Taco Salad in 5 Minutes

Last night was one of THOSE nights... 

The family had had a long week, we had worked outside in the fresh air and when we came in everyone was HUNGRY and had no patience to wait for dinner.  

Instead of calling the local pizza place and waiting at least 30 minutes longer for dinner 

I decided to make a Taco Salad for everyone.  

I know what you are thinking, 

"by the time you take the burger out and cook it up along with veggie prep you might as well have ordered pizza."   

Fortunately, from start to finish my dinner took me 5 minutes from start to finish.

5 Minutes....you must be joking me!  

It's no joke, it can be done!

To get a meal on the table in 5 min takes a little planning but every second of pre-planning is worth 

the time you don't have to spend making dinner.

This is how I accomplished dinner in 5 Minutes:

On Thursday my family had chili for dinner.  At that time I cooked up twice the meat that I usually use for my chili.  Before adding all the goodies (beans, tomatoes, etc) after browning my meat I removed 1/2 of the meat, put it in a freezer bag (after cooled) and threw it in the freezer, this took me maybe a minute tops.

Last night all I had to do was throw the meat in the microwave to de-frost and while that was thawing I got my plates, chips, sour cream, cheese and tomatoes out and washed or plated those items (had I had lettuce I would have added that).  When the burger was done in the microwave I added it to the goodies on the plate and dinner was done.  

Fast Simple and easy!

Day #6- How to Make Your Chicken STRETCHHHH- Pasta and Chicken Alfredo

This is a very quick, simple and tasty meal

Pasta and Chicken Alfredo

1 Box Pasta

1 Cup Already Cooked Shredded Chicken

1 Jar Alfredo Sauce 

Cook your pasta to your liking, strain and place back in pan.

Mix Shredded Chicken and entire jar Alfredo Sauce in a bowl and heat until warmed through.

Mix Chicken/Alfredo combo into pasta and enjoy!

Cost of Meal:

 

1 Box Pasta: FREE (with sale and Coupons)

1 Cup Already Cooked Shredded Chicken: $1.20 

(from chicken stretchhhhh earlier)

1 Jar Alfredo Sauce: $1/jar (with Sale and Coupons)

Total Cost of Meal: $2.20

Total Cost for family of 4 with leftovers: $.55

 

Day #5- How to Make Your Chicken STRETCHHHH- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

This is a GREAT recipe for when you, your family, your friends, your neighbors....... are sick or.....just to enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

1 Cup Shredded Chicken

2 Quarts Chicken Broth

1/2 Package Egg Noodles

1/4 Cup Frozen Carrots   

Take your Chicken Broth (made from your chicken stretchhhhhh earlier) and add the shredded chicken and carrots.  

Bring this to a boil until carrots are tender.

Add the 1/2 Pack Egg Noodles and boil until they are soft (follow package directions)

Cost of meal:

1 Cup Shredded Chicken: $1.20 (used chicken from the chicken stretchhhh)

2 Quarts Chicken Broth: FREE 

(used chicken leftovers (chicken bones and such) and water to make this)

1/2 Package Egg Noodles: $.50 (on sale for $1/bag)

1/4 Cup Frozen Carrots: FREE 

(carrots were grown in the garden with seeds that were given to us)

Total cost of the Meal: $1.70

Cost per serving for family of 4 

(this serving is counted at 2 bowls for each person) $.43

Day #4- How to Make Your Chicken STRETCHHHH- Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Here is a quick meal that you can throw together for a sack lunch at work or school or on a lazy day at home.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

2 Cups Shredded Chicken

1 Cup Mayo 

(or enough to pull your ingredients together, 

do not put so much in it's runny)

1 Stalk Celery

1/4 Cup Moz or Cheddar Cheese

2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread per Sandwich

Banana

Put Chicken, Mayo, Celery and Cheese in a bowl and mix.

Place on bread and make sandwich.

