Budget Recipes & Tips

This isn't just any pot of beans! The flavors of all the beans/peas blend so well into the broth and seasonings in the bag, that it's nuts! I live in the mountains, so I just pressure-cooked it until the pinto beans, which take the longest, were tender.

This is a good dinner to use up that ham bone that you froze after the holidays or just as is for a veggie Monday meal with low clean up, too!

Meat prices are through the roof, as most everyone knows right now, but this can help you afford a steak night here or there when you use it to stretch your budget! I made a homemade version (copycat) of Marie Callendar's cornbread. The whole meal was less than $4.00, so it was easily less than $1.00 per person!

This isn't a recipe as much as it's a tip. I've been so busy with my college classes, but I do still look at the clearance stuff. I got a packet of jerk seasoning for 25 cents.

Also, you can't go wrong with boneless, skinless chicken thighs for tenderness and a "no fail" kind of theme. I bought these on sale for less than $2 per lb and froze them.

In a pinch, you can always throw together something good in less than an hour total with an easy, peasy chicken thigh dish to suit any budget!

This jerk chicken was served with baked potatoes (from the recent sale) and steamed mixed veggies. It doesn't get easier or more affordable per portion than this!

Light & Simple 2-3 Egg Personal Vegetable Frittata

I, simply, used a small nonstick skillet on medium heat after whisking the following together well:
* 1/2 of a small-medium, grated zucchini
* 2-3 beaten eggs
* a sprinkle of garlic, salt, and pepper

Once I could tell that the eggs were starting to set, I moved it to the oven on low broil watching it carefully until the top was set. Remove from oven, sprinkle a little grated cheese on top, and serve immediately.

I also happen to have a few really small cast iron skillets, so I could even make several at once in the oven as well. There are so many options, but this one is the easiest for me for a quick, healthy breakfast. I have used other vegetables many times. Most do not have the water content that squash does, so add a splash of milk or water when beating the eggs instead. I served mine with a side of grapes.

This is a favorite way of mine to use up small amounts of leftovers as well. I try to not let anything go to waste around here! That is the best thing for all of our budgets!

Vegetable Egg Rolls

I am pretty proud of the cost of this one! Plus, like almost everything, you find out it is much easier to make yourself than you first thought it would be.

I got a Dole Chopped Salad Kit (Sesame Asian variety) that was marked down to 99 cents. I do not particularly like this salad kit, but I thought I could use the mix to make something else. I was right! I saved the sauce (dressing in the pack) for a warm dipping sauce to serve with the egg rolls.

The regular price at Walmart for Nasoya Vegan Egg Roll Wraps was $2.48. I was shocked at how many wraps come in a 1 lb package! I didn't count them, but it will make a whole lot of egg rolls. The instructions on the bag on how to roll them were wonderfully helpful! My only suggestion is to wet (baste with a little water or use your finger dipped in a small glass of water) all the edges as you fold the way they say. Roll them all, refrigerate or freeze the extra egg rolls you won't use tonight, and fry up the ones you want to eat with your dinner or as a snack.

The only other thing I added to the shredded mix was garlic salt. I will experiment more in the future. I pan-fried them with a little oil in the bottom of my skillet, but I think I will deep-fry them next time. Perhaps, I will see how they come out by baking or air-frying some of them after lightly spraying them with oil.

It's been a while. I've been going through a lot going back to college full-time, etc. I have a super easy one for you today!

Stir-fry with frozen veggies, spaghetti squash, and sauce

Get the large bag of frozen Bird's Eye Oriental-Style stir fry with sauce. Use half the package prep ahead of time and throw the rest back in the freezer.

Prep the night before with sale chicken or the cheapest beef cut you can find (I used 1 lb of the cheapest cut of arm roast beef). Use your cutting shears to cut it thinly, add a sprinkle of baking soda throughout, stir it together and refrigerate overnight, otherwise called velveting (it makes even the hardest, non-tender cuts, soft and tender. You'll thank me later, I promise!

