken in the sauce, and place in a greased 9X13 baking dish. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Spread remaining sauce over chicken and bake an additional half hour or until chicken is done.

***Freeze baked chicken for up to 4 months. To serve, thaw and bake at 375 for half an hour or until heated through.

Total cost
Chicken - $6.00
Butter - $0.27
Mustard - $0.15
Honey - $0.88
Seasonings - appx $0.25

GRAND TOTAL: $7.55 for 6 servings

Pizza Roll Ups

2009-09-20T07:46:00.002-04:00

I was introduced to this recipe courtesy of Once A Month Mom and I was immediately hooked! We are BIG pizza eaters in this house, and these make great meals or snacks - AND they freeze wonderfully! We use pepperoni, the original calls for ground meat, but you can really use any pizza topping for your filler! The original recipe is linked below and can be found on Recipezaar.com.

Pizza Roll Ups

Ingredients:
1 batch pizza crust
5-6 oz Pepperoni slices (appx 2/3 of an 8-oz bag)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 Tbsp garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare pizza dough as directed, but allow to rise 45 minutes to an hour. Punch down dough, transfer to a floured surface, and roll out until it is appx 14 X 24 inches.

Lay pepperoni slices in a single layer, covering the entire surface

Cover with mozzarella cheese, sprinkle with seasonings.

Beginning at one long end, SLOWLY roll into a jelly roll. Slice into 1-inch slices, place them on a greased cookie sheet as you go. Let them sit for about 10 minutes (this allows the dough to rise a little more and tightens up the rolls)

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until browned. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping!

**To freeze - I individually wrap each roll in a little plastic wrap, then store in gallon freezer bags. To reheat, place frozen in the microwave and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

Total Cost
Pizza dough - $0.94
Pepperoni - $2.00
Cheese - $1.50
Seasoning - appx $0.05

GRAND TOTAL: $4.49 for 8-10 servings!

Stuffed Zucchini

2009-09-19T20:35:00.003-04:00

This one comes straight from my recipe hero, Erin at $5 Dinners. She offered this up in a guest post at Debt Proof Living, and I had to add it to my recipe stash! Zucchini are inexpensive and healthy veggies, and this is a great way to make them the center of attention instead of just a side dish!

Stuffed Zucchini

4 medium zucchinis, about 2 pounds
1 pound ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut off stem and bottom of each zucchini. Slice zucchinis in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and middle flesh, leaving about 1/8 inch of flesh in the zucchini.

In skillet, brown the ground beef with chopped onion and crushed garlic. Drain and return to skillet. Add diced tomatoes, salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Scoop meat mixture into the zucchini shells. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and place into a lightly greased glass baking dish. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Total Cost
Zucchini - $1.98
Ground beef - $1.99
Onion - $0.15
Diced Tomatoes - $0.89
Cheese - $0.75
Garlic - $0.05

GRAND TOTAL: $5.81 for 4 servings

Black Beans and Rice

2009-07-21T15:32:00.005-04:00

I can't even remember where I first saw this recipe, it was in my old roommate's cookbook collection and I copied it down without noting the source. I believe it was originally referred to as "Moors and Christians" rice. At any rate, it's a great and super-easy use for the black beans my hubby has become so fond of! I have been known to toss in some mexican shredded cheese, mostly because we are cheeseheads :)

Black Beans & Rice

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 med onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp thyme
1 can black beans (or 1 1/2 cups cooked dried beans)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups water (can also substitute chicken or vegetable stock if you like)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp white pepper

Directions:

- Saute the onion and pepper in the olive oil with garlic, cumin and thyme just until the onions are translucent.
- Stir in beans, rice, tomatoes, water, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes.

Total Cost:
Olive Oil - $0.08
Onion - $0.30
Pepper - $0.30
Garlic - $0.03
Black Beans - $0.25 (from dried)
Diced Tomatoes - $0.85
Rice - $0.20
Seasonings - appx $0.15

Grand Total: $2.16 for 4 servings!

Basic Pancake Mix

2009-07-19T09:59:00.000-04:00

I found this on Recipezaar.com and I will never buy another boxed mix again. I had to make a few small adjustments to the original recipe, since we like our pancakes a little thicker, but you can easily adjust the milk or flour amounts to your liking. I find it lends itself VERY easily to add-ins as well!

The original author also mentioned that you can pre-mix the dry ingredients and either store or give away as jarred mix gifts...another great and frugal gift idea :)

Basic Pancake Mix

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar (white or brown)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk (increase to 1 1/4-1 1/2 cups if you like thinner pancakes)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients.

Make a well in the center, and add the milk. Stir with a whisk until well blended and slightly thicker than your desired consistency.

Add eggs, vanilla, oil and any add-ins you like. Stir to combine well - you can add extra milk or flour at this point if you want to change the consistency at all.

Pour in 1/4 cup measures onto a hot griddle or pan. Cook until bubbly across the surface. Turn over and cook for an additional 45 seconds-1 minute. DO NOT TURN THEM AGAIN! (this makes pancakes rubbery!)

Total Cost:
Flour: $0.14
Sugar: $0.02
Baking Powder: $0.04
Salt: less than a penny
Milk: $0.12
Eggs: $0.24
Vanilla: $0.02
Oil: $0.06

Grand Total: $0.64 for about 8-10 large pancakes!

Italian Sausage Hawaiian

2009-06-28T16:00:00.003-04:00

I love sweet italian sausages, but I get tired of using them in the same old pasta based dishes. I found this recipe on Recipezaar.com, and it instantly appealed - I love the mix of sweet and savory flavors! And since I often find canned pineapple on sale, this will be easy to mix up from the pantry.

Italian Sausage Hawaiian

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh sweet Italian sausage link
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks
1 green pepper, julienned
1 onion, julienned
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 lb very thin spaghetti, or 1 cup rice

Directions:
- Remove sausage from casing, break into small pieces and saute until meat is done.
- Saute peppers and onions.
- Add tomatoes, can of pineapple to peppers, onions and meat.
- Cook for 15 minutes.
- Mix cornstarch with a little cold water and add to mixture.
- Meanwhile cook spaghetti or rice until done.
- Serve meat sauce over spaghetti or rice.

Total Cost:
Sausage - $2.00
Pineapple - $1.00
Pepper - $0.40
Onion - $0.30
Diced Tomatoes - $0.80
Rice - $0.40

Grand Total - $4.90 for 4 servings!

Cheesy Kielbasa Bake

2009-06-14T19:15:00.005-04:00

I came across this recipe on Stumbling Along Faithfully, it originally comes from Allrecipes.com and is a FANTASTIC recipe for OAMC cooking! I regularly pick up Kielbasa at BOGO sales and I'm always looking for new ways to serve it. This is a nice, hearty dish that can be frozen in two 9X13 or four 8X8 pans depending on how many mouths you need to feed at a sitting.

Cheesy Kielbasa Bake

INGREDIENTS
1 box uncooked elbow macaroni
2 pounds kielbasa (Polish) sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onion, chopped
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
2 medium carrots, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 green onions, chopped (optional)

Directions:
- Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown the sausage in oil over medium heat. Add the onions, zucchini, carrots and garlic; cook and stir for 5-6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in spaghetti sauce and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- In each of two greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dishes, layer a fourth of the macaroni and meat sauce. Combine the egg and ricotta cheese; spoon a fourth over sauce. Sprinkle with a fourth of the cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Repeat the layers once more.
(I actually combined the macaroni and meat sauce together in a big bowl, and squished things down as I layered them)
- Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve one casserole. Cool second casserole; cover and freeze for up to 2 months. To bake after freezing, thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Total Cost:
Macaroni - $1.00
Kielbasa - $4.20
Olive Oil - $0.30
Onions - $0.50
Zucchini - $1.00
Carrots - $0.30
Spaghetti Sauce - $1.00
Garlic - $0.15
Tomatoes - $0.80
Egg - $0.14
Ricotta cheese - $1.35
Cheddar cheese - $1.50
Mozzarella cheese - $1.50

Grand Total - $13.74 for 12-16 servings, $6.87 per 9X13 pan!

Pizza Braid

2009-05-25T06:18:00.002-04:00

I came across this recipe thanks to Laura over at I'm an Organizing Junkie, awesome host of Menu Plan Monday! She gave this recipe a try and since we make pizza just about every week I was prompted to add it to my arsenal too.

The original recipe comes from Amy at The Finer Things in Life, and like many great recipes the filling can be adjusted to your own family's preferences! I love one of her reader's suggestions to make a Tex-Mex style braid and have included my ingredients list for that option as well. Don't be afraid to experiment! My adjustments are below, the original can be found at the title link.

Pizza Braid

Ingredients:

Filling (pizza option):
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 chopped green bell pepper
1 small can mushrooms
8 oz. tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Filling (Taco-style option):
1/2 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can drained diced tomatoes, or 1 cup salsa
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 chopped green pepper
1/2 chopped red or yellow pepper
Can diced chiles (optional)
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Pizza dough (or use your favorite recipe!)

Directions:

{repare dough according to recipe. Place in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. While dough is rising, brown ground beef in skillet; add veggies and other meats, then add seasonings and tomato sauce. Mix well. Set aside. Punch down risen dough. Roll dough into a rectangle on a greased cookie sheet. Spoon meat filling down the center of the dough. Top with cheese.

Cut 8 even slits from the filling out to the edge of the dough. (I use my pizza cutter to do this. Hint: for even strips, slice your middle strip first. Then slice the middle of the halves, then the middle of the quarters.)

Start at one end and criss cross the dough strips. Tuck the last strip under. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Total cost, Pizza option:
Pizza Dough - $0.94
Beef - $1.00
Onion - $0.15
Pepper - $0.30
Mushrooms: $0.40
Sauce: $0.25
Cheese - $1.50
Seasonings - $0.10

Total Cost, Mexican option:
Pizza Dough - $0.94
Beef - $1.00
Taco Seasoning - $0.25
Diced Tomatoes - $0.75
Corn - $0.25
Peppers - $0.60
Cheese - $1.50

Grand Total: Pizza, $4.64 Mexican: $5.29 for 6-8 servings!

Crockpot Beef Stew

2009-05-19T06:43:00.005-04:00

Beef stew is one of those great, versatile recipes that you can make almost completely on the fly - as long as you have beef, broth and veggies on hand you can make it with whatever's already in the pantry! I like the subtle flavor that coffee adds to the broth but feel free to experiment with whatever tempts your tastebuds!

This stew tends to have a slightly thinner broth to it - if you prefer something a little thicker just add some cornstarch dissolved in water at the end of the cooking process!

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs cubed beef
1/4 cup flour
1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
1/2 Tbsp ground pepper
1-2 cloves chopped garlic
1 Tbsp paprika
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
3-4 good sized carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 to 1 cup chopped onion
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup brewed coffee (old coffee if possible)
1.5 cups beef broth

Directions:
- Combine flour, salt and pepper with beef in a bowl, coat beef thoroughly and transfer everything to the crockpot.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the crockpot
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4-6 hours

Total Cost:
Beef: $4.00
Potatoes: $2.00
Carrots: $0.30
Onion - $0.30
Celery - $0.10
Beef broth - Free! (homemade!)
Coffee - Free!
Seasonings - $0.50

Grand total: $7.20 for 8-10 servings!

Orange-Apricot Pork Chops

2009-05-10T13:40:00.002-04:00

This was another great find on Once a Month Mom - the original recipe hails from one of my personal favorites, A Year of Crockpotting and it translates well as either a fresh cooked meal or OAMC freezer stash.

You can find the pumped-up OAMC version (4 meals worth) in the April Printable Menu from Once a Month Mom...the individual recipes are in a scrollbar at the bottom of the document.

Orange-Apricot Pork Chops

Ingredients:
6 pork chops
1 cup apricot jam
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges (and juice!)

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine jam, sugar, salt and spices.

For fresh cooking:
Place pork chops in the crockpot, spoon jam mixture over the chops. Pour entire contents of mandarin oranges can (juice and all) over the top. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.

For OAMC/Freezer prep:
Place pork chops and contents of mandarin oranges can together in a gallon freezer bag. Pour jam mixture into the bag. Seal and Freeze. To cook: thaw, then follow regular cooking directions as for fresh cooked.

