Before we get started with the recipes I have a few tips for lowering your grocery bills. We have added these certain tricks to our household to save the money and they work!!
* cut the bacon in half in the package before serving. This makes the package work for two big breakfasts. It also reduces the waste of making the whole package. Make MORE eggs to fill up the tummies no one needs 8 strips of bacon!
* use canned biscuits. They are 38 cents at Aldi (where we shop) and they can be used in tons of recipes. Use them as biscuits, make donuts with them, make dumplings, make mini egg and cheese sandwiches for breakfast.
* Buy a whole chicken. For around $4 you can have at least 3 meals from a whole chicken. I make one every two weeks. The day I make the chicken (in the crock pot so no work) I serve a big dinner with potatoes and stuffing etc... Then I add water and boil the bones to make stock. Leftover chicken after dinner makes chicken salad, chicken quesadillas, omelets and many other types of meals. I usually make chicken salad for the next days lunch. The stock I keep in the fridge until I need it but usually make chicken and dumplings, chicken and rice or chicken noodle soup with it. That is 3 meals and there is always leftover soup too so even more than three meals. It is some work but not alot of work and for $4 that is a bunch of meals!!
* Buy ground beef in bulk and freeze. Sometimes I get the meat when they have marked it down so much because it needs to go today or will go bad. Usually I can get 5 lbs for $5 or less just by watching for the stuff that is "ready to spoil if not FROZEN TODAY" Saves a bundle. Bring it home divide it up and put it in freezer bags individually so I have at least 5 meals out of it. perfect and cheap
* Start using chicken legs. The are $2.39 for a bag which usually had 8 legs. Make em like wings, make em like oriental style, make em Italian style, pour BBQ sauce on em and throw em in the crock pot. This is at least 2 meals for my family and they are so inexpensive that I grab a couple of bags. Much more flavor than breasts and a 3rd of the cost or less.
* Bagels for breakfast and drink your coffee at home. 6 pack of bagels $1.39. 2 6 packs is breakfast every morning for Jon who is running out the door and eating in his car and 2 extra that I can use during the week for whenever. Coffee at home was a hard one cause coffee CAN be cheap but can be pricey depending on where you go. Make it at home take a to go mug and $5 gets you a big can that lasts us about 3 weeks or so.
* When the fish is on sale buy it and freeze it. Good deals come by with fish all the time and even if you won't eat it for awhile your freezer keeps it for a long time and it doesn't take up much space so even if you don't have a deep freeze-which I don't- you will be OK stocking up a bit.
* Cream of soups!! Cream of mushroom, Cream of chicken and Cream of celery are stocked up at my house all the time. good for a casserole, good for soups, good to flavor chicken or beef in the crock pot and serve with noodles (also cheap) egg or spaghetti or any kind of noodles.
* Taco night! This is great cause taco seasoning is nice and cheap too. Put in the crock pot with ground beef, ground turkey or chicken breasts. By the time it is cooked the chicken can be easily shredded. Crunchy or soft shells are a good price and you can make them as cool as you want or as basic as you want. Meat and cheese in a shell or the works. Oh and always put an onion and green pepper chopped up in the crock pot too if you have them. Nachos, burritos or tacos/taco salad.
RECIPES
STRAWBERRY CREPES
(for the beginner)
Anyone can make these crepes and these were my first attempt EVER. Let me know how it works for you!!
Crepes:
1 cup pancake mix
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups milk
3 tbs melted butter
Topping:
6-8 strawberries cut up
1/2 block cream cheese
2tbs milk
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 big squirt of honey (to taste- no measuring necessary)
Make topping first. Put all things in blender, blend till thin and put in refrigerator for about 15 or so while you are working on your crepes.
Crepes- mix all ingredients in large bowl. This will be thin, so thin you think "how will this possibly every make a pancake?" Crepes are not actually held together by the pancake mix but by the eggs so even though it is thing they will cook up beautifully and be flexible for your folding later.
Cook em up! I always add a couple of tbs of oil TO THE MIX not to the pan, this will help em keep from sticking. Works for regular pancakes too- old tip from my Dad! I use my soup ladle and 1 scoop is 1 large crepe. Cook until top looks bubbly but dry. You can always check under the crepe with your spatula to see that it is browned- the mix holds together much better than pancake mix actually. Brown em on both sides and make a stack of them as you cook to keep them warm.
Roll them and put them on plates, drizzle with the topping and enjoy!! I put fresh strawberries on them for a pretty picture but the topping is enough for sure. They are tasty and easy for the kids to cut and eat.
CRESCENT ROLL SAMMIES
1 package of crescent rolls
8 slices of lunch meat
2 slices of cheese
Using packaged crescent rolls, unroll each triangle and put 1/4 a slice of cheese, 1 piece of lunch meat rolled and roll crescent roll into shape. Put on foil on cookie sheet and bake for 10-12minutes at 350degrees.
I use all different meats and cheeses. Good way to use up some stuff if you are low on one kind of cheese or only have a couple of pieces of turkey left. You can make them with tomato soup as a twist on the regular grilled cheese or just make a plate of them with all the sides baby carrots, fruit, chips or something along those lines. I usually call this lunch a snack and just make one big plate for everyone to share!
**one package of crescent rolls makes 8 sandwiches**
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