Before adding it to your hot skillet or wok, rinse the meat under cool water. Set your wok to high heat and add the thawed and drained veggies and rinsed meat. Stir often! Add one package of sauce with half of a small steamed spaghetti squash (microwaved for 7 minutes, open side down on a plate), scored and scraped out with a fork.

This might sound hard, but it's the easiest, healthy meal for a busy weeknight, I promise!

Brown Sugar Bourbon Mahi-Mahi

All I did was sprinkle some brown sugar bourbon seasoning on it and bake it for 20 minutes at 350°! Next time, I'll use a little less seasoning rub, but it was pretty good. It was just a tiny bit spicy, which I didn't expect.

I served it with veggie rice (you could do a simple rice pilaf instead) and steamed cauliflower and broccoli.

Almost 1 lb of fresh Mahi-Mahi was on clearance for $10 and needed used within 4 days. A rice pilaf would be about $1.00 and the steamed vegetables would be about the same. $12 for 4 servings = $3.00 per serving! Hooray!

"Hot Chocolate" Cake in a Mug

I was shooting for a microwave brownie in a mug, and this was pretty close!

1 packet dry hot chocolate mix
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup milk
1 TBSP oil

Mix it all together well in a mug. Microwave for 1 minute. It'll double in size. Serve immediately plain or with a scoop of ice cream.

It doesn't get easier or cheaper than this! I needed something quick for a treat for my 2 little girls. Not wanting to run to the store or heat up the house, I came up with this on a busy school night. I hope you enjoy it as well!

Easy, Creamy Stove-Top Mac and Cheese

I was trying to imitate or copycat an easy version of the creamy type versions of non-baked Mac 'n cheese, like you might get at Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). It worked! Plus, it doesn't heat up the house!

* 16 oz dry pasta of your choice
* 2 cups whole milk (can use 1/2 cup of half and half to replace 1/2 cup of the milk if you want it richer)
* 1/3 of a large block of store brand Velveeta, cut into small cubes
* 1 tsp mustard (I used dijon)
* 1 tsp cornstarch
* 2 cups shredded cheese blend of your choice (can add more, to taste)
* salt & pepper, to taste

This is so easy, I cannot believe I didn't try making this sooner! Well, I guess I did try, but it never worked and wasn't this simple. LOL

Cook the pasta a few minutes extra than normal al dente. I cooked mine 16 minutes. Drain the water, lower the heat too medium-low, and add all the other ingredients. Stir gently until all the cheese is melted and combined. Serve immediately. If the sauce is still a little thin, just turn the heat off and put the lid on for 5 minutes. 😉

I usually just make a small batch of cream of celery, cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, or cream of broccoli, but tonight I combined the last of just a few things needing used up, 5 stalks of diced celery, half a diced onion, just the stems from mushrooms since I'm on a stuffed mushroom kick, and one diced chicken breast. We serve it over brown rice with a salad or over brown rice with a side of steamed veggies.

I, generally, saute any or all of the above in 2 TBSP butter and my favorite seasonings with garlic. Once tender, I add a couple tablespoons flour and brown that for 2-3 minutes. Then, I add milk or cream until it gets to the right consistency, stirring constantly (like a gravy).

It's so easy! You can also dice everything much smaller and freeze in 1.5 cup portions for use in other recipes. It always adds just the right touch!

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I used four chicken breasts, filleting them thin, added a handful of spinach around half a mozzarella cheesestick, and rolled the chicken breast around it, placing the open end down on my baking pan.

Then, I used 2 TBSP mayonnaise mixed with kickin' chicken seasoning, garlic powder, and an herb and seasoning blend to baste each breast with. I topped each with Italian-style breadcrumbs, patting them into the sides and top.

Bake it at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a meat thermometer placed in the center of the largest one reads 165 degrees.