Total Cost:
Pork Chops - $4.50
Jam - $1.00
Oranges - $0.50
Sugar - $0.20
Spices - $0.20

Grand Total - $6.40 for 6 servings - or $1.07 per serving!

No Fuss Chicken Cordon Bleu

2009-05-04T10:40:00.004-04:00

This recipe is originally from Freezer Friendly Cooking, but I came across it on Once a Month Mom when I started delving into OAMC! I love Cordon Bleu but had never seen it in casserole form! This recipe makes one 9X13 or two 8X8 pans, but can easily be multiplied to feed a big crowd or stock up your freezer!

**a note - when I made this and cooked it right away, the carrots were pretty underdone - if you cook this fresh you may want to try using frozen sliced carrots instead. That, or my oven is just possessed!

Ingredients:
6-8 chicken breasts, cut into tenders
2 cup sliced carrots
2 cans Cream of Chicken
1 cup Sour Cream
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsps Paprika
1 1/4 cup of Swiss cheese, grated (or 3-4 slices deli cheese, cut into strips)
1/3 cup of Ham slices cut into strips (about 3 ham slices)
1 Egg
1 cup of bread crumbs

Directions:
1. Put sliced carrots in bottom of 9x13 pan (or two 8 inch pans).
2. Combine Cream of Chicken soup, sour cream, paprika and lemon juice in bowl. Mix well and pour over the carrots.
3. Crack an egg on a plate and beat well. Place bread crumbs on additional plate and coat chicken tenders with egg and coat with bread crumbs.
4. Arrange coated chicken breasts over the top of sauce in the pan. Place ham strips over the top of the chicken. Top with swiss cheese.

Freeze: Use Saran wrap or press and seal over the top of the pan and then Foil it all the way around to ensure air tight. Store in the freezer up to 2 months (or more depending on your druthers).

Baking: Defrost and use within 2 days. Preheat oven on 375 and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes until cheese is bubbly and chicken juices run clear. Serve over egg noodles.

Total Cost:
Chicken - $6.00
Carrots - $0.10
Cream soup - $1.20
Sour Cream - $1.00
Swiss cheese - $2.50
Ham - $1.25
Egg - $0.14
Bread Crumbs - $0.30

Grand Total - $12.49 for 12 servings, or 2 pans that serve 6 each!

Black Bean Quesadillas

2009-05-04T09:25:00.003-04:00

I am always looking for good vegetarian options and this fits the bill nicely! Found at Taste of Home, it is easy, healthy, delicious AND straight from the pantry, so it's perfect for fast meals or snacks. Add extra veggies to your tastes and serve with fresh avocado for a really healthy meal.

Black Bean Quesadillas

Ingredients:
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 2/3 cup salsa, divided
10 8" flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese
2/3 cup sour cream

Directions:
1. In a bowl, mash the beans; add 1 cup salsa and mix.
2. Place 5 tortillas on ungreased baking sheets; spread with bean mixture. Sprinkle with cheese, top with remaining tortillas
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until crisp and heated through.
4. Cut each quesadilla into six wedges - serve with sour cream and remaining salsa.

Total Cost:
Beans - $1.32
Salsa - $1.00
Tortillas - $2.30
Cheese - $1.50
Sour Cream - $0.50

Grand Total: $6.62 for 4-6 servings ($1.10-1.65 per serving!)

Golden Sweet Cornbread

2009-04-16T19:04:00.002-04:00

I gave this cornbread recipe a try, and I don't think I will use another recipe again. Found it on Allrecipes.com when I was looking for a version that could be done in smaller batches than the one I usually use - this one bakes up fluffy and crumbly in an 8X8 or a 9" round pan, and is MOIST and SWEET! I forgot to cover the leftovers before bed, and found them to still be soft the next morning...so I heated them up with butter for breakfast!

I prefer to soak my cornmeal in the milk before mixing it, but if you prefer not to just combine all dry ingredients first, then add the wet ingredients.

Golden Sweet Cornbread

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray or lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan or 8X8 square pan. Combine cornmeal and milk, let soak for about 3-5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk mixture and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Total Cost:
Flour - $0.09
Cornmeal - $0.20
Sugar - $0.l0
Egg - $0.14
Milk - $0.17
Oil - $0.15
Salt, Baking powder - $0.10

Grand Total: $0.95 for 8-9 servings!

Country Chicken Cobbler

2009-04-05T09:03:00.002-04:00

Another great recipe from Delish! The recipe calls for chicken but you can easily substsitute turkey or pork leftovers! You can substitute any cream soup you have on hand as well...I use cream of chicken or cream of mushroom!

Country Chicken Cobbler

Ingredients:
1 bag (16-ounce) frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower and broccoli)
1 can (10 3/4-ounce) condensed cream of potato soup
3/4 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups (1/2-inch pieces) chicken meat
1 package (10- to 12-ounce) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, each cut into quarters

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, combine frozen vegetables, undiluted soup, milk, and pepper; cover and cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are thawed, stirring once. Stir in chicken.

2. Transfer chicken mixture to shallow 3 1/2- to 4-quart casserole or 13" by 9" ceramic or glass baking dish. Top with biscuit quarters, leaving space between pieces. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until biscuits are browned and mixture is heated through.

Total Cost:
Frozen Veggies - $1.00
Cream soup - $0.75
Milk - $0.12
Leftover meat - FREE!
Biscuits - $0.40

Grand Total - $2.27 for 6-8 servings!

Ginger Chicken and Sweet Potato Bake

2009-04-05T08:53:00.003-04:00

This recipe is from another of my go-to sites, 5 Dollar Dinners - if you haven't been to her site yet, it is a frugal mom's paradise! Not only are her dinners inexpensive and delicious, she is cooking for kids with strict dietary restrictions and STILL makes it work!

I love the combination of flavors in this dish - serve with rice or couscous!

Ginger Sweet Potato Chicken Bake

Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts, about 1.25 lb
2 large sweet potatoes, about 1.5 lb
1 15 oz can of pineapple pieces, in 100% pineapple juice
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Salt/Pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Dice chicken breasts into 1/2 - 1 inch cubes. Helpful Hint: It's easiest to cut chicken breasts while they are still partially frozen.

3. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes.

4. Drain pineapple juice, (reserve about 1/2 cup to use when cooking rice if you are using that as your side dish).

5. In large bowl, toss diced chicken breast, sweet potato pieces and pineapple piece. Add extra virgin olive oil, ground ginger, garlic powder, ground cinnamon and salt and pepper. Toss well. Transfer mixture to 9x13 baking dish.

6. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes uncovered. Remove and cover with foil, and then bake another 30-40 minutes. (This will prevent the sweet potatoes from drying out.)

Total Cost:
Chicken - $2.50
Sweet Potatoes - $1.50
Pineapple - $0.80
Olive Oil - $0.08
Seasonings - $0.20

Grand Total - $5.08 for 6 servings!

Turkey and Veggie Lasagna

2009-04-05T08:38:00.005-04:00

I came across this recipe on Delish when searching for something to make with turkey leftovers - this is great to have in the arsenal because it is easy to assemble more than one at a time and keep one in the freezer for future dinners!

My version below includes some personal adjustments, and I doubled recipe to make TWO 8X8 pans of lasagna. I used Hefty EZ Foil pans and turned the edges up (to make them a little deeper) but you can also use deep 8X8 baking pans or casseroles. Click on the link to view the original recipe!

Turkey and Veggie Lasagna

Ingredients:
8 Tbsp margarine or butter
2 packages (8-ounce) whole mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2-3 Tbsp minced garlic
2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups milk, warmed
2 cans (14- to 14.5-ounce) chicken broth (or 3 cups homemade!)
16 lasagna noodles, parboiled
2 packages (10-ounce) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 cups leftover cooked turkey, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups canned grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons margarine on medium. Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic, and cook about 8 minutes or until mushrooms are lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or dutch oven, melt remaining margarine on medium. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and broth until well blended; cook until sauce thickens and boils, stirring frequently. Boil 2 minutes. Set sauce aside.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 8" by 8" baking pans with nonstick cooking spray. Pour 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of each baking dish; arrange 2 noodles over sauce, overlapping to fit. (I used kitchen shears to cut the noodles to size and then layered the leftover pieces in the empty space). Top evenly with a quarter of the spinach, 1 cup of turkey, then 1/2 cup sauce; sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Top with 2 noodles, mushroom mixture, 3/4 cup mozzarella, then 1/2 cup sauce. Top with 2 noodles, a quarter of the spinach and 1 cup turkey, then 3/4 cup sauce, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Arrange remaining noodles on top; spoon remaining sauce over noodles to cover (about 1/2 cup - I poured just enough to lightly coat the noodles and spread the sauce with a spoon to make it even). Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat all steps for 2nd pan of lasagna.

4. Spray sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray (or use nonstick foil); cover baking dish, sprayed (or nonstick) side down. Bake lasagna 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly in the center and lightly browned on top. Let stand 15 minutes for easier serving. If you are freezing, move to freezer with foil cover in place - allow to freeze overnight and then cover with an additional, larger piece of foil to get a good seal. Store up to 3 months.

(for frozen, either thaw overnight and bake as directed above, or place directly in oven and bake for 1.5 hours or until heated through)

Total Cost:
Butter - $0.56
Mushrooms - $3.00
Onion - $0.25
Flour - $0.06
Milk - $0.59
Chicken broth - FREE!
Noodles - $1.00
Spinach - $2.00
Turkey - FREE!
Parmesan Cheese - $2.50
Mozzarella cheese - $2.60

Grand Total - $11.56 for 12 servings OR one for now and one for later!

Tomato and Chickpea Soup

2009-03-23T16:27:00.005-04:00

I found this recipe on Delish, MSN's food corner. I like it because it could easily be done either in the crockpot or stovetop, but even on the stove it's a quick study! The chickpeas add extra heartiness, and you can easily substitute rice for the pasta to make this a complete protein-rich dish. You can also substitute vegetable broth to make this a Vegetarian treat! They recommend to use good-quality whole plum tomatoes for the best flavor. I found that this made a lot more than the 4 servings noted in the original recipe too...

Spices not in your rack? I substituted the sage, salt and pepper with about 1 tbsp of Mrs Dash, and it was yum :)

Tomato and Chickpea Soup

Ingredients:
7 cup(s) canned tomatoes with their juice (two 28-ounce cans)
2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cup(s) canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock (or veggie stock)
2 cup(s) water
1/2 teaspoon(s) dried sage
1 3/4 teaspoon(s) salt
3/4 cup(s) ditalini or other small pasta
2 cans (15 oz) drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
1/3 cup(s) chopped fresh parsley (or 2-3 Tbsp dried parsley)
1/4 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground black pepper
1/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Directions:
1. In a food processor or blender, puree the tomatoes with their juice. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic.
3. Add the pureed tomatoes, the sage (and parsely if you use dried), broth, water and salt to the pot. Bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta and chickpeas. Bring the soup back to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley, pepper and the 1/3 cup grated Parmesan. Serve topped with additional Parmesan.
Total Cost:
Canned Tomatoes - $1.78
Olive Oil - $0.16
Onion - $0.30
Garlic - $0.10
Spices - $0.15
Chicken Broth - Free!
Pasta - $0.15
Chickpeas - $1.05
Parmesan - $0.40

Grand Total - $4.09 for 8-10 servings

Leftover Pot Pie

2009-03-23T16:13:00.005-04:00

Pot pie is such a great outlet for leftovers - you can stretch a little meat a LOOOOONG way! You can use fresh chicken or turkey to make this dish, but using leftover meat from a roast bird makes this an easy AND frugal meal.

Leftover Pot Pie

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded or cubed cooked chicken (turkey also works!)
1/2-2/3 bag frozen mixed veggies, partially thawed
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup water or broth
1 Tbsp Mrs Dash, or season to taste with salt, pepper, and any other flavors you like!
1 package refrigerator pie crust (top and bottom)

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees
-Line bottom of a deep pie dish with one pie crust
-In a separate bowl, combine chicken, veggies, cream soup, water/broth and spices. Mix well.
-Pour into pie dish, top with second pie crust layers. Be sure to pinch and seal the edges well to avoid spilling. Cut 4 slits in the top of the crust.
-Bake at 400 degrees for appx 35 minutes (45-50 minutes if you are using raw chicken)
-Let stand 5 minutes before serving

Total Cost:
Chicken - Free! (leftovers)
Frozen vegetables - $1.20
Cream soup - $1.20
Spices - $0.05
Pie Crust - $1.60

Grand Total - $4.00 for 6 servings!

