i've been busy

this week i have done a fair amount of cooking. I am finally venturing out from easy recipes and concoctions to healthier and more inventive ones.This all started when i went over our budgets (we got all our bills from December, YIKES! and we got the final hospital bills from Cecelia- YOWZA~)

Cooking on a budget kinda sucks! And cooking healthy on a budget is almost impossible. BUT this week i am so excited to say i did it. $200 grocery bill ($125 at SAM'S CLUB and $75 at meijer) and i made baby food for a week, Cinnamin Apple Oatmeal (for a week), Wine and Tomato Braised Chicken, a whole chicken, slow cooker Ceasar Chicken and Buns for sandwiches (for my lunches), Lasagna roll ups, Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes, Sausage and Egg Breakfast burritos, Chicken Enchiladas and cookies! Here's how i did it, how long it will all last, and where i got everything. Please click on the links as they come up for more information, i am sending you to the location i received these recipes and ideas, not stealing them.

My husband and I are  always working different shifts and rarely ever get to sit down together (overnights and days/evenings are a bad combo) so ALL these meals can be portioned (yay for portion control and healthy weight loss) to grab, microwave and go!

Grocery List (Sams):
1 bag of Apples
1 bag of onions
1 box of pizza dough
1 bag of deli buns
1 bag of peas
1 tub cilantro
1 tub red pepper
1 tun orengano
1 bag avocados
4lbs ground beef
1 tray (abotu 5 lbs) bonesless skinless chicken breast
dry white wine
whole grain oatmeal
1 box (8 cans) canned tomatoes
1 tray (about 13 total) bone in chicken thighs
   **these were on sale 1/2 off due to the sell by date, always look for chef and manager specials if you plan on cooking right away to save some $$$

Grocery List (Meijer):
Lasagna noodles
2 packs large soft tortilla shells
ricotta cheese
eggs
milk
almond milk
1 chicken
 ***also chef's special, $3 for a 4lb chicken!
bacon
2 pears
sausage
ranch
ceasar dressing
hot sauce
Baby carrots
Celery

All the other ingredients i already had, but they aren't much $$ and i am sure everyone has a few of the things on the list. Plus if you aren't making baby food then there goes half the bill!

• The peas, avacado and sweet potatoes, pears and most of the apples were for baby food! For great baby food recipes i have a book my SISTER gave me called "The BEST Homemade Baby Food on the Planet." it breaks down what foods are good at what ages, how to make it (multiple ways) what freezes well and how long it takes to cook. Such an awesome book!
•  The chicken breasts, ground beef, onions, pizza dough and deli buns i put over 1/2 in our freezer. I only needed half for the recipes, but the other half i put in individual bags and froze it for next week! onions i shopped and divided into 1 cup per bag.

Then i put the whole chicken in crock pot.
celercy sticks
baby carrots
roasemary
bay leaves
onion (quartered) 
garlic (cloves and salt)
kosher salt
pepper


I threw everything and water into the crock pot in the amounts i wanted. i turned it on low and let it sit all night (about 8 hours). the next morning i took it out, let it cook, shredded it and threw out all the stock (normally i would have strained it through a strainer and paper towel and used the stock for soup, but i was in a hurry and soup wasn't on the menu. The chicken i then used to make multiple types of chicken for sandwiches for my lunches: ceasar chicken (recipe to follow), Italian chicken (just add dressing), bbq chicken, spicy chicken (hot sauce and ranch, YUM!). sandwiches for a week! 

Lasagna Rolls: these i make one at a time. they are each one serving and PERFECT to stick in the freezer for a lunch when there's not time to cook but a desire to eat real food. Since i used no sauce and it's all fresh it's healthier than most things and SO YUMMY! Plus you caa adjsut the recipe to whatever you like.

1lb ground beef
2 cans dices tomatoes
1 T olive Oil
1 onion
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup parmesean cheese
basil (chopped)
oregano (chopped)
1/4 shredded mozzerella
red pepper flakes
1 egg
1 clove garlic
lasagna noodles

1. preheat over to 350 degrees. 
2. cook noodles in large pot of water until done. slightly under is OK because they will be bakes later. Strain when done and let cool until they can be handled
3. brown meat, strain. 
4. saute onions in olive oil until transparent. Add garlic and tomatoes, basil, oregano, and red pepper. When heated add ground beef. Saute until bubbling and turn down to a simmer. 
5. While that simmers as the noodles cool mix ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella and a bit more garlic plus the ones egg (lightly beaten). 
6. Spread the cheese concoction over one noodle, add meat sauce liberally and roll up (like a cinnamon roll). put in pan. Repeat until you have used up all the sauces and noodles throw them all int eh same pan. pour what's left of the sauce over the rolls and some extra mozzarella cheese. bake for 20 minutes (ish) until the cheese is melted and noodles are cooked but still gooey. 
7. Let cool down and enjoy either as one big treat or individual meals. I put mine in small ziploc containers and freeze them until later. 

