Sloppy Joes (with lentils!)

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I am always looking for ways to cut down on our food bill and dried lentils really help out a lot.  They are very inexpensive, don’t require soaking, and are easy to incorporate into a variety of meals.  Sometimes it can be challenging figuring out how to use a new ingredient, but I have found that we can easily switch them out for ground beef in a lot of dishes.  As I experiment and come up with yummy lentil dishes, I’ll post about them so you can try them out too!

The inspiration for this sloppy joe recipe came from Namely Marly.  I modified it to suit our tastes, that and I can’t stick to a recipe to save my life!  Not only is this recipe super easy, it’s also slam full of veggies and vegan!

By the way, please excuse the horrid photos. One of the mini mafia absconded with my camera and I had to use my phone. 🙁  Anyhow, on to the deliciousness!

Sloppy Joes with lentils

Sloppy Joes with lentils

Ingredients:

1/2 lb lentils (about half a bag)
4 garlic cloves
2 large peppers (I used banana and bell, but any combo will do)
1 medium onion
1 1/2 c. rough chopped cabbage
2 medium carrots
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
oil (vegetable, olive, canola, etc.)
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
1 1/2 Tbs chili powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (REALLY adds to the flavor)
2 Tbs brown sugar

Directions:

1.  Cook lentils as directed, drain and set aside.

2.  Finely chop all vegetables.  (I’m a food processor junkie, so I just threw everything in there instead of doing it all by hand)

3.  Heat oil in a pot on med-high heat.

4.  Add in chopped vegetables and cook for 5-10 minutes, until soft.

Sloppy Joes with lentils

If it looks like veggie mush, you’re on the right track! 🙂

5.  Stir in diced tomatoes and tomato paste. (Put the diced tomatoes in the food processor for a just a few seconds if you don’t want chunks.  Literally, a few seconds, or they’ll end up like sauce)

6.  Add in all seasonings, stir well, and cook for 5 minutes.

Sloppy Joes with lentils

Starting to look a little more sloppy joe-ish

Just serve it up on buns like you would a traditional sloppy joe.  We didn’t have any in the pantry, so I went with plain ol’ sliced bread, but it was still delicious.

Sloppy Joes with lentils

Not only is this recipe quick and easy, it’s also loaded with good stuff.  You can really use any vegetables you have in your fridge.  I’m not one to go out and buy specific ingredients for a recipe, I just throw in whatever we have around here.  The brown sugar can be left out if you want, I just add it in because I find it helps get rid of that canned tomato taste.  The smoked paprika REALLY makes the flavor pop, it tastes completely different than regular paprika.  We ended up with sandwiches for all 8 of us, and enough leftover to make at least another 4 for lunch.  The kids were eating it straight out of the pot, so you know it was tasty!

Sloppy Joes with lentils

Definitely a winner with the littles!

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Sausage and Apples with Pineapple Teriyaki Rice

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We have had this pesky can of apple pie filling sitting on the shelf for months.  I don’t even know where it came from.  And Eva constantly asks if she can eat it.  Lunchtime rolled around and this simple recipe came to mind.  It is delicious and inexpensive, just how I like ’em! 🙂

Sausage and Apples with Pineapple Teriyaki Rice

Ingredients:

For the rice

3 c. rice

4 1/2 c. water

1 1/2 c. pineapple juice

1/2 Tbsp minced garlic

1 Tbs Teriyaki sauce

For the sausage

1 lb smoked sausage, cut into 1/2″ slices (precooked, I used beef)

1 can apple pie filling

1 large onion, diced

1/2 c. pineapple juice

1 Tbs. Teriyaki sauce

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbs canola oil

 

Directions:

1.  Mix all rice ingredients in a large pot on high heat.  When it starts to boil, cover loosely and turn down to low.  Leave it alone for around 15 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork.  Set aside.

Pineapple Teriyaki Rice

2.  Heat oil on med-high in a skillet.  Add in sausage and onions.  Cook until onions are slightly soft.

Sausage and onion

3.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cook until heated throughout.

Sausage, onion, and apple

4.  Serve over rice.

Pineapple Teriyaki Rice with Sausage, Onion, and Apples

Makes 6-8 large servings.

