Thanks to those of you who sent your recipe ideas last week!  And it’s not too late…for more information on how to get your recipe featured on the $5 Dinner Challenge, click here.

Last week I stashed the chicken breasts that I bought for $1.79/lb into the freezer in different baggies with different marinades.  For tonight’s dinner, I just took the chicken out of the freezer and let it marinate while it thawed in the fridge.

Quick and simple!

Sorry no photo…camera fail…Err…operator fail…forgot to recharge the battery in time!

Ingredients
3 large or 4 small chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb.) ($2.24)
1 Tbsp olive oil ($.10)
2 Tbsp lemon pepper seasoning (free) Bought with $1 coupon when on sale for $1!
1 lb. green beans ($.99)
1 tsp olive oil ($.03)
Salt and pepper
Homemade Rolls ($.50) Used this recipe with half white flour and half wheat flour. Baked them in regular size muffin tin.

Directions
1. Marinate the chicken breasts in the olive oil and lemon pepper seasonings for at least 2 hours in the fridge.
2. Grill or saute for 5-6 minutes per side, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle. Cooking time may vary depending on thickness of the chicken breast.
3. In medium or large skillet, add the olive oil and turn on medium-high heat.  Add the green beans and saute for 4-5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Prepare dough and bake homemade rolls.
5. Serve Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken with Green Beans and “Hot out of the oven” Rolls.

Cost $3.86

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I made drop biscuits this afternoon and we’re having them with baked chicken drumsticks and green beans from the garden.  But I’m just sharing the drop biscuit recipe with ya tonight!

Cheap Dinner Alert: If you have a Meijer nearby, you’ll want to be adding this dinner to your meal plan next week!!!

Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter or margarine (I used dairy free margarine)
1 cup milk (I used rice milk!)

Directions
1. In mixing bowl, combine wheat flour, white flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. Cut in 4 Tbsp of butter with pastry blender or 2 knives.
3. Slowly mix in milk and stir with fork. Mix until thick batter forms.
4. Drop biscuits onto greased cooking sheet or into greased muffin tins. Makes 12 biscuits.
5. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Cool on cooling rack.
6. Serve warm with Cinnamon Honey Butter.

*Cinnamon Honey Butter: Combine 1 Tbsp honey with 2 Tbsp butter or margarine and 1/4 tsp cinnamon.

Enjoy!!!

P.S. These would make for an excellent weekend breakfast!

When I saw this recipe from Steph at A Year of Slow Cooking last week, I just had to make it…seeing that zucchini and squash have been on such great sales lately, this seemed like the perfect to incorporate this last week of summer! And what makes it even more perfect…this morning I woke up and it was a cold 46 degrees outside. Hello, it’s still August! The high was just 71…a lovely fall like day, making soup in August seem just right!

I made a few minor substitutions…I didn’t use the cherry tomatoes because I don’t have enough ripe ones at the moment for tonight’s and tomorrow night’s meal, so I used a can of diced tomatoes instead. I also added in some fresh basil, parsley and rosemary from the garden. And, I only used 1 large yellow squash and 2 medium zucchinis.

The end result: Taste Bud Party! We all loved this…boys included!

Ingredients
4 cups homemade chicken broth (free) Use vegetable stock is vegetarian!
1 cup water
1 small red onion, diced ($.30)
2 medium zucchinis, sliced ($1.24) Both squash on sale for $.77/lb last week!
1 large yellow summer squash, sliced ($1.01)
1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes ($.59)
Handful of fresh basil, parsley, and rosemary (from the garden)
1/3 cup dry white Cannellini beans ($.10)
1/2 cup pasta ($.25) Add 20 minutes before serving…and use rice pasta if gluten free!
Salt/Pepper
1-2 Tbsp parmesan cheese per bowl ($.30) Omit if dairy free!
Green beans (from the garden)
6-8 homemade wheat rolls ($.50) This recipe made 14 rolls, so I’ll save the rest for another meal this week…or eat them for lunch! I’m sorry I don’t have a recipe posted on the site…but I made rolls similar to these, using water instead of milk.

