Tag: budget friendly meals

Recipes and Cooking

Making Magic Out of Leftovers

Brandi C

Making Magic Out of Leftovers

Making Magic Out of Leftovers

Since I made the huge mistake of having Ham and Hashbrown Casserole two weeks in a row, tonight we are Making Magic Out of Leftovers. This is such an easy recipe and everyone really does enjoy it but I am not one to repeat meals too often (with the exception of pizza night). So, Zuppa Toscana will be, once again, pushed off until next week. God forbid we have two different soups in a week. Here is how I transformed my casserole into a fantastic soup using bits and pieces from my fridge as well (hence the shelf-cooking tag).

Ham and Hashbrown Casserole

Last night, we had ham and hashbrown casserole. I had fully intended to have it again tonight with the lima beans and some garlic bread (gf bread for one of my people). However, as much as we like this recipe, I was kind of over it. My family would never tell me they were tired of eating it but I know I am therefore I am sure they are as well.

When I did my bulk freezer cooking, I had enough ingredients to make this casserole twice. In making it twice, we ate on it, at least, four times because it made so much. We would have it as a main dish one night and a side dish the next. Wasting food, around my house, is not something I will do if I can help it. We eat it until it is gone or I freeze it. This time, I am repurposing it.

Realistic Shelf-Cooking with Leftovers

I looked in my fridge and I had a half a bag of bacon bits, some heavy cream I needed to use up, the casserole from last night, a few green onions, and some lunch meat ham that was ending its life. One child grabbed my crockpot and I set out to see what I could do. Normally, I would create a roux and add some sour cream, cream of chicken (or mushroom), and play around with the seasonings. This time, however, I didn’t have sour cream and I didn’t want to make my gf cream of chicken.

First, I dumped the leftovers into the crockpot. I then cut up the ham and tossed it in there. From that point, I added some water to loosen it up and the heavy cream. Since I added liquid, I did sprinkle in some chicken bouillon powder (nutritional yeast would have worked as well). I really wanted to saute up some fresh mushrooms, garlic, and onion but I didn’t want to take the time to do it. The mushrooms will be used for pizza night and the rest, I was just to lazy to do it.

I popped on the lid and set it to low. After a bit, I stirred it up and tasted it. It needed no seasoning but I did add some cheddar just because cheese makes everything better. My fear was that my potatoes would turn to mush but since I used cubed hashbrowns, they have kept their form. I’m restraining myself from stirring too often. Once you take the lid off the crockpot, you lose that seal and it takes a while to heat it back up.

I ate a bowl for lunch. For mine, I sprinkled on some green onions. It is fantastic! So now, we will ate it yesterday, today, and likely tomorrow for lunch. I serve one of my kids’ soup with gluten free saltine crackers.

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Chopped Up Angel Wings with a Side of Manna

 

 

Recipes and Cooking

Chopped Up Angel Wings with a Side of Manna

Brandi C

Chopped Up Angel Wings with a Side of Manna

Chopped Up Angel Wings with a Side of Manna
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

This past week, I am working through the last of my freezer meals. I pulled out a few and last nights was “phenomenal” according to my husband and children. Tonight we had ham and hashbrown casserole but the winner was the glazed sweet potatoes. My husband stated that the meal consisted of Chopped Up Angel Wings with a Side of Manna. So, without further ado.

Cheesy Mexican Chicken (Chopped Up Angel Wings)

Chicken

Cream of chicken

Cheddar

1/2 c. milk

Taco Seasoning

3 c. corn chips

Butter

Seasoning Mix

You can use any type of chicken you have on hand (canned, breasts, thighs, etc.) but make sure you cube it into bite sized pieces and cook well. I sauteed mine up in butter. Place in a greased 13×9 dish once it is finished cooking.

In a bowl, mix the soup, 1 1/2 c. cheese, milk, seasoning mix, and taco seasoning. Spoon this over the cooked chicken and top with corn chips and the rest of the cheese. From this point, I did cover mine well and froze it. I thawed it out from that point.

Now, the corn chips that were placed, frozen, and thawed were a soggy mess. I baked it at 375 for about 30 minutes and tasted it. It was not my jam. So, I stirred up those nasty little things into the chicken, added some more cheddar, and crushed up a 1/2 bag of doritos. I got that back in the oven to melt the cheese.

Still wasn’t to my liking, so I added more seasoning mix (I really don’t think I seasoned it when I made it to freeze) and I added more taco seasoning. This time, I stirred all that up (including the doritos on top) and topped it with a bit more cheddar. Baked it for 10 minutes and that is when the angels starting singing. Bart topped his with sour cream, I topped mine with some green onions. We lapped the dish up and there were not leftovers.

Winner winner!

Glazed Sweet Potatoes (Manna)

2 cans (18 ozs. each) sweet potatoes, drained

1/4 c. butter

Syrup, 1/4 c.

1/4 c. brown sugar

Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp.

Place sweet potatoes in a greased 13×9 dish. In a pan, combine the butter, syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon. This needs to be brought to a boil. Pour over sweet potatoes and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

*I did not originally bake mine. Mine was covered tightly, marked, and placed in the freezer. I thawed it out and baked from there.

