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

[babytrees]

edamame huh?? I may have to try that!!

 

[punkin]

Today is very budget both for time and cost. I am using up leftover chicken from the soup I made yesterday.

This is my grandmother's recipe for "Macaroni Fleet style"

Brown onions (I am feeling outrageous and will also add some mushrooms to sautee) add cooked chicken (chopped, minced or ground) and cooked macaroni (spaghetti or any other kind). Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

I will also have a cucumber salad for a side; chicken soup for 1st course; and chocolate babka for desert.

 

[marcyinPA]

Two more things. My DS5 (who loves veggies) loves edamame. I always save him a handful before I spice them up.

Also, if you've never had edamame. Eat the inside bean, not the shell. I kind of bite/suck the pod to get the flavor as I get the beans out. Hope that is not TMI.

I've had edamame on a salad from McDonalds. I don't know if they still sell that one or not, but I liked it! It sort of reminded me of peas. Sort of. Do you buy it fresh, or frozen? Hmmm...may have to try it again (at home)! (BTW, I also have a "licker and a gagger"....that is my DS8. We've forced him to take a taste of this and that, and he takes one lick and it's all over. I don't force anymore. Over the years, he's added a few more things to his diet. All in good time!)

 

[DawnM]

Omaha Steaks company shrimp! (DH's company gave it to them for Christmas), so FREE!

Homemade bread and store bought butter.

Rice

Very frugal meal.

Dawn

 

[DawnM]

Vegetables are a very important part of our diet and we will budget to eat FRESH fruit and veggies. We don't eat much meat though.

Dawn

Not to keep the veggie debate going, but I have to give my two cents. My DS5 loves vegetables. Will eat them first thing on his plate (even over any junk). I always thought, if you feed kids fruits and veggies they will like them if they grew up with them (like my family did). Then came DS3. He has literally thrown up after licking a broccoli. So I don't force him to eat them. He would starve before eating most veggies. I don't get it, we always have good veggies (by this I mean fresh, a variety and cooked/seasoned well) and I think I'm a pretty darn good cook. It is truely just individual taste. I try to make sure my kids have a veggie and fruit with each meal.

With that said, my new favorite thing is edamame. My sister has been eating it for years and I always gagged and turned up my nose. But that is why I'm a firm believer you should always try everything (even those things that make you gag ). It is so good. Sam's Club has a package that comes with 8 individual packs that you can microwave and add sea salt. I also have adapted a recipe of my sister's (with things I keep on hand) and make spicy, garlic edamame. So yummy!

Take the steamed edamame and cook them for 2-3 minutes in medium heat skillet to kind of dry them out a little. Add few tablespoons soy sauce, garlic (I use minced and paste) and a TBL of hot oil (to taste). Cook for a couple minutes until all soaked in. I don't measure just approximate. It is so good. My sister's recipe is probably better,if anyone wants that, but mine is super easy.

 

[NHWX]

Seriously went over but that Polish heritage calls occasionally. (Also accounts for the rounded hips and relatively broad face.)

Hickory smoked ham (we'll have leftovers for three or four meals)
Pierogies (gone!)
Sauteed onions
Salad
Pineapple chunks

At least I skipped the sour cream on the pierogies and didn't pan fry them after I cooked them.

NHWX

 

[AnninIowa]

Tonight I made meatloaf, the recipe I found in Real Simple magazine. It's about half budget, half healthy!

MEAT LOAF – Real Simple Recipe
1½ pounds ground beef (we buy the leanest we can, so this cost $8)
1 2-ounce envelope onion soup mix (Market Pantry brand, $1.22 for two pouches)
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (Market Pantry brand, one sale for $2.33)
1 cup fresh cup chopped parsley, optional (fresh? ha! came from the spice rack!)
2 eggs (in pantry)
1½ cups saltines (about 4-ounces), finely ground (in pantry)
1/3 cup water


Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the beef, soup mix, cheese, parsley (if using), eggs, and saltines (I actually put the crackers, soup mix, cheese and parsely in my food processor to really mix it fine). Add the water and combine. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and form it to a 9-inch loaf. Bake until cooked though, at least 40 minutes.

Tastes especially good with our family’s Piquant Sauce: 3 tablespoons brown sugar, ¼ cup ketchup and 1 tsp dry mustard. Mix and heat. We love this sauce, and you can easily make a double or triple batch.