Chicken (or beef, or turkey) Biscuit Wraps

2009-03-15T22:01:00.002-04:00

I found this recipe over at Recipezaar.com when I was looking for something new to do with shredded chicken. I tend to find the family-sized packs of chicken leg quarters on sale and you can only roast them so many times!! You can easily substitute chicken with shredded/ground turkey, beef or pork - or anything you have leftover from another meal!

Chicken Biscuit Wraps

Ingredients:
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 beaten egg
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup diced white onion
1 large red pepper, stemmed & chopped
1/2 cup finely sliced celery
1/2 carrot, shredded
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons mayonnaise
1 (17 1/3 ounce) can Pillsbury Grands refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
Pam cooking spray

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-In large mixing bowl, add 3 cups meat, egg, water, mayonnaise, onions, pepper, celery and grated carrot. (If it is bland, add salt and pepper or other spices to taste.) Cover and refrigerate.
-Slice biscuits horizontally, into 16 rounds. Use a serrated blade to slice through dough. Roll each half in flour on both sides.
-Take a floured glass or rolling pin and flatten and widen each round to 5 or 6 inches or wider.
-Spray Pam on a baking sheet.
-Proportion the filling between the 16 rounds. Use a slotted spoon when filling, so liquid drains.
-Take one half of biscuit round and fold over to cover and seal only the edges after folding.
-Carefully lift with spatula to baking tray.
-Bake about 17 to 18 minutes. Watch the top of the rounds, tops should be lightly browned and dry.

Serve with your choice of sauce, gravy, or dressing (like pot stickers!)

Total Cost:
Chicken: $2.98
Egg: $0.14
Onion: $0.15
Pepper: $0.30
Celery: $0.10
Carrot: $0.10
Mayonnaise: $0.10
Biscuits: $0.75

Grand Total: $4.62 for 8 servings, or $0.57 per serving!!

Crockpot BBQ with cornbread topping

2009-02-22T22:44:00.004-05:00

Another great find from my Crockpot hero, A Year of Crockpotting - her original recipe called for chicken and bbq sauce, but this can also be done using leftover beef roast which will shred nicely in the bbq sauce.

Crockpot BBQ Chicken and Cornbread casserole

Ingredients:
1 pound of cooked, or practically cooked chicken, cubed or shredded (or leftover beef or pork!)
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks (optional.)
1 red onion, diced
1 cup frozen corn
1 bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce (18 oz)
1/4 cup hot water

cornbread topping:

use a mix and follow the directions on the box (minus the oil or butter), or mix together the following:

--3/4 cup corn meal
--1 1/4 cups of flour (I used a Bob Red's Mill GF mix--we were out of Pamela's)
--1 cup milk
--1/4 cup sugar
--1 egg
--1 tsp baking powder (only if using regular all-purpose flour)
Directions:
Spray the inside of your stoneware with cooking spray. Cut up the chicken and sweet potato, and add to the crock. Add the corn. Empty the contents of the barbecue sauce bottle, and then add 1/4 cup of hot water to the bottle, shake, and pour that out, too. Mix well with a spoon.

In a separate bowl, mix together the cornbread topping. You don't need to mix well, I just used a fork. Spread the topping on to the chicken mixture.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Ours cooked on low for exactly 6. If you are planning on being out of the house, cook for the shorter amount of time. You can always switch to high to brown the top when you get home.

Total Cost:
Meat: $1.99
Sweet potato: $0.50
Onion: $0.30
Corn: $0.30
BBQ sauce: $1.50
Corn Meal: $0.30
Flour: $0.14
Milk: $0.17
Sugar: $0.04
Egg: $0.14
Baking Powder: $0.02

Grand Total: $5.40 for 4-6 servings

Crockpot Meatloaf

2009-02-22T22:21:00.003-05:00

I love my crockpot! My guys love meatloaf! That makes this recipe from Allrecipes.com a perfect marriage for dinnertime at my house :) If I don't feel like breaking out a mixing bowl, I combine the ingredients right in the crockpot, and just remove half to add the "filling"...less dishes works for me any time!

I reduced the amount of meat a bit since I usually freeze ground meat in 1.3 pound bullets - I also had to reduce the cook time because the meat is not quite as thick in the crockpot so it cooks fast. Any type of ground meat can be used, and as with any meatloaf you can change the flavors around by changing the seasonings (chili powder or italian seasoning mix) and topping (salsa or pasta sauce)!

Slow Cooker Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1.3 pounds ground beef (or other ground meat)
2 eggs, beaten
6 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons dry onion soup mix
3 tablespoons steak seasoning or worcestershire sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Directions:
Combine beef, eggs, 3 tbsp ketchup, soup mix, steak seasoning, bread crumbs and cheese - mix well (works best with your hands!) Top with the remaining 3 tbsp ketchup - add some cheese on top if you like!.
Cover, and cook for 4-6 hrs on low, or 2-3 hrs on high.

Total Cost:
Ground beef: $2.60
Eggs: $0.28
Ketchup: $0.15
Soup mix: $0.30
Seasoning: $0.05
Cheese: $0.90
Bread Crumbs: $0.15

Grand Total: $4.13 for 4-6 servings

Easy Garlic Pork Chops

2009-02-15T21:48:00.003-05:00

Another great find from Allrecipes.com - not only is it fast but there are only two steps :) Great meal for a work night when time is short and mouths are hungry!

Garlic Pork Chops

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 boneless pork chops
1 clove minced garlic
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. add the pork and garlic and cook for 10 minutes, or until the chops are well browned on both sides. Remove the chops and set aside.
2. Stir the soup and milk into the skillet. Heat to a boil. Return the chops to the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chops are done. Serve with couscous or rice.

Total Cost:
Oil - $0.03
Pork chops - $4.00
Garlic - $0.05
Soup - $0.50
Milk - $0.08

Grand Total: $4.66 for 4 servings

Crunchy Sweet Potato Fries

2009-02-15T21:28:00.005-05:00

I found this little gem on Allrecipes.com - I wanted another alternative to a starchy side dish that would please my french fry-loving husband :) I like the Rice Krispy crust, it gives me a reason to use up the cereal other than making marshmallow treats! The recipe calls for garlic powder and cayenne pepper, but you could easily omit those if you prefer a more straightforward flavor.

Savoury Sweet Potato Sticks

Ingredients:
3 medium sweet potatoes
3 cups crushed Rice Krispies
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup flour
4 egg whites
4 Tbsp water

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash potatoes (or peel). Cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices, then cut slices into 1/2 inch sticks
3. In a shallow dish, mix cereal and seasonings. Place flour in a second dish. In a medium bowl, mix egg whites and water.
4. Coat potatoes with flour, dredge in egg mixture, then coat with cereal mixture. Place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned and tender when tested with a sharp knife.

Total Cost:
Sweet potatoes - $1.20
Rice Krispies - $0.50
Flour - $0.05
Egg whites - $0.56

Grand Total: $2.31 for 4-6 servings!

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

2009-02-15T21:06:00.003-05:00

This recipe was posted on Recipezaar.com - it's hearty, fast, and easy to make with leftovers or fresh ingredients! I priced this out two ways - with all new ingredients, and with mostly leftovers.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:
2 cans broccoli cheese soup (or leftover homemade soup!)
2 cups cooked rice (or leftover rice)
2 boneless chicken breasts (or leftover roast chicken)
2 cups frozen broccoli
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Brown chicken in a skillet (skip this step if you use leftover roast chicken)
3. Prepare rice and broccoli according to their packages. Drain the broccoli of excess water.
4. Mix soup, chicken, rice, broccoli and 1 cup of cheddar cheese together in a 9X13 casserole pan. Season with salt & pepper to taste
5. Sprinkle remaining cup of cheddar cheese over the top
6. Bake until cheese is golden brown, about 15-20 minutes

Total Cost (all new ingredients):
Soup - $1.00
Rice - $0.40
Chicken - $2.50
Broccoli - $0.50
Cheese -$1.60

Grand Total: $6.00 for 6-8 servings

Total Cost (leftovers!)
Soup - free!
Rice - Free!
Chicken - free!
Broccoli - $0.50
Cheese - $1.60

Grand Total: $2.10 for leftover casserole!

Unbelievable Chicken & Pasta

2009-02-04T19:34:00.002-05:00

This recipe turned up on AllRecipes.com on a night when I wanted to try something new without having to get anything from the store. I lucked out when I found this gem, using things I had readily available AND only taking half an hour to prepare!

I made a few adjustments based on what I keep around regularly, and added a little seasoning to suit the tastebuds of my brood. The title link goes back to the original recipe, here's my take on it!

Laura's Unbelievable Chicken and Pasta

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
2 cups chicken broth (homemade, or 1 can store-bought)
1 (10 oz) package either fresh or frozen spinach
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, cubed
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 box penne pasta

Directions:
1. Boil a large pot of water, and cook the pasta.

2. In a large skillet, cook the chicken in the chicken broth, simmering until done, about 10 minutes. (If you are using fresh spinach, add it with the chicken).

3. Add cubed cream cheese (and frozen spinach if you are using that), stir until it melts with the broth. Add pepper, salt and garli powder. Return it to a simmer, and cook another 5-7 minutes.

4. Add diced tomatoes, and cook about 3 minutes more, until sauce thickens slightly.

5. In a large bowl, mix the drained pasta with the chicken mixture, toss well and let stand a few minutes before serving!

Total Cost:
Chicken - $1.99
Chicken broth - Free!! (I make my own and freeze it!)
Spinach - $1.50 (fresh)
Cream Cheese - $0.99
Diced Tomatoes (1/2 a 28 oz can) - $0.45
Pasta - $1.00
Seasonings - $0.05

Grand Total - $5.98 for 6-8 servings - that's $0.75-$1.00 per serving!

Crockpot "Fried" Rice

2009-02-01T22:11:00.000-05:00

This recipe comes from one of my all time favorite recipe resources, A Year of Crockpotting - if you haven't been to her site you MUST stop by...especially if you have a crockpot that you've been neglecting. How does 365 tested recipes sound? :)

I liked this recipe because I too am always looking for ways to use up either leftover cooked veggies, or the remnants of not-quite-used-up bags of frozen veg in the freezer. The meat is totally optional, I priced it out as meat-free because I usually have specific plans for those leftovers anyway...it's the veggies that get me!

Crockpot Fried Rice

Ingredients:
-2 cups leftover rice/quinoa
--3 T butter
--2 T soy sauce
--2 t worcestershire sauce
--1/2 t black pepper
--1/4 t kosher salt
--1/2 diced yellow onion
--1 cup of whatever frozen or fresh vegetables you have on hand.
--leftover meat (optional)
--1 egg
--sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Plop everything on in there together. Mix it around, and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or on low for 3-4. You are only heating everything up and cooking the egg.

Total cost:
Rice - $0.40
Butter - $0.21
Onion - $0.10
Veggies - appx $0.25
Egg - $0.14
Seasonings - appx $0.15

Grand Total - $1.25 for 4 meatless servings! (under $3 with leftover meat!)

Ole! Enchiladas!

2009-01-27T20:08:00.003-05:00

This is another adaptation of a recipe from Betty Crocker's New Cookbook: Everything You Need to Know to Cook (8th ed). I use my Crockpot Taco Chicken and Betty's homemade enchilada sauce for a fast and yummy dish! You could very easily adapt this to use taco seasoned beef, or make it a vegetarian dish by omitting the chicken and increasing the beans!

