I ran across this recipe in Real Simple. I don't make many of the recipes in the magazine because they often have more expensive ingredients and they would cost more than $5 for the meal...but when I ran across this one...I knew it could be done for under $5... And YUMMM-EEEEE!!! ...and I think there is just enough leftover that the Hubs and I don't have to fight over it … [Read more...]
A1 Beef Stew
This was the perfect meal to come home to after an afternoon adventure/walk to the park! It was just cold enough outside to be chilly, but not so cold that we didn't enjoy ourselves! Arriving home to this soup was lovely! Warmed our tummies right up! Here is the "doubled" version of the recipe! The total cost is not under $5...but since it is two meals worth...we divide … [Read more...]
Grilled Tilapia and Acorn Squash
Nevermind that the high today was just 60. And there's a frost advisory for our area tonight. Wasn't gonna stop me from using the grill tonight! Grilled Tilapia and Acorn Squash No matter what the temperature outside, it's always worth it to grill tilapia fillets! 4 frozen tilapia fillets1 Tbsp seafood seasoning1-2 Tbsp lemon juice rice (side … [Read more...]
How to Cook Acorn Squash
I {love} acorn squash. Baked to perfection. A little melted butter. A few sprinkles of brown sugar. Simple as that! Cutting You're gonna need a large SHARP chef's knife to make the easiest cut on a "raw" squash. Put a little shoulder behind it and cut crosswise in half...for baking. Peeling To make the peeling process a little easier, microwave the squash … [Read more...]
Tomato and Olive Pizza
Tomato and Olive Pizza Fresh and delicious! 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp warm water1 tsp olive oil 1 cup whole wheat flour 2 cups white flour1 1 packet (or 1 Tbsp yeast )1 tsp sugar1 tsp Italian seasonings1/4 cup Italian salad dressing ( If I had to do this meal again, I'd have used a Greek vinaigrette instead!)3 Roma and 1 Heirloom tomato 1/2 cup diced green olives 2 cups … [Read more...]
Lemon Pepper Chicken
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 … [Read more...]
Baked Chicken Spaghetti
This dish sorta turned into an experiment. I started with a plan in mind. And it kept changing as I found new things in the fridge to add to the dish! I needed to use the eggplant and cubanelle peppers I picked from the garden this week. And I had 2 green tomatoes in the fridge (more on the green tomato situation in the next garden update!). Why not throw … [Read more...]
Tomato Black Bean Barley Soup
Tomato Black Bean Barley Soup Quick and easy! 1 small yellow onion, chopped2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing 4 cups water15 oz can black beans, drained 15 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained1/2 cup quick-cooking barleyHandful fresh basil, chopped (or use 1 tsp dried basil)Salt and pepper to taste1 medium green pepper, choppedDollops of sour … [Read more...]
Caesar Chicken Pasta Salad
Tonight's meal is based on this recipe from Amy at Mom Advice. To be honest, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about pasta on lettuce. I was quite pleasantly surprised! We both really enjoyed it. And there's plenty leftover for my "Chicken Caesar Pasta" lunch tomorrow! Because the Caesar dressing has milk in it, I separated out this dish for the boys and gave them Italian … [Read more...]
National Eat Together Week
That's right! This week is National Eat Together Week! Eating together as a family is very important to us! So when I heard about how the folks from The Other White Meat set out to encourage families to eat together AND to help fight hunger by partnering with Feeding America (a hunger relief charity), I had to share with you all! Here's how you can help...and … [Read more...]