Frugal Weekend Meals

What a great weekend.  I'm attempting to get our food costs under control.  I used one 5 lb package of chicken breasts (on the bone) to create three different meals by doing a little planning.  Our Saturday evening dinner consisted of roast chicken fingers and potatoes, and creamed broccoli.   I set aside about 1/4 of the chicken for Sunday's dinner.  I also saved the chicken bones and skin ( I cut the meat from the bone prior to roasting the chicken).  Sunday morning I used the bones along with onion, carrots, and celery to make 10 cups of stock and about another cup of shredded chicken, from the bones, which I will use later in the week.  I set aside 2 cups of stock for Sunday evening's meal of curried chicken.  Saturday's meal cost about $7 or about $1.75 a plate.  Sunday evening's meal cost about $2 or about $.50 a plate.  Not bad for delicious, healthy meals. I will keep posting meal's during the week.  We'll see how I do.  :-)

Curried Chicken

1 cup of brown rice

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup of chopped onion

2 cloves garlic

leftover chicken cubed 

1 - 2 Tbsp of curry powder

2 cups of chicken stock

1 Tbsp corn starch

1/2 cup cold water

1 - 1 1/2 frozen peas

Cook rice according to directions.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat.  Add onions and garlic and cook for 1 minute stirring frequently.  Add chicken and cook for a minute or two.  Add chicken stock and curry powder heating to a simmer.  Mix corn starch and cold water in a separate bowl.  Add corn starch mixture to pan and stir until thickened.  Add peas to pan and cook 30 seconds until just tender. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper.  Serve over rice.  

Enjoy!

Mindy

Tasty Tuesday

I love recipes that don't require a lot of ingredients, are easy to make, and can be tailored to your own taste and ingredients.  One I use quite a bit is a meatless enchilada casserole recipe.  You can change it by adding whatever you like (or have in the fridge)...like green peppers, onions, corn, mushrooms...or you can add meat...ground beef, shredded chicken...you get the idea.  Here is the basic recipe:


Enchilada Casserole

• 2 16 oz cans of beans (any kind you like...black, red, kidney, or any combination)
• 1 can of tomatoes with green chiles (I don't know the oz...same size can as the beans)
• 1 can of green chiles (optional...the little short can)
• 1 cup of water 
• 3/4 cup of quick cooking white or brown rice
• 8  large whole wheat tortillas
• 1 can enchilada sauce (again...about the same size as the beans)
• 2 cups of shredded cheese

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  I then put the lid on the pan and let it sit off the heat until the rice is cooked.  Set aside about 3/4 cup of cheese.  Put a little bit of the bean and tomato mixture in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan and spread around (so the first layer of tortillas doesn't stick to the bottem).  Then layer 2 tortillas (tear to fit the pan) followed by 1/3 of the bean mixture, and 1/3 of the shredded cheese (repeat twice).  Top with the last two tortillas, pour the can of enchilada sauce on the top and spread so the tortillas are completed covered, and top with the 3/4 cup of shredded cheese you set aside. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 - 30 minutes until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese is melted. 


You won't notice there isn't any meat in this dish.  We like to top ours with a little salsa and sour cream.   It is a quick, inexpensive weeknight dish.  It is also a dish that could easily be made ahead and then delivered to someone with a sick family member or a new baby since it is easy to pop in the oven to warm up.  I hope you enjoy it.


Best wishes,
Mindy 

Contentment

I love Sunday.

Simple breakfast.

 

Long nap.

Cold, quiet walk followed by a hot mocha.

Amazing blue sky.  Clean fresh smelling laundry.   Delicious dinner.   

Contentment.

Have a fabulous week!

Mindy

Monday

Whew...made it through the first Monday back at work after being gone for over a week.  It was a very long day, but good to get back to a routine.  My whole family was home today because of the ML King Jr. holiday;  so my sweet hubby whipped up a big pot of comforting, delicious, vegetable soup.  It was also great to fit in a workout for the first time in a month.  It felt so good!

Mindy

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Serenity

I took a long walk down this path today... enjoying the crisp air, the chill on my cheeks, the snow, and the wildlife.  It's been tough the last several weeks and I was glad to escape for a while and collect my thoughts as the week begins.  It was invigorating and relaxing.  I returned to a big bowl of hot chili.  So good.

Mindy