Enchilada ingredients:
1 cup Crockpot Taco Chicken
1 to 1-1/2 cup prepared or leftover rice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 package 6" tortillas
Homemade Enchilada sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients:
1/3 cup chopped bell pepper
2/3 cup water
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp cumin
2 whole green chiles (optional)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes

Heat all ingredients to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to low.
Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

To make enchiladas:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Combine 1 to 1-1/2 cups leftover (or prepared) rice, 1 cup Crockpot Taco Chicken, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed).
-Spoon about 1/4 cup of the filling into a tortilla, roll tightly and place in an ungreased baking dish. Repeat until the enchiladas fill the baking dish (usually takes 8-10 tortillas).
-Pour Homemade Enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, then top with remaining shredded cheddar.
-Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Total Cost:
Enchilada sauce: $1.10
Taco Chicken: $1.30
Black Beans: $0.69
Rice: $0.20
Cheese: $1.60
Tortillas: $0.99

Grand Total: $5.88 for 4-5 servings (1.47-1.18 per serving)

Easy Meatloaf

2009-01-27T19:47:00.002-05:00

I use this recipe from Betty Crocker's New Cookbook: Everything You Need to Know to Cook (8th ed) with a few very minor changes. Meatloaf is a great comfort food, and is very inexpensive to put together! This is just one method to meatloaf....try making it Mexican (with taco seasoning and salsa) or Italian (with parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and pasta sauce)!

Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef (or turkey)
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry ground mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup ketchup, chili sauce or BBQ sauce

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Mix all ingredients together except ketchup/sauce. Use your fingers! Smooshing is fun :)
-Spread mixture into an ungreased loaf pan
-Spread ketchup/sauce over the top
-Bake uncovered for 1 to 1-1/4 hours, or until meat is no longer pink inside
-Let stand 5 minutes, slice and serve!

Total Cost:
Ground beef: $1.99
Milk: $0.08
Egg: $0.14
Breadcrumbs: $0.20
Seasonings: appx $0.30

Grand Total: $2.71 for 4-6 servings - that's 0.68 per serving!

Homemade Breadsticks

2008-12-14T22:33:00.003-05:00

This recipe is adapted from one that I found on AllRecipes.com - the original recipe (see link below) is for a plain breadstick with a parmesan butter on the side. My version includes herbs in the dough for more flavor. If you're not making an Italian dish, use other herb combinations, like rosemary and basil...experiment and see what works for you!

Homemade Breadsticks

Makes 36 breadsticks
Ingredients:
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast (or 2.5 tablespoons)
1/2 cup sugar, divided
2 cups warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees), divided
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese (from the can)
2-3 Tbsp butter, melted

Directions:
-In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1 cup warm water.
-Add the oil, egg, salt, 2 cups flour, and remaining sugar and water. Beat until smooth.
-Stir in the Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese and garlic powder, and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
-Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
-Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.
-Punch the dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide into 36 pieces. Shape each piece into a 6-in. rope.
-Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 25 minutes.
-Brush tops of breadsticks with melted butter.
-Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Total Cost:
Sugar - $0.09
Oil - $0.09
Egg - $0.14
Flour - $0.41
Seasonings - $0.25
Butter - $0.14

Grand Total: $1.27, or $0.03 per breadstick!!!

Crockpot Taco Chicken - make ahead!

2008-12-07T20:21:00.004-05:00

This recipe was posted as part of the Freezer Cooking roundup on I'm an Organizing Junkie. The post is originally from Shawnee's Tangled Tales and I love how easy it is...do all the prep work ahead of time, then when you're ready to cook just thaw and crock! :)

When I made this I actually skipped the freezing step and went straight to the crockpot...I then shredded the chicken and froze the cooked goods into 2 cup portions. I also omitted the chiles since I'm a wimp.

Crockpot Taco Chicken

For each recipe, label a one-gallon freezer bag and fill with the following:

3-1/2 cups diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced green chiles (small can)
3 tablespoons taco seasoning mix (handmade, bulk or one small packet)
1 teaspoon cumin

Rinse two pounds of boneless/skinless chicken thighs (or 3 pounds bone-in chicken) and add to bag. Massage bag to combine ingredients well. Squeeze all possible air from bag, seal and freeze.

To Cook: Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Place contents of bag into crockpot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours/high for 3-4 hours, or until meat shreds easily.

Total cost:
Chicken: $2.97 (bone-in) or $3.98 (boneless)
Tomatos: $0.89 (32 oz canned)
Taco Seasoning: $0.25
Cumin: Negligible

Grand Total: $4.11 for bone-in, $5.12 for boneless (about 6 servings)

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

2008-12-07T20:01:00.004-05:00

This recipe comes from AllRecipes.com - I love homemade baked mac and cheese, but I don't always have time for long baking before dinner. I like that it's a one-pot dish, less cleanup!

One great thing about macaroni and cheese - it's just BEGGING for add-ins! After the recipe post I have included a few variations on the theme :)

Stovetop Mac and Cheese
makes about 6 servings

Ingredients:
8 ounces macaroni
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:
- Melt butter or margarine in a saucepan pan over medium heat. Add onions, and saute. Stir in flour and salt.
- Add milk and macaroni to saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cover.
- Simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally
- Add cheese, and stir until cheese melts

Total Cost:
Macaroni - $0.50
Milk - $0.51
Onion - $0.20
Butter - $0.27
Cheese - $2.40
Salt, flour - negligible

Grand Total: $3.88 for 6 servings, or $0.64 per serving!

Some add-ins for inspiration

Bacon and diced green pepper
Shredded mexican chicken and diced tomato
Peas and carrots
Broccoli florets and chicken chunks
Ground beef or turkey (browned) and chili powder
Leftover Crockpot Sloppy Joe

Slow cooker Chicken and Dumplings

2008-11-30T15:05:00.004-05:00

I found this recipe on AllRecipes.com - the original recipe calls for chicken breasts, but I like this recipe as an option to use leftover roast chicken pieces. I also make homemade biscuits instead of using the refrigerator biscuits to cut costs even more!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (or leftover chicken roast)
2 tablespoons butter
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 onion, finely diced
2 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces (or homemade!)

Directions:
Place the chicken, butter, soup, and onion in a slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover.
Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High. About 30 minutes before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

Total Cost:
Chicken - Free! (used leftovers from roast chicken)
Butter - $0.14
Cream soup - $1.00
Onion - $0.30
Homemade biscuits - $1.72

GRAND TOTAL - $3.46 for 6-8 servings, or $0.57 per serving!

Sweet Potato Biscuits

2008-11-30T14:47:00.003-05:00

This recipe is courtesy of Three Peas in a Pod - I love finding new ways to use up leftovers! This is a nice variation from regular biscuits and a great way to sneak in some extra veggies :)

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup cooked, mashed, and cooled sweet potatoes
1 to 2 tablespoons cream or milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
Brown sugar
Pecan halves

Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal (a great job for kids).
2. Stir in the sweet potatoes, then add the cream or milk a little at a time until the mixture can be gathered into a soft ball.
3. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead it 10 or so times (not too long), then pat it into a 1/2-inch-thick circle. Using a floured cookie cutter or drinking glass rim, cut the dough into 2-inch rounds and arrange them on an un-greased baking sheet.
4. Brush the tops with the melted butter and sprinkle on brown sugar.
5. Press a pecan half into the top of each biscuit.
6. Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 9 biscuits.

Total Cost:
Flour - $0.12
Sugar - negligible
Baking powder - $0.01
Butter - $0.35
Sweet potatoes - $0.20
Milk - $0.01
Brown sugar - negligible

GRAND TOTAL - $0.70 for 9 biscuits - or $0.09 per biscuit!

Autumn Chowder

2008-11-30T14:27:00.004-05:00

Being from New England, the word "chowder" gets my attention every time :) This recipe from Heritage Schoolhouse appealed because all of the ingredients were readily available in my pantry! She originally used baby carrots, I substituted about a cup and a half of peeled chopped carrot since that's what I've got. I also used 3/4 tbsp cornstarch mixed with the water to thicken (just a personal preference), and threw in some extra cheese. We're cheese hounds!

I think this would lend itself well to be done in the crockpot, but I like that the recipe can be made in about half an hour if you chop the veggies ahead of time! The below recipe includes my adjustments, but be sure to click the link below for the original recipe.

Autumn Chowder

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
3-4 carrots, peeled and diced
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 bag frozen corn
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3/4 tbsp cornstarch
4 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:
In a large saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add the potato, carrot, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are almost tender. Stir in the milk a half cup at a time (to temper it and prevent curdling), then add corn, salt and pepper. Return to a boil, cook 5 minutes longer. Combine the cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually whisk into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese until melted. Stir in bacon. Serve up big bowls and enjoy!

Total Cost:
Oil - $0.08
Onion - $0.30
Potatoes - $0.50
Carrots - $0.15
Chicken Broth - FREE!
Milk - $0.38
Corn - $1.00
Cheese - $0.90
Bacon - $0.85
Seasonings - $0.10

GRAND TOTAL - $4.26 for 6 servings, or 0.71 per serving!

Honey Balsamic Chicken

2008-11-24T09:30:00.001-05:00

I found this recipe on What's For Dinner? - she posts tons of great recipes and her dishes range from practical to downright decadent. This particular recipe was origially written for chicken on the grill, but since we live in an apartment that's not really an option for us. I adjusted it a little for the oven, and I think this would be a great glaze for any cut of chicken, or even pork! The instructions below include my adjustments, click on the link for her original recipe.

Honey Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken (breast, drumsticks or wings)
2 Tbsp olive oil
5 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, divided
4 Tbsp honey
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground pepper

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-In a shallow bowl, combine oil, 2 Tbsp vinegar, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Dip chicken in seasoning mixture to coat, and place in shallow baking dish in a single layer. Pour any leftover mixutre over the chicken.
-Place chicken in oven, bake for 30 minutes uncovered, turning once halfway through.
-While chicken is baking, combine remaining 3 Tbsp vinegar and honey in a small saucepan and heat over low heat. Cook down, stirring occasionally, until well thickened.
-After 30 minutes in the oven, brush chicken with honey mixture. Cook for 7-10 minutes. Turn chicken and brush again with honey mixture, cook for an additional 7-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and transfer chicken to a serving plate, let cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Total Cost:
Chicken - 2.00
Oil - $0.25
Vinegar - $0.30
Honey - $0.30
Seasoning - $0.08

GRAND TOTAL: $2.93 for 4 servings (0.73 per serving!)

Pork Chops with mushroom sauce

2008-11-23T22:50:00.000-05:00

Easy peasy pork chops! I like to sautee some extra mushrooms and add them in the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Pork Chops and Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients
1 Tbsp Olive oil
4 pork chops (boneless or bone-in)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp white pepper
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 onion, chopped
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup milk
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking dish with cooking spray
-Heat oil in a skillet. Rub chops with mixture of salt, pepper and garlic. Brown in skillet on both sides, remove from pan and place in baking dish.
-Brown onions in skillet. Pour in soup and milk, stir until blended and starting to heat up. Pour over pork chops
-Cover and bake for 30 minutes. If desired, while pork is cooking, brown sliced mushrooms in the skillet and add for the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Total Cost:
Pork chops - $3.00
Onion - $0.15
Milk - $0.05
Soup - $0.50
Spices - $0.20
Mushrooms - $1.50

Grand Total - $5.40 for 4 servings, or $1.35 per serving)

Whole Wheat Biscuits

2008-11-23T22:18:00.000-05:00

These biscuits lookded SOOO good when I found them on AllRecipes.com - I love biscuits but I'm trying to get away from using baking mix. These seemed perfect, and they are much cheaper than both premade baking mix and refrigerated biscuits!

Whole Wheat Biscuits

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup milk

Directions:
-In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt; mix well.
-Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk just until moistened.
-Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 8 to 10 times.
-Roll to 3/4-in. thickness; cut with a 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
-Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Total Cost:
Flour - $0.09
Wheat Flour - $0.20
Baking powder - $0.08
Sugar - $0.01
Salt - $0.01
Butter - $0.28
Milk - $0.19

GRAND TOTAL: $0.86 for 12 servings! That's $0.07 per biscuit!

Beef (or Turkey) and Biscuit Bake - AKA Cowboy Stew

2008-11-23T22:03:00.002-05:00

This recipe showed up on one of my AllRecipes.com searches...I keep a lot of ground turkey around, and I'm always looking for new dishes to make with it. I like the addition of the beans to this dish, for extra nutrients and a heartier texture. I made a few substitutions to use stuff I had on hand, I also prefer to use homemade biscuits instead of canned, which is usually cheaper.

