Family Dinner Is Served

Family Dinner Option #3
This chicken is deliciously crispy and nearly fat free! The potato flakes give the coating extra crunch and flavor!

• Baked "Fried" Chicken
• Scalloped Corn
• Spinach, Orange and Walnut Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Menu Item	Cost	# Servings	Cost per serving	Cost per family of 4
Baked "Fried" Chicken		4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1/2 pound each)	$ 4.16
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs (approx 10 ounces)	$ 0.60
2 cups instant potato flakes (approx 6 ounces)	$ 0.60
2 large eggs	$ 0.24
Olive oil, approximately 1 ounce	$ 0.22
SUBTOTAL	$ 5.82		$ 1.46	$ 5.82
Scalloped Corn		4-6
1 15 ounce can cream-style corn	$ 0.65
1 large egg	$ 0.12
1 cup milk	$ 0.16
1 sleeve Ritz crackers	$ 0.55
SUBTOTAL	$ 1.48		$ 0.25-.37	$ 1.48
Salad		4
4 cups lettuces, Spring Mix	$ 2.00 (approx)
OR 2 cups Spinach AND 2 cups Romaine
OR any combination of greens you prefer
1 15-ounce can Mandarin oranges	$ 0.95
Approximately 4 ounces walnuts	$ 1.25
Parmesan to taste	$ 1.30 (4 oz)
Raspberry Vinaigrette	$ 2.00 (approx)
SUBTOTAL	$ 5.50		$ 1.38	$ 5.50
TOTAL			$3.09 - 3.21	$12.80

Serves 4 Prep Time 12-15 min Cook Time 20-30 min
You will love this guilt-free version of a crispy chicken without the fat! The coating is a mixture of bread crumbs and instant potato flakes that makes for a crispier, more flavorful crust.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
2 cups instant potato flakes
2 large eggs, whisked + 1 Tablespoon water
Flour, all-purpose
Truffle, olive or vegetable oil

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Grease a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken pieces, allowing for 2-3 inches between pieces.
3. Place 1-2 cups flour in a plate, bowl or bag (see below).
4. Place 2 eggs + 1 Tablespoon water in a bowl and whisk till the mixture is an even consistency.
5. Mix the bread crumbs and potato flakes in a baking dish or pie plate.

Coat the defrosted chicken breasts in flour.
There are 2 ways to do this: place the flour in a zippable plastic bag or tub, add the chicken and shake OR place the flour in a bowl or pie pan and press the chicken into the flour, turning to coat all sides.

Dip the coated chicken breasts in egg/water mixture making sure that all sides are coated.

Dredge the chicken pieces in the crumb/potato flake mixture, making sure that all sides are coated.

Place chicken in a greased baking dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes. Chicken should be golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. According to the USDA, chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees fahrenheit.

Tip: A digital meat thermometer is an essential gadget.

Serves 6 Prep Time:5 min Cook Time:1 hour
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook. This is a very simple recipe that kids love!

• 1 17-ounce can cream-style corn
• 1 cup milk
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/4 cup chopped onion (optional)
• 3 Tablespoons chopped pimiento (optional)
• 1 sleeve Ritz or saltine crackers crushed (we prefer the buttery taste of Ritz crackers)
• 1 Tablespoon butter, melted (we omit the butter)
• Salt and pepper to taste (we never add this because the crackers add adequate salt)

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Grease 1 quart baking dish.
3. Crush the crackers. (This is very easily done by placing the crackers in a sealable bag and crushing by hand or with a rolling pin)

Combine the egg, milk and cream-style corn in a greased 1-quart baking dish. Stir in 1/2 - 2/3 of the crushed crackers. Sprinkle the remaining cracker crumbs over the top. Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Serves 4 Prep Time:5-10 min Cook Time:None
This salad is quick to prepare, beautiful to look at, and is a delightful way to add vegetables, fruit and nuts to your diet!