Recipes and Cooking

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Brandi C

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

These Easy Chicken Enchiladas are just that…easy.  I can whip these up fairly quickly on any given day.  You know those recipes that you just keep on hand because it is quick, easy, and filling.  This is one that you want to just keep the ingredients on hand.

Ingredients

Chicken (you can use drained canned chicken or chicken breasts)

Oil (or butter)

Minced onion

Seasoning

Jar of salsa

2 cans cheddar cheese soup

Sour cream (optional)

Green onions (optional)

Cheddar

Tortillas

Directions

If you are using canned chicken, eliminate this step.  Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.  Put enough oil to coat the bottom of your pan. Saute up the chicken with seasoning and minced onions.  Now, if you are using canned chicken, just put it all in a bowl with the seasoning and minced onion.

In a bowl, add the 2 cans of cheddar cheese soup and the salsa.  Also, add the “optional items or extra items if you want). I usually keep out about a 1/4 of a cup of this mixture to spread on top once the enchiladas are rolled.

Inside a tortilla, add a couple of tablespoons of the mixture.  Roll, place in dish.  Spread the remaining cheese mixture on top and sprinkle with cheddar.  Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes.

Serve with rice.

 

Recipes and Cooking

Shelf Cooking At Its Finest

Brandi C

Shelf Cooking At Its FinestNow I have run out of things to organize SO now we are at Shelf Cooking At Its Finest.  The thought of freezer cooking for a month has been flitting through my mind.  Sadly, that can also be expensive.

Being Proactive

One of the first things I do to keep costs down is to shop in my pantry/fridge/freezers. While grading papers, Big Daddy did a sweep of everything I could use to help put together a meal.

I must say that we do buy a cow every year. Our time to get the meat is coming, and I am so thankful. We are running low, but still, we have a good enough supply to get us through at least 2 mths.

Surprise Surprise

I was pleasantly surprised to see the list that he had. As a bonus, I had a freezer meal already cooked up and frozen! It is incredible how much food I buy because I don’t realize that I had it in the first place. To me, that is not being a good steward of what my husband brings home.

I See You

I see these people who have the philosophy that if you need one can of food, buy 3. One can use now and the other 2 for later use. They stockpile groceries. That is a good idea, but what if you don’t have the money? In theory, I would love to do this. I probably could. Maybe, someday, I will have a plethora of canned veggies, frozen veggies, and such. For now, I do what I can when I can.

My Great Find

Upon looking at the list, I came up with 14 meals! That is shelf cooking! Wow. I do have to get a few things at the grocery, but my list is very tiny. I am stoked. When he inventoried the meat situation, we found that we had 7 roasts left. These must be used up before our meat comes in later this month.

I have a Plan

I plan to put the roasts from the freezer in the outside fridge to thaw out. Once that is done, I will cook up all the roasts. We will have roast/potatoes for supper the day I do this. That way, I know that dinner will be made for that night. The rest, however, we will shred up, and I will come up with about 14 more meals to freeze.

My Goal

I aim to cook up the 14 meals I have on hand and freeze those. Then, I will do up 14 more meals from the roasts. Those will be frozen too. Since I have to buy very little, I will go one step further. I have room in my budget to choose some recipes I will have to buy groceries to make. My goal is to double those recipes and freeze the rest.

In Total

I will have 42 frozen meals. How freaking fantastic is that? I believe I will make some fruit bread, pancakes, and omelet cups to freeze for the kids. I would make some yogurt if I were wild, but I’m not that wild.

Challenge

I challenge you to search through your pantry/fridge/freezer. Take a good inventory, and then cook as much as you can within the parameters of what you have on hand. You will have to go to the grocery for some things, but keep your menu doable and straightforward. Quickly, that grocery bill can be cut in 1/2. Last week, I spent $70 on groceries and $30 on misc things (nonfood things). My regular grocery budget is $500 per month. I spent about $300 last month alone. This is a $200 savings that I can add towards the debt train.

Oh, the Things I Will Cook and the Money I will Save.

 

Recipes and Cooking

Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot

Brandi C

Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot

Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot

**This Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot is terrific.  I wish you could smell my house.  It smells WONDERFUL**  I have used round steak, chopped up, leftover roast, or stew meat in this recipe.  They all taste great.  It smells like home.  Make some homemade biscuits and gracious.  This is a meal!

It reminds me of being at my Aunt Bettye’s house when I was younger.  I loved the smells that came out of her kitchen.  That and the chaos of all us cousins playing.  The grown-ups doing grown-up things!  LOL.

Now, I’m the grown-up.  That’s a scary thought.

Ingredients

1 lb stew meat

1/3 c. all-purpose flour + 2 T.

Seasoning

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

bay leaves, 2

2 tsp. paprika

Worcestershire, 2 tsp.

2 onions, chopped

4 potatoes, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

4 beef bouillon

4 c. water

1 lb. squash, chopped

Directions

Put beef in crockpot.  Mix the flour and seasoning in a separate bowl.  You can find my seasoning recipe on my blog.  Once that is done, pour that over the beef.  Stir to coat meat.

