Chicken and noodle skillet dinner

Another things in common with many of my dishes is that they generally involve either chicken or ground turkey.  Sometimes ham.  This dish (found in Better Homes and Gardens Big Book of 30 minute dinners) originally called for pork... but I used chicken.  It's cheaper.

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 pound chicken
• $3 pounds for $6
• 1 medium onion
• about $.50
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 3 cups of frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots
• $1
• 4 ounces dried noodles of your choice
• Usually around $.80 for 16 ounces
• 1 10.75-ounce can of cream of celery
• $.70
• 1 cup chicken broth (bouillon) (this is 1 bouillon cube)
•  $13 for 226 cubes
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Dishes and utensils:

• Cutting board
• Knife
• Large skillet

People fed: 3-4

Total Cost:  $3.25


Cook time: 30 minutes


Directions:


Defrost the chicken (or whatever meat you want to use) and cut it into thin "bite-sized" pieces.  Also chop up the onion.  In the skillet combine the oil, meat, and onion.  Cook until the chicken is no longer raw (or about 4 minutes on medium-high).  Add in the vegetables, uncooked noodles, soup, broth*, water and pepper.

*Separately (and beforehand), put a bouillon cube in 8 ounces of water and heat it to a boil, be it in the microwave or on the stove. Whichever is your preference.  This makes 1 cup of broth.

Keep stirring your nonsense until the soup is well mixed with everything else.  That should be a good indicator of how well everything is mixed together.  Bring this to a boil.  When it starts boiling, reduce the heat (to a low or medium-low) and cover.  Let it simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring on occasion.  Taste a noodle or vegetable to see if it's done.  If the noodle is cooked and/or the vegetable is hot, then it's done!

Tuna-Noodle Casserole

Another recipe from my Blue Ribbon Country Cook Book.  This book really is fantastic.  My only complaint is that you'd better plan on spending around an hour to make a meal.  Anyhow, here we go.


Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• $1 per pound
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• $1.50 for around 10 stalks
• 1 cup mushrooms (I didn't use these)
• I package (probably about 2 cups or 10ish mushrooms) is $2
• White Sauce
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup milk (I use 2%)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• $2 for 32 ounces
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• $1 for a bottle
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (I didn't have any, so I used cayenne pepper)
• 8 ounces of noodles
• 16 ounces is $.80
• A 9-ounce can of tuna (packed in water)
• $.40 - $80
• 15 ounces of peas (I didn't use these)
• Buttered Cracker Crumbs
• 6 crackers
• 