SAVINGS SAVINGS SAVINGS!!!!

I am cheating w/ dinner tonight b/c of Praise Team Practice, so I'm going to share this AWESOME deal I got last night. All of the pictured stuff above should have been $67.49 at Kroger. After Kroger Reward card savings, coupons, and promotions, I got all of this for....

*****DRUM ROLL PLEASE*****

$.37!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, less than a postage stamp. I think I'm going to start putting my "deals" that I find on here also.

HAPPY SHOPPING!

3/14/11

cHICKEN pARMESAN aND tHREE cHEESE tRIO iTALIANO

:::Chicken Parmesan:::

Ingredients:

     1lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

     Italian Bread Crumbs

     4 oz Mozzerella Cheese

     1 Jar/Can Pasta Sauce

Preheat Oven 375*

Roll chicken breast in bread crumbs and place in deep baking dish. Cover with 1/2 of pasta sauce. Bake 30 min or until ALMOST done. Add shredded Mozzarella cheese to top and bake another 10 min or until cheese is bubbly and browning! YUMMY!!

:::Three Cheese Trio Italiano:::

Ingredients:

     12 oz pkg Trio Italiano

     8oz French Onion Dip

     4oz Shredded Colby Cheese

     4oz Monterey Jack Cheese

     1/4c Parmesean

     1/4c Milk

     1 Tbs Chopped Basil

     1/4c Italian Bread Crumbs

     1 Tbs Butter, Melted



Preheat Oven 375* (note oven temps are the same so you can cook at the same time)

Cook and drain pasta. Return to pot. Stir in all ingredients except bread crumbs and butter to pasta. In ungreased casserole, spread pasta mix. In a small bowl, mix bread crumbs and butter. Sprinkle around the top of casserole.

Bake 25-30 min!

Greg's Rating: 8

Shopping List:

1. 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
2. Italian Bread Crumbs
3. 4oz Mozzerella Cheese 
4. Jar/Can Pasta Sauce
5. 12oz Trio Italiano
6. 8oz French Onion Dip
7. 4oz Colby Cheese
8. 4oz Monterey Jack Cheese
9. Parmesan
10. Milk
11. Basil
12. Butter

Estimated Cost: $18



I'm soooo sorry!!!

I'm so sorry, I've been a BAD blogger!!! I am back though, computer has a new power cord and we should be ready to go.....

2/27/11

cHICKEN sATE sAUTE wITH fUDGE lOVERS cHOCOLATE cREAM cHEESE cAKE

***Went out to eat with parent's Saturday night***

:::Chicken Sate Saute::: (serving size: 6)

Ingredients

     12 oz pasta
     1 tsp curry powder
     1/2 tsp salt
     1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breat, cut in strips
     2 tbs oil
     1 c onion
     2 cloves garlic, minced
     14 oz can coconut milk (I didn't know where to find this.. it's witht he Oriental food)
     1/4 c lime juice
     2 tbs brown sugar
     3 tbs soy sauce
     1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
     1/2 c extra crunchy peanut butter
     2 tbs chopped cilantro

***Sorry, I started making dinner and realized too late I didn't get a pic of ingredients for this or the cake***

Cook pasta according to package. Combine curry powder and salt and sprinkle over chicken and let set. Cook and soften onions, add garlic. Add chicken to onions and garlic and cook 5-7 min. Remove chicken. In same pan, add coconut milk, lime juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in peanut butter until it's well blended. Put on high and cook 6-8 min till thick. Add chicken back to pan and heat through. Serve over pasta. Garnish with cilantro.

:::Fudge Lovers Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake::: (serving size:12)

Ingredients

:::Cake:::

     1 devils food cake mix

     1 pkg instant chocolate pudding and pie filling

     1 c hot water

     3/4 c oil

     1 tsp vanilla

     4 eggs

:::Filling:::

     8 oz pkg cream cheese

     1/2 c sugar

     1 egg

     1/2 c chocolate chips

:::Icing:::

     1 lb fudge frosting

***Again, no pic of ingredients, sorry***

Heat oven to 350*. Spray 9x13 pan. Beat all the cake ingredients together until well blended and pour into prepared dish. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and egg until mixed will. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop cream cheese mixture by the spoon fulls over the cake mix. Take a knife and swirl into cake mix. Bake 40-45 min. Cool 1 hr, frost.

