Spaghetti Casserole

I didn't think that this would be good, but it turned out to be great!!  So easy...

Spaghetti Casserole
Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

• 1-8oz cheese whiz
• 1/2 C milk
• 7oz spaghetti, break into thirds, cook and drain
• 2 Tbs butter
• 10oz cooked broccoli
• 1 C chopped chicken or turkey (I used chicken and I actually used about 3 chicken breasts chopped up)
• 1-4oz can mushrooms, drained
• 2 Tbs chopped pimento (didn't use this...)
• salt and sage to taste

1. Combine cheese and milk, mix.  Toss spaghetti with butter.  Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Spoon into a 2qt casserole.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 mins.  Stir well before serving.

*Sides: Mashed potatoes and peas.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Tortellini

This one wasn't my favorite way to prepare torellini...I think I might just stick to the old fashioned way next time!!  Kids would love this one I think...

Slow Cooker Cheesy Tortellini
Time: 8 hours

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground sausage or beef
• 16oz of favorite pasta red sauce 
• 1-4.5oz can sliced mushrooms
• 1-4.5oz can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1-9oz package cheese tortellini
• 1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 C shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Crumble the meat into a large skillet.  Cook over medium-high heat until browned, drain.
2. Combine the ground meat, pasta sauce, mushrooms and tomatoes in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.
3. Stir in the tortellini and sprinkle the mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the top.  Cover and cook for 15 more minutes on low or until the tortellini is tender.

*Sides: A salad or any frozen veggie

Chicken Casserole

I wasn't a fan...James liked it though! My problem was that it tasted pretty bland...

Ingredients:

• 1 roll of Ritz Crackers
• 4 Tbs butter
• 1-8oz tub sour cream
• 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 package shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large pot, boil the chicken until cooked all the way through.  
3. While the chicken is boiling, in a medium bowl, combine the sour cream and soup.  Mix thoroughly.  Put the mixture in the bottom of a small casserole dish.
4. After the chicken is done, cut into bite-size pieces.  Then place on top of the sour cream and chicken soup mixture.  Add shredded cheddar cheese on top of the chicken.
5. Crush the Ritz crackers and dot the butter over the top.  Cover and bake in the oven for 25-30 mins.

*Sides: Rice (just plain) and green beans (I used frozen to keep it cheap but obviously fresh is delish)

Slow Cookin' Stroganoff

Very easy and tasted wonderful (even over cooked...6 hour cooking time vs. 8 hour work day, go figure).

Slow Cookin' Stroganoff
Time: 6 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
• 1 C sour cream
• 1/2 C warm water
• 2 lbs lean beef stew meat
• parsley, to taste
• egg noodles or rice
• mushrooms, optional and to taste

1. In a slow cooker, mix first 5 ingredients until blended well.  Toss in raw stew meat making sure all of the meat is coated quite well.  Set slow cooker on LOW for 6 hours.  Toss in egg noodles and mushrooms and allow to cook for another 10-15 mins or until noodles are tender.  Garnish w/ parsley.

*Side: Frozen Mixed Veggies, cooked of course ;)

Spicy Chile Casserole

This was some excellent Tex-Mex!  Loved it and the leftovers were plentiful...

Spicy Chile Casserole

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs veggie oil
• 1 C chopped onion
• 3 Tbs flour
• 1 C chicken broth
• 1 1/2 C milk
• 1-4oz can diced green chilies
• 1-10 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 C cubed, cooked chicken meat
• 1 pkg tortillas, cut into strips (I only ended up using about 5)
• 1-8oz pkg shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1. In a medium sauce pan, cook onion in oil over medium heat until soft.  Stir in flour.  Add broth and milk; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.  Stir in chilies and tomatoes.
2. Coat a 9x13 pan w/ nonstick spray.  Place 1 C sauce in bottom of pan.  Layer half the chicken, half the tortilla strips and 1 1/4 C sauce.  Repeat w/ remaining ingredients.  Top casserole with shredded cheese.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Fiesta Cheese Rice

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 C uncooked instant rice
• 3 C water
• 1-10oz can diced tomatoes w/ green chilies, undrained
• 1 Tbs chicken bouillon granules
• 3/4 C sour cream
• 1 1/2 C shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

1. In a bowl, combine the rice water, tomatoes and bouillon; mix well.  Pour into a greased 2-qt microwave-safe dish.  
2. Cover and microwave on high for 10 mins.  Stir in sour cream and 1/2 C of cheese; mix well.  Sprinkle w/ the remaining cheese.
3. Cover and microwave for 1 minute or until cheese is melted.

