Price Chopper Budget Meals 3/18 - 3/24

Click the image above to see everything that's on sale this week.

I am so wrapped up in my Four Ingredient Cookbooks that I pulled this week's recipes from there - what better way to save money than to combine sales with just four ingredients? I definitely intend to try these recipes and I'll let you know my thoughts when I do. I have one more fish recipe slated for tomorrow night, then unfortunately I'll probably have to move on to another book before I spill all the secrets in this one! But I definitely recommend that you purchase a copy of your own!

For coupon matches to these deals check out Little People Wealth and Cutting Coupons in KC. Note that these deals pertain only to the Price Chopper stores in Kansas and Missouri.

Recipes:

Barbecued Spareribs
4 lbs spareribs (Country Style Ribs $1.48/lb)
2 medium onions, sliced (Sweet Yellow Onions $.039/lb, 3/19-3/21 only)
1 (18 oz) bottle barbecue sauce (KC Masterpiece 4/$5)
1 tsp brown sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ribs in roaster. Add onions and brown sugar (optional). Pour sauce over ribs and cook covered for 1 1/2 hours. Remove cover and cook 30 minutes longer. Serves 4.

Pork Potato Casserole
4-6 pork chops (Lean Pork Loin Chops $1.48/lb)
4-5 potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch slices (Large Baking Potatoes $.039/lb, 3/19-3/21 only)
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1/2 can milk

Place two layers of potatoes in bottom of a greased casserole dish. Place pork chops on top. Combine soup and milk. Pour over chops. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 1 hour; uncovered at 375 degrees for 1/2 hour. Serves 4-6.

Mushroom Chicken
6 chicken breasts, thighs or legs (Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs $1.49/lb)
3 Tbsp oil
2 (4 oz) cans button mushrooms
2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Brown chicken in oil in frying pan. Remove and arrange chicken in casserole. Combine soup and mushrooms and pour over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Serves 4-6.

Broccoli Tuna Casserole
1 (6 1/2 oz) can tuna, drained (Best Choice Chunk Light Tuna $0.69)
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained (Westpac Classic Vegetables $0.69 3/19-3/21 only)
1 can mushroom soup
1 cup crushed seasoned potato chips (Lay's Potato Chips $1.79 3/19-3/21 only)

Layer tuna, broccoli and mushroom soup in small baking dish. Cover with crushed potato chips. Bake, uncovered, ta 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Fish Delight
4 fish fillets (Tilapia Fillets $3.99/lb)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp sugar or ginger (optional)

Place fillets in greased casserole dish. Mix soy sauce and lemon juice with sugar or ginger if desired. Pour over fish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Place under broiler for 10 minutes. Serves 2-4.

BBQ Cups
1 lb lean ground beef (Certified Lean Ground Chuck $1.49/lb 3/19-3/21 only)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (KC Masterpiece 4/$5)
1 can refrigerator biscuits Best Choice Jumbos Biscuits 4/$5)
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Brown meat, drain. Add barbecue sauce and set aside. Place biscuits in ungreased muffin cups, pressing dough up sides of edge of cup. Spoon meat mixture into cups. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Serves 4-5.

Scalloped Corn
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup cracker crumbs
2 (16 oz) cans corn, drained (Best Choice Vegetables $0.48)

Blend all ingredients together. Bake in lightly greased loaf pan for 1 hour at 325 degrees.

3/18 - 3/24 Deals:
Fresh Lean Pork Loin Chops or Country Style Ribs - $1.48/lb
Best Choice Canned Vegetables - $0.48
Rice-a-Roni or Pasta Roni - $0.78
Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs - $1.49/lb
Tilapia Fillets - $3.99/lb
Price Chopper Hot Dog or Hamburger Buns - $0.99
KC Masterpiece Barbecue Sauce - 4/$5
Deli Fratelli Tomatoes - 4/$5
Libby's Canned Fruit - 4/$5
Best Choice Chunk Light Tuna - $0.69
Best Choice Jumbo Biscuits - 4/$5
Red Delicious Apples - $0.99/lb
Hot House Tomatoes - $0.99/lb
Argentine Bartlett Pears - $0.99/lb

