What's for dinner? Was it "budget"?

[SandraVB79]

Thanks a lot!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I'm trying to be lower carb (kinda South Beachy, not Atkins), but last night I was craving fried rice, so I shaved up some caulilower in the food processor, added a little shaved carrots and broccoli for color, and some left over rotisserie chicken and sauteed it in olive oil with seasonings -- it really did taste like fried rice, so good.

 

[momx2]

I don't know if this is going to be budget friendly or not. I am making green chili enchilada casserole for the first time.

4 chicken breast halves simmered in 2 c. salsa $3.50
1 16oz. container low fat sour cream $1
1 lowfat cream of chicken soup .90 cents
1 c. ragu double cheese sauce .75 cents
12 corn tortillas .90 cents
1/2 c. shredded cheddar .80 cents
2 4 oz. cans green chilis $2
total $9.85

Serve with mexican rice .25 cents and refried beans $1, plus extra sour cream and salsa .50 = $1.75

So about $11.60 total. I'm sure we will get at least dinner plus 2 lunches out of it. So, not too bad. I hope it's good!

Well, didn't eat the sides, so subtract that. And didn't eat the shredded cheese. So $9.05 total. But we ate it all. The kids loved it, so did DH and I. Not to bad in price, but I prefer to keep it to about $6 per dinner. But oh, so good!

 

[CrazedDisFan]

Well, didn't eat the sides, so subtract that. And didn't eat the shredded cheese. So $9.05 total. But we ate it all. The kids loved it, so did DH and I. Not to bad in price, but I prefer to keep it to about $6 per dinner. But oh, so good!

I have a similar recipe, but it may cost you less....

Split chicken breasts, boiled until falling off the bone.

Shred the chicken from 4 of the breasts, add in 1 pkg of taco seasoning and 1/4 cup of water (add more water if needed) Heat. Place in flour tortillas. Roll and place in a sprayed 9x13 pan. Mix one can of cream of chicken soup with 1 cup of sour cream and 1 can of drained diced green chiles. Top the enchiladas with the sour cream mixture. Top with 12 oz of grated cheese (I use Kroger Mexican blend. It's usually on sale.) Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through.


When I boil my split breasts, I do about 12 or 14 at a time. I shred or chop all of the chicken and freeze some of it. I use it later in the week or month for chicken and dumplings, pot pies (the one on the side of the Bisquick box is good and easy), chicken salad, chicken noodle soup, etc. Don't forget to freeze the stock for soup.

I love doing this because it serves 2 purposes, I am saving money by buying bulk split breasts when on sale (usually .99¢ a lb.) and I am preparing my meat in advance for easy worknight dinners.

 

[Passions71203]

We had chicken parmesan - 4 frozen chicken breasts (from a Sam's Club value pack), one jar of 4 cheese spaghetti sauce (Food Lion brand), parmesan cheese (2-3 TBS) and mozzarella cheese (about 8 oz.).

I poured the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 pan, and added the chicken breasts (frozen). I spooned some of the sauce over the chicken, covered it tightly with foil and baked at 350 for 45 minutes. Then uncovered and sprinkled the chicken breasts with shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese, and baked about 10 minutes more. We served it over angel hair pasta and it was delicious!

I think I will try this tonight

 

[luckey-lasvegas]

Tonigh is a meatless night so we're doing cheese raviolli w/ marinara sauce, green salad and garlic bread.

 

[bellebuzzandpooh]

Tonight is potato soup w/sausage in it, monkey bread (biscuits were on sale for $1), and fresh fruit.

And I'm making a double batch of everything because I'm taking one meal to my neighbor who was in the hospital with pneumonia over the weekend

Don't know the cost but it'll be small, I'm sure.

 

[Minnesota!]

Minnesota! Can you elaborate on how you stick to a $225 grocery budget? That is amazing. Do you buy meat in bulk and freeze it? Do you clip coupons? What is your secret?

Thanks!

Sorry I didn't get back here right away!! I was just making out my menu for Feb and it dawned on me to check back here for new recipes!!

