Pumpkin soup

I've got a lot going on this fall, so I am planning on moving away from specific Publix/Kroger bargain meals, and I'm just going to focus on some of the frugal meals we eat during the week. I tend to shop several stores, not just what is on sale at one store in one particular week, so this will be a more true representation of what we eat and how I shop.

If you are a Publix or Kroger bargain meal reader, I hope you'll stick around for some of my more generic frugal meals. Still the same great food, just not tied to the specials of the week!

This week, we had a true fall special, pumpkin soup. This meal was inspired by my friend Dana. Her family thinks it is great, and it's a favorite here as well.

Pumpkin Soup
3/4 pound Italian sausage (I used homemade from pork butt)--$0.63
1 can pumpkin--$0.79 (Aldi)
2 cups chicken broth--free
1 onion, diced--$0.25
1 cup heavy cream--$0.75 (Aldi)

Brown onion and sausage in soup pot. Drain if needed. Add pumpkin and broth, and stir to combine. Heat through. If the consistency is too thick, add water (you want a thick soup consistency). Add cream, adjust seasonings (salt and pepper), and heat through. If too thick, add water to desired consistency.

We served this with stuffed mushrooms (with that other 1/4 pound sausage) and salads. So good! It was a really nice fall supper.

And, total cost? 2.42! Add the salad ($1.50/head of lettuce) and mushrooms, and the total cost was under $5.

Kroger Meal November 1

This week, we enjoyed corn chowder. Perfect for chilly weather and long, dark evenings.

Potato corn chowder
3 potatoes, chopped--approx $0.30
water
1 package frozen whole kernel corn--on sale--$0.88
1/2 lb bacon, diced fine--approx $1.50
1 onion, diced--$0.25
1/4 cup flour--$0.20
2 cups milk--$2.39/gal--$0.30

Boil potatoes in salted water to cover until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, fry bacon in a large pan. Remove bacon and reserve. Add onion to bacon grease, and cook until transluscent. Add flour to bacon grease/onions, and whisk until smooth (making a roux). Add milk, whisking constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Add potatoes to mixture, mashing slightly as you stir. Add potato cooking liquid until desired consistency. Season to taste with onion and a genersou amount of black pepper. Serve with bacon bits on top.

Total cost of this bargain meal--$3.43

And, as always, check out $5dinners.com for more cheap supper inspiration!

Kroger Bargain Meal October 25

This is a meal that I make to use up leftover pork chops. Any pork will do. It's from a great cookbook called The Dinner Doctor by Anne Byrn (who also wrote The Cake Mix Doctor). Some of the recipes are heavy on cream soups, but most of them aren't, and the flavors really work well. Anne Byrn is great at modern, Southern food. Check her book out!

Mock Cassoulet
adapted from The Dinner Doctor by Anne Byrn

1/2 pound smoked sausage, such as kielbasa, cut on the diagonal into 1 inch slices--on sale buy one, get one free--approx $1
1/2 pound leftover cooked pork loin--on sale--$0.90
1 cup chopped onion--$0.30
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved--pennies
2 cans Great Northern beans, undrained--use 1/2 lb dried--$0.50
1 can diced tomatoes with onions, celery, and green peppers--approx $0.80
1 T dry red wine--$0.12
1 bay leaf
5 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs--my garden is still producing. How is yours?
2 T olive oil--$0.20
1 1/2 cups coarse homemade bread crumbs
2 T chopped parsley

Cook sausage, pork, onion and garlic over medium heat until the sausage browns slightly. Pour in the beans, tomatoes, wine, and seasonings. Simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, brown the breadcrumbs and parsley in the olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Ladle the cassoulet into bowls, sprinkle some of the bread crumbs on top, and serve.

Serve with 1 pound asparagus--on sale--$1.99

Total cost for this meal--$5.81

Enjoy your $5 meal! This is one of our winter staples. What's not to love about beans? For more great ideas, check out $5dinners for lots of other peoples' take on their local sales flyers.

Tortas

This week's Kroger bargain meal is tortas. I've been reading Rick Bayless cookbooks the last couple of weeks, and so Mexican food was on the brain. I love tortas (love them!), although my dear Mike is always, "well, they are good for a sandwich." Whatever.

