Sandra Lee did an episode on comfort food on the cheap on "Sandra's Money Saving Meals" (it all looked so good...though not necessarily good for the waistline LOL):
Except a sausage-rice casserole I made yesterday that went over surprisingly well with every. I browned up 1 lb of sausage (cut the links into bite-size rounds). Mixed it with about 3 cups cooked rice, a can of tom sauce and a can of diced toms with spicy peppers. Baked it until hot, then topped with crushed up, stale ripple chips and some leftover hard taco shells I had. Topped with cheddar and baked until all melted. It was actually good spicy, not overwhelming but good, and my kids still ate it & loved it!
My absolute frugality is to buy 2 whole chickens (usually I can get them both for ~$8). Roast both at the same time, use the meat of some for that night's dinner. Cut off every iota of meat, it should be enough for at least 2 more meals. Set aside enough to put in chicken noddle soup, and use the carcasses to make stock that can be used for that soup.
The leftover chicken I generally use to make either fajitas or enchiladas, and then a pasta dish or chicken-rice casserole. If I'm planning on enchiladas, I'll mix the sauce in before I freeze the chicken. It's also great for chicken salad sandwiches (have you ever made chicken salad with grapes?) or salad, but that stuff doesn't fly in my house for supper.
~ Melissa ~
‎"We need to find the courage to say NO to the things and people that are not serving us, if we want to rediscover ourselves and live our lives with authenticity."
- Barbara de Angelis
Peanut butter pasta! It sounds disgusting (I know I know) but it is sooooo good!
Take a lb of your favourite ground meat (beef/turkey/chicken) and brown it. Add a can of salsa and ~ 2 Tbsps of peanut butter (more or less to taste). Serve over pasta.
It ends up tasting like an Asian peanut dressing and if you use natural peanut butter (which is recommended) its pretty healthy.
Bex -
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift -thats why its called the present."
Mmmmm, I love Mac n tomatos! I'd forgotten all about it I haven't had it since I was a kid! Alright, I guess this week I'm educating my kids on the joys of this dish. I think I actually have the ingredients downsairs. Maybe it will happen tonight.
But for myself I have no recipe ideas this week. DH went to second shift and it's just no fun cooking for me and the kids. Their fine with a sandwich or a bowl of soup and I'll eat cereal no problem. It's 6pm here and dinner isn't even made yet. Can you tell I have no desire to cook? Dinnertime is at 6:30 and I don't even know what I'm making!
you say a can of salsa can you clarify size? I know you live in canada and in the us our salsa comes in jars....otherwise i think my people will LOVE this...
check out hillbillyhousewife.com she has some great recipes. we also love her taco style lentil and rice. It is AWESOME and a crockpot recipe and super cheap
Sorry I meant jars. We have jars too. I usually use the 350mL jar (Not sure what the translates too I know 250ml is a cup!!). But its the shorter one, lol.
It really doesn't matter, you can peanut butter it to taste. I liked mine more peanuty so ex would take his and then I would add more, lol.
Hope that helps.
Bex -
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift -thats why its called the present."
Pages
I saw a few winners on Food Network over the weekend:
Weekday Cassoulet (Melissa D'Arabian's "$10 Dinners"):
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/weekday-cassoulet-recipe/index.html
Sandra Lee did an episode on comfort food on the cheap on "Sandra's Money Saving Meals" (it all looked so good...though not necessarily good for the waistline LOL):
Chicken-Fried Steak w/Sawmill Gravy:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/chicken-fried-steak-recipe/index.html
Plus cheddar biscuits to go with that gravy:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/cheddar-biscuits-and-gravy-recipe/index.html
Macaroni & Cheese:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/macaroni-and-cheese-recipe/index.html
My menu depends on what's on sale at the two grocery stores that I shop.
Norma
"Patience is the best remedy for every trouble"- Plautus
I've got nothing exciting or original.
Except a sausage-rice casserole I made yesterday that went over surprisingly well with every.
I browned up 1 lb of sausage (cut the links into bite-size rounds). Mixed it with about 3 cups cooked rice, a can of tom sauce and a can of diced toms with spicy peppers.
Baked it until hot, then topped with crushed up, stale ripple chips and some leftover hard taco shells I had. Topped with cheddar and baked until all melted.
It was actually good spicy, not overwhelming but good, and my kids still ate it & loved it!
My absolute frugality is to buy 2 whole chickens (usually I can get them both for ~$8). Roast both at the same time, use the meat of some for that night's dinner.
Cut off every iota of meat, it should be enough for at least 2 more meals. Set aside enough to put in chicken noddle soup, and use the carcasses to make stock that can be used for that soup.
The leftover chicken I generally use to make either fajitas or enchiladas, and then a pasta dish or chicken-rice casserole.
If I'm planning on enchiladas, I'll mix the sauce in before I freeze the chicken.
It's also great for chicken salad sandwiches (have you ever made chicken salad with grapes?) or salad, but that stuff doesn't fly in my house for supper.
~ Mom to 5 ~
Peanut butter pasta! It sounds disgusting (I know I know) but it is sooooo good!
Take a lb of your favourite ground meat (beef/turkey/chicken) and brown it. Add a can of salsa and ~ 2 Tbsps of peanut butter (more or less to taste). Serve over pasta.
It ends up tasting like an Asian peanut dressing and if you use natural peanut butter (which is recommended) its pretty healthy.
Bex -
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift -thats why its called the present."
Bex -
Oh macaroni and tomatoes! I haven't had that in years. We never had macaroni and cheese when I was growing up, it was always mac and tomatoes.
Mmmmm definitely on my list for
LOL!
Norma
"Patience is the best remedy for every trouble"- Plautus
Mmmmm, I love Mac n tomatos! I'd forgotten all about it I haven't had it since I was a kid! Alright, I guess this week I'm educating my kids on the joys of this dish. I think I actually have the ingredients downsairs. Maybe it will happen tonight.
But for myself I have no recipe ideas this week. DH went to second shift and it's just no fun cooking for me and the kids. Their fine with a sandwich or a bowl of soup and I'll eat cereal no problem. It's 6pm here and dinner isn't even made yet. Can you tell I have no desire to cook? Dinnertime is at 6:30 and I don't even know what I'm making!
bex-
you say a can of salsa can you clarify size? I know you live in canada and in the us our salsa comes in jars....otherwise i think my people will LOVE this...
Hey Loca,
Sorry I meant jars. We have jars too. I usually use the 350mL jar (Not sure what the translates too I know 250ml is a cup!!). But its the shorter one, lol.
It really doesn't matter, you can peanut butter it to taste. I liked mine more peanuty so ex would take his and then I would add more, lol.
Hope that helps.
Bex -
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift -thats why its called the present."
Bex -
Pages