Greg's Rating: 5 (Chicken), 10 (Cake)

Grocery List:

1. 12 oz box pasta
2. curry powder
3. salt
4. 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
5. oil
6. onion
7. garlic
8. 14 oz can coconut milk
9. lime juice
10. brown sugar
11. soy sauce
12. crushed red pepper flakes
13. extra crunchy peanut butter
14. cilantro
15. vanilla
16. eggs
17. instant chocolate pudding/pie filling
18. devils food cake mix
19. 8 oz cream cheese
20. sugar
21. chocolate chips
22. fudge frosting

Estimated cost: $30

2/25/11

cHEESY cHICKEN bUNDLES, fRESH gREEN bEANS wITH tOMATOES, aND wHITE rICE


:::Cheesy Chicken Bundles::: (serving size: 4)


Ingredients:


     4 chicken breast halves
     1 egg
     1/2 c crushed Cheeze-Its Sharp Cheddar and Parmesan, crushed
     8 oz cream cheese
     1 1/4 c shredded cheese, divided
     6 tbs grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375* Grease dish.

Take each breast and place in Ziploc bag. With a meat hammer or skillet, beat the chicken till it's 1/4 inch thick. Do with each breast.

In a med bowl mix cream cheese, 1 c shredded cheese, and Parmesan together. Scoop mixture onto each chicken breast. Roll up the chicken, roll around in egg, and then roll around in crushed Cheeze-Its. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 min or until done.

:::Fresh Green Beans with Tomatoes::: (serving size: 4)


Ingredients:


     1 lb fresh green beans
     2 Roma tomatoes
     1 tbs garlic powder
     1 tbs parsley
     1 tbs oregano
     2 tbs Parmesan

Take the rinsed off green beans and snap off each end of each bean. Place in pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 35 min. Cut tomatoes into nice size chunks. Drain green beans. Add tomatoes, seasonings, and Parmesan. Simmer 15 min or until tomatoes are cooked completely.




:::White Rice::: (serving size: 4)


Ingredients:


     3 c cold water
     1 1/2 c long grain rice
     2 tbs butter or margarine
     salt to taste

Bring water, salt, and butter to boil. Add rice, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 min.

Greg rates: 10!!!!


Shopping List:

1. 4 chicken breast halves
2. egg
3. Cheeze-Its Sharp Cheddar and Parmesan Crackers
4. 8 oz cream cheese
5. shredded cheddar cheese
6. Parmesan
7. 1 1lb green beans
8. 2 Roma tomatoes
9. garlic powder
10. oregano
11. parsley
12. long grain rice
13. butter or margarine
14. salt

Estimated Total: $20

2/24/11

tATOR tOT cASSEROLE, hOMEMADE gUACAMOLE wITH cHIPS, aND pINK fRUIT sALAD


:::Tator Tot Casserole::: (recipe by Deanna Jordan) (serving size: 8)


Ingredients:


     32 oz frozen tator tots (I used southern style hash browns)
     1 10.75 oz can cream of mushroom soup
     8 oz sour cream
     1 c melted butter
     1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
     1 tbs pepper
     salt to taste
     1 "Pringles style" can of Lays Sour Cream and Onion chips, crushed

Preheat oven to 350* Grease casserole dish.

Mix tator tots, soup, sour cream, butter, pepper, and salt together. mix in cheese little at a time until evenly distributed. Pour in prepared dish; sprinkle with chips. Bake 45-60 min.

:::Guacamole::: (serving size: 2)

Ingredients:

     4 avocados

     2 tbs lime juice

     2 tsp garlic salt

Take avocados and cut them in half long ways. (I'm really bad at describing so here is a picture:

Take out the pit (already done in photo above) and scoop out avocado with a spoon (pic below)

Mash avocado with fork, mix juice and garlic in mixture with spoon. Chill until ready to serve.



:::Pink Stuff::: (serving size: 12)

Ingredients:

     12 oz Cool Whip

     20 oz crushed pinapple

     14 oz sweetened condensed milk

     21 oz cherry pie filling

Drain pinapple and mix all ingredients together. Chill for at least an hour.



And there's dinner:

Greg's Rating: 7

Grocery List

1. 32 oz frozen tator tots
2. 10.75 oz can cream of mushroom soup
3. 8 oz sour cream
4. 2 sticks butter
5. 1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
6. pepper
7. salt
8. Pringles style Lays Sour Cream and Onion chips
9. 4 avocados
10. lime juice
11. garlic salt
12. 12 oz Cool Whip
13. 20 oz crushed pinapple
14. 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
15. 21 oz cherry pie filling

Estimated Total: $18

Banana Pops Are a HIT!

