What's Cooking Wednesday 1/5

Crockpot Unstuffed Cabbage

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef or turkey (or half and half) 1 med head of cabbage, chopped 1/2 C long grain rice 1 large onion, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 1 C water 1 can petite cut diced tomatoes 1 can tomato soup garlic to taste paprika to taste salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large crockpot on low heat, combine all ingredients. Cook 6-8 hours!

TIP~ I use brown rice and cook it before putting into the crock pot. This step can be done an hr before serving!

Number of Servings: 8

Christmas Crack! EASY Recipe and Gift Idea

I know there are probably lot of you out there who either need a really simple last minute gift, or who with the terrible economy want to make INEXPENSIVE gifts this year.  This is one of the easiest, cheapest, and yet most impressive gourmet-ish gifts I've ever found.  My friends call this recipe Christmas Crack because it is addictive, and you crack it apart, but I've found this doesn't tell people much about it, so call it whatever you wish.  It's basically chocolate covered toffee pieces, and it's made with things that are probably already in your kitchen.  Here goes:

1 sleeve saltine crackers
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 package chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a 10" x 15" with foil (the kind of sheet that has raised edges!).  Spray with Pam, or grease VERY lightly with butter.  Cover the cookie sheet with a single layer of saltines.  Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil.  Boil for 3 minutes, stirring with a whisk.  Pour over the saltines, and try to spread it as evenly as possible.  Place in the oven and bake for 5 minutes.  When you remove it, the caramel mixture will be molten and boiling; allow to cool about 3 min, or until you can see the crackers distinctly, which will have shifted while baking.  Push them back into order with a fork or knife. 


Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the toffee and let sit for about 5 minutes to melt.  Once melted spread chocolate evenly.  If desired, sprinkle on pecans and press lightly into the chocolate.  Let cool a bit and then transfer to fridge to harden.


Once hard, break the candy into small pieces and place in containers.  I warn you, this is addictive to MAKE and to EAT, but go easy on it, as it is literally butter + sugar.  I give it as gifts in tins to people I'm attempting to impress (in-laws, boss, etc), and in gladware to everyone else who has already been impressed and is now just awaiting their yearly fix.  (I actually wash and reuse the gladware that my lunch meat comes in so I can do some recycling and save some money.)

Cheesy Chicken and Corn Casserole

A friend found this recipe on Three on Food and thought it looked like something we would all like. We reduced the butter and wow was this good!

Ingredients:
1 Box Yellow Rice (I used a 10oz. bag) (I used brown rice 1 1/2 cups )
1 Stick Margarine (I used 2 T., 1 in rice and 1 for chicken)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 Can Cream Of Chicken Soup (I used 98% FF)
1-2 Cups shredded, cooked chicken
1 can Whole Kernel Corn, drained
1 1/2 Cups Cheddar Cheese

Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions.
Fry your chicken in some butter and set aside (I seasoned with Steak and Shake fry seasoning or you can use salt, pepper and garlic salt).
Saute your onion in the same skillet as the chicken bits.
Add rice and all other ingredients, except for 1/2 C of cheese, into a bowl and stir until well combined.
Spoon into casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 min, or until bubbly.

Whats Cooking Wednesday 6/30

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

1 – 1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (preferably the easy release kind).
Peal the sweet potatoes. Cut into strips that are about 1/2 inch wide on each side.
Place the sweet potatoes into a resealable plastic bag. Add oil, salt, paprika and cinnamon. Seal the bag and shake well to thoroughly coat the fries. Spread the potatoes out onto the baking sheet in a single layer.
Cook for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes, until slightly browned. Transfer immediately to a paper towel lined plate and serve warm.

Recipe Courtesy of Sarah's Cucina Bella Blog! 

Let me just say yummy yummy yummy! These were fantastic. My husband who is not a big sweet potato eater loved them. I love sweet potatoes just about any way you can cook them but this is the first time I tried them as fries. I served them for dinner with grilled asparagus and cheese burgers. (Note I ate my burger with no bread, added a little BBQ sauce and a tomato slice) I warmed the left over fries in the microwave for lunch the next day with tuna salad and they were still delicious!

