Soups on ... Slow Cooker Taco Soup ($5 Meal Recipe)

Even though it is starting to warm up, it's still raining here in Washington.  So soup is always a good fix for those days, plus most soup recipes I can throw in the crockpot and not have to worry about it!  Even with me working from home I don't have time to cook all day or stop and make a meal during the day.  

I went to one of my favorite site $5 Dinners for Alea's Slow Cooker Taco Soup.  A real simple soup that was a hit with the boys, heck anything taco usually will go over well.

Ingredients

1/2 pound hamburger, browned
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper diced
1 3/4 cups cooked or 15.5 oz. can black beans
1 3/4 cups cooked or 15.5 oz. can white beans
2 cups cooked rice
1 3/4 cups or 15.5 oz. can  frozen corn
3 1/2 cups or 2 15.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
15 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups water
3 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
1 cup crushed chips
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Directions

If necessary, brown hamburger.

Add hamburger, onion, bell pepper, beans, corn, rice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water and taco seasoning to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top with crushed chips and cheese.

Hope you enjoy this recipe it will fill your belly and be a crowd pleaser at the same time!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Slow Cooker on a $5 Meal Budget (Pork Chops & Applesauce)

Pork Chops and applesauce (anyone else say this like Peter Brady? ... Every time I say it I think of that episode .. lol).  Here is yet another $5 meal idea that was a pleasure with the boys.  I sadly with my diet didn't get to eat this dinner but all the boys loved it (well Caden told me I need to make chunky applesauce so next time I'll make sure to do that!).  Being on a diet and having to eat something different the family sometimes can be a pain but that is the nice thing about the crockpot and not have to slave over their meal and then mine!

First off we come to the Slow Cooker Brown Sugar and Balsamic Pork Roast I found on the $5 Meal website.  This was a very easy one to do and smelled so great.

Ingredients (These are her prices mine were close to this)

4 pork chops, about 1 1/4 lb. ($2.48)
Salt and pepper
2-3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar ($.20)
4 tsp brown sugar ($.02)

Directions

Place the pork chops in the bottom of a glass baking dish. Sprinkle some salt and pepper onto both sides of the pork chops. Then drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the top. Add 1 tsp of brown sugar on top of each pork chop and spread into the vinegar. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Preheat oven to 350.
Bake the pork chops for 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chop.

Second off on the menu was to make the Slowcooker Applesauce that I found on another favorite website A Year of Slowcooking.

4 large apples, skinned ,cored, and cut in quarters 
juice from 1 lemon 
1/2 tsp cinnamon 
1 tsp vanilla 
1 T brown sugar 
1/4 cup H20 

The Directions.

Skin, core, and cut your apples into quarters. Plop the pieces into your crockpot. Add the juice from the lemon, and the water. Pour in the vanilla, and add the cinnamon and brown sugar. 

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. When the apples are super tender, mash with a potato masher or large fork. 

And here is what dinner looked like!!

(don't laugh at the Ikea Bowl for the kids .. lol)

These are two great recipes that you can make and have in time for dinner (if you want do your applesauce the day before since it makes so much it will give you a treat for a few days).  Hope you all have a great day!  

What's on the Menu tonight?

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan - $5 Meal

On our road to keep meals inexpensive here is another $5 Meal.  I found this Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan on Full Bellies, Happy Kids website.  As you all know I love my slow cooker and this was a easy one to throw together and let it go during the day and it was ready when the boys came home.  I believe I was right around the $5 mark so it was a budget friendly one!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs (**I toasted a 2 pieces of bread and put in my ninja)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 egg, beaten
4-6 slices mozzarella cheese
1 jar (28-ounces) favorite marinara sauce

Directions: Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the bottom of the crockpot stoneware.
In a medium bowl, beat egg.  In second medium bowl, mix the bread crumbs, spices, and grated Parmesan cheese all together.

Dip chicken in beaten egg and then toss into bread crumb mixture to coat completely on both sides.  Place chicken breasts on bottom of crockpot.  Place a layer of mozzarella slices on top of breaded chicken breasts.  Cover cheese layered chicken with entire jar of sauce.

Place lid of crockpot securely on and turn heat to LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.  Serve over cooked pasta of your choice.

** As always I suggest you use a crockpot liner.  They are around $2.50 for a box of 4 and so worth the time and money it would cost to scrub and let you pot sit over night soaking.  All my spices and noodles I buy in my bulk section to keep cost down. **

Hope you have a wonderful day!  What is on your menu tonight?

BBQ Cowboy Beans with Biscuits ($5 Meal)

I have another yummy meal that I found on the $5 Dinners Website for BBQ Cowboy Beans with Biscuits.  Now of course everything in here (except the meat) were items not allowed on my diet so I just had to smell and let the boys and Rick's buddy who came over for dinner tell me how it was.  It was a simple recipe to make, didn't take much time and yet again I was close to the $5 mark on the cost and it feed 2 grown men, 2 kids and there was even left overs.  Now I usually make my own biscuits and not use canned but I was running behind so I used the can but either way it is a nice meal for these cold nights!

Ingredients (**I left her pricing next to each, mine was a bit more)

1.3 lb ground beef ($1.93)
2 garlic cloves, crushed ($.10)
2 cups cooked black beans ($.40) Substitute 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked pinto beans ($.40) Substitute 1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup BBQ sauce ($.75)
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained ($.29)
Drop biscuits ($.75)

Directions

1. Brown the ground beef with the crushed garlic cloves. Drain and return to skillet. Add the black and pinto beans, as well as the BBQ sauce, diced tomatoes…and stir through. Let simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes.

