Dinners On A Dime

I'm late.  I'm late.  For a very important date.  Dinners on a dime of course!

Sorry folks but I have been working 11 and 12 hour days for the last two weeks and have had a ill hubby so add everything else I do in and I have been very late and bad on blogging.  Very sorry, but I'll get it all worked all real soon.  I hope!

In case you aren't familiar, Katie from Cincinnati Cents and I started Dinners on a Dime a couple weeks ago featuring recipes featuring items on sale each week from our locals stores. 

Here's my pick for the week and I have to admit that I haven't checked to see what Katie was posting so if we come up with the same recipes (great minds think alike), my apologies.

First Up...

Tuna Helper  (Sorry, but it's really a cheap meal this week).  With the tuna at $.29 cents a can at CVS (after $1/5 coupon)  this week and having gotten Tuna Noodle Helper for $.30 over the summer, this makes for an extremely cheap meal.  I always use 2 cans of Tuna.  Add in a $.66 Dole salad (after coupon) from Meijers and you have a decent meal for your family for $.29 + $.29 + $.30 + $.66 = $1.54.  It will easily feed a family of four and you can't beat the price.  You can say I cheated by not making something from scratch, but at this price, you can't beat it.

Next....

Easy Layered Taco Bake

Ingredients
1 Package Macaroni N Cheese Dinner (Free from the 5 pack sale over the summer at Meijers)
1 lb ground beef ($1.69 at Meijers this week)
1 Package Taco Bell Home Originals (free from Biggs during last triple coupon sale)
1 cup Taco Bell Home Originals Think N Chunky Mild Salsa (got at Meijers for $.50 about 4 months ago)

1)  Heat oven to 400 degrees
2)  Prepare Macaroni Dinner according to packge directions
3)  Brown ground beef and mix in taco seasoning mix according to package directions
4)  Layer ground beef mixture, macaroni and cheese and sale in 8" square pan
5)  Bake 20 minutes
Note:  You can sprinkle some shredded cheese on top of this as well and it tastes great.
Recipe comes from 2008 Fall edition of Kraft Food and Family Magazine
Cost = $2.19  You can add in a Knorr Mexican Rice dish (free or nearly free recently) and  Dole Salad Blend ($.66 from Meijers) and you have a prett good meal for around $3 for a family of 4

Finally

Crunchy Chicken Bake

Ingredients:
1 Egg ($.08 from Krogers)
1 Tablespoon Milk ($.01)
1 can (2.8 ounch) French Fried Onions crumbled pretty fine (can't remember honestly - bought 1 yr ago)
3/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese ($.49 Sargento during Kroger Mega sale)
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs (.10 bread left out and then crumbled)
1 tsp paprika ($.05)
1/2 tsp salt ($.03)
3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast ($5.61 at SuperValu this week) cut into chunks (little bigger than bite sized)
1/4 cup butter melted ($.18)

Directions:
1)  In shallow bowl whisk milk and egg
2)  In another shallow bowl milk remaining ingredients except for butter
3)  Dip chicken pieces into egg/milk mixture then coat with onion mixture
4)  place into shallow baking dish and drizzle with the melted butter
5)  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes
Add a veggie and Dole Salad blend and you have a great dinner for 4
The cost of this dinner is about $7.  Not bad to feed a family of 4

Don't forget to check out Katie's recipes at Cincinnati Cents.  Happy eating everyone.







This post is part of the Becentsable Gathering
Compensated Affiliate

Dinners On A Dime

It's time once again for Dinners On A Dime. Katie from Cincinnati Cents and I put together main dish dinner recipes taken from the deals at our local grocery stores. Don't forget to check out Katie's site to see what she is cooking up this week!

First up for me....

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
Ingredients:
5-6 Center Cut Bone In Pork Chops - $4.89 (Meijers $2.99/lb this week)
1 cup Italian Style Bread Crumbs - $.35 (I had purchased almost a year ago from SuperValue)
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan - $.12 (Sargento from Mega Event at Krogers 2/1/2010)
2 Eggs - $.16 (Wal-Mart)
6 Tablespoons Olive Oil ($.40)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Direction:
1. Whisk eggs in shallow dish.
2. Put the bread crumbs on a plate and the cheese on a different plate
3. Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper (both sides)
4. Coat the chops with the cheese, then dip in the eggs, then in the bread crumbs. Pat the mixture down on the pork chops to help it adhere to the chops.
5. Heat a couple of tablespoons of the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chops a couple at a time and cook until golden brown on each side. (About 6-8 minutes per side).
Total Cost = $5.92
Add a couple of Kraft Easy Mac cups ($.49 Kroger Mega Event) and a side salad ($.99 Meijers) to this and you have a dish that serves 4 people for $7.89 or roughly $1.97/ea.