• 4 cups Spring Mix lettuces, romaine, spinach (your choice of one or all three combined)
• 1 15 ounce can Mandarin Oranges, drained
• 1 cup walnuts
• Parmesan cheese
• Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing of choice

Rinse and dry greens of choice and place in a bowl. Toss in mandarin oranges, walnuts and parmesan. Serve with raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

Good afternoon! Speaking of a chicken in the pot . . . the weather is a bit cooler and damper here now. When that happens I always start thinking about hearty comfort foods like beef stew and chicken pot pie. Home made, of course! Hence, chicken pot pie is on the menu for tonight!

Seriously, I think it might be important to spell out just how much food costs. Let's say you eat at a fast food restaurant every workday for lunch. That is approximately $5 per meal, $25 per week, and $100 per month!

Let's put some perspective on this. If an average household income is somewhere around $60,000 pretax, and you remove approximately 25% for taxes and benefits, then the average family is left with approximately $48,000 annually or $4,000 monthly. What is a fair budget for food?

If 30% of the monthly family income (pretax) goes to mortgage or rent ($1,500), that leaves the family with $2,500. Now subtract about $400 for utilities, $200 for gas for 2 cars, $200 for auto insurance and $100 for miscellaneous costs. The average family is now left with $1,600. Assuming that this family has great health insurance through work, and no one in the family is sick, has a chronic illness requiring medication, or ends up in the emergency room for broken bones, they have $1,600 left for savings, groceries and clothing!

Gee, $60,000 doesn't sound like much money now, does it!

Let's assume that this average family is very good about saving 10% (about $500 after taxes) for a rainy day (and there will always be plenty of those!). The average family now has $1,100 to buy groceries and clothing.

If 2 working adults are buying lunch out every workday, that eats up at least $200 of the budget, leaving $900 now to buy clothes and groceries. What will win out? Clothes are expensive and groceries aren't cheap!

Okay, I'll stop dragging this out. I think you get the picture that working with a budget in mind can help prevent those nasty ballooning credit card bills and save you big headaches!

If the average family could feed themselves for approximately $10 per meal, that is $30 per day, or $900 per month!

Now the average family has about $200 for clothing!

That is just one reason why cooking family dinner at home is so important!

What about those dishes? Those are called character building chores!

Hi there. It's almost dinner time again!

I know you could conveniently stop off at some restaurant and pick up dinner to go! For a single person, that will probably set you back $10-40! For a family of 4 you are probably talking $40-100!

There is, of course, the KFC challenge that dares families to prepare their meal for four people for $10 or less! You are on KFC! Let me show you how you can cook a great dinner for 4 people for $10-15.

How are economical dinners relevant? Why quibble over dollars and cents?

Cooking is a skill everyone needs to have! It is just as important to independent living as knowing how to drive, balance a budget, launder your clothes, clean your home, room or office, navigate the internet, and perform basic maintenance on your car or home.

Cooking is also fun! It is a great outlet! Try kneading bread and staying mad for long! Preparing a meal for yourself or your family is a great way to create something rewarding, enjoy a satisfying meal, shrug off the day's stressors and kick back for the night!

If I sound like a "Mom" it is because I am! I could write a book about living on a "shoestring" budget! Sure I have loved to cook since I was a teenager, but a chef I am not!

I have just been a full-time college student and working stiff with a family! I know how hard it seems to come home at the end of a long day's work only to work on into the evening preparing a meal, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, helping with homework, supervising bath time, reading bedtime stories and then doing my own homework! Whew!

I write this blog as a means of celebrating and empowering all people who work hard, love a good home-cooked meal, but don't know how to go about it.

To everyone who does not believe that they can cook, I say YES YOU CAN!

More later. I have to cook dinner now! Keep in touch!

It's tough to find a child who doesn't love to help bake cookies and sample them afterward! The irresistible smell of fresh, baked cookies is sure to bring all your family home for dinner! Homemade cookies are not only easy to make, they are much less expensive than the store bought already baked cookies or the cookie dough in a bucket variety!