Directions
1. Put all ingredients up to the Cannellini beans into the slow cooker and give them a stir. Set slow cooker on low and cook for 8 hours. 20 minutes before the cooking time is finished, add the 1/2 cup dry pasta. (I totally wasn’t paying attention to the clock and the slow cooker had already finished as was on the “warm cycle.” I just added the pasta and about 20-30 minutes later, they were perfectly done!)
2. Wash and cut stems from green beans. Steam in stovetop steamer or in microwave for 3-4 minutes.
3. Make homemade wheat rolls in the bread machine. I made the dough in the bread machine and then made rolls and baked them in the oven.
4. Serve End of Summer Harvest Soup with Green Beans and Homemade Wheat Rolls.

Cost $4.24

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Have a Frugal and Healthy Recipe to share?

Post the recipe on your blog and then add the link below. Other guidelines can be found here. To make it easy for other readers to find your recipe, please leave the link that leads directly to your recipe post. Any links that lead to your homepage will be deleted. If you don’t have a blog, feel free to leave your recipe in the comments section!

Update ***: Giveaway Closed!  Winner announced shortly…

Laurel, Angela B, Jen B, Crissie, April V

 

Planning on grilling this July 4th weekend…well, Sara Lee is here to save the day!

Let Sara Lee provide the buns to your July 4th BBQ!!!

5 lucky readers will win receive 1 package each of Sara Lee Wheat Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns!

Can’t figure out what to do with those leftover buns (because inevitably there are a few leftovers!)…

Sara Lee Chef Catherine DeOrio has incorporated Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Wheat Buns Made with Whole Grain into a variety of tips and ideas for any eating occasion:

Breakfast – French Toast Sticks
• Cut Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Wheat Hot Dog Buns Made with Whole Grain into quarters and then cut each piece in half along the perforated edge
• Dip in a vanilla egg custard and pan fry

Appetizer/Snack – Bruschetta
• Cut Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Wheat Hot Dog Buns Made with Whole Grain in half along the perforated edge
• Baste with olive oil and minced garlic and bake
• Top with diced tomatoes and basil

Lunch/Dinner – Mini Homemade Pizzas
• Use each half of Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Wheat Hamburger Buns Made with Whole Grain as the crust to your pizza
• Spread pizza sauce and sprinkle with oregano
• Top with mozzarella cheese and bake until cheese is melted

Dessert – Summer Pudding
• Make a berry compote using blackberries, raspberries and blueberries
• Layer Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Wheat Hamburger Buns Made with Whole Grain and the berry compote in a glass bowl
• Refrigerate until the juices from the berry compote have saturated the bread

Genius, Huh?

Giveaway Details

1. Contest ends Tuesday, June 30th at 5 pm EST.  Winners will be announced back here on this post, and notified via email.  Winners MUST replay within 24 hours so we can ensure delivery of your buns before Saturday!!!

2. Entry #1: Leave a comment just saying you want to win.

3. Entry #2: Leave a SEPARATE comment telling me in what way you promoted this contest (i.e., posting it in a forum, posting about it on your blog, Tweet about it, emailing all your friends, and/or subscribe to my feed by email or in a reader).

4. Entry #3: In another separate comment, let me know your most creative use of leftover bread or buns!

5. Winner will be selected by Random.org.

**NOTE: If you receive the email newsletter and wish to enter this giveaway, click on the title of this giveaway to get to the site and leave a comment on the site with your name and email address to be entered!

*Disclosure: I have not received any products in conjunction with this giveaway.

Ingredients
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp warm water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil ($.05)
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour ($.40)
1 1/2 cup white flour ($.30)
2 tsp ground flaxseed ($.10)
2 tsp sugar ($.03)
1 packet active dry yeast ($.20) Look out for coupons for yeast!
2 tsp Italian seasonings ($.05)
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese ($.15)

To brush over the top of the breadsticks:
2-3 Tbsp olive oil ($.20)
Few pinches of salt

Directions
1. In bread machine, add ingredients in the order listed above. Set to dough cycle.

2. Once dough cycle is completed, flour hands and remove dough from the machine. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead in extra flour if dough is sticking to fingers. Divide dough into 4 medium balls. Then divide each ball into muffin size balls. Roll out into skinny, long piece. Twist 2 pieces together and place on greased baking sheet. Once all dough has been formed into the twisted sticks, brush with olive oil and sprinkle salt over the tops. Place baking sheet in warm place and let dough rise for an hour.