I should add a disclaimer here. We will eat anywhere, and we will eat anything. We've had some really great meals ordered in a language we didn't understand. And a few flops. One of the flops was at a local torta shop. Where I live, chicken hot dogs are a very popular meat amongst Mexican folks. And, you guessed it, the torta my husband ordered had hot dogs on it. So, now, he's afraid of hot dogs every time I bring up tortas.

But, here's how I made them the other night, no hot dogs in sight!

These buns are bolillos, from the Buford Highway Farmers' Market. We went there last weekend and were able to sample warm tortillas, Mexican deli meat, Salvadorean cream, Eastern European cold veggie salads, Russian salami, and several varieties of kim-chi, all in a space smaller than Walmart. That's my kind of place!

These sandwiches start with a smear of refried beans on the bottom bun. Topped with ham. Just regular old cheap lunch meat. Nothing fancy.

After the ham comes the main meat of the sandwich. Whatever you like. This is roasted chicken thighs, in a chipotle vinaigrette.

Top with cheese. I thought we had white cheese at home, but alas. Sometimes you gotta make do.

Of course, we added pickled jalapenos.

And avocado slices, plus (for me only), a smear of mayonnaise.

I toasted these sandwiches in a dry skillet, pressing on the top, so that they got all crusty and gooey and delicious. You need to try them! We eat these with hot sauce (what don't we eat with hot sauce?), but other than that, they are good as is. If you are lucky enough to eat at Los Tortas Locos, you get a whole salsa bar to choose from. The peculiar homemaker was not feeling up to making a salsa bar this night, so hot sauce it was. And they liked it!

Tortas
4 bolillas or hoagie buns--??--I'll just put my cost--$1.33
1/2 cup refried beans--$0.25
ham--I use the cheapest stuff here--$0.50
2 chicken thighs, roasted and shredded--on sale--$0.99/lb--$0.50
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup oil
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
shredded cheese, about 1/2 cup--on sale $2.50/16 oz--$0.31
pickled jalapeno slices, optional--$0.20
1 avocado, sliced--$1
mayonnaise (optional)

Mix vinegar, oil, salt, and chipotle until well combined. Toss chicken in this vinaigrette and allow to sit while you prepare the sandwiches. Slice buns. Spread top with mayo if desired. Layer bottom with refried beans, ham, chicken, cheese, and avocado. Top with jalapenos if desired. Toast sandwich in dry skillet until outside is crisp and slightly browned, cheese is melted, and the filling is warm.

Total cost for tortas --$4.09

Add half a bag of Kroger brand tortilla chips--$0.50--and you've got a great meal. Enjoy!

For more $5 meals, check out $5dinners.com. Lots of ideas, every week.

Kroger Bargain Meal September 27

I delayed the Kroger meal to Tuesday, because we actually ate this last night. I had every intention of taking an awesome picture of our yummy food. And, well, life gets in the way. I had an errand to run just before supper time, and I put the meatballs in the crock pot to simmer while we were gone. And I forgot to plug it in.

So, we rushed home, I threw everything on the stove, and in 20 minutes, we had supper. Pictures were somehow forgotten.

Everyone was fed and happy, and that was more important at the moment. So, close your eyes, picture this fabulous meal, and then make it soon!

Porcupine meatballs--$3.59
Rice--1 cup uncooked--$0.20
Black eyed peas--on sale (frozen)--$0.88
Cherry tomatoes--on sale--$0.99

Total cost of this meal--$5.66

Meatballs
1 pound ground beef--on sale $1.79
1/2 cup finely diced onion--on sale 3 lbs/$1.50--$0.15
1/2 cup uncooked rice--$0.10
1/2 cup water
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
1 large can crushed tomatoes--$1.50 (you could use on sale spaghetti sauce or tomato soup, too)
1 T worcestershire sauce--$0.05

Combine beef, onion, water, and rice and mix well. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Form into small meatballs. Brown in frying pan, then remove from pan. Add tomatoes, worcestershire sauce, and spices (salt, pepper, garlic powder) to taste. Bring to a simmer, add in meatballs, and then allow to simmer for 30 minutes until meatballs (and rice) are cooked through. Serve over rice with roasted cherry tomatoes and black eyed peas on the side.