To be completely open, I, usually, bake it until 155 degrees, because it continues to cook after taking it out of the oven while you're prepping plates with the sides. It's the most moist that way and still fully cooked! Actually, these were a bit overcooked because of the above mentioned temp and I had a bit of basting sauce left anyway. When I do it again, I'll lightly baste the inside of each breast, before rolling, with a little of the prepared sauce first.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

* 5 Bell Peppers, cleaned and cut in half lengthwise
* 1 lb ground turkey
* 1/2 onion, diced small
* 1 small can of tomato sauce
* 1 cup uncooked brown rice, cooked according to the instructions
* any of your favorite seasonings, to taste
* 1-2 TBSP grated cheese per pepper half

Boil the peppers for 10 minutes. Use tongs to drain each pepper of water and place in a large casserole dish.

Brown the ground turkey with the onion and seasonings. Stir in the tomato sauce well. Add the cooked brown rice and combine it all.

Add the meat and rice mixture to each half pepper and top each with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese on top is browned to your liking.

By the way, this makes exactly enough stuffing for 5 medium-sized Bell peppers. I thought that could never happen! LOL

The bell peppers were 59 cents each, the frozen ground turkey was $2.54 per lb tube. The brown rice was about 50 cents, at most. The tomato sauce was 33 cents. The cheese was about $1.00. The total cost was $7.32. For five servings, it was just $1.46 per serving. You could also serve it with a simple salad for just a little increase in cost or start a cut and come again salad garden. 😉

Lemon Butter Chicken & Spinach Pasta

* 2-3 large Chicken Breasts, diced
* 3 large handfuls of fresh spinach
* 2 cups cooked pasta
* 2 TBSP butter
* 2 TBSP cornstarch made into a slurry with chicken broth
* A few sprinkles of Kickin Chicken Seasoning
* A few sprinkles of Mixed Salt-free Herb & Seasoning Blend
* a few sprinkles of dry ranch seasoning
* a little thyme
* 1 TBSP minced garlic
* a couple drops of concentrated lemon juice
* Salt & Pepper, to taste
* Parmesan Cheese, to taste

Cook the chicken with the seasonings in a large skillet until cooked through, add the cornstarch slurry until thickened, and turn the heat off. Add the spinach, stirring often, until it's just starting to wilt a little. Stir in the cooked pasta, and serve immediately.

It's so simple! It only took about 10 minutes!

I've been on a stuffed mushroom kick lately. I buy 16 oz packages of mushrooms, remove the stems for a cream of mushroom soup base or a "pulled pork" type of added vegetarian option as a way to extend my meat option and use the caps for stuffing my leftovers into by baking them at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Almost any leftover qualifies as a gnarly base!

I had a small piece of leftover salmon. I minced it up, added a few dried breadcrumbs, a little parmesan cheese, a little shredded colby jack cheese (very little). I should've added a little butter, but I'm also on a diet, so I chose not to.

I've been eating these all afternoon and evening. They're very filling and hearty! What I did with the last few was microwave them for 30 seconds with a little water dripped into each cap while they're covered with a damp paper towel, that's what the picture is of. They're so moist and yummy.

You could also choose to add a little butter while baking to make them restaurant quality hors d'oeuvres . I chose the light version and have been snacking all day on them for just 5 calories per mushroom, not counting the filling, which was minimal. This will be my new go to snack to not feel hungry between meals!

I had a cup and a half of leftover Mexican 7 layer dip and no extra tortilla chips, so I decided to make it into another dish for dinner tonight, Large Stuffed & Baked Mexican-Style Shells.

Brown one pound ground turkey, half a diced bell pepper, a little onion and taco seasoning. Once it's all tender, add 1 cup black beans and 1 small can of Rotel tomatoes. Let it all cook together until the liquid from the canned tomatoes is cooked out.

Mix it with the 7 layer dip, stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese, stuff the precooked shells and bake them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve it with a salad.

Chipotle Ranch Chicken Thighs with sides of Chicken Rice Pilaf and Mixed Vegetables

I rarely boil chicken unless I'm deboning it, but the chicken was frozen, so this worked well! I boiled 5 chicken thighs with all purpose seasoning, Italian seasoning, thyme, and garlic.

Then, I removed the chicken to cool and added brown rice to the broth. I let it boil until it reduced while the brown rice was cooking.

In the meantime, I threw away the chicken skin and removed any visible fat while steaming 2 lbs of veggies.

