What to cook?

Here are some of my family favorites.

MINI PIZZAS

English Muffins- separated

Spaghetti Sauce with meat

Mozzarella Cheese

pepperoni slices and/or ham pieces (optional)

Put spoonful of spaghetti sauce, meat slices on english muffin and sprinkle cheese on top. Broil in oven for a few minutes.

CHEESEBURGER MACARONI

1 pound of hamburger

1/4 c. chopped onion (optional)

1/3 c. ketchup

1 1/2 c. water

1 pkg Velveeta Shells and Cheese Dinner

1. Brown hamburger with onion (optional) in large skillet; drain

2. Place hamburger in skillet, stir in 1 1/2 c. water, ketchup, and shell macaroni.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low; cover. Simmer 10-12 minutes or until macaroni is tender.

3. Add velveeta cheese sauce; stir until melted.

HAMBURGER PIE

1# ground beef

1/2 c. chopped onion

2- 16oz cut green beans, drained

1- 10 3/4 oz condensed tomato soup

1/4c. of water

salt and pepper to taste

3 med potatoes, peeled and quatered

1 beaten egg

milk

1/2 c. shredded chedder cheese

Cook hamburger and onion till meat is browned and onion is tender; drain off grease.

Stir in beans, soup, water and season with salt and pepper.

Place mixture in a pan.

Cook potatoes in salted boiling water about 20 min or until tender; drain. mash while hot; stir in egg. Add enough milk to make potatoes fluffy, yet stiff enough to hold their shape. Season with salt and pepper.

spread potatoes on top of meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM BAKE WITH RICE

6 chicken legs

1 c. water

1 can cream of mushroom or

cream of celery soup (i prefer cream of mushroom)

1/2 c. rice

2 medium carrots, sliced (I sometimes omit)

celery salt, for seasoning

paprika, for seasoning

1/4 tsp. salt, as needed

Place rice in bottom of a baking dish. Pour 1/2 c. water over rice. Add 1/2 can mushroom soup. Stir to mix with rice. Place chicken legs, salted and peppered, on top of rice mix. Sprinkle with celery salt. Add carrots. Add remaining 1/2 c. water to mushroom soup in can. Stir until well blended. Pour over chicken, carrots and rice. Sprinkle paprika on top, sometimes I add a little parsley (nice pretty effect). Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 325' for 1 hour.

You can also cook this without the rice and carrots.

It makes a nice gravy to pour over cooked rice or noodles.

SATURDAY CHICKEN

5 servings

10 chicken legs (or whatever you prefer)

(you dont have to use that many chicken pieces. Use how many pieces you want. the rest of the recipe stays the same.)

1 can condensed cream of mushroom (or cream of chicken)

1 cup of cream (dont cheat and use milk; the cream makes a lot of difference)(i have cheated and used milk lol, but the cream does taste better)

salt, garlic powder, and paprika- to taste

chopped parsley

Season chicken with salt, garlic, and paprika. Next, spread it out, in one layer baking pan. Dilute the soup with the cream; pour it over the chicken, and sprinkle parsley on top.

Bake , uncovered, at 350' for 1 hour or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with fork.

Makes a delicious gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes or buttered noodles or rice.

CLASSIC HERBED CHICKEN

1- envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Savory Herb with Garlic Soup Mix

4 Tbsp water

1/3 c. of Ranch Dressing

4-5 boneless chicken breast (i have used thighs, just cook a little longer)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, In small bowl, blend Savory Herb with Garlic Soup Mix, ranch dressing and water.

2. In baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray, arrange chicken; pour 1/2 of soup mixture over chicken.

3. Bake uncovered, turning once and pour remaining soup mixture over chicken, 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

CHICKEN BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

3c. cooked rice (i use success)

1 tbsp. butter or margarine

1 can of cream of chicken

1 soup can of milk

1/2 c. chopped onion (recipe calls for 1 cup)

1/2 c. chopped celery (recipe calls for 1 cup)

3 c. chicken, chopped (i prefer the white meat)

1 pkg frozen broccoli, cooked

8 oz Cheez Whiz (some times i add more)

the cheesier the better

Saute onions and celery in butter until clear.

Add chicken soup and milk.

Add cheez whiz and heat slowly until blended.

Mix in broccoli, rice and chicken.

Season to taste. Pour into casserole dish, and

bake at 350' for 30 minutes.

(casserole may be frozen after baking)

This casserole is absolutely delicious. Sometimes I fix the

hashbrowns by themselves as a side dish for supper.

HASHBROWN/SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

1 pound Brown & Serve link sausages (I prefer maple flavor)

2 pounds. frozen hashbrowns potatoes, thawed

10 oz pkg cheddar cheese, grated

8 oz. sourcream

1 can cream of celery

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 stick butter, melted

Brown sausage, and set aside. Mix all other ingredients together. Put in greased casserole. Bake at 350' for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, and place sausage on top. Cook for another 15 minutes.

( you can use kielbasa, smoked sausage or lil smokies instead of link sausages)

Macaroni and cheese. You can mix in any kind of protein, burger, chicken, etc. for a good meal.

Get Bisquik also, it can make all kinds of good stuff with very few ingredients.

Sandwiches are always good.

casseroles of all kinds are good.

Necessity is the mother of invention, hit the store and see what is on sale an think of some ways to make it fit together...some of the best (and worst) meals I have had came from this approach.

Most food you by these days has a recipe on it too, try them, they are usually pretty good.

Our families favorite cheap dinner is this:

Peel and slice potatoes into rounds, cut up and onion.....add 1/4 cup oil to a skillet and cook potateos and onions for 10 minutes. CUt up a pkg of exridge sausage into potatoes and put a lid on it and let cook an other 10 minutes. Season with alst pepper and garlic. It is dirt heap and all you need is a can veggie to go with it. We take the leftovers and wrap it in tortillas for breakfast the next morning with some shredded cheese. My kids love this stuff.

Chili Roni

1 lb elbow macaroni

2 pound lean ground beef

2 package McCormick® Chili Seasoning

1 chopped onion

1 chopped bell pepper

¾ or 1 cup water

Shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)

1. Cook macaroni as directed on package.

2. Meanwhile, brown ground beef in large skillet. Drain fat. Stir in Seasoning Mix, onion, bell pepper and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 minutes

3. Add drained macaroni; simmer 5 minutes. Top with shredded cheese, if desired.

1 small can green chilis

1 16 oz. tub of sour cream

1 can Cream of mushroom soup

cheese any kind, and as much as you like

1-2 lbs. of cooked chicken breast

flour tortillas

mix sour cream, chilis, and soup in a bowl.

after chicken is cooked fill tortilla with chicken, cheese, and sauce,repeat.... place in 9x13 pan. pour the rest of the sauce over 5 to 6 tortillas. top with cheese and bake @350 degrees for about 20 min. or until cheese is melted...costs about $20 makes good left overs too

kraft has a good web site that is easy on the budget and has some good ideas and meal planning give it a try :)

one can of pinto, navy, or black beans

one can of diced tomatoes

one can of sweet corn

one jar of salsa

combine all of the above in a saucepan and heat through

serve with tortilla chips

(meat can be added if desired)

buy hamburger,it goes a long way,,like sloppy joes,meatloaf,hamburger helper,tuna is cheap as well as beans and eggs,use your imagination,i've been there so i feel for ya

Instant rice, canned soup, or sandwiches.

spaghetti and red sauce

or pancakes

beans and rice