We've taken to calling this Cowboy Stew in my house...it's very stick-to-your-ribs hearty, and the beef and beans remind my hubby of camping trips!

Beef-n-Biscuit Bake

Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
1 (16 ounce) can kidney or black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels (or 1 can whole kernel corn)
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons minced onion
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can refrigerated biscuits (or homemade biscuits!)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

Directions:
-In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the turkey until no longer pink; drain.
-Add beans, corn, soup, milk, onion, chili powder and salt; bring to a boil.
-Remove from the heat; stir in cheese until melted.
-Spoon into a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, brush all sides of biscuit dough with butter; roll in cornmeal. Place on top of bubbling meat mixture. Return to the oven for 10-12 minutes or until biscuits are lightly browned and cooked through.

Total Cost:
Ground turkey - $1.50
Beans - $0.60
Corn - $0.25
Soup - $0.50
Milk - $0.05
Cheese - $1.60
Homemade biscuits - $0.86
Butter - $0.14
Cornmeal - $0.07

GRAND TOTAL - $6.31 for 6-8 servings, or $1.05 per serving

Oatmeal-Cornflake Cookies

2008-11-23T00:30:00.000-05:00

Yes, you read that correctly - two great breakfast treats in one! I found this recipe on Recipezaar - I had a hankering for a cookie and was out of chocolate chips. I did a quick search and these piqued my attention - they were easy, fast, and VERY yummy. The cornflakes add a little crunch to the cookie, and a little sweetness as well.

You can substitute applesauce for the oil, and I added the cinnamon for some extra flavor. These would lend themselves well to add-ins like dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped peanuts!

Oatmeal-Cornflake Cookies

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup crushed corn flakes
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; stir in oats and cornflakes. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla, then oil. Mix well.
Add flour mixture; mix well.
Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Total Cost:
Flour - $0.16
Oats - $0.06
Corn Flakes - $0.04
Butter - $0.55
Sugar - $0.09
Brown Sugar - $0.10
Egg - $0.14
Vanilla - $0.01
Vegetable Oil - $0.24
Other spices - $0.05

GRAND TOTAL: $1.44 for 15-18 cookies!

Sausage and Penne bake

2008-11-17T17:07:00.000-05:00

I love a good pasta bake - especially one that freezes well! This recipe came from my mother's recipe box, she usually used sausage but you can also substitute a pound of ground meat. This is a great make-ahead recipe, and can be frozen cooked or uncooked since the meat is browned ahead of time. I like to make this in multiple batches!

Sausage and Penne Bake

Ingredients:
1 pound box penne pasta
1 pound Italian sausage (hot or sweet - or use ground meat!)
2 bell peppers, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 (14 oz) jar tomato sauce
1 1/2 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Cook pasta according to package directions, removing from heat while still slightly firm (about 8-10 minutes). Drain and set aside.
- While pasta is boiling, crumble sausage into a skillet and brown over medium-high heat. After about 3 minutes, add peppers, onion and garlic, and brown for an additional 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until heated.
- Remove from heat, stir in penne and half the mozzarella. Transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top.
- Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is slightly browned and melted.

Total Cost:
Pasta - $1.00
Sausage - $2.00
Peppers - $0.75
Onion - $0.30
Tomato sauce - $1.00
Cheese - $2.40

Grand Total: $7.45 for 6-8 servings, or $0.93 per serving!

The Mission - new start

2008-11-13T23:57:00.000-05:00

Well here we are at Day 7 of my blog being disabled by blogger, and not a peep from the powers that be.

SOOOOO I made the executive decision to create a new blogger blog, and start fresh. I am hopeful that eventually my old blog will be unlocked so that I can get back my archived posts, but for now I'm just going with a clean slate.

The SUPER good news - Lauren at Restored 316 Designs will be installing my super hot new layout at the new site, so I'm kicking things off with a bang!!! The new layout will be up at some point tomorrow (Friday!) keep an eye out :)

Now make sure to tell your friends, neighbors, pets, dustbunnies, and anyone else you deem appropriate....as of tomorrow the new home for The $200 Mission is:

savvysuzieblog.blogspot.com

Spread the word! I will be hunting all you lurkers down over the next few days...hee hee!

The mission - Day 6

2008-11-12T23:55:00.000-05:00

Yes, that's right, six.

Six days that The $200 Mission has been disabled, six days that I have faithfully checked my dashboard and my inbox, six days that I haven't heard so much as a peep from ANYONE with a pulse at blogger.

The whole experience is unbelievably disappointing.

I'm trying to hold out hope, rationalizing that perhaps because there was a weekend and a federal holiday mixed in there, maybe my request is just on the edge of being seen and addressed.

But then I read the "Help Groups" postings and find that there are folks whose blogs have been locked for MONTHS.

And then I found where Google lists the addresses and phone numbers for all of the google offices.

hehehe.....

Obama's Chili

2008-11-11T19:34:00.000-05:00

I saw this recipe over at A Year of CrockPotting and just HAD to give it a try. According to her, this is the Obama family chili recipe...wherever it came from, it is DELICIOUS. I have wimpy tastebuds, and my toddler and I were both able to enjoy this chili without any mouth emergencies :) It's well-seasoned without being spicy, but for those who enjoy a little heat it would be very easy to add either diced jalapenos or hot sauce to jack it up a couple of notches.

When I made this I only had black beans and balsamic vinegar on hand, but the substitutions worked wonderfully - another benchmark of a great recipe, it's yummy AND flexible! I also took the Crockpot Lady's advice and increased all of the spices - the recipe below reflects the amounts I used but check out the link for the original amounts.

According to the original post the Obamas serve this over rice - other options would be to serve it over Fritos or crumbled up cornbread!

Barack Obama's Chili Recipe

Ingredients:
--1 can kidney beans - and the goop! (I used black beans)
--1 lb lean ground meat (I used ground turkey)
--1 green bell pepper, chopped
--1 large onion, chopped
--5-6 medium tomatoes, chopped (include seeds and all)
--4 chopped cloves of garlic
--2 tsp cumin
--2 tsp oregano
--2 tsp basil
--2 tsp turmeric
--3 tsp chili powder
--2 tsp salt
--5 T red wine vinegar (I used balsamic vinegar)

Directions:
(Ms Crockpot noted that she did not brown her ground meat ahead of time - I also didn't bother browning the meat. Unless you are using a fatty ground meat and want to drain the fat off a bit, just toss in the ground meat raw!)

Chop up the tomatoes, garlic, onion, and bell pepper. Add to the crockpot. Open the can of beans, and pour in the whole thing (do not drain or rinse!). Add the ground meat. Stir in all of the spices and the red wine vinegar.Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-5.

Total Cost:
Beans - $0.65
Ground Turkey - $1.50
Pepper - $0.85
Onion - $0.30
Tomatos - $3.20
Garlic - $0.20
Seasonings - $0.75

Grand Total: $7.45 for 8-10 servings, or $0.75 per serving!

**an update - this chili does WONDERFULLY in leftovers. I made burritos by mixing the chili with rice, rolling it in a 12" tortilla and frying both sides in the pan. Then we used some in omelettes for breakfast! YUMMY!

The Mission - Day 5

2008-11-11T09:17:00.001-05:00

OK - today will be the telling day....we are past the weekend and the holiday, so I *hope* business is rolling over at Blogger again. Either way, The $200 Mission WILL be back up before the end of the week - either because Blogger restored my old site, or because I threw in the towel and started up a new one.

Thanks to everyone who's left comments - I feel the love!!! And I can't wait to post once things are back to normal - I have two HUGE shopping hauls to report!!

Thanks,
SavvySuzie

Mission - Day 4

2008-11-10T12:31:00.001-05:00

Day 4...still no communication from Blogger, still no movement towards restoring my service. Must....get...blog....back! If this goes on beyond the next day or two, I may just create a new account and put up The $200 Mission on a new blog. It would stink because all my old stuff would be stuck on the old blog, but at least I'd be able to move forward!!!

Keeping multiple appendages crossed,

SavvySuzie

The Mission - Day 3

2008-11-09T16:08:00.000-05:00

Yep, it's Day 3, and The $200 Mission is still down. I am hoping that with the regular work week starting up again, this will be fixed quickly...but time will tell. I still haven't gotten any communication from Blogger's folks that my restore request was received...my neuroses are kicking in but I'm trying to hold it together!!

Thanks for hanging in there with me!
SavvySuzie

The Mission - day 2

2008-11-08T11:31:00.000-05:00

Well here I am, day 2 of my blog being disabled because of Blogger's anti-spam program singling me out as a spam blog. Anyone who reads The $200 Mission knows that this is hooey, but for whatever reason their program pegged me. I submitted to have my blog restored yesterday morning, and have yet to hear from Blogger as to whether they have even received my request. I am hopeful that this is just an oversight because this occurred on a Friday and come Monday this will be taken care of.

At any rate, keep checking back - I will be posting updates on this blog for now, until everything is back to normal :)

Thanks!
SavvySuzie

The mission is still on!

2008-11-07T08:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday!

I wanted to post a quick note regarding my main site, The $200 Mission - in reconfiguring the site for my new layout, Blogger apparently flagged me as spam and temporarily disabled the site. I am working to get it restored, so check back!

Thanks :)

Savvysuzie

Caraway Pork Chops

2008-10-26T22:22:00.000-04:00

This is what happens when I buy a new spice - I go hunting for fun ways to use it! This is another Recipezaar offering, and it gave me an excuse to use more of the caraway seeds I just bought. I cut down the quantities of apples and onions after reading some of the comments on the recipe, and made this a 4-serving dish to fit the size of our family. But it's easy enough to shrink or expand the recipe to meet your own needs!

Caraway Pork Chops

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 apples, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp caraway seeds
4 pork chops
Garlic
Salt and pepper
Dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
2. Layer onions and apples in the bottom of a shallow baking dish.
3. Drizzle honey on top and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon caraway seeds.
4. Prepare chops by sprinkling them with garlic salt and pepper and spreading mustard on them.
5. Place chops on apples and sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon caraway seeds.
6. Cover and bake 1 hour.

Total Cost:
Onion - $0.20
Apples - $0.30
Pork Chops - $3.60
Honey, seasoning, garlic - appx $0.30

Grand Total - $4.40, or $1.10 per serving

Cabbage Roll Casserole

2008-10-26T21:15:00.000-04:00

When I first came across this recipe on Recipezaar I was hesitant. I didn't want to make a glorified sauerkraut! But after reading it through, it's much less cabbage roll and much more hearty stew...and what a nice deviation from the usual Italian sausage and peppers! Don't let the long ingredient list scare you - because this is a crockpot recipe, it's very easy! I use homemade chicken stock and just a pound of sausage to help lower the overall cost. I also used canned diced tomatoes to save time. This is great served in a bread bowl!

Cabbage Roll Casserole

serves 6
Ingredients:
1-1 1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage
2 large potatoes, peeled
2 onions, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
10 ounces chicken stock
1 large can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Tbsp dried dill, or 2 Tbsps fresh dill
1/2 tsp caraway seed
1/2 tsp celery seed
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
4 cups cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1/4 cup fresh parsley coarsely chopped, or 2 Tbsp dried parsley
1-2 Tbsp minced garlic

Directions:

Discard the casings from sausage; cut into bite-size pieces.
In a large skillet, brown the sausage over med-high heat; drain off any fat, and transfer sausage to crock pot.
Meanwhile, peel potatoes, grate one potato, and dice the other potato.
Add the potatoes to the crock pot, along with onions, garlic, carrots, chicken stock, tomatoes, dill, caraway seed, celery seeds, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Cover crock pot and cook on LOW heat for 7-1/2 hours.
After the 7 hours of cooking, add in the cabbage, parsley and butter, pushing the cabbage down into the liquid; cook for another 30-60 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.

Total Cost:

Sausage - $1.99
Potatoes - $0.30
Onions - $0.43
Carrots - $0.40
Chicken stock - FREE!
Cabbage - $0.45
Butter - $0.55
Spices and seasonings - appx $0.15

Grand Total: $4.28, or $0.71 per serving!