Link up your Wednesday Recipe posts here:

What's Cooking Wednesday 6/9 Chinese Coconut Shrimp Recipe

Ingredients:
1lb jumbo shrimp (peeled and deveined with tails off)
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green onion (chopped)
1 tablespoon amaretto liquor
½ cup coconut milk
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar (or less)
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

• In a wok heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Add shrimp and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add green onions and amaretto liquor. Cooking for another 1-2 minutes until the shrimp begins to caramelize.
• Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. Add to the wok- coconut milk, heavy cream, and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer (stirring occasionally) until the sauce is reduced by half (about 6 minutes).
• Add shrimp back into the wok and add vanilla and coconut extracts. Simmer for another 1-2 minutes and serve. Serve over rice.

(Makes 4 servings) (Recipe courtesy of BlogChef)


Yummy! I love this at an all you can eat buffet. The problem.... I eat more than all I can eat. Simple solution make this at home and share with family~ limits what I can eat!

Whats Cooking Wednesday~ ICBINB Review

Okay so I know I already posted a What's Cooking Wednesday post, but I had to post this one as well. I recently got sent some I Can't Believe It's Not Butter swag, which included recipes. I made this for Mother's Day!

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt
1 Tbsp. orange juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. grated orange peel
3/4 cup I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Spread
3 large eggs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pan; set aside.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; set aside.
Combine yogurt, orange juice and vanilla in small bowl; set aside.
Combine sugar with orange peel in large bowl. Beat in I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Spread with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately beat in flour mixture and yogurt mixture on low speed just until blended. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
Bake 55 minutes or until lightly browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.
Frost, if desired, with Orange Glaze*.

*For Orange Glaze: Combine 1 cup confectioners sugar with 1 Tbsp. orange juice. Adding more orange juice if needed.

Cost per recipe*: $3.01. Cost per serving*: $.38.
*Based on the ICBINB website.

TIP: For LEMON POUND CAKE, use lemon juice and grated lemon peel instead of orange.

And here is my cake. The edges were a little burnt but no one minded. This cake was gone the same night! It will definitely be made again in my home or for any get together I am invited to.

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® spread has 0 grams trans fat, 2 grams or less saturated fat and no cholesterol per serving. You can find ICBINB in the regular, light, sticks, and so much more. You can check out detailed nutrition information on their site.Make sure you sign up for their newsletter to get the inside track on promotions and other goodies! You can also follow ICBINB on twitter! I really believe once you try ICBINB you will be hooked; I know I am!

The Results Are In:     * ICBINB saves TIME~ Turn the tub around and see how it's healthy. No more trying to figure out trans fats etc!     * ICBINB saves MONEY~ No more pricey than any other name brand spreads (yet tastes GREAT)!     * ICBINB saves SANITY~ Tastes great and all information is easily found!

So if you would like to try ICBINB then please leave me a message telling me the recipe (there than the one listed above) you would like to make. The first 10 readers to respond withe a recipe AND email addressee.... will get a coupon booklet with a few recipes and to $1.50 off coupons!

 I received no form of monetary compensation for this post. I did receive a samples of the product in order to write a fair and honest review. For more information on reviews please see my disclosure policy.

Unstuffed Cabbage

Unstuffed Cabbage

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef or turkey 1 med head of cabbage, chopped 1 Cup long grain rice ( I used brown rice) 1 large onion, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped (I used red and orange) 1 Cup water 1 can petite cut diced tomatoes (I used Italian Seasoned ones) 1 can tomato soup garlic to taste (I added a tad bit of chili powder) salt and pepper to taste

Directions  

In a large pot over medium high heat, combine ground beef or ground turkey, pepper and onion. Saute for 10 minutes, until beef is browned and onion is tender.

Add the cabbage, soup, water, tomatoes, rice, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Mix together well and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until cabbage is at desired tenderness.

* Can put ingredients in crock pot as well.

Number of Servings: 8
Calories: 228.4  (approx)

WOW we loved this recipe. Aaron gobbled down a bowl and let me tell you if my kid likes it then it must be great! I acquired it from Spark people and modified it to fit me. I put all ingredients in the crock pot and let it cook on low temp for 6 hours. Did you know that using your crock pot costs less then .10 cents per hour to run and could be as low as .02! This is sure so much easier then stuffing cabbage...... This one is a keeper!