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Quick and Easy Creamy Chicken Pasta Recipe

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One of our favorite quick simple dishes that works great for busy nights is my Creamy Chicken Pasta recipe.  It is literally one of those recipes where you dump the ingredients in, mix it up, and serve.  The part that takes the longest is boiling the noodles, and while those are going you can get everything else opened up and ready to go!  This is a recipe that can easily be made by a younger child that wants to be independent and helpful (my 9 year can make it all by herself) but it’s also one that my 4 and 5 year olds can “make” with my help.

Cream Chicken Pasta - Quick and Easy

Creamy Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

1 pound of pasta (we <3 penne)

1 can chicken (in the tuna/chili section)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can evaporated milk

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 Tbs garlic powder

1 Tbs parsley

1/2 Tbs onion powder

Last minute creamy chicken pasta

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to directions, drain and set aside.

2. Heat chicken, tomatoes, evaporated milk and soup to a boil.

3. Mix cornstarch and water, slowly pour into sauce to thicken.

4. Season with herbs/spices listed, or come up with your own twist!

5. Pour drained pasta into sauce, stir to coat.

That’s it!  Quick and easy. 🙂

Side notes and ramblings…..

-The cornstarch/water slurry isn’t essential, but without it your sauce will be thin and runny.

-Breaking the chicken up with a fork before adding it into the sauce is WAY easier than trying to do it later.  Trust me.

-This is a basic recipe, have fun with it!  Add in broccoli, cheese, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, etc.

 

Cost of ingredients:

Pasta – $1.00

Chicken – $2.00

Tomatoes – $0.50

Cream of Chicken – $0.50

Evaporated Milk – $1.00

Total cost – $5.00

There you have it!  My Creamy Chicken Pasta recipe, only $5.00 and less than 30 minutes from start to finish!

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Salmon Cakes with Lemon Garlic Aioli

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The inspiration for this recipe came from a yummy Pinterest pic by A Nutritionist Eats.  I loved the idea but just can’t follow a recipe to save my life. 🙂  So I added in some potatoes, peppers, and onions, tweaked a few of the herbs and spices, and voila!

salmon cakes with lemon garlic aioli

Ingredients:

3 c. baked, flaked salmon
3 c. shredded potato (squeeze dry)
2 eggs
1/2 c. bread crumbs
3 minced garlic cloves
2.5 T mayonnaise
1/3 c. chopped sweet bell pepper
1/3 c. chopped onion
1 tsp dried parsley
4 tsp dried dill weed
salt and pepper, as desired

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

2. Scoop out 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of mix, form into 3″ cakes.

3. Pan fry for 3-4 minutes on each side (in 1 Tbsp of oil)
4. Serve with aioli (recipe below) on the side. Makes 10 large cakes.
*I used 1 lb of salmon filets from Aldi and baked them for 12 minutes at 350 before flaking. I don’t care for canned salmon, and this was ready by the time I prepped the other ingredients.
*Instead of using fresh potatoes, which can be really wet and starchy, I used frozen shredded potatoes from Aldi.
salmon cakes with lemon garlic aioli
salmon cakes with lemon garlic aioli
salmon cakes with lemon garlic aioli
Lemon Garlic AioliMix the following together and chill while the salmon is cooking.

5 T mayonnaise
1 T lemon juice
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper as desired

Ingredient Cost:
Salmon – $4.00
Potatoes – $1.00
Eggs – $0.30
Bread crumbs – $0.25
Mayonnaise – $0.10
Bell pepper – $0.30
Onion – $0.05
Herbs/spices – $0.25
Total – $6.25
That’s only $0.63 per cake!
Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Homemade Fried Rice

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Today I’m sharing my favorite delicious restaurant-style fried rice recipe that you can make at home for super cheap!

homemade fried rice

Homemade Fried Rice

Ingredients:

4 c. cooked white rice (chilled)

1/4 c. cooked bacon, chopped

1/4 c. browned ground beef, finely chopped

3 Tbs butter (unsalted)

1 Tbs bacon fat (save when cooking bacon)

3 large eggs

1/4-1/3 c. soy sauce (low sodium)

1/4 c. chopped green onion

1/2 tsp sesame seeds

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1.  Preheat griddle to 400.

2.  Melt butter and bacon fat on griddle.

3.  Spread out the chilled rice on the griddle.  It should be sizzling and start to brown.

4.  Mix in the beef and bacon with the rice, then move the mixture to one side of the griddle.

5.   Whisk eggs and pour on the empty side of the griddle.  Keep moving them with the spatula, they will cook quickly at 400 degrees.

