Beef Stroganoff

My husband loves Beef Stroganoff, but after almost 10 years of marriage this will be my first attempt at making it.  I decided to try it out in the crock pot so that the beef would be really tender.

This recipe is really simple and the results were delicious.  

I also tried to cut a few calories by using reduced fat sour cream and I did not use any cream cheese.

Below is a variation of a couple parts of different recipes to make one easy tasty dinner.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 4 1/2 hours in the crockpot on high

Serves: 4-6 

Ingredients:

1 -2 lbs. Stewing Beef (I would go with 2lbs next time)

2 Small Onions

1 Package Mushrooms

2 Tbsp Tomato Paste

1 cup Beef Broth

1/4 White Wine (if you don't have any on hand White Wine Vinegar will do, but the taste will have a little more zing to it.)

2 tsp Pepper

3 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 cup Reduced Fat Sour Cream

2 Tbsp Corn Starch

1. Put Stewing Meat in the bottom of the crock pot.

2. Dice the Onion and add that to the crock pot.

3. In a bowl mix beef broth, 2 Tbsp of Soy Sauce, 1/4 cup white white, and tomato paste.  Once mixed well add this to the crockpot.

4. Cut Mushrooms and add those to the crockpot.  Stir everything in the crockpot well.

5. Cook for 4 hours on high (may vary based on how hot your crockpot gets.)

6. After 4 hours, mix sour cream, pepper, corn starch, 1 Tbsp of soy sauce by whisking it really well until everything has been mixed together.  Add this to the crockpot.  Whisk it well into the crock pot too.  Cook for another 30 minutes.

7. Prepare the egg noodles according to the package directions.  When they are cooked and drained add them to the crockpot and mix.  Dinner is done!

The Ingredients

Stewing Beef in the Crockpot

Dice up those onions

Add onions to the crockpot

Mix the soy sauce, tomato paste, white wine, and beef broth

Add your liquid mixture to the crockpot

Slice the mushrooms

Add mushrooms to the crockpot

Mix mushrooms in well with sauce and beef, cook for 4 hours on high

Its been 4 hours, time to make the cream sauce.  Mix the sour cream, pepper, corn starch and left over soy.

Whisk it really well in the crockpot

Prepare the Egg Noodles

Look at this delicious meal you have just created.  Sure to please the whole family.

Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Sometimes I buy the already prepared stuffed chicken breasts in the store and my family enjoys them and I like them for a quick oven dinner.  Today I thought I would make my own stuffed chicken and see how it goes.

I made Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken.  It was pretty easy to make but there is one change I would make for next time.  The recipe I used just said to bake the chicken after you apply the light breading.  I would not do this next time.  I would have preferred to brown it in a pan first with some olive oil and then bake the rest of it.  I feel like that would have made the meal taste better.

So I'm going to try and make this again in the future but I'll be browning it in a pan first.  If you are going to make this I would suggest doing that too.

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts

1 egg (beaten)

1 bag of frozen broccoli

3 slices of American Cheese

3 slices of Swiss Cheese

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup of breadcrumbs

1 tbsp of water

Toothpicks

1. Cut American Cheese slices into 4 squares (see photo below)

2. Take one pile of American Cheese squares and place on top of swiss cheese, add thawed broccoli to the top.  Make 3 of these (one for each piece of Chicken)

3. Place one chicken breast in a plastic bag (no air in the bag) and use a meat mallet to flatten the chicken so you can stuff and roll it.

4. Stuff the chicken once the breasts are flattened.  Put one cheese and broccoli stack in each chicken.  Roll the chicken and use toothpicks to hold it all together.

5. Take 3 bowls : 1 bowl is for flour, 1 bowl is for the bread crumbs and one is for the beaten egg mixed with the water.

6. Dip the chicken in flour and evenly coat.

7. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture and evenly coat.

8. Dip the chicken in the bread crumbs.

9. This is where I would brown the chicken in a pan with olive oil for about 5 minutes on each side before baking it in the oven.

10. Once you have browned the chicken, place each rolled breast into a non stick backing pan.

11. Cook in oven on 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

See photos below for step by step instructions.

Ingredients below

Cut the American Cheese into 4 squares

Layer the American Cheese on the Swiss Cheese

Add the thawed broccoli on top of the cheese (make 3 of these)

Put chicken breast in plastic bag and flatten with a meat mallet

Place cheese and broccoli stack in the middle of the chicken

Roll Chicken and secure with toothpicks

The breading bowls: Dip Chicken in flour, then egg mixture, then bread crumbs

I just baked mine in the oven but I highly suggest cooking it a little in a pan with oil first and then bake it.

Our side dish

Complete, yummy cheesy chicken middles!

As always don't be afraid to try new things in the kitchen!

Good luck and enjoy cooking!

Two Weeks of Groceries for Under $120.00 with meals

Its that time again.  Time to get ready to go to the grocery store to see if I can meal plan enough for two weeks of food as well as lunches for school and work.

