Category: Budget Friendly

Posted in - Poultry, Budget Friendly

Frugal Fridays: Chicken Fajitas

Posted on by Northerly Nosh

Chicken Fajitas

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6 servings

2 peppers (your favorite), seeded and cut into strips – $2.78
1 onion, cut into strips – $.89
1 1/2 pound chicken breast – $7.79
1/2 cup chicken broth – $.56
taco seasoning packet – $.99
1 tsp. chili powder – $.04
1/2 tsp. paprika – $.02
1 tsp. salt – $.01
Tortillas – $2.29

You may also need…cheese, sour cream, etc. – additional cost of course

Total Cost – $15.37
Per Serving Cost – $2.56

Prep Day: Put all the ingredients in a large freezer bag. (Make sure you label the bag with instructions.)

Serve Day: When it’s time to cook it, dump it all in your slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.

When it’s cooked, shred the meat and add it back to the pepper mixture and serve on warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.

Posted in - Red Meat, Budget Friendly

Frugal Fridays: Healthier Burger

Posted on by Northerly Nosh

Healthier Quarter Pounder

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Adapted from Pennies & Pancakes

Makes 4 burgers

1 lb ground beef (I like 85/15 for burgers) – $2.25 sale
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce – $0.22
1/4 onion, finely diced – $0.13
1 beaten egg – FREE (we have laying hens)
salt and pepper – $0.02
4 toasted buns – $0.67

CONDIMENTS:
tomato – FREE (we have an organic garden)
purple onion – $0.16
pickles – $0.47
lettuce – FREE (we have an organic garden)
ketchup – $0.09
mustard – $0.04

Total Cost: $4.02
Per Quarter Pounder: $1.01

Prep Day: In a bowl, combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the salt and pepper, and mix together. Don’t overwork the meat! Form into four, 1/2-inch thick patties. Lightly season the patties with salt and pepper. Wrap each patti in plastic wrap and place in freezer bag. Freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw. Place the patties on a medium-high pre-heated griddle, skillet, or grill. Make an indentation in the middle of the patties with your thumb to avoid a bulge in the center. It will come back up as the burger cooks.

Turn once, cooking about 5-6 minutes per side for medium burgers. Don’t press the burgers down with a spatula while they cook… unless you like dry burgers better than juicy ones… which isn’t likely.

Serve immediately on warm, toasted buns with tomato, purple onion, lettuce, pickles, ketchup and mustard.

Posted in - Red Meat, Budget Friendly

Frugal Fridays: Cube Steak Parmesan

Posted on by Northerly Nosh

Cube Steak Parmesan

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Serves 4

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour – $.05
1/2 teaspoon salt – $.01
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper – $.01
2 eggs – free (cause we have backyard laying hens)
2 tablespoons water – free
1/3 cup crushed saltine crackers – $.67
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese – $1.12
1/2 teaspoon dried basil – $.37
3 tablespoons vegetable oil – $.18
4 (4 ounce) beef cube steaks – $7.92
1 1/4 cups canned tomato sauce – $.99
2 1/4 teaspoons white sugar – $.02
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, divided – $.37
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder – $.37
4 slices mozzarella cheese – $.87
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese – $1.12

Total = $14.62
Total Per Person = $3.65

Prep Meal Kit: Do not open cube steak. Place in 2 gallon bag.

In a small freezer baggie, combine the saltine crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and basil. Seal securely. Place in 2 gallon bag.

In a small freezer bag, shake together the flour, salt and pepper. Seal securely. Place in the 2 gallon bag.

In a small freezer baggie, place the parmesan cheese and oregano. Seal securely. Place in the 2 gallon bag.

Wrap mozzarella cheese in plastic wrap. Seal securely. Place in the 2 gallon bag.

In a quart-sized Ziploc freezer bag, beat the eggs. Seal securely. Place in the 2 gallon bag.

In a gallon-sized Ziploc freezer bag, place the canned tomato sauce, white sugar, dried oregano, divided, garlic powder to make the pasta sauce. Seal securely. Place in the 2 gallon bag.

In a gallon-sized Ziploc freezer bag, place the spaghetti. Seal securely. Place in the 2 gallon bag.

Insert all bags and chicken into a gallon-size ziploc freezer bag and seal. With a sharpie marker, label the outside of the bag “Cube Steak Parmesan”.

Place in freezer.

Serve Day: Thaw meal kit. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a shallow dish, stir together the flour, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and water with a fork. In a third bowl, or shallow dish, mix together the cracker crumbs, 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese and basil.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dredge the cube steaks in the seasoned flour, dip into the egg mixture, and coat with the cracker crumb mixture. Place them in the skillet, and fry just until browned on each side. Arrange steaks in a single layer in a greased casserole dish.

Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the tomato sauce, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of oregano, and garlic powder. Spoon over steaks when the 25 minutes are up. Top each steak with mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese; sprinkle remaining oregano over the top. Bake for 5 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted, and the sauce is hot.

Serve cube steak parm with pasta on the side

Serving suggestions: Steamed zucchini or a garden salad.