What's Cooking Wednesday 5/05

I found this recipe on a can of Cream of Chicken Soup. Oh My we LOVE IT!

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1 Can of Cream of Chicken Soup (I use the lower fat version)
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream (again I use the fat free)
• 1 cup salsa
• 2 tsp Chili Powder (add more if you like it spicy)
• 2 cups cooked shredded Chicken (I used 3 large skinless chicken breasts)
• 1 cup Shredded Monterey Jack or Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 6 Flour Tortillas (I used whole wheat but use what you like)
• Any 'mexican' toppings you like (tomatoes, olives, guacamole, etc)

Nutritional Info       

• Calories: 396.5
• Total Fat: 13.3 g
• Cholesterol: 91.7 mg
• Sodium: 1,710.1 mg
• Total Carbs: 36.2 g
• Dietary Fiber: 5.8 g
• Protein: 34.3 g

Cook chicken. (I baked it in oven for 45 min. Stir soup, sour cream, salsa, and chili powder in medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the soup mixture in with chicken and 1/2 cup of cheese in a large bowl. Divide chicken mixture among tortillas. Roll up tortillas and place seam side up in a shallow baking dish. Top with remaining soup mixture then cheese. Cover baking dish with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 min, or until enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with your favorite toppings. Number of Servings: 6




So what are you cooking up? I would love to know! I need all the ideas I can get:

What's Cooking Wednesday 4/21

Tuna Garden Salad

I made this tonight after looking at what I had in my fridge and  cupboard. I wanted alot of fresh veggies. I dislike tuna without mayo  but looking for alternatives. I love this! There is so much more you can  do and different just add fresh veggies as you see fit as well as  spices.

35 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

Ingredients

Starkist Chunck Light Tuna in Pouch (12 oz), 12 oz
Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Grain Rotini, 14 oz
Del Monte Diced Tomatoe Basil Garlic& oregano, 2 cup
Green Giant Corn, 2 cup
Fresh Express Spinach, 9 cup
Scallions, raw, .5 cup, chopped
Peppers, sweet, red, raw, sliced, .25 cup
Pepper Orange Sweet, .25 serving
Nakano Seasoned Rice Vinegar, 2 tbsp

Directions

Makes aprox 10 1-cup servings
Boil pasta and drain. Cook in  boiling water spinach till just cooked and then place in cold water to  stop cooking. (Can also saute in EVOO with a clove of garlic)
Chop  all veggies into bite sized pieces
Put pasta, tuna, and all veggies  in a bowl
Add Seasoned rice vinegar and mix well

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 10

Amount Per Serving:

• Calories: 217.8   
• Total Fat: 6.4 g    
• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg    
• Sodium: 271.6 mg    
• Total Carbs: 35.2 g  
• Dietary Fiber: 5.3 g  
• Protein: 6.3 g 

   

What's Cooking Wednesday 4/13

Homemade Blueberry Pancake Surprise

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole grain flour
• 1/2 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• Dash of salt
• 1 large egg 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 cup skim milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup blueberries(fresh or frozen) 

Nutritional Info
   

•     Fat: 2.6g
•     Carbohydrates: 29.5g
•     Calories:168.5
•     Protein: 7.1g

Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add eggs, applesauce, milk, vanilla extract and mix. If using frozen blueberries place in bowl and thaw in microwave, add berries with juices to batter and stir. Spray griddle with non-stick cooking spray and pre-heat. Pour batter onto cooking utensil and cook until bubbles form, flip and cook until done - pancakes should look brown when ready. Enjoy! Each serving is 3 pancakes from 1/2 cup of batter. Number of Servings: 5.33


Oh my gosh these are to die for. Who knew they were so healthy! My 4 year old gobbled them up. I will say that the three pancakes were good enough for me I was so stuffed. 
(thanks Cutie Booty Cakes for the recipe)

What's Cooking Wednesday 3/17

Cheesy Cheesburger Macaroni

1 lb. ground beef

1-1/4 cups water

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup ketchup

1 pkg. (12 oz.) VELVEETA Shells & Cheese Dinner

1 large tomato, chopped

2 green onions, sliced

BROWN meat in large skillet; drain.
ADD water, milk and ketchup; mix well. Bring to boil. Stir in Shell Macaroni; return to boil. Cover; simmer on medium-low heat 10 min. or until macaroni is tender.
STIR in Cheese Sauce, tomatoes and onions; cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.