Chipotle Ranch Chicken Fingers

2008-10-19T20:10:00.001-04:00

I scored some fancy salad dressing but since we don't do a lot of salad at home, I wanted to try something else - this recipe is a nice deviation from plain old breaded chicken, I like to do it as chicken fingers but you could just as easily marinate other (and larger) cuts of chicken.

Chipotle Ranch Chicken Fingers

Appx 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken, cut into tenders
3/4 cup ranch dressing (I used a Chipotle ranch, but any Ranch variety will do)
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large ziploc bag, combine chicken tenders and ranch dressing. Marinate overnight.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper in a shallow dish.
Remove chicken fingers from ziploc bag, making sure they are coated in dressing. Roll in breadcrumb mixture and place in a single layer on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and coating is crispy.

**for drumsticks, bake at 375 for appx 45-50 minutes. for boneless breasts, bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Total Cost
Chicken - $2.99
Ranch dressing - $1.00
Bread crumbs - $0.30
Parmesan Cheese - $0.50
Seasonings - negligible

Grand total - $4.79, or $0.80 per serving

Crockpot Vegetable Curry

2008-10-19T19:21:00.001-04:00

This recipe comes from another Menu Plan Monday participant, A Juggling Mum - I've been wanting to try a good curry recipe and this fits perfectly with my plan to include at least 1 vegetarian meal in each week's menu. The title has the original link to her recipe, but the version below includes conversion to American measurement, and a few small changes to things I have on hand regularly.

Crockpot Vegetable Curry

Makes appx 8-10 servings
Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes - cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 large onion - chopped
1 red pepper - chopped (if you like spicy, use a chili pepper or other spicy variety)
2 carrots - cut into 1/2″ pieces
2 tomatoes - chopped
2 cups frozen peas
1 6oz can tomato paste
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium cauliflower - cut in 1″ florets

Directions:
In crockpot, toss together potatoes, onion, pepper, carrots, frozen vege and tomatoes.
In a large measuring cup, combine tomato paste, water and spices.
Pour over vegetables in crockpot and stir to coat.
Place cauliflower florets on top, cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or until potatoes are tender but still hold their shape.

Serve over Coconut rice (make regular rice, but replace half of the water with coconut milk in the pot)

Total Cost:
Potatoes - appx $0.75
Onion - $0.30
Pepper - $0.50
Carrots - $0.50
Tomatoes - $0.80
Frozen Peas - $0.45
Tomato Paste - $0.60
Cauliflower - 0.95
Rice - $0.46
Coconut milk - $1.00

Grand Total: 7.06, or $o.71 per serving

Leftover Links:
Curried Veggie Flatbread Pizza

Oven Baked Country Ribs

2008-10-19T19:09:00.000-04:00

I found this recipe at Heritage Schoolhouse while looking for something to do with the country-style ribs that I find on sale quite often. It's a BBQ-style sauce, but leaves my crockpot open to make some yummy side dishes!

Oven Baked Country Ribs

Appx 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 - 2 pounds pork ribs

Directions:
Combine ketchup, water, brown sugar, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. Heat a large lightly oiled skillet over medium-high heat. Add ribs and sear until browned. Place ribs in a single layer in a baking pan or casserole dish. Pour half of the sauce over the ribs, reserve remainder. Bake ribs at 350° for 2-3 hours. Turn and baste meat every 30 minutes with remaining sauce.

Total Cost
Ketchup - appx $0.45
Brown sugar - $0.10
Vinegar - $0.05
Pork Ribs - $2.60
Other seasonings - $0.05 total

Grand Total - $3.25, or $0.82 per serving!

Applesauce Bread

2008-10-13T15:55:00.000-04:00

This recipe is courtesy of HeavenlyHomeMakers - I adore this recipe because it's a nice break from my usual muffins, it's healthy, and I ALWAYS have applesauce on hand :) I like to do this recipe as mini-loaves, but it's tasty in ANY shape!

Applesauce Bread

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup rapadura or 1/2 cup honey
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. sea salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
3/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add applesauce, eggs and butter. Stir well. Pour into a buttered bread pan or stone. Bake for 45-55 minutes at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

Total Cost;
Wheat flour - $0.60
Honey - $0.75
Applesauce - $0.24
Eggs - $0.28
Butter - $0.27
Spices, baking powder, baking soda, salt - negotiable

Grand Total - $2.14

Turkey Meatball Subs

2008-10-12T22:56:00.003-04:00

I tend to keep a lot of ground turkey in the house, but this recipe can be made with any ground meat of choice. I wrote this recipe to make them and serve the same day, but if you brown the meatballs ahead of time you can freeze them, when you're ready to serve just toss them in the crockpot with some red sauce and cook for about 4 hours on high!

Turkey Meatball Subs

Ingredients
1 pound (or slightly more) ground turkey
1 egg
1-2 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 small onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Seasonings to taste (I use Mrs Dash or Italian Seasoning with some garlic powder)
1 jar pasta sauce

Directions
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, mix very well (I use my hands!). Shape into 1 inch meatballs and place in a lightly greased crockpot. Cook on low for 4 hours. Add 1 jar pasta sauce, cook an additional 2 hours.

*To freeze, remove from crockpot before adding the sauce - allow to cool, then store in gallon freezer bags. To reheat, thaw and then cook in the crockpot for 2 hrs on low with the pasta sauce.

Total Cost for Meatballs - about 4 sandwiches
Ground Turkey - $1.50
Egg - $0.14
Celery - $0.08
Onion - $0.20
Bread crumbs - $0.15
Pasta Sauce - $1.00

Grand Total - $3.11

For Meatball Subs:

I use this dough recipe and instead of making small rolls I make about 6 hoagie-sized rolls. But you can use whatever you have on hand!

Portion out meatballs on your rolls. Top with Mozzarella cheese. Broil under low heat broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the edges of the bread start to brown. Enjoy!

Total Cost for Meatball Subs:
Meatballs - $3.11
Hoagie rolls - $0.59
Cheese - appx $1.50

Grand, Grand total - $5.20, or $1.30 per serving

Alaina's Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup

2008-10-12T22:35:00.000-04:00

This is an original recipe from Alaina's Favorite Recipes - I love how simple it is and I am ALWAYS looking for good soups to add to the repertoire...they store well and serve a crowd!

Alaina's Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp + 3 Tbsp butter, divided
1 Med onion, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken stock (I use homemade so that it's free!)
8-9 cups broccoli, chopped, including some stems
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups milk
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (use any cheese you like)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a saute pan. Add onion, celery and garlic, saute together until starting to tenderize.
Add chicken stock and broccoli, bring to a boil. Boil until broccoli is tender, about 10-15 minutes. The puree all (or part) in a blender or with an immersion blender.
In a separate saucepan, combine 3 Tbsp butter and flour, cook for 1-2 minutes then slowly add milk. Whisk together and add cheese. Cook until thickened and cheese is melted.
Add broccoli mixture to the pot, season to taste

Total cost - appx 10-12 servings

Butter - $0.35
Onion - $0.20
Celery - $0.15
Chicken stock - FREE!
Broccoli - $3.20
Milk - $0.40
Cheese - $2.00
flour, garlic, seasonings - negligible

Grand Total = $6.30, or $0.53 per serving!!!

Crockpot Thai Chicken Thighs

2008-10-12T22:19:00.000-04:00

Another great recipe from Recipezaar - I love anything in the crockpot, and the salsa in the sauce give this a really nice tang - I use regular salsa since I'm not a huge fan of cilantro, and if I don't have lime juice on hand, any citrus fruit will work (we usually have oranges so that's what I use)

Crockpot Thai Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 (16 ounce) jar cilantro salsa (or any salsa you prefer)
1/2 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
2 teaspoons ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons lime juice

Directions

Put all ingredients in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours. (does it GET any easier??)
Garnish with cilantro, scallions, and peanuts. (optional)
Serve over rice

Total Cost (4 servings):
Chicken Thighs - Appx $4.00
Salsa - $0.80 (store brand, nothing fancy!)
Peanut Butter - $1.60
Ginger, soy sauce, lime - negligible
Rice - $0.30

Grand Total - $6.70, or $1.68 per serving!

Baked Squash and Apple Casserole

2008-10-12T19:51:00.000-04:00

Food just seems to get heartier come fall. While I crave the light sweetness of watermelon in the summer, fall stirs up richer tastes of squash, hot apple cider, warm loaves of bread....if summer food is a pair of flip flops, fall food is a pair of fuzzy slippers by the fireplace! This recipe from Recipezaar has the best fruits of fall and is incredibly easy to make!

Baked Squash and Apple Casserole

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash (2 lbs. or less)
2 medium apples, or 4 small apples (cored, peeled, and sliced)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cold butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pare, seed, and cut squash into small slices.
Place squash and apple slices in oblong baking dish (7x11-inch).
Blend rest of ingredients with fork, fingers, or pastry cutter until crumbly; distribute over squash and apple.
Cover and bake for 45-50 minutes.

Total Cost (6-8 servings)

Squash - appx $1.80
Apples - appx $1.20
Brown Sugar - $0.05
Flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg - negotiable

Grand Total: $3.05, or $0.38 per serving!

Sausage Oven Omelette

2008-10-05T22:02:00.001-04:00

I put this recipe together while trying to come up for something to do with some Cheddarwurst sausage that I had bought on sale - it's a great breakfast-for-dinner or brunch dish and you can use just about any type of sausage you have on hand. Try it with breakfast sausage, regular kielbasa, or sweet italian sausage!

Sausage Oven Omelette

Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb sausage, cut into bite sized pieces
8 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 cup grated cheese (any type)
1 small chopped onion
1/2 bag frozen broccoli, thawed and drained
salt and pepper (to taste)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a 9x9 pan or casserole dish
Heat oil in skillet, brown sausage until almost cooked through.
While sausage is browning, whisk together eggs and milk until blended well. Add cayenne pepper if desired.
Add onion and broccoli to skillet, cover and cook for appx 3 minutes, remove from heat.
Stir sausage and vegetables, and 1/2 cup of cheese into egg mixture. Salt and pepper to taste
Pour into prepared casserole or dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.
Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until eggs have set and top is lightly browned.

Total Cost:
Cheddarwurst sausage - $2.00
Eggs - $1.12
Cheddar cheese - $0.95
Milk - $0.06
Broccoli - $0.50
Onion - $0.20
seasonings - negotiable

Grand Total: - $4.83 for 6 servings - $0.81 per serving!

Mexican Chicken

2008-09-29T12:52:00.000-04:00

I found this recipe in with a Menu Plan Monday posting on The Fatback Chronicles. She called it Autumn Supper Chicken, I call it Mexican chicken...the family just calls it TASTY! Great as a stand-alone main dish, or in nachos, quesadillas, stews, or casseroles!

Autumn Supper Chicken (aka Mexican chicken!)

Adapted from Gooseberry Patch's Fall Family & Friends.

Ingredients:
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 package taco seasoning
1-2 cups salsa
1/4 - 1/2 cup sour cream

Grease your slow cooker, and place chicken breasts in it. Sprinkle taco seasoning over the chicken breasts. Smother the chicken in salsa of your choice. Cover the cooker and cook on low for about 8 hours.
Remove chicken breasts from cooker and shred. Add sour cream to the salsa mixture in the cooker. Stir to combine. Add shredded chicken and stir again. Now you're ready to serve it!

Total cost:
Chicken - $2.25
Taco seasoning - $0.25
Salsa - $1.99
Sour Cream - $0.50

Grand Total: $4.99

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin

2008-09-29T12:40:00.000-04:00

This is a Paula Deen recipe so I knew right away it would be great. Even though this is for a full pork tenderloin, it can also be used as a seasoning rub for chops - just reduce the heat to 425 from the start and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the chops are cooked through. Make sure you score the edges in 2-3 places so that they don't curl up!

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
1 (4-pound) boneless pork loin, with fat left on
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

Directions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
Place the pork loin on a rack in a roasting pan. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. With your fingers, massage the mixture onto the pork loin, covering all of the meat and fat.
Roast the pork for 30 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 425 degrees F and roast for an additional hour. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F, remove the roast from the oven. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes before carving. It will continue to cook while it rests.