Lime-Honey Glazed Chicken

I messed this up when I was making it...too much going on that night but it still came out tasting delicious!!

Lime-Honey Glazed Chicken
Time: 3 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbs honey
• 6 Tbs soy sauce
• 2 tsp grated lime zest (I omitted this...)
• 6 Tbs lime juice
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 8 pieces of chicken (skinless, bone-in or boneless, breasts or thighs)

1. Mix honey, soy sauce, lime zest, lime juice and crushed red pepper in a large bowl.  Add chicken; stir to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. About 20 mins before you are ready to grill, preheat the grill to medium (oven 400 degrees).
3. If cooking in the oven, bake for 20 minutes; if grilling, turn off one side of the burners and place chicken over the non-burning side close cover and roast for 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and boil until reduced by about half and thickened to a glaze (8-10 mins).
5. If in oven, coat the chicken with the glaze and continue to back another 10 minutes or until center is no longer pink; if on grill, rotate the chicken to other spots on the unheated portion of the grill to ensure even cooking and lightly brush with some of the glaze.  Cover and continue roasting, basting once more about halfway through cooking (10-20 mins).

*Sides: Potatoes and a pasta

Tijuana Torta

Turned out really good!  This is super easy and really yummy!  Surprisingly it holds up well as leftovers too!

Tijuana Torta
Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1-15oz can black or pinto beans, rinsed
• 3 Tbs salsa (or more to taste)
• 1 Tbs chopped jalapeño (I used the jar of sliced and did no additional cutting)
• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 Tbs minced onion
• 1 Tbs lime juice
• baguette
• 1 1/3 C shredded green cabbage
• shredded cheese of your liking

1. Mash beans, salsa, jalapeño and cumin in a small bowl.  
2. Mash avocado, onion and lime juice in another small bowl.
3. Cut baguette into preferred lengths for sandwich.  Split each piece in half horizontally and pull out most of the soft bread from the center so you're left with mostly crust.
4. Divide the bean paste, avocado mixture and cabbage evenly among the sandwiches.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve!

*Sides: Spanish Rice (from the box, lol) and corn

An Unconventional Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

I like to refer to this as the gourmet version of grilled cheese and tomato soup...I actually do not like tomato soup but this recipe I enjoyed!

Grilled Chicken and Apple Sandwich

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 oz can chicken meat, drained
• 1/2 C mayo
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 C grated swiss cheese (shredded works too)
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 apple, finely chopped
• 1/2 C grated carrot
• bread w/ butter

1. In a small bowl, combine chicken, mayo, lemon juice, cheese, celery, apple and carrot.
2. Butter one side of each slice of bread and make sandwiches with the chicken mixture.
3. Place sandwiches on griddle over medium heat and cook each side until browned to your liking.

Tomato and Cabbage Bisque

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 C shredded cabbage
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 C tomato sauce
• 2 (10oz) cans tomato soup
• 1/2 C heavy cream
• 3/4 C milk
• 2/3 C shredded Parmesan cheese (I used grated...)

1. In a saucepan, saute cabbage, onion and garlic in olive oil and butter until tender.
2. Add remaining ingredients, stirring well.  Cook until hot but don't boil.
3. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Ranch "Meatloaf"

Made this without specifying the meat that was used for the meatloaf....After he devoured it and stated that it was delicious, I divulged the truth!

Ranch "Meatloaf"

Time: 80 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 C tortilla chip crumbs (I actually added about 1/2 C to this b/c the loaf was a bit soggy)
• 2 Tbsp salsa
• 2 Tbsp ranch dressing
• chili powder, to taste
• cumin, to taste
• 1 lb ground chicken (I actually used pork and you probably could substitute turkey as well)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix together eggs, tortilla chips, salsa, salad dressing, chili powder and cumin.  Add meat and mix gently but thoroughly.  Shape into a loaf and place on a slotted baking pan or broiler pan.
2. Bake for 1 hour or until internal temp registers 175 degrees.
3. Cover with foil and let stand for 10 minutes.  Slice and serve with sour cream and salsa.

Sour Cream Potatoes

Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

• 10 oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 8 oz container sour cream
• 1 1/2 C shredded Cojack cheese (I used red pepper cheese...any cheese will work here though)
• 32 oz pkg frozen cubed hash brown potatoes

1. Spray 4-6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray.  Comine soup, sour cream and cheese in medium bowl and mix well.
2. Pour half of potatoes into crockpot.  Top with half of the sour cream mixture.  Top with rest of potatoes, then remaining sour cream mixture.  Spread evenly.
3. Cover and cook on high for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours.