I thought for sure this week would prove to be challenging because I decided to make a bunch of different meals that use various ingredients and also stock up on some items that were 10 for $10.  

The first thing I do is meal plan for two weeks (give or take some meals, but I try to get enough stuff to make many meals and some staples to have on hand incase I don't feel like making something I planned.)  I don't know if you are like me but occasionally I will have something planned but not be in the mood for it when it comes time to make it.  So the meal planning portion of this could change.

Here is what I planned for the two weeks:

Turkey Chili Mac

Beef Stroganoff 

Chicken Fajitas and Mexican Rice

Thanksgiving Dinner (Turkey Breast, stuffing, and a veggie)

Pesto Chicken and Brussel Sprouts

Citrus and Herb Whole Chicken, Mashed Potato

Pulled Pork, pasta salad and Corn

Lasagna Roll Ups (already in the freezer from when I made them a week ago)

Breakfast for Dinner (omelets, hash browns)

Tuna Pitas

Light Broccoli Alfredo

Grilled Chicken and Red Skins

Remember to Gather Up your Paper Work (Grocery List, Recipes, Coupons, Sale Ad, and your Grocery Budget Shopping list) 

Printable Lists HERE

DIY Meal Planning Dry Erase with Printable for Weekly Meals HERE

My resources are printed below and I'm ready to work and plan before I go to the store so I can estimate how much groceries will cost.  

Don't forget to load your shopper card with digital coupons if your store has them.

My basket below!  I find that if you meal plan You can get great groceries.  I have also noticed that my basket is not filled to the top when I go to the cheek out.  I've discovered that if you fill your basket 1/2 way with meal planning items and that is it, your basket will be around $100.  At least it usually is for me (don't take my word for it though, every store and every meal plan will differ for personal preference.)

The grocery haul for the next two weeks (I may have to go out next week and get milk, that will depend on how much cereal my little guys eat for breakfast, but that should be all.)

Pretty good mix of quality items, fresh veggies, meat, dairy and canned.

If you are wondering where all my fruit is, I buy frozen fruit for smoothies and we still have a lot in the freezer from about a month ago and we have some cans.  So that will have to suffice until next time.

Close Up

I even had enough in the budget to buy myself flowers!  My little treat.

So whats the damage...I budgeted my bill would be $131.48 (wow that was expensive) but my actual bill turned out to be $116.16.  I over budgeted by a lot and the reason is because I was buying things I had no idea how much they cost.  I budgeted $4.00 for already made pesto but the actual price was $3.29.  Same for my face lotion $12.99 and I actually got it on sale and had a coupon so it was really $6.89.  The great thing about budgeting cost before you go to the store is so you have an idea about how much you are getting for your money and the cost.  Its so AWESOME when the price you pay is lower than what you expected.

Let this be a lesson to you...I got my Saturday mail from the mailbox after I went to the grocery store on Sunday...had I checked it before hand I would have had even more savings.  Oh well, I'll save money next time.

The itemized breakdown:

Meat: Whole Chicken, 3 lbs. of Ground Turkey, Stewing Beef, Honey Ham Deli Meat, Chicken Hot Dogs.

Snacks: 2 bags of Rice Cakes (caramel and chocolate)

Canned/Pantry: 3 Tomato Paste, 2 Tomato Sauce, 1 Tomato Puree, Chili Tomatoes, Chili Beans, 3 Prego Spaghetti Sauces, Beef Broth, Chicken Salad Lunch Kit, Worcestershire Sauce, Egg Noodles, 3 Boxes of Pasta Noodles, Turkey Stuffing, 2 Loaves of Bread, 1 Hamburger Bun

Frozen: Garlic Baguette, Hashbrowns, 2 Packages of Broccoli

Dairy: Caesar Dressing, Gallon of Milk, Swiss Cheese, 2 packages of Cheddar, 2 packages of Mozzarella, Pizza Lunchable, Eggs

Beverage: V8 Juice Boxes

Fresh: Asparagus Bunch, Romaine Lettuce, Iceberg Lettuce, 2 Green Peppers, Garlic, 2 Lemons, Red Skin Potatoes, Bananas

Household/Plastic: Snack plastic bags, Kids Body Wash, Loreal Face Lotion, Flower Bouquet 

Budget Update - Have I Practiced What I Preached??

So I have had some messages asking how I am doing on my budget.  The short answer is really good.

Here is how I'm feeling about it.  When I started January by saying I was going to stop most of my spending and stick to a budget I was really nervous and doubted that I could actually do it.  Those of you who know me personally know I love to shop and I love material items.  No I'm not that shallow, but if I wanted to get my son a new Lego set or by something for the house or a pair of jeans I would.  

I would also go to the grocery store without a list and just buy what ever my heart desired.  This resulted in a miss mash of lots of food and snacks but nothing that really went together to make meals.  So then I would return to the grocery store and spend more.  There were months when I would spend over $600 on groceries because I wasn't organized and did not have a clear meal purpose when shopping.  