I basted the chicken thighs with a very small amount of Chipotle Ranch dressing in a covered skillet with a little bit of broth to keep them warm and moist.

When the rice was done and the broth reduced, I served it all.

5 servings was about $1.50 per serving, if you catch everything on sale, like I did. More power to ya with these rising grocery prices! I'm so grateful for a deep freezer to allow for stocking up on great sales!

Chicken and Broccoli with Mushroom Gravy over Brown Rice *serves 4*

* 2 large chicken breasts, diced small
* 8 oz mushrooms, diced
* 3 TBSP butter
* 3 spoons full of flour
* Mrs. Dash Herb & Seasoning Blend
* 1 spoon full of minced garlic
* a sprinkle of thyme
* water
* 1 heaping spoon full of Better Than Bullion Vegetable Base
* 1 - 12oz package of frozen broccoli florets
* 3 cups of cooked brown rice (about 1 cup dry before cooking)

This was very simple and affordable! I sauteed the chicken and mushrooms until softened and browned them in the butter, added the flour and stirred often for 3 minutes, added the seasonings and enough water so that the gravy thickened up, and added the frozen broccoli. I let it simmer on low until I was ready to serve it over the rice.

Simple doesn't mean it's not delicious and easy!

Goulash is one of my favorite comfort meals ever! I usually do it with ground beef, stewed tomatoes, bell peppers, and sweet onions. I stew that together for a few hours in my dutch oven on the stovetop with multiple seasonings, water, beef base, and a bay leaf. At the end, I add a bag of noodles, usually large elbows. If it's not liquidy enough, I add a little more water, and cook until the pasta is tender.

Tonight, I used a bag of frozen vegetables that were meant for a stir-fry, so the vegetables were cut thinly or small to begin with, Great Value Stir-Fry Veggies, with only the smaller ones added for the veggies. I'm trying to eat healthier, so this was grand to me!

With the price of ground beef being close to the price of ribeyes 2 years ago, I still feel this meal is way worth it, especially as I did it tonight. It's so much healthier! It still tastes great, and there's plenty more veggies to make it go further!

Taco bowls are my go-to when I'm busy and need to have a "help yourself" kind of night. Leftovers are always good for burritos or a taco soup as well.

* Ground beef with diced onions and taco seasoning
* Rice
* Black beans
* Shredded cheese
* Corn
* Sliced black olives
* Guacamole
* Sour cream
* Jalapenos
* Salsa

It was easy with leftovers! I'll make the most of what we didn't eat for freezing until we get back as well. Yay!

Not every recipe is one for the books, but when it's easy after a long day and uses up things that need using up, that's a win!

I had 1 lb frozen peeled and deveined shrimp, 1 lb frozen California vegetable mix, 1 jar alfredo sauce, 1.5 lbs of dried pasta, 4 TBSP butter, 3 spoons full of flour, tons of seasonings, like garlic and herb seasoning blend, Italian seasoning, and kickin' chicken seasoning, parmesan cheese, and some milk.

One jar of Alfredo sauce wouldn't have been enough for a dinner, so I thawed and sauteed the vegetables in the 4 TBSP of butter while boiling the noodles.

After the veggies were tender, I added the shrimp, the flour, parmesan cheese, and seasonings, stirring often. About 5 minutes later, I added milk, as needed to thin it out to a creamy consistency, stirring constantly, added the jar of alfredo sauce, and turned the heat off.

When the noodles were cooked, I drained them, and added it all together stirring until everything was well blended.

It will have to do tonight, as I'm exhausted, but I think everyone will be happy!

A one-pot meal is healthier and easier than most things you can throw together after an hour or more in the kitchen. This took just minutes in the kitchen! I was physically exhausted after cleaning and repairing things all day in our rental, yet it wasn't going to be a pizza night. Prices are soaring, but I can still throw together a fast supper with only one pot to clean if I think ahead.

Marinated tri-tip roasts have been $5.99 per lb for 2 weeks at Albertsons Market. They come in Santa Maria, Hatch Green Chili, or Peppercorn and Burgundy flavors.