2. Make drop biscuits.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!  It looks like we'll be staying in most of the time for some reason this week is a tight week for money, paid the mortgage and Rick's car payment and suddenly it makes no money ... UGH.  BUT it will get better just have to get threw this week we will be back on track.  Now let's just hope I can make $10 last until next Friday for the whole family ... lol, who needs gas or food right? TEEHEHE.

Santa Fe Meatloaf - $5 Meals

Here is another $5 meal we tried out, well I should say the boys tried it out (I'm not allowed well everything but the meat in this recipe).  But it sure did smell amazing and the boys love meatloaf so it was a winner with them.  Served with some veggies and it was the perfect meal, mine was a little more then the $5 but as we talked yesterday with out the proper coupons also time of year and where I live makes the price flux a little bit but still an inexpensive meal. 

Today we have Santa Fe Meatloaf found on Mom's Who Think.

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil spray
1 onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
½ cup whole milk
2 pounds 85% lean ground beef
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
¾ cup frozen corn
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper
½ cup barbecue sauce

Directions:

1. Line slow cooker with aluminum collar, then line with foil sling and coat with vegetable oil spray. Microwave onion, bell pepper, oil, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and chili powder in bowl, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Mash black beans, bread, and milk into paste in large bowl using potato masher. Mix in onion mixture, ground beef, cheddar, corn, eggs, cilantro, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper using hands.

3. Transfer meat mixture to slow cooker and press into even layer. Brush meatloaf with ¼ cup barbecue sauce. Cover and cook until meatloaf is tender, about 4 hours on low.

4. Position oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Using sling, transfer meatloaf with foil rimmed baking sheet, allowing juice to drain back into slow cooker. Press edges of foil flat, brush meatloaf with remaining ¼ cup barbecue sauce, and broil until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Happy Friday, hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  Stay safe and warm!  I found a free play zone at the Tacoma Dome so we'll be heading there Saturday day.  Saturday night I was told about the YMCA having a All Night for the kids!  Caden I'm not so sure will be excited for a night away at 5, but Cole being 8 and he did the summer camp for a whole week with the church this past summer I signed him up.  I'm so freaking excited for $30 he gets a great night out and I get a little me time (well with my little one).

So what are your plans for the weekend?

CheeseSteak Sloppy Joes - $5 Meals

As I mentioned yesterday on my quest for meal planning on a budget I tried out the $5 Meals website for some ideas.  Now these ladies have it down to a science with deals etc to make sure they stay at $5 a meal, I was closer to around $7 but heck I say not bad for my first time out trying this.   Now this was a meal I couldn't eat with the carbs and sugar so Rick's friend came over to watch a football game so my meal wasn't missed.  Our guest said it was the best, but I asked the boys just in case since they are my honest testers and they agreed it was a keeper.

So now on to CheeseSteak Sloppy Joes (I'm leaving her cost break down, Mine was a little different):

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground chuck ($1.99)
• 1 green pepper, seeded and diced ($.59)
• 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce ($.20)
• 2 tsp minced onion ($.05)
• 1 tsp minced garlic ($.05)
• 1 tsp vinegar ($.02)
• 1 Tbsp prepared mustard ($.01)
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar ($.01)
• Salt and pepper
• 4 whole wheat buns ($.50)
• 4 slices provolone cheese ($.67)

Directions

• Brown the ground beef. (If you want softer green peppers, cook them with the ground beef.) Drain and let sit.
• In the same skillet, add the tomato sauce, minced onion, minced garlic, vinegar, mustard and brown sugar. Stir and let simmer over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes.  Add the brown beef and (uncooked or cooked) green peppers and combine. Simmer over low heat for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until ready to serve.
• Spoon the sloppy joe meat over the buns and top with slice of cheese. Let the warm sauce melt the cheese, or microwave.
• Serve Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes.

**Alexis Notes: I used Ground Turkey (Since I could eat that before I put in all the extras). 

Hope you give these a try, it was a simple recipe to make plus some veggies in (you could probably even put some carrots & celery in).  Have a wonderful week!

Beef & Zucchini Taco's ($5 Meals)

On a quest to save money around here I tried the $5 meals for two weeks to see if I could bring our grocery bill down.  I still have to work on it but I did it close to the $5 a meal.  I did find some yummy recipes that the boys and I enjoyed.  This one I could actually eat just modified (most night I fix them a meal and then me what I can eat - which on this diet is so limited).

I found this recipe on the $5 Meal Website for Beef & Zucchini Taco's.  I've included her break down of prices (mine was a little more)

Ingredients
1.5 lb ground beef, browned and drained ($1.95/2=$.98!!!)
2 cups zucchini, diced ($.25) 
1/2 yellow onion, chopped ($.15)
1 tsp garlic powder ($.05)
1 tsp onion powder ($.05)
1 tsp chili powder ($.05)
1 tsp ground cumin ($.05)
Use her homemade taco seasoning mix or substitute a packet of taco seasoning
Salt/Pepper, to taste

Old El Paso – 6 hard shells, 6 soft shells pack ($1.49)

1 large tomato, diced 
About 1 cup chopped iceberg lettuce ($.20)
About 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese ($.30) 

Directions
1. Brown ground beef with diced zucchini and chopped onion. Drain and return to pan. Add spices and let saute for 3-4 minutes to let the flavors infuse.
2. Prepare taco fixins…chop lettuce, dice tomato and set out shredded cheese.
3. Cook corn cobs in boiling water for 4-5 minutes, or in a microwavable dish covered with plastic wrap for 2-2.5 minutes per ear.
4. Assemble tacos

(I used taco seasoning from the bulk isle at Winco.  I used coleslaw kit to add a little extra veggies - didn't use the sauce)

The boys had it in a shell

I had mine naked in a bowl :)

Have a wonderful day, give this one a try a great way to get some veggies in!