Melissas Bargains

I posted a lot of information about my family and how we plan meals in this initial post.

Sunday – Easter dinner (my mom cooked!)

We did have Baked Chicken Nuggets. I first tried some of these through a freezer swap. My husband asked why we would spend the time to MAKE chicken nuggets when you can get them for next to nothing at the grocery store. That was before we tasted them. They are sooo good that my kids and I are hooked on them now (and I feel like they’re a lot better than what you get at the store or from fast food, too).

Monday – Black Bean Chicken burritos

Tuesday – Steak Stroganoff

Wednesday – Lemon chicken – this is from Girlfriends on the Go: A Busy Mom’s Guide to Make Ahead Meals (these are coming out of my freezer)

Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tsp dried thyme
3 tsp salt
1 clove garlic
1 cup lemon juice

Mix spices and lemon juice in a bag. Add chicken breasts. Marinate for several hours or overnight. Place in slow cooker for 4-6 hours on low. You can also bake or grill instead.

If freezing, place in a frezer bag. The chicken will marinate while thawing.

Thursday – Meatloaf on a bed of potatoes

I’m making this salsa recipe for a shower I’m going to tonight. It’s a favorite around my house, so I thought I’d share this as well:

TOMATILLO SALSA

Ingredients:
*Herdez Green Sauce (They sell this at Walmart here. If they don’t have this brand in your area, you can probably substitute another green sauce….look for something with tomatillos and serrano peppers)
*1 or 2 avocadoes (peeled and pitted)
*1 bunch cilantro, washed very well
*8 oz sour cream
*1/3 white onion
*garlic powder and salt to taste

For spicier version: add one serrano pepper

For a more liquidy version: add another jar Herdez Green Sauce

For a creamier sauce: 16 oz sour cream

I dump everything in the blender and mix well. I also add a dash of lime. It is SO good!

Friday – Savory crockpot chicken – I don’t remember where I originally got this recipe, but I found it when I was going through my e-mail inbox the other day cleaning out old e-mails. I haven’t tried it yet.

INGREDIENTS:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 (12 ounce) jar turkey gravy
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt-free herb seasoning blend
1 teaspoon soy sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Place chicken and gravy into a slow cooker. Season with paprika, seasoning blend and soy sauce. Cook on high for 4 hours or for 6 to 8 hours on medium. Tear chicken into pieces. Serve over rice, noodles or potatoes.

Saturday – Chicken enchiladas – our entire family loves this recie!

Ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use the 98% FF kind)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use the 98% FF kind)
2 cans green enchilada sauce
1 8 oz-16 oz. tub of sour cream (depends how spicy you want the enchiladas….I usually ad the 16 oz to tone it down some for my kids)
2-3 chicken breasts, shredded (if I’m in a hurry, I use canned chicken)
1 lb. cheese, shredded
1 dozen flour tortillas (you could use corn also)

Add cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and enchilada sauce to a pan. Cook on medium low heat, stirring occasionally. When sauce is will mixed and starts to thin, add sour cream. Continue stirring occasionally until the sauce is well mixed and thinned out. Place a layer of the sauce along the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish. Fill each tortilla with the shredded chicken, sauce, and cheese. Roll and place in the baking dish. When you have filled all of the tortillas (this should make 1 dozen), pour the remain sauce over the top of the enchiladas and then cover with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is well melted.