Weekly Meal Plan & Recipe

Last week definitely looked and felt like spring.  The hay fields have turned green.  The farmers' spring wheat is coming up.  On numerous occasions, we've caught the animals napping in the bright sunshine.
This weekend's rain also brought in cooler temperatures and gusty winds.  The temps dropped so significantly on Friday that while the littles and I were removing sod from our garden plot, we actually saw a few snow flurries!
Since this coming week's temperatures are forecasted to be significantly cooler than last week's (down to the mid 50's & lower 60's), I'm planning to prepare plenty of hearty and comforting suppers, but since it is spring time I'm also serving fresh salads as accompaniments.

Sunday - BBQ ribs, grilled corn on the cob, salad (rain day back-up: taco salads)
Monday - oven fried fish fillets, rice pilaf, salad
Tuesday- beef pot pie, salad
Wednesday - French onion soup, buttered bread, salad
Thursday - chicken cacciatore, herbed spaghetti, salad
Friday - homemade pepperoni and sausage pizzas, salad
Saturday - fried rice, egg rolls, egg drop soup

Here's a yummy & easy crock pot dish that we enjoyed yesterday evening.  It is perfect for a busy day or a day that's rainy and cold.

Crock Pot Gingered Beef & Carrots
(if desired you may substitute venison, pork or lamb)
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Crockery Cookbook

1 1/4 lb. boneless beef round steak, cut into 1in. cubes
4 medium carrots, bias-sliced into 1/2 in. pieces
1/2 c. bias-sliced green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. water
2 1/4 tsp. beef bullion powder OR 2 beef bullion cubes
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. grated ginger root* OR 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. cold water
1 9 oz. pkg. frozen peas, thawed
1 4 oz. jar pimiento, drained
3 c. hot cooked rice

Place cubed beef, carrots, green onions and garlic in crock pot.  In a small bowl combine 1 1/2 water, beef bullion powder, soy sauce, ginger root, and red pepper flakes; add to crock pot.  Cover; cook on low setting for 10 - 12 hours OR on high setting for 5 - 6 hours.
If using low heat setting, turn to high heat setting before combining cornstarch and 3 Tbsp. water in a small bowl or jar; stir into meat mixture. Cover and cook on high setting for 20 - 30 minutes or until thickened, stirring once.  Stir in peas and pimiento.  Serve over rice.
Makes 6 servings; 393 calories per serving
* I store my fresh ginger root in the freezer in a zip lock bag.  When needed, I simply take it out remove some of the skin with a potato peeler and grate it while still frozen.

Chicken Pesto

The chicken pesto recipe received 2 thumbs up from everyone in my family this evening.  Since everyone liked it so much, here's the recipe:

Chicken Pesto
(adapted from Food.com)

1 8oz. jar traditional basil pesto sauce
4 chicken breast halves
seasoned toasted breadcrumbs (I seasoned mine w/ a little grated Parmesan cheese, salt & pepper)
4 slices Monterey Jack cheese
black pepper to taste

Line a 9x12" baking dish with aluminum foil, shinny side up.  Evenly spread 2-3 Tbsp. pesto on foil.  Moisten chicken with water, shaking off excess, and dredge in seasoned breadcrumbs, coating evenly.  Place in baking dish.  Spread remaining pesto over chicken, season with pepper, if desired.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until juices run clear.  Top each breast half with cheese, return to oven to until melted.  Serve with seasoned pasta or garlic mashed potatoes.
Serves 4 (recipe doubles well)

A Few Little Blessings



Good Morning!

 This is the morning view from by bedroom window, sun porch and breakfast nook, aka future mud room.













Getting ready to make a birthday wish ...

  EJ isn't the only one in our family with an October birthday.













There's nothin' like it

  Here's something we can't find up here.   We thank God for Mrs.A and UPS.

















Full of, Mmm Mmm Good stuff.

  This week we enjoyed the following recipe from "Forgotten Recipes" complied by Jaine Rodack -
I served it with brown rice and sauteed yellow squash.  Since I prepared this for just the littles and myself, I reduced the steak, onions and mushrooms by half.








1949 Steak, Country Style (pg. 101)

2 lb. round steak
seasoned flour
1/2 c. butter, divided
2 onions, sliced
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1/2 c. water
2 tbs. grated cheese
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 c. sour cream

Cut steak into serving pieces and dredge in seasoned flour.  Melt 1/4 c. butter in large frying pan and add the onions and mushrooms.  Cook until the onions are tender and the mushrooms are just lightly browned.  Remove the onion mixture from the pan and set aside.  Add the remaining butter; when melted add the steak and brown on both sides.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Add the remaining ingredients and return the onion and mushroom mixture; stir well.  Return the steak to the pan, cover and simmer on low until meat is tender enough to cut with a fork.  Note:  if sauce gets too thick while simmering, stir in an additional 1/4 - 1/2 cup water.
Serves 6-8

Saturday's Super Supper

As previously mentioned on this blog, we really enjoy Mexican food.  Today was a fairly lazy day around the B house so, I decided to spend some time in the kitchen preparing an authentic Mexican meal.  Unfortunately, up here in the North I do not have access to many of the traditional Mexican ingredients that are readily available in Texas.  Thus, I had to improvise with the ingredients I could find.  Today's supper menu included, Guisado de Carne y Chile Poblano (Beef and Green Chili Stew), Mexican Rice, Pico de Gallo, homemade Four Tortillas and Flan (custard).

