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!

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!

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!

Chicken Bombay

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

No Fuss Chicken Cordon Bleu

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!

Country Chicken Cobbler

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

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

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!

Leftover Pot Pie

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

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

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

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

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

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

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!

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)

Crockpot Taco Chicken - make ahead!

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)

Slow cooker Chicken and Dumplings

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!

Honey Balsamic Chicken

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!)

Chipotle Ranch Chicken Fingers

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