Alpine Meatballs

Great meal! Easy too!  Made for excellent leftovers the next day...

Alpine Meatballs

Time: 70 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 1/2 C shredded swiss cheese, divided
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 C finely chopped onion
• 1/4 C chopped celery leaves (I didn't add this...)
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 C cooked rice
• 10 oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 3/4 C milk
• garlic, to taste
• 1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 C cooked rice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine beef, 1/2 C Swiss cheese, egg, onion, celery leaves, nutmeg, allspice and 1 C cooked rice and mix gently.
2. Form into 1" meatballs and pplace on a large baking pan.  Bake for 20-30 minutes until browned.
3. Combine 1 C Swiss chees with soup, milk, garlic, Parmesan cheese and 2 C cooked rice in large bowl.  Add cooked meatballs and mix gently.  Pour into 3 quart baking dish.
4. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes until sauce bubbles around the edges.

Pecan Mandarin Orange Green Salad

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar...)
3 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 C olive oil
3/4 C pecan halves
1/4 C sugar
1 head red leaf lettuce, torn into pieces
15 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
1 C chopped celery

1. To make dressing, combine vinegar, honey, dry mustard, celery salt, paprika and olive oil in a small screw-top jar and shake vigorously.
2. Combine pecans and sugar in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Cook and stir until sugar is melted and pecans are coated.  Place on parchment paper separating nuts and let cool completely.
3. When ready to serve, combine lettuce, oranges, pecans and celery.  Drizzle with dressing, toss and serve.

Tortellini with Peas and Parmesan

Fast, easy, cheap and yummy!  I was tired of the chicken noodle soup while being sick so I just wanted something easy since I wasn't feeling 100%...turned out great!

Tortellini w/ Peas and Parmesan

Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 - 7oz boxes of tortellini (you can use ravioli as well)
• 2 C frozen peas
• butter
• 1/2 C Parmesan cheese

1. Cook totellini (or ravioli) as directed on box.
2. Place peas in colander.  When the tortellini is cooked, pour over the peas and then return to pot.
3. Add butter and stir over low heat until melted and pasta is coated.
4. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Nectarine Coleslaw

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 C creamy deli coleslaw (or homemade if your feeling frisky)
• 2 nectarines, peaches or mangoes, chopped
• 1/2 C honey roasted peanuts OR chopped salted cashews

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss gently to blend.

Ahead of the Curve....

Just found this article on msnbc.msn.com.  I just wanted to share!!

updated 11/4/2010 10:13:15 AM ETnt:

Grocery shopping takes a big bite out of most budgets. The average family of four spends nearly $6,000 a year at the supermarket. But you don’t have to. It’s easier to trim your grocery bill than to cut back on most other household expenses. Here’s how:

Have a plan Make a list before you leave home. Use the supermarket flyer from your mailbox or the store’s website to take advantage of weekly sales. But read it carefully. Don’t assume that every featured product is on sale. Manufacturers might have paid for placement.

Pace your purchases Get with the program
You usually have to sign up for a club card to get advertised sale prices. The programs are free, and some entitle you to extra members-only specials. A&P cardholders, for example, recently got 10 to 15 percent off their total bill of $100 or more, up to $30 savings on a $200 tab. At Price Chopper and Giant Food Stores, you can earn points toward discounted gas at the stores’ pumps and Shell gas stations.

You rarely have to pay full price for the staples you buy again and again. Products go on sale at predictable intervals that are easy to figure out if you read your store’s flyer every week. For example, if you prefer Tropicana orange juice, you’ll notice it’s on sale every few weeks. So buy it during those times and save.

Buy store brands Most supermarkets offer their own private-label brands, which cost around 25 percent less than comparable big-name brands. We found that savings can be more than 50 percent. And private brands are no longer limited to canned fruit, frozen veggies, and paper towels. Stores are now putting their own names on cold cuts, baked goods, and fancy sauces. In our latest tests, most store-brand products scored as well as or better than their national counterparts.

Clip and click coupons
Save coupons for products you buy often. Savings will add up quickly if you redeem manufacturer and store coupons at the same time, a practice known as “stacking.” You can find coupons in weekly newspaper inserts, at the store, and increasingly on retailer websites. Go to sites like Coupons.com and CoolSavings.com to search for discounts. You’ll have to register to download and print coupons, which will generate loads of spam. So you might want to set up a separate e-mail account just for coupons.