Enjoy your $5 dinner! And, for more inspiration, as always, check out the bargain meal of the week at 5dollardinners.com!

Kroger Bargain Meal September 20

Our weather has been down right odd for the last week or so. Rain, rain, rain. We sit inside, longing for the great outdoors, and from where we sit, it looks like fall. Rain means fall, right? But, then you open the door, and you realize it's hot and muggy outside. It's still in the mid-80s with all that rain.

So, this week seems like the perfect time for a meal that's a blend of summer and fall. We're still enjoying the very, very last remnants of summer tomatoes, but today, they are on a cozy fall casserole. Good stuff.

Chicken tortilla casserole
1 pound chicken, cooked and removed from the bone--on sale--$0.99
2 pounds tomatillos--approx. $1.50
2 jalapenos or serranos--$0.10
2 cloves garlic--$0.10
8 ounces sour cream--$1
18 corn tortillas (half a package), torn into 5-6 pieces each--$0.50
8 ounces shredded cheese (monterey jack, cheddar, whatever)--on sale--$1.33

Place tomatillos, jalapenos,and garlic on a roasting pan. Roast at 400 degrees until soft, and tomatillos develop black spots on them. Place all vegetables and roasting juices in a food processor and process until smooth. Add salt to taste, around 3/4 teaspoon. Mix tomatillo sauce with sour cream until smooth.

Layer torn tortillas, chicken, cheese, and tomatillo sauce in a baking dish, starting with sauce, and ending with cheese. Bake until hot and bubbly, around 30 minutes, at 400 degrees.

Serve with your favorite salsa or pico de gallo.

Total cost for this meal--$5.52 plus salsa

Enjoy your $5 dinner! And, for more inspiration, as always, check out the bargain meal of the week at 5dollardinners.com!

Kroger Bargain Meal September 13

This week's Kroger meal is an old family favorite, chicken tettrazini. It's right at the top of my list for favorite casseroles. I made and froze a couple of these for after my second baby was born. I think that they were the best hit of all my make ahead meals. My husband and I have been known to lick the pan! We really love it that much.

Chicken Tettrazini
4 tablespoons butter, divided--$0.12
5-6 tablespoons flour--$0.10
1 cup milk--on sale $1.99/gallon--$0.06
1/2 cup white wine--you know me and my $3 wine--$0.30
1/2 cup chicken stock--free
2 cups chopped cooked chicken--on sale $0.99/lb--$1
12 ounces thin spaghetti, cooked--$1
1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms--on sale--$1
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese--$1.25

Instructions
Saute the mushrooms in the butter, then add flour to make a roux (add more butter if necessary). Add the wine, milk, and stock to make the sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Add the parm cheese, stirring to melt. Add cooked chicken and spaghetti to the sauce/mushroom mixture, and mix well.

Pour into a greased casserole dish and bake at 375 for 30 minutes, until bubbly. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight; bake, covered, at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Total cost for this casserole--$4.83

Serve it with roasted tomato halves--on sale $1 for 3 tomatoes--$1
Making your total cost--$5.83. Enjoy!

And, as always, for more bargain meals, check out $5dinners.com

Vacation...and why it's swell to have little kids that don't have school schedules to keep

We are busy enjoying the last week of summer...even if our "last week of summer" extends past the expected Labor Day finality of the season.

I'll have lots of pictures and recipes to share next week of not-so-frugal vacation food and fun things we see! See y'all then.

Kroger Bargain Meal August 30

This week's Kroger meal is a new recipe that we tried last week. I was reading my Everyday Food (a wonderful little magazine that I--gasp--paid full price for), and this one jumped out at me. This meal is very, very simple. I was unsure about it, right until I took the first bite. It was so very good. The flavors really, really work. So, I know, I know... But give it a chance. It's definitely worth a try.