We do buy in bulk - I get the 10# (or whatever it is) of ground beef at Sam's.
Also the big bag of boneless, skinless chicken at Sam's.

Other things we buy in bulk;
spaghetti noodles
shredded cheese
tortillas
fruit
eggs
dried fruit
ramens
rice
mac-n-cheese
canned veggies
milk

So my monthly menu - I try and get at least 2 meals out of each "thing". I will make a pot of chili and we will have chili/crackers one night and then will reheat it and make chili spaghetti another.
I use a lot of beans (black, pinto, refried, etc) as they are filling, cheap and so easy to adapt to any recipe...tacos, enchilada, thow them in an egg scramble, make a dip, etc.

Here is my Feb menu:

February Menu
Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad
Tacos
Enchiladas
Spaghetti pie
Hamburger gravy/mashed potatoes/veggie
Smothered chicken/rice/corn
Chicken and dumplings, peas
Hamburger helper, corn, buttered bread
Cashew chicken
Cashew Chicken
Firecracker Chicken, red beans/rice
Steak fajitas
White chicken chili/corn bread
Meatloaf, mashed potatoes
Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, veggie
Chicken noodle soup, crackers or rolls
Chili, crackers, salad
Chili spaghetti, garlic bread
Hamburger/rice/stewed tomatoes
Macaroni-n-stewed tomato hot dish, garlic bread
Hot dogs, mac-n-cheese, veggie
Spinaghetti, garlic bread, salad
Pot pie, salad
Soup & sandwiches
Tacos
Honey baked chicken, rice, veggies
Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad
Roast, taters, veggies
Roast beef sandwiches, veggies,

I will admit, I have gone over the last few months (by like $30) because DS has been an eating machine and I haven't adjusted my buying yet to that. He goes through yogurt, cheese, crackers, etc. like a man on a mission.

 

[momx2]

I have a similar recipe, but it may cost you less....

Split chicken breasts, boiled until falling off the bone.

Shred the chicken from 4 of the breasts, add in 1 pkg of taco seasoning and 1/4 cup of water (add more water if needed) Heat. Place in flour tortillas. Roll and place in a sprayed 9x13 pan. Mix one can of cream of chicken soup with 1 cup of sour cream and 1 can of drained diced green chiles. Top the enchiladas with the sour cream mixture. Top with 12 oz of grated cheese (I use Kroger Mexican blend. It's usually on sale.) Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through.


When I boil my split breasts, I do about 12 or 14 at a time. I shred or chop all of the chicken and freeze some of it. I use it later in the week or month for chicken and dumplings, pot pies (the one on the side of the Bisquick box is good and easy), chicken salad, chicken noodle soup, etc. Don't forget to freeze the stock for soup.

I love doing this because it serves 2 purposes, I am saving money by buying bulk split breasts when on sale (usually .99¢ a lb.) and I am preparing my meat in advance for easy worknight dinners.

Thanks, that sounds great. It would probably save me a couple of bucks. But DD 10 begged me not to change a thing with it because she loves it so much. But she probably couldn't tell the difference.

Tonight is stir fry with chicken.

1 lb chicken $2
1/2 c. stir fry sauce .70 cents
2 bags frozen stir fry veggies $2
1/2 can pineapple (maybe) .40 cents
rice .50 cents

$6.60 - not bad!

 

[shortbun]

Black Beans(with cumin) and brown rice with peas and topped with shredded cheese, side of avacado slices and some salsa. If I have a ripe banana, everyone gets some of that sliced on their plate too. Cheap, filling, good for ya!

 

[babytrees]

tonight is crock pot beef stroganoff:

2 cans cream of mushroom soup ($2 total...or so..can't remember)
1 can of sour cream or there abouts (about 50 cents)
1 can of milk (about 25 cents)
a little less than a pound of roast cut into stew size pieces ($2....I didn't want to go to more than one store yesterday...but I really wanted beef stroganoff so we cut up the smallest roast of a 3 pack from Costco)

crock potted on low all day

1/2 bag or so...egg noodles (.50 cents)

green beans ( heck if I could even hazard a guess price wise)

salad (part of a $2 bag from Costco)

gosh that's cheaper than I thought it would be and oh so yummy...should have enough for lunch tomorrow for at least 2 of us.