And don’t be lured into buying more than you want by “three for a dollar” sales. In most cases, you don’t have to buy the suggested quantity to get the discount.

Shop smarter Stores use a variety of tactics to coax you into spending more. For example, shelves are often stocked with the priciest items at eye level. So check high and low for better deals. Be aware that products on aisle ends aren’t always on sale. Sometimes these “end caps” display new items at full price or stuff that’s about to expire. Check unit prices—the price per ounce, per quart, or per 100 sheets — to make sure you buy the most economical size. Larger packages aren’t always cheaper.

Additional information appears in Consumer Reports magazine and online atwww.ConsumerReports.org.

© 2010 Consumers Union of United States, Inc. All rights reserved. No redistribution allowed. Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertiser on this site.

Sirloin Steak and Corn Salad

Here's my attempt at eating light before bed while still satisfying the man of the house's MANLY hunger!  Too be honest, not exceptionally filling but for salad fans, this is a winner!  And, I even was able to take it as leftovers to work the next day.

Steak Salad

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless sirloin steak
• Vinaigrette Italian salad dressing (marinade to taste)
• 2 C frozen corn, thawed and drained
• 1/2 C sliced green onions
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 C cherry tomatoes, cut in fourths or halves depending on what you like
• 1 C sliced mushrooms
• 1 C cubed cheese of your choice (Can possibly attempt shredded if cubed is disliked)
• Creamy Italian salad dressing to taste
• bag of mixed salad greens

1. Marinate steak with vinaigrette salad dressing for at least 15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine everything except salad greens and steak.
3. Prepare the steak to your liking (grilling/frying/baking...) and slice thinly.
4. Combine the salad greens and corn mixture, place on serving bowls and top with the steak.

Soft Garlicky Breadsticks

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 oz pkg refrigerated dinner roll dogh
• 1/4 C melted butter OR one lightly beaten egg white
• garlic salt
• Parmesan cheese

1. Roll out breadsticks (approx. 4 inches long) and place on a greased cookie sheet.
2. Brush lightly w/ butter or egg white.
3. Sprinkle with the garlic salt and Parmesan to your liking.
4. Bake at 350 degrees until slightly browned, about 10-15 minutes.

Sensational Six-Layer Dinner

Great meal...James was a huge fan of the main dish but not the side because he said he doesn't like cold foods but I thought the side was pretty unique and yummy!  I've added in my comments/suggestions that I will incorporate next time so that it will be perfect!

Sensational Six-Layer Dinner

Time:1 hour

Ingredients:

• 2-3 medium sliced potatoes (less is more...)
• 2 C sliced carrots
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 C sliced onion (I used more b/c I LOVE onions)
• 1 lb browned & drained ground beef (next time I'm using 2lbs or halving the rest of the recipe)
• 1.5 C green beans (I used frozen)
• 1 can favorite cream soup (I'll use two next time and pre-mix it with the beef and green beans)

1. Lightly oil or spray baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Layer ingredients in order given.  Cover.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until tender.
4. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.

Bean Salad

Time: Overnight refrigeration (or make in the morning to serve at night)

Ingredients:

• 1 (15oz) can kidney beans
• 1 (15oz) can garbanzo beans
• 1 (15oz) can wax beans
• 1 (15oz) can cut green beans
• 1 C diced celery
• 1 C diced green pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1/4 C oil
• 1/4 C vinegar

1. Combine all ingredients and stir gently.  Refrigerate for at least a couple hours before serving, overnight is the best.

Spicy Thai Chicken

Winner, winner chicken dinner!  This was delish.  We didn't even eat it the night I made it, we had it for lunch and dinner the next day.  It was really yummy!

Spicy Thai Chicken

Time: 6 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 (16oz) bottle Asian-style sesame dressing
• 1 Tbs Thai chili paste (or more to taste)
• 1 Tbs ginger garlic paste
• 2 Tbs peanut butter
• 6 pieces chicken

1. Stir together all of the ingredients and place into a slow cooker.
2. Set the cooker on low and cook 4-6 hours until tender.  *I used frozen chicken and cooked for 8 hours (my workday, hehe).

Ramen Noodle Salad

Time: 8 or more hours
*I made this the night before so it would be good and chilled.