3/19 - 3/21 Deals
Oscar Mayer Meat Weiners - $0.99
Certified Lean Ground Chuck - $1.49/lb
Lay's Potato Chips - $1.79
Westpac Classic Vegetables - $0.69
Dannon Yogurts - $0.29
Large Baking Potatoes - $0.39/lb
Sweet Yellow Onions - $0.39/lb

Orange Salad

Another FABULOUS four ingredient recipe. I love Ambrosia. I pile my plate high every time I find it at a pot luck or buffet. But for some reason I have never tried making it at home - now I think I'll keep a steady stock in my fridge for all eternity!

I do have to admit that as the recipe is written, it was a bit of a disappointment. I am used to sweet and chunky ambrosia. My first go at this orange salad tasted a bit more like cottage cheese than ambrosia. Couple that with undissolved JELL-O granules and chunks of unmixed Cool Whip and you see why I was disheartened (I thought I remembered that you should only lightly fold whipped topping to keep it from turning into cream... well you really have to mix this recipe hard to incorporate everything)!

Rather than giving up I decided to tweak the recipe a bit. I found an 8 ounce can of pineapple slices in my pantry and commenced shredding with two forks. I added this new ingredient to the bowl and stirred (vigorously). The result? FABULOUSLY sweet (and slightly chunky) ambrosia!

As I sit here eating a serving of this delectable salad (along with leftover Pasta a la Vodka Rustica), I can attest that it only gets better with time! The flavors have melded very well and the snack is truly scrumptious!

While I used fat free cottage cheese, I did grab full-fat Cool Whip and full-sugar JELL-O; next time I'll try the lighter versions of all ingredients. If it works, this would be a great healthy snack for all of my Weight Watchers buddies!




Orange Salad

1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip
1 (8 oz) can Crushed Pineapple (I added an 8 oz can roughly shredded pineapple slices)
1 (3 oz) package Orange JELL-O
1 (12 oz) tub Cottage Cheese (I used fat-free)

Combine all ingredients.

Source: The Four Ingredient Cookbooks

Product Review: Bertolli Premium Vodka Rustica Pasta Sauce

Last night I couldn't decide whether to whip up a new recipe or warm up leftovers. After bouncing between the fridge and the pantry for a few minutes, I decided to land somewhere in between. Leftovers just weren't doing it for me, but I wasn't in the mood to thaw out a pack of chicken breasts either. So I grabbed a pouch of pasta sauce from my pantry, and the rest is history!

I grabbed a pouch of Bertolli's new Premium Vodka Rustica Pasta Sauce at HyVee a few weeks ago. Little did I know how new this stuff really was! I couldn't even find it listed on Bertolli's website, so I called customer service to find out why. This flavor was just released into stores in February and the website hasn't been updated yet. I am so glad that I called; the representative was extremely pleasant to speak with, and even offered to mail me a pack of coupons for Bertolli and other Unilever products - SCORE!



Whether or not you can find it online, head to your local store and find the real thing; you won't be disappointed! I absolutely hate to do dishes, and I hate to clean up sauce splatters all over my stove even more. With this inventive little pouch, there is no need to do either! Simply snip the corner of the pouch and microwave for 90 seconds - and voila! Dinner's done!

I used a 1 pound box of Barilla Cellentani Pasta - OOPS! My only complaint about the dish was that it was rather dry; not enough sauce to go around. I confirmed with the Bertolli customer service representative - since this is a 13 ounce pouch of sauce, you are only supposed to use a HALF a pound of pasta! DOH! Once again, I failed the "reading directions" portion of the test miserably. However, dry or not, the taste was fabulous! I love Vodka sauces because you get the best of both worlds - a little bit tomato, a little bit cream. This pouch packs the perfect amount of both, and is very savory (I really dislike sweet pasta sauces, so that's a big score in my book)! Add some Pillsbury Butter Tastin' Flaky Layers Biscuits (actually not my favorite - I'll stick to plain ol' Grands! from now on), sprinkle with a little Kraft Grated Parmesan, and you've got a perfect meal! And a special note to all of my coupon cutters out there - I bought each of these items on sale and/or with a coupon - DOUBLE SCORE!

