One of my favorites is taking a cooked baked potatoe and putting canned chili on top then: sprinkle grated cheese over it. Can use homemade chili also.

I buy Boboli pizza shells or store brand which is cheaper, brush with olive oil, then add a package of grated 5 blended Italian cheeses purchased at dairy cases in all grocery stores. I then add Italian seasoning and garlic to top. No tomato sauce that's why they call it white pizza. Can add anything on top such as veggies such as onions, peppers, broccoli whatever you have on hand...

We do this same thing except instead of potatoes we use bell pepper and onions. Perfect in the skillet or in foil pouches on the grill for summer cooking.

Way cheap and quick!

garlic pasta:

1/2 package thin pasta- $0.35 whole 16oz package was $0.70
whole bulb garlic- $0.75 (or less depending on your families taste).
1/2 small carton grape tomatos- $1.50 whole carton was $2.99
1/4 cup EVOO-$1.50 (more or less to taste)

Total cost-$4.10

saute the chopped garlic and grape tomatos (sliced in half) in the olive oil. Boil pasta according to directions. Drain. Add to olive oil, garlic, tomato mixture.

If you have extra money or a single chicken breast- sometimes i marinate this in cheap italian dressing (cheap works the best). Grill the marinated breast. shred and add to pasta mix. I only add a little chicken cause we like the pasta part the best.. plus it is cheaper that way.

this could feed more than four people if you use all the pasta and add more tomatos.

Beans and Rice

2 cans of bean ( I buy them when they are 2/1.00)
1 diced onion ( .55)
1 can petit diced tomato garlic and oil flavor (.65)
oil and berbs (.05)
rice (1.00)

saute onion in a bit of oil----I add garlic powder, and a dash of italian seasoning
add in the can of tomatoes
add in the two cans of black beans (drained and rinsed)
saute about 20 min on med-low
use a potato masher to mash a bit of the mix--you want 2/3 whole and 1/3 mash
serve over rice

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"Families are like fudge... mostly sweet with a few nuts."
~Unknown~

Not sure of the cost but one of my favorite easy meals is my Southwest chicken.

Chicken breast - sprinkle taco seasoning on both sides
put into a oven safe dish
top with rotel tomatoes (or a regular can of tomatoes and a can of chilis)
can of black beans
some corn (we get a 5 pound bag from costco really cheap).
I then add some cheese on top and cook until it is done.

This tastes so good and is so easy as everything cooks in one dish.

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I also love to do the baked potao with chili and chesse one top - just discovered it last year - wow so good - just add a little sour cream and onions - truely a favorite but not something we do often.

Split pea soup is another favorite - I only make it a few times a year but it is so good. I usually get a ham bone from my MIL at Christmas (leftovers from breakfast) and then just follow the recipe on the package. I think this is DH's favorite soup of all time and it is so cheap and easy to make.

French bread pizza

Turkey noodle soup after Thanksgiving

My DH's grilled egg sandwiches - so so yummy.

I like a baked potato w/corned beef, cheese, and sour cream. I buy the can of corn beef for around $1.20 or so. We also do spaghetti w/sauce only. Or on a quick night I'll use can roast beef $2.29 w/mashed potatos and a can of beans or corn. I also will do a can of treet meat w/micorwave potatos and a can of something. These meals only happen once every two weeks, if that often. These are my quick and easy time saving meals.

I take one piece of chicken, doesn't matter which piece, put it in a crockpot. Add enough spaghetti sauce to feed your family. I use homemade that I have frozen, but a good jarred works fine. Cook on low about 4-5 hours. When the chicken is done, shred and add back to the sauce. Then take a handful of grated cheese, American, cheddar, whatever you have on hand and add it to the sauce and let it melt. Serve on whatever kind of pasta you have on hand. This is a rich sauce so we usually have some left over. The next day I'll mix the leftover pasta and sauce together, put in a 8x8 baking dish (greased) and sprinkle on just a little more cheese. Bake 350 for about 25 minutes. Really easy and a crowd pleaser and best of all you only used one piece of chicken!

I do this with leftover spagetti too. It's great for when there are still leftovers, but everybody is tired of spagetti.

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Mexican Meatza

1 box corn muffin mix
1 eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cups milk

Topping:
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt
1 8 oz can Tomato Sauce
Shredded Cheese for topping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together 1 package muffin mix with 1 eggs, 2 tablespoons melted butter (melt in microwave 30 seconds), and 3/4 cups milk.Pour muffin mix in a grased pie plate. Place pan in oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes in center of the oven until light golden in color.
Brown the meat over medium high heat in a second skillet in extra or vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add onions, spices, and tomato sauce and cook meat 5 minutes more.
Remove cornbread from oven and top with meat and cheese. Add pan back to oven and cook 5 minutes more to melt cheese.

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