Its cold and we all need to warm up! Winter makes us think hot chocolate and a roaring hot fire. I also tend to want hot soups, chili, and stews. Those are my comfort foods. I really enjoy a big pot of homemade vegetable soup and some good old southern cornbread. The cornbread is my grandmother’s recipe. The soup is my mother’s. Both of these are quick and easy to make. The soup can be simmered for as many hours as you would like or stuck in the crock pot for the day if you want. The longer it cooks the better it tastes.

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

1 pound Ground Chuck

1 48 ounce Can Tomato Juice

1 Small Can Tomato Sauce

2 Cans Mixed Vegetables

4 Medium Sized Potatoes Peeled, Cut into Bite sized chunks or slices

1/2 tsp Minced Onions

Dash of garlic

Brown ground chuck, drain.  Place all other ingredients in large stock pot or crock pot. Add ground chuck and bring to boil, Reduce heat to Medium. Simmer for at least one hour or until potatoes are tender.  Stir occasionally. Makes 4-6 servings.

Nana’s Cornbread

2-3 cups white cornmeal

1/4 cup self rising flour

Buttermilk

Bacon grease or drippings

Cast Iron Skillet

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Place 2 TBSP bacon grease or drippings into a cast iron skillet and place in oven. Mix together cornmeal and flour. Add in enough buttermilk until it is a medium consistency.  Allow drippings to heat until they start sizzling in the oven. Remove skillet and add hot drippings to the cornmeal mixture and then mix well. Place mixture in hot skillet. Bake in oven for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!!!!!!

I know that it has been a while since I put out any menus. I have been recuperating from some health concerns and surgery. I have been fixing a lot of one pot meals or casseroles since I have been busy with all the Christmas preparations. This is a great recipe that can be made easily and is a good hearty meal as well.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

2-3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (cooked and chopped)

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 cup milk

1 box Minute Rice

1 8 ounce box Velveeta Cheese

2 small bags frozen broccoli

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook chicken breasts in the microwave, chop into chunks and set aside. Prepare Minute Rice according to directions on the box. Pour rice into a large casserole dish. I use a 9×13 pan. Mix Cream of Chicken soup and the cup of milk. Add chicken and broccoli to the casserole dish. Pour soup mixture over it. Chop the Velveeta cheese into chunks, add to the casserole dish and stir to mix well. Cover and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees until the cheese is nice an bubbly.

Serve with a nice loaf of french bread and you have a meal. This can be made and frozen for up to two weeks.

Enjoy!!

Today has just been crazy all the way around. Temperatures have dropped and now our bodies will have to get used to the cold. Some stinking virus is going around the schools, so both my children have been home sick since the end of last week.

I also have had to pick up candy from our Girl Scout sale and distribute it to the parents. When it rains it pours here! So I definitely needed a quick and easy frugal meal for this week. I chose one that is hearty and will stick to your ribs. It is great for those cold days, and you really crave something that will warm you down to your toes!

Hearty Chili

Cost break down:

1 1/2 lbs ground beef $2.50, 1 48 ounce can tomato juice, $1.09, 1 can pinto beans $0.69, Spices $0.50

Open face Toasted Cheese Sandwiches

6 slices of cheese $1.50, 6 slices of bread $0.75, Margarine $0.50

Recipe for Open Faced Toasted Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients

Sliced American or Cheddar Cheese

Sliced Bread

Margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread margarine on one side of the bread and place this face down on a cookie sheet. Place a slice of cheese on top and bake on the middle rack in the oven for 6-8 minutes or cheese is bubbly.

As you can see, even when adding saltine crackers to this meal, it costs less than $10.00 for a family of four. It is a very filling meal and one of my family’s favorites.

Hello Everyone

I have been thinking of some things that I would like to do for my blog on a weekly basis for the winter months that my readers do not see on other blogs. I wanted to make it frugal worthy and something that I can use as well as pass it on to other frugal moms. I think I have found the solution here! I am going to post frugal meal solutions on Mondays. A full meal as well as its cost will be listed to feed a family of four. I will also include some recipes. So we can have some fun there too!  These meals will be inexpensive and nutritious!

Today’s Frugal Meal

Homemade Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Costs: Ground Beef $2.49 per pound, Spaghetti noodles $1.00 per box (use 1/2 box) Spaghetti sauce 99 cents

French Bread with Garlic Butter  $1.00 per loaf

Tossed Salad with Lo Cal Salad Dressing  Salad greens $2.00 Tomatoes $1.00 Salad dressing $1.99

The total cost of this meal is less than $10.00 and feeds a family of four easily.

This is a very basic meal but is loved by almost everyone. Kids and adults alike will eat spaghetti. Prep time for this meal is quick as well. As a work at home mom, I do not have all day to prepare meals. I know some people think since I work at home, this should not be an issue. I however, disagree. I need quick easy thinggs to make for dinner or things that I can prepare ahead of time and then reheat or freeze and then thaw and cook.

Let me know if you like this idea or if you have ideas about frugal meals that I can use here or reciepes you would like to share for my blog. I would be happy to do a guest post here.