1 Meat, 5 Meals - Series - Chicken Lovers

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Good Morning everyone! I had a friend asking how I make and save my meals and use leftovers. Though I do this for our family on a weekly basis, I have yet to write down the steps and recipes! BUT it is a GREAT time and Money Saver for everyone! 

In this series, I will show you how to cook up 5 delicious meals with one meat. This week, we will be using Chicken. Meat is the least expensive when you purchase it in whole form. On sale, I can get a whole chicken for as low as 0.89 cents a lb! Whole Chickens are easily frozen until a couple of days before you need them, so when I see them on sale, I purchase about 3 of them and freeze them. For a 6 lb Chicken (enough for an entire 5 days for a family of 4) that is less than 6 dollars for the week! 

Ingredients for the week 

Don't forget to Price Match!!

Spices: Celery Salt, Rosemary, Salt, Black Pepper, Bay Leaves

• 5 lb bag of potatoes (These go on sale in my area for .99 cents a bag! every 3 months)
• Corn Starch
• Bag of Egg Noodles (I use these instead of Pasta to reduce carb intake)
• 2 lb bag of baby carrots
• Pepper Jack Cheese
• Pita Pockets
• 1 lb of Bacon (I get these for usually 2.50 a lb on sale - another item I freeze until I need them)
• Frozen Broccoli
• Honey
• Brown Sugar
• Mustard
• 8 large tortillas
• Bag of Knorr or Lipton Spanish Rice
• Bag of Knorr or Lipton Chicken and Broccoli rice
• At least 6 lb Whole Chicken
• 1 Can of Black Beans
• Sour Cream

First Meal:   I start on Sundays, as I have more time to cook on Sundays, and the first day is the most time consuming)

Roasted Whole Chicken

Mashed Potatoes

Honey Glazed Carrots

Chicken: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare Chicken - pluck out any feathers, take out innards (save these). Coat Chicken in 1/4 Cup Butter, 1 teaspoon dried (or 2 teaspoons Fresh) Rosemary, 1 teaspoon Celery Salt, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Black Pepper.

Start on Mashed Potatoes and Honey Glazed Carrots during last 45 minutes of chicken cooking time. 

Place Chicken in a roasting pan and in pre-heated oven with Aluminum foil resting loosely on top (keeps tops from burning). Cooking time for a 6 - 6.5 lb chicken is 2 hours 25 minutes. Take the aluminum foil off the top for the last 25 minutes. I rely heavily on my Oven Timer. Check internal temp of chicken using a Meat Thermometer before removing as cooking times vary by altitude and oven. Once the internal temp of the Chicken has reached 165 degrees you can take it out. Let rest 10 minutes before carving. 

Carrots: Place 1 lb of Carrots in a pot of boiling water. Cook until tender (about 30 - 40 minutes). Drain. Place in a serving bowl. While still hot, add in 1/2 stick of butter, 1 TBL Honey and 1/4 C of Brown Sugar. The heat from the carrots will melt the butter and dissolve the honey and sugar. If necessary place in the microwave for 1 minute right before serving. 

Mashed potatoes: (You will be making extra potoatos for tomorrow) Place large pot of water and 1 teaspoon of salt on to a rapid boil. Peel 2 - 2.5 lbs of potatoes and cut up and place in boiling water. Turn heat down to a light boil and cook until tender. Drain, mash, add in Salt, Pepper, butter and Garlic Salt to taste (To make creamy, I add Ranch Dressing instead of Gravy). Place 1/2 in fridge for tomorrows meal.

Serve!

This is where I start for the following day. Carve up remaining meat separating Light and Dark meat. Get as much off of the bones as possible. Do not throw anything away (While Separating place a large pot of water on to boil. )  Start placing the bones, skin and meat into the boiling water (as well as the innards saved from earlier). Put Rosemary, Bay Leaves, Salt, Celery salt, 1 lb of carrots, and black pepper into the pot and mix. Turn down heat to a light boil until meat is falling off bones and Carrots are tender. Turn off heat. Once cooled, place in fridge overnight.

Here are the rest of the meals for this week. As it is a lot of information, I will be doing separate posts for each recipe. 

Chicken and Noodle

Chicken Cheesy Rice Casserole

Chicken and Pepper Jack Cheese Pitas

Chicken Mexican Casserole 

If you LOVE this series! Let me know and I can include more posts like this!! I SOOO Hope you will try this for your families! They will LOVE it! 

Quick & Easy - Asian Lettuce Wraps

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

Crisp Romaine Lettuce
1 lb Ground Chicken
Low Sodium Soy Sauce
Teriyaki Sauce
Peanut Butter
Water Chestnuts
Cashews
Olive Oil
Red Pepper Flakes

Brown Rice
1 Can of Sweet Peas

Make rice according to package instructions. Add 1 can of Sweet peas at very end of cooking or they will break down.

Brown Chicken in 1 TBLS of Extra Virgin Olive oil. Drain.

Add in 2 TBLS each of Peanut Butter, Soy Sauce and Teriyaki Sauce. Mix Well.

