With the economy giving us daily scares, one way that we can help is out our family budget is to watch what we spend on food. That means eating at home more and cooking from scratch.
Once you get used to cooking from scratch, you will find that it’s not that hard and it doesn’t take that much longer. We spend almost twice as much for a meal if everything comes in a box or a package. Each of the recipes this week can be made for about $5-$6!
We still need the mental health break of eating out once in a while, so don’t cut that out all together. But, even in a restaurant, you can economize.
Our first recipe is chicken and pasta. That’s good any time. With chicken, pasta and bacon, you won’t think of this as a cheap meal. But, it is. It’s also a quick and easy meal!
The recipe calls for a half-pound of bacon. Go ahead and cook the whole pound and freeze the other half for use on another day or use it for the last recipe shown today.
The second recipe is a Stromboli. It uses frozen pizza dough. However, if you really want to save a couple of extra bucks, make your own. It’s not hard, just messy. Anyway, you will love this Stromboli. You can add other spices and even other foods. The kids will love this one.
The third recipe is black beans and rice. Not only is this cheap but it’s a one-dish meal. So, it’s fast and easy. I like this one kind of spicy but use your own judgment on that.
The fourth recipe is bacon-wrapped pork roast. That gives you a use for the other part of the bacon from the first recipe. This is a Crockpot meal, so you know it’s easy. It’s also delish! And – the kitchen will smell great!
Chicken and Pasta with Parmesan
2 Lbs of Pasta
1 Chicken Breast
Parmesan Cheese (small package)
Bacon (1/2 pound)
Pan fry the chicken in garlic and butter. After cooking thoroughly, chop chicken into small chunks. Boil spaghetti or fettuccini. Chop bacon into small pieces and fry. Leave some bacon fat for flavor. Add chicken and bacon to drained pasta. Mix with garlic, pepper, salt and more butter. Serves 6 or more!
Note: You can change this recipe slightly by adding lemon juice to the mix or add an Alfredo sauce to mix (this will cost slightly more). The next day you can also make a soup out of the leftovers by adding chicken broth, celery, chopped zucchini and corn. Bring to a boil for a few minutes and simmer for 5 -10 minutes and you have another meal.
Broccoli, Tomato, and Mozzarella Stromboli
1 lb Pizza Dough, thawed if frozen
All-Purpose Flour, for work surface
1 Package (1 pound) Frozen Chopped Broccoli, thawed
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
Coarse Salt and Ground Pepper
1 Cup Marinara Sauce
1 1/2 Cups Shredded Part-Skim Mozzarella (6 ounces)
2 Ounces Thinly Sliced Genoa Salami, chopped
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Divide dough into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, stretch out each piece, first to a 3-by-4 inch oval, then to a 6-by-8-inch oval (let dough rest briefly if too elastic to work with).
Place broccoli in a strainer, and press to remove excess liquid. Transfer to a double layer of paper towels, and pat dry.
Dividing evenly, scatter broccoli over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle with garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Dividing evenly, top with mozzarella, salami, and 1/2 cup marinara.
Starting at a shorter end, roll up each Stromboli, and place, seam side down, on baking sheet. Using the tip of a paring knife, cut two slits in the top of each. Brush with oil. Bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve Stromboli with 1/2 cup marinara for dipping.
Black Beans & Rice
1 Cup Black Beans
1 Cup White Rice
1 15 Oz Can Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles
2 Cups Frozen Corn
1/2 Onion, chopped
2 Cups Leftover Shredded Chicken
1 Tsp Ground Cumin
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
Salt/Pepper
2-4 Oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Couple Handfuls of Tortilla Chips
Soak 1 cup of black beans overnight, or for at least 2 hours in HOT water. Drain and rinse. Add to saucepan with at least 2 inches of water covering the beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for about an hour and a half. (You could substitute 2 cans of black beans, but they are not as healthy or as frugal as cooking your own!)
Cook 1 cup of white rice according to package instructions.
In large skillet, add diced tomatoes, 2 cups frozen corn, chopped onion, shredded chicken, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Turn on medium low heat and cook for about 15 minutes while rice is cooking.
Once rice and black beans are finished cooking, add to the skillet with the chicken mixture. Cook for about 10 minutes, giving the flavors time to mix and mingle in the skillet!
Bacon Wrapped Pork Roast
1.4 Lb Pork Roast
2 Strips Of Bacon, cut in half
Heaping Tbsp Jelly
1 Lb Asparagus
1-2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 French Loaf
Spray bottom of Crockpot with nonstick cooking spray, or add 1/4 cup of water. Place pork roast in bottom of the Crockpot. Spoon heaping tablespoons of your favorite jelly and spread over the top of the pork. Lay bacon strip halves over the pork, covering it. Cook on low for 8 hours. When done, remove and let cool about 10 minutes. Slice and serve each piece with slice of bacon.
Prepare asparagus as indicated.
Warm the French loaf and slice.
Serve sliced pork roast with sautéed asparagus and a slice of French bread.
Chili-Topped Potatoes
4-6 Small White Potatoes
1/4 Lb Ground Beef
1 Cup Red, Black Beans (mixed)
1 Can Tomatoes
1-2 Cloves Garlic
Chili Powder
Salt & Pepper
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese
1/4 Cantaloupe
Soak beans in water overnight. Cook beans covered with at least 1_ water for 1.5 - 2 hours, until tender. Save a little juice and drain off the rest.
Brown ground beef, or use beef leftover from spaghetti or another ground “beefy” meal! I try to plan menus so I can get 2-3 meals out of one ground meat tray. Cook and save a few days, or freeze if it can’t be used right away.
Combine beef, beans and juice. Add tomatoes, chili powder, crushed garlic, salt and pepper, and any other spices you like! Make it as spicy or as mild as you want.
Roast whole potatoes or boil quartered potatoes. Once cooked, pour chili over the top. Top with cheese.
Serve with cantaloupe slices.
Did you know?
Here are some tips for cooking on a budget
Decide on a grocery budget and stick to it!
Get to Know Prices. Read grocery ads and plan your weekly menus based on sales Get to know what things cost, and what a good deal is.
Stock up. When non-perishables are on sale stock up!
Fill your freezer for frugal cooking.
Buy what's in season to save even more money. Get to know what fruits and vegetables are in season, and try to plan your recipes around them.
Use coupons, but be careful! Don't use them just to use them. Try to use a coupon only for items that you will use, and if you can use them with a coexisting sale.
Utilize leftovers! Make casseroles or stews.
Healthy eating to save money. Fruits and vegetables are considerably less costly per serving than meat, so it is best to use meat sparingly and fill your family's plates with veggies and fruit.
Karen’s Kitchen is a weekly column by Karen Freeman of Tarboro. Contact Karen at:
kvfreeman@triad.rr.com to exchange ideas, ask questions, submit recipes, tips or suggestions.
Check out her Web site: http://www.geocities.com/kvfreeman27886/
