throw a piece of american cheese on top while warm OMG! it's so good!!
Spam sandwhiches
1 box of cheap 3 cheese texas toast one can of spam
slice spam bake in oven on baking sheet with the toast use toast cooking instructions for both
when done take out put spam on top toast cheese inside and add any extras you want whatever you like or you have with chips, fries, mashed potatoes how ever you like sounds gross but I promise IT IS AWESOME!!!!

I have really enjoyed going throught this post! I have to try to Black Beans and Salsa Chicken and the Chili Dog Casserole! I wish my dh would eat mac and chz, alot of the recipes with mac and chz seem very cost cutting!

Thanks for the ideas, ladies!

I'm so happy i found this site... i'm done working in 2 weeks so I can stay with home with my boys (2.5yrs & 3months) so I've been looking for some great ways to cut down the grocery budget... can't wait to try some of these recipes!

[quote=brensmom;600032]we do burgers(1lb for 1.99 on sale) with a box of rice a roni(.88 on sale)

You can take one lb. of ground beef & mix the rice part of the Rice-A-Roni to make walnut-sized meat balls. Brown in a skillet & then add seasoning packet from the Beef Rice-a-Roni box, following the cooking directions on the box. We call them Porky Pine Meatballs!

6 potatoes, sliced with skins on
1lb ground beef (one sale $1.39 lb.)
1/2 c onion, chopped
1 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup (store brand)
1 c milk
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper

Brown gound beef with onion. Boil potaotes until tender. Toss potatoes with ground beef misture and turn into a 13 x 9 pan. Mix soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt & peper together and pour over ptoatoes. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Much better than Hamburger Helper.

Add a salad or Applesauce on the side to get a balanced meal. Don't forget the milk to drink also.

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[quote=SugarMommy;953216]
I love this meal, we use regular rice with tomato sauce and a splash of BBQ sauce instead though. Great with some homemade Cornbread.

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I am going to make this one with out the meat.I have my menu made for next week but maybe we will have it at lunch time.

[quote=SugarMommy;953216]

I made this and it fell apart.I did something wrong

Great Thread! I will be staying home with my boys in about one month and have been looking for ways to cut our grocery budget in half! Thanks ladies!

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Jolene

A) FISH!!! We love fish at my house!!!!!!
Fresh fish fillets (whatever kind is on sale if you’re family isn’t picky *I’m very lucky this way* or whatever kind your family will eat…tilapia, halibut & cod are usually pretty cheap OR fish sticks (these are a last resort for me as I prefer fillets over minced fish)
1) If doing fresh: preheat oven to 375, spray oven proof casserole dish (with lid) with cooking spray, mix ½ cup mayo, splash of milk (strictly enough to thin out mayo mix) and whatever herbs you like for fish (I use ½ tsp dill weed and a few shakes of store brand lemon-pepper spice), place fillets in casserole dish, spread mayo mixture on top of fish, bake in oven with lid for approx. 15 min. (keep an eye on it towards the end), remove lid and sprinkle with parm cheese, bake for a few more minutes just to melt and slightly brown cheese (I broil). Serve fish with side of salad, rice, noodles, potatoes, steamed veggies….whatever you like.
2) If using fish sticks bake as box indicates although I have baked and then placed in a casserole dish with the above mayo and cheese mixture for something different.
Admittedly the above suggestion goes over $5 here where I live but I can def throw the above together (either fresh or packaged) for just over that $5 mark by using whatever I have on hand in your pantry or fridge for your side dish.

B) Pasta, veggies and flavoured cream cheese! Kids love this (and so do I)! Boil up pasta, drain, add a container of softened flavoured cream cheese (or plain and flavour it yourself with herbs), stir into pasta until blended, and then just throw in whatever steamed, frozen or canned veggies you want (I prefer my veggies prepared in the order I’ve listed). This makes a nice meatless dish but it also rocks with ground turkey or chicken if you happen to have it on hand already.

C) Homemade French toast served with bacon, breakfast sausages or fruit (use whatever you like or have on hand). I bake my own whole wheat bread and always have some on hand so for the only thing really is the purchasing of extra eggs to accommodate the whole carton I use when making my French toast.

1) Crack all the eggs in a bowl, add a splash of vanilla extract, milk and ground cinnamon to taste (we like ours with a lot of cinnamon). Whisk until blended and frothy.
2) Slice a whole loaf or homemade bread or use a loaf of bread and dip in egg mixture.
3) Cook in frying pan.
We always have leftovers when I prepare a whole loaf which is fabulous for me!!!!!!!! I flash freeze my leftover French toast on a cookie sheet then place in a freezer bag. On school days for breakfast I just pop a few frozen toasts in the toaster and voila French toast that was as simple and as quick to prepare as making plain toast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! **Same thing can be done with pancakes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Santa gets all the credit but I swipe the card...

Rosie
Single mom of 2 boys~ DS#1 (17) & DS#2 (6)
Burn the good candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion...Today IS special.