Have you tried Bertolli Premium Pasta pouches? I'd love to hear your comments. I will definitely snatch up a few more pouches of the Vodka Rustica next time I'm at HyVee; I think I'll have to try the other flavors too (the Champignon and Portabella Mushroom will likely win my husband over)!

Price Chopper Budget Meals 3/11 - 3/17

Click the image above to see everything that's on sale this week. This week I browsed Price Chopper's website a bit more and found that they offer recipes to match their sale items, and a host of other recipes too! I enjoy exploring new recipe sites and Price Chopper is one I've never used before - so this was an exciting find!

I've also decided to change up the organization of the Price Chopper Budget Meals section - I think it'll make it easier to find what you are looking for and to cross-compare Price Chopper sales with your coupons. For coupon matches to these deals check out Little People Wealth and Cutting Coupons in KC. Note that these deals pertain only to the Price Chopper stores in Kansas and Missouri.

Recipes:
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Point Cut Corned Beef Brisket - $1.69/lb
B-Size Red Potatoes - $0.89/lb
Medium White Onions - $0.49/lb
Fresh Green Cabbage - $0.19/lb
Carrots
Horseradish Sauce (optional)
Mustard (optional)

Boiled Shrimp and Fresh Corn Dinner
Best Choice Cooked P&D Shrimp - $5.99
Best Choice Corn on the Cob - $1.69 (recipe calls for fresh)
B-Size Red Potatoes - $0.89/lb
Medium White Onions - $0.49/lb
Fresh Green Cabbage - $0.19/lb
Ale, Beer or Water
Seafood Seasoning Blend

Drumstick Skillet Dinner
Fresh Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks - $1.19/lb (recipe calls for frozen)
Butter
Harvest Rice Pilaf Mix
Frozen Mixed Vegetables

Crunchy Oven Fried Chicken
Fresh Cut Up Chicken Fryers - $1.19/lb
Best Choice Black Pepper - $1.29
Butter
Corn Flakes
Paprika
Salt

Lineman's Lasagna
Ground Round - $1.99/lb
Roberts Cottage Cheese - $1.99
Best Choice Shredded Cheese (Mozzarella and Parmesan) - 2/$6
Lasagna Noodles (not sure if this is included in the $0.99 American Beauty Pasta)
Italian Seasoning
Egg
Spaghetti Sauce

3/11 - 3/17 Deals:
Yoplait Yogurt - $0.39 each
Point Cut Corned Beef Brisket - $1.69/lb
Fresh Green Cabbage - $0.19/lb
Ground Round - $1.99/lb
Fresh Cut Up Chicken Fryers - $1.19/lb
Fresh Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks - $1.19/lb
Roberts Cottage Cheese - $1.99
Best Choice Chunk Cheese - 2/$3
Best Choice Shredded Cheese - 2/$6
Pillsbury Grands Biscuits - 2/$3
Best Choice Garlic Texas Toast - 2/$3
Best Choice Corn on the Cob - $1.69
Granny Smith Apples - $0.99/lb
Cauliflower - 2/$4
Whole White Mushrooms - $1.69
Fresh Limes - 4/$1
B-Size Red Potatoes - $0.89/lb
Medium White Onions - $0.49/lb
Starkist Chunk Light Tuna Pouches - $0.99
American Beauty Pasta - $0.99
Best Choice Ketchup - $0.99
Best Choice Macaroni & Cheese - 5/$2
Best Choice Saltines - $0.99
Best Choice Peanut Butter - 2/$3
Best Choice Tomato Sauce - 2/$1
Best Choice Black Pepper - $1.29

3/13 - 3/15 Deals
Green Seedless Grapes - $0.99/lb
Lean Whole Pork Tenderloins - $1.99/lb
Wonder Classic White Bread - $0.99
Tyson Sliced Bacon - $1.79
Best Choice Cooked P&D Shrimp - $5.99

