Sweet-and-Sour Chicken

We made this sweet-and-sour chicken stir fry for dinner on Tuesday. The original recipe came out a little too sweet, so I've modified the recipe a little to try and tone down the amount of sauce. The meal was easy to prepare and affordable.

Cost: About $12 - Chicken ($4.00), zucchini ($0.61), snow peas ($0.77), green pepper ($0.75), pineapple juice ($2.39), pinapple chunks ($1.15), rice ($1.75).

Prep/Total Time: 30-45 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

• 1 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 cup snow peas
• 1 medium green pepper, cut into strips (or red pepper)
• 4 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 9 ounces pineapple juice
• 4 1/2 tablespoons ketchup
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetend pineapple chunks, drained
• 4 cups hot cooked rice

1. In a nonstick skillet, cook the chicken, carrot and onion in oil until chicken is browned. Add the zucchini, peas and red pepper; cook and stir until vegetables are crisp-tender.
2. In a bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, pepper and pineapple juice until smooth. Stir in the ketchup, lemon juice and soy sauce. Pour over the chicken mixture. Add the pineapple. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over rice.

Nutrition: (1/2 cup mixture with 1/2 cup rice) 307 calories, 3.6 g fat, 0.4 g saturated fat, 48.8 mg cholesterol, 499.7 mg sodium, 41.8 g carbohydrate, 11.7 sugar, 2.8 g fiber, 22 g protein.

Tex-Mex Lasagna

Tonight we had Tex-Mex Lasagna, which combines Mexican food with Lasagna for a very tasty dinner. It was a little bit more expensive to make due to the lean beef and all the cheeses, but would definitely be a recipe we would make again. One of the few drawbacks about the meal is the large amount of sodium in each serving at about 1,200 mg. The meal made 12 generous portions. We used mild salsa and chose Mexican cheese rather than Monterey Jack cheese. We also didn't use the green onions since our grocery store did not have any in stock this week.

Cost: $18.00 - .99 lb 92% Lean Ground Beef ($3.54), 16 oz refried beans ($0.81), 15 oz black beans ($1.38), frozen corn ($1.25), jalapeno ($0.26), 15 oz tomato sauce ($0.81), salsa ($1.59), Barilla Lasagna No Boiling ($2.45), Mexican cheese ($2.00), 2% cheddar cheese ($2.00), sour cream ($0.89), avocado ($0.99).

Prep/Total Time: 20 minutes prep, 45 minutes cook

Yield: 12 servings

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce, divided
• 2 1/2 cups salsa
• 12 no-cook lasagna noodles
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Mexican cheese blend
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded 2 % cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (8 ounces) fat-free sour cream
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced

1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the beans, corn, jalapeno, taco seasoning and 3/4 cup tomato sauce.
2. Combine salsa and remaining tomato sauce. Spread 1/4 cup into a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2 in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with four noodles (noodles will overlap slightly, half of the meat sauce, 1 cup salsa mixture, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Repeat layers. Top with the remaining noodles, salsa mixture and cheeses.
3. Cover and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until edges are bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with sour cream, avocado and onions.

Nutrition: (1 piece) 375 calories, 17.7 g fat, 9.5 g saturated fat, 66.8 mg cholesterol, 1,193 mg sodium, 27.7 g carbohydrate, 5.3 g sugar, 5.8 g fiber, 26.2 g protein.

Slow-Cooked Pork Roast

For Sunday dinner this week, we had slow-cooked pork roast with mashed potatoes and green beans. The sauce for the recipe had a nice sweet and tangy taste that also went well on the mashed potatoes. After cooking, we shredded the pork with a fork and served it with the sauce that I had added two tablespoons of cornstarch and reheated to thicken. I had two servings of the meat (6 ounces), which was more than enough to fill my appetite. It also made plenty for leftovers to have for lunch the next day.

Cost: $15 - Apple Juice ($1.59), Crushed Pineapples ($1.15), Barbecue Sauce ($1.49), Lemon ($0.49), 3.2 lb Pork Loin ($10.14).

Prep/Total Time: 20 minutes prep, 4 hours + standing time

Yield: 12 servings

• 1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 2 tablespoons natural apple juice
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed or 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 boneless pork loin (3 pounds)

1. In a saucepan, combine the pineapple, barbecue sauce, apple juice, rosemary, lemon peel, garlic, Liquid Smoke, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown the pork roast.
2. Place the roast in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Pour sauce over roast and turn to coat. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. Let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Nutrition: (3 ounces cooked with 1/4 cup sauce) 199 calories, 2.7 g fat, 1.1 g saturated fat, 53.3 mg cholesterol, 306 mg sodium, 19.7 g carbohydrate, 0.5 g fiber, 14.1 g sugar, 22.4 g protein.

Chocolate Angel Food Cake

We had chocolate angel food cake for dessert after dinner tonight and were really pleased with the taste. The cake was able to satisfy Tammy's constant craving for sweets and chocolate and yet was only 184 calories per slice. However, we both were forced to have two slices of it.

I don't have a tube pan yet, so I made it using just a normal cake pan. The cake came out in a mushroom shape, but the taste was still good. Next time I make it though, I'll have to invest in the tube pan to help with the look of the cake.

The total cost to make the cake for us was about $9.50 with almost half of the cost coming from the raspberries. The angel food cake mix was $2.25, the frozen raspberries were $3.99, the generic whipped topping was $1.15 and the baking cocoa was $2.19.