Next we have...
Lemon Baked Cod
Ingredients:
4 Cod Fillets = $4 ($1/ea. at SuperValu)
1/4 butter melted $.18 ($1.50 for 4 stick pack at Wal-Mart)
1/4 All Purpose Flour (.02) (Purchased 5 lb bag at SuperValu for $1 in November)
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice $.40 (Krogers couple weeks ago)
1/2 tsp salt = $.02 (purchased at Walgreens 6 months ago)
1/8 tsp pepper = Free (Meijers over the summer)
Paprika

Directions:
1. Mix butter and lemon juice in shallow dish
2. Mix salt, pepper and flour in shallow dish
3. Dip fish in butter/lemon mixture then coat fish with flour mixture pressing in to adhere.
4. Places fish into un-greased square baking dish
5. Pour remaining butter/lemon mixture over fish
6. Sprinkle with Paprika
7. Bake in 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.
Total Cost = $4.6
Add a side salad ($.99) to this for a healthy dinner for four at a cost of $1.40/ea.

And finally....
Herb Crusted Pork Loin
Ingredients:
1 4-lb Pork Loin or Roast = $6.76 (Krogers 1/25/2010)
1 Tablespoon Salt = $.04
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil = $.12
4 Cloves Garlic Minced = $.15
1 tsp Dried Thyme, Rosemary and Basil = $.40 (Guessing here - I have no idea)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 475
2. Put Loin or Roast on a rack in a roasting pan
3. Mix all of the remaining ingredients and rub into the loin/roast
4. Bake at 475 for 30 minutes then reduce temperature to 425 and cook for 1 hour.
5. Let the loin/roast rest for about 20-30 minutes. Then carve and serve
Total Cost = $7.83
Pair this dish with some boiled/buttered red potatoes ($2.50/5 lb bag Meijers) and a side salad ($.99) and you have yourself an awesome simple dinner the whole family will love. Cost based on 4 people is roughly $2.43 with the salad and potatoes.
Hint: Save a couple of slices of the loin/roast and make pork fried rice!





This post is part of the Becentsable Gathering
Compensated Affiliate

Dinners On A Dime

It's time for another edition of Dinners On A Dime.  If you are just joining Dinners On A Dime, Katie from Cincinnati Cents and I teamed up to bring you great dinners each week based on the sale items in our area.    This week has been a great week to come up with some really great and FRUGAL (another word for cheap!) recipes because Krogers and Meijers are having such great sales this week.


Be sure and check out Katie's site to see her great recipes.

First up for me....

Taco Ring

Ingredients:
2 Packages Crescent Rolls (.25/can at Meijer's)
1 lb ground chuck ($1.69/lb at Krogers)
1 Package McCormick Taco Seasoning (Free at Meijer's)
1/2 cup Salsa (Chi Chi's $.49 bottle at Meijers - use about 1/2 bottle so cost = $.25)

Directons:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Cook beef in frying pan over medium to medium low heat until done.  Drain off grease and add taco seasoning according to package directions. 

3.  Open crescents and arrange in a circle on a pizza pan with wide ends slightly overlapping. 

4.  Spoon the taco mixture all the way around the wide ends of the crescents.

5.  Now drizzle the salsa on top of the taco meat all the way around and wrap the crescent rolls over the mixture and tuck underneath the wide end. 

6.  Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. 

7.  Slice apart and serve with a side salad (Dole Iceberg at Meijers $.88)  Dressing free previously at Meijers over the summer.

This recipe makes 6 to 8 servings depending on how big your serving sizes are.
Cost of this dinner = $3.32
This dinner easily serves a family of 4-6 with a cost per person of $.55 to $.83/person


Montery Sausage Pie

Ingredients:
1 Pound roll pork sausage (Jimmy Dean for $1.29 at Meijers)
1 large onion chopped ($.25)
1 cup chopped sweet pepper ($1 last week at Meijer I think)
3 tsps minced garlic ($.20 guestimate - I have a HUGE bottle I paid $2.89 for )
2 cups shredded Montery Jack cheese (divided) ($.83 at Meijers)
1-1/3 cups milk ($.50 for grins - I have no idea)
3 eggs ($.24)
3/4 cup biscuit baking mix (Free over the summer from Krogers I think)
3/4 tsp sage ($.15)
1/4 tsp pepper (free from Meijers few months back)

Directons:
1.  In medium sauce pan (frying pan) cook sausage, onion, pepper and garlic over medium low heat until meat is cooked.  Drain.