Soy Sauce Chicken

This recipe sums up why I love The Four Ingredient Cookbooks so gosh darned much. It uses only four ingredients (whose names I can pronounce and generally have on hand), which is a huge plus! Also the ingredients are inexpensive and often on sale, so it's a great budget meal. And it takes just four simple steps (though I still managed to mess one up - GO ME! I forgot to read the little part about bake COVERED, so for the first 20 minutes my poor little chicken breasts baked without the protection of foil). Also, if you prepare with light sour cream and low sodium soy sauce, this would be a great healthy meal!



I definitely recommend this recipe for any family on a budget or anyone just learning how to cook. It's easy enough for a weeknight dinner and delicious enough to serve to company. The chicken was probably more moist than any other chicken I've ever prepared (though it was a tiny bit tough - I think because it baked naked for 20 minutes by mistake! OOPS). The leftovers are also fabulous, though they don't look nearly as appetizing as they taste after sitting in the fridge overnight (but I promise they are still delish)!




Soy Sauce Chicken

4 chicken breasts, skinned and boned (I used 5; there was still PLENTY of sauce)
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper (optional)

Place chicken in greased casserole dish. Mix sour cream, soy sauce and black pepper (optional) together. Spread over chicken. Bake covered [at 350 degrees for 1 hour].

Yield: 4 servings

Source: The Four Ingredient Cookbooks

The Four Ingredient Cookbooks

I have had this cookbook seemingly forever. I stole, er borrowed, um obtained this book from my Grandma's cookbook collection years ago. It is packed full of recipes so I flip through it frequently. Most are at (or only slightly above) my cooking ability - I mean, how difficult can you get with only four ingredients?

I love that most of the ingredients that the book calls for are typical pantry fare. I immediately throw a recipe out if it has an ingredient I can't pronounce or wouldn't know where to find (and more importantly, wouldn't ever use again). And because the recipes are limited to four ingredients, they are relatively inexpensive (sometimes downright cheap)! In this day and age, that's a big plus!

The biggest drawbacks are that there are no photos (as I've said before... not sure why I am so hung up on photos, since my meals never look as good as the polished studio confections anyway!) and that the book is a compilation of three separate cookbooks. For example, if you are looking for main dishes, you have to look in three different spots. While that's a bit frustrating at times, the value in this book is definitely worth it!

I can't wait to get back to cooking and try out some recipes in this book that I've never made before. Between Price Chopper and HyVee this weekend I found boneless skinless chicken breasts. ground beef, chicken leg quarters and pork chops all at good prices - so my fridge (soon to be freezer) is packed with meaty goodness just begging to be baked, broiled or sauteed!

Childhood Favorite - Sausage and Sauerkraut

With a few minor tweaks, I grew up on this quick, cheap and oh-so-easy meal! When I first met my husband I didn't cook (he joked that I could burn water) but I could actually make this! Growing up my grandmother sliced the sausage into sections about 2-3 inches thick and then sliced them down the middle. She threw all the ingredients into the pan and heated them together without browning. Still supremely delicious, but my version fits my family a little better.

Sausage and Sauerkraut

1 pkg smoked sausage or kielbasa (14 oz)
1 can sauerkraut, drained (14.5 oz)
1 tbsp brown sugar (or to taste)

Slice sausage into rings (or as desired) and brown in a large skillet. Add sauerkraut and sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Stir to incorporate brown sugar and heat through. Serve plain or with ketchup.

For my family of three, this is a perfect meal in itself. I peel the skin off of of a few "hot dogs" for my toddler and my husband and I eat the rest. Yum!

Also, check out this week's Price Chopper ad; Farmland sausage is buy one get one free!

Yeild: In reality, probably 4 (in my house, 2.5)!

Source: Me! (and my grandmother)

price chopper budget meals

Price Chopper Circular: March 4 - March 10 2009

Click the link above for everything that's on sale this week. Here are a few highlights and some recipes to coordinate. This week's recipes come from Kraft's website (see links). Note that these deals pertain only to the Price Chopper stores in Kansas and Missouri.

