Thrifty Recipes Blog - Living On Food Banks

Herb Roasted Chicken

10/25/2015

Last night I took out a whole roaster. It's Sunday, and there is nothing like a roasted chicken when you sit down to a great family meal. Sunday's are special. It's a great day to ensure the family will be around to celebrate some news and fun.

In order to keep everyone coming at the dinner hour, you'll need to cook something that will entice even the busiest of the flock. This recipe is tried and true. A wonderful blend of herbs makes this one a keeper. Nothing will bring them home like a delicious meal wafting through your rooms as they enter the house.

Pair this one withToaster Oven Roasted Potatoes that you can toss in a pan while the chicken is cooking and you've got a great duo!

2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoons pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 roasting chicken (3 to 4 pounds)

Preheat oven to 425°. In a small bowl, mix the first five ingredients.

In a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in lemon juice, mustard, paprika and garlic salt. Keep warm.Sprinkle half of the thyme mixture inside chicken.

Place chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, breast side up. Tuck wings under chicken; tie drumsticks together.

Brush outside of chicken with 1/4 cup butter mixture; sprinkle with remaining thyme mixture. Roast 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes with remaining butter mixture. (Cover loosely with foil if chicken browns too quickly.)

Roast 30 minutes longer or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°. Remove chicken from oven; tent with foil. Let stand 15 minutes before carving.

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Sausage and Cheese Bread Sandwiches

10/24/2015

Need a good size recipe you can make for dinner then freeze some remainders for the following week? All you need to do is cut these loaves into 3 equal servings before they hit the Ziploc bag, and kids can dole out want they want, slip it in the microwave and you got some hours freed up to do something you've been putting off.

Winn Dixie just had a buy one get one free sausage sale. I wait for this sale when I make this classic. I also have a Deep Discount Store which will sell 1 lb. packs for $1.59 when they get a large shipment in.

Either way, these are a thrifty, tasty delight when pared from cheese at Aldi ($1.79 8 oz.) that will save you a few pennies.

1 package (16 ounces) hot roll mix
2 pounds reduced-fat bulk pork sausage
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water

Set oven to 350°. Prepare roll mix dough according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain. Stir in seasonings.

Divide dough into four portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each into a 14x8-in. rectangle.
Top each with 1-1/4 cups sausage mixture to within 1 inch of edges; sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams and ends to seal.

Transfer to greased baking sheets, seam side down. In a small bowl, whisk egg with water; brush over loaves. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and heated through. Cool 5 minutes before slicing.

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Sausage and Mac and Cheese

10/18/2015

Here's a great paring for some extra protein which means bellies stay fuller for awhile. Plus it utilizes something a bit different. Breakfast sausage that can be found at Aldi for only $1 a pack.

With sausage precooked, it takes minutes to put this one together. You can use block American cheese or just unwrap those single slices and cook as directed. Either way, you're going to get bang out of your buck because this one is cheap and delicious!

2 cups uncooked whole grain elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup fat-free milk
8 ounces processed American cheese
1/2 a package of cooked Breakfast Sausage

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Add cheese; cook and stir until melted.

Stir in macaroni and sausage.

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Pumpkin Crunch Bars

10/17/2015

It's October and time to grab another pumpkin and make some fresh ground pumpkin to use throughout the year for your upcoming new and old favorite recipes. If you haven't had a chance to do that yet, check out Fresh Ground Pumpkin Pie explaining how it's done, and you'll never go back to canned pumpkin.

If you have any leftover pumpkin from last year, here's a great recipe to add to your weekend dessert. It's fast, thrifty and takes minutes to make and pop in your oven. No need to mess with a pie shell as this makes it's own with a unique crunch on top. Just top with some ice cream or whip cream and you've got quite a treat that everyone will enjoy, not to mention it will fill your house with the smells of fall.

2 cups fresh pumpkin or 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 package yellow cake mix
3/4 cup margarine, melted
1 cup chopped walnuts
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, optional

In a large bowl, beat first five ingredients until smooth.

Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with cake mix and drizzle with butter. Top with walnuts.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

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Stuffed Roasted Chicken

10/11/2015

Sundays are a quiet time. It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy those you love. Nothing speaks more love than a hearty sit down Sunday dinner.

This week Winn Dixie made it easy and thrifty by offering $1 a pound roasters. These babies are not your ordinary roast chickens but the 6 lb. roasting beauties that will feed a crowd. It takes only a few minutes to prepare. Then just pop into the oven, and a few hours later, you've got one dinner that will put smiles on each member of your family's faces.

1-1/4 cups hot water
4 Tbsp. margarine or butter, cut up
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 roasting chicken or capon (5-6 lb.)
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves or dried tarragon leaves
1 teaspoon each salt, seasoned salt, garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix hot water and margarine in large bowl until margarine is melted. Add stuffing mix; stir just until moistened. Set aside. (Do not stuff chicken until ready to bake.)

Stuff chicken lightly with prepared stuffing; close openings with skewers and string. Place, breast-side up, on rack in baking pan; sprinkle with thyme and seasonings.

Bake at 350 for 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Slow Cooker Ham and Scalloped Potatoes

10/10/2015

It must be fall. I seem to be into a ham mode lately. This recipe caught my eye and looked like a thrifty home made delight. Just add ingredients, turn your slow cooker on low, and head out for the weekend festivities. When you return, dinner will be waiting.

I usually serve mine with a hearty side salad. This one is requested often. It works extremely well with some left over ham.

10 medium potatoes (about 3 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced
3 cups cubed cooked ham
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a greased 6-qt. slow cooker, layer half of the potatoes, ham, onions and cheese. Repeat layers. Pour soup over top. Sprinkle with paprika and pepper.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until potatoes are tender.

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Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup

10/4/2015

I clean out my freezer seasonally. Each time the seasons change, I dig through and see what I can use up before it becomes freezer burnt.

What I found recently is a pretty good size container of ham. I decided to put together some bagel ham and cheese sandwiches to freeze for the week. These are simply yummy, all you need to do is take one out the night before and place it in the refrigerator for a simple nuke of 30 seconds in the morning.

But there was still quite a bit left! So tonight I have the following in the slow cooker. Wait till you taste this one. Simply make a delicious side salad and you're good to go.

4 cups water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
3 3/4 cup peeled, cubed potatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
1 cup cubed ham
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
Sour cream and chopped green onions, optional

n a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker, combine broth, potatoes, onion and pepper. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until vegetables are tender.

Mash potatoes to desired consistency. Whisk in cream cheese until melted. Stir in ham and milk. Cook, covered, 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve with sour cream and green onions if desired.

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Slow Cooker Meatball Subs

10/3/2015

I got a bag of meatballs in my food pantry bag! I also have a busy weekend chock full of errands this weekend! What better way to combine the two and pull out my ever-trusty slow cooker.

This recipe needed little preparation time and was ready when we returned home. Simply delicious you're going to book mark this one for future use.

1 package (12 ounces each) frozen fully cooked Italian meatballs, thawed
1 can (24 ounces) spaghetti sauce
4 hoagie buns, split
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Place meatballs and sauce in a 3- or 4-qt. slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 3-4 hours until meatballs are heated through.

On each bun bottom, layer meatballs, cheese

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