6.  Once the eggs are no longer runny, but not yet brown, combine with the rice.

7.  Add in the soy sauce, onion, salt, pepper, and sesame seeds.  Stir until combined, then remove from heat and serve.

How to make Fried Rice at home

How to make Fried Rice at home

How to make Fried Rice at home

How to make Fried Rice at home

We love getting fried rice from our local Chinese restaurant, but the cost is just way too high for 8 of us.  We can make this at home for much cheaper, less than $5.00 for eight servings!

Cost of ingredients:

Rice – $0.50

Bacon – $0.30

Beef – $0.30

Butter – $0.25

Eggs – $0.45

Soy sauce – $0.20

Remaining ingredients – $0.20

Total cost for four servings – $2.20

That’s only $0.55 each serving!

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Spinach and Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breast

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This recipe is healthy, simple, and packed with flavor. Less than $1.50 per serving as well!

Spinach and tomato stuffed chicken

Spinach and Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

Stuffed Chicken Breasts:

3 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless (about 2 pounds)

6 lightly packed cups of raw spinach

3 medium Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

4 garlic gloves, minced

2 Tbs basil pesto

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Bread crumb coating:

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs parmesan

1 Tbs plain bread crumbs

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp parsley

Spinach and tomato stuffed chicken

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Roughly chop spinach.  It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just makes the stuffing easier.

3.  Combine garlic, tomatoes, pesto, salt, pepper, and onion powder in a mixing bowl.  Add spinach and stir until mixed throughout.

4.  Trim fat from chicken breasts, if needed.

5.  Place one breast at a time into a bag and pound until flat.  Repeat for each piece of chicken.

6.  Spread spinach and tomato mixture across 2/3 of each piece of chicken.  Roll toward the end without filling.

7.  Place stuffed chicken into a glass baking dish, cover with foil.

8.  Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

While you are waiting on the chicken to bake, mix together all of the bread crumb coating ingredients (except the oil) and set aside.  If you are going to serve your chicken with pasta, go ahead and put the water on the stove to boil as well.

9.  Remove chicken from the oven after 45 minutes, brush with oil and sprinkle with bread crumb coating.

10.  Place back in the oven at 350 degrees, uncovered, for another 5-10 minutes.

(Be sure the internal temperature of your chicken is at least 165 degrees before serving.)

We served our chicken with linguine, but it could easily go with salad or rice as well.

Spinach and tomato stuffed chicken1

Spinach and tomato stuffed chicken2

Spinach and tomato stuffed chicken3

Spinach and tomato stuffed chicken4

Spinach and tomato stuffed chicken5

Spinach and tomato stuffed chicken6

Spinach and tomato stuffed chicken7

Cost of ingredients:

Chicken – $5.40

Spinach – $0.50

Tomatoes – $0.50

Pesto – $0.40

Remaining on hand ingredients – $2.00 (I stink at this part)

Total cost – $8.80 (for six servings of 1/2 breast each)

Cost per serving – $1.47

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Super Simple Chicken Pot Pie

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So I have literally been on the phone ALL DAY LONG dealing with my children’s insurance company and trying to get some emergency room bills covered.  So, when I realized it was 5:30 and I hadn’t even started dinner, well…..

So I begrudgingly walk rush into the kitchen and start grabbing things off the shelf.  I had some leftover chicken from some quarters I had roasted last week, some canned veggies, two wrinkly squash, 3 carrots, you get the idea.  Thank God I have the ability to make dinner from nothing, because none of this food alone was enough to feed my army!  See the recipe below and the delicious looking pot pie finale!

Super simple chicken pot pie

Super Simple Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

2 cups chicken (chopped, shredded, canned, whatever you have on hand)

1 can corn, drained

1 can green beans, drained

1 can evaporated milk (I used skim)

2 wrinkly squash-that-should’ve-been-thrown-out-but-they-aren’t-moldy-just-yet (or fresh, ya know, whatever), chopped

3 carrots, chopped (preferably from the back bottom of your fridge, hiding under cheese and leftovers)

1 container of Bob Evans Garlic Mashed Potatoes (got them for dirt cheap, otherwise I’d use 2 big potatoes)

2 cans of cheap-o store brand biscuits (or some bisquick mix, if you’ve got that on hand)

 

Directions:

Set the biscuits aside.