 

3. Once breadsticks have risen, place them in the oven and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. (Baking time will depend on the thickness of your breadsticks. Once they begin to golden, they will be finished baking.
4. Serve Italian Breadsticks with Salad or Spaghetti…or other favorite Italian dish!
5. Unused breadsticks can be frozen or eaten within a day or so!

Cost $1.48 for 10 breadsticks!

Print this Recipe

I found a little gem at the grocery store last week!  A package of sirloin steak marked down to $2.41.  You could do this meal using iceberg, romaine or other favorite lettuce.  I don’t recommend bagged lettuce unless it is on sale for at least 50% off its original price.  Using a fresh head of lettuce is cheaper and will keep the cost down.  That is, of course, if you don’t mind chopping it up!

I might just have to make this again when my lettuce and tomatoes are ready for harvest!  Hubs could grill the steak. Yum!!!

And this dressing I take NO credit for.  I saw Rachael my new BFF make it for a tomato salad last week and thought it would be PERFECT for this Steak Salad.

Ingredients
1 lb sirloin steak ($2.41) Manager’s Special
1 tsp olive oil ($.02)
1 head of romaine lettuce ($1.49)
1 tomato ($.59)
1 Tbsp A1 steak sauce ($.05)
1/4 cup olive oil ($.20)
1 Tbsp vinegar ($.05)
Salt/Pepper
4-6 Honey Wheat Rolls ($.50) Homemade bread is ALWAYS cheaper than store bought! And tastier too!

P.S.  I slightly modify the above Rolls recipe.  Will post it soon!

Directions
1. In large skillet, sear steak in olive oil. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the steak. Remove from heat and slice thinly.
2. Chop lettuce using plastic lettuce knife. Dice tomato.
3. Make A1 dressing. In small bowl, whisk A1 steak sauce, olive oil, vinegar with salt and pepper.
4. Make Honey Wheat Rolls. (I start the dough in the bread machine while the kids are eating lunch. Then form the dough into rolls and let rise. I bake them just as I start making the rest of the meal.)

Cost $5.31

Print this Recipe

Gayle’s blog, The Grocery Cart Challenge, was one of the first that I came across when I started paying more attention to couponing and grocery store savings this past summer. I kept thinking, “if she can do this for her family of 6 then I can do this for my family of 4!!!” She feeds her family on $60/week and shares her menus, shopping trips and other fantastic money saving tricks and tips on her blog! She will surely inspire you too!

When Erin asked me to guest post while she was away for the holidays, I thought it would be fun to follow in her footsteps and put together a $5 meal. Come to find out, this is no small feat. It’s a ton of research, math skills, checking against my shopping receipts and…a little bit addicting. I can’t tell you what a fun game it was to break down one of our staple meals to find out if it fit into the $5 dinner category. And when I finally got to the end it was like finding out I won the lottery to know that it fit. So…Thank You Erin for all the hard work you put into this amazing blog. (You’re welcome!)

Crockpot Potato Chowder – serves 10-12

Adapted from www.recipezaar.com/50144

8 cups diced potatoes ($.80)
1/3 cup onion, chopped ($.18)
3 knorr bouillon cubes (these are two teaspoons in size $.10)
6 cups water
1 10 ¾ ounce can of condensed cream of chicken soup ($.59)
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese ($1.29)
½ lb bacon, cooked and crumbled ($.85)
Dried parsley or sliced green onions for garnish – optional

Combine potatoes, onion, water, bouillon, and chicken soup in the crockpot.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until potatoes are tender. Add cream cheese to crockpot and blend.
Top with bacon and parsley or onions before serving

We serve this with Buttery Bread Machine Rolls – makes 24

Adapted from www.recipezaar.com/65340

1 cup warm water
¼ cup powdered milk ($.20)
½ cup butter or margarine softened ($.22)
¼ cup sugar ($.07)
2 eggs ($.25)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
4 cups bread flour ($.10)
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast ($.75)

Put all ingredients in bread machine pan in order listed.
Run on dough cycle.
When cycle is complete, divide dough into 24 pieces and shape into balls.
Place in greased 9 x 13 baking pan.
Cover and let rise in warm place for 15 minutes.
Bake at 375 for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Grand Total for both recipes $5.40

Now my family is larger than most with 6 people (2 teens), so this would feed all of us with only a little leftovers. If your family is an average size of four people this would be one meal for dinner and one meal for the freezer. If it’s two meals the grand total would be $2.70.