*TIP You can add bacon, more cheese, etc.

This is one of those really easy out of the pantry meal. I lived on this when I was a single mom. I got the recipe off of a box of Velveeta Shells and Cheese.

Still Hungry?

What's Cooking Wednesday 3/10

Cream cheese chicken (slow cooker)

Ingredients:
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 pkg. dry Ranch or Italian dressing mix (we usually only use one)
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. cream cheese – cut into cubes (I use the 1/3 less fat kind)
½ c. chicken broth

Directions: Brush chicken with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in crock pot and sprinkle 1 pkg. dry mix over all. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours. About 45 minutes before serving, add soup, second packet of dry dressing mix, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Cook until smooth.
Serve over rice or pasta.


This one is similar but with pork chops and it's yummy, too...

Creamy Ranch Mushroom Pork Chops

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops
1 packet ranch seasoning
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can chicken broth
1 block cream cheese

Spray a crockpot with cooking spray, and put all ingredients but cream cheese in. Cover, and cook on low "all day" (At least 8 hours). Before serving, stir in cream cheese until melted. The sauce is also delicious with veggies!

These recipes were taken from my friend over at Melissa's Bargain Blog. I have not tried them yet but will be this weekend. Let me know what you think of them. Want to be featured on What's Cooking Wednesday? Link your post up here... and let the good cooking flow!

What's Cooking Wednesday 3/3

Pork Chops with Fried Apples

Ingredients
    4 Boneless Pork Chops (remember the ones I got for less then a $1)
    seasoned salt
    5 Apples
    4 tablespoons brown sugar
    1/2 Stick of butter
    2 tablespoons Ground Cinnamon
 
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the pork chops seasoned with season salt. In another pan heat butter till melted. Add 5 apples that have been peeled, cored, and sliced thinly. Add cinnamon and brown sugar. Cook till soft. Serve apples over pork

This is an extremely easy and affordable meal. Look for the porkchops at your grocery store when they mark down meat. Serve with pasta salad (recipe below) or your favorite side dish.

Rotini Pasta Salad

Ingredients
    1 bag Rotini Pasta (I like the rainbow ones)
    seasoned salt (or favorite spices, Italian seasoning works great!)
    1 bag of frozen peas
    1 can of corn
    1/4 onion (I use red but any is fine)
    Seasoned rice vinegar (or favorite salad dressing)
 
Directions
Cook Pasta according to directions. Drain and add frozen peas (Peas will thaw before serving). Add corn, diced onion, and season salt or spices. Mix well and add Rice Vinegar or favorite dressing. Can be chilled before serving.


*Tip this salad works well with tuna or chicken added into it for a one dish meal. 


~~The above recipes were made with things I keep on hand. Overall both dishes might cost me $1.50 to make and serves 4 people with plenty of pasta left over!~~

Still not had your fill? Then head over to Preparing for our Children and see what she has cooking today!

What's Cooking Wednesday 2/24

I have had a sweet tooth the past few days  so I have decided to post some deserts today. Maybe not exactly healthy but oh so yummy!

Fired-Up Peaches and Cream

Ingredients
    4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
    4 medium ripe peaches, sliced
    Pinch ground cinnamon
    4 tablespoons brown sugar
    4 shots whiskey
    2 pints vanilla ice cream
    1 canister whipped cream
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter, melt and add peaches then season them with cinnamon. Turn up heat to medium-high and cook peaches 3 minutes then add sugar and melt into the butter and peaches. Pull pan off stove, add whiskey, return pan to stove and tip skillet to set pan aflame, or set aflame with a kitchen match. When the flame dies out, scoop some ice cream into dishes, top with peaches and whipped cream and serve.

