Pork Chops, Carrots, and Mashed Potatoes Budget Meal ($2.40/person)

Shopped at Publix: 7/24/2013

Boneless pork chops: on sale $3.99/lb till tonight. 4 per package. Total cost was $5.15. I simply covered them in Adobo and grilled on my Charbroil Infrared grill for about 10-15 minutes on med-high.

Carrots: $1.69 for the bag of mini carrots.  Normally I would have grabbed the $.89 a bag regular carrots but I was in a rush so I did not want to take the time to find my peeler since I just moved 3 weeks ago and to cut them. I used maybe 1/8 of the bag. Added a little brown sugar and 5 tsp of water, wrapped them in foil, and placed on the grill.

5 jumbo red potatoes: $1.49/lb = $4.57 total and there are tons left. Could have just used 2 jumbos but I am used to using the small ones. Washed, cubed, and boiled till fork tender then put in the kitchenaid with a little butter, crazy salt, and sour cream.

Cheap, easy, and healthy dinner!!!!

 $5.15

$1.69/8 = $ .21 portion used

($4.57/5)*2 = $1.83 portion used since I have left overs

= $7.19 total cost of items used / 3 people

= $2.40 per person!!!!

Chicken meal on a budget (~$5.48-7 meal for 3-4)

Ingredients:
1.24lb Boneless chicken breast (9 pieces) - Winndixie BOGO ~2/$7 ($3.50)
1.5lbs red potatoes (or potatoes of your liking) - Winndixie 3lbs bag is $2.99 ($1.50)
1 can Cream of Chicken condensed soup  ------  had in pantry, less than $1 at the store last time I checked
.5 bag of Publix Greenwise Carrots (or carrots of your choice)  ------- my mom gave me when they went back home from the condo, not sure of this pricing at the store
1/4-1/2c milk ------  free thanks to my sister, $3/g
~2tsp butter ------ had in the house already, apx $2 for 4 sticks (~$.06 for 2tsp)

If your chicken is frozen thaw it first.  Preheat the oven at 350. I used a 9*9 pan for my chicken.  Spray the bottom with oil or butter.  Rinse your chicken to get any of the bad stuff off of them then lay the chicken in the pan with a little space between them.  Scoop the Cream of Chicken soup over the chicken and spread it around.  Cover with foil.  Place it in the oven for 30 minutes.

While that is baking go ahead and start prepping the side dishes.  To be easy I put my carrots in a microwave safe container with water and some brown sugar.  I then put it in the microwave on High for about 7-8 minutes until tender.

For the potatoes: since I use red potatoes I peel half of them and leave the other half with the skin on.  Wash the potatoes.  Cut your potatoes any way you would like so that they are in smaller pieces.  I normally make my sections about 1.5".  Add salt if you would like to your water and then place the potatoes in the water.  Boil on High for about 10 minutes until tender.  I have a Kitchenaid mixer so they are really easy to make.  If you do not have a Kitchenaid just use a hand held blender or hand mix the potatoes.  I start with 1/4 cup of milk and 2 tsp of butter and add in the potatoes.  Mix until creamy texture.  Since I used red potatoes with some skin the mashed potatoes will be lumpy which is how I like mine.  If you do not like lumpy remove all the skin before you boil them.



*prices are based off of my chicken and potatoes cost.  Since 3 of us are eating this will make 2 meals which further reduces the total cost from $5.48 down to $2.74 for the 3 of us to eat!!!!  That is only $.91 per person!!!  Beat that fast food, lol.

If timed correctly everything should be done at almost the same time.  Serve and enjoy!!!

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I did not have any foil to use so I covered my chicken with parchment paper.

Mashing the potatoes in the Kitchenaid

Getting the chicken out of the oven. It was bubbling!

  My 29m old downed her dinner in less than 5 minutes.  This was around the 3 minute mark.

My plate/portion.  I love potatoes but this was actually a little much for me.

Crockpot Beer Bread

I made this a few days ago.

start with 2C flour (self-rising is best but if you do not have it like I did not you can use all purpose and just add 1tsp baking powder and 1/2tsp salt)
12oz can of beer (I used Michalob Ultra Dragonfruit Peach...YUM, but any cheap beer will do)
1/2C sugar

Mix all ingredients.  If it is sticky keep adding flour.  It was a little runny so I kept adding flour until it was dough-like.  Put a sheet of wax paper in your crockpot covering the sides and bottom.  Place your dough in the center.  Bake on high for about 90 minutes depending on your crockpot.  I checked it with a knife to see if the center was cooked.

Let cool and enjoy.  The bread was amazing with the peach flavoring.  I ate some with just butter on it and others with peanut butter and nutella (or honey).  This is something I am going to make over a weekend and freeze so I always have it ready.

Sugar Cookies

I cannot remember the recipe I normally use so I just whipped this up.  I finally found my recipe book that I kept all the family recipes in so I will start trying them out over this year.  I just got a beater blade for my kitcheaid and it is awesome!!!