Ingredients:

• 4 (3oz) packages chicken flavored ramen noodles
• 1 C diced celery
• 1 (8oz) can water chestnuts, drained and sliced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 4 oz frozen green peas
• 1 C mayo

1. Break noodles and cook as directed on package.  Drain and rinse noodles under cold water.
2. In a large bowl, combine the noodles, celery, water chestnuts, red onion, bell pepper and peas.
3. Prepare the dressing by whisking together the mayo and ramen noodle seasoning mix.  Pour over noodle mixture and toss until well coated.  Refrigerate until chilled and serve (overnight is best).

Crabby Patties

This turned out decently...I haven't ever made anything like this before so I didn't execute this to perfection.  The salad side dish was delicious though!!

Crab Cakes

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 lage eggs, beaten
• 2 Tbs parsley
• 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning (I used more...)
• 2 tsp mustard (I used horseradish mustard...)
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper
• 2 lbs lump crab meat or salmon (I recommend either getting flakes or chopping up the meat b/c I used lump and it didn't hold well together as a patty)
• 1/2 C Mayo
• bread crumbs
• flour

1. Beat eggs & add parsley, Old Bay, mustards, Worcestershire, lemon juice, salt & pepper.
2. Combine with meat and mayo, then add just enough bread crumbs to get things to hold together.
3. Shape into cakes or balls, dip or roll in flour.
4. Heat oil and/or butter in a pan and cook cakes until browned on each side.

Snap Pea Salad

Time: at least an hour for refrigeration

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb sugar snap peas
• 1 bunch radishes, trimmed
• 2 Tbs fresh chives or green onions (I used a bit more...)
• 1/2 C peas

Spinach and Meat Cakes

LOVE this one!!  James did too...Next time I'm just going to try to use fresh spinach b/c the frozen stuff made the meat a bit soggy so it didn't fry very well.  Tasty dish though!

Spinach and Meat Cakes

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb chopped spinach (frozen should be thawed and well drained)
• 1/2 small finely chopped onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• salt and pepper
• 3 C brown rice

1. Preheat frying pan (no oil)
2. Combine all ingredients except brown rice in a large mixing bowl.  Mix well.
3. Form mixture into 12 small balls.  Place in frying pan and flatten into patties using a spatula.
4. Cook over medium heat until cooked on both sides.
5. Serve over brown rice.

Mac & Cheese

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 C Macaroni
• 1/2 C chopped onions
• 1/2 C evaporated milk, nonfat
• 1 beaten egg
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/4 C finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1. Cook macaroni according to directions.
2. Spray a casserole dish w/ nonstick cooking spray
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Lightly spray saucepan w/ nonstick cooking oil and add onions to saute for about 3 minutes.
5. In another bowl, combine macaroni, onions and remaining ingredients and mix.
6. Transfer into casserole dish and bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly.  Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

10/21/10

This was very good!!  The meat for the dip comes out more like pulled beef however it tastes great and is super easy to make when your time is limited!!  Definitely a keeper...

French Dip

Time: 7 hours

Ingredients:

• 4 lb rump roast
• 1 (10.5oz) can beef broth
• 1 (10.5oz) can French onion soup
• 1 can of beer
• 6 French rolls
• 2 Tbs butter

1. Trim the excess fat from the rump roast and place in slow cooker.  Add the beef broth, onion soup and beer.  Cook on low for 7 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Split French rolls and spread with butter.  Bake 10 minutes.  (I baked for 10 and then broiled for 2)
4. Slice the meat and place on rolls.  Serve the sauce for dipping.

My side for this was homemade french fries but you could do the frozen kind that you bake as well.  A salad would work too!!

10/20/10

This meal was pretty good...If I do it again, I will use boneless chicken because the marinade makes the meat look yellow and its difficult to "digest" visually, haha!!

Curry Chicken

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbs butter
• 1/4 C Dijon mustard
• 1/2 C Honey
• Curry powder, to taste
• 8 pieces bone-in chicken (FYI, I would recommend boneless...)

1. Melt the butter and stir in the mustard, honey and curry powder.
2. Put the chicken in the baking pan and pour the sauce over it; coating the chicken.  You can cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake the chicken 30 minutes, then turn the pieces over.  Bake another 25-30 minutes and if you want it crispy, broil for the last 5 minutes.