*TIP* I actually omit the Whiskey as I do not care for the taste.
This is a Rachel Ray recipe  

Cake Mix Cookies

Ingredients
1 box cake mix, any flavor
1 stick butter (or 1/2 cup shortening, but I prefer the butter)
2 eggs

Directions
Make into balls (I use my cookie scooper) and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes (check at about 8, because some cake mixes seem to bake faster than others).  They sort of crackle on top and are pretty soft.  I like to use lemon cake mix and dust with powdered sugar, or use spice cake mix and make little "cakesters" with cream cheese icing in between.

Cheese Cake Tarts

Ingredients
1 box Keebler Waffle Bowls
2 Package 8oz cream cheese, softned
1 can (14oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 tsp lime or lemon juice
Variety of Toppings ( nuts, granola, fruit, ice cream topping)

Directions
Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth.
Mix in milk, vanilla, and lime/lemon juice.
Refrigerate at least one hour or until mixture has thickened.
Top with your favorite toppings. ENJOY!

~TIP~  I used Raspberry liqueur hot fudge. Wished I had added fruit as well! It was sinful!

Head on over to Preparing for our Children's Future to see what she has cooking.

 

What's Cooking Wednesday 2/17

Crispy-Skinned Chicken a l'Orange

Ingredients
·    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
·    4 skin-on bone-in chicken breast halves ($4.00)
·    1 tablespoon vegetable oil
·    1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate (.99)
·    4 tablespoons honey
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Liberally salt and pepper the chicken breast halves. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat and sear the chicken, skin side only, until brown and beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the orange glaze: In a small saucepan, heat the orange juice concentrate, honey, and salt and pepper, to taste, over medium heat, and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat

Turn the chicken over and brush each piece with the glaze. Turn the chicken skin side up and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 160 to 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, brushing on more glaze halfway through, about 15 minutes in total. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board. Remove the chicken breast from the bone and slice the meat on the bias. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and serve.

Total Cost:  $4.99    Total per serving for 4: $1.25

What's Cooking Wednesday 2/10

Ok so this week KFC is running a special on their 8 piece family meal deal. I have been in the process of moving this week; so we ate KFC Monday. I had 4 pieces left over and between my wish for spring to come and unpacking I decided to do something hearty but easy tonight. This is sure to be making you think sunny thoughts even though the snow may be piling up!

KFC Chicken Salad

4 pieces of KFC Chicken (I prefer original recipe but any will work. Don't use wings)

1/4 cup Mayonnaise (can use Miracle Whip)

Approx 10 grapes (cut into 8ths or manageable chunks)

Salt (I use a salt blend)

Pepper

Celery Flakes (can use chopped celery)

Crackers or Bread

• Dice or shred Chicken use breading but take skin out if possible  
• Add Mayonnaise and Seasoning. Mix well  
• Add grapes and stir together. Seal and refrigerate at least one hour  
• Can be used with crackers, on bread (I love mine on Arnold Sandwich Thins) Also works great on salad!

Total Cost:  $9.50      Total per serving for 4: $2.30

Head on over to Preparing for our Children's Future to see what she has cooking.

What's Cooking Wednesday 2/3

Crunchy Doritos Taco Salad

1 pound Hamburger ($1.50)

1 pack Taco Seasoning (.25)

3/4 head of Lettuce (.99)

1 medium Onion (.25)

1 can Black Olives (.50)

3-4 Tomatoes (.99)

1 bag Shredded Cheese ($1.00)

1 bag Doritos ($2.25)

1/4 cup Italian Dressing (.50)

Sour Cream (.99)

Salsa or Salad Dressing

• Crumble and brown hamburger. Add taco seasoning to meat as directed.
• Shred and dice all produce. 
• In a large Bowl put all produce, cheese, meat, and Italian dressing. Mix with a spoon. At this point I crunch up half the bag of Doritos and add to the bowl. (You can add the whole bag or none and let people add their own) 
• I top my bowl with Sour Cream and Catalina Dressing but each person can dress their Taco Salad as they like

*Tip* This is one dish that you can make as your family likes. This is enough for 6 people.