Total Cost (using boneless chops):
Pork tenderloin chops - $1.88
Oil - $0.04
Garlic- $0.12
Salt, seasonings - negligible

Grand total: $2.04

Pizza Crust

2008-09-29T11:10:00.003-04:00

My family is from northern New Jersey, where (in my humble opinion) pizza is as close to perfect as you can get. I have yet to find a recipe that comes out as good as the pizza joint we frequent in Teaneck, but this crust recipe from Biblical Womanhood is quick and comes out perfectly every time!

Pizza Crust

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.)
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups flour

Directions:

Dissolve the yeast in the water.
Add the oil, salt and sugar. Let yeast mix sit for about 5 minutes.
Add the flour and mix well
Dump onto a floured surface.
Knead into a smooth dough (about 5 minutes)
Roll out and press down on a greased pizza pan (if you have it, dust with cornmeal after greasing the pan)
Add toppings
Bake at 425 degrees for around 12-15 minutes, until the crust looks crispy and lightly browned.

Total Cost:
Yeast - $0.67
Oil - $0.04
Flour - $0.23
Sugar, salt - negligible

Grand Total (dough only) - $0.94

Autumn Chicken

2008-09-21T19:54:00.000-04:00

This recipe is courtesy of The $5 Dinner Mom - a frugalicious favorite! I love anything that can be done in the crockpot anyway, and it's a perfect addition to the menu during apple picking season. She actually did this dish with sides of rice and broccoli for under five bucks!

Autumn Chicken

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Thighs (Thighs, drumsticks, or split breasts..whatever's on hand)
2 Apples, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cup apple juice
Salt and Pepper
Dash Cinnamon
3 T lemon juice, to prevent browning of apples

Directions:
1. Pour Apple Juice into the crock pot. Place chicken into the juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add sliced onion around chicken.
2. Slice apples and mix with lemon juice and cinnamon. Place on top of chicken in crockpot. Set on low and cook for 8 hours.

Total Cost:
Split Chicken breasts - $2.00
Apples (3 gingergold) - $0.75
Onion - $0.16
Apple Juice - $0.20
Lemon juice (one squeezed fresh) - $0.20
Cinnamon and seasoning - negligible

Grand total: $3.31

Cheesy Zucchini Crisps

2008-09-21T12:35:00.000-04:00

This recipe comes from Amy's Finer Things - I was looking for an alternative to potatoes as a side dish/starch and these are perfect! The boy wonder appreciates them too, he's not a big potato fan but zukes are his favorite :)

Cheesy Zucchini Strips

1/3 cup cornflake crumbs
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
dash of garlic powder
4 small zucchini or squash (I use both) cut in sticks
1/4 c. melted butter

Combine corn flake crumbs, cheese, and seasonings in a plastic bag. Dip zucchini in butter and shake in bag to coat. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes

Total Cost:
Zucchini - appx $0.80
Cornflakes - appx $0.10
Butter - appx $0.25
seasoning - negligible

Grand total: $1.15

Homemade Vegetable Soup

2008-09-21T12:20:00.000-04:00

I have been making this for years....it started as a Weight Watchers suggestion and grew into a staple of my menus, especially when we need to empty the crisper in the fridge! This recipe includes what I usually have on hand, but it can easily be adapted to whatever (and whatever quantities) are readily available to you.

I will generally make a large pot of this and freeze it into 2-cup portions, easy to pull out for quick lunch or a side dish to dinner. Once you have it on hand you can add shredded chicken or beef, or pasta to make an even heartier dish!

Homemade vegetable soup

Ingredients:
2-3 cloves minced garlic (adjust to taste)
1 large can chicken broth (or appx 40 oz homemade if you have it)
1-2 cups of each of the following vegetables -

Carrots
Cabbage
Celery
Potatoes
Frozen corn

1 large can of diced tomatoes (do not drain)
Mrs Dash seasoning to taste

Directions:
In a large nonstick pot or dutch oven, lightly brown the minced garlic (about 1-2 minutes).
Add chicken broth plus 1 cup water, and Mrs Dash seasoning, bring to a boil.
Add all vegetables, including can of diced tomatoes (with juice). Return to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Serve hot, or allow to cool on the stove and then portion and freeze. Makes about 8-10 servings, depending on the amounts of veggies you add.

Total Cost:
Chicken Broth - Appx $3.00
Carrots - Appx $0.60
Cabbage - Appx $0.25
Celery - Appx $0.30
Potato - Appx $0.50
Corn - Appx $0.30
Tomato - Appx $1.00

Grand Total: $5.95 - only $0.60 per serving!

Blog award and an adoption

2008-09-18T20:58:00.001-04:00

I am lucky enough to have been included in Adopt-a-Blogger through Dine and Dish! As a new blogger, I can use all the help I can get, and so I have been graciously "adopted" by Ivy at kopiaste... - she's been blogging a good while, and has a lot of fantastic recipes. Be sure to pay her a visit!

She was also kind enough to give me an award!

Here are the rules to follow:
When you receive the prize you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who has given it to you, and link them back.
Choose a minimum of 7 blogs (or even more) that you find brilliant in their content or design.
Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing they were prized with ‘Brilliant Weblog’.
Show a picture of those who awarded you and those you give the prize (optional).

I decided to pass this along to some of the folks who have actually taken the time to read what I write, which motivates me to keep blogging! Thanks for the fire under my backside :)

Petra at The Wise Young Mommy

Tina at The Adventures of a Working Mom

Mandi at Just Another Stay at Home Mom

The $5 Dinner Mom at $5 Dinners

Mrs Bear at Outnumbered Two to One

Rachel at Rachel's Cooking

Mindi at Moms Need to Know

Spinach Lasagna

2008-09-13T23:03:00.001-04:00

Cooks.com has rescued me again! They are such a great resource for inexpensive and easy recipes. I am working hard to get more vegetarian-type dishes in our diet, and recipes like this one make it simple. I add some additional seasoning to the ricotta cheese before putting it in the lasagne, it adds a nice layer of flavor. I also parboil the lasagna noodles (boil them for about half time, just until they get pliable)...I find that the noodles don't quite cook fully in my oven if I don't soften them first.

Spinach Lasagna

16 oz ricotta or cottage cheese
16 oz bag shredded Mozzarella
1 jar tomato sauce (any kind)
1 package lasagna noodles
10 oz frozen chopped spinach
1 tsp. dry minced garlic
1 tsp. dry minced onion

Preheat Oven to 350.
Thaw spinach under warm water and strain thoroughly. In mixing bowl, combine ricotta or cottage cheese, half of the shredded Mozzarella, garlic, onion and spinach.

Spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan; put a layer of dry (or parboiled) lasagna noodles, then a layer of half of the cheese mixture, another layer of sauce, noodles, and mixture; end with a layer of noodles, layer of sauce and rest of shredded cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour, removing foil at the last 5 to 10 minutes.

Total Cost:
Ricotta: $1.00
Mozzarella: $3.50
Tomato sauce - $0.89
Lasagna noodles - $1.29
Spinach - $1.19
Spices - negligible

GRAND TOTAL - $7.87 for appx 8-10 servings, or $0.79-$0.98 per serving.

40 Minute Hamburger Buns

2008-09-13T22:20:00.000-04:00

Homemade hamburger rolls from Recipezaar.com. What I like is that it is very easy to use the same dough for breadsticks, dinner rolls, or full sized buns. Hubby had the idea of brushing them with olive oil and garlic powder for italian-style, you can also add herbs and spices to mix up the flavors! I prefer heartier rolls and replace 1 cup of the regular flour with whole wheat.

40 Minute Hamburger Buns

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 cup warm water, plus
2 Tbsp warm water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp salt
3 to 3 1/2 cups flour

Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
2. Add oil and sugar and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Add the egg, salt and enough flour to form a soft dough.
4. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Do not let rise.
6. Divide into 12 pieces and shape each into a ball.
7. Place 3" apart on greased baking sheets.
8. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
9. Bake at 425° for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.

Total Cost:
Oil - $0.10
Sugar - $0.04
Egg - $0.14
Flour - $0.31
yeast, salt - negligible

Grand Total: $0.59 for the whole batch, however you bake them up!

Veggie Lo Mein

2008-09-13T21:56:00.001-04:00

I got this recipe from Living on Love - I was looking for a way to use up some cabbage I had bought for a different recipe, and this fit the bill nicely. It appeals to me the way most stir frys do - it's versatile, quick and easy! Use it as an outlet for any veggies you haven't found a home for :)

Mary Ellen's Veggie Lo Mein

First a disclamer - I'm sure there is a proper, more authentic way to make Veggie Lo Mein, but this isn't it! This recipe was created as a way to quell a pregnancy craving for Chinese food and has since become a family favorite. It's also pretty easy to throw together and very flexible as far as ingredients.

Ingredients:
Veggies on hand - (use leftovers, or bagged frozen - If I have no leftovers I grab a bag of California mix, broccoli carrots and cauliflower!)
1 small onion, diced
1 cup coarsely chopped cabbage (optional)
1 can water chestnuts (optional)
Whole Wheat spaghetti
2-4 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1-2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1/2 Tbsp ground ginger
Red Pepper flakes to taste
1 - 2 tbsp of oil

1. Cook whole wheat spaghetti until just overdone, should be less than al dente.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add minced garlic and sliced onions. Cook until onions become tender (about 3 mins).
3. Add shredded cabbage and water chestnuts (if using) to skillet along with red pepper flakes to taste (I usually add 1/8 to 1/4 tsp, that's powerful stuff!).
4. Add in veggies, soy sauce (about 2-3 tbsp) and ground ginger with a tablespoon of water. Cover and cook until broccoli and carrots become tender. If using frozen, cook until veggies are cooked through.
5. Drain pasta and add to the skillet. Stir fry with veggie mixture for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the pasta has a firmer texture. Add more soy sauce to taste.

Total Cost:
Veggies - will vary, but not more than $2.00
Pasta - $1.20
Water Chestnuts - $0.60
Spices - $0.05
Oil - $0.04

Grand Total: $3.89 (or less, depending on your veggies!)

Apple, Cheddar and Turkey Meatballs

2008-09-13T21:16:00.000-04:00

This recipe is courtesy of one of my personal heroes - The Crockpot Lady - as part of her personal mission to use that oft-dust-collecting appliance every day for a whole year. My crockpot has already gotten more use in the last few months than it had in years, thanks to her fantastic ideas.

The flavors in this recipe evoke fall for me - apples in the trees, the promise of Thanksgiving turkey, warm comfort food on a cold day. I plan to make a double batch and freeze them!

Apple, Cheddar and Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:
--1 1/2 pound extra lean ground turkey
--1 egg
--1 tsp kosher salt (or regular salt)
--1 tsp ground black pepper
--1 tsp onion powder
--1 green apple, peeled and shredded
--1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
--1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries (I skipped these just because my guys won't eat them)

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, mix the ground turkey with the ingredients. I used my hands.
Make golf-ball sized meatballs, and drop them into your crockpot. I used a 6 quart crockpot, but you could use any size over 3 quart, probably. These made enough meatballs to feed our family of 4 for dinner, with 8 leftover for breakfast and lunch.

If you have a large family, or would like to cook enough to freeze, double or triple the recipe. You can definitely stagger-stack the meatballs on top of each other.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 5-9---the cooking time will depend on how many meatballs are in the crock, and the size of your machine. The more full it is, the longer it will take to cook. I cooked 1 1/2 pounds of meatballs in a 6 quart for exactly 4 hours on high. I could have left them in a bit longer to brown the ones on the very top, but we were hungry.

Total cost:
Turkey - appx $3.00
Egg - $0.14
Green apple - $0.67
Cheese - $0.46
(I left out cranberries)

GRAND TOTAL: $4.27

Easy Cheese Biscuits

2008-09-08T20:04:00.000-04:00

This recipe is one listed in The Best of Cooking with 3 Ingredients by Ruthie Wornall. I add more milk until the consistency is a little stickier because that's how I like them :)

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups baking mix
2/3 cup milk (I use closer to 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients until soft dough forms. Beat for 30 seconds. If dough is too sticky, add more baking mix. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Grandma's Chicken Stew

2008-09-08T19:28:00.001-04:00

I came across this recipe for Grandma's Chicken Stew at iVillage...(my personal adjustments noted) I use this recipe most often when I have roasted a chicken, so that I have homemade chicken broth, and plenty of leftover chicken bits so that I don't need to use canned chicken. I usually substitute the grated carrots for some frozen mixed veggies, and I season the broth with Mrs. Dash before adding the noodles and such.

