I made up a new word. I think.

I haven’t googled it.  And I don’t plan on it.  I’m going to play ignorant on this one and just revel in my new word.

Balsam-melized.

Onions. Caramelized. In balsamic vinegar.

Balsam-melized.

Add said onions with some grilled chicken, lettuce (and swiss cheese if you’re not dairy free) in a tortilla…and you’ve got yourself some scrumptious wraps!

I dare you to balsam-melize something.

I double-dog dare you.

(Now there…you have to try it now.)

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced ($2.14) On sale recently for $1.99/lb
1 red onion, sliced into strips ($.80)
1 Tbsp olive oil ($.10)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar ($.35)
Heaping Tbsp sugar ($.03)
Few handfuls green leaf lettuce head, torn ($.25)
8 burrito size tortillas ($1.02)

Green beans from the garden

Directions

1. Grill chicken. This is a perfect meal for batch grilled chicken slices.

2. Let’s move onto the red onions, shall we!? Chop off the top and bottom and slice down the middle in half.

3. Peel away the skin and slice into half-moons.

4. Add to a large skillet with some hot olive oil and saute for 1-2 minutes, separating the half-moons.

5.  Add the balsamic vinegar.

6. Add some extra if you like.  Now we’ve got the balsam- part done.

7. And for the -melize part to these onions…add a heaping Tbsp of sugar. The tangy balsamic vinegar needs some sweetness to balance the flavors.

8.  Toss around…and when it starts to get all bubbly, reduce heat to medium low. (I turned my dial to 4…out of 9.)

9. Let the vinegar reduce.  And let the onions take on the sweet and tangy flavor.

10.  Once they look like this, and taste like perfection, add them to a chicken wrap.  And if you like, add some Swiss cheese.

11. Cook green beans.

12. Serve Chicken Wraps with Balsam-melized Red Onions and Green Beans.

Cost $4.69

While foraging yesterday, I found some Smokehouse Maple grill seasoning hanging out amongst the other spices in the spice cabinet. Hmmm….let’s try this with some chicken. And I just so happened to have picked up a few packages of chicken at the store this morning.

This could not have been an easier chicken to make. It went something like this…

Sprinkle.

Grill.

Eat.

Seriously Simple. And it was oh-so-tasty! The chicken had a smokey, sweet, and savory flavor to it…but it wasn’t too sweet nor too smokey. It was perfect!

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts ($2.42) I grilled some extras too!
Smokehouse Maple spices (free) Match coupon with $1 sale price

Salad from the garden
Homemade Dressing ($.25)
Sweet potatoes ($1.29)

Directions

1. Bake the sweet potatoes.

2. Sprinkle the seasonings onto both sides of the chicken.  Then grill (until cooked through).

It really was that simple. And so much flavor for not really doing much other than sprinkling on the seasonings!

2. Meanwhile, prepare salad with greens from the garden.

3. Serve the Smokehouse Maple Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Salad.

Cost $3.96

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I have been itching to make some lettuce wraps ever since getting my lettuce transplants from the store earlier this year.  I’ve been waiting for the leaves to grow larger enough to actually wrap…and that time is now.

When I learned about Chris Lilly and his Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Spicy Mango Marinade recipe from KC Masterpiece, I was inspired.  I made my own twist on the recipe to keep it close to $5…and love the way it turned out!!!

Ingredients

1.5 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs ($2.98)
about 3/4 cups Spicy Mango Marinade from KC Masterpiece ($.50)
2 mangoes, diced ($1) On sale for $.50 each lately…how to select and cut a mango
1 celery stalk ($.10)
2 garlic cloves ($.10)
1 Tbsp Spicy Mango Marinade ($.05)
Lettuce leaves from the garden
Optional: Use tortillas instead of lettuce wraps
1 bag Steamers frozen peas ($.67) Recent sale and coupon match

Directions

1.Marinate the chicken thighs in the Spicy Mango Marinade for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

“Transport your taste buds to the tropics with a new, spicy mango marinade sure to make any meal pop. A delicious blend of ripe mangos, select spices and a hint of cayenne pepper, the marinade adds a flavorful kick to grilled chicken, pork or shrimp.” – From KC Masterpiece’s Spicy Mango Marinade

2. While the chicken is marinating, cut the mango and chop the celery.  Crush the garlic and add it into the mix. Season with some salt and pepper.

3. After the chicken thighs have marinated, grill them until they are cooked through. Then slice and dice them…and add them to the mango mixture.  Toss and add into lettuce leaves or tortillas.

4. Cook the Steamers peas as directed on package.

5. Serve Mango Chicken Lettuce Wraps with peas.

Cost $5.40

I did receive the bottle of KC Masterpiece’s Spicy Mango Marinade free.  More information can be found on the site’s disclosure policy.

A few notes about this lovely meal.

