Slow Cooker Pork BBQ and Creamy Pasta Salad with Homemade Croutons

So this was a fun meal all the way around because I got to try to new things!

First was the Slow Cooker Pork BBQ (Total Cost $7.16):

1/2 Pork Loin Roast ($7.16...ouch!)

1 1/2 Cups BBQ Sauce (your call on the type) 

(FREE with coupons)

1 Cup Water

I put all of this in the slow cooker on Low for 7 1/2 Hours (while I was at the zoo with the kids) and then served it for dinner.  Couldn't get more simple than that :)

Creamy Pasta Salad with Homemade Croutons

Pasta Salad ($2.63):

1 Box 3 color Pasta (or whatever pasta you would like) 

(FREE with Coupons)

1/2 8oz block of Cheddar Cheese (cubed into small pieces) ($2.00)

4 Small slices of Pepperoni (sliced into small bits) 

(FREE with Coupons)

Enough Ranch Dressing to cover but not make runny 

(used approx 1/4 bottle 

($.16 (bottle was $.63 on sale with coupons))

**Opt: you can add any veggies you wish (hubby just isn't a big fan of many here)

I cooked the pasta until done.  Rinsed under cold water, drained and dumped into a bowl along with the Cheese, Pepperoni and Ranch Dressing.  I then stuck this in the Fridge to chill (I actually made this pasta salad a day in advance to have with the Roast the next day).  Enough for 3 meals so far

Homemade Croutons ($.60):

Take any type of bread (I had french bread I had gotten for $.90 a loaf to use for this and another meal for garlic bread used 1/2 loaf) (cube into smallish pieces) ($.45)

Pressed Garlic Cloves (I used 3)  (approx $.05/clove= $.15)

Olive Oil (Entire bottle was FREE with coupons)

I took the Olive oil and Pressed Garlic and mixed them in a bowl and then dipped the bread into the mix until covered.  I then put it on a cookie sheet and baked at 350 for 15 min (until brown, keep watch).

I think next time I will try not covering the bread so much because it came out very greasy (put on plate with paper towel to soak up the grease).  

The nice thing about this is you can make them any "flavor" you wish and you can store them in an air tight container for a few days to use more than just the one meal :)

All in all I think this dinner turned out pretty well and was happy with the results ($10.39 total for all and it is definitely enough for 2 meals for a family of 4 so $5.20 a meal I don't find to bad).   

Hmmmm....now what to try tomorrow?