Thrifty Recipes Blog - Living On Food Banks

Chicken and Shells Dinner

9/15/2019

Here's a great "stretch" meal that will feed a crowd with just a few ingredients. This one also happens to be kid friendly.

You may be put off with the addition of mayonnaise, like I was in the beginning. Let me tell you, it adds a distinct creaminess that can't be found otherwise.

This meal is a pleasant surprise and you'll be reaching for seconds quickly.

1 package (12 ounces) shells and cheese dinner mix
1/4 cup chopped onion
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Prepare dinner mix according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, saute onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Stir the chicken, peas, mayonnaise and sauteed onion into dinner mix.

Transfer to a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Melt remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

Discount on TOUCH SCREEN TENS Therapy Devices with Coupon Code: TOUCHSCREEN50

Chicken Legs with Balsamic Vinaigrette

9/15/2019

You can find chicken legs on sale every day at your local supermarket. But, for most, this is an item that isn't usually grabbed first. After all, they come in big cumbersome bags that you must take the time to divide out into individual dinner packets.

But once this is accomplished, all of 10 minutes, you can really reach for some delicious dinner plans like the one below.

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 chicken leg quarters, skin removed

In a large shallow dish, combine the first 6 ingredients. Add the chicken; turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain and discard marinade.

Place chicken in an 11x7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 375° until juices run clear, basting occasionally with pan juices, 45-50 minutes.

Hugh Jackman Tickets

Cast Iron Steak

9/5/2019

If you've got a hankering for a good steak; well, hold on to your hats, this one is a whopper.

This is the time for great steak sales. Yes, you can get a good sirloin steak for about $3.99 a pound. And with this recipe, all you need to do is cut it into thin slices going against the grain and you'll have a mound of fixings with only a two pound steak.

This recipe came in handy the other night when Hurricane Dorian came rolling through, and we couldn't grill. With the electricity still in place, I reached down to grab my trusty iron skillet and made this beauty. Simple and lush it's a great counterpart to the traditional grilled method.

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pound sirloin steak, 1-inch thick
herbs, optional

When making steak, you want to make sure it’s well-seasoned. You don’t need a lot of fancy flavors to make the meat taste amazing.

To season, start by removing the steak from the refrigerator and generously sprinkle seasonings on all sides of the filet. Let it stand for 30 minutes. This resting period gives the meat time to come up to room temperature, which helps the steak cook more evenly. It also gives the meat time to absorb some of the salt.

The other key to a delicious steak is heat. And since that signature sear comes from a sizzling hot pan, a cast-iron skillet is the way to go. This hearty pan gets extremely hot and also retains heat for a long time, making it the perfect vessel for steak. You’ll want to preheat your pan over med/high heat for 4-5 minutes, or until very hot.

Place the steak into the skillet and cook until it’s easily moved. This takes between one and two minutes. Carefully flip the steak, placing it in a different section of the skillet. Cook for 30 seconds, and then begin moving the steak around, occasionally pressing slightly to ensure even contact with the skillet. Moving the steak around the pan helps it cook faster and more evenly.

Continue turning and flipping the steak until it’s cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes before cutting in.

In total, the steak should be in the pan for less than 10 minutes, depending on your desired doneness. Prepping the meat and pan takes a little effort, but the cook time is short and sweet since you’re using such an extreme temperature.

Good Sam Travel Assist

Ranch Marinade Chicken Breasts

8/25/2019

Here's a tasty little duo, ranch dressing and chicken breasts. There is something when that hearty marinade reaches down to the last fiber in the chicken breast that will make your taste buds sing.

Grab a few of those prefrozen chicken breasts and put them in a Ziploc bag with the following ingredients.

2 cups sour cream
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
4 teaspoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons celery salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Combine the first eight ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Drain and discard marinade. Place chicken in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Drizzle with butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until juices run clear.

Sam's Club

Peach Glazed Ribs

7/6/2019

With St. Louis ribs on sale for $5-$6 a pack for 3 lb. you'd be silly not to grab a rack. The issue always comes with, "What am I going to do with these?"

If you have an air fryer try St. Louis Pork Ribs one night. These will be added to your list of faves in no time!

If not you can grill'em. Nothing like a delectable set of basted ribs for summer night eats. But who wants to slave that time over the hot coals when weather indexes tend to be higher this summer?

I'll share my trick. I place them in the oven for an hour wrapped in foil. Then I allow them to graze the grill for 15 - 20 minutes during a continuous baste. I also added a bit of the glaze on top before baking them to ensure that flavor seeps low to the bone.
3 to 4 pounds pork baby back ribs, cut into serving-size pieces
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) peach halves, drained
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Prepare grill for indirect heat, using a drip pan. Place ribs over drip pan. Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 60 minutes, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the remaining ingredients; cover and process until smooth. Baste ribs.

Grill until meat is tender and juices run clear, 15-20 minutes longer, basting occasionally with remaining sauce.