• These were SO GOOD, but they were super crumbly…from the beans…so I would add an egg to hold the burgers together.
• The cilantro and lettuce are from the garden.
• The bread…because I had no buns in the house. And ran out of time to make them from scratch.
• The salsa is homemade from last year’s garden. (Canned, of course.)
• The salad dressing is homemade Cilantro Lime Dressing – 1/4 cup canola oil, 3 Tbsp lime juice, 1 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Used a few spoonfuls.
• The boys ate these with ketchup, not salsa. They eat ketchup with just about everything.  If this continues on into adulthood, they might need to attend a Ketchups Anonymous meeting.

And now I leave you with the burger recipe.  Including the egg that I did not use, but the recipe needs.

Ingredients

1/2 yellow onion ($.15)
2 garlic cloves ($.10)
1.4 lb ground beef ($2.07)
2 cups cooked pinto beans, mashed ($.40) Substitute 15 ounce can, drained
2 Tbsp homemade taco seasoning ($.10)
(1 egg ($.10))
Few spoonfuls homemade or store bought salsa ($.25)
8 slices bread, or 4 buns ($.60)
Lettuce from garden
Cilantro from garden
Cherry tomatoes, halved ($.75)
Cilantro Lime Dressing ($.25)

Directions

Cut an onion in half and pull off 2 garlic cloves.

Peel back the flaky onion layer.  I like to use the “root” end to hold onto while grating the onion.

Place the ground beef into a large mixing bowl.  Add the crushed garlic and grate the onion.

Add the mashed pinto beans and taco seasoning mix. (Add the egg here.) Combine and form into 6 patties.

Grill the patties, until cooked through.  Serve on buns with a spoonful or two of salsa on top.

Prepare dressing and salad.

Serve Taco Burgers, topped with salsa, with Garden Salad and Cilantro Lime Dressing.

Cost 4.77

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Have a Frugal and Healthy Recipe to share?

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I love me some chicken salad. I like to eat it out of the bowl. I like it on sandwich bread. I like it on croissants. I like it on hamburger buns. I like it in tortillas.

And I like it sweet.

While the plain mayo with some celery and salt and pepper is o-kay, my sweet tooth would rather there be some fruit mixed in, whether it’s pineapple, grapes, or in this case…cranberry sauce!

Ingredients

2 cups cooked and shredded chicken ($1.50)
1/2 cup mayo or miracle whip, if you must ($.20) Lots of coupons on sales on these right now!
About 1/2 of a  15 ounce can cranberry sauce ($.35) Bought a LONG time ago on Manager’s Special
Salt and pepper to taste
Bread of some sort ($.50) I used a Manager’s Special loaf and sliced it to sandwich size.

Lettuce ($1) Soon we’ll be eating lettuce from the garden with dinner!
Blackberry Vinaigrette Dressing ($.50)

Green Beans from the last year’s garden (Blanched and Frozen)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place the cooked and shredded chicken into a mixing bowl and add the mayonnaise and cranberry sauce. Stir until well combined. Season with some salt and pepper, to taste.

2. Prepare the Blackberry Vinaigrette Dressing and pour over the salad.

3. Thaw the green beans and steam. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cost $4.05

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There is just something about grilled chicken. It’s so….

What is it?  It’s so….

Tender on the inside, and a bit crisp on the outside.

It’s so……perfect.

This is a simple marinade for any kind of chicken. It gave the chicken a lovely, sorta sweet, flavor!

Ingredients
3 large or 4 small chicken breasts (about 1.5 lb) ($2.52)
Garlic pepper and salt
1 15 oz can of pineapple chunks, juice and pineapple ($.59) On sale with coupon
1 cup orange juice ($.20)
1 small can vegetarian baked beans ($.89)
1/2 Romaine lettuce head and salad dressing ($1)

Directions

1. Place the chicken into a small baking dish to marinate.  Sprinkle with garlic pepper and salt. Add the juice from the pineapple can and the orange juice to the baking dish.  Let marinate at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

2. Grill until cooked through.  Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken and the grill.

3. Warm the baked beans as directed.

4. Wash and tear lettuce to make salad.

5. Serve Grilled Pineapple Orange Chicken with Baked Beans, Side Salad and Pineapple.

Cost $5.20

I love cooking from scratch when I can, but there are some days when quick and easy is a must.

Zatarain’s jambalaya mix is delicious right out of the box, and when it goes on sale I stock up for this quick and frugal meal. Pair it with a green salad for a perfect dinner!

Jambalaya
1 box Zatarain’s jambalaya mix ($1)
1 12 oz. package smoked sausage ($1.50)
1 Tbsp oil ($0.03)
1 can black beans ($0.69)

Salad
1/2 head iceberg lettuce ($0.40)
1 roma tomato, chopped ($0.70)
1/2 cucumber ($0.35)
favorite dressing ($0.10)

Slice sausage and brown in canola oil. Add jambalaya mix following package directions. Drain beans and add right at the end of cooking the rice.

Serve with a chopped salad.