Tonight, we used Santa Maria (about 1.65 lbs for $10.00), sliced thinly in strips against the grain, 3 x-large russets, cut in quarters, sliced thinly and boiled until barely tender when pierced with a fork ($1.00), an 8 oz package of sliced mushrooms ($1.00), a 2 lb bag of frozen french-style green beans ($2.00), 1 packet of Better than Bullion Beef Gravy (bought on clearance for 50 cents), and a generous sprinkle of taco seasoning. $14.50-$15.00 to fill a huge wok or dutch oven that feeds 8+ isn't bad at all these days!

I just threw all the ingredients, except for the gravy mix, into my wok on high and stirred continually. When the meat was still slightly pink in the center, maybe 5 minutes, I added the gravy mix, stirred for 1 minute more, turned the heat off and served it immediately. It was delicious and super easy!

Easy Peasy Kung Pao Shrimp & Broccoli Chow Mein

I had the frozen shrimp, so I used that, but you could use any meat, like thinly sliced beef or chicken. It's a low noodle to veggie and meat ratio, so I think it's much healthier overall than fast food when you're in a time crunch.

* 1 pkg Nissan Chow Mein, add water and microwave for 2 minutes
* 1 lb fresh/frozen chopped broccoli
* 1 lb raw/frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 2 tbsp bottled Kung Pao sauce & a little extra for a slight drizzle over top

Set your nonstick skillet on high heat, add the frozen broccoli and toss until it is thawed and partially cooked.

In the meantime, microwave the chow mein noodles for 2 minutes. Add the sauce packet to the broccoli in the skillet.

When the timer goes off, add the noodles to the hot skillet along with the shrimp. Continue tossing everything frequently. When the shrimp are cooked through and the water absorbed, turn the heat off and serve immediately. Feel free to serve a slight additional drizzle over top for presentation and taste. It might be cheap and easy, but if presented well, it feels like it's even better tasting, even in a recycled container!

This feeds 3 people, but it easily can be doubled for a quick meal to feed several folks when you have very little time!

The Nissin Chow Mein was $1.00, the shrimp was bought previously on sale for $6.00, the broccoli was also previously bought for $1.00, and the Kung Pao bottled sauce was minimal for using so little. The whole meal was about $8.50 maybe to serve 3, so it was less than $3.00 per serving even with the shrimp. Another meat choice would've made this and been much less expensive to boot! Easy peasy!

Veal Marsala with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Steamed Veggies

About a lb of thinly sliced veal was on sale for $9.00, so I had to make this for a wonderful birthday dinner for my guy!

All I needed was the veal, a slight dusting of flour on each piece, butter, an 8 oz package of sliced mushrooms, 3/4 cup of dry Marsala wine, 1 can chicken broth with a couple large spoons full of corn starch stirred in, roasted garlic, a little thyme, a couple tablespoons of cream/alfredo sauce (optional), and salt and pepper.

I made the side dishes in advance and kept them on, slow and low over warming heat.

Then, I melted a couple tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat, dredged each piece of veal lightly in the lightly seasoned flour and added them to the hot buttered pan for 90 seconds per side, adding butter for the second batch. Remove them to a plate.

Add the mushrooms and a tad more butter. Scrape up the pan drippings as you stir. Add a couple spoons full of corn starch into the chicken stock until it dissolves well.

When the mushrooms look almost tender, add 3/4 cup of dry marsala wine and let reduce for a couple minutes. Add the chicken broth slurry. When it starts to thicken, add the thin pieces of veal back in and turn the heat off. Gently stir in the cream sauce and serve immediately with a bit of marsala sauce over the mashed potatoes as well.

I'll be completely honest, I used flour instead of corn starch, accidentally, to thicken it. I don't recommend this. It should look clearish, not dark like a gravy. Besides that, this meal tasted devine, even if it could look better.... Next time, though. 😘

Something I thought I'd hardly eat again after my childhood was S.O.S., even though I technically liked it. We just had it so often, because my mom was a single mom trying to feed 3 very active children that were always hungry after every meal was plowed through, that if we wanted more, this is what we could have.