Here are my improvised recipes for Guisado de Carne y Chile Poblano and Flan:

Guisado de Carne y Chile Poblano

serves 8

2 tablespoon bacon grease or vegetable oil

2 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 pound grilled stew meat

2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

12 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 large ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

4 cups chicken broth OR 4 cups water & 4 chicken bullion cubes

5 4oz. cans diced green chilies

1 teaspoon. salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

lime wedges

Heat the oil in a large stewing pot over medium heat.  Heat and cook the onion, stirring until it begins to brown.  Add the grilled stew meat, celery, garlic, oregano, cumin, tomato, and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until stew thickens.  Add the chilies.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook an additional 10 - 15 minutes to blend the flavors.  Serve hot with lime wedges & flour tortillas.

Flan
serves 8

1 cup sugar
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 1/2 cups whole milk
5 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Warm 8 6oz. ramekins on a cookie sheet in the oven.  In a heavy saucepan, cook sugar over medium heat, stirring frequently, until melted and golden brown, 6-9 minutes.  Quickly pour equal amounts of caramelized sugar into the warmed ramekins.  Set aside.
Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees.  In another saucepan bring 2 - 3 cups water to a boil.  In a blender, put the sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, eggs, yolk and vanilla.  Mix on low speed 1 minute.
Pour equal amounts of custard into the ramekins.  Place them in a larger pan and place in the oven.  Carefully pour the boiling water into the larger pan until it reaches approximately 1 inch deep.  Bake the flan 20-25 minutes or until the custard is set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the water bath and cool completely on a rack.  When room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight before serving.

These recipes are adapted from Marge Poore's, 1,000 Mexican Recipes.  If you and your family decide to try them, I hope you all enjoy them as much as we do!

Waste Not Want Not Wednesday

A couple weeks ago I was perusing my cookbooks and decided to try Ree Drummond's, author of The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Spicy Pulled Pork recipe (pg. 94-95).  On shopping day I scouted out the meat section of the local grocer.  Food prices are significantly higher up here than down in S.E. Texas, thus, I ended up paying $22.84 for a 6 lb. pork roast, that's nearly $3.81 per pound!  I knew I definitely didn't want to waste a single bite of this roast.

Good news!  Not only is Ree Drummond's recipe fantastic - the only change I'll make next time is an addition of red pepper flakes - but, I used this pork roast as the foundation for FIVE meals.  Reducing the cost per serving to $1.14 and keeping all 5 meals under $2.50 per serving.  Also, using the the left over roast in four of the meals was a real time saver.

Here's what I prepared:
Spicy Pulled Pork w/ corn tortillas, pico de gallo, sour cream, avocado slices and pinto beans
Dinner, aka lunch, of the above left overs
Pulled Pork BBQ sandwiches w/ sliced onions, bread & butter pickles, macaroni salad
Pulled Pork enchiladas, Mexican rice and charro beans
Pulled Pork smothered in gravy over mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and green salad

What's your Waste Not Want Not Wednesday tip?

Spaghetti with Bacon & Eggs

We are finally getting somewhat settled into our temporary housing. So, today I thought I'd share a quick, easy and frugal breakfast with you. Our family really enjoys this dish. It could also be paired with a salad for a quick dinner or supper. This recipe doubles and triples very well.

For this recipe you will need:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

5 oz. bacon, cut into matchsticks

1 clove garlic, minced

12 -14 oz. cooked spaghetti (I like to use left overs)

3 eggs, room temperature

3/4 c. Parmesan cheese, grated (can substitute other flavors of cheese)

salt & pepper

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and cheese. Set aside. In a medium frying pan, over medium heat, fry the bacon and minced garlic in the olive oil. When the bacon is slightly crispy, add the left over spaghetti. Cook until the spaghetti is hot, stirring frequently. When the spaghetti is piping hot, pour the bacon and spaghetti mixture into the egg mixture, and stir to combine well. The heat from the spaghetti and bacon fat will slightly cook the eggs. Stir in salt & pepper to taste.

Note: You can also use freshly boiled spaghetti. After draining, immediately pour the hot spaghetti into the egg mixture, stir well; then add the hot bacon and fat, stirring well again.

Serves 4

This recipe was adapted from "Pasta - irresistible recipes for perfect pasta", pg.171.

Cost Breakdown:

spaghetti - $0.99

bacon - $1.29

Parmesan cheese - $1.98

olive oil, garlic, salt & pepper - $0.60

Total: $4.86 OR $1.22 per person

Wishing You the Luck of the Irish ...

I have always had a fondness toward history, especially history associated with my ancesterial roots. The maternal side of my family is of German ancestory and the paternal side of my family is of Irish ancestory. As a matter of fact, my paternal Great Grandfather was one of nearly one million Irish who immigrated to America during the late 19th century to escape Ireland's Great Potato Fammin.

Today, I'd like to share a little bit of St. Patrick Day history with all of you. Please note: the following information was copied from www.history.com.
Oh yeah, by the way, did you know that the color traditionally assiciated with St. Patrick's Day was blue, not green?

Who Was St. Patrick?

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. But for all his celebrity, his life remains somewhat of a mystery. Many of the stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are false, the products of hundreds of years of exaggerated storytelling.

Taken Prisoner By Irish RaidersIt is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D. Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family. At the age of sixteen, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. (There is some dispute over where this captivity took place. Although many believe he was taken to live in Mount Slemish in County Antrim, it is more likely that he was held in County Mayo near Killala.) During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. (It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.)

Guided By VisionsAfter more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice-which he believed to be God's-spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland.
To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo, where it is believed he was held, to the Irish coast. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation-an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after, Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than fifteen years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual mission-to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish. (Interestingly, this mission contradicts the widely held notion that Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland.)

Bonfires and CrossesFamiliar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish beliefs. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish. (Although there were a small number of Christians on the island when Patrick arrived, most Irish practiced a nature-based pagan religion. The Irish culture centered around a rich tradition of oral legend and myth. When this is considered, it is no surprise that the story of Patrick's life became exaggerated over the centuries-spinning exciting tales to remember history has always been a part of the Irish way of life.
Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

St. Patrick's Day Symbols and Traditions:

St. Patrick's Day is a holiday known for parades, shamrocks and all things Irish. From leprechauns to the color green, find out how symbols we now associate with St. Patrick's Day came to be, and learn about a few that are purely American invention.