Thai Beef with Basil and Peppers
Everyday Food, September 2009

1 can coconut milk--$1
1 1/4 cups jasmine rice (I just used regular)--$0.25
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp coarse salt
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp fish sauce (my bottle is old, and it lasts forever)--~$0.20
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp low sodium soy sauce--maybe $0.20
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp canola oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped--$0.05
3 long hot peppers, seeded and sliced into matchsticks--$0.20
1 pound ground beef--on sale $1.79/lb--$1.79
1 cup loosely packed basil, torn or sliced--garden!!
lime wedges for serving--$0.25

In a medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes.

When rice is almost done, combine fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl; set aside. Heat a cast-iron skillet or wok over high heat. Add oil and heat until shimmering; add garlic and half the chiles. Cook, stirring constantly, 15 seconds. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat until completely browned, about 4 minutes. Add soy mixture and cook 30 seconds. Add basil and remaining chiles and stir to combine. Serve beef over coconut rice with lime wedges on the side.

Total cost for this meal--$3.94

I also served ours with a stir-fry of zucchini, scallions, and eggplant. I shop at an Asian market for most of my vegetables, so the prices are from there.

1 zucchini--$0.50
2 Asian eggplant--$0.79/lb--$0.75
1 bunch of scallions--$0.20

Total cost of this meal plus veggies--$5.39

For more bargain meals, check out $5Dinners gathering of bloggers with the specials from their local stores!

Kroger Bargain Meal August 16-22

In honor of this week's NASCAR Cup Bristol night race, this week's meal is trashy fun food. Nachos!

There are two ways to make nachos--one is the whole "pile it on" method. Your chips end up looking like the nachos at Taco Bell. Some have lots of toppings, some have a little, and some are naked.

And, then, there is the more fastidious method. Applebee's and Chili's nachos look like this. You lay out the chips, top each individually, and then pop them in the oven. Kind of a pain, but each chip is assured of an equal amount of toppings.

To be honest, the kind we eat depends on what kind of day I had and whether or not my kids went to bed on time (cause nachos are a date night food for us). Nachos are best in the oven to briefly melt the cheese and crisp the chips. But, if I'm running late, my children have been known to eat nachos out of the microwave for a quick meal. It's all good.

Tostitos--on sale--$1.88
Beans--on sale--$0.99
Ground beef--on sale $1.58/lb--$0.79
Cheese--on sale $2.50/16 oz--$1.25
Sour cream--$0.50
Salsa--tomatoes--on sale $0.99/lb--$1
cilantro--approx $0.69/bunch--$0.35
lime--approx $0.20
onion--approx $0.25
salt
jalapeno pepper to taste--$0.15

Total cost--$7.36

Perhaps a bit pricey for a normal meal, but, hey, sometimes date night is worth a treat! Enjoy your nachos! For more $5 meal ideas, check out $5dinners bargain meal of the week.

Kroger Bargain Meal August 9-15

This week's meal is an old family favorite. I remember making it for the first time my senior year of high school. I took leftovers for lunch, and it impressed my home ec teacher at the time! If you've never had this, try it. You'll impress yourself, and it'll become an old family favorite of your own. It's very versatile, too. Canned beans, dried beans, whatever. Canned corn, fresh corn, frozen. It's all good. You can use bottled salad dressing if pushed for time. Add Ro-tel if you have a lot of it hanging around. Eat it with chips. Eat it with a spoon. Add some chicken or avocado, and you've got a main dish. It's good anyway you get it.

Marinated Black Beans
adapted from Southern Living, May 1993

1/3 cup red wine vinegar--$0.20
1/3 cup olive oil--$0.15
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
juice of 1 lime--$0.25
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 pound dry black beans, cooked (or 3 cans)--$0.75
1 (10 oz) package frozen corn, thawed--on sale--$0.98
1 large bell pepper, chopped--on sale--$0.50
1-3 jalapenos, chopped--$0.20
1 onion, chopped--$0.25
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped--$0.45

Combine first 7 ingredients to make dressing. Add other ingredients in a large bowl. Allow to chill 1-24 hours.

