Budget Savvy Diva has put together another Frugal recipe for you.  Each week, she’ll share a recipe a family of 4 can make for $5 or less.

Baked Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:

1 c. plain white rice
1 large pkg. of chicken pieces (legs, breasts, leg quarters)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 envelope of dry onion soup mix
2 soup cans of water

Directions:

In a large greased covered casserole, place 1 cup plain ole white rice. No instant, no parboiled, just plain rice. Add a layer of chicken parts. This is great for those weeks when chicken parts are on sale, like legs, breasts or quarters. Over the chicken and rice, pour a mixture of 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 envelope of dry onion soup mix, and almost 2 cans of water. Use the soup can to measure. This mixture looks disgusting but that’s temporary. Then just put the whole thing, covered, in a 350 oven for AT LEAST 1 hour and 20 minutes. Don’t try to shorten it; the chicken will be pink if you do.

It is very easy to double this recipe, and it doesn’t take any longer to cook doubled!! You don’t have to stir it, brown the chicken, or any of the other troublesome time consuming things that most recipes ask you to do. Your children will love this, and probably your husband too. If you have more than 2 children, I would definitely double the recipe!! Oh, BTW, I did like to remove the skin from the chicken. It looks neater, unless you really like chicken skin.

Budget Savvy Diva has put together another Frugal recipe for you.  Each week, she’ll share a recipe a family of 4 can make for $5 or less.

Ramen Noodle Stir Fry

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Ramen noodles
1/2 or full bag of generic frozen veggies (or fresh, in season)
Inexpensive cut of meat to match Ramen flavor; for “beef” use cube steak, breakfast steak, etc.–whatever is on sale. Or go vegetarian, extra firm tofu, cubed and seasoned is great too.
Your choice of spices.

Directions:

Thinly slice or chop your choice of meat. Heat small amount of oil in wok or large pan. Add meat and brown quickly. In another pot, boil noodles about 2 minutes. Remove meat and let sit on paper towel lined plate to remove excess grease. Add veggies, Ramon flavor pack, any other seasoning (soy sauce, Chinese five spice, curry, red pepper flakes… use your imagine or gear toward family favorites). Add a splash of liquid (water, white wine, orange juice, etc…), stir constantly. Add noodles and meat to warm through and mix flavors.

If you prefer a more “saucy” dish, thicken chicken or beef broth with cornstarch and add to the veggies and beef. Leave noodles out and serve the mixture ON TOP of plain noodles for best results.

Cheap, Fast, Variety.

Budget Savvy Diva has put together another Frugal recipe for you.  Each week, she’ll share a recipe a family of 4 can make for $5 or less.

Italian Meatsballs

Ingredients:

3 slices of bread cut into small cubes (including crusts)
1 egg
1/4 c. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 c. dried parsley
1/2 T. dried basil
1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese
1lb ground beef, or beef with pork mixture

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl stir the bread, egg and milk to completely combine and let it sit for 15 minutes. Mash up the mixture with a fork to make a smooth paste. Add all of the seasonings and cheese and mix well. Add the beef (or beef and pork mixture) and stir together until completely combined. Form the mixture into balls (about the size of a golf ball) and place on a GREASED baking sheet (for easier handling when forming meatballs, lightly wet hands with water and the mixture won’t stick to your hands).

Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 20 minutes, turning over after 10 minutes. Drain the meatballs on a paper towel and place in a large glass bowl. Add 2 cups of your favorite spaghetti sauce and stir just enough to cover meatballs. Cover bowl with paper towel and microwave on medium for five minutes, stir, recover and microwave on low for an additional 20 minutes.
 
*These are great served with your favorite pasta, or on sub rolls for meatball sandwiches

Budget Savvy Diva has put together another Frugal recipe for you.  Each week, she’ll share a recipe a family of 4 can make for $5 or less.

This week I did something a little different – plus a video for you as well.

I was at Rite Aid and saw that chocolate chip cookie mix for .99 cents – so I snagged it anything below $1.00 for cookie mix is a good buy to me. When I went to make the cookies I thought I should experiment a bit. I love to experiment in the kitchen – do you?? I decided to take an apple and make:

Apple Pie Chocolate Chip Cookies

[Read more…]