Here is a chocolate chip cookie recipe right from a bag of Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir the flour, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. In larger mixer bowl, beat the butter until soft and fluffy. Beat in the granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until the mixture is creamy. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix on low until the mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again. Gradually add the dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking soda) to the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla mixture. Beat on low until smooth. With a spoon, fold in the chocolate chips. At this point, the cookie dough can be frozen or refrigerated for later use. For a longer shelf life, the cookies can be dropped (using a melon baller, ice cream scoop or spoon) onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for approximately 1 hour, then store in airtight containers for later use.

To bake cookie dough at room temperature, place dough onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes, or until desired doneness.

To bake frozen cookie dough, set the oven to 325 degrees and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until desired doneness. If you like the cookies soft and chewy, cook them less. If you like your cookies crispy, cook them longer. Pull them out of the oven before they brown, or the chocolate may burn and take on a bitter taste.


Prices were taken from www.samsclub.com on November 10, 2008. Some ingredients were weighed to calculate an estimated price. The price of bread flour price was substituted for all-purpose flour.

Item	Cost	Amount	Price per cookie (Price per dozen)
Pillsbury's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, 84 ounces	$ 6.88	Makes 84 (7 dozen) 1 ounce cookies	$ 0.08/cookie ( $ 0.98/dozen)
Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies		Makes 48 (4 dozen) cookies
All purpose flour, 2 1/4 cups	$ 0.26
Baking soda, 1 teaspoon	$ 0.05
Salt, 1/2 teaspoon	$ 0.05
Butter, 1 cup	$ 1.10
Granulated sugar, 1 cup	$ 0.20
Brown sugar, 1 cup	$ 0.29
Vanilla, 2 teaspoons	$ 0.13
Eggs, 2 large	$ 0.24
Chocolate Chips (Nestle Toll House semi-sweet)	$ 0.70
Total	$ 3.02		$ 0.06 (0.76/dozen)

Family Dinner Option # 2

• Marinated Pork Loin Roast
• Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Green Bean Casserole
• Dinner Rolls

Prices obtained from samsclub.com in October 2008.

Menu Item	Cost ($)	# Servings	Cost per Serving	Cost per Family of 4
Pork Loin, Marinated
Pork loin roast, 2 pounds	$ 4.00	8
Marinade for Pork Roast
Canola oil, 1/2 cup	$ 0.35
Lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons	$ 0.10
Meat tenderizer, 1/2 Tablespoon	$ 0.10
Mesquite seasoning, 1/2 Tablespoon	$ 0.20
SUBTOTAL	$ 4.75		$ 0.59	$ 2.40
Macaroni & Cheese, baked		8-12
Macaroni, 1 pound	$ 0.94
Velveeta, 32 ounces	$ 4.19
Milk, 5 cups	$ 0.80
Flour, 1/4 cup	$ 0.05
Butter, 8 Tablespoons (1 stick)	$ 0.55
SUBTOTAL	$ 6.53		$ 0.54-0.82	$ 2.18-3.28
Green Bean Casserole		4
Green beans, 1 pound frozen whole	$ 1.17
Mushroom Soup, 2 cans	$ 2.00
Milk, approximately 1 cup	$ 0.16
French's french fried onions, 2 cups	$ 2.00
SUBTOTAL	$ 5.33		$ 1.33	$ 5.33
Dinner Rolls, Home Made		6-12
Flour, approximately 5 cups	$ 1.00
Butter, 1/3 cup	$ 0.20
Sugar, 1/3 cup	$ 0.20
Yeast, 1 packet	$ 0.33
Milk, 1 cup	$ 0.16
Eggs, 2	$ 0.24
SUBTOTAL	$ 2.46		$ 0.10-21	$ 0.40-0.80
TOTAL			$ 2.56-2.95	$ 10.31-11.81

Dinner Rolls Serves 6-12 Prep Time: 20 min Rising Time: 1 ½ to 2 hours Cook Time:15-20 min

(Adapted from a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook)

Even busy 2 income households will want to make these irresistible rolls! They are definitely worth the time and effort, and can be made on the weekends or the evening before!