Grandma's Chicken Stew

2 cans (14 ½ ounces each) fat-free chicken broth *29 oz homemade broth
1 can (14 ½ ounces) vegetable broth
¾ cup already-shredded carrots *1/4 bag frozen mixed veggies
8 ounces (about 4 cups) wide egg noodles
1 large can (10 ounces) white-meat chicken *leftover roasted chicken bits
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cold water
Black pepper to taste *Mrs Dash to taste

1. Bring the chicken broth and vegetable broth (and Mrs Dash seasoning) to a boil in a covered 4 ½-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over high heat. This should take 8 to 10 minutes. When the broth boils, add the carrots (frozen veggies), noodles, and the chicken and its juices. Cover the pot and bring the broth back to a rolling boil.
2. Uncover the pot and stir, breaking up any chicken chunks slightly. Continue to boil, uncovered, over high heat until the noodles are tender, about 6 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine the flour and water in a small container that has a lid. Shake well until the lumps disappear.
4. When the noodles are just tender, add the flour mixture and stir constantly until the stew is slightly thick, about 2 minutes. Season with pepper and remove from the heat. Serve in large soup plates or bowls.

Total cost (when using roast chicken leftovers)
Chicken broth - 0.00 (leftovers)
Veggie broth - 1.00
Frozen veggies - 0.25 (1/4 of a 0.99 bag)
Chicken bits - 0.00 (leftovers)
Egg noodles - 0.50 (1/2 of a 0.99 bag)

Grand total: $1.75!

Mimi's Sticky Chicken

2008-09-08T19:16:00.000-04:00

Copyright 1985-2001 Mimi Hiller at www.cyber-kitchen.com

When I found this recipe I had to read it twice - cook at 250 degrees? But that's not a typo. it's basically a crockpot-style recipe in the oven, and the mix of seasonings is just perfect. I like a juicy chicken (and my oven can be a bit drying) so I slide a few pats of butter or margarine under the skin and rub the spices underneath as well as on top of the skin.

Mimi's Sticky Chicken

Ingredients:
2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 whole roasting chicken, about 3 pounds
1 cup chopped onion

Combine all spices (first 8 ingredients) in a small bowl.
Rinse chicken inside and out, drain well.
Rub spice mixture over skin and the inside of chicken.
Place in a resealable plastic bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to roast, stuff cavity with onions.
Place chicken, breast side down, in roasting pan.
Roast uncovered at 250 degrees for about 5 hours.
Baste occasionally with pan juices or until pan juices start to caramelize on bottom of pan and chicken is golden brown.

Total cost:
Spices - negligible
Chicken - appx $3.50
Onion - $0.31

GRAND TOTAL: $3.81 with LOTS of leftovers
*I also use the carcass to make chicken broth for use in other recipes!

Italian Chicken Skillet

2008-09-08T19:12:00.002-04:00

This is a great recipe from the book Diabetes Meal Planning on $7 a Day -- Or Less! by Patti Geil and Tami Ross. This recipe includes great meal-stretching ideas like cutting meat and veggies into small bite sized pieces, and thinning sauce out with water (or milk, depending on the topping) to help it go further. Because zucchini is a very inexpensive veggie, and DS LOVES them, I tend to add extra zukes and just reduce the water a bit so the sauce isn't too thin. This dish also works great over rice!

Italian Chicken Skillet

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 tsp corn oil
1 tsp (or 1 clove) minced garlic
1 small diced onion
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
1 7-oz can mushroom stems and pieces, drained and rinsed
3-4 small zucchini squash, quartered lengthwise and diced into bite-sized pieces
1 14-oz jar reduced-sodium spaghetti sauce
½ cup water
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
2 2/3 cups cooked pasta, cooked without added salt or oil

Preparation Instructions
Prepare pasta according to package instructions.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add oil and warm over medium heat. Add garlic and onion. Cook until onion turns clear (about 3 minutes), stirring frequently.
Add chicken and cook until no longer pink (about 7 minutes).
Stir in mushrooms, zucchini, spaghetti sauce, water, and red pepper flakes.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring periodically.
Serve over hot pasta.

Total Cost:
Onion - $0.15 (about half a small onion)
Chicken - $2.00
Zucchini - $0.45
Can mushrooms - $0.40
Pasta sauce - $0.75 (about half a large jar)
Pasta - $0.60 (about 2/3 package)

Grand total (with leftovers) $4.35

Easy Thai-Style Chicken

2008-09-04T20:24:00.001-04:00

I had a craving for peanuts one night, and chicken on the menu..this was the end result! The veggies and spices are all pretty flexible, and can be adjusted based on what you have in the pantry. The basic flavor mix I was going for is spicy, sweet, savory, and peanutty - so go to town!

Easy Thai-style Chicken

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp minced garlic (or to taste)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 split chicken breasts - skinned and deboned, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup hot water
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
2 zucchini or green squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into bite size pieces
Prepared couscous, rice or noodles (whatever is handy)

In a large skillet, heat oil. Add garlic, cook just until it browns. Add chicken pieces, sprinkle with chili powder and cumin, cook thoroughly - appx 5-7 minutes.
In a separate bowl, mix peanut butter, water, soy sauce, sugar and ginger. Using hot water will help melt the peanut butter and it will mix faster.
Add zucchini to pan, cook 2 minutes until just tender.
Add peanut sauce, cook until sauce is smooth, appx 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Serve over hot couscous, noodles or rice.

TOTAL COST:
Chicken - appx $2.00
Zucchini - $1.50
Peanut butter - appx $0.45
Soy Sauce - appx $o.20
Couscous - $0.75
Spices - negligible

GRAND TOTAL: $4.90

Kielbasa and Pasta Supper

2008-09-04T20:17:00.001-04:00

This recipe came about because I found myself with two extra mouths to feed and not a lot of prep time - it's quick, easy, and VERY inexpensive....and TASTY!

Kielbasa and Pasta supper

1 kielbasa, cut into quarters and then diced into bite-sized pieces
1 box pasta of choice (I used rotini, easy for the kiddos to get on their forks)
1/2 bag frozen peas
2 tbsp butter or margarine
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp fresh ground pepper (optional)

Bring water to boil in a large pot. In a small fry pan, heat the kielbasa on medium-low heat. After about 3 minutes, add the garlic powder and stir well to coat the kielbasa. Heat for an additional 2-3 minutes. When water is boiling, add pasta and peas. Return to a boil, cook for appx 8-10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Drain, put into a large serving bowl. Add warmed kielbasa. Add margarine (and pepper) toss until well mixed.

TOTAL COST:
Kielbasa - $2.00
Pasta - $1.00
Peas - $0.50
Butter - $0.10

GRAND TOTAL: $3.60 for 6-8 servings

Chinese Beef and Broccoli

2008-09-04T20:15:00.000-04:00

Looking for a new way to serve London Broil cuts? This recipe was from Cooks.com, and it provided a tasty alternative to the other dishes I've tried. I also had almost 3 full servings of leftovers. You can stretch this dish a little further by adding more veggies too.

Two things: First, it is best to slice the meat while it is still partially frozen - you can cut it thinner and it holds together better. Second, I added a soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and ginger marinade - it really added to the taste and the meat stayed pretty tender in spite of the long cooking.

CHINESE BEEF WITH BROCCOLI
2 c. steak or London Broil (sliced thin)
1 lg. can mushrooms, pieces & stems (one 15 oz can, drained)
2 pkgs. frozen chopped broccoli (one 20 oz bag frozen broccoli)
Soy sauce (appx 1 cup for marinade, to taste in the pan)
2 pkgs. brown gravy mix

(Marinade steak pieces at least 3 hrs up to overnight in the following: 1 cup soy sauce, 1-1/2 tbsp ground ginger, 2 tbsp garlic powder, 2 tbsp onion powder, about 3/4 cup water or until the meat is mostly covered.)

In a large frying pan quick fry meat, adding soy sauce to taste. You may add garlic powder if desired. Add broccoli and mushrooms, stir constantly. If mixture is dry, add water.
Continue cooking on a low flame until heated (about 15 minutes). Add both packages of brown gravy mix. Stir until thickened. Serve over noodles or rice.

TOTAL COST:
London Broil: $2.70
Can mushroom pieces: $0.60
Frozen Broccoli: $1.00
Gravy: $0.40
Rice: $0.50

GRAND TOTAL: $5.20

Baked Mac and Cheese

2008-09-04T20:06:00.001-04:00

Mac and cheese gets a bad rap. If all you've experienced is the kind that comes in the blue box, fear not! You don't need to be drowned in orange cheese food to enjoy this tasty, and cheap, dinner! The below recipe is from BetterBudgeting.com, I used a quarter cup of BBQ sauce instead of the Worcestershire for a little more zing and a different flavor. This made enough to feed all 3 of us twice.

Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Copyright © 2002 by Michelle Jones, editor of Better Budgeting

This is a recipe for traditional baked macaroni and cheese, and has a custard like texture (because of the eggs). You can also add more cheese if desired (and even several types), and some butter! When you find a good sale on cheese at your grocery story, just try several different variations until you discover your favorite. And if you'd prefer a creamier (and quicker) macaroni and cheese, view my recipe for Creamy Macaroni and Cheese.

Ingredients:
8 ounces macaroni, cooked al dente and drained
8 ounces grated cheese (2 cups), reduced-fat if desired
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 tsp. saltWorcestershire sauce (I used 1/4 cup BBQ sauce)
2 c. milk (half & half can be used for a richer variation, and skim milk is okay but the sauce won't be as thick)

Directions:
Beat eggs, salt and Worcestershire sauce (BBQ sauce) together in a medium sized bowl, add milk and mix thoroughly.
Layer macaroni and grated cheese (3 layers of each) in a casserole dish.
Pour egg mixture over macaroni and cheese and bake at 350 degrees until set and lightly browned on top. About 45-50 minutes.

Cost for this dish, with a full round of leftovers:
Macaroni elbows $0.50 (half a box)
Grated cheddar cheese $1.50 (half a 16 oz bag)
Eggs $0.24
BBQ sauce $0.50
Milk $0.36

GRAND TOTAL: $3.10

Chickpea Stew

2008-09-04T19:57:00.000-04:00

This is one of my favorite recipes, it's good for nights when you don't want to do ANOTHER chicken dish or just want something with a lot of veggies for a change. I have served this alone as a main or side dish, or had it over rice to make it more filling and stretch it further. It also reheats VERY well! Plus this is a SUPER cheap recipe - just over $3 for the whole thing - so if you want to add extra of any of the ingredients it won't break the bank!

CHICKPEA STEW
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic (or more, if you're a garlic fan like me!)
1/2 tsp basil -or- italian seasoning mix (depending on your taste)
1 can chickpeas, drained
2 med zucchini, quartered lengthwise and then cut into bite size pieces
1 med onion, diced
1 large tomato, diced (you can also use canned stewed or diced tomato)
2-3 cups chopped fresh spinach
2-3 cups cooked rice
Parmesan cheese

1. In a large saute pan, heat oil - add garlic and herbs/seasoning, let it sizzle for just under a minute or until the garlic is slightly browned
.2. Add chickpeas and zucchini, stir to coat with oil and garlic. reduce heat slightly, cover and let cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add onions, stir to mix, re-cover and let cook for about 3 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
4. Add tomato, stir to mix, re-cover and let cook for about 2 minutes.
5. Add spinach, stir to mix, re-cover and let cook for about 4 minutes. Remove cover and cook an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the spinach is cooked.
6. If desired, serve over 3/4 cup of rice, add parmesan cheese to taste.Makes 4-6 servings.

Total cost:
Chickpeas - 0.59
Zucchini - appx 0.75
Tomato - appx 0.60
Onion - appx 0.20
Spinach - appx 0.80
Rice - appx 0.50

Total cost for a meal plus leftovers: $3.44!!!!!