The ShamrockThe shamrock, which was also called the "seamroy" by the Celts, was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring. By the seventeenth century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism. As the English began to seize Irish land and make laws against the use of the Irish language and the practice of Catholicism, many Irish began to wear the shamrock as a symbol of their pride in their heritage and their displeasure with English rule.

Irish MusicMusic is often associated with St. Patrick's Day—and Irish culture in general. From ancient days of the Celts, music has always been an important part of Irish life. The Celts had an oral culture, where religion, legend and history were passed from one generation to the next by way of stories and songs. After being conquered by the English, and forbidden to speak their own language, the Irish, like other oppressed peoples, turned to music to help them remember important events and hold on to their heritage and history. As it often stirred emotion and helped to galvanize people, music was outlawed by the English. During her reign, Queen Elizabeth I even decreed that all artists and pipers were to be arrested and hanged on the spot.
Today, traditional Irish bands like The Chieftains, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem are gaining worldwide popularity. Their music is produced with instruments that have been used for centuries, including the fiddle, the uilleann pipes (a sort of elaborate bagpipe), the tin whistle (a sort of flute that is actually made of nickel-silver, brass or aluminum) and the bodhran (an ancient type of framedrum that was traditionally used in warfare rather than music).

The SnakeIt has long been recounted that, during his mission in Ireland, St. Patrick once stood on a hilltop (which is now called Croagh Patrick), and with only a wooden staff by his side, banished all the snakes from Ireland.
In fact, the island nation was never home to any snakes. The "banishing of the snakes" was really a metaphor for the eradication of pagan ideology from Ireland and the triumph of Christianity. Within 200 years of Patrick's arrival, Ireland was completely Christianized.

Corned BeefEach year, thousands of Irish Americans gather with their loved ones on St. Patrick's Day to share a "traditional" meal of corned beef and cabbage.
Though cabbage has long been an Irish food, corned beef only began to be associated with St. Patrick's Day at the turn of the century.
Irish immigrants living on New York City's Lower East Side substituted corned beef for their traditional dish of Irish bacon to save money. They learned about the cheaper alternative from their Jewish neighbors.

The LeprechaunThe original Irish name for these figures of folklore is "lobaircin," meaning "small-bodied fellow."
Belief in leprechauns probably stems from Celtic belief in fairies, tiny men and women who could use their magical powers to serve good or evil. In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies. Though only minor figures in Celtic folklore, leprechauns were known for their trickery, which they often used to protect their much-fabled treasure.
Leprechauns had nothing to do with St. Patrick or the celebration of St. Patrick's Day, a Catholic holy day. In 1959, Walt Disney released a film called Darby O'Gill & the Little People, which introduced America to a very different sort of leprechaun than the cantankerous little man of Irish folklore. This cheerful, friendly leprechaun is a purely American invention, but has quickly evolved into an easily recognizable symbol of both St. Patrick's Day and Ireland in general.
Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

Other St. Patrick Day Facts:

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

The First St. Patrick's Day ParadeThe first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as fellow Irishmen serving in the English army.
Over the next 35 years, Irish patriotism among American immigrants flourished, prompting the rise of so-called "Irish Aid" societies like the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick and the Hibernian Society. Each group would hold annual parades featuring bagpipes (which actually first became popular in the Scottish and British armies) and drums.
In 1848, several New York Irish Aid societies decided to unite their parades to form one New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade. Today, that parade is the world 's oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants.
Each year, nearly three million people line the 1.5-mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades involving between 10,000 and 20,000 participants.

No Irish Need ApplyUp until the mid-19th century, most Irish immigrants in America were members of the Protestant middle class. When the Great Potato Famine hit Ireland in 1845, close to a million poor and uneducated Irish Catholics began pouring into America to escape starvation. Despised for their religious beliefs and funny accents by the American Protestant majority, the immigrants had trouble finding even menial jobs. When Irish Americans in the country's cities took to the streets on St. Patrick's Day to celebrate their heritage, newspapers portrayed them in cartoons as drunk, violent monkeys.
However, the Irish soon began to realize that their great numbers endowed them with a political power that had yet to be exploited. They started to organize, and their voting block, known as the "green machine," became an important swing vote for political hopefuls. Suddenly, annual St. Patrick's Day parades became a show of strength for Irish Americans, as well as a must-attend event for a slew of political candidates. In 1948, President Truman attended New York City 's St. Patrick's Day parade, a proud moment for the many Irish whose ancestors had to fight stereotypes and racial prejudice to find acceptance in America.

Wearing Green Around the WorldToday, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore and Russia.
In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrick's Day has traditionally been a religious occasion. In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to use St. Patrick's Day as an opportunity to drive tourism and showcase Ireland to the rest of the world. Last year, close to one million people took part in Ireland 's St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and fireworks shows.

The Chicago River on St. Patrick's DayChicago is famous for a somewhat peculiar annual event: dyeing the Chicago River green. The tradition started in 1962, when city pollution-control workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges and realized that the green dye might provide a unique way to celebrate the holiday. That year, they released 100 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river—enough to keep it green for a week!
Today, in order to minimize environmental damage, only 40 pounds of dye are used, making the river green for only several hours. Although Chicago historians claim their city's idea for a river of green was original, some Savannah natives believe the idea originated in their town. They point out that, in 1961, Savannah mayor Tom Woolley had plans for a green river. Due to rough waters on March 17, the experiment failed, and Savannah never attempted to dye its river again.
Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

Easy Corned Beef & Cabbage Recipe

This afternoon the littles and I will enjoy a traditional Irish American meal of Corned Beef and Cabbage. I am using Taste of Home's Slow Cooker Corned Beef Supper recipe.