'Mato Rice

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 slices bacon
• 1/2 C chopped onions
• 1/4 C chopped red bell peppers
• 1 (14.5oz) can chopped tomatoes (reserve the juice)
• 1 Tbs tomato paste
• salt and pepper
• 2 C cooked white rice
• 1 C water and tomato juice

1. Fry and chop the bacon.  Drain most of the bacon fat.
2. Cook the onion and peppers a few minutes, then add everything else.  (Drain the tomatoes into a 1 C and top off with water.)  Bring to a boil and cook 3-4 minutes.  Turn down the heat, cover and cook another 15 minutes or so.

*Also had a side of salad...

Chicken in the Crock-Pot

Another throwback from when I first started my inexpensive meals...

Chicken in the Crock

Time: 5 hours

Ingredients:

• 5 slices bacon
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 10 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup OR 10 oz jar of alfedo sauce
• 1/2 C mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 C diced Swiss or Havarti cheese

1. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp.  Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.  Crumble bacon and set in refrigerator.
2. In bacon drippins in skillet, cook chicken over medium heat 3-5 minutes or until light brown, turning once.  Place in 4-6 auart slow cooker.  Top with mushrooms and onions.  In skillet, heat soup and pour into slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
3. Top chicken with cheese slices and sprinkle with bacon.  Cover and cook on high for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

*I used frozen chicken w/out thawing and followed the same directions so that the chicken would take longer to cook.  The cooking time went up to 7-8 hours which is perfect for a full-time workin' mama!!

Rice Pilaf

Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 C white rice
• 2 C heated chicken stock or broth

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat the oil over medium high heat in an oven proof saucepan.  Add the rice, stir to coat with the oil and heat the rice utnil it sizzles.
2. Add the hot chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Cover and place in the oven.  Bake until all the moisture is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Toss with a fork and serve!!

Crocked Carrots

Time: 7 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 lb back baby carrots
• 1-1/2 C Water
• 1/4 C honey
• 2 Tbsp butter
• salt and pepper

1. Combine carrots and water in a 3-4 quart crockpot.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until carrots are tender.  Drain carrots and return to crockpot.  Stir in honey, butter, salt and pepper and mix well.  Cover and cook on low 30 minutes until glazed.

Meatloaf...

Here's a recipe I did 2 weeks ago when I started this whole process:

 

Meatloaf

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

 

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 C quick oatmeal
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 tsp Lawry's seasoning (you can create your own if you don't have it...)
• 3 lbs ground beef

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Saute onion in olive oil until tender.  Place in large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes to cool.
2. Add eggs, tomato sauce, oats, salt, pepper and Lawry's seasoning; mix well.  Let stand 10 minutes and then add beef.  Gently mix until thoroughly blended.
3. Form into two loaf shapes on a broiler rack with slits and a bottom section for catching drippings (I just "created" this by putting a drying rack over a cookie sheet, fyi in case you don't have this type of pan like me!!).  Bake for 65-75 minutes before slicing.

 

Sides!!

*I made Scalloped Potatoes from a box
*Did the Spicy Apple Carrots recipe (listed under "Monday Night")

Solo Dinner...

So last night I was on my own for dinner...I was going to spoil myself and get take-out, but Jax had other plans.  He needed to get home to play with his toys.  SOOOO, I managed to put together a meal for myself that included leftovers for both me and James.

All I did was take the leftover "insides" from our calzones yesterday and added it to some fettuccine noodles that I had in the pantry.  I also had an artichoke in the fridge that I steamed for 45 minutes and WHALA!! Dinner for one, and it was delicious!!

I'm looking forward to the next two day's dinners though! I've got some good one's comin'!!

Repeat Offender...

So James has requested a repeat of the calzone (the chicken in puff pastry) recipe tonite!  I will be changing it up a bit however, for an adventure!  I'll follow pretty much the same cooking directions however I'm substituting out the ingredients to make a more "Italian Meats" style. 

Here's what I'll be combining to make the "insides" of the calzone:

• Italian Sausage
• Pepperoni
• Ricotta Cheese
• Italian Cheese
• Spaghetti/pizza Sauce (pick your fav!!)
• Mushrooms, sliced
• Onions, chopped

Went to the grocery store to get these items (yes, I broke the once a week shopping rule for the sake of the Broncos) and it cost $9.52.  I already had the cheeses and sauce so that obviously made it so inexpensive!  I would estimate this to be about $12-$15 normally depending on what brands/quality is purchased.

For the side dish, I just bought a pre-packaged salad and already have the Italian dressing at home!

Simple, fast and YUMMY!!  

The Weekend...

