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.