2.  Stir in 1 and 1/2 cups shredded cheese.  Transfer to a greased 9" deep dish pie pan.

3.  In a bowl combine the biscuit baking mix, sage, eggs, milk and pepper.  Pour over the sausage mixture.

4.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 1 or 2 more minutes until the cheese melts.

Another dish to serve with the Dole Classic Salad Blend ($.88 at Meijers)

Total Cost for dish including salad = $5.34.  You can easily serve this to a family of 4 making the cost per family member = $1.33/person


Johnsonville Bratwurst Mac N Cheese

Ingredients:
1 Package of Johnsonville Bratwurst ($.50 at Meijers)
2 packges Kraft Macaroni N Cheese (Free from 5 pack over summer at Meijers)
1/4 cup of butter ($.18)
2 green onions ($.25)
1/2 cup milk ($.25)
2 slices bread cut into cubes ($.20)

Directons:
1.  Grill Bratwurst (yes you can do it even though it's cold outside - I do it all the time!) Let cool slightly and slice into bitesize pieces

2.  Cook macaroni according to directions (drain) (don't add cheese mix yet.)

3.  Melt butter in sauce pan over low heat, add onions and cook for a couple of minutes until tender. 

4.  Add cheese sauce mix and blend well (no clumps here).

5.  Add macaroni noodles and bratwurst and mix well.

6.  Pour all into rectangle baking pan.

7.  Sprinkle bread cubes on top and bake in 350 oven for a couple of minutes until cubes turn to croutons.

Another dish you can serve with the Dole Classic Salad Blend ($.88 at Meijers)

Total Cost for meal with salad = $2.26
Cost per 4 servings = $.56/person







This post is part of the Becentsable Gathering
Compensated Affiliate

Dinners On A Dime 1st Weekly Post

Dinners On A

Last night I told you how Katie from Cincinnati Cents and I are teaming up to bring you dinner ideas based on the sales at the local stores each week. Tonight I am putting up my recipes and she is putting up hers.

We are putting up a cost at the end, but I want you to understand that our costs may be a little different than yours if you are just starting out. We have been couponing and stockpiling for a while which cuts our costs down pretty low and that's the name of the game. You will notice in my recipes that several of the items are free or guestimated (spices). I have listed the stores where the items were purchased from when I could remember them. In time, as you build your stockpile, you will be able to make these dishes for the same cost or even lower than our costs. With regards to the sausage, I used the Mega Event this week to purchase items at a cost which would leave me an overage so that I could get the sausage and turkey for free or nearly free.

For example the first purchase was 9 Hormel Chili Masters at $1.29 = $11.61 + (1) 1 Johnsonville Brats @ 2.99 + 1 Dole Garden Salad @ $1 = $15.60.
Math = $15.60 - $9 (Hormel) - $1 (Johnsonville) - $5 Instant Coupon = $.60. I figured I got the sausage for free and paid $.60 for the Dole Salad (10/$10)

Turkey Chili Cheddar Bake

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey ($.80 at Krogers during the buy one get one free sale)
8 ounces tomato sauce ($.33 previously at Walgreens)
½ onion diced ($.20)
1 package chili seasoning (Free from Meijer's over summer)
1 cup water
1 lb elbow macaroni (Purchased free previously at Meijers)
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded ($.49 at Krogers this week)
½ stick butter diced into little chunks ($.19 purchased at Wal-Mart for $1.50 4-stick pack)
Total Cost = $2.01


Directions:
Brown turkey in frying pan over medium low heat.

Add tomato sauce, onions, chili seasoning and water. Bring to boil then lower to medium and cook until sauce thickens a little bit (about 20-30 minutes) Stir occasionally . While sauce is cooking, cook pasta according to package directions. Once pasta is cooked, drain. Get a 9” baking dish and put about ½ inch of pasta in bottom, put a layer of sauce, then a layer of cheese and dot with some of the butter. Continue to layer with the last layer ending in cheese.

