Tight Budget? Quick, Easy, Yummy & Cheap Meals!

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

makes 4 servings

Pre-heat oven to 400

• Take two thawed chicken breast, using Shake and Bake, coat chicken. Put in a dish and cook in the oven for 20 to 30 min. or until no longer pink, obviously.

Boil a pot of water, cook Fettuccine

Alfredo:

• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 4 Tbsp. flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
• parsley flakes

Melt butter. Stir in flour until you have a nice paste. Slowly stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Stir in garlic salt and salt cook one more minuet. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese. Divide pasta into four plates, pour Alfredo over pasta, cut up chicken and put over pasta and Alfredo. Sprinkle parsley on top. Easy as making mac and cheese but 100X better!

* if you have some rolls and want a quick way to take them to the next level, melt some butter and add the garlic powder. Spread lightly on top of your rolls. If you want to take them to the next NEXT level, put some cheese on top of that and bake in the oven with your chicken for 5 min. Works with homemade( put butter and cheese on before baking) and store bought rolls. Your family will appreciate the twist to regular dinner rolls!

Teriyaki Chicken and Yummy Rice

makes 4 servings

Pre-heat oven 400

Take four chicken breast and marinade in a teriyaki sauce (I like the honey teriyaki) for at least one hour up to eight. (great to do before running around all day) Put in dish after marinading and put in the oven for 20 to 30 min. or until chicken is not pink.

• 1/2 package of Frozen stir fry veggies
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 2 cups of uncle bens minuet brown rice
• 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce (the one you used for the marinade)

Put water and sauce in a pan until bubbling. Add rice and veggies. Cook 5 min. Let cool then serve.

*I also used a little soy sauce in my marinade/water mix for a kick but that's just up to you!:)

The Semi Homemade Way; A meal that is easy and to die for!

I found these recipes off the the food network Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee: Italian Topiary Garden
I made it for Brandon for our anniversary, He loved it!
If you go on there web page they have coupons for certain ingredients.

Fried Cheese Ravioli and Artichoke Caper Dip (appetizer)

For Ravioli:
Ingredients
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 (9-ounce) package 4 cheese ravioli

For Artichoke Caper Dip:
1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
2 teaspoons capers
2 teaspoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon lemon juice

In a straight-sided skillet, heat 2-inches of oil, over medium-high heat. Oil is ready when the tip of a wooden skewer is inserted and the oil bubbles around it.
When oil is ready, carefully fry ravioli until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate

For Artichoke Caper Dip:
In small bowl, combine artichoke hearts, capers, mayonnaise, sour cream, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice; set aside.
Serve ravioli hot with Tomato Pepper Relish and Artichoke Caper Dip.

Penne with Asparagus and Peppers (side)
Ingredients
1 (9-ounce) package frozen cut asparagus
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup frozen chopped onion
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 cup roasted red pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1/2 cup roasted yellow pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
12 ounces penne pasta, cooked per package directions
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
In a large skillet, combine asparagus, stock, onions, garlic, peppers, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil and reduce liquid to 1/4 cup, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in remaining ingredients, except cheese. Toss with hot, cooked pasta. Top with cheese and serve hot.

Italian Beef (main)

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
1/2 cup light Italian salad dressing
1 1/2 cups tomato basil pasta sauce
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup Chianti red wine
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Directions
Rinse steak under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in large resealable bag. Add salad dressing, 1/2 cup pasta sauce, and garlic to bag. Gently massage to mix marinade. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 to 8 hours.
In a small saucepan combine remaining pasta sauce, wine, and seasoning. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and keep warm.
Remove steak from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking and bring to room temperature. Preheat grill to medium-high. Just before cooking, clean and oil grate.
Remove steak from bag and discard marinade. Place steak on grill. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side. Serve hot with warm sauce.

Vanilla-Almond Panna Cotta (dessert)
Ingredients
1 cup almond milk, divided
1 (1/4-ounce) package unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chocolate fudge syrup , for garnish
Directions
Pour 1/3 cup almond milk into a small bowl and stir in gelatin; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, stir together heavy cream, remaining almond milk, and sugar. Bring to boil over medium heat, watching carefully as the cream will quickly rise to the top of the pan.
Pour gelatin and almond milk into cream mixture and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and vanilla extract and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour into 6 (4-ounce) individual ramekins.
Leave ramekins uncovered at room temperature to cool. When cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (can be left overnight.)
To remove, run a knife around the sides of each ramekin and invert over a serving plate.
In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup chocolate fudge syrup with 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. Drizzle over the top of the panna cottas to decorate top, as desired.
TIP: If panna cotta do not drop freely from ramekins, carefully dip the bottom of the ramekin in hot water. Be careful not to get water in the ramekin

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is delicious and easy!

Items needed:



2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into cubes)

1 pkg. liption onion soup mix (dry pkg.)

1 bottle of catalina island salad dressing. (fat free is just as good)

1 can pineapple with juice

1 spoonful of apricot jam

salt and pepper to taste

rice



So here it is...



Brown the chicken and season it with salt and pepper, dump in the catalina island dressing, the pineapple with juice, the pkg of liption onion soup mix, and a scoup of apricot jam. Mix it all together and let it simmer while you make the rice. It is quick and easy and very delicious. Serve over brown or white rice and whatever side dish you would like.

Enjoy!!!



Submitted by: Valarie

Chicken Marsala

1/4 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram, crushed
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 C. sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 C. sliced green onions
3 tbsp. butter or margarine
1/2 C. chicken broth
1/2 C. dry Marsala wine
4 chicken breast halves, thinned
hot cooked pasta (angel hair or linguine)

1. In a shallow bowl stir together; flour, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Place each breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using flat side of meat mallet, pound chicken lightly to about 1/4 in. thick. Remove plastic wrap. Lightly coat each chicken breast on both sides w/ flour mixture; shake off excess.
2. In a large skillet cook mushrooms and green onions in 1 tbsp. hot butter over med-high heat until tender; remove from skillet. In the same skillet cook chicken in remaining 2 tbsp. hot butter for 5-6 minutes, turning to brown evenly.
3. Remove skillet from heat. Return mushrooms and green onion to skillet. Carefully add broth and Marsala to skillet. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Season sauce to taste with additional s & p. To serve, spoon mushroom mixture over chicken. If desired, serve over pasta.

A Yummy Fruit Cream Pie

In a saucepan over medium heat combine:

• 1/2 C. Chopped Peaches (peeled)
  
• 3/4 C. Sugar
  
• 2 T. Lemon Juice
  
• 2 T. Corn Starch (mixed in 1/2 C. Water)

Cook until translucent. Take off heat and let completely cool (I put it in the refrigerator).

In a bowl cream together:

• 4 oz. cream cheese
  
• 1/2 C. Powder Sugar
  
• 1/2 T. vanilla

Fold in small cool whip (12 0z.?). Pour this mixture into a Graham cracker pie crust (I buy them pre-made from the store). Top off with the first mixture. Then add some fresh sliced peaches to the top for fun. And you have a YUMMY, easy pie!

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

2 c. pancake mix

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1 12oz. evaporated milk

1 cup pumpkin

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

Mix first 3 ingredients in bowl, then add the rest. Cook over medium heat. These take a little longer to cook than normal pancakes, make sure the middle is cooked. Yummy for fall!!

Posted by:MEG!