Dump everything else in a big bowl and microwave it for 5 minutes.

(I like to add in garlic and onion powder, parsley, salt and pepper as well.  Be creative!)

Stir, then pour into a pan, and cover with the biscuits.

Pop it in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes.

Relax.

Take a bubble bath.

Shave your legs.

Let’s be realistic.  Run around cleaning up the table so there’s room to eat.

20 minutes later, pull that delicious smelling pot pie out of the oven and wow your family with your awesome baking skills!

 Super simple chicken pot pie

Deliciousness achieved, and it only took a few minutes!

Next time you think you should just order pizza because you don’t have time to cook, think again.  For me to get enough pizza/fast food for my family of 8, I’m looking at a minimum of $20 if not $30.  Yikes!  Instead, I sucked it up for 5 minutes and put together a tasty dinner that was fairly healthy!

Cost of tonight’s tastiness:

Chicken – $2.00 (I buy leg quarters and roast them for cheap chicken for dishes)

Canned corn – $0.50

Canned green beans – $0.50

Evaporated milk – $0.50

Mashed potatoes – $1.00 (on sale w/ a coupon)

Carrots – $0.25 (buy the big bag, they keep for a while)

Squash – $0.65 ($1.29 for a pack of 4 at Aldi)

Biscuits – $1.00 (packs of 4 at Kroger for $2.00)

Total:  $6.40

Woot!  That’s for a good 8 servings, so only $0.80 per person!  I’ll take that over $30 in pizza any day!

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Roasted Corn Salad (WF copycat)

**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**



We went to Whole Foods last week (our monthly treat) and picked up some pretty tasty corn relish.  Kenneth and I ate almost the whole container in the car on the way home!  However, at $8.00 for a 16 ounce tub, it isn’t something I’ll be likely to purchase in the future.  Lucky for me, Whole Foods lists ALL of their ingredients on their deli item labels.  I ended up making a MUCH cheaper version that is absolutely delicious, and I think my husband just fell in love with me all over again.  😛 Check it out, make it, tweak it to fit your style, and let me know what you think!

Roasted Corn Salad

Roasted Corn Salad

Ingredients:

6 c. of frozen sweet corn

1/2 c. oil (approximately, I forgot to measure!)

1 vidalia onion, diced

1/2 c. diced green bell pepper

1 Tbs minced fresh parsley

1 tsp minced fresh basil

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 c. halved cherry tomatoes

2 inch piece of jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

4 Tbs white wine vinegar

1 tsp lime juice

Directions:

1.  Toss corn in oil and spread out on a baking sheet.  Roast in oven on low broil until slightly browned.

2.  Remove from oven and mix with remaining ingredients.

3.  Try not to eat half the bowl immediately.

Roasted Corn Salad

Roasted Corn Salad

It is a REALLY simple recipe, but here are some shortcuts and tips to make it even easier.

-Let the corn thaw slightly before tossing with oil.  Otherwise you just end up with a big frozen chunk of corn.

-Put your parley, basil, jalapeno, and seeded jalapeno in the food processor.  Pulse until finely chopped.

-This salad is delish hot or cold, and is even better the second day.

-It’s not just a salad, try it on a taco or burger as well!

My version cost somewhere around $4-$5 to make about 10 cups.  That would have cost me $40 at Whole Foods!  This salad is definitely a keeper, I just need to remember to make 2x as much next time!

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

(Shhh…. Sneaky) Sloppy Joes

**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**



Want to bulk up a simple classic with some veggies?  Try my Sneaky Sloppy Joes.

Sauté some onions, garlic (two staples I put in just about any skillet dish), finely diced squash, finely chopped spinach.  You can also add finely diced carrots, bell peppers of assorted colors, brocolli, and whatever else you can sneak in to the pan!  I do all this before browning the ground turkey.  Then, prepare as you normally would, whether your sloppy joe sauce is canned, enveloped, or made-from-scratch (c’mon!).

I’ve been packing mine with extra veggies for over a year, and no one is none the wiser.  Yet.

(Please don’t show this to my family…  please?)


This recipe is also posted under my Big Oven account.  :o)

Follow Me on Pinterest

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

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