Total cost--$3.73 for 10 servings--$1.49 for 4 servings

Serve with grilled chicken--on sale $1.99/lb--$3
and buttered pasta--on sale $0.88/lb--$0.44

Total cost--$4.93

Kroger Bargain Meal August 2-8

This week's Kroger meal is a frugal staple--soup! This is a variation of minestrone soup, made for our tastes. I think it's best with some pasta, but this pot of soup did not have any, because I was making it to can. I was afraid the pasta would get mushy in the jars. We'll add pasta as I open each jar for serving.

This soup was made with whatever was in the house, so in addition to the ingredients in the recipe, it also had chard in it. I'm all about sneaking greens into everything we eat. They are healthy, they bulk up the food, they're cheap (they grow prolifically), and most importantly, they taste good!

Minestrone Soup
chicken broth--free
1/2 pound dried kidney beans--$0.50
1/2 pound dried garbanzo beans--$0.90
1 onion, chopped--$0.25
celery, chopped--$0.20
1 bell pepper, chopped--on sale--$0.50
1 large can tomatoes--$1.19
1 pound zucchini, sliced--on sale--$0.99
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp Italian seasoning--pennies
1/2 pound green beans--on sale--$0.50
1/2 pound red potatoes, cubed--approx $0.50
1/2 pound small pasta--on sale $1/lb--$0.50
fresh basil to taste--free from the garden!

Cook beans in chicken broth until tender, usually 1.5-2 hours. In a separate pan, saute onion, celery, and pepper until they have a bit of color on them. Add to the beans along with remaining ingredients (except pasta). Simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes and other vegetables are done. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add fresh basil. Cook pasta separately and serve a spoonful in each bowl (so that the leftovers don't go mushy on you).

Total cost--$6.03 (for at least 8 servings)

As always, check out other $5 ideas from other grocery stores and their weekly specials.

Kroger Bargain Meal July 19-25

We had this week's Kroger bargain meal for breakfast today. It's one of our favorites, and it's perfect as the tomatoes start to come in. This is a meal I make pretty often, as we really like it. Several years ago, Rachael Ray had a show called $40 a Day. A dish from that show inspired this one. It's come a long way from there, though. The dish also sort of resembles migas. Around here, I just call it "eggs", because an under-described dish drives my husband nuts, and I find that hilarious first thing in the morning. You might need to find your own name for the dish.

You start with vegetables. This is half an onion, some hot banana peppers, and a cayenne pepper. Plus a big handful of tomatoes. These are Matt's wild cherry ones. Very tasty, but teeny tiny, so kind of a pain to cook with. Worth it, though. Oh, and some cheese. This is half cheddar and half pepper jack, but use whatever you like. I also added some sausage.

It needs salt, so I decided that Tony Cachere's was the way to go. Any salt will work, though.

You cook everything together. All the sausage (or bacon or no meat) and vegetables. Let it get soft and let any moisture cook out. Season pretty liberally with whatever salt you're using. Lots of veggies, lots of eggs. They need salt. (dude, I sound like a crazy salt woman. I promise my blood pressure is fine. I just like salt.)

You finish the dish by cooking some scrambled eggs right in the same pan, then topping with cheese. Even though the dish is egg-based, you still want most of the flavors to be veggies and sausage. So, I don't overdo the eggs. But, that's just how I like it.

And you end up with this plate of deliciousness. Not so beautiful, but very tasty.

For 4 servings, these are the quantities I'd use
8 eggs--on sale $0.59/dozen--$0.40
1 onion--$0.25
1 tomato, or whatever you have--$0.50
1 bell pepper, or whatever peppers you like--$0.50
1 cup cheese--on sale $1.49/8 oz--$0.75
1/2 pound sausage--on sale $1.69/lb--$0.85

Grits--approx $0.30
Milk (I make my grits with half water/half milk)--on sale $1.99/gal--$0.25
Toast--on sale $1/loaf--$0.50

Total cost--$4.30

As always, $5dinners has lots of good ideas for creating economical meals straight from your grocery store flyers.

Kroger Bargain Meal July 12-18

Ever have a Monday? A Monday that makes you think that it's been going on for 2 or 3 or 10 days? That kind of Monday?

