Takes 10 minutes to brown the beef.

In that 10 minutes, you can get everything else ready for the soup.

And then 6.5 hours later, your meal is ready!

So simple, so quick, so delicious!!!

(For when you’re tired of turkey and you need some beef!)

Slow Cooker Beef and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 1.25 lb. ground chuck ($2.23) On sale for $1.79/lb
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped ($.15)
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed ($.20)
• 2 cups homemade or store bought beef broth (free to $1)
• 4 cups water
• About 1 cup chopped carrots ($.50)  I would have used whole carrots, but I had about 1 cup of baby carrots, so I cut them up!
• 1 15 oz can peas, drained ($.50)
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained ($.29)
• 1 tsp Italian seasonings ($.05)
• 3 cups rotini pasta ($.25) Used $.50/box pasta
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Brown the ground beef with the chopped onion and crushed garlic.  Drain and add to the slow cooker.
2. Add the beef broth, water, chopped carrots, peas, diced tomatoes and Italian seasonings. Set on high and cook for 6 hours.
3. Once it clicks to the warm setting, it will be ready to add the pasta. Add the pasta about 40 minutes before you’re ready to eat.  Keep the slow cooker on warm while the pasta “cooks,” rather absorbs the water.
4. Do not. I repeat. Do NOT. add the pasta at the start.  It will turn into a nasty mushy mess.
5. Serve Beef and Vegetable Slow Cooker Soup.

Cost $4.17

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

I dug some tilapia fillets out of the freezer. I bounced out to the garden to pick some fresh parsley from the garden, thinking I was going to do the same old Lemon-Dill Tilapia thing (that’s my fall back for when I’m feeling uninspired)…but of course, I opened the fridge to grab the lemon juice…and the garlic bulb practically jumped off the shelf!

Parsley, lemon juice, garlic…Scampi, of course!

Snatched the butter (dairy-free margarine, really) and off I went to make a little something to pour atop the tilapia fillets.

Ended up being fairly simple. And oh my heavens, tasty too!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups brown rice ($.60)
12 oz. bag frozen tilapia fillets ($2.99)
1/4 cup butter/margarine ($.25)
3 large garlic cloves ($.15)
2 Tbsp lemon juice ($.05)
Fresh parsley from the garden
Salt and pepper
12 oz. bag of peas ($.88)

Directions

Cook the brown rice as directed on package.

Put the tilapia fillets into a greased, glass baking dish.

Melt the butter/margarine.

Crush the garlic and add to the melted butter with the lemon juice and chopped parsley.

Pour over the fillets. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until fish is white and flaky in the middle. (Be warned…your house will smell uh-mazing while the scampi tilapia is baking!)

Cook the peas as directed on package.

Serve Scampi Tilapia Fillets with Brown Rice and Peas.

Cost $4.92

__________________________________________________

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!

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.

Operator fail.

Chef fail.

I shall explain! This is the other salmon that I bought when on sale for $2.99/lb.  I immediately added the marinade, wrapped it up in foil, put it into a plastic freezer baggie and froze it.

Operator fail. I forgot to mark which side of the salmon was “up” before freezing it.

Chef fail. I forgot to put the foil on a cookie sheet when I put it into the oven. And I forgot to look to see which side was “up”…oh wait, I wouldn’t have been able to tell…because of my operator FAIL!  Needless to say, the juices immediately spilled all over the oven floor.  So I rectified by placing the foil salmon pack on a cookie sheet…only to have all the juices spill out on to the cookie sheet.  The juices burned. The house smelled bad. But…

The salmon tasted fine.  But I think it would have tasted great, had not all the juices and marinades seeped out…as I baked it upside down.

Ugh.

Live and learn!

Adapted from this recipe on Recipezaar…featured on the OAMM March Menu.

Ingredients
1.2 lb salmon fillet ($3.65)

Marinade:
1/2 cup olive oil ($.50)
1/4 cup soy sauce ($.20)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar ($.20)
1 Tbsp brown sugar ($.05)
2 garlic cloves, crushed ($.05)
2 tsp red pepper flakes ($.10)
Salt and pepper

1/2 cup wild rice mix + 1/2 cup brown rice ($.40) Trying to use up what’s in the pantry!
1 12 oz. bag of frozen peas ($.50) Sale plus coupon

Directions
1. Place salmon fillet onto foil.
2. Whisk marinade in small bowl. Pour over salmon. Wrap foil around the salmon. Freeze or bake.
(Bake at 350 for an hour from frozen or 20 minutes from fresh.)
3. Cook rice and peas as directed on package instructions.
4. Serve Firecracker Salmon with Rice and Peas.