Prep/Total Time: 15 minutes prep, 35 minutes bake, 1 hour cool

Yield: 12 servings

• 1 package (16 ounces) angel food cake mix
• 1 1/4 cups cold water
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa

Raspberry Sauce

• Sugar substitute equivalent to 1/4 cup sugar (splenda)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 package (12 ounces) frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
• 1 1/4 cups reduced-fat whipped topping

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat cake mix and water on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high for 45 seconds. Add cocoa; beat on high 15 seconds longer.
2. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through the batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned and entire top appear dry. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour.
3. In a saucepan, combine the sugar substitute and cornstarch. Add raspberries; stir until blended. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until the mixture is thickened. Remove saucepan from the heat; cool.
4. Run a knife around side and center tube of pan; remove the cake. Strain the raspberry sauce; spoon over cake slices. Dollop with whipped topping.

Nutrition: (1 slice) 184 calories, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 329 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Steak Fajitas

Today Shelby and I made steak fajitas for dinner. The recipe we used was really easy to throw together and quick to make. I thought the fajitas were really good, but everybody else felt like it was a little too spicy. If I made them again, I would only use about 1/8 teaspoon of pepper and use a mild salsa rather than a medium to try and lessen the spiciness to please everybody.

The grocery store didn't have much of a selection this week on sirloin steak, so we ended up having to buy the higher priced top end cut. I cut off most of the visible fat before cooking the meat. We also used whole wheat tortillas instead of the regular flour tortillas. The recipe serving suggestion of 3/4 a cup was rather high, so we put less on each tortilla and made eight with the mix.

Other additions to this meal that you could do would be to add more of a variety of different colored peppers and topping with cheese and sour cream.

The total cost for us to make the meal was just over $16. This included a hefty $10.31 for the 1.29 pounds of sirloin steak, $2.19 for the whole wheat tortillas (package of eight), $1.79 for the medium generic salsa and $.75 for the green bell pepper. All of the other ingredients were things we already had in supply.

Prep/Total Time: 20-30 minutes

Yield: 5 servings

• 1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into thin 3-inch strips
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 medium green pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup salsa or picante sauce
• 5 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed

1. In a nonstick skillet, brown beef in oil; drain. Add the green pepper, onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano and pepper. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add salsa; cook 3 minutes longer or until heated through.
2. Spoon 3/4 cup beef mixture down the center of each tortilla. Fold one side over filling and roll up. Serve immediately.

Nutrition: (1 fajita) 313 calories, 9 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 51 mg cholesterol, 515 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 23 g protein.

Three-Bean Chili

We made the chili on a cold Wednesday night, and it really hit the spot. The chili was surpisingly tasty, which was a little surprising since I'm a meat eater and there was no meat in it. The entire family loved it, and it was one of the few times we didn't have to fight with the children to eat their dinner.

The chili was really easy to make since most of the recipe is just putting in different canned goods. I had Shelby help me make the meal, and she had a good time cooking. It was really easy to cook since there was not a lot of prep time and the only thing needing to be cut was the squash. When we made the chili, squash wasn't really in season, but we were able to find three small yellow squash in the organic section that tasted just fine.

The serving size is big, yet only 179 calories, so it was not a problem for me to have two servings and feel full after. The 10 g of fiber and 10 g of protein per serving was also a plus and helped control hunger after.

The meal was under $10 and made plenty of leftovers. The cost of our supplies were Tomato paste ($0.60), Chili Beans ($1.19), Tomato Sauce ($1.19), Kidney Beans ($0.69), Stewed Tomatoes ($1.00), Pinto Beans ($0.69), Frozen Corn ($1.25), Yellow Squash ($0.81) for a total cost of $7.42. We used the leftovers for lunch the next day, and even Shelby wanted to take some with her to Daycare for lunch, which we allowed.

Prep/Total Time: 30-45 minutes

Yield: 10 servings

• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 1/2 ounces) chili beans, undrained
• 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) no-salt added stewed tomatoes
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped yellow summer squash

1. In a Dutch oven, combine the water, beans, tomato sauce, tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
2. Add the corn and squash. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes longer or until the squash is tender.

Nutrition: (1 cup) 179 calories, 1 g fat, Trace saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 491 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrate, 10 g fiber, 10 g protein.

Sweet Potato Yeast Rolls

I made these delicious rolls to go along my three-bean chili on Wednesday night. It took a little bit of prep time to get them ready, but it was well worth the wait. The biggest problem with them is they make so many (about 30) and its easy to pop six or seven down before you even realize it.

The rolls are pretty inexpensive to make, especially since most of the ingredients are ones you may already have in stock. I had to purchase the yeast ($1.29) and 1 yam ($0.81) for a total cost of $2.10. One yam was enough to make at least two batches of the rolls.

I boiled the yam and then mashed it before putting it in the freezer for a quick cool down. But if you didn't want the hassle of cooking and cooling the mashed yam, you could probably use canned yams for the recipe.

Prep/Total Time: About three hours

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen

• 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm fat-free milk (110 to 115 degrees)
• 1 teaspoon plus 1/3 cup sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup cold mashed sweet potatoes
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons cold water
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add 1 teaspoon sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, egg yolks, butter, salt, remaining sugar and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 30 balls. Roll each ball into a 10-in. rope; tie each rope into a loose knot. place 2 in. apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, beat egg whites and cold water; brush over rolls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks.

Nutrition: (One Roll) 92 calories, 1 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 16 mg cholesterol, 76 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.