I was bad this weekend...whoops!  Friday we went bowling so we had bowling ally food and on Sunday we went to the Bronco's game so we spent an absorbent amount on a braut for our meal and then Taco Bell on the way home!  Saturday was an at home dinner but no recipe necessarily to share; we had a steak and some crab since snow crab was $5.99/lb at King Soopers.  That meal cost around $15 for the both of us so still very inexpensive (and DELICIOUS)!!

The adventure will continue again tonight and I will post that recipe soon.

Thursday Night

I chose to do this recipe because it sounded like a challenge/fun.  Turned out great and was even good as a leftover!!

Pesto Stuffed Burgers

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 C pesto (I buy the little packet that you can find by the Italian foods...its cheaper then the alternative)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pinch of pepper
• 1/4 C pesto
• 4 tin slices Havarti cheese
• 4 English muffins, split
• 2 Tbs butter

1. Prepare and preheat grill (if you don't have a grill then a Foreman or a skillet will suffice).  In medium bowl combine beef, 1/4 cup pesto, salt and pepper and mix gently until combined.
2. Form into 8 thin patties and divide 1/4 C pesto between 4 of the patties and top with slices of cheese (I broke up the slices so it would fit within the patty).  Top remaining thin patties and press sides to seal.
3. Cook hamburger to your desired temp.  For a medium cooking temp. I did 5 minutes on each side over medium heat on the grill.
4. Spread butter on cut sides of English muffins and toast on grill or you can toast them and them add the butter.  Serve patties on muffins.

Sweet Potato Salad

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
*I make this as early as possible since it can sit in the fridge for as long as need be.

Ingredients:

• 2 (15oz) cans of sweet potatoes, drained (I get the 30 or 32 oz can of Yams)
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 C mixture of ranch dressing and mustard
• 1/4 C Mayo
• salt and pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix and mash with potato masher.  Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Wednesday Night

Okay...This was deemed as the best thing I've ever cooked.  I don't know if I agree because my ribs are pretty dang good, but James LOOOOOVVVVEEESSSS pizza and when he ate this he saw endless possibilities! HAHA!  I'm going to attempt other fillings with this recipes on other days.

Chicken and Bacon in Puff Pastry

Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 slices bacon
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed (I cut the chicken when its still halfway frozen and word to the wise, make the cubes as small as possible!)
• 1/2 C chopped onion
• 1 (3oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1 sheet of pizza dough (I just bought the tube of pizza dough that's located by the cinnamon rolls and such...)
• 1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In medium skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove and drain on paper towels, crumble and set aside.  Drain pan but do not wipe out.
2. Add olive oil to pan and add chicken and onion.  Cook together until onion is tender and chicken is no longer pink and then remove with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl.
3. Add cream cheese and bacon to chicken mixture and mix well; you can add some seasonings of your choice at this point. 
4. Roll out dough into a 12" square and then cut into four 6" squares.  Divide chicken mixture among the squares and fold in half.  Seal edges and press with fork then place on cookie sheet and brush with egg.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown.  Remove to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Green Beans Amandine

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1 Tbs butter
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper

1. In heavy saucepan, place green beans in cold water to cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 8-10 minutes until crisp and tender.  Drain well and set beans aside.  Melt butter and olive oil in saucepan and add garlic.  Cook until garlic is popping and add beans along with lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Toss and gently coat.

*I also had a potato side dish: suggestions are Scalloped (from a box) or mashed (homemade)

Tuesday Night

To be honest, James didn't like the main portion of this meal...he said it was too bland.  I didn't think it was necessarily bland, but it did lack the "spice" I normally put into my recipes!  So I'll put it like this, this one will likely be a hit for the kiddos and adults who aren't looking for something spicy...

Meatballs w/ Orzo

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 2 C beef broth
• 1 C uncooked orzo pasta
• 3/4 lb frozen cooked meatballs
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained (*I got the Italian kind so if you wanted some spice you could get a more mexican food style can)
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning (*Again, here you can create your own seasoning to spice it up a bit)
• 1/3 C grated Parmesean cheese

1. In large skillet, cook onion in olive oil until tender.  Add beef broth and bring to a boil.
2. Stir in orzo, meatballs, tomatoes and sesasoning; stir.
3. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low, simmer 7-8 minutes until liquid is reduced stirring occasionally. *The orzo tends to stick so scraping the bottom is a good idea!
4. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Asparagus

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb asparagus
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• *if you like garlic, I added a bit of it to the mix

1. Cut off ends of asparagus to your liking then toss in olive oil, salt and if you choose, garlic.  Place on heavy baking pan and roast at 425 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes until tender and begins to brown.