Place the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 4-6 hours.

This Healthy Beef Stew Crockpot recipe is a comfort food classic that’s perfect for busy days when you need a hearty meal to come home to. The beauty of using a crockpot is that the flavors meld together beautifully throughout the day, making for a dish that tastes even better as it sits. The beef becomes tender and the vegetables soak up all the delicious seasoning, creating a rich and savory broth. It’s one of those meals that fills your home with warmth, making it the ideal dish for cold nights or when you’re craving something comforting. Pair it with homemade biscuits or crusty bread, and you’ve got yourself a meal that the whole family will love.

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Take a Deep Breath and Try All Over Again

 

 

Recipes and Cooking

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Brandi C

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole – An Easy, Family-Friendly Meal

Need a warm, hearty dinner that’s packed with flavor and sneaky veggies? This Chicken and Broccoli Casserole checks all the boxes. It’s comforting, cheesy, and simple to pull together. You can even make one for now and freeze another for later—mom win!

If you’ve got picky eaters in the house (don’t we all?), this is the perfect dish to sneak in some extra nutrients. I like to toss in finely chopped cauliflower and spinach—thanks to the creamy cheese sauce and seasonings, they’ll never know the difference!

The key to pulling this off? Have it baked and cleaned up before your crew comes flying into the kitchen asking, “What’s for dinner?” 😉

Ingredients

  • Cooked chicken (see tips below)

  • 32 oz. broccoli, steamed and chopped

  • 1 large onion, chopped and sautéed

  • Fresh garlic to taste

  • 2 cans mushrooms, drained

  • 16 oz. pasta, cooked and drained

  • 1 tsp. lemon pepper

  • 1 tsp. dried basil

  • 1/3 cup milk

  • 8 oz. Velveeta

  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup

  • 1 can cream of chicken soup

Optional Add-Ins:

  • Chopped cauliflower

  • Chopped spinach

  • Minced onion

Topping

  • 2 sleeves of Ritz crackers

  • A bit of butter for browning

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Chicken
    You can cook and shred chicken breasts in broth, use rotisserie chicken for a shortcut, or even go with canned chicken in a pinch (just drain and season it up).

  2. Flavor the Broccoli
    After steaming and chopping your broccoli, stir in a little seasoning and minced onion for added flavor. This step makes a big difference!

  3. Mix It All Together
    In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the topping. Stir, stir, stir—until everything is creamy and well mixed.

  4. Assemble the Casserole
    Pour the mixture into a greased 13×9 baking dish.

  5. Prepare the Topping
    Brown the Ritz crackers in a little butter, then sprinkle them over the casserole.

  6. Bake
    Bake at 350°F for 35–45 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top.

Results & Leftovers

This recipe makes enough for two full 13×9 pans! We enjoyed one for dinner (with plenty of leftovers), and I popped the second into the freezer for a busy day. I love having meals on hand that I know everyone will eat—without fuss.

Let me know if you try it—and if your picky eaters notice those sneaky veggies! 😉

 

Recipes and Cooking

Pork Chop Hashbrown Casserole

Brandi C

Pork Chop Hashbrown Casserole

Here is my Pork Chop Hashbrown Casserole. We do not buy chops often unless they are on sale. So, luckily these were, so I shuffled through what I had on hand. From there, I add what I have and see what I come up with for this recipe. I’ve come up with the Pork Chop Hashbrown Casserole for this recipe. Add that to the fact that I love one-pot meals, and this was the outcome.

Pork-Chop Hashbrown Casserole

8 Pork Chops

1 can cream mushroom

Seasoning

8 oz. sour cream

Cheddar

1 bag hashbrown (I shredded up 8 potatoes because that is what I had).

You can add sauteed peppers, onions, mushrooms, and zucchini.

How You Go About Making It

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 13×9 pan.

In a large bowl, place hashbrowns, sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, and seasoning. This is also where you could stir in your sauteed vegetables if you choose to add them in. Stir this all together. Remember, start seasoning small. If you do too much, you can’t take it back out. If you add too little, you can always throw a dash back into the dish if you need to! Stir this all together well and place it in the greased 13×9 dish.

Once it is in the dish, spread the cheddar cheese on top. Next, work on your 8 chops. What I do for them is use a meat tenderizer on them to help loosen up the meat. Season it on both sides. When that is done, lay the chops over the hashbrown/veggie/cheese mixture.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Once that time is up, get the foil off and then bake again until the cheese is nice and gooey. Please be sure to check the temp of the meat. No one wants to eat undercooked pork!

Tidbits

Enjoy :). You can use bone-in chops or boneless chops. You might notice in my recipes that I do not have exact measurements, as you will see above, “seasoning” with no XXX teaspoons. I don’t do this to irritate people. Honestly, I don’t measure things.

As a rule of thumb, the season is on the lighter side. You can always add more, but you can’t take the salt/pepper/garlic out of something. I have cooked for so long that I only use exact measurements when I bake. That is a “have to” type thing.