After shopping and taking home some of the amazing day old section of huge bags of fresh-baked breads, bagels, and pastries here in Southern CA., I am trying hard to not throw anything away. It's just a part of how I was raised and who I am at this point. I had to find a way to use this amazing bread we got! We used half a loaf for garlic bread recently with spaghetti sauce, simmered all day, with homemade meatballs. I couldn't think of throwing this away. The bread was still so soft and yummy, too!

I, also, had the opportunity to shop stores I've only ever heard of, being from Texas and New Mexico, like Aldi and Smart & Final. That was an adventure on its own! Yay! The every day price for fresh green beans and broccoli crowns was about $1.49 per pound. I steamed them as a side filling half the plate and served the S.O.S over the lightly toasted bread on the other half of the plate.

Oh, the memories! The price, of course, was the bottom of the barrel. There's no price, though, on a meal that's full of comfort and memories!

I really enjoy making things completely homemade. Sadly, it's becoming more and more an unusual option these days. I think most folks don't even realize how easy it is, because they're not trained in the basics in the kitchen.

Tonight, I needed a creamy sauce for a base for a dish I was planning. Instead of buying cream of mushroom or celery soup that isn't all that great from a can and has preservatives, I made some from scratch. It wasn't but a little diced mushroom/celery sauteed in butter with my favorite all purpose seasonings, a tad bit of flour and some milk. I could've used cream, but it's lighter this way, and we almost always have milk on hand. That's the base, when homemade, that can start so many great meals or add just the right touch when added later in a meal!

This one really surprised me! I had a small amount of leftover meatloaf, 2 jalapenos, some onion, eggs, a little shredded cheese and tortillas. I made it into breakfast burritos!

It kind of even looks like sausage, but I used it instead since it needed using. I love turning leftovers into new meals for breakfast or lunch!

If I'd had some sausage type seasonings, it would've tasted like sausage, too. This was fantastic as is, though!

This is roasted cauliflower. Occasionally, I get bored with side veggies. Anyone can quickly whip up boiled, steamed, pan-fried veggies, or a salad.

I will eat my veggies, regardless, but we just cannot get enough of them when roasted!

All I did was slice the head of cauliflower into spears (on sale this week at Albertsons Market), add to a bowl with 2 TBSP olive oil, toss, a sprinkle of Mrs. Dash and garlic salt, toss, and one more sprinkle of each seasoning and toss again. Bake for 25 minutes at 425 degrees. So yummy!

We had this as a side along with Spanish rice to compliment a chuck roast, diced and simmered all day as carne guisada. We served it all with warmed tortillas.

I'm so excited! I had just a little bit of fajitas leftover. I chopped it up into really small pieces and added some shredded cheese. I used a spoon to carefully fill each mushroom cap and baked them at 350° for 20 minutes. These are SO good!

Sloppy Joe Turkey and Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers

Routinely, you can get Manwich Sloppy Joe sauce for $1.00 per can. The 1 lb tubes of frozen ground turkey were previously $1.25 each. If you're not looking for white meat only, they're much less than other ground turkey options. The rice was about 50 cents. I just got 12 bell peppers for 50 cents each in the clearance bin, so I had to try this to use them up quickly.

The recipe can easily be halved for a smaller family, but my suggestion is to make the full recipe and freeze half of the filling for a later easy meal when you're busy. ;-)

* 2 lbs cooked ground turkey
* 6 cups cooked rice
* 1 can Manwich Sloppy Joe sauce
* a generous sprinkle of a garlic and herb seasoning blend
(Mix all these together well, freezing half for later use, if desired.)

* 12 bell peppers (to use the whole amount of sauce, or 6 to use half)
* 1-2 cups shredded cheese blend (didn't measure, it was about 3 TBSP per pepper, use more or less to your liking)

Set each pepper in boiling water for 10 minutes. With tongs, remove, drain, and place each pepper in a baking dish. Let cool.