Simmer on low for about 5 minutes to thicken. Add in a handful of Cashews and 1 can of Water Chestnuts (I put these in a Zip lock bag and use my Meat Mallet on them ) and 1.5 teaspoons of Red Pepper Flakes 

Serve on Romaine Lettuce Leaves

ENJOY!!! Even my 3 year old LOVES this recipe ;) 

3 Ingredient Cake/Cupcake Frosting

Simple Cupcake Frosting

1 Cup Milk
1 Package of pudding (any flavor)
1 Tub of Cool Whip

Mix all together! 

* Dieters or Diabetics, easily swap out Milk to Low Fat, Pudding to Sugar Free and Fat Free, and Cool Whip to Sugar Free and Fat Free

Stole My Heart Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies and Frosting

Sugar Cookie Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups softened butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the  flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Icing Recipe

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (For a real treat - cinnamon extract in the red coloring)
• red gel food coloring or no coloring for the white

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond (or cinnamon) extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more milk.

Spanish Chicken Casserole

Today, I have a recipe for you! This is one of our favorites in this household, and I love it, because I can make it on a weekend (I usually make 2 and freeze one), and we can have it for the first part of the week. :)

This was passed down to me from my Son's Grandmother, and it is delicious!! I hope that you will try it!! 

EL HOMBRE  

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of Cooked, shredded Chicken (when I am lazy I use a rotisserie Chicken)

• 1 bag of Large Flour tortillas cut in half (I use my Pizza Cutter!)

• 2 cans of black beans

• 2 packages of cooked Spanish Rice

• 1/4 C of Milk

• 2 C of Sour Cream

• 1 Chicken Bullion Cube

• 4 Cups of Shredded Cheese

Add Shredded Chicken and black Beans

Place one more layer of tortilla halves for the Top.

Ingredients White Cheese Sauce

 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Use a 13x9 casserole Dish

Layer the bottom of pan with 4 tortilla halves  (I put flat part of tortilla against sides)

Spread Spanish Rice around entire bottom layer (as pictured)

 

Layer again with Tortilla Halves

 

Next you will make your White Cheese Sauce. 

In a Sauce Pan, on a low heat, combine sour cream, and milk. 

While this is heating, I put one chicken builion cube in 1/8 cups of water, and place in the microwave for 2 minutes (If you haven't noticed, I LOVE shortcuts!! I love to cook, but I don't want to do it all day:) Stir to ensure it has completely dissolved in hot water. 

Add Builion Stock and Cheese (I use pre-shredded fiesta blend) to the sauce and leave on a low heat. 

Once your sauce is entirely mixed, and cheese is melted, pour onto top of Mexican casserole. (Pictured Below)

Place in oven about 25 minutes, or until top is a golden brown (pictured below)

Let stand about 5-8 minutes and serve with Shredded Lettuce and Tomato on each slice! :) 

5 Minute Pumpkin Pie!

This recipe is SO easy and for the time involved outshines ANY homemade Pumpkin Pie!! Want to know the time involved? 5 Minutes from start to finish! YES that's right!!  5 minutes from start to EAT!!!

Ingredients 

• 2 Boxes of Jello Pumpkin Spice
• Ground Nutmeg (optional, but gives it a divine little kick and a truly homemade look! ) 
• 2 Cups of Milk
• 1 Pie Crust - I use pre-made (Wal-mart now carries them for 1.00 each)
  
  
  This makes the total cost of this pie a little over 2.00 each!

The Pumpkin Spice Jello is seasonal so I suggest stocking up when you see them! I know I sure did!! At the time Preston thought I was nuts, but now they aren't even available and I certainly do not have the time any more for a home-baked Pumpkin pie! And I am guessing except for Thanksgiving, you don't either!! :)

Whisk the Milk and Jello Pudding together, pour into your pie crust and top with nutmeg. Place it in the fridge for a couple of minutes and it is ready to serve!! Serve Slice with a Dal-lop of Sugar Free Cool Whip! YUMM!!  (i love the word dal-lop don't you?? reminds me of lollipop! )

On the box it calls for 1 package per 2 cups of milk - Using two packages makes it a much creamier and thicker pie that doesn't fall apart when you cut into it!! Start serving this to you guests now so when Thanksgiving comes around you aren't stuck spending 3 hours baking a pie!! Take that time and enjoy it with your family instead of standing in the kitchen like we always do!! ;)

The Case of the Vanishing Cookies!

These Cookies are so delicious they just seem to vanish!! 

Pre-Heat oven to 375 degrees

Cream together 1/2 Cup Shortening and 1 stick ( 8 TBLS) of room temperature butter

Add 1 teaspoon of each; Vanilla, Baking Soda, Salt and mix thoroughly

Mix in 2 eggs. Your batter will look seperated, do not be alarmed!

Add in 3/4 C each Granulated sugar and Brown Sugar and mix until blended

Gradually add in 2 Cups of Flour. Once blened add in 3/4 Cups of Oatmeal and 1 1/2 cups Chocolate Chips

Bake for 10-12 minutes. 

When I make a cookie Dough, I usually double or triple the recipe, and freeze. If I have a last minute party or guests, it is SO simple to pull them out and have fresh baked cookies on hand, like I was prepared!! ;)

Thanks for stopping by today!!