As I write this, my husband is sitting at the mechanic's shop with not one, but BOTH of our cars. The radiator hose busted on his car yesterday while I was driving it. That was not fun. But, I was able to limp his car home, and a loverly tow truck came and got it this morning (cause not only did the hose bust, but the entire assembly that attaches the hose to the actual radiator).

So, my dear, sweet, beloved husband drove my car to work today. He takes his lunch everyday, but today, he forgot it. It's the second time he's forgotten his lunch in the last year. Yep, definitely a Monday. He had to run out for lunch, and when he did, he let the window down to go through a drive through. And, it wouldn't go back up. It's supposed to rain tonight. Yep, definitely a Monday.

So, he drove over to our buddy Nilton's place, and Nilton is going to try to fix at least one of our cars quickly. I'm praying for God to give Nilton speedy fingers and amazing car fixing wisdom.

All that to say.... sometimes blogging can be a nice diversion from, well, Monday. So, I am going to think of a great meal of the week, and I'm not going to think about cars one little bit.

This week Kroger has cheese on sale. English muffins, too. So, the best meal to make is mini pizzas, of course! My children love these, and truth be told, my husband and I do, too. They are an easy weekend meal for us, and if there are leftovers, they pack well in a lunch box. I make mini pizzas very, very simply. Half an English muffin, topped with tomato paste, sprinkled with seasoning (instead of seasoning the paste/sauce all at once), then topped with cheese and whatever else you like. I prefer hamburger, onions, and bell pepper.

Usually, a recipe for 4 feeds us supper, and we eat leftovers for lunch the next day. We love these, so even with 2 little tiny people with tiny appetites, we can put away all 12 in one meal. So make more than you think you need.

English muffins--on sale--$1
Tomato paste--$0.50
Italian seasoning
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
Cheese--on sale--$1.49
Onions--on sale $0.79/lb--$0.40
Ground beef--on sale $1.79/lb--$0.90
Bell pepper--use half--$0.25

Total cost--$4.54

Erin at 5dollardinners has lots of meals for right around $5. Check them out for more ideas!

Kroger Bargain Meal July 5-11

Erin, over at 5dollardinners, thinks of a $5 meal every night. If you need inspiration--check it out! She also hosts a gathering of tons of folks all over the internet who are making $5 meals from their local sales flyers. I'm always blown away by the creativity shown.

This week's meal is actually what we ate for supper last night. It's one of those meals that I tend to make a couple of times a year, all close together. It's really good, and we'll be on a roll, but as the zuchinni fever dies down, this recipe drops out of my mind, only to emerge next year as we are inundated with the beautiful green squash.

If you've got more zuchinni that you know what to do with, this is the recipe for you. It sounds weird, but it's actually really good. The recipe calls them mock crab cakes, but that just sounds weird to me, so I call them zuchinni fritters. Whatever you call them, they are good.

2 cups coarsely grated zucchini, unpeeled (I used 2 zukes)--on sale $0.99/lb--$1
1 cup Italian bread crumbs--free (I use heels of bread)
1 onion, finely chopped (we grated it also)--$0.25
1 tablespoon mayonnaise--$0.05
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 egg, beaten--$0.09
oil (for frying)--$0.50

Serve with pasta with butter and parm cheese, dill sauce (sour cream, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper), and cucumbers.

pasta--approx $0.50
parm cheese--$0.50
butter--$0.25
cucumbers--on sale $0.49/each--$0.98
sour cream--on sale $1.77/24 oz--$0.30

Total cost for this awesome summer meal--$4.48

Kroger Bargain Meal June 28-July 4

I am so excited to see Georgia shrimp on sale at Kroger this week. They are too expensive for a $5 meal, but it's our anniversary, so this is perfect. A couple of years ago, I started noticing a bit of tingling in my hands and lips when I eat shrimp from other countries. I began to pay attention, and when I bought the wild caught, American shrimp, it didn't happen. I'm not sure exactly what those other shrimp are treated with, but my body doesn't like it. Unfortunately, wild caught are always pricier. They taste more like shrimp, though, which is a good thing. And, we're having some tonight! I can't wait. So, if you have any excuse at all, go buy some shrimp this week.