Cost $5.65

We had the pleasure of eating at Panera a few times in December and through the holidays with family and friends.  I kept ordering their Black Bean Soup.  Perhaps because it warmed my tummy. Perhaps because it went great with a salad.

But something was amiss.  I loved the consistency, the warmth, but it lacked ZEST.  I *big puffy heart* Panera.  I do.

But I prefer a little zest in my black bean soup!

Since we are in the middle of the #pantry challenge, I thought I’d use up some of my free cans of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies…adding it to Panera’s Black Bean Soup recipe that I found on Recipezaar.

Giving the soup just the kick I think it deserves!

Ingredients
2 cups dried black beans ($.80)
1 onion, finely chopped ($.40)
2 garlic cloves, crushed ($.10)
1 tsp ground cumin ($.05)
1 Tbsp lemon juice ($.10)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of homemade chicken stock (free)
1 10 oz. can of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained (free)
2 Tbsp cornstarch ($.10)
Homemade rolls, about half a batch ($.48)
12 oz. bag of frozen peas ($.67)

Directions
***I made this a little differently than the recipe suggests because I prefer cooking with dried beans. Cheaper that way! If you plan to use canned beans, follow the directions in the recipe and substitute the Rotel for the red peppers and celery.

1. Soak black beans overnight in a bowl full of water.  If you forget to soak, as I often do, then add the beans to boiling water, remove from heat and let soak for 2 hours.  Once soaked, drain and rinse.  More on cooking dried beans here.

2. Add the soaked and rinsed beans to large saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water.  Add the chopped onion, crushed garlic, cumin, lemon juice, and salt in with the beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for about an hour.
3. After an hour, add the homemade chicken stock and the undrained can of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies.  Let the soup simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the beans have softened.

4. Then add the cornstarch.

Best way to add cornstarch…

Sift and whisk at the same time to keep from getting clumpy in the soup!

5. Really this should be #1!  Start the dough before you start the soup!  Make homemade wheat rolls. Recipe in the cookbook!

We did not eat all of these rolls tonight…I have plans for the extras for tomorrow night’s dinner!…Pulled Chicken Sliders!

6. Cook frozen peas as directed on package.

7. Serve Zestified Black Bean Soup with Homemade Rolls and Peas.

Little by little, there is some more space opening up in the freezers and pantry.

Cost $2.70

__________________________________________________

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!

Tonight’s guest recipe comes from Susie at Susie’s Homemade.  She is a thriving stay-at-home mom of two wonderful girls (5 and 19) and a caretaker of my 67 year old live-in mother. On her blog, Susie’s Homemade, she shares her adventures in baking, cooking, gardening, homemaking and entertaining.

Ingredients
1 lbs Chicken Breast
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Garlic Cloves, minced or crushed
2 cups of Water
1 Can (10 3/4 oz.) Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can (10 3/4 oz.) Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 cups of Instant Rice
1 cup Frozen Peas

Directions
1. Pound chicken flat and season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil, butter, and garlic to a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until you get a golden brown color in the garlic. Add chicken and cook until the chicken is also golden brown (about 5 minutes per side). Cook until no longer pink in the middle. Set cooked chicken on a plate.
3. Deglaze the pan with the water. Whisk in the soups and heat to a boil.
4. Stir in rice and peas and top with chicken.
5. Cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
7. Serve Garlic Chicken over Creamy Risotto and Peas.

Serves 4.

Get the soups on sale and this meal is sure to be under $5!

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.
__________________________________________________

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!

Want healthy and inexpensive meal ideas, the hottest coupons and other money saving tips delivered to your inbox??? Sign up for the FREE $5 Dinners Email Newsletter!

Kristie sent me this super easy and “throw together” recipe for Bachelor Stew.

Ingredients…

1 lb ground beef (Kroger had it for 1.97/lb where I live)
1 can of Vegetable Soup
1 can of Ranch Style Beans ($.79)
1 box of Corn Bread ($.44)

1. Cook the meat in a large pot then drain. Dump in the soup and beans, mix together, and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. When I make the cornbread I throw in a bit of sugar when mixing to add a bit of sweetness.

Since the cans of vegetable soups that I checked out all had potatoes (which my oldest is allergic to!), I decided to forgo using the can and just add some frozen veggies in with some canned tomatoes to give the same flavor.  And I used some frozen pinto beans from a big batch instead, added a dash of salsa and we’ll call them Ranch Style Beans!

BEFORE

AFTER

I’m often asked…well, how much do your kids eat?  How much do you give them?