Bake in 400 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes until cheese is nicely melted and starts to brown around the edges.



Stuffed Turkey Bell Peppers

Ingredients:
5-6 Medium size bell peppers (5 free during Mega event - paid for $1 for one in 10/$10 sale)

1 lb ground turkey - ($.80 at Krogers during the buy one get one free sale this week)
1 medium onion chopped ($.25)
1 can whole kernel corn ($.35 at Meijers couple of weeks ago)
1 tsp garlic powder ($.05)
Salt and pepper to taste ($.10 for grins because I have no idea how to price this)
2 cups cooked rice ($.75 Uncle Bens Instant Rice)
1 8 oz can tomato sauce ($.33 at Walgreens about 6 weeks ago)
Total Cost = $3.63

Directions:
Fill large pot with water and bring to boil.

Cut tops off bell peppers and clean out pulp and seeds. Boil peppers for 3 minutes. Remove from pan and drain.

Cook ground turkey over medium-low heat with onions. Remove pan from heat and add remaining ingredients. Stuff peppers and bake in shallow baking dish for 30 to 35 minutes on 350 degrees.



Sausage Stir Fry


Ingredients:
1 package Johnsonville Brats ($.10 Kroger Mega Event)
1 Package Stir Fry Vegetables ($1.40 @ Wal-Mart)
2 tbsp Olive Oil ($.30 guestimate here)
2 cups hot cooked rice ($.75 Uncle Ben's Instant Rice)
6 tbsp of Sweet N Sour Sauce (If you don’t have a bottle of this and you have little packets from a recent Chinese food run, that works great too – use 6-7 packets. That's what I did.)
Total Cost = $2.55

Directions:
Heat oil in frying pan on medium. Cut brats into bit side slices and add to pan. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add stir fry vegetables and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Add Sweet and Sour sauce and stir 1 minute. Serve over cooked white rice.


Zesty Italian Sausage Pasta


Ingredients:
1 pkg Johnsonville Italian sausage ($.10 at Kroger Mega Event)
1 box spaghetti noodles (Free previously at Meijers)
3 tbsp olive oil ($.40 guestimating again)
1 small onion diced ($.25)
1 tsp minced garlic ($.10)
1 can diced tomatoes ($.20 at Krogers over summer)
1 can chicken broth ($.49 previously at Meijers)
2 cups broccoli florets ($1.49/lb at SuperValu)
Total Cost = $3.03


Directions:

Prepare sausage according to package directions. Let cool slightly and slice into ¼ inch pieces

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to simmer. Add broccoli and cooked pasta. Cook until broccoli is tender. Add sausage, toss to combine and continue to cook another 1-2 minutes until sausage is heated back up.


Note: Each of these dishes could be paired with a salad and you have a great dinner each night for $4 or less. And don't forget to stop over at Cincinnati Cents to get the following recipes:

Tater Tot Casserole

Chicken Bake

Sausage & Egg Casserole

Southwestern Vegetarian Chili





This post is part of the Becentsable Gathering
Compensated Affiliate

Dinners On A Dime is Born!

If you have been paying attention to my posts recently you will remember that I told you that something new would be coming to Buck-A-Day. Well, it's finally here and it starts tomorrow and I'm so excited to tell you about it.

In December I attended the Christmas Crusade and had the pleasure of meeting Katie from Cincinnati Cents. She is a wonderful Stay-At-Home mom who home schools her children (and does an Awesome Job I might add!). She has an incredible Blog and shares all of her great finds at the local. Anyway, Katie is a sweet heart and we hit it off immediately and had such a wonderful time.

We were discussing the distressing economy and how many families are struggling to put food on their tables, etc. We started kicking around the idea of coming up with a weekly menu from the food items we find on sale each week at the local stores, and that is how Dinners On A Dime came to be.

Each week Katie and I hope to:

Bring you frugal dinner recipes from the sale items each week.

Show you how to turn a single main dish ingredient into two awesome meals

Teach you time saving cooking and baking techniques

Share tips for saving money while preparing meals

Offer a weekly line-up for others to share their money saving recipes and tips!

We hope you will join us as we strive to find easier less expensive ways to cook for our families and yours! Come back Wednesday for the first edition of Dinners On A Dime. Bon Appetit!

This post is part of the Becentsable Gathering
Compensated Affiliate