This week's $5 meal is tortilla soup. It starts with chicken.

To make it "tortilla" soup, I'm real fancy, and I put crushed chips in the bottom of the bowl. Nothing but the finest around here.

Top with cheese.

And look what you end up with! This is one of our favorites. Everyone loves it. Soup is a bit hard for my boys to eat, so I use a slotted spoon to get the good stuff out, then make it into a quesadilla for them. Same flavors, less mess. All good.

Tortilla Soup (serves 8)
1 whole chicken--on sale $0.99/lb--$3
water to cover
salt, pepper, onion, celery to flavor (whatever you have limp in the fridge)
2 tsp. oil--$0.10
1 onion, chopped--on sale $0.79/lb--$0.25
1-3 jalapenos, chopped (to taste)
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped--$0.15
1 can (28 oz) tomatoes--approx $1.50
4 ears corn, cut from the cob--on sale 4/$1--$1
2 tsp. cumin
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. pepper
cheese, for serving--on sale $1.03/2 cups--$0.52
sour cream, for serving--on sale $1.77/24 oz--$0.44
avocado, for serving--$1
cilantro, for serving--approx $0.50/bunch--$0.25
lime, for serving--$0.25
chips, for serving (use the bottom of the bag)--$0.50

Cook chicken in water seasoned with salt, pepper, celery, and onion. Once chicken is done (about 45 minutes), remove from broth, allow to cool, and take meat off the bones. (I did this in the crockpot overnight.) Meanwhile, saute the onion, jalapeno, and garlic together in the oil. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, corn, and chicken. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes or so. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime over the top.

note---using a whole chicken makes it a pretty chicken-y meal. You can certainly use less chicken (about half the time, I use half of the meat from a chicken). Your husband won't love you quite as much, but it's still good. You can also do beans instead of meat, and this soup easily adapts to extra vegetables (zuchinni anyone??).

And, in an easy on the cook twist, this meal is really filling and needs no side dishes.

Total cost--$8.96 (8 servings) or $4.48 (4 servings)

As always, 5dollardinners hosts lots of meals from bloggers all over the country. If you aren't in love with Kroger, you can find whatever store your heart fancies.

Kroger Bargain Meal June 21-27

For Christmas last year, I got a meat grinder. Fancy, huh? But, it was something I had really wanted and had thought about for a long time. Y'all, it was the best use of $45 ever. It makes it so easy to have sausage any time you want. I've ground 15 pounds of sausage over the last 6 months, and we've experimented with the flavorings that we like best. The best part? I use a boston butt to make the sausage, at less than half the price of store-bought sausage.

I haven't tried smoked sausage yet, but that's next on my list. Andouille--here I come!

So, this meal utilizes some of that homemade sausage. I season double ground pork pretty heavily to make the sausage. You could easily substitute non-seasoned ground pork, ground beef, or even (gasp!) store-bought sausage. Any of those would be good.

The above picture is stuffed eight-ball zuchinni squash. This week, Kroger has bell peppers on sale. This filling is appropriate for any vegetable. I've done zuchinni, peppers, tomatoes, and mushrooms. For whatever vegetable I use, I like to chop the part that I scoop out and add it to the filling. Oh, and I use half peppers (cut lengthwise) for stuffed peppers. My husband will eat them, but they aren't his favorite, so I cut down on the size of the pepper serving a wee bit for his sake.

Stuffed Vegetables

bell peppers--on sale 6/$2.99--use 2 for stuffing, plus 1 for the filling--$1.50
1 pound ground sausage--boston butt on sale $1.29/lb--$1.29
Bread crumbs--free
Onion--$0.25
Italian seasoning--dried or fresh
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes--$0.50 for FMV brand
mozzarella--on sale $1.03 when you buy 10--$0.52

Brown sausage with onion and 1 chopped pepper until meat is browned and vegetables are soft. Drain any excess fat from the pan. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning (or basil, oregano, and thyme). Add about 1/3 of canned tomatoes to mixture. Add bread crumbs until mixture has the consistency of meatballs. Stuff mixture into halved bell peppers. Place in baking dish, top with remaining tomatoes, and then top each pepper half with shredded mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for approx 30 minutes, until filling is hot and peppers are cooked through.