Crock pot Caesar Chicken- SO SO SO good. throw on a salad, no dressing needed for a healthy alternative. Paninis, wraps, you name it! great to take for lunches, good cold or hot.

2lbs Chicken
1/2 cup fav ceasar dressing (i use generic meijer, it's cheaper and taste great in this recipe)
1/2 cup shredded parmesean cheese
1/4 cup parsley (fresh is best, use less for dried)
pepper

1. to cook the chicken, throuh 2lbs chicken breast in crock pot with 1-2 cups of water. cover cook on low for 4-6 hours
2. remove chicken, shred it (or just start with shredded chicken)
3.  add all ingredients, stir evenly, cook on high for 30 minutes
4. EAT! SO GOOD!

Wine and Tomato Braised Chicken- super long recipe, check out the link for details. not my favorite but healthy and good!

Crock Pot Cinnamon Apple oatmeal: wake up to this smell and start your day right!

Apples
1 1/2 cup almond milk (really any milk you prefer, almond just keeps this healthy)
1/2 cups water
1 cup whole grain oatmeal
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon (or more to taste) cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt

mix in crock pot, put on low, head to bed and enjoy! put rest in fridge for alter days (i like to mix it up with banana and chocolate chips instead of apples and cinnamon.


Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes- my husbands favorite munchies. so good and perfect for a snack or a meal.

1 pizza dough (the box at Sam's comes in rolls on 20 for $12ish and they are freezer perfect! or you can make home made)
1 onion chopped
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into small (thin) pieces
2 tablesppons butter
1/2 cup buffalo suace (i use Franks)
 2 cups mozzerella
(i add ranch, totally up to you)

1. saute onion in butter, when transparent add chicken. when chicken i done add buffalo sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes
2. preheat over to 400 
3. roll out dough in two pieces, about 1/4 inch thick
4. spread chicken mix and cheese onto bottom layer, add top layer and roll like a cinnamon roll. pinch ends. let rest 30 seconds then slice 1 1/2 - 2inche roll. put on baking sheet or in muffin tins (muffin tins are so much easier) and bake for about 15 minutes until crust is golden brown

Breakfast Burrito- These i make a bunch of breakfast burritos. make them, freeze them, wrap in foil and save until you are running late. unwrap, microwave 1-2 minutes and eat! I kinda made this recipe up, so no measurements just eyeball it. i made some bacon and some sausage (for a healthy alternative substitute turkey bacon and bake it instead of frying.

eggs (12 eggs made about 6-8 burritos)
milk
cheese (shredded cheddar)
sausage
bacon
tortilla shills

1. cook eggs, add a wee bit of milk and scramble them. when done put in a dish and add cheese (make it all melty and good)
2. fry bacon (if you wish to use bacon) until crispy, put on paper towel, let cool and crumble it
3. cook up sausage (i just strain out bacon grease and save a pan)
4. lay out the tortilla, add eggs and bacon/sausage and wrap up like a burrito. wrap in foil and put in the freezer! GREAT for grab and go breakfast

Enchiladas:this is another great one to make and stick individual servings in the freezer to microwave later.

Salsa
tortillas
chicken
hot sauce
1 onion (chopped)
2tsp butter
peppers
cheese (shredded mozzerella)
sour cream

1. cook onion in butter
2. when translucent, add chicken, cook. 
3. when done add hot sauce and peppers of choice
4.  when bubbly simmer for 5 minutes adding sour cream and cheese (2 parts cheese 1 part sour cream)
5. when cheese is melty but not completely smooth pour onto tortilla shell
6. add salsa of choice
7. fold like a burrito
8. either put in foil to put in the freezer for alter (individually) or throw all of the enchilada in a pan and pour cheese and sour cream and salsa over top and bake at 400 degree until melty (15 minutes)

So this is the recipes,. with the exception of the whole chick and the oatmeal i made all this in one day. most of the ingredients overlap and that's what make it cheaper. i also doubled everything and put some in the fridge and some in the freezer. it is almost a month of meals and for $200 that's not bad at all! I even included recipes for you trisha!

proud to say i did this all while taking care of my baby girl!