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$5 Dinners | Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals

Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals and Cooking Tutorials for the Busy Home Chef

MyFreezEasy - Save Money, Eat Healthy with Freezer Meals

Pulled Pork with Red Onion

February 28, 2011 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 9 Comments

This recipe is featured in the 21 Freezer Cooking Recipes from Costco Meal Plan #5. Several weeks ago I purchased a large pork tenderloin.  I used part of it to make Spanish Stew, sliced off a few pork chops, and then left the remaining portion whole to cook in the slow cooker. This is quite simple...I placed the roast fat side up in the slow cooker, topped it … [Read more...]

Slow Cooker Batch Cooking: The Super Supper Saver

February 24, 2011 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 32 Comments

Having that ground meat, already cooked and ready to pull out of the freezer is a super supper saver. It's a strategy that works with busy toddlers under foot, hungry teens hovering and all those in between. (that's us!) For about two years now I’ve been batch cooking with my slow cooker every shopping trip. My friend, Little Sanctuary, shared how she cooks ground meat in … [Read more...]

Slow Cooker Creole Chicken

January 31, 2011 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 17 Comments

slow cooker creole chicken

A simple variation of chicken and rice. It's simple to make. It calls for simple ingredients. And is simply delicious! This is the last of the recipes that was on my "pantry challenge" list from December and January. And how fitting that I'm making it on the last day of January! I had the chicken thighs in the freezer and knew I wanted to use them in the slow cooker … [Read more...]

Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

December 23, 2010 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 85 Comments

Slow Cooker Macaroni & Cheese | 5DollarDinners.com

This Slow Cooker Macaroni & Cheese ranks right up there with premium comfort food. A great side for a New Year's Day meal. Okay, I confess. We even have this easy recipe as the main course on busy weeknights or for Sunday dinner. It's a dressier version of the boxed kind. Homemade macaroni and cheese for the seven of us. A highly requested family … [Read more...]

Slow Cooker Beef and Vegetable Soup

November 24, 2010 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 7 Comments

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, … [Read more...]

Simple Sunday Beef Roast

November 10, 2010 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 3 Comments

A simple Sunday Beef Roast. I bought a chuck roast last week. I cut part of it into cubes for Beef, Mushroom and Barley Soup. And I seasoned the rest with lemon pepper and lemon juice, to roast in the oven.  I was a bit anxious about the lemon flavor with the beef roast and vegetables, but it totally worked.  Gave it some flavor flare, but not so lemony that it was a … [Read more...]

Slow Cooker Spicy Chili

November 5, 2010 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 12 Comments

I love chili in the slow cooker. I love how it makes your house smell delicious all day long. I love how you can tell your spouse when they get home that you've "been slaving away" on dinner...because a smell that good certainly means you've been slaving away! ;)  I love how you can mix and match ingredients so easily with chilis and soups. And I love that it's finally cool … [Read more...]

Slow Cooker Curried Coconut Chicken

October 4, 2010 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 29 Comments

Can I just say that the slow cooker rocks?! I'm sure those of you who use them regularly will agree. Here's how it went down for us today.  Got up this morning around 8. Breakfasted. (Can that be a verb?!) Put on our coats. (Hello, 39 degrees.) Went to the gym. While running, I remembered that I forgot to start the slow cooker. *sigh* Fast forward a few hours. Through … [Read more...]

Slow Cooker Sweet Balsamic Tilapia

September 27, 2010 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 19 Comments

balsamic tilapia

Love. Love. I'm in love. For several reasons. Fish...wanting to add more fish into our diet. Made these in the slow cooker. Super easy clean up. Kids ate every bit of the fish...and wanted more. (Yes, I let them dip it in ketchup. Gotta do what you gotta do.) It only takes 2-3 hours to make so you can start it just after lunch...those of you who are at … [Read more...]

Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes

August 4, 2010 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 38 Comments

For the past, um, year or so, I have not done a whole lot with potatoes. And for good reason. Ryan tested positive for a potato allergy, among other things. So I quickly removed them from our diet. A few weeks ago, we got the go ahead from both the allergist and the GI doctor to start reintroducing the more "tame" foods...or the ones he reacted to least...and see if he can … [Read more...]

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