Cost $4.77

Steph shares her Problem Solvin’ approach to parenting and life at Problem Solvin’ Mom. You can also find her at Ohio Moms Blog and on twitter as @psmom.

This dinner is inspired by a gumbo that my dad had for lunch when we were in Dallas last month.  All I knew about gumbo was that people from LA made it. A lot.

Call me “gumbo ignorant.” I was. But no longer.  Did a little research on Wiki…and learned quite a bit.  Hop on over there and see how “gumbo savvy” you are!

I digress.

A simple soup. Err, gumbo!  With a whole LOTTA flavor.  And LOTS of leftovers.

Paired with some free iceberg lettuce and homemade garlic ranch dressing!

(Only thing missing…andouille sausage…but that woulda sent me WAY over $5! So we made do…still was delicious!)

We all loved it…boys included!

Ingredients
8 cups chicken stock (free if homemade)
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes ($.29)
2 cups cooked shredded chicken ($1.50)
2 12 oz. bags of gumbo frozen vegetables ($2)
2 Tbsp Emeril’s Essence seasonings ($.25)
Tabasco ($.20)
1 cup rice, brown or white ($.20)
1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, cut into wedges (free)
1/2 cup homemade garlic ranch dressing ($.40)

Directions
1. In a large saucepan, add the chicken stock. Toss in the canned tomatoes, the shredded chicken and the bags of gumbo frozen vegetables. Stir together.
2. Season with Emeril’s Essence, or other creole seasoning. Add a few dashes of Tabasco…or more if you want to give a little more heat!
3. Let simmer over medium heat for 30-45 minutes.
4. Cook 1 cup rice according to package instructions.
5. Make homemade garlic ranch dressing. Pour over iceberg wedge.

6. To serve, add about 1/2 – 3/4 cups of cooked rice to a bowl. Top with gumbo.
7. Serve Chicken Gumbo with Iceberg Garlic Ranch Wedges.

Cost $4.84

Company is coming for dinner.  And all you can think about is…do I have enough $$$ in this week’s budget to make a nice meal for our dinner guests??!!??

If you’re on a tight budget, but want to splurge a bit…to make a nice meal for your friends…but not without compromising your budget!  Here you go…

This could be a meal in and of itself…but with a side salad, it’s complete!

Ingredients
2.7 lb beef round roast ($5.90) On sale $2.49/lb.
6 medium white potatoes ($.80)
2 onions, cut into quarters ($.40)
4 large carrots ($.40)
1 tsp of green spice…basil or oregano or Italian seasonings or combo ($.05)
1 tsp garlic powder ($.05)
Salt and pepper
1 can of diced tomatoes ($.19)

Side salad with tomatoes and dressing ($2)

Directions

1. Place beef roast in roasting pan with fat side up.  (I did not sear this roast, but would highly recommend that for a more moist beef.) Add quartered potatoes, onions and carrots around the roast.  Sprinkle with green spice, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

2. Insert meat thermometer.

3. Pour can of petite diced red tomatoes over the roast. Place lid on roasting pan.

4. Roast at 325 for 2-2.5 hours, or until meat thermometer reads how you want your roast done.

• 140 degrees – Rare
• 150 – Medium Rare
• 160 – Medium
• 170 – Well done

5. Prepare salad.

6. Serve Beef Roast, Potatoes, Carrots with Side Salad.

Cost $9.79

Serves 6-8 adults

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Notice that those are not the homemade wheat rolls from last night’s dinner!  We ended up making PBJ sliders for lunch, using some homemade blueberry jam that a friend gave us for Christmas!

So…

These intended-to-be sliders are more like sandwiches.

Whatever bread will work.  And whatever “title” will work too! 

Just going with the flow!

I went for the reduced sourdough loaf that was in the top of the freezer.

Slice. Slice. Slice.

Ingredients
3 chicken breasts ($2.53) About 1.3 lbs, bought on sale for $1.89/lb.
1/2 onion, chopped ($.15)
2 garlic cloves, crushed ($.10)
6 oz. can tomato paste ($.19) Used $1 coupon
1 Tbsp cider vinegar ($.05)
3 Tbsp prepared mustard ($.10)
3 Tbsp brown sugar ($.10)
Bread ($.70)
Lettuce (Free)
Dressing ($.25)

Directions

1. Place 3 chicken breasts in the base of the slow cooker. In small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste plus 2 cans worth of water, the cider vinegar, mustard, and brown sugar.  Add a little salt and pepper is you wish.  Add the chopped onion and crushed garlic to the sauce.  Pour sauce over chicken breasts.  Set slow cooker to high and cook for 4-6 hours.

2. When chicken is finished in the slow cooker, scoop it out into a bowl and using 2 forks, “pull it” apart.

3. Once “pulled”…

4. Saucify. Scoop some sauce from the slow cooker and add until reaches your desired ‘sauciness.’

5. Slice bread.  Place saucified pulled chicken onto bread.

6. Serve Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Side Salad.

Cost $4.17