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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So that has GOT TO BE the fanciest recipe title I’ve come up with yet!

Because I used so much from the garden for this meal, I was able to be a little more creative and made up a delicious rosemary-garlic aioli sauce for these paninis! 

These were “UH-MAZING,” according to the Hubs! 

So if you’ve got an eggplant in the garden, or come across a great deal on eggplants…I highly recommend these paninis!!!!

Ingredients
1 eggplant (from the garden)
Dashes of salt
1 loaf pugliese bread, sliced ($2.50) I would have used ciabatta, but the loaf at my store had milk, so I opted for the dairy free option!
1 large ripe heirloom tomato (from the garden)
1 zucchini, thinly sliced ($.64) a little less than a lb…on sale this week $.77/lb!
1/4 cup mayo ($.20)
2 Tbsp lemon juice ($.05)
1 tsp olive oil ($.05)
2 garlic cloves, crushed ($.05)
Palm full of fresh rosemary (from the garden)
Salt/Pepper
4 slices of swiss cheese ($.75)
Handful basil leaves (from the garden)
2-3 tsp olive oil, for sauteing ($.10)
2-3 tsp olive oil, for brushing bread before grilling ($.10)
4 corn cobs ($.76) On an unadvertised sale for $.19 an ear!

Directions

1. Slice eggplant into 1/4 or smaller slices.

2. Lay them into a strainer and sprinkle both sides with a few dashes of salt.  Place the strainer in the sink and let sit for 30 minutes.  The salt will draw out the bitter juices and will give the eggplant a better flavor.

3. Meanwhile, slice bread into 1/4 inch slices.  I thought these would be too thick after I cut them, but they really “smoosh” down!

4. Slice tomato into semi-thin slices.

5. Slice zucchini into semi-thin slices.

6. Prepare Rosemary-Garlic Aioli sauce.  Whisk mayonaisse, lemon juice, olive oil, crushed garlic, chopped rosemary and salt and pepper, to taste.  (I had some leftover which the kids used to dip their extra bread pieces!)

7. After 30 minutes, the eggplant will have produced beads and become softer.  Pat dry and place in skillet with 1-2 tsp olive oil.  Saute for 3-4 minutes, then flip and saute the other sides for 2-3 minutes.  Once they have browned a bit, they’ll be ready for the sandwiches.  In the same skillet, add 1-2 more tsp olive oil and saute the slices of zucchini for 3-4 minutes, then flip and saute the other sides for 2-3 minutes.

8. On bread slices, add swiss cheese slice, basil leaves and the aioli sauce to the other bread.

9. Add sliced tomato, sauteed zucchini and sauteed eggplant.

10. Put sandwiches together.  (I had some 1 piece of extra bread and extra eggplants, zucchini, and tomatoes, so I made an open faced panini with the following layers, from the bottom up: bread, aioli sauce, tomato, basil, zucchini, eggplant and piece of swiss cheese.)

11. Add about 2-3 tsp olive oil to a plate and then press both of the sides of the panini into the olive oil before placing on the grill.  Place on the grill and carefully balance the brick on the top so that it won’t slide off.  Once the veggies and bread soften and come together, the panini will stick together.

12. Watch the panini get smooshed and the cheese ooze and melt!  Be careful to use a hot pad when handling the brick!  Flip the panini and grill both sides.

13. Boil corn in large saucepan for 4-5 minutes, or place in micrwavable dish with 1/4 cup of water and cover with plastic.  Microwave for 2.5 minutes for each ear of corn!

14. Serve Grilled Eggplant Paninis with Rosemary-Garlic Aioli and Corn Cobs. 

Cost $5.20

Monique shared this recipe with me.  Hello, scrumptious!

I couldn’t bring myself to buy the $2.49  jar of peach salsa.  So I compromised and used the peaches I bought last week and the red onion from this week to make my own peach salsa.  And ended up grilling it alongside the pork chops!

I also grilled up some zucchini and tomatoes in the grilling basket! 

