Heart on My Sleeve

Just Call Me Martha . . .. kinda

No, I'm not going to jail.  I made up my own recipe (not a first, mind you), but most definately my most daring.  We are at that point where we have more month than groceries, so I'm pulling out all the stops and trying to get creative.  The following recipe certainly does not LOOK tasty in the slightest, but everyone loved it (which is major around here) and it was really pretty good.  Definately more suited for a cold wintery day, but acceptable here on a thunderstorm, rainy day.  And of course, the best part?  Everything was already in the pantry  :)

Hamburger Soup

1 can Progresso French Onion soup

1 can Turkey gravy

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

(1 of the above cans refilled w/ water)

1 can green beans (drained)

1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey, as usual)

1 onion

5-6 red potatoes

butter

seasoning

parsely

First, since I didn't know quite what I was making, but had red potatoes, I quartered them, sliced an onion and added a few pats of butter, then baked them at 350 for about an hour. 

While they were cooking, I browned the beef (plus an extra pound and stuck it in the freezer for future use with less work  :)  ) (if you use ground beef, you'll need to drain, but since I used the turkey, I didn't)

I poured all the canned items into my large soup pot, added the meat, and sprinkled parsley and my favorite seasoning, although I'm sure any all purpose seasoning would work) pretty generously.  By this time, the potatoes were pretty well done, so I dumped them, (and everything that was with them) into the pot as well.  I was afraid it looked a bit runny, but decided that the taste was worth it.  Stirred pretty consistently and cooked on low/medium low for a while till it smelled good (about 30-45 minutes?).

Like I said, not the most appetizing by sight, but definately tasty in the way of some good homecooking!  I served it with fresh bakery bread (generously buttered) and it was yummy.  Let me know if you try it!

A pizza by any other name . . .

would still be pizza!  I've made a couple variations of pizza the last few days and thought I would share my recipes for all you busy moms who want to have a pizza night but can't afford the "real" delivery kind.  (This is a great way to use up some odd ingredients in your fridge if you're low on groceries, too.)  I've included the prices and amount of servings, just to show how cost effective these meals are!  (Keep in mind, I normally cook for a family of 5 - even the baby can eat these after I cut them up in tiny pieces)

Barbeque Pizza  (This is a nene exclusive)

1 package of pizza crust - the just add water kind (WalMart brand 50 cents [or less]!)  Because they're so inexpensive, I always have a couple on hand.

1 bottle of barbeque sauce - for this recipe, I get the generic brand at 70 cents per bottle.  You'll use almost half the bottle.

2 cooked boneless chicken breasts cut up into small pieces (or almost shredded)

4 slices cooked bacon crumbled

1/2 diced onion sauted in butter

8-10 ounces of your favorite cheese(s) shredded -  I usually use Monteray Jack and cheddar, but Mozarella works well also.

Directions:  Make the pizza dough according to package directions.  Sometimes this can be a tad tricky, so I add flour and spread it along the bottom of a casserole dish.  It makes for more of a casserole-type meal this way, but if you like "deep dish" crust, this is definately the way to go.  Make sure you spray the bottom of your dish.  Once the bottom is covered, pour the barbeque sauce evenly over the crust.  Sprinkle the onions evenly, then sprinkle the chicken and crumbled bacon.  Lastly, cover everything with the cheese.  Put in the oven per pizza dough package instructions (usually 20 minutes at 450.) 

Once your prep work is done, this dish is a cinch!  Assuming you have the boneless chicken breast, cheese, onion and bacon on hand, (which I always do) I usually only spend $1.25 on extra ingredients for this meal.  It feeds us all for one evening and there's usually enough left over for me and the girls to reheat for lunch the next day.

English Muffin Pizza (courtesy of my childhood, from Momma)

1 package of English muffins cut in half and toasted

1 package of pepperoni (either the little kind or the big round ones - depending what's on sale.  I often get the big round ones for free at Winn Dixie when they have their 3 free items w/ a $25 purchase - it's often one of the 3 free items offered)

1 can tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce or leftovers of either

Velveeta (or sliced American)

Directions:

Slice English Muffins and toast.  Place on broiler pan.  Put a couple spoons full of sauce on them, top with pepperoni (4 little will fit, or one big is a perfect fit), then cover with one slice of cheese - we prefer Velveeta, but sliced American works great too.  Broil in oven for approximately 3 minutes - or until cheese is melted. 

You can make 12 mini pizzas with this recipe and still have all ingredients to spare except for the English Muffins.  We usually keep all ingredients on hand anyway, and it makes for a great quick dinner or lunch - even a good weekend snack!

Total cost for 12 is much less than $5, (and $3 if I get the pepperoni for free!) plus you have enough ingredients to repeat the recipe again later in the week, after you grab another pack of English Muffins.

I hope these offer a tasty alternative for all of you, plus you can say you "cooked" with very little effort!

Let me know what you think about this new addition to my blog - I'd love to keep posting successful recipes if you all will enjoy them!