2 cups flour (I used all purpose so that is why I have the baking powder and salt below, omit both if you use self-rising)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter, room temp
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar and butter and then add the egg and vanilla, mix well. Add the baking powder and salt.  Lastly add flour, mix well.  Bake for apx 10 minutes until turns golden brown.

 I decided to roll them in sugar. :)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Nestle Toll House

(one of the few times I'll try a recipe but I was not in the mood to think.  I just needed to bake.)

Prep: 20 mins

Cooking: 8 mins

Level: Easy

Yields: 42 cookies (3 1/2 dozen)

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Milk Chocolate Morsels
Granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour and baking soda in small bowl. Beat butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels.

DROP dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Press down slightly with bottom of glass dipped in granulated sugar.

BAKE for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still soft. Cool on baking sheets for 4 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION:
PREPARE dough as above. Spread dough into ungreased 15 x 10-inch* jelly-roll pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack.

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*I used my Calphalon 12*17" jelly-roll pan and it puffed up so much that I thought it was going to overflow.  The cookie itself was about 1/4" tick once it cooled.  I baked it for 15 minutes.  I was still a little cake like which is how I like my cookies.  It also crumbled easily but I literally tried it right out of the oven.

Review of the new choose your flavor icing

I make my own icing but I am up visiting my parents for Easter and my mom was making cupcakes.  We ended up buying the orange Dunkin Hines cake mix, a tub of the icing you can flavor, and the orange cream flavoring.  Overall the cost was not bad.  At winn-dixie it was $2.29 for the tub of icing which was bigger than the $1.98 tubs. The flavor packets where $.99 and had a ton of yummy sounding flavors including cinnamon roll and strawberry something.

The Orange Cream flavoring tasted just like a dreamsicle. Everyone loved them!


Note: this icing did not harden up over time and actually slid off the cupcakes the next day.  Not sure if it was the humid weather that we have all the time here in Florida or what but I know that I was enjoying my cupcake and all of a sudden the icing slid off into my hand.



*there was no compensation for this review.  I did this on my own free will and my own "dime". :)

Oatmeal Cookies

These are in my oven as I type!!!

3/4c butter
1c packed brown sugar
1/2c granulated sugar
1tsp baking powder
1/4tsp baking soda
1/2tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla
1 1/2c AP flour
2c rolled oats


I have them baking right now at 375 degrees F for 8 minutes on parchment paper.  No oil.

I cannot wait to see how they turn out but I know the batter tasted great.  This is my first attempt at Oatmeal cookies.  I was thinking of adding Flax Seed to add something healthy to it but was not sure how it would taste so I made just a regular batch to see if I even liked the recipe.

NOTES:
Batch 1: bland so added a lot more cinnamon
Batch 2: still bland
will pick up some ground clove at the store tomorrow as I think that might help
Batch 3: after sitting overnight in the fridge they turned out better.***

PHOTO TO COME once I make them again.  My 19 month old daughter loved them a little too much...

My Veggie Crockpot Soup

I use what I have in my pantry or freezer.

My aunt farms so I normally have frozen corn in my chest freezer.  I use about 2 quart bags of corn.  I then chop up about 3-4 carrots, a few red potatoes, 2-4 stocks of celery, and anything else I want.  Sometimes I even add in black beans as I like them. I may add in a few stewed tomatoes if I have them.  I then add in some chicken bullion since I like it.

Pour in some vegetable broth. Let cook for 2 hours on high and then for 4-6 hours on low.  Cooking time all depends on how fast it is cooking and when I make it.  I cook it for 6-8 hours on low if I am going to bed and cooking it overnight.  I test it a few times to see when everything is fully cooked.

My Crockpot Chili

I make my own so this is a gideline.  I go off of taste.

1-2lbs hamburger meat
2-4 cans of beans (kidney or whatever I have in the pantry)
1 can of corn (optional)
1 big can of tomato sauce, 2-3 smaller cans, or a few whole tomatoes simmered down into sauce
cumin
chili powder

Brown the meat.  Add all the ingrediants and mix together.  Add a little cumin and chili powder.  I usually do a light coat top cover the top of the mixture of the chili powder.  Then add a little cumin.  Set it on medium heat and let sit for about 2 hours.  Taste and see if needs more spices.  If you want more of a bite add more cumin.

I freeze whatever we do not eat.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry cake (uses box)

1 box strawberry cake mix
1 can vanilla icing
fresh strawberries (frozen would work after being thawed)
milk chocolate chips


I started with a boxed cake my mother sent me for Valentines day since I did not want it to go to waste.  I added in chopped strawberries and half a big bag of milk chocolate chips.

I baked them in 2 9" round pans.  Iced with one can of vanilla icing my mother sent with the cake mix.
I added in chopped strawberries and more chips between the layers.
Keep in the fridge as there are strawberries in it.

This was amazing and so fresh.

I burnt the top of my mouth on hot pizza and this was the only thing I could handle as it healed.