Ingredients
3 large (or 4 smaller) pork chops ($2.19) I used a little more than 1 lb.
4 small peaches ($.75) About 1 lb.
1/2 red onion ($.35)
Bunch parsley (from the garden)
1 tsp canola oil ($.03)
1 zucchini ($.50) From the farmer’s market this afternoon
3 small tomatoes (from the garden)
2 garlic cloves ($.10)
4 basil leaves, chopped (from the garden)
1 tsp olive oil ($.03)
1 cup white rice ($.20)
Salt/Pepper

Directions
1. Grill pork chops for 6-8 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the middle. Cooking time will vary depending on heat of the grill and thickness of the chop.
2. Cut peaches and red onion into 1 inch-ish size pieces. Add to bowl with chopped parsley and canola oil. Toss well. Add to grilling basket and grill for 8-10 minutes, or until peaches soften and onions become translucent. Stir occasionally. Remove from grilling basket.
3. Slice zucchini into thin circles. Cut tomatoes into 1 inch-ish cubes. Add to bowl with minced garlic and chopped basil leaves and olive oil. Toss well. After the peach salsa has cooked, use the same grilling basket to grill the zucchini and tomatoes. Stir occasionally. Grill for 8-10 minutes, or until all the zucchinis have turned golden and the tomato skins have started to peel away. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. In medium saucepan, add 1 cup rice with 2 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and summer for 20 minutes. Fluff with fork before serving.
5. Serve Grilled Pork Chops over Rice with Grilled Peach Salsa and Grilled Zucchini/Tomato Medley.

Cost $4.15

Despite the gray and drizzly day, we decided to grill steaks anyways! I found 2 packages of steaks in the freezer that needed to be used up. And since all the veggies are coming from the garden, I could keep this meal frugal even using both packages. Each package was almost 1 lb. 2 lbs of steak is way more than we need for our family, but I asked the Hubs to grill them both so that we’d have leftovers for lunch!

While eating this meal, the Hubs said the following, “I’m so blessed to have a wife who loves to make healthy, home cooked meals.” {blush}

To which I replied, “I’m so blessed to have a husband who’ll eat whatever concoction I come up with each night!”

Enough with the gushing…

Ingredients
2 packages of steak ($4.48)
1 Tbsp steak seasoning (FREE!) Used $.50 coupon that doubled with a $1 sale price = free!
About 1 lb. of green beans (free from the garden)
30 cherry tomatoes (free from the garden)
2 bunches of parsley (free from the garden)
1/2 onion, finely chopped ($.15)
1 garlic clove, crushed ($.05)
Salt/Pepper
1 cup white rice ($.20)

Directions
1. Season steaks and let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before grilling. Grill for 4-8 minutes on each side, or until they are done to your likeness! Cooking times will depend on heat of the grill, thickness of the steak and how rare you like to eat them!
2. In medium saucepan, cook 1 cup of in 2 1/4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, add rice and return to boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. rice according to package instructions.
3. Wash and cut stems from green beans. Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Wash and cut cherry tomatoes in half or leave whole. Wash and chop parsley leaves.
4. In skillet, add 1/4 cup of water, green beans, tomatoes, parsley, chopped onion, crushed garlic and salt and pepper. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Serve Grilled Steak with Steamed Green Beans and Tomatoes and Rice.

Cost $4.88 With leftovers for lunch!!!

No recipe from me tonight! But I do want to share a few things that I learned from my dad!  He’s whipping up Bacon Cheeseburgers with Tarragon Russian Dressing!  {licks lips}  

What a treat!!!

I’m really thankful for these 2 tips for grilling burgers that he shared with me!

1. Place patties in bowl of ice water for 30 seconds before grilling.  Makes them juicier.
2. As you place the burgers on the grill, brush them with melted butter/margarine.  Makes them tastier.  And juicier too!

That’s all I’ve got for tonight…Love for you to share any grilling tips in the comments…and link up your $5 meals!!!

…Here’s Mr. Linky!

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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!

Well kids…when FRESH salmon fillets are on sale for $2.99/lb…there is just no passing that up!  I do believe I had to pick my jaw up off the ground while standing in front of the fresh fish counter!  I have N-E-V-E-R seen such low prices for fresh salmon fillets!  So grilled salmon it is!

Ingredients
1.3 lb. fresh salmon fillet ($3.88)
1 tsp lemon pepper seasonings (free) On sale for $1, used $1 coupon = Free!
1 yellow summer squash, fresh from the garden (free)
Salt/Pepper
2 cups of Rice with Garden Greens ($.35)

Directions
1. Season salmon fillet with lemon pepper seasonings. Grill until fillet is no longer pink in the middle and fish has completely cooked through.
2. Wash and slice squash into circles. Steam in stovetop steamer for 4-5 minutes, or until squash flesh becomes opaque. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Thaw and cook rice with garden greens with about 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan to reheat and “refluff.”
4. Serve Lemon Pepper Salmon with Steamed Squash and Rice with Garden Greens.