In all honesty, the change has been better than I could have ever imagined.  I use cash/debit for everything and I have been doing really well on my "weekly allowance."  I allow myself $50 a week for spending on anything I want.  This includes taking the kids out, dinner out with my friends, etc.  I can't tell you the last time I stopped at a coffee shop for a $5 coffee, or wasted money on going out for lunch at work (I did treat myself to a Wendy's Kids Meal the other day and I regretted it after I ate it.  I had a stomach ache all afternoon.)  Having a stomachache will make my decision not to go get fast food easier the next time I might crave it.

It feels really good to just say "no" and mean it.  I have noticed that by the end of January it was not as hard to say no anymore.  My urges to stop and get coffee or waste my day off by shopping for items I don't really need have disappeared over time.  I no longer feel like I'm fighting myself saying no.  Its been easier and I just don't think about it anymore.  Money decisions have become a way of life and I no longer feel the pull of my old ways.  

January was a great month for us.  We did not borrow from savings at all to cover bills or did I over debit our account. My bill from the department store (who shall not be named) from the holiday shopping was paid off and I'm happy to say we WONT be getting a bill for that store in February.  Things are looking up but there is much more to do.  I'm confident that if things keep going the way they are going and I am responsible spending vs. blind spending in 6 months we will notice a major difference from all of our hard work.  

I did have some unexpected spending this month.  I worried about how this would affect our budget, but because I'm not wasting money and I'm accounting for it, the spending didn't hit us that hard.

My flat iron died.  This was a very sad morning for me because I had already dried my hair straight but it is frizzy until I flat iron it.  So I got out my old curling iron and tried to use it.  I'm curling iron challenged.  So I broke down and ordered myself a new flat iron from amazon.com.  Cost $31.00 for my favorite one.

I also had some co-pays to pay for yearly dr visits.  Cost $75.00.

Normally the extra costs would be something we over stretched our finances for, but this month it was all good because we are finally being responsible.

Here are some tips to stay on budget:

1. Pay Your Bills On Time to Avoid Late Fees!

2. Use Cash Only!!  You cannot spend what you don't have!

3. Save all your loose change!  This will add up and you can cash it in at the end of the year!

4. Use Coupons.  I love my personalized Kroger Coupons but you can also print coupons off the internet at sites like coupons.com, redplum.com, and Smartsource.

5. Brown Bag your Lunch - this will save you a ton of money and you will most likely be eating healthier.

6. Drink More Water - Pop, energy drinks, juice, etc. all cost extra money from your grocery budget.  Water is better for you and way less money.  You are going to be paying a water bill anyway so hydrate yourself without the cost and chemicals of other drinks.

7. Ditch Cable or at least switch to a provider that will give you a great deal.

8. Borrow from the local library - my son has been getting a new Nintendo 3DS game every two weeks and I've not had to spend a dime on them and he is so super happy to go and get a new one. 

9. Buy Used Items when you can!  There are so many online swap sites, craigslist, etc.

10. Check the community calendar for free events in your city or at your local library.  A lot of places offer kids eat free on certain days, and even the local theater usually has some sort of special going on for moms or a kids day event.  Take advantage of what is around you.

Philly Cheese Steak (Turkey) Sloppy Joes - Light

I LOVE Philly Cheesesteak, what I don't love is how fattening it is.  This recipe for sloppy joe's has that same amazing taste and is a lot less calories and fat.  We served ours on sesame hamburger buns but while we were eating them I totally thought they would be amazing on a hot dog or mini sub bun too (and they might be less sloppy.)

This recipe makes 6 and will only take about 20 minutes to prepare.  If you are looking for something quick after work one night, this recipe is it.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Turkey

1 Green Pepper (diced)

1 White Onion (diced)

1/4 cup Steak Sauce

2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 Cup Beef Broth (Low Sodium kind)

Pinch Salt & Pepper

Provolone Slices (I like the Sargento Ultra Thin, only 40 calories per slice)

1. Brown the Meat

2. Add diced green pepper and onion to the cooked meat.  Cook until veggies are soft.

3. Mix together in a bowl the beef broth, steak sauce, worcestershire sauce.  Then add to the meat and veggies on the stove.  Cook until bubbly, most of the liquid sauce will evaporate, once there is a little left its done.

4. Take your buns and separate tops and bottoms on a baking sheet, add some of the meat mixture, top with a slice of cheese.  Put in the oven for about 3 minutes to lightly toast the buns and melt the cheese.  Serve.

5. Enjoy your yummy dinner.

See photos below for step by step guide.

What you need

Time to chop the green pepper and onion

Brown the meat

Add chopped green pepper and onion to the meat

Get the kids involved and mix the beef broth, steak sauce and worcestershire

Add the sauce mixture to the cooking meat and veggies

Getting a good bubble

Add meat mixture to the buns on the baking sheet

Top with the Provolone Cheese

Pop them in the oven (the tater tots are so good, Simple Truth Brand from Kroger)

Don't those look tasty 

Delicious