Garlic Bread

Time:30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 loaf French bread
• 5 Tbs butter, softened
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed (less if you don't like garlic...its pretty potent)
• salt and pepper

1. Cut bread into 1/2" slices. In a small bowl mix butter, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Spread evenly on the slices.
2. Reassemble the bread to form the loaf and wrap in foil.  Place in 425 degree oven for 10-20 minutes or until the bread appears done.

Monday Night

So here's the recipe that I did last Monday night...James was a fan commenting that it tasted really great and he didn't feel like he had to go to bed right after!  Hopefully its a big hit with others as well!



Crisp Polenta w/ Salmon Cream

Time: 35 minutes
*Prepare the polenta the night before or before you go to work b/c it will need to chill for 8 hours!!

Ingredients:

• 3 C water
• 1 C yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbs butter
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 2 Tbs butter
• 2/3 C sour cream
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 lb salmon fillet (*I used 1 lb for extra salmon flavor but that's to your discretion!!)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/2 C salsa

1. In large saucepan, bring water to a boil.  Add the cornmeal slowly, stirring constantly with a wire whisk and cook over medium-low heat until cornmeal thickens.  Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 Tbs butter and stir until smooth.
2. Grease a 9x9 pan with butter and pour polenta into pan.  Cover and chill until very firm, at least 8 hours.
3. In medium bowl combine sour cream, green onions and cheese; mix well and refrigerate.  Sprinkle salmon fillets with salt and pepper.
4. Combine olive oil and 2 Tbs butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Add salmon; cook for four minutes, turn and cook 2-4 minutes longer until just cooked.  Remove to plate and refrigerate.
5. Cut the chilled polenta into 9-3in squares and cook the squares until brown and crisp.
6. While polenta is cooking, flake salmon and stir it into the sour cream mixture.
7. Briefly drain polenta on paper towels, then place on serving plate and spoon the salmon mixture over and top with salsa.

Spicy Apple Glazed Carrots

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 C sliced carrots OR 10 oz pkg baby carrots
• 1/3 C apple juice
• 2 Tbs apple jelly
• 1 Tbs Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper

1. Place carrots and juice in medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat, cover pan and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
3. Uncover and add jelly, mustard, salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat stirring frequently, until carrots are glazed.

The Way This Will Work...

So what I do each week is compile seven days worth of dinner recipes and then create a grocery list of items that I don't already have at home (i.e. pepper, salt, certain condiments...you get the idea) and then, here's the most important part of the savings process, I go to the grocery store ONCE, let me repeat, ONCE a week.  When I'm shopping at the grocery store, I do make a conscious effort to find the least expensive option, but every now and again for the sake of quality, I may get a higher priced selection.  The attempt with all my meals is to stay under $10 per meal which is how I manage to stay under $70 per week on grocery expenses!

My intent is to post the meal I have planned each day of the week and eventually, (hopefully), someone else can find use from my meal plans!  Since I've been at this for almost two weeks now, I will post the previous recipes and the feedback that I recieved from my oh-so honest husband (its true, he can be brutal sometimes). 

Please feel free to comment on recipes that you may try at home and let me know what you think or if you have suggestions on how to make it better!!

The Beginning...

Once upon a time, I would spare no expense when it came to grocery shopping, purchasing anything and everything that looked appetizing!  I love to cook and I love to try new things so the grocery bills could get very pricey and I honestly wouldn't even look at the total when checking out of the store!

Then one week, my husband and I were on our last $20 until the next payday over a week away and it was time to reorganize our financial situation...When investigating how our paycheck-to-paycheck lives came to be, there were many factors that lead to the deterioration of our available balance.  Although there were many contributors, one was by far the most money hungry (pun intended), FOOD!!  We regularly had up to $150 in going out to eat expenses on top of grocery charges daily that would add up to nearly $100 a week.  This needed to change if we were ever going to create some sort of savings...

So I started doing a little research (through Google of course), to find complete meals that wouldn't cost a lot to make but would still satisfy our craving for a delicious variety of food.  It was actually pretty easy once I got the hang of it, and for two weeks now, our grocery bills have stayed under $70 per week and have provided not only dinner, but lunch for work the next day!

I've decided to share this experience in hopes that other's either in similar situations as me or just looking for a challenge will find this a great resource and possibly contribute some ideas as well!  We all gotta eat ya know!!