• 4 ½ - 5 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
• 1 package active dry yeast (I prefer RapidRise)
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs

In a large bowl, mix the flour and yeast. In a medium saucepan, add the sugar , salt and milk. Stir to dissolve. Add the butter. Use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the milk mixture, and over a medium heat warm the milk to 120-130 degrees.

While heating the milk, break the eggs into the measuring cup used for the milk. Set the eggs near the flour bowl. Remove milk from heat when it reaches 120-125 degrees. Add all at once to the flour and yeast mixture. Mix on low speed f or 30-60 seconds, scraping the bowl frequently. Add the egg and beat on high for 2-3 minutes. Your batter should be bubbling fairly aggressively (if not, your yeast may be too cool, too hot or too old!).

Add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon. Alternatively, this could be done with a bread hook and a stand mixer. I find mixing bread dough relaxing, and enjoy the hand mixing method. When you have added enough flour to make the dough sticky but no longer tightly adhering to the bowl, place dough onto heavily floured surface.

Roll up your sleeves, remove those rings and let the fun begin! Kneading is a lot of fun once you get the hang of it! Flour your hands a bit. Take the dough edge that is farthest from you and fold it towards you. Now, with the heels of the palms of your hands, push into the dough and away from you. Now, just turn the dough a quarter turn (90 degree turn) either way you prefer, fold the farthest edge of the dough toward you and knead! Repeat this process until the dough is firm and provides resistance when you knead it.

In a large bowl, place a few tablespoons of vegetable oil or spray heavily with an oil spray. Place the dough into the bowl, and give it a turn to grease the dough. Cover lightly with cellophane and place in a warm, draft free area for approximately 1 hour, letting the dough double in volume.

When dough has doubled in volume, punch down dough and let rest for 10 minutes.

Now is the time to be creative! Shape the rolls any way you like! My family likes me to make rosette rolls. To make these, I simply pinch off approximately 1/3 cup volume of dough, roll into an 8-10 inch rope. Imagine the rope as divided into 3 equal parts.. Then cross one end of the strip over the other end (overlapping at the one-third marks). Tuck the top piece under the bottom and through the hole. Now tuck the other end that is on the bottom, up and over into the center. Tuck the first end that is sticking up from the center, over and under the edge. It should now look like a spiral or “rosette”. Place the rolls onto a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise again until doubled.

Brush with melted butter or an egg wash (1 egg beaten with a teaspoon of water) prior to baking in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

Green Bean Casserole Serves 4 Prep Time:5 min Cook Time:30 min

Who doesn’t love this classic dish found on every French’s French fried onion can! Frozen whole green beans taste fresher.

• 1 pound frozen whole green beans
• 2 cans Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups French fried onions
• Season to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 quart baking dish. Mix soup and milk in dish. Add green beans and stir to coat. Layer top with French fried onions. Bake until bubbly and golden (about 30 minutes).

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Serves 8-12 Prep Time:20 min Cook Time: 60 min

(Adapted from a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook)

This is a very simple and classic macaroni and cheese recipe. Trying other cheeses, especially in combinations will add flavorful punch, and punch up the price!

• 1 pound Macaroni, or other noodles
• 32 ounces Velveeta, cubed
• 2 cups milk
• ¼ cup flour, all-purpose
• 8 Tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 quart baking dish. Cook noodles following manufacturer’s directions. In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour when butter is bubbly. Add milk all at once. Stir frequently until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Cook for 1 or 2 more minutes. Turn off heat and add Velveeta. Stir until melted.

Pour noodles into greased baking dish. Carefully pour cheese sauce over noodles. With a spoon, carefully stir the noodles to moisten all sides with sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until a light golden brown color, and bubbly throughout.