Total Cost:  $9.22      Total per serving for 6: $1.54

Head on over to Preparing for our Children's Future to see what she has cooking.

What's Cooking Wednesday 1/27

Corn Casserole

1-2 pounds Beef, Turkey, or Ground Pork (I usually use one pound beef and 1/2 each Turkey and Pork) (aprox. 4.50)

5-6 Mediun sized Potatoes (.50)

2 Cans Cream Style Corn (.60)

1 package Favorite Shredded Cheese (.99)

 
Brown your meat in a skillet. Season with favorite spices
Layer sliced potatoes and meat in a greased cake pan.
Dot with Butter and add 2 cans of cream style corn on top. Cover with favorite shredded cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 1hour (or until potatoes cooked) at 350 degrees.

*TIP* This recipe also works great with sausage as a breakfast casserole.

I also love serving this with crescent rolls or homemade bread

Serves 4 Total meal cost: $6.50 (could be less if you have things on hand) Cost per person: $1.64

Not your cup of tea? Not in the mood for this: Try what Hannah has for her What's Cooking Wednesday over at preparing for our childrens future!

What's Cooking Wednesday 1/20

Tonight we are taking left over meatballs from the freezer and having sandwiches. So I decided to post one of my families favorite recipes.

Under-Cover Chicken

2-3 skinless, boneless chicken breast or tenders (tenders are cheaper usually about .99 a pound)

2 Tbsp.butter or Extra Virgin Olive oil

8oz softened cream cheese ( .50 - 1.00 for 8oz)

1 package fresh mushrooms(1.50)

4 green onions- chopped(.99 will have left overs)

1/4 tsp. salt

2-3 gloves garlic chopped fine(.99 buy a full garlic to get add. meal)

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls(.50 w/sale and coupon)
(you could also add 1 package of your favorite shredded cheese if you love cheese)

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and cook in butter. *TIP* I like to saute my garlic in the butter for about 30 seconds before I add the chicken. Leave chicken under cooked slightly.  Place chicken in greased casserole dish. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, mushrooms, onion, and salt. Spoon mixture over chicken. Unroll douch into one rectangle; seal seams at perforations. Place dough over chicken and seal against dish. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes or until crescent roll is cooked.

Serves 4 Total meal cost: $6.48 (could be less if you have things on hand) Cost per person: $1.62

This week I was asked by someone if I would be including a Mr. Linky..... I will invest in one (would cost me) if I get enough people wanting to link up. So if you would like to feature this on your blog post a comment. Until I make a decision about a linky..... post a link to your blog 'What's Cooking' and I will add a link in post!

Also if you try this recipe I would love to hear what you think, family thinks, or do different. 

Want another recipe try my friend preparing for our childrens future.

What's Cooking Wednesday

I have decided to start a weekly special on Wednesday's called What's Cooking Wednesday. I am sorry it is being posted so late this week. School has been closed since Thursday, last week, and let me tell you I HATE snow days. Okay so back to what this series will be. Every Wednesday I will try to post a healthy, time saving, and cost saving meal for a family of four. I would also love to see posts from readers on their own healthy, time saving, and cost saving meal for a family of four. I will try to post these each Wednesday morning but as life can often get in the way.... it may be later.

Teryaki Pork Stir Fry

1 Tray of cubed pork. (I buy these in my managers special bins at my grocery store for about .50 - 1.00)

1 Bag of Stir Fry Veggies (You can get these on sale for .50 or less with coupons)

1/2 cup of Teryaki sauce or glaze (I love the glaze personally, I pay about 2.50 for a bottle that lasts for about 5 meals)

1 cup brown rice (about 1.50 for a bag with about 5 meals)

1. Cook rice according to directions on bag
2.  Cut pork into bite sized squares
   
3. Brown pork in about 2 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (takes about 2 min)
4. Add thawed bag stir fry veggies and Teryaki Sauce
5. Cook for 5 min and serve over rice

You can dress this up with any additional items in your pantry. Nuts, ginger, Chinese noodles, etc. Be creative. Also stir fry veggies can come in so many varieties; we love the asparagus one or even the asian with mushrooms.

(I will try to add calories next meal)
Total Cost for Meal: $1.80  Total per person: .45