1 onion, sliced
4 carrots, chunked
4 small potatoes, chunked
1 small corned beef brisket w/ spice packet
1/3 c. unsweetened apple juice
2 whole cloves
1 tbls. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 small head cabbage, wedged

Place onion in slow cooker. Top with carrots, potatoes and brisket. Combine the apple juice, cloves, brown sugar, orange peel, mustard and spice packet; pour over brisket. Cover and cook on high 3 1/2 - 4 hours.
Add cabbage wedges; cover and cook 20-30 minutes longer or until meat and vegetabes are tender. Strain and discard cloves; serve pan juices with corned beef and vegetables.
3-4 servings / Recipe doubles well

Frugal Feasting Friday

Sorry, I don't have a photo for this segment of "Frugal Feasting Friday". However, I do want to share my very frugal and incredibly fast Bratts-N-Kraut recipe with you. You'll have this meal on the table within 20-25 minutes. I always serve bratts-n-kraut with potato hash.

Bratts -N- Kraut
(3 servings)
2 Bratwurst Sausages
1 14oz. can sauerkraut, drained & rinsed well (note: the more you rinse it the less sour it will be)
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. butter

In medium skillet, over medium heat melt butter. Add sliced onion and bratts. Cover skillet and "steam", turning bratts and stirring onions occasionally until bratts are cooked through, approximately 10 minutes. Slice bratts into 1" pieces. Add sauerkraut, sugar, and pepper mix well. Continue to cook over medium heat, uncovered, until sauerkraut is heated through.

Potato Hash
(3 servings)
3 potatoes, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 tbsp. oil or bacon grease
salt & pepper to taste

Heat bacon grease in skillet (I prefer cast iron for this dish). Add potatoes, onions and carrots. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to weep (edges begin to sweat and turn translucent). Cover to trap steam. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until potatoes are tender. Season with salt & pepper.

Cost Breakdown:
Bratts - 1.40
Sauerkraut - 1.09
Onion - 0.37
Potatoes - 0.39
Carrot - .0.14

TOTAL: $3.39 That's only $1.13 per person.

Enchilada Salsa de Chili en Polvo

This past Christmas our eldest son, AB, gave me a new cookbook entitled, "1,000 Mexican Recipes" by Marge Poore.

With Mexico being our neighbor, many Texans LOVE Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. Our family is no exception. So, you can can imagine the smile that stretched across my face when I began reading many of the recipes contained in this book.

This evening was OG's turn to prepare supper for our family. She reviewed this week's list of meal ideas and selected Beef Enchiladas, Charro Beans and Mexican Rice. She has never prepared any of these dishes so, I knew when she made this selection she would need a little supervision (aka help).

For years I've been preparing my own personal version of a red enchilada sauce that I'd concocted using a recipe out of the Betty Crocker Cookbook as a foundation. This evening I decided we would try Mrs. Poore's recipe. I made a couple very minor adjustments, but we found this sauce to be so delicious, I decided I just had to share it with you. I assure you, if you like authentic style enchiladas, you'll LOVE this enchilada sauce. I am looking forward to trying many of Mrs. Poore's other Mexican recipes!

Enchilada Salsa de Chili en Polvo

(Chili Powder Enchilada Sauce)

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

2 Tbls. vegetable oil (for added flavor I used bacon grease)

1 Tbls. all-purpose flour

1 8oz. can tomato sauce

1/4 c. chili powder (Mrs. Poore suggests pure New Mexico or California chili powder)

2 c. beef broth or chicken broth (I used vegetable broth, because that's what I had on hand)

1 tsp. dried oregano (Mrs. Poore suggests Mexican variety)

1/2 tsp. ground cumin (OG measured incorrectly and added 1 tsp.)

1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste

large pinch of sugar (after a taste, I made this addition myself)

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook the flour, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in the tomato sauce and chili powder until well combined. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring, then reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sauce may be stored in refrigerator for 5 days or frozen for 3 months.

To make 12 enchiladas: Spread 1/4 c. sauce over the bottom of a greased 9x13 in. baking pan. Warm 12 corn tortillas in microwave. Dip a warmed corn tortilla in hot enchilada sauce. Lay tortilla in the baking pan and spoon 2 tablespoons taco meat onto tortilla, roll up and place in pan seam side down. Repeat with remaining 11 tortillas and taco meat. Spoon remaining sauce over enchiladas. Top with 1 cup shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through. 6 servings

P.S. OG prepared approximately 85% of tonight's meal by herself. The entire meal was DELICIOSO!!

Frugal Feasting Friday

Shake-N-Bake pork chop / chicken coating was a household staple in my mom's pantry when I was a girl. Yup, my mom was a "modern" cook who utilized ALL the prepared and quick fix products available at the time. (Just for the record I learned all my basic cooking skills while living with my uncle and aunt during my early teen aged years. My aunt J was / is a fabulous home cook. ) As a young girl I LOVED pork chops and chicken baked in shake-n-bake. But once I left my mom's house, I never ate it again. Mostly because my aunt J didn't cook with the stuff and once I was out on my own, I couldn't afford the stuff. As the years passed, I forgot about it.

Recently, I ran across a homemade recipe that claimed one couldn't tell the difference between this recipe and the store bought shake-n-bake. This evening I decided I'd give it a try and after a bit of tweaking (you know me, I can't leave any recipe in its original form), this homemade shake-n-bake REALLY DOES taste exactly like I remember it as a child!!