Serve with Banana

Cost of Meal

2 Cups Shredded Chicken: $2.40 (2 packets of chicken from earlier $1.20 each)

1 Cup Mayo (or enough to pull your ingredients together, do not put so much in it's runny): $.42

1 Stalk Celery: $.02

1/4 Cup Moz or Cheddar Cheese: $.24

2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread per Sandwich: $.24 

(family of 4=8 slices of bread; I have a bread outlet where I can get a loaf of Whole wheat bread for $.59/loaf (approx 20 pcs) $.59/20*8=$.236)

4 Bananas: $.44

Total Cost of Meal: $3.76

Cost per Serving for a Family of 4: $.94

Day #3- How to Make Your Chicken STRETCHHHH- Broccoli Chicken Casserole

This casserole combines many of may favorite foods.  Enjoy!

 

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

 

1 Cup Shredded Chicken
2 Cups Steamed Broccoli
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup Water
1 TBSP Garlic Powder
1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 Cup Slow Cooking Brown Rice (1 cup is before cooking)

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

You will need a 13x9 pan.  

 

You will need to combine the Cream of Chicken Soup with the 1/2 Cup Water and the TBSP Garlic Powder in a bowl.  

 

You will then layer the chicken on the bottom, and then follow with the broccoli, the soup mixture and then the Cheese.  You will Salt and Pepper to taste on your individual plate.

Cook this at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve over rice.  Salt & Pepper to taste.

Cost of Meal:

 

1 Cup Shredded Chicken: $1.20 

(use a packet from the Chicken STRETCHHHHING earlier) 

2 Cups Steamed Broccoli or approx 1/2 bag frozen:  

I use the Broccoli that I froze from my garden so FREE but if you use frozen from the store you can get it for as little as FREE/bag or $.99/bag if you watch your sales and coupons)

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup: $.36 (from store with sales and coupons) 

or $.17 (homemade)

1/2 cup Water: FREE 

1 TBSP Garlic Powder: $.01 (bought in bulk)

1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese: $.47

 

1 Cup Slow Cooked Brown Rice: $.33

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Total Cost of Meal: $3.36 (this is with the $.99 Broccoli and $.36 Cream of Chicken Soup, cost can be lower with different options)

 

Cost per serving for Family of 4: 

$.84/person

 

 

Day #2-How To Make Your Chicken Stretchhhhhh- Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie is a family favorite and so easy...

Chicken Pot Pie

1 Package Frozen Pie Crust

1 Cup Shredded Chicken  

(use 1 of your 4 packets of chicken from your rotisserie or crock pot chicken)

1/2 Bag of Frozen Soup Mix Veggies

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup (or use homemade)

1/4 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese 

Place one of the pie crusts on the bottom of your pie pan.

Mix the Shredded Chicken, 

1/2 bag of Frozen Veggies and 

the Can of Cream of Chicken Soup in a bowl. 

Dump the Mix into the bottom of the pie pan (on top of crust) 

and cover with the 1/4 Cup Cheddar Cheese.

Cover this mix with the 2nd pie crust, seal edges and 

then cook according to package directions. 

Cost Break Down:

1 Package Frozen Pie Crust: $2.00 (on sale with coupon)

1 Cup Shredded Chicken: $1.20  

1/2 Bag of Frozen Soup Mix Veggies: $.50

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup: 

$.36 (on sale with coupons) or $.17 (homemade)

1/4 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese: $.24 

Total Cost of Meal:   

$4.30 with Store Cream of Soup 

or $4.11 with Homemade Cream of Soup

For My Family of 4 eat 2 large pieces each that is $1.08 or $1.03 per person depending on what you use again for the Cream of Chicken Soup.

Tortilla Pepperoni Pizza

So today is an icky, icky day where I live....hail woke me up this morning followed by thunder, lightening and lots of rain.  Like I said...ICKY!

Needless to say outside activities were out and the kids were BORED so I decided to let them help with lunch.