Add a TBSP of shredded cheese to the bottom of each pepper. Add the filling to about halfway. Add another TBSP of cheese and fill to nearly the top with filling. Add 1 last TBSP of cheese to top each. Bake in a 350° preheated oven until the cheesy tops are browned. Serve with a salad.

Meat prices are through the roof along with almost everything. I made a pan-fried version of fajitas. I got the bell peppers for $1.00 for 2 on the clearance rack at Thriftway, the mushrooms for $1.25 for 8 oz on clearance, the chuck roast on sale this week for 5.00 for what was used to feed 5 and froze the rest, and the tortillas for 2.19, all at Thriftway, as well.

I did make double so we could have fajita quesadillas for lunch tomorrow. I also got 6 clearance avocados for $2.49, which were perfect for guacamole.

Did you know you can freeze leftover guacamole for later use just by putting it in a baggie squeezing out all the extra air? Yep! That tip saves me a lot by being able to grab a big clearance container for use later. I've even frozen avocados whole to thaw for later use in guacamole. ;-)

6 Bean Soup with Fried Cornbread Stuffing Balls

Black-eyed peas are a New Year's tradition here in the south. It was hard to even find any today. I got the last 3! I prefer the dried ones, but these cans will have to do.

I went on the concept of the 10 bean soup, but I didn't have 10 different varieties of legumes. I had pintos, black beans, yellow split peas, red lentils, brown lentils, and the 3 cans of black-eyed peas, so I guess this is 6 bean soup! LOL

I pressure cooked the dried legumes with the diced leftover ham from Christmas that I'd frozen, half a diced onion, 3 diced stalks of celery, some chicken stock (about double what there was in dried legumes, adding more as needed while they cooked), some taco seasoning, a bay leaf, minced garlic, and two different herb and spice blends that I like.

When all the legumes were tender, I added the black-eyed peas, since they were already cooked. I left it on low heat all afternoon.

To top each bowl, I'll be adding fried cornbread stuffing balls. It'll use up the last of the cornbread stuffing, too. I mixed in two beaten eggs, a little dry cornbread mix, and refrigerated it.

At dinner time, I'll use my scoop to portion out a ball shape, roll each in a little more dry cornbread mix, and drop them in hot oil to fry them like hushpuppies. ;-)

P.S. The first pic in the comments is of the twist I did on hush puppies.

Tonight, we used the leftover ham and mashed potatoes to make potato soup. I added cooked and diced red potatoes, milk, cream cheese, green onions, herbs, and seasonings. Another win!

What do you do when your large family is not eatting the Christmas leftovers?

I used the green bean casserole with homemade cream of mushroom soup, diced turkey, a tri-colored rotini (precooked), and a shredded 4-cheese blend into a layered "chicken spaghetti" type casserole that everyone enjoyed!

I also used the leftover ham for breakfast. We had it pan-fried with fried potatoes and eggs.

Yay! Both meals were delicious!

Captain Chicken.... It's been called a southern dish and an Indian dish, but it's neither. The southern folks kind of changed it to an easy dish. It's similar to Indian dishes, yet it's not at all. LOL

I used boneless, skinless thighs bought on sale a while back, but you can use bone in chicken thighs and/or legs, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or even a whole chicken, cut up. It is such a great comfort food, even though it sounds kind of weird at first. It's not! I promise!

I made a whole lot, but you could make a lot less to just try it out. After the first go, you'll want to make more!

I started with 4 regular sized cans of stewed tomatoes, 6 chicken thighs, 4 cups chicken broth, 1 bell diced pepper, a handful of raisins, 4 TBSP mild yellow curry powder, a bay leaf, garlic, salt, and pepper.

I simmered it all afternoon. You could also slow cook it in a crock pot. At the very end, I thickened it up with a corn starch slurry. We served it over rice with a side of steamed veggies.

It tastes nothing like the actual ingredients, strangely. It's not spicy, either. It's just so very good!

With the whole chickens that were 77 cents per lb this week, ending tonight at Albertsons Market, you can do this for almost nothing, even if you barely grab the chicken tonight! Normally, we like all the extra sauce, but I did cut off a bit from a sale chicken to make two days worth of more chicken and sauce. ;-)