If you’d like to see how I feed my family of 6 on $60 a week come visit me at The Grocery Cart Challenge.

A very kid friendly meal…and more great recipes coming this weekend…Corn and Salsa Soup and then Mexican Lasagna on Sunday!

 

Ingredients
3 chicken breasts ($2.25)
2 T extra virgin olive oil ($.10)
Salt/Pepper
4 slices provolone cheese ($.84)
Homemade rolls ($.48)
1 cup frozen peas ($.25)

Directions
1. Cut chicken breasts into strips. Drizzle EVOO over the top and add salt and pepper. Bake in baking dish at 350 for 25-35 minutes. Remove from oven. Carefully take one strip and wrap half a piece of provolone cheese around the chicken. Cheese will melt over warm chicken strips.
2. Warm homemade rolls…we are eating the leftovers from last night.
3. Cook peas. Serve it up!

Cost $3.92

I’m looking for a few good frugal recipes for my November and December menu plans! Send your favorite frugal recipe, or perhaps a not so frugal recipe, as I’m always up for a good challenge! Click on “Contact Me” above to send me your idea! I will be sure to give you all the credit when I make the meal!

Tonight we had Oven Fried Drumsticks. I planned to follow Toni’s plan (check out her great photos!) of dipping in butter, then breadcrumbs, then bake! Since we are STILL without power (don’t get me started…it’s Day 10! For the latest on our power situation click here), I am still cooking over at my mother in law’s house! Bless her for putting up with us this long. She has been more than gracious! I forgot bread crumbs from my house, so I ended up just doing butter with some seasonings. I pulled out some homemade buns from the freezer that I made “before the windstorm” and steamed some organic vegetables that I recently bought on closeout and with a coupon! This meal would still come in way under if you had more drumsticks, or more expensive drumsticks!

Ingredients
5 Drumsticks ($1.13!! I got these organic drumsticks on “Manager’s Special” and used a $2 off coupon that I had loaded onto my Kroger Plus card on Shortcuts.
4 T butter ($.25)
Seasonings – Paprika, Garlic Pepper, Salt ($.25)
6 Homemade Rolls ($.48)
1 package frozen organic vegetables ($.79…on closeout plus a coupon)

Directions
1. Melt butter. Dip drumsticks into butter. Place in baking dish. Sprinkle with seasonings. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until juices run clear.
2. Thaw or make homemade buns.
3. Steam vegetables.

Cost $2.90

I laid out the buns in a greased 9 x 13 glass pan, let them rise and then baked them next to the rolls.
I brushed them with melted butter as they were turning golden brown. They cooled off on the cooling rack. 6 rolls were sent to the freezer and 6 buns were sliced for dinner! My eldest ate 2 buns (remember poor kid has been deprived of bread lately!).

How were they? This was hubby’s remark at dinner…”You made these? I would have thought they were from Trader Joe’s had you not told me!!!” What a compliment! I’ll take it! The perfect bun to go with pulled pork, burger, sloppy joes, pizza boats!

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 T oil ($.05)
• 1 t salt ($.01)
• 2 T rice milk ($.02)
• 3 cups flour (I used white as I was all out of wheat ($.30) 1 cup flour = $.10
• 1 package yeast ($.45)
• 1 t sugar ($.03)
• 1 T butter, melted ($.10)

Directions

• Make dough in bread machine
• Knead and add flour as necessary. Shape into bun sizes and place on greased 9 x 13 glass pan. Place roll dough into ginat muffin tin. Let rise an hour in warm (not on!) oven. Take them out. Turn oven onto 350. Once preheated, put rolls and buns in. Bake 20-25 minutes, until slightly golden on top. Remove buns, brish with melted butter. Put back in oven for 2 minutes. Remove and let cool on cooling rack. Eat, slice, freeze, enjoy!

Cost $.96

These buns/rolls will cover 2 meals!!!

Happy Bread Making!