To make this meal you need Tortillas (I used burrito style but you can use whole wheat, homemade, small, large, etc.  It's a world of possibilities :)), Pizza Sauce, Cheese and Pepperoni.

 First we took 1 flour tortilla each

 We then added Pizza Sauce and Pepperoni.

(Don't mind my crazy sink....we had done a "science experiment" with the pop bottles last night and they kind of got put to the side in the sink for the time being.)

Last we added cheese to the pizza.

We then put the pizza's on baking stones at 425 degrees for 4 to 5 min and they were done.

How easy is this to make you ask?  Well my 2 & 5 year old's seemed to manage just fine so I would say it's pretty easy!  :)

Tortilla Pepperoni Pizza Meal Cost Break Down

3-Tortillas (1- 8pk=$1.20/8= $.15 ea)= $.45

1/8 cup Pizza Sauce ($.99/Jar (approx 2 cups)/16= $.06

1/2 cup cheese ($.82/8 oz bag (on Sale with Coupons))= $.21

Pepperoni ($2.50/pk/98 slices per pack= $.03/slice) 

= $.61 (24 slices)

Total Cost of Meal: 

$1.33 (this is $.44/pizza and we all are super full)

Enjoy!

Egg & Sausage Bake

We had an over abundance of eggs in our home so I was on a mission...

I went through both freezers and this is what I came up with.

Egg & Sausage Bake

 

 First I started with a greased 9"X13" pan

  I had leftover cheese from a "pre-made' pizza at the bottom of my deep freeze, 

sausage links and like I said....A BUNCH OF EGGS! 

Because I have little ones I decided to break down the links so that I could crumble the meat in the bake instead of round chunks of the links.

I then cooked up the meat and used 1/2 for the bake (and the other 1/2 I kept for later)

I poured the whipped up the eggs and the sausage crumbles into my 9"x13" pan.

I covered well with cheese.

I put this in the oven at 400 degrees for approx 25-30 min 

(until knife stuck in the middle comes out clean)

I served this meal with toast.

Dinner Cost Break Down

10 Eggs (Farm Fresh): $.17/egg= $1.70

1/2 Bag Cheese (approx 6oz): $.75

Sausage: FREE (give to us from a family member who had pig butchered)

4 Slices Bread: $.03/slice= $.12

Total Cost of Meal: $2.57

$.64 per person (4 people multiple servings)

ALSO..... I have the other 1/2 of my sausage to use later in another "Bake" 

making this an even better deal!

Brown Rice, Black Beans, Salsa, Sour Cream, Tortilla Chips and Cheese Lunch

I know what you are thinking...ummmmm no thanks....

but stay with me :)

This is my lunch today.  It consists of brown rice, black beans, salsa, sour cream, tortilla chips and cheese (see not so bad :))

I used a pack of brown rice that I had cooked earlier, packaged and then froze.  I also used a 1/4 of a can of black beans that I had done the same with.  I added a scoop of sour cream and salsa, a handful of chips (crunched up), and lastly a sprinkle of cheese.  

That's it!  

It took me less than 2 min to put 

together and I am super full now. :)

Total Cost for Meal:

Brown Rice: $.13

Black Beans: $.15

Sour Cream: $.10

Salsa: FREE (with coupons & sales)

Chips: $.15

Cheese: $.20

Total Cost of Meal: $.73!

"Homemade" Fruit Leather

Today I am making another batch of Applesauce Fruit Leather.  I've decided to make this with my dehydrator because it's much more economical for my family. 

(Also, when I make my own purees they are 

healthier than other brand roll ups 

(no added sugar, no food dyes, etc)) 

(I've made strawberry, applesauce, and am going to try mango, blueberry, and mixes of all of the above soon :))

To make my Fruit Leather today I had 2 ingredients:

Coconut Oil & Applesauce 

You can use any brand Coconut Oil and Apple Sauce, 

this is what I had in stock (btw- I don't endorse any brand on my site I just show you what I have in my home at the time)

My dehydrator calls for me to grease my "fruit sauce" tray with vegetable oil.  I personally am not a fan of vegetable oil so I used coconut oil.  