I don't know if making it yourself is any cheaper than the name brand, but whenever I have every single ingredient already on hand, it makes absolutely no sense in my mind to go out and purchase a boxed product made out of the same ingredients sitting on my own pantry shelf. So, here's my tweaked version of the homemade shake-n-bake recipe I recently came across (sorry, I don't' remember the web-site I gleaned this from - but I don't want anyone to think I've taken credit for a recipe that isn't my own).

HOMEMADE SHAKE-N-BAKE

3/4 c. cornflake crumbs
2 tsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until ground into course powder. Mixture will coat 4 pork chops or 4 pieces of chicken. I think this recipe would double or triple very well.
To Use:
Place homemade shake-n-bake in a gallon sized plastic bag. Add pork chops or chicken. Shake vigorously. Place meat on a lightly greased baking sheet. Lightly spray meat with with olive oil or other baking spray. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until juices run clear.
Serves 4

P.S. tonight was the first time the littles have ever had shake-n-bake, the big boys have never tried it, and it seems the littles LOVED this stuff as much as I did when I was a kid.

Frugal Feasting Friday

As well as saving money in the kitchen, I also like to save time whenever possible. If you've read my previous post you know that we have begun prepping for our family Christmas celebration. Since I cook most of our meals from scratch, cooking large specialty meals on the few occasions when everyone's home is a time consuming task. Through the years as I've searched for time saving techniques that work for me, I've found the freezer to be one of the best.
As mentioned in previous posts, our family often enjoys homemade pizza on Friday evenings. Well, this week instead of preparing one spinach alfredo pizza for the littles and me, I prepared two. I baked one for our supper tonight and I placed the other in the freezer for our planned pizza buffet night the week following Christmas ( remember, I've made a meal plan for the week everyone's home ). Of course, one pizza will not be enough to feed my crew of 8 (I have two who can inhale an entire pizza on their own), but over the next two weeks I will triple our pizza recipes and freeze the extras. On pizza night, instead of standing in the kitchen making pizza pies one after the other, I'll just pop the made ahead frozen ones in the oven, toss up a nice garden salad and in 30 short minutes I'll have a favorite and frugal meal on the buffet counter for my gang.

Spinach Alfredo Pizza

Dough:
(the following measurements are for one pizza - this recipe doubles and triples well)
1 tbsp. yeast
1 tsp. sugar or honey
1 c. warm (115 degrees F) water
2 tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. flour, all-purpose whole wheat or a combination of both

Toppings:
(if making 2 or 3 pizzas, double or triple the following quantities)
7 oz. store bought alfredo sauce (approx. 1/2 jar)
1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated
3 c. fresh baby spinach, chopped
2 c. mozzarella cheese, grated

In a medium bowl combine yeast, sugar or honey and warm water. Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in oil and salt. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface (I prefer to use my pastry cloth) and kneed slightly. Shape into a disk and roll out into a 15" disk. Place dough onto a well oiled baking sheet. Roll edges to form pie shape. Spread alfredo sauce evenly over dough using the back of a large spoon. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over sauce followed by chopped fresh spinach. Evenly sprinkle mozzarella cheese over spinach. Bake in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
Makes one 14" pizza /8 slices.

To Prepare Spinach Alfredo Pizza for the Freezer:
Follow above directions for preparing pizza dough. Before spreading dough with alfredo sauce, combine fresh spinach and sauce in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for approximately 2 minutes, remove, stir. Sauce will have turned green. Spread spinach & sauce mixture over dough and sprinkle with parmesan cheese followed by mozzarella cheese. Allow to freeze in the freezer for 3-4 hours before wrapping securely in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil.
To Bake:
Remove wrap from pizza and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melty and gooey & edges of crust are browned to your preference.
Makes 8 slices

Here is a photo of a frozen spinach alfredo pizza:

Cost Breakdown:

homemade dough $0.74

store bought alfredo suace $1.15

baby spinach $1.00

parmesan cheese $0.60

mozzarella cheese $1.75

Total: $5.24 per pizza OR $0.66 per slice

Frugal Feasting Friday

(photo: L-Mrs. A; R- Mrs.B)

Today's Topic: Hosting Guests / Little $$$

God did not bless me with a biological sister, however, more than 10 years ago, He blessed me with Mrs.A.
She and I have not only become the closest of friends but we've also become sisters. Even our children think of themselves as cousins. Because of the poor and sinful choices I made as a teenager and young woman, I lost most of my extended family. But, a few short years after accepting Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour, God blessed me and our family with Mrs.A. She and hers have literally become our extended family. I will forever praise and thank the Lord for blessing us with her.

This afternoon the littles and I had the pleasure of hosting Mrs.A for lunch! On her way to our house she picked up a movie AND some dark chocolate covered raisins -- yum-0. I've often visited with folks who often feel intimidated in the area of hospitality. They don't think their entertainment skills are polished enough, they worry they can't afford elaborate meals, appetizers or snacks OR they simply worry their home is not decorated well.

Today, I want to drown those fears and anxieties. First of all, when others accept an invitation to your home they are choosing to spend time with you and your family. Most do not make this decision based upon the meal or entertainment you are providing. Very few worry about your decor. Others come into your home because they desire to spend time with YOU.

Now, of course we all want our homes to be clean and neat (not necessarily spotless) when hosting others. The one thing our guests do not want to experience when they visit is a hostess who is so worried about making everything perfect, she doesn't have any fun or have any time to spend with them. If we don't have time to visit with our guests or if we don't have a pleasant time ourselves, then what's the point of hosting others in our homes? It took me many years to learn that when guests arrive at my home, they are there to spend time with ME. Do they enjoy a tasty meal? Of course. Do they feel more comfortable if the house is tidy? Of course they do. Do they expect or want me to nervously run around trying to make and keep everything perfect while they are there? NO! Is an expensive, extravagant and above board elegant dinner party the reason they came? NO!