Serve over a bed of pasta (approx $1).

Total cost--$5.06

Kroger Bargain Meal June 14-20

This week's bargain meal is a new one to me. A friend recently tried it, though, and she thought it was excellent. So, I'll be putting this on the menu soon. And, just in case you missed it, we had chicken divan last night. Yum!!

Grilled Pork Chops with Spice Paste

4 garlic cloves, minced--$0.15
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil--$0.10
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar--$0.10
2 Tbsp. coarse salt
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 bone-in pork loin chops (use mixed pork chops instead)--on sale $1.79/lb--$1.79

In a bowl, mix together garlic, oil, sugar, salt, paprika, pepper and cayenne until paste forms. Coat pork with paste and wrap or cover in plastic, place in fridge for 1 hour - up to 3 hours. Grill.

Serve this with grilled zuchinni and cucumber salad (like this without tomatoes).
Zuchinni--on sale--$0.99
Cucumbers--on sale $0.49/each--$0.98
Onions--on sale $0.79/lb--$0.79

Total cost for this meal--$4.90

Sometimes life gets in the way of a bargain meal. That's what happened to us yesterday. The park called, new friends were made, and the blog was neglected. But, there are many, timely meals over at $5 Dinner's Bargain Meal of the week. Click on over and check it out.

Kroger Bargain Meal May 7-13

Summer is in full force here. I love the long days, and I really love seeing our garden grow. This year, we have a new pop-up, and we're getting ready to take it out, hopefully next weekend (my husband likes everything just so before we head out on a new adventure--he hasn't embraced the fact that two littles make it darn near impossible to have everything just so). In my preparations, I'm trying to figure out some new camping recipes to try. The key for me is a minimum of ingredients, something that can be cooked on the grill (so my husband does it), and it has to taste good. This recipe for soy-marinated chicken looks like it'll fit the bill. It's from Cooking Light, and I generally have good luck with their recipes.

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce--$0.25
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil--$0.20
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme--free!
4 chicken leg quarters--on sale $0.59/lb--$2.06 (average weight 14 ounces each)
2 garlic cloves, minced--$0.20

Serve with:

buttered pasta--on sale $0.88/lb--$0.44--and canned pineapple--on sale--$0.88

Total cost of this meal--$4.03

As always, there are many, many, many more ideas at $5 dinners' Bargain Meal of the week.

Kroger Bargain Meal May 31- June 6

This week, Kroger has a big thing about Lane peaches in their ad. Lane is a Georgia company, and eating those peaches supports Georgia agriculture in a small way. More importantly, though, eating peaches that are grown only a couple of hours away means that they are going to be the tastiest possible peaches (unless your grandma has a tree in her backyard, and alas, my grandma has no tree). And, eating in season means that your grocery bills are cheaper, you eat a wide variety of things, and (did I mention) they are so good that even your pickiest child (who shall not be named) just might take a bite. Maybe. If you convince him. And tell him that all the Nascar drivers eat peaches. And drive him to the farm to see them for himself. Not that I'd know anything about that.

So, for today's meal, be a rebel. Serve dessert for supper. Most often, at our house, this gets served as real dessert, after supper, then the leftovers are eaten for breakfast. Not that much different than pancakes or any other sweet breakfast. At least that's what I tell myself.

Peach Cobbler

2 pounds peaches (approx), for 4 cups sliced--on sale--$1.98

1 stick butter--$0.55

1 cup sugar--$0.18

1 cup self rising flour--$0.10

1 cup milk--on sale $1.99/gal--$0.12

Preheat oven to 400. Melt the butter in a 9x13 glass pan in the oven. Meanwhile, mix the flour, sugar, and milk together. Slice the peaches and add sugar if necessary. When the butter is melted and almost brown, add the flour mixture to the pan. Top with the peaches. Bake for around 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and everything is bubbling.

Top this cobbler with whipped cream--1 cup--$1

Total cost for a crazily indulgent summer meal--$3.93

For other ideas on what to make from your store's specials, check out $5 dinners bargain meal of the week.