Wanna compile a list of CHEAP protein packed dinners?

Not quite crispy like KFC, but a definite texture. But it's SO yummy. I have never been a huge fan of chicken, but this is delish!

Hey lori, this is a fantastic thread girl!! I am going to be bookmarking it! anyway, we like these mozzarella meatballs:

pound of ground beef (I usually buy it in bulk at Costco and break it up into smaller ziplocks)
1 egg
chunks of mozzarella
italian seasoning
minced garlic
jar of marinara sauce

mix the beaten egg with the ground beef and spices, then roll some ground beef around a chunk of mozzarella and fry in a skillet. Once they are cooked, when you bite into the meatball the cheese is all gooey and yummy!! They are nice with some dreamfields pasta but hubby likes them with mashed potatoes too.

yorkiegal

Great idea Lori :)

Here is what I have been making lately. We called it Brownie stew when I was young because whenever we (our brownie troop) went on campouts we would make it. Its super simple and delicious.

In a pot:

3 pds. ground beef, browned and drained.
4 cans of vegetarian vegetable soup, do not dilute with water.
2 small cans of diced tomatoes. I use the ones with onion & garlic

mix together and add enough liquid to make a little juice so its not so dry. I add a variety of spices depending on my mood. Sometimes I add garlic, pepper, salt, hot sauce, chili powder or whatever I have a taste for.

are the chicken thighs skinless?  thank you

If you're asking me Joyce...Costco has boneless and skinless chicken thighs.  I've never seen them anywhere else and they are in the fresh meat section, usually near the fresh fish.  They're cheap and wonderful!!!

Lori

Hi Lori:  yes, sorry, I was asking you.  They have skinless boneless thighs at Aldies here and they are great.

Thanks for the thread,
Joyce

I'm lazy AND cheap. Buy meats on sale. Use my slow cooker (square crock pot like thing) or crock pot all the time. If you have neither, you can wrap this in foil, like a tent, but seal it. And use the oven at 350 or so. The longer they cook, the better.

BBQ CHICKEN
1 whole chicken (since we are only 2, I sometimes use just the pieces we like, teensy crock pot)
1 bottle BBQ sauce of choice
swish out the bottle with a bit of water
cook all day til the meat falls apart

***

GARBAGE CHICKEN
1 whole chicken (or pieces if you prefer)
1 can chicken broth (2 cups)
1/4 C soy sauce
some salt & pepper inside & rubbed on the outside
coupla shakes of paprika for color
add OR stuff with:
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup whatever sounds good to you
Cook all day

I prefer this served with rice, personally, but if you don't do carbs, it's good alone> If I'm here to attend to it, I make and add Uncle Ben's wild rice to the last 30 minutes or so

***

PORK CHOPS
brown in oil of choice
combine cream of (your fave) soup (I'm partial to celery) with water
combine with packet of pork gravy (some water, not all)
salt, pepper, pork seasoning?
cook all day

***

SOME MORE PORK CHOPS
brown in oil of choice
can of diced/stewed tomatoes (use can that fits # of chops)
can of peas (nothing else worked for me)
peel & cut potatoes into largish chunks, like a big forkful
salt, pepper
cook all day

Honest, tastes better than it sounds!

***

MORE PORK CHOPS
brown in oil of choice
can of sauerkraut
cook all day
run for the hills (yuck, but Don loves it)

***

NO PEEKY CHICKEN
9x13 pan, sprayed with PAM
2 cans cream of (?)with heir water
chopped chicken breast/thigh/or 6-8 pieces
uncooked regular rice

sprinkle in rice, flatten it all nice
add in soup + water, already blended
add in chicken
cover snugly with foil
cook at 325 for 2 hrs and DO NOT PEEK

variations:
I add green beans to a layer, and use the juice as part of the water with the soups
I've also added mushrooms, adding their juice as part of the water
the original recipe doesn't call for any seasoning, but I use S & P, and Paprika or Johnny's Dock chicken seasoning


***

Please note that I have no imagination, don't much like anything, so for real foodies, these are only a base---adjust to taste.

LORI F's CHICKEN ENCH
2 C. Diced Chicken
2 Tbsp minced Garlic
1 Can cream of chicken soup straight
16 oz. Sour Cream (real or imitation)
1 sm can sliced olives
1 1/2 lb grated cheddar cheese
1 pkg of flour soft tacos (gordita size)
Cook chicken, garlic & onion together.
Add soup, olives, 1/2 the sour cream
Roll in tortilla with cheese in 9x13 pan
Top with extra chicken mix, sprinkle with olives, and cover with cheese
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

***

Another Chicken Ench
Layer in crockpot

tomato soup + enchilda sauce, blended
corn tortilla
meat of choice (I prefer chicken)
grated cheese(s) of choice

layer on up to the top

cooks about 2 hrs. More is fine, but the torts are kinda shapeless

***

Parmesan Chicken
mix:
1 C Miracle Whip
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
2 t oregano

spoon over 2-3# chicken

45 min at 375

***

SOLE ALMONDINE
FOR 12 OZ. (2 servings)
3 T finely ground almonds
2 T melted butter
2 t lemon juice

Combine almonds & butter, spreading in shallow baking dish. Spread remaining mixture over SLAT & PEPPERED sole. Drizzle w/lemon juice.

350 for 15-20 min.
(since we are only 2, I often just saute this in a pan, covered). Takes only moments to make

***


Crunchy Chicken Cheese Bake
8 boneless skinless (BS) chk breast
4 slice Swiss or American cheese, cut in half
10 oz can of Cream of (chk, celery, mushroom), stirred
8 thin tomato slices
mix together:
2 T butter, melted &
1/2 C crushed Seasoned stuffing or bread crumbs

Lay out chk on cookie sheet or 9x13 pan
layer with cheese, then glob of soup, tomato
and top with crumb mix

25 min at 400

***

Chicken Taco Rice
steam or brown 3 BS chk breasts
In large skillet, saute:
peppers & onions to taste
1 C chk broth
8 oz can tomato sauce
chk
3 C uncooked Minute Rice
1/2 can corn
1/2 envelope Taco seasoning
cover, cook 10-15 minutes, top w/grated cheese

****

and this one, even kids can make. My friend had 9 year old twins who made this regularly.

*One exception:
I buy ground beef when it's on sale and I brown it all up at once. I do a quick rinse with ho****er because I just don't like all that grease in there. I divide it into ziploks of 1 or 2# (there are only 2 of us), flatten them out and freeze them that way. I'm not STORING the fat, they're blocks not blobs and when I want to make something, I just smack it on the counter a few times and add heat*

Taco Soup
Adjust to taste

2 lbs browned, drained ground beef
1/2 C onion
2 16 oz cans stewed tomatoes
1 16 oz can kidney (or ?) beans
1 29 oz can tomato sauce
1 17 oz can whole corn
1 can pitted olives
1 envelope taco seasoning

include the liquids within the cans
combine all ingredients, heat til blended

Garnish with? chips, sour cream, onions,
grated cheese, chiles, peppers....

Here's another snack idea...

Ham, Cheese and asparagus roll-ups

Spread cream cheese on deli ham (I use Costco deli ham) Take 3 spears of pickled asparagus and stack at end of ham, trim to fit. Roll and slice into 1 1/2 inch sections.

You could also use roast beef, cream cheese and dill pickles...or...

YUMMY!

Brenda

Turkey legs or thighs

I brown mine first in my digital pressure cooker because I like the brown flavor.

Then put them in the crock pot , add some string beans and 15 oz can of small potatoes.  Season to taste.  I use poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.