 

[beckanoah]

Dinner tonight is Pizza sandiwiches on the sandwich maker

2 pieces bread
dab of leftover spaghetti sauce
cheese
turkey pepperoni
ham (maybe)

slap it together and throw it on the sandwich maker (after spraying with EVOO)... YUM! and so cheap!

 

[100AcreWood]

Sorry I didn't get back here right away!! I was just making out my menu for Feb and it dawned on me to check back here for new recipes!!

Thanks for posting! It sounds like I need to check out Costco's deals and see if I can buy some bulk meat. I assume since you buy monthly you divide up your portions to freeze and thaw as needed. I'm just now trying to buy meat on sale and freeze it for later. I would love to shop only every 2 weeks though. I doubt I can get away with monthly because we eat a lot of bread between hot dog buns and regular wheat. I think it's awesome that you keep your budget so low!

 

[neatokimmo]

I made a weird tasty green been thing tonight. I took 1/2 pound of sausage (it is ground up pork chops and spicy seasonings), cooked it with an onion and 3 dried Chinese mushrooms. I then stir fried it with fresh green beans.

The green beans were free, my dad didn't know he had to string them and left them at my house
The sausage was .99 a pound, so 50 cents.
The onion was probably 50 cents also.
The mushrooms are from a huge dried bag, I'd say 25 cents. So $1.25 for 3 meals.

 

[IDoDis]

You make yours just like I do (I use the low-fat version of ingredients except for the cheese -- lowfat cheese doesn't melt good). The only difference is I use corn tortillas instead of flour. I lay out 6 of them flat do a layer of the chicken mixed with the soup, sour cream and cheese, then another layer of tortillas and mixxture again. I

used to fry the tortillas i a bit of oil to soften them but to cut down on fat, I started just running them under the water to get them a little damp. No one ever noticed the difference. I also use fresh chilis. It's one of our favorite meals.

I have a similar recipe, but it may cost you less....

Split chicken breasts, boiled until falling off the bone.

Shred the chicken from 4 of the breasts, add in 1 pkg of taco seasoning and 1/4 cup of water (add more water if needed) Heat. Place in flour tortillas. Roll and place in a sprayed 9x13 pan. Mix one can of cream of chicken soup with 1 cup of sour cream and 1 can of drained diced green chiles. Top the enchiladas with the sour cream mixture. Top with 12 oz of grated cheese (I use Kroger Mexican blend. It's usually on sale.) Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through.


When I boil my split breasts, I do about 12 or 14 at a time. I shred or chop all of the chicken and freeze some of it. I use it later in the week or month for chicken and dumplings, pot pies (the one on the side of the Bisquick box is good and easy), chicken salad, chicken noodle soup, etc. Don't forget to freeze the stock for soup.

I love doing this because it serves 2 purposes, I am saving money by buying bulk split breasts when on sale (usually .99¢ a lb.) and I am preparing my meat in advance for easy worknight dinners.

 

[Jaycey'smom]

Well since I did not do very good tonight with the budget part I will put what we had for dinner last night. (tonight we stopped at a sandwich shop where we used to live and got 3 small sandwiches and a side of keilbasa togo so no drinks and it was $35!!!!

But last night we had
turkey breast $6 (already cooked)
can of gravy .50
half box mashed potatos .75
Green Beans wraped in bacon...greenbeans $2 bacon $2 dressing $3about $7 total but sooooo good and we never have any left..lol!!!!!
butter noodles $1

so about 15.25 for 3 of us but it was great!!!

 

[bellebuzzandpooh]

Tonight is pasta with spinich and tomato sauce, whole wheat garlic bread, and ______ something. I don't know what else! But I'll come up with something.

 

[babytrees]

I am thinking tonight is taco pizzas.....kind of like Taco Bell's mexican pizza but better!!

 

[beckanoah]

Hot dogs (healthy choiceish ones)... and baked lays!

 

[Adi12982]

I am thinking tonight is taco pizzas.....kind of like Taco Bell's mexican pizza but better!!

recipe PLEASE!!