50 Cent Inspiration

 I have never been one of those people who complain about grocery shopping. It's actually something I've always enjoyed. Sure, part of it is the fact that since 2004 when I became a full time SAHM, the weekly trip to the grocery store was a little bit of "me" time and many times included a drive-thru sandwich or Starbucks stop! 

But I truly do find happiness in meal planning and making my grocery list every week. New recipes, old recipes, finding the best price on things we need, saving money...all of these things make me smile.

 Lately though, my joy has been taken from me. With all the empty shelves, and every single thing on my list being more expensive, I tend to get a little grumpy while shopping. I grumble under my breath and get annoyed because I have to replan meals or my budget is blown. 

I know we are all in the same boat when it comes to the state of the world today, so I'm not looking for sympathy...just typing it allows me to vent a little! But this story also comes with a silver lining and a moment of joy!

A couple weeks ago as I was walking through Walmart, a sign reading "2 for $1" caught my eye. A deal like that I had to check out and was so glad I did. Pepperidge Farm bagged stuffing mix!? Seriously? Those are usually almost $3! I guess they had gobs of them leftover from Thanksgiving, but the expiration date wasn't until June, so score! 

I immediately knew what I was going to do with this 50 cent bargain. I have been wanting to make chicken and stuffing casserole for eons, but just never got around to it. No more. Now was the time! 

So, the stuffing was dirt cheap, but the chicken, not so much. But in today's world it's a give and take. Since the rest of the ingredients for this are mostly inexpensive pantry items, it ended up being rather budget friendly. 

We DEVOURED this! Seriously, one of the Top 5 casseroles I have ever made. Simple flavors but so, so delicious. Comfort food at its very best. Perfect for a simple weeknight meal! (Especially since you can make the chicken ahead of time!)

I know many, many families are like ours and will be enjoying a big glazed ham on Easter, but if you are making chicken or turkey...remember this for the leftovers. Or, if by the middle of the next week when you've eaten as many ham leftovers as you can stand, this would be a great way to mix it up. 

Oh, and if you can't find the awesome deal on stuffing like I did- any brand will do- just make sure you have the correct amount. I think a box is 6 ounces, so this is how I would handle it. I would buy 2 boxes and use a full and half for 9 ounces or if you don't want to waste, only use the 6 ounce box and I bet you won't miss the other 2 ounces. But still use the entire stick of butter! 

Grocery shopping is very interesting these days. I hope having a meal with simple ingredients, that you might even find on sale, helps to take just a little stress out of your weekly trip and meal planning!

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts, about 3-4

8 oz. dry stuffing mix 

2 celery stalks

1 small yellow onion, quartered

4 chicken bouillon cubes

1 cup milk

1 stick butter, melted

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

Salt and Pepper

Fresh Parsley

Place chicken in a large pot with celery, onion, salt and pepper. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium for a gentle boil and cook about 20 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken and celery. Discard onion. Save broth for another use, if desired. 

Allow chicken to cool to handle. Shred with hands, two forks or mixer with paddle attachment. Chop cooked celery. 

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. In a large bowl whisk together both soups and milk. Add shredded chicken and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Transfer to baking dish. 

In another bowl mix dry stuffing mix with melted butter until moist. Top chicken mixture with stuffing mix. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for additional 15 minutes, or browned on top. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Shared at Weekend Potluck
 

One Skillet Brings Chilhood Memories

 Did your mom make Hamburger Helper when you were a kid? Mine definitely did! I remember helping her choose which kind we would get at the store. It was a quick, simple meal for a working mom and she never got any complaints from my dad and I. 

Funny story though- she was forbidden from making Tuna Helper because when they were first married and still learning to cook...she made that one a lot...according to dad A LOT...so yeah he got a little burned out on it. To this day, and they have been married for almost 43 years...it's never showed up in the house again. 

I will admit, when the boxes of this convenience meal go on salt for $1 or less, I will grab a couple to keep in the pantry. No shaming! There are great to have on hand when I'm testing new recipes for all of you...and it turns into a disaster! When the experiment ends up in the trash...it's so nice to know I can reach into the back of the cupboard and still feed the family. 

If you enjoyed the boxed variety growing up, but want to stay away from the processed foods, this homemade version will knock your socks off! This was one of those meals I made that immediately got rave reviews and I was promptly told to make again. 

The best part? Just like the boxed mix, this is a one pan supper! Everything cooks in one large skillet, can be on the table in about 30 minutes, and you have less clean up! I love pairing it with a fresh garden salad or a steamed veggie on the side for a complete meal. 

You just might have everything you need to make this in the kitchen right now! Simple ingredients lead to the flavors you will remember from when you were a kid. Be sure to read my note about the pasta to meat ratio too. This is how we like it, but I have some tips if you feel like your family would enjoy it with more/less pasta or meat. 

I am not one to shame anyone for taking some help from the store and convenience foods. You want to use something from a box or the frozen food aisle? Go for it. We all need to make dinner time a little less stressful, and using those things once in a while isn't an issue in my kitchen. But I also love finding ways to make the ones we enjoy with fresh ingredients that I control so I can feel just a little bit better about my big bowl of creamy pasta in front of me! 

Homemade Hamburger Helper

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. elbow macaroni

1 (32 oz.) box beef broth

1 TBS ketchup

1 tsp. yellow mustard

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. seasoning salt

1 c. sour cream

1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Dried Parsley

Salt and Pepper

 In a large skillet, over medium high heat, brown beef and drain if necessary. In a small bowl whisk together ketchup, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, salt and pepper. Add to beef and stir well. Add beef broth, scraping bottom of skillet. Add macaroni and stir well. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes until macaroni is cooked. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream until smooth and creamy. Put skillet back over low heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish with dried parsley. *NOTE* We like this ratio of beef to pasta. If you want less macaroni, only use half the box. Or if you want more beef, use 1 1/2 lb. with the whole box of pasta. If it's too thick when finished, or sits a while, add a little extra beef broth to make it creamier. 

 

 

Shared at Weekend Potluck