Berrylook Free Shipping Over 55+

Chicken Cordon Bleu

7/4/2019

Here's an inexpensive way to use some of those chicken breasts you have frozen for upcoming recipe ideas. It's so simple to prepare and make your own. Don't bother paying extra dollars for those prepared ones in the bag. Check out the link above.

Then all you need is a bit of cheese, ham, and bacon and you're all set!

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (8 ounces each)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 thin slices fully cooked ham
4 thin slices Swiss cheese
8 bacon strips
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Flatten chicken breasts to 1/8-in. thickness; spread butter on the insides. Sprinkle with thyme. Top with a slice of ham and cheese; roll up tightly. Wrap each with 2 slices of bacon and secure with toothpicks.

In a small bowl, beat eggs and milk. Place flour in another bowl. Combine the bread crumbs, garlic powder, oregano and cheese. Dip each chicken breast into egg mixture; dip into flour to coat. Dip each again into egg mixture, then coat with crumbs.

Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

Purium© SAVE - get $50 OFF orders $75 or more

Lasagna Toss

6/25/2019

Here's a quick warm-weather favorite when you tire of all those cold sandwiches and salads that are such a hit those first few weeks of summer. I wouldn't be surprised if you have most of these staples on hand anyway. For those you don't, it won't cost you but a couple of bucks.

Best of all, this concoction takes about 20 minutes in the oven; therefore, not heating up your house drastically and running up the air conditioner bill too much.

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 24 oz. can spaghetti sauce
6 ounces spiral noodles, cooked and drained
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
Grated Parmesan cheese
Minced fresh basil, optional

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, brown beef with onion, garlic and salt. Stir in spaghetti sauce; simmer until heated. Remove 1 cup meat sauce; set aside. Stir noodles into the remaining sauce. Place half of the noodle mixture in a greased 2-qt. casserole. Cover with cottage cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

Add remaining noodle mixture; top with reserved meat sauce and remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover; bake for 20-25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with basil, if using.

MyUS.com

Honey Glazed Ham

6/18/2019

I had a ham sitting in the bottom of my freezer from my last food bank visit. It seemed around Easter there were several untouched hams at the end of the day waiting for pick up. Two of those lonely delights made it in the back seat of my car.

I had been waiting for a recipe that would embellish this beauty with extra sweetness. I was not disappointed. In fact, I added a little extra marmalade on my slice to ooze down and warm a tad before it hit my taste buds. Too yummy!

Why cook a ham over summer? Leftovers! So many recipes for added ham tidbits.

1 fully cooked bone-in ham (6 to 8 pounds)
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 cup orange marmalade

Place ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Score the surface of the ham, making diamond shapes 1/2 in. deep. Combine mustard and allspice; rub over ham.

Bake, uncovered, at 325° until a thermometer reads 140°, 2 to 2-1/4 hours. Spread top of ham with marmalade during the last hour of baking, basting occasionally.

Visitors Coverage

Skillet Beef and Macaroni

6/16/2019

Every time I open my food pantry bag there is always a two pound box of macaroni in it. It must be a staple for every family, of course, but for some reason those elbow macaroni can be a bit boring for a side dish.

So, I came across this side dish that is just wonderful. Don't be taken back with the Worcestershire sauce if you're not a fan. Two tablespoons can seem a bit daunting when considering how aromatic it can be. Don't be fooled though! It is the perfect accompaniment.

1-1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1 1/4 cup water
1 package (7 ounces) macaroni
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
I cup a cheddar cheese, optional

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef and onion until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally, 20-25 minutes. Add more water if needed.

Top with Cheddar cheese if desired and allow to melt.

Oxygen Plus

Teriyaki Glazed Chicken

6/15/2019

So after a few days of casserole suppers that included the sought after "leftovers" cry from my youngest son, I as met with, "Mom, I think a gained a few pounds. Can you make some lighter dinners for awhile?"

"They'll be fewer leftovers," I exclaimed

"Sigh, OK," was his return.

This does look scrumptious doesn't it? At second glance you may be thinking, "Wow, that's a lot of carrots and onions! I'm not sure about that." Well, let me assure you, this was a contest winner and adapted from a previous recipe. So all hands on board! Give it a shot. You're going to be quite surprised.

Grab a bag of those julienne carrots in the vegetable aisle. It's well worth the $1.59.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
4 medium carrots, julienned
1 medium sweet onion, julienned
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
Hot cooked rice
Sesame seeds, toasted, optional
Sliced green onions, optional

In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken in 2 tablespoons oil until no longer pink, 6-8 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.

In the same skillet, stir-fry carrots in remaining oil for 2 minutes. Add onion; stir-fry until vegetables are tender, 2-4 minutes longer.

Combine soy sauce and brown sugar; add to skillet. Bring to a boil. Return chicken to skillet. Boil until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Serve with rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions if desired.