Pork Loin, Grilled Serves 8 Prep Time:5 min Marinade Time:8-12 hours Cook Time: approx 2 hours
Here is a meal that says “The Holidays are coming” or “Company’s coming”

Marinade:
Mix ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice, or juice from 1 whole lemon squeezed
½ Tablespoon Adolph’s meat tenderizer
½ Tablespoon mesquite seasoning
2 pound pork loin roast

Stir all marinade ingredients, and pour into 1 gallon freezer bag with roast. Place in a baking dish and refrigerate for 8-24 hours. Grill or rotisserie. Pork should be 160 degrees on the inside when done. Let meat rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Family Dinner Option #1

You can serve meatloaf you and your family will want - again and again and again! This is a beautiful, comforting, simple and delicious way to prepare meatloaf!

• Meatloaf Stuffed with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
  
• Mashed Potatoes
• Brown Gravy
• Biscuits
• Broccoli, steamed

Menu Item	Cost	# Servings	Cost per serving	Cost per Family 4
Meatloaf, Stuffed
Ground Beef, 90% lean	$ 4.00	8-12
Mushrooms, 16 oz sliced	$ 2.58
Onion, 1 large	$ .45
Eggs, 2 large	$ .24
Seasoned Breadcrumbs, ½ cup	$ .30
Lipton Onion Soup Mix, 1 packet	$ .60
Worcestershire Sauce, 2 Tbsp	$ .20
Butter, 4 Tbsp	$ .30
SUBTOTAL	$ 8.67		$ 0.72 – 1.08	$ 2.89 – 4.32
Potatoes, Mashed		8-12
Potatoes, 10 medium (~ 5 lb)	$ 3.15
Water 4 cups	Negligible
Beef bouillon, 4 cubes	$ .80
SUBTOTAL	$ 3.95		$ 0.33 – 0.49	$ 1.32 - 1.98
Broccoli, Steamed frozen	$ 1.21	4	$ 0.30	$ 1.21
Biscuit, Pillsbury Southern Style		4	$ 0.12	$ .48
Gravy, Brown		4-8
Butter, 4 Tbsp	$ .30
Flour, ¼ cup
Bouillon, 2 cubes Beef	$ .40
SUBTOTAL	$ .70		~$ .15	$ .70
TOTAL			$ 1.65 – 2.17	$ 6.60 – 8.69

Brown Gravy 4-8 servings Prep Time:5 min Cook Time:5 min

• Butter, 4 Tbsp
• ¼ cup flour (all purpose)
• 2 cups beef broth (or 2 cups water and 2 1 oz cubes beef bouillon)

In a medium saucepan melt the butter. Stir in the flour until smooth and slightly thickened. Add the broth or water and bouillon all at once. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until gravy is thickened and bubbly.

Serves 8-12 Prep Time:15 min Cook Time:20 min

• 10 medium russet potatoes
• 4 cups water
• 4 ounces beef bouillon cubes, or 4 cups beef broth (if using broth, eliminate the water)

Wash, peel and cube the potatoes. Place in a large pot. Add broth OR water and bouillon cubes. Cover and bring to boil. When liquid begins to bubble, turn heat down to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, approximately 20-30 minutes. Carefully drain potatoes and mash, seasoning to taste.

Serves 8-12 Prep Time:15 min Cook Time:45 min

Don’t be afraid of the volumes in this recipe. Cooking 8-12 servings saves time by cooking ONCE for 2 or 3 meals! Freeze leftovers for another week! (Or cut ingredients in half, and it serves 4-6.)

• 2 lb ground beef, 90% lean
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
• Lipton Onion Soup Mix, 1 packet
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 8-16 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• Butter or Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In large skillet or saute pan, saute onions and mushrooms in small amount of butter or olive oil until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Mix ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, soup mix and Worcestershire sauce in large bowl. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. Pat ground beef mixture into a rectangle approximately 10” x 12” onto the parchment paper.

Spread onion and mushroom mixture evenly over ground beef mixture. Gently lift one end of parchment paper to roll ground beef/onion mixture in a jelly roll fashion. Lift both ends of parchment paper, and transfer roll to a 9” x 13” greased baking dish. Be sure to remove parchment paper and discard into trash. Cover meatloaf with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degree oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes prior to slicing.