Tuna Salad Sandwiches
Chicken of the Sea Tuna - .79
Mount Olive Dill Chips or Sweet Relish - .99 (price only valid 3/5 - 3/7) (Recipe calls for Claussen Sweet Pickle Relish)
Nature's Pride Bread - 2/$4
Head Lettuce - .99

One-Pan Taco Dinner
80% Lean Ground Beef - $1.49/lb (price only valid 3/5 - 3/7)
OR 93% Lean Ground Beef - $2.79/lb
Kraft Cheese (Shredded, Chunk or Cube) - 2/$4

Favorite BLT
Assorted Farmland Bacon, Sausage, Franks, Ham and Braunschweiger - Buy one Get one FREE (Recipe calls for Oscar Mayer Bacon)
Head Lettuce - .99
Baguette Breads - .99

Fanned Baked Potatoes
Best Choice Russet Potatoes (10 lb) - $1.89 (price only valid 3/5 - 3/7)

Barbecue Meatloaf
80% Lean Ground Beef - $1.49/lb (price only valid 3/5 - 3/7)
OR 93% Lean Ground Beef - $2.79/lb
KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce - .79 (price only valid 3/5 - 3/7) (Recipe calls for Kraft Thick 'N Spicy Original Barbecue Sauce)
Best Choice Oats - .79

Shake-a-Leg Chicken Dinner
Chicken Leg Quarters - .79/lb

Hickory Smoke BBQ Ribs
Pork Spareribs - $1.19/lb (price only valid 3/5 - 3/7)
KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce - .79 (price only valid 3/5 - 3/7) (Recipe calls for Kraft Hickory Smoke Barbecue Sauce )

Lemon Mustard Roasted Chicken
Whole Fresh Fryers - .99/lb

Ultimate Chicken Wings
Best Choice Chicken Wings (3 lb bag) - $5.99

Spicy Oven Fried Catfish
Catfish Fillets - $3.99/lb

Sour Cream and Chives Mashed Potatoes
Best Choice Russet Potatoes (10 lb) - $1.89 (price only valid 3/5 - 3/7)
Roberts Sour Cream or Dips - $1.19

Italian Pasta Skillet
80% Lean Ground Beef - $1.49/lb (price only valid 3/5 - 3/7)
OR 93% Lean Ground Beef - $2.79/lb (Recipe calls for turkey breast)
Martha Gooch Pasta - .99
Kraft Cheese (Shredded, Chunk or Cube) - 2/$4

Other Hot Deals:
Progresso Soups - 3/$5
Best Choice Canned Pink Salmon - $1.99
Best Choice Yogurts - 5/$2
Pillsbury Grands Biscuits - 2/$3
Westpac Quick 'n Easy Combos - 2/$3
Braeburn Apples - .79
Green Giant Sliced White Mushrooms - 2/$4
Best Choice Apple Juice - $2.99
Heinz Ketchup - $1.79 (price only valid 3/5 - 3/7)
Best Choice Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns - .79
AquaStar Single Serves - 10/$10
Best Choice Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (3 lb bag) - $4.99 (price only valid 3/5 - 3/7)

home again, home again

My trip was very productive and relatively uneventful. I had to share this ethereal shot I captured from my window seat on the flight in! But alas, now it's back to the grindstone. Travelling threw off my groove, so there are no (scheduled) cookbook reviews or new recipes this week. On my grocery shopping trip Sunday I just bought a few basic necessities, and I plan to make old favorites this week (like Sausage and Sauerkraut, Spaghetti and good old Mac & Cheese).

In the meantime, I am still poring over the multitudes of cookbooks that I checked out from the library last month! I have one awesome one that I can't wait to share, as well as a handful of pretty good books (and a BUNCH of not-so-hot ones... those shall remain nameless).

Thanks for hanging in there with me, and I can't wait to get back on track with fun new recipes to share!