Tuna Patties

Here’s a SUPER easy, SUPER cheap, and SUPER yummy recipe for you.  I love to fix these for myself, the kids love them, and even the hubby will eat them.

• 2 pouches tuna (or 1 can-undrained)-free
• 1/8 cup water (omit if using canned)-free
• 1/2 tsp salt .001¢
• 1 tsp baking powder 2¢
• 2 tsp flour .05¢
• 1 egg  10¢
• 8 saltines, crushed 5¢

Stir together all ingredients in small bowl.  Heat 2 TBS of oil in small skillet over medium heat.  Drop mixture by heaping spoonfuls into oil. 

Cook until browned on each side, around 4 minutes per side.  Drain on paper towels. 

Total cost: 17¢ or 8.5¢ per serving

Makes approximately 2 servings, or 3 patties. 

Philly Cheese and Ground Beef Casserole - 419183 - Recipezaar

Check out this recipe for Philly Cheese Casserole. It will use up those Grands biscuits that clutter up a couponer's fridge!

Philly Cheese and Ground Beef Casserole - 419183 - Recipezaar

Smothered Chicken Casserole

Here's an easy one for ya.  Everyone here loves this supper- even though they don't like rice.  Hrmm...

1 package Zatarain's Smothered Chicken Rice Mix (75¢)
2 bone-in chicken breasts- boiled and shredded ($1.50)- see post below on boiling a chicken
1 can cream of something or homemade cream of something (50¢)
3 cups hot water
2 tbs + 1 tbs butter or margarine (5¢)
Chopped onions and peppers (optional) (50¢)

Preheat oven to 350.  Saute onions, peppers, and 1tbs butter in small skillet.  Stir rice mix and water into a 3 quart casserole dish (or 9x13 pan).  Stir in cream of something, chicken, butter, and pepper mixture (if desired).  Cover and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until rice is fully cooked. 

Super easy and delicious!  Total cost: $3.30

Boiling a chicken

Boiled chicken.. not the best picture I've ever taken, but it's still very interesting looking.  In my defense, it is in the cooling process.  Seriously.

I love having chicken in the freezer for those necessary chicken recipes, but I never tend to use it unless I've cooked it before hand.  It's too big of a pain to thaw out and cook for one recipe.  Oh- and I try to avoid boneless chicken breasts.  Bone-in are so much better!

So I've had two packages of bone-in chicken breasts in the freezer for a couple of months.  I keep them in case of a chicken emergency, but our refrigerator freezer seems to freezer burn in just a few weeks, so I've got to do something with them.  Our deep freeze is too full for this chicken.  (Confession: I think I might be a chicken hoarder.) 

Today, I thawed the chicken out and boiled it all.  I'm going to use it in a few of our meals this week and refreeze the rest.  IMPORTANT: When you purchase chicken, it typically says 'Previously Frozen' or 'Fresh' on the sticker.  If it says 'Previously Frozen' and has thawed, you MUST cook it before refreezing.  'Fresh' is supposed to mean never frozen, but judging from the rock like mass that our 'Fresh' chicken comes in at the grocery store, our butcher didn't get the memo. 

Thaw your chicken in the refrigerator or microwave.  I normally thaw mine just enough to get it out of the package.  Wash thoroughly. 

You can prepare it a variety of ways.  I like to simmer mine in a stock pot filled with boiling water.  You could also put it in the crockpot on low and let it cook all day.  I've even baked it with a little water!

BROTH

Once it's done, let it cool and separate from the bones.  SAVE THE BROTH!!!!  I put mine in quart ziploc baggies and lay flat in the freezer.  If I don't need to use the full bag in a recipe, I just smash it with a rolling pin and dump in what I need.  It looks eerily similar to a chicken snow cone, which I do not recommend you feed to your children on a hot day.

You could also freeze it in an ice cube tray and then put into a baggie.  A lot of people do this, but I'm curious as to how you get the chicken grease out of the ice tray.

If you'd like to make even more broth, save the skins and bones and place in the crockpot.  Cover with water and add leftover veggies (ANY veggies you want), and a tbs of salt.  Let simmer 4 hours on low.  Strain and freeze.

Cream of Chicken Soup

3 cups milk (evaporated or regular)
1.5 cups chicken broth
3/4 stick of butter
1/3 cup flour
Salt and Pepper

Add milk and broth to saucepan, heating through.  Melt butter in microwave safe bowl.  Stir in flour.  Add to the milk and broth mixture.  Slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Allow to cool.  Use immediately or pour into individual baggies and freeze.  Makes 5 cups.

*Soup will be thinner than canned soup.  If you desire it thicker, slowly stir in a cornstarch and water mixture and bring to a boil. 

Our favorite 'healthy' snack!

Yup- that's it.  A scoop of peanut butter (5¢) topped with a handful of Goldfish Pretzels (FREE).  Warning: Goldfish Pretzels are possibly the best pretzels alive.  You will become addicted.  Stock up in mass amounts when on sale to avoid paying full price later.  Also avoid the cinnamon graham ones.  They will cause a conflicting addiction. 

It's Fat Tuesday!!!

I'm so ashamed.  I forgot Fat Tuesday.  How?  I have no clue!  I can honestly say that I've never slacked on an opportunity to eat cajun food.  We even went out for a cajun lunch on Saturday.  I've bought all of the ingredients.  Now I've got to figure out what to do with them!

Thanks to the Zatarians sale at Dillons last year, I think I've got a couple of boxes of gumbo mix and a box of red beans and rice as a backup. 

Right now, I'm scouring the internet for recipes and ideas. 

Christy Jordan over at Southern Plate has a yummy looking recipe for Dirty Rice (don't like dirty rice?  Check her blog out anyways.. awesome!).

You should definitely read Ninja Princess' experience- a northerner presenting a king cake to other northerners- with one southerner in the mix.  Disaster in the making!

Mama Belle has an awesome recipe for shortcut gumbo.  I LOVE her logic!!  I highly doubt that I can buy jarred roux here.  She has tons of other recipes- I love her Super Bowl foods post.

Now I'm off to do a google search for some other cajun recipes!  The Zatarains mix is sounding better and better.

Chicken Verde Enchiladas

This recipe was delicious and was just thrown together with stuff I had on hand!  This recipe is very versatile as you can thicken the sauce and use it as filling (be sure to save a little to top them with  to prevent browning) or fill the enchiladas with whatever filling you choose.  You could even leave the chicken out of the sauce, season with taco seasoning and a can of tomatoes, and fill the tortillas with it.

Sauce:
16 oz container sour cream (85¢)
4 oz cream cheese (25¢)
1 jar Pace Chili Verde (FREE after coupon- from stockpile)
1 cup chicken broth
2 bone-in chicken breasts ($1.50)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
*Cornstarch to thicken, if desired

Enchiladas:
1 package large flour tortillas ($1.00)
1 can refried beans (35¢)
1 8 oz package shredded cheese (70¢)

Directions:
Boil the chicken until cooked through.  Shred with a fork, reserving all broth.  Mix the remaining ingredients in saucepan, bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add chicken and thickener (if desired).

Fill enchiladas as desired, top with sauce, and bake for 25 minutes at 350.

Tip: carefully pour the (cooled) extra chicken broth into a ziploc baggie and freeze.  You will then have it on hand for the next recipe!  You can also pour it into an ice cube tray to freeze individually.  When frozen, put it in a baggie and you will have individual broth cubes!