I guess they liked the Banana Pops!!

2/24/11 - snack

pOLKA-dOTTED bANANA pOPS




Ingrediants: (serving size: 3)


     1 lg banana, cut into 3rds
     2 Tbs creamy peanut butter
     12 mini Nilla wafers
     sprinkles
     3 popsicle sticks



Insert popsicle sticks into end of banana piece, spread with peanut butter. Press 4 wafers into peanut butter on each banana; coat with sprinkles. Place in shallow pan or on plate and freeze for serveral hours. Removed from freezer a few minutes before serving to soften slightly. ENJOY!

Emma Rates: 10

Grocery List:

1. banana
2. peanut butter
3. mini Nilla wafers
4. sprinkles
5. popsicle sticks

Total Cost: less than $5

2/23/11

iTALIAN mEATBALLS, cONCHIGLIE wITH rED sAUCE, sALAD, aND bLACK cHERRY wINE!

:::MEATBALLS::: (serving size: 4)

INGREDIENTS:

     1 lb Beef

     3/4 c Garlic and Herb Bread Crumbs

     2 tsp Italian Seasonings

     2 tbs Parsley Flakes

     2 tbs Parmesan Cheese

     1 egg, beaten

     3 slices provolone cheese, cut into 4ths

Preheat oven to 350*

In a lg bowl mix beef, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, parsley, Parmesan, and egg by hand. Pat out flat and divide into 12 equals squares. Square by square roll mixture into balls. Place onto cookie sheet and bake 18-20 min. Place 1/4 of a provolone piece onto of each meatball and bake another 5-7 min, until brown.

Conchiglie With Red Sauce (serving size: 4)

Ingredients:

     26 oz Hunts Cheese Pasta Sauce

     1 lb Package of Conchiglie (med sz shells)

     2 tbs Garlic Powder

     2 tbs Onion Powder

     2 tbs Italian Seasoning

Cook pasta according to package. Add sauce to pan and add spices. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 10 min.

::Salad:: (serving size: 4)

Ingredients:

     1 Heart of Romaine

     1 Cucumber

     1 Tomato

     Caesar Dressing to taste

Mix and serve

I used a Black Cherry Wine from Mia Vino in Mansfield, TX.

Here is the finished meal:

Greg Rated: 8

Grocery List:

1. 1lb ground beef
2. garlic and herb bread crumbs
3. Italian seasoning
4. parsley flakes
5. Parmesan
6. 1 egg
7. Hunts pasta sauce
8. 1 lb package conchiglie
9. onion powder
10. garlic powder
11. heart of romaine
12. tomato
13. cucumber
14. Caesar dressing

Estimated Total for meal of 4: $15

And Away I go....

WooHoo.. I have finally joined the "Blog World." I always said I wouldn't, but here I am.

Here is a little background on me, what I'm going to be doing, and why I'm doing it!

:::about me:::

My name is April Rice (hince the blog name). I am 26 yrs old and have been married to Mr. Rice (Greg) for going on 5 yrs. We have 3 beautiful, entergetic, busy, crazy, wonderful children.

Emma is 3, Courtlynn is 18 mo, and Braxton is 9 weeks. **Yes, we own a TV** I am a stay at home mom, I love to play with the kiddos, read new books (Nicholas Sparks is GREAT), watch movies, shop, spend time with the hubs, and enjoy life. We are a strong Christian family and try to live the way He wants us to.


:::what i'm doing:::

I am going to be putting the recipes and pictures of what I make for dinner or bake. I'm going to try to do this daily.. we will see how THAT works. I'm also going to set up an email where you can email me your recipes so that I may try them out, rate them, and put them on here.

:::why i'm doing it:::

First off, I'm proving to mother I can like to cook. Growing up, my mama couldn't get me in the kitchen if her life depended upon it. Then something someone happened. I got married!!! I then began cooking to feed him and realized... i love it and I'm actually pretty good at it. Now, with a family of 5, staying at home, and being on a budget, I cook reasonably priced dinners from scratch (most of the time). Another reason I am doing this is for a food jurnal. This will be keeping me/us accountable for what I am eating.

Okay, so that's who I am, what I'm doing, and why I'm doing it. Hopefully I get me some followers and away we go...