Coconut Oil is a Solid until warm.  My body temp is enough to make it an "oil" to grease my tray.

After I grease the tray I add Apple Sauce.

See the oil below the Apple Sauce?  BTW you don't taste the coconut flavor when this is done.

 I then smooth the Apple Sauce until it is even 

(dries more uniformly that way)

LOVE my pink spatula!

After that I put my tray into my dehydrator and dry at 135 degrees for 6 to 7 hours (until cooked through no sticky spots).

When I am done I take a long strip of plastic wrap and take the fruit leather and put it on top.  I then wrap it up and cut into bite sized strips (I would show you but my latest batch is still drying :)).  I then put the strips into a glass jar with a lid and put them in the fridge.  After that they are ready to eat.

Easy, inexpensive and healthy :)

Total Cost:

Coconut Oil: $.01 (probably less but I'm rounding up :))

Apple Sauce: $.37 (have made 5 batches so far with one jar ($1.86 total cost for Jar))

Total Cost for 8 Fruit Leather Strips: $.38 ($.05/roll)

 (compare to the same amount in a box for $1.66/box on sale and you are saving yourself $1.28/batch so I have saved $6.40 in making my own)

Pasta with Ham, Broccoli and Cheese

So I needed something fast and.....well fast for lunch the other day.  

Have you ever looked through you cupboards and fridge and thought to yourself  "Oh dear heavens what am I going to make?"  Well that was me.  Completely at a loss...

Suddenly I remembered something that I had made on a whim long, long ago and it was perfect because I had everything that I needed...Hooray!!!

I first took 1/2 box of pasta and cooked it according to box directions.  

I found about 3 pieces of thin sliced ham and cut that into bite sized pieces (I added this to the pasta after draining and stirring in a bit of olive oil.

I then took broccoli that I had cut up and frozen in individual sized portions and steamed that.

I then added that to my pasta and ham and covered with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.

Total Cost for Meal:

1/2 box pasta: $.17 (with sales and coupons)

3 thin slices of Ham(deli thin sliced): $.02

Individual sized broccoli (2 heads cost me $1 and this was about 1/3 of 1 of the heads): $.17

Sprinkle of Mozzarella Cheese on each serving (4) (maybe 1/4 cup): $.31

Cost for 4 servings: $.67 ($.17/serving)

Chili with Cornbread Topping

Last weekend I had one of those days where there wasn't enough time to think much less time to sit down for a yummy meal (or so I thought).

I was searching my cupboard for something...anything...and then I remembered a quick and easy recipe that I had seen a while ago in a magazine.  

Chili with Cornbread Topping!

You only need a few things for this.  One can of chili (any brand is fine), one box of cornbread mix (again any brand is fine), 1 Egg, 1/4 cup milk

and a casserole dish.

You will pour the can of Chili in the Casserole Dish.  Please note you may use homemade chili for the base of this recipe (I have but was in a hurry so my standby can'o chili worked) :)

Mix the Cornbread as directed on the package (or make your own cornbread mix) and then pour over your Chili in the casserole dish.

After that cook as long as your Cornbread package says that the bread needs to be cooked (until cooked all the way through and browned on top)

When it is done it will look like so...

That's It!!

 

We served ours with a little sour cream and cheddar cheese.

Cost of Meal:

Can of Chili: $.40 (on sale with Coupons)

Box of Cornbread mix: $.50

1 Egg: $.08 (Dozen Eggs $.99/12)

1/4 Cup Milk: $.04 (Gallon of Milk $2.50/64)

1/2 Cup Sour Cream: $.50

Sprinkle of Cheese: approx $.15

Total Cost: $1.67 (divided by a Family of 4): $.42/person