I ate mine with frozen peas from the freezer, and I made my dad glazed carrots by mixing frozen cooked carrots in with equal parts margarine (low-fat) and brown sugar. We also had boxed mashed potatoes that were in the pantry, but those mostly went to waste as we just don't like potatoes anymore for some reason.

 

[Msslaydbug]

Tonight for dinner was pork chops with asparagus. Both were bought on sale so it was budget !

 

[OceanAnnie]

Tonight we're having pork ribs (on sale for $2.77, reg. $7! Over 2 lbs.! Whoo hoo!) in a "new to us" BBQ sauce, Teriyaki Sesame Ginger --- smells good (on sale for .99!). All of which are in the crockpot. Not sure what we're having as sides yet. The meat is the hard thing to decide and have ready for me. Glad to have that in the works!

I do know we're having baked pears and apples tonight. The baked apples were a hit last night. I didn't add sugar. They were fuji apples and are sweet on their own. I have a few more so I'll mix them with the pears and add some smart choice butter, cinnamon and ginger.

 

[mom2my3kids]

Tonight, my daughter is spending the night at a friends house, my husband and middle son are on their way to Chicago for a cubs game. They wont be home till late tonight, so its just me and my youngest. Probably grab something for us, I hate just cooking for two.

 

[marcyinPA]

Not sure what I'm making tonight. It's only DS8 and I. DH and DS12 are eating at church. DS8 is picky, so no fancy cooking here. Maybe we'll do the "big salad"...he likes that, and it's easy and light.

Tomorrow I'll make chicken fajitas. I need to go to the farmers market today anyway. Chicken, fajita marinade, peppers, onions, tortillas, shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream. YUM. Leftovers will most likely turn into fajita salads on Friday. I mix the salsa with ranch dressing for the salad dressing.

 

[disalways]

Last night was a good budget meal. I used 5 boneless chicken breasts that I bought on Sunday for $1.79 a pound in a big family pack. I froze the rest the other 5 for another meal. I sliced them thin, breaded them with crumbs and a little parmasan cheese and fried them in olive oil. I sauteed broccoli rab (bought for $.99 a pound... part of a four day sale price at Food Emporium) with garlic and olive oil. Made a salad. Healthy and budget!

 

[Msslaydbug]

Tonight is soup and bread bowls. The bread bowls my mom brought us home from Panera and the soup i bought when it was on sale.

 

[babytrees]

Tonight is soup and bread bowls. The bread bowls my mom brought us home from Panera and the soup i bought when it was on sale.

can you just buy the bread bowls.....ohhhhhh I may have to look into that!!

 

[DawnM]

Tonight is .99 kids' meal night at our local Burger King! I will probably just drive through and get the kids one each.

Dawn

 

[Adi12982]

I am planning on making turkey ham ($1.50); au gratin potatoes ($2); green beans or broccoli for me (whatever I prefer when I am cooking) ($0.50); drinks ($0.50). . .

Total: $4.50 for 2 adult dinners and 1 adult lunch (so, $1.50 per serving).

 

[beckanoah]

Orange Chicken
White Rice
Steamed Broccoli

Made from the recipe I posted last monthish!

 

[OceanAnnie]

Tonight we're having pork ribs (on sale for $2.77, reg. $7! Over 2 lbs.! Whoo hoo!) in a "new to us" BBQ sauce, Teriyaki Sesame Ginger --- smells good (on sale for .99!). All of which are in the crockpot. Not sure what we're having as sides yet. The meat is the hard thing to decide and have ready for me. Glad to have that in the works!

I do know we're having baked pears and apples tonight. The baked apples were a hit last night. I didn't add sugar. They were fuji apples and are sweet on their own. I have a few more so I'll mix them with the pears and add some smart choice butter, cinnamon and ginger.

We had the pork ribs (yum!), sweet peas, and roasted sweet potatoes. Haven't had sweet potatoes roasted in a long while, so they were especially good. They were on sale for .99 a lb.. The pears and apples are baking, with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cranraisins. I had the cranraisins on hand and thought what the heck. So we'll see!

 

[disalways]

Tonight will be baked chicken wings, sauteed broccoli, and a salad. All items bought on sale... The chicken was in the freezer from last month.

 

[babytrees]

tonight is ravioli/psghetti night

hubby brought home a loaf of italian bread(free) so we even get garlic bread.

salad and green beans will round out the meal.