Cost $4.23

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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!

Friday night we had a little gathering to celebrate a milestone.  A BIG milestone!

I finished the cookbook manuscript!

That’s reason to celebrate, right???

Check out all this goodness…

Bacon Wrapped Onion Kebabs

Wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around a “stack” of onions.  Brush with favorite BBQ sauce.  Grill! 

Delish!

Doug’s Lemon Pepper Chicken Kebabs

Yellow squash, zucchini, red peppers and chicken…marinated in lemon, pepper and olive oil.  Served with tzatziki sauce!

Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients
2 cups PLAIN Yogurt (drained thru coffee filter to remove excess moisture)
1 large clove of garlic
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup grated, seedless cucumber
Pinch of kosher salt

Directions
1. Mix all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve. Dip Doug’s Lemon Pepper Kebabs into the Tzatziki Sauce. 

We had this many kebabs…times 2!  And there were just 3 leftover!!!

A view from above of the “little people” table.  They more or less “grazed” all evening…and I did see some nibbling from the buffet!

Andrea’s Buffalo Chicken Dip, Becky’s Hummus and Garden Veggie Salad, Amy’s Fruit Salad, Jolyn’s baked beans, my potato salad, brownies and a strawberry pie (made from this recipe)…plus a mountain of kebabs!

Oh.  And here’s me. 

Out from behind the camera! 

My friend Jolyn was taking photos and I couldn’t help but make a few funny faces!!! 

The bump is getting “wider”…I’m carrying “wide” again…wonder if it’ll be another boy!  I’ve lost my hips…but haven’t popped too far out yet.  Just the same way that I carried the boys!  We’ll know in a few short days!

We are enjoying the day at our town’s parade and festival…followed by an evening of grilling on the patio with our family!

Happy 4th of July Weekend to you all!

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.

I thought I’d try a new sauce for kabobs.  I intended this for grilled salmon, but ended up making shrimp kabobs. A little experiment if you will!  Plus, my first harvest from the garden!

Ingredients
25 shrimp ($2.50) Using up the rest of the bag from when I made Shrimp Scampi!
1/2 onion ($.15)
1 green pepper ($.68)
1 Tbsp olive oil ($.05)
4 Tbsp dijon mustard ($.25)
1 Tbsp milk ($.02)
2 Tbsp fresh or dried dill ($.10)
2 Tbsp fresh parsley (From the garden)
1 cup brown rice ($.20)
Fresh Spinach from the Garden!!!!  We’ll call it free!

Directions
1. Thaw shrimp. Cut green pepper and onion into skewer size pieces. Place shrimp, green pepper, and onion on skewers. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with a few dashes of dill. Grill for 5-6 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

2. In small bowl, whisk dijon mustard, milk and dill until creamy. Dip shrimp, peppers and onions into sauce.

3. In medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of rice in 2 1/2 cups of water to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until brown rice is cooked through. Fluff with fork before serving.
4. Soak and wash spinach leaves.  Steam in stovetop steamer for 4-5 minutes.
5. Serve Shrimp Kabobs with Creamy Dill Sauce, Rice and Steamed Spinach.

Cost $3.95

***I must say the sauce was delicious!  It was zippy like cocktail sauce, but with a dijon flavor.  Yum!

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Ingredients
.8 lb eye of round thin steaks ($2.88)
1 Tbsp steak seasoning (FREE!) Bought last week with $.50 coupon that doubled when the Grill Mates were on sale for $1!6
6 medium white potatoes ($.80)
1/2 cup sour cream ($.20)
2 Tbsp butter ($.20)
1 crushed garlic clove ($.05)
Salt/Pepper
4 corn cobs ($.68) On sale for $.17 an ear this week!
A1 steak sauce ($.10) There is a $2 off coupon floating around for A1!

Directions
1. Set steaks on plate and sprinkle with seasonings. Let sit in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to allow seasoning and salt to tenderize the meat. Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked through. (These steaks were very thin and didn’t take long to cook!)

2. Peel and quarter potatoes and boil in medium saucepan. Drain and return potatoes to saucepan. Add sour cream, butter, crushed garlic and salt and pepper. Mash with potato masher. For creamier potatoes, add 1/2 cup of milk at a time, until reaches desired consistency.
3. Remove husks and threads from corn. Boil in large saucepan for 4-5 minutes.
4. Serve Round Steak with Mashed Potatoes and Corn.

Cost $4.91

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