Wanna compile a list of CHEAP protein packed dinners?

I used TVP a few nights ago.  Beef doesn't sit well yet and we were craving Mexican.

TVP taco salad you'd never know there was no beef. 

1 cup tvp (we still have left overs)  I'd guess it made 1 pound
1 small tin of tomatoe paste (all of it) and fill the tin with water, twice this will be used to mix the season so it doesn't burn.
3/4cup or more old el passo taco season (I would normally put the whole package but we are sensitive to spices right now)
1/2 to a cup of old el passo salsa or (your favorite salsa)
2-3 tablespoons of cheese wiz
garnishes with,
ready made guacomole or make your own
tex mex chedar gratted cheese (3 cheese mix)
gay lee sour cream or your fav sour cream.
baby spinache or whatever lettuce you like
corn tortilla chips or great with taco shells

I don't cook the tvp like it says to. This is ready in less them 10 minutes. 

In a pan medium heat put TVP and the tomatoe paste then fill the tin twice with water.  Stir the tvp round constantly then add the taco season, salsa and cheese wiz.  Stir till the cheese is blended then let it sit .(I put it in the fridge once cold the flavors come out).  This is ready now you don't have to put it in the fridge..  We had it on a bed of baby spinache (whatever lettuce you like)topped with the taco TVP, sour cream, guacamole and tex mex chedar cheese you can top with more salsa i you like.  I usually put corn tortillas around the bowl or we make tacos. 

My son hates cheese so I mix the cheese, TVP, sour cream and guacamole before putting it on his salad. It ooks gross but delicious. It is really yummy! The consistency is like beef and you really don't know it's not. Hope you like it as much as we do:)

Debbie

Turkey Wings (2 versions)

To cook my turkey wings, I use a slow cooker.  Add 2 packages of turkey wings (8-10 wing halves) to the slow cooker and add a can of diced tomatoes and some garlic, pepper and hot sauce. I also put in some bbq seasoning that I love.  Turn on the slow cooker and ignore for several hours. If your diced tomatoes are not fairly watery then you will need to add some water.

After a few hours check them and they will be tender but still in whole pieces. Take them out of the tomatoes and sit them on a plate where some of the liquid can drain off.

Take the tomato mixture that you cooked the wings in and simmer on the stove to remove some liquid as needed. Add sugar (i used splenda this weekend and it was great!) and more spices if they are needed.  Blend the sauce with an immersion blender. Strain out some of the tomato fibres and then thicken with cornstarch.

Put the wings onto a well greased cookie sheet and brush with sauce, broil for about 10 mins till they start to blacken and get some crispy bits.

Serve with sour cream (one of my new friends post DS) and enjoy.

Turkey Wings version #2

Add turkey wings to slow cooker and then cover with a can of coke some pepper, garlic and ginger

Ignore for several hours on high.

Once they are tender but still in whole peices take them out of slow cooker and brush well with BBQ sauce. Broil for several mins on each side till they are crispy and enjoy.

catnip

Lori!  Thanks for starting this...............I even got a brand new crockpot for Christmas that I'm dying to use.  I'm really not much of a cook, but I want to start and learn how to cook those high protein foods to keep me on track.  Keep 'em coming!!

The beauty of the crockpot is that you don't HAVE to be a good cook!!!  I've learned a lot over the years about crockpot cooking, and it is sincerely the lazy man's way of cooking!  The best tip I can give you is to always cook on low, and 8-12 hours is the best way to ensure even the cheapest of meats come out tasty.  You're going to think that it'll get more tough as it cooks and cooks through the day...yesterday for example I made a roast with a rump roast.  I put it in the crock at 8am and at 3 pm I told my husband..."I don't know if this is going to work out, it's REALLY tough!"  But by 5:30 when we ate, it was moist and delish!  I was shocked!!!  Another good tip is to add a can of cream of mushroom soup to the meat when you're cooking it, it keeps it ultra tender and gives a great flavor!  Oh, and on the roast I never cook the veggies all day with the meat.  I usually add the veggies in around lunch time or atleast 4 hours before we eat.  If you work that may prove difficult in the middle of the day, so you could just throw the veggies in whole.  (Like whole potatoes). 

The crockpot is a wonderful invention that I couldn't honestly live without!  My dinner is usually done before I even finish breakfast each morning!  It's fabulous!!!

Lori

I like to buy cheap chuck steak- then cut into chunks and put in food blender. Then into crock pot with a variety of seasonings.
# 1- chili seasonings/ tomato chunks/ onion/garlic
# 2 - jar beef gravy and sour cream for stroganoff
#3 - chopped sweet peppers/ onion/ garlic and Adobe seasonings for frajettas
#4 - can of beef broth/ chopped onions - top w/ parmesean cheese & mozzarella for beefy french onion soup

I love your little remarks at the end of your contributions,  I really like the no more lemonade one,  I am with ya.  One more lemon and I am a gonner,

I love your name and picture- I'm a rusty rose- niiicee very niice.....
I swear I'm not making lemonad out of another damn thing in my life. As this weight comes off I fully intend to knock every lemon that comes my way right into the middle of next week! I will accept nothing except the best from now on!

GREAT thread.  Thanks!

Parmesan Cheese Chicken Breasts

4 breasts (hee! I just wrote breasts!)

In a ziploc: 1/2c parm cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper

In a bowl: 2 eggs, beaten

dip breasts in egg, then drop into ziploc and coat breasts well.

Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

YUM! Cheese and meat!

Mmmmm....this sounds good!  I think I'll do this on the boneless, skinless chicken thighs I get from Costco!  Does the coating come out crispy??