This afternoon I served my dear sweet sister, Mrs.A, stuffed eggs, taco soup, garlic bread and water or iced tea - inexpensive, tasty, filling and SIMPLE. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Mrs.A enjoyed snuggling under a throw quilt, sitting on a pillow on our living room floor while OG played with her hair during our viewing of the movie she brought. We all leisurely snacked on, yum-o, dark chocolate covered raisins. We had a FABULOUS afternoon. It was easy, casual, relaxed and filled with the blessing of just being with those who love you. If you often or occasionally find yourself intimidated by hosting others in your home, please, take a deep breath and keep it simple.
Here's my VERY frugal and simple taco soup recipe:

TACO SOUP

Soup:
1 lb. ground meat (today I used elk)
1 med. onion, chopped
1 qt. chopped tomatoes w/ juice
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
3 6 oz. cans water
1 batch taco seasoning (recipe here: http://herpeculiarlife.blogspot.com/search/label/recipes%3A%20homemade%20mixes )
1 bay leaf

Toppings: (optional)
broken tortilla chips
chopped lettuce
sour cream
diced tomatoes
grated cheese
snipped green onion OR fresh chives
diced avocado
sliced olives

Place soup ingredients in large soup pot. Mix well. Cook over medium heat for 45 min. - 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.
I prefer to serve the toppings on the side so everyone can add whatever and however much they personally desire.
Serves 6

cost breakdown:

ground elk: free (a friend blessed us with more than 50# earlier this year)
tomatoes: $1.18
onion: $.34
tomato paste: $.20
taco seasoning: .$34
toppings: $2.00
stuffed eggs: $.50 (cost is for mix-ins - we sell our extra yard eggs to pay for chicken feed = free eggs)
garlic bread: $.96
iced tea: $1.60

TOTAL: $7.12 OR $1.19 per person
(note: if you had to purchase the meat and eggs your cost would increase to only $9.61 OR $1.60 per person.)

Frugal Feasting Friday

On Friday evenings I generally like to keep our meals quick, simple and fun. We often enjoy homemade pizzas or nachos. However, today, we finally awoke to cool autumn temperatures - low 40's ... why some folks here in S.E. Texas would even consider that down right COLD. I know better than that ... although I am a native Texan, I have had the opportunity to live and visit elsewhere. From personal experience I've learned that 40 something does not constitute COLD weather.

This morning's cooler temperatures did put me in the mood for some good old spicy comfort food, like chili and cornbread. (Yeah, I know, many yanks like their chili over pasta or rice, but here in Texas, we eat it with a SIDE of cornbread, garlic bread or crackers.) So this evening I will share my quick, simple, and frugal chili recipe with you.


Chili and Cornbread

3 1/2 c. cooked pinto beans, (1 lb. pkg. dried)
1/2 lb. ground meat (today I used elk, but you can use beef)
1 tbsp. bacon grease (omit if using store bought ground beef)
1 qt. tomatoes w/ juice, diced
1 lg. onion, diced
1 tbsp. Spanish paprika
2-3 tbsp. chili powder (less for mild / more for spicy)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. all-purpose seasoning
salt & pepper to taste
water

In a large stock pot, stir together all ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbly. If too thick, stir in water until desired consistancy is reached. Reduce heat and simmer an additional 20 minutes. Serve immediately with a side of cornbread ( http://herpeculiarlife.blogspot.com/2008/07/fried-green-tomatoes.html ).
Makes 6 servings.

Frugal Time Tip: Cook dried beans (1/2 the price per oz. of canned) ahead of time and freeze them in 1 or 2 cup portions. Whenever a recipe calls for cooked beans, they are cooked up and ready for use. I generally cook mine overnight while sleeping by using my crock pot. Cooking dried beans while sleeping or out of the house is a huge time and money saver.

Cost Breakdown:
1 lb. dried beans, $0.98
1/2 lb. ground beef, $0.99
qt. tomatoes $1.18
onion $0.34
spices $0.50 (est.)
homemade cornbread $0.78 (8 servings)

Total: $4.77 OR only $0.76 per person

Belated Frugal Feasting Friday

You all know that I usually have a plan and I always mean well, but sometimes life just throws us curve ball and we end up dropping it. So, I'm a few days late with a Frugal Feasting Friday post. I apologize for my tardiness.

Any of you who have been following my blog for any length of time know that for over 20 years our family lived on a very lean budget. Our family has three birthdays in the month of October, so, today I am going to share our family's frugal birthday tradition that was started 26 1/2 years ago with the birth of our first son, AB.

Years ago, we couldn't have afforded a lavish birthday party and numerous gifts no matter how much we may have desired it. However, we still wanted our children's birthdays to be special and memorable. So, for the past 26 1/2 years we have done the following:

**Birthday parties are limited to only family members.
**Mom and Dad select ONE budget friendly gift for the birthday boy or girl.
**Brothers and sister each give ONE gift. (the littles have a $5 store bought budget or $5 materials budget for homemade & they must use their own money)
**Mom cooks, from scratch the birthday boy or girl's favorite meal.
**Mom bakes the birthday boy or girl their favorite cake.
**We all eat supper together.
**We light the birthday candles and sing while the birthday boy or girl makes a wish and blows them out.
** We open gifts and take photos.
** We enjoy birthday cake and sometimes ice cream.

That's it. Very simple and very frugal. Have our children ever felt like they've missed out by not having a huge party or an excessive amount of expensive gifts? Not to my knowledge. Each of our children have always seemed very excited about their approaching birthdays. Like other children, ours are very eager to let everyone they know their birthdays are approaching and they always seem to have fun and are happy and thankful for their gift(s). The big boys, who are now grown, seem to have fond memories of birthday time around our house. I personally think the key to this is the consistency of the same tradition from year to year and from child to child.

Here's a couple photos from last week's birthday celebrations.

