Hearty Sausage Soup

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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