How about a “visual” answer to that question.  Above is my 2 year old’s plate.  Before and After.

He nearly polished off the chicken, almost all of the peas and squash, and ate at least half of his rice…before declaring himself, “fuh,” and asking to be excused.

Tonight’s dinner comes from the freezer. Remember those farm fresh chicken breasts for $1.79/lb from a few weeks ago…well, before I froze the chicken, I added about 1 cup of Italian dressing (that I recently got on sale with a coupon for $.49) into the freezer baggie with the chicken. I took the chicken out last night and put it into the fridge…where it has been thawing and marinating all day!

Plus, that butternut squash from last night’s meal was MUCH larger than I thought! We only ate half of it last night, so we’ll finish the rest tonight. If there is any leftover after tonight, then I’ll use it to make more of these delicious squash muffins!

A simple and nutritious dinner…

Ingredients
4 small or 3 large (about 1.2 lbs.) chicken breasts ($2.14)
1 cup Italian dressing ($.25)
1 cup brown rice, uncooked ($.40)
1 half (about 1 lb.) of LARGE butternut squash ($.57) Leftovers
2 cups frozen peas ($1)
Plus some BBQ sauce for the kid’s chicken ($.10)

My “never pay more than” price for 16 oz. bag of frozen veggies is $1!  Stock up when these go on sale!!!

Directions
1. Marinate chicken breasts in Italian dressing in a 9×13-inch glass baking dish for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Bake marinated chicken breasts at 350 for 45-55 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.
3. Cook brown rice according to package directions.  Takes about 45-50 minutes for “raw” brown rice to cook!
4. Reheat or cook butternut squash.
5. Cook frozen peas as directed on package instructions.
6. Serve Baked Italian Chicken with Brown Rice, Butternut Squash, and Peas.

Cost $4.4

Want healthy and inexpensive meal ideas, the hottest coupons and other money saving tips delivered to your inbox??? Sign up for the FREE $5 Dinners Email Newsletter!

Ingredients
1 lb. fettucini noodles ($1.14)
2 chicken breasts, sliced ($1.66)
4 Tbsp butter ($.40)
6 Tbsp flour ($.05)
3 cups of milk ($.30)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese ($.25)
1 cup frozen peas ($.44)
2 sweet potatoes ($.99) On sale for $.88/lb this week!

Directions
1. In medium saucepan, cook fettucini noodles as directed on package. Drain.
2. In skillet, prepare homemade white sauce. Melt butter and whisk in flour until turns into paste. Whisk in milk and whisk vigorously, until paste dissolves into milk. Whisk for 2-3 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken. Add 1/4 – 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and whisk until melts into the sauce. Add 1 Tbsp at a time of milk for a thinner sauce or 1 Tbsp at a time of flour for a thicker sauce. Once sauce has thickened, add chicken pieces and cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir frequently.
3. Cook frozen peas according to package directions.
4. Toss cooked fettucini and peas into the skillet with the chicken and white sauce. Stir through.
5. Slit or vent sweet potatoes. Add sweet potatoes to baking dish with ¼ inch of water and cover with foil. Bake sweet potatoes at 350 for 1 hour. Remove and let cool about 10 minutes. Peel skins off of the sweet potato and mash.
6. Serve Fettucini Alfredo with Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

Cost $5.23

Print this Recipe

Ingredients
1 2.5 lb pork roast ($4.05) I used half or less than half for tonight’s meal, so we’ll call it $2 for this meal! I’ll show you later in the week what I do with the other half!!!
Salt, pepper and garlic powder ($.05)
6 red potatoes ($.79)
1/4 cup low fat sour cream ($.10) Recently on sale matched with Cellfire.com coupon
1/4-1/2 cup fat free milk ($.10)
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed ($.20)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups organic frozen peas ($1)

**Check here for the GFCFSF version of mashed red potatoes.

Directions
1. Place pork roast in crockpot with 1/2 cup of water (or you can spray crockpot with cooking spray). Season with salt, cracked pepper and garlic powder. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
2. Scrub and cut red potatoes into quarters. Boil for about 10 minutes, until soft and “mashable.” Drain water and place in bowl to mash.
3. Mash cooked red potatoes with potato masher. Add sour cream and milk (I’m all out of butter, but 2-3 Tbsp butter would be good too!). Add more milk for creamier potatoes or less milk for chunkier potatoes. Add crushed garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cook frozen green beans according to package instructions.
5. Remove pork from crockpot when it’s finished. Slice into 1/3-1/2 inch slices.
6. Serve sliced pork roast with gravy and a side of mashed red potatoes and green beans.

Cost $4.24

Print this Recipe