EJ, opening his gift from OG - some new rubber fishing worms and a new lure.

OG making her wish before she blows out the candles on her German chocolate cupcakes.

Another photo of OG, posing with her gifts.

This year, both EJ and OG requested seafood meals for their birthday suppers. I had some shrimp and crab meat left over and decided to make up a pot of Seafood Etoufee (a creole dish with just a bit of spice). Here's my recipe, if y'all try it I hope y'all enjoy it as much as we do.

SEAFOOD ETOUFEE

1/2 c. vegetable oil (no substitutions)

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. onion, diced

1 c. celery, diced

1/2 c. bell pepper, diced

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. Cajun seasoning

1/2 c. fresh parsley, finely chopped

3 dashes hot sauce

1 small can clam juice

1 pint tomatoes, chopped

1 c. chicken broth (estimated amount)

1 lb. raw, uncooked seafood (shrimp, crab, scallops, fish, creyfish, etc. or any combination)

1/2 stick butter (no substitutions)
3 c. hot cooked rice

green onion, chopped for garnish

In a heavy stock pot or cast iron dutch oven stir together vegetable oil and flour to make a roux, about 20 minutes. (Roux: equal parts oil and flour cooked over medium heat stirring frequently until mixture turns brown and smells nutty. Roux is an essential component of many Creole and Cajun recipes).

Add onion, celery, bell pepper, parsley and hot pepper sauce. Add clam juice and tomatoes. Stir, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes stirring occasionally. The mixture should be about as thick as stew, if it is thick like gravy stir in enough chicken broth to thin out mixture. Add seafood and stir. After 3-5 minutes (when seafood is cooked through) remove from heat and stir in butter. Serve 1 cup of etoufee over 1/2 cup of hot cooked rice, garnish with green onions.

Makes 6 servings.

Sweet & Sour Pork OR Chicken

1 lb. pork OR chicken, cut into 3/4 in. pieces

vegetable oil

1 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 - 1 c. water

1 20-oz. can pineapple chunks, reserve juice

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. vinegar

1 tsp. molasses

2 tsp. salt, divided

1 clove garlic, mined

2 tsp. soy sauce

2 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 med. green bell pepper, cut into bite sized chunks

1 small onion, cut into 3/4 in. pieces

2 Tbls. cornstarch

2 Tbls. cold water

3 c. hot cooked rice (brown OR white)

Heat oil in deep pot or fryer. Stir together flour, 1 tsp. salt, baking powder and water until a thick batter forms. Dip pork or chicken into batter and drop into hot oil. Fry 10 - 15 pieces at a time, turning 2-3 times until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Add enough water to pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. In a Dutch oven, wok or large skillet, heat juice mixture, vinegar, sugar, molasses, 1 tsp. salt, soy sauce, garlic, carrots, celery, onion, bell pepper to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until until onions begin to turn translucent and carrots are crisp tender. Mix 2 Tblsp. cornstarch and 2 Tblsp. cold water, stir into sauce. Add pork OR chicken. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Serve over hot cooked rice.

6 servings

Do ahead tip: After frying pork OR chicken cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Re-heat, uncovered, in a 400 degree oven until hot, 5-10 minutes.

Maple Apple Turkey Meatballs

In my last post I mentioned Food Network's Robin Miller's Quick Fix Meals program. My Maple Apple Turkey Meatball recipe is adapted from one of her shows and has been a HUGE hit with my family. For this recipe you will need:

1/2 c. apple sauce

1/4 c. maple syrup

1 tsp. Simply Organic all purpose seasoning

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled into bits

1 1/2 lb. ground turkey

Sauce -

1 c. mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. maple syrup

1/4 tsp. prepared horseradish (add a little more if you prefer a little more "kick")

Combine apple sauce, maple syrup, all purpose seasoning, salt, pepper and bacon bits. Mix apple sauce mixture into the ground turkey well (I use my food processor). Using wet hands form turkey mixture into large meatballs. Spray crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Place meatballs in crock pot and cook on low 4-6 hours or on high 2-4 hours.

Before serving combine sauce ingredients, mix well. Heat sauce in microwave for 1 minute, stir; repeat. Plate meatballs on serving platter and spoon sauce over each meatball. Serve extra sauce with meal.

Makes about 15 large meatballs.

NOTE: These meatballs can also be cooked uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes, until center reads 180 degrees with a meat thermometer.

For an appetizer, form turkey mixture into 45 small meatballs and reduce cooking time by about one third. Serve with toothpicks.

Shrimp, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Living only 1 1/2 hours from Louisiana lends itself to occasionally partaking in Cajun cuisine. Cajun cuisine evolved from the cooking influences of the French and Mexican cultures. So far, I've never met anyone who didn't ask for seconds when sampling this delicious combination.

1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. gumbo file` seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (more if your palette can take it)
1 bay leaf
1 med. onion, chopped
1 med. green bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 c. chicken stock
1 (28 oz.) can tomatoes, chopped w/ juice
1 c. cooked de-boned chicken, (yes, this was from James)
1/2 lb. smoked sausage, sliced
1 lb. peeled, de-vained shrimp
1 (12 oz. ) pkg. frozen sliced okra
4 c. hot cooked rice

In a Dutch oven or large soup pot melt butter over low heat. Stirring constantly, add flour, gumbo file`, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and bay leaf. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture turns from dark green to brown (this mixture is called roux / pronounced rue),approximately 10-15 min. Add onion, green bell pepper and celery. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are transparent. Add chicken stock and tomatoes with juice. Increase heat to medium, and bring mixture up to a simmer. Add chicken, sausage, shrimp and okra. Return to a simmer and cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over hot cooked rice.
Make sure you always place a bottle of Louisiana hot sauce (we use Tabasco brand, it's made in Louisiana) on the table next to the salt and pepper when serving Cajun or Creole cuisine.
Serves 8

Note: You may omit the shrimp and add additional chicken and sausage, OR you may substitute diced ham for the sausage, OR you may substitute crayfish tails for the shrimp, OR you may substitute any combination of meat your heart desires - it all tastes good in gumbo.

We Owe A Thank You For...

(photo at right courtesy of www.freephotos.com )
Tuesday evening's supper to Homeschool Mom from Magnify To Make God Bigger, http://magnifykidschurch.blogspot.com/
Her suggestion was a family favorite from her childhood. In my comments section she says, "I don't have an exact recipe,but.. Using a 9 x 13 pan, fill the bottom of the pan with chicken pieces and cubed potatoes. Bake. When it is almost done put a layer of green beans on top. Then coat the entire dish with a cheese sauce (I use queso). Bake about 10 more minutes and then serve. Yum."
This easy to prepare, one dish meal was a GIGANTIC success with my crew! EVERYONE gives it TWO thumbs up and when asked, "Should I prepare this again?" The response was, "Most Definitely." Here's how I prepared Homeschool Mom's suggestion.

Homeschool Mom's Cheesy Roasted Chicken & Potatoes with Green Beans

3-4 lb. fryer, cut up
4 medium potatoes, chunked
1 tsp. Simply Organic's All-Purpose Seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Qt. green beans
Cheese Sauce:
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. mustard powder
salt & pepper, to taste
2-3 Tbsp. flour
1 - 1 1/2 c. milk
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Place chicken and chunked potatoes in a 9 x 13 in. baking pan. Sprinkle with all-purpose seasoning, salt and pepper. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until potatoes are fork tender and chicken juices run clear.
While chicken and potatoes are baking prepare cheese sauce: In a small sauce pan, melt butter. Whisk in mustard powder, salt, pepper and flour. When mixture comes together as a paste, slowly add milk while constantly whisking. When mixture begins to thicken, vigorously whisk in shredded cheese. Set aside.
When juices from chicken run clear and potatoes are tender, sprinkle green beans over casserole. Drizzle casserole with cheese sauce. Return to a 350 degree oven for approximately 10 minutes, until green beans and cheese sauce are hot.

I am looking forward to tomorrow's suggestion(s). I am having fun "cooking by the seat of my pants". Your participation is greatly appreciated.

Tonight's Supper ...

was courtesy of Mrs. A from Charmin's Thoughts, www.charminsthoughts.blogspot.com She suggested serving her famous King Ranch Chicken.

Since I've been feeling a little "uninspired" in the kitchen lately, I've decided that I will cook whatever meal(s) is/are suggested to me through this "Menu Idea Invitation". I am really hoping that you guys will suggest something for tomorrow evening - otherwise my family may go to bed hungry! ... hee! hee!

I do have Mrs. A's King Ranch Chicken recipe, however, I did not have all the ingredients for her "secret" family recipe on hand. So, I will provide you, my dear readers, with the version I prepared this evening. It was served with a spinach, pineapple and Mandarin orange salad.

King Ranch Chicken

2 c. cooked chicken, shredded

3 Roma tomatoes, cored

1 4oz. can diced green chilies

1 batch cream soup mix, reconstituted, http://herpeculiarlife.blogspot.com/2008/11/simplified-sundays.html

2 oz. sour cream

1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

6 corn tortillas, cut into strips

Using a food processor, chop and combine tomatoes and green chilies. Transfer to a medium bowl, add shredded chicken, reconstituted cream soup, sour cream, and 1/2 c. shredded cheese; mix well. In a greased 8 x 8 baking pan spread a small amount of chicken mixture. Top with a layer of corn tortilla pieces. Repeat layers of chicken mixture and corn tortillas ending with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes or until hot, bubbly and cheese begins to brown.

Serves 6

Thank you Mrs. A! My family and our home school group enjoyed supper and went to bed with full bellies this evening.

Frugal Feasting w/ the Crock Pot

With softball and baseball now in full swing and gardening season upon us, I know that for the next four months I will be running in high gear. One of my priorities for my family is providing home cooked meals that we can enjoy together each evening. When life gets busy, it is very temping to buzz through the local drive-thru, but it isn't healthy or budget friendly. Even when ordering from the value menus, I find our totals to be a minimum $4 per person and I don't know about you, but I often find myself feeling run-down and low on energy. No, the drive-thru is not a good value for my family.

During these busy seasons of life I often find my self using the crock pot and cooking extras for quick make-over meals later in the week. Today, I'd like to share a menu, that at less than $1.10 per person, is not only budget friendly but also time management friendly. Tonight I will feed seven people, 3 adults, 4 children the following.

Crock Pot Swiss Steak w/ Mashed Potatoes & Sauteed Zucchini You will need:
1 lb. sirloin steak ( $2.66 from the quick sale bin)
1 green or red bell pepper (.34 from the quick sale bin @ 3/.99)
1 medium onion, divided (.30 @ .43 per lb.)
1 lb. zucchini (.89 @ .89 per lb.)
2 lb. potatoes ($1.58 @ .79 per lb.)
1 can diced tomatoes (.88 ea.)

Pantry Items (approximately $1 worth)
3 cloves garlic
1/4 c. milk
1/4 stick butter
salt & pepper
vegetable oil

Cut steak into 1 x 2 inch strips. Place in crock pot and lightly sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Next, add 3/4 of a medium onion and the bell pepper also cut into strips. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Press garlic directly into crock pot.

Add one can of diced tomatoes. Again, lightly sprinkle with salt & pepper. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours.

Serve with mashed potatoes (potatoes, milk, butter, salt & pepper) and sauteed zucchini (zucchini, 1/4 med. onion, salt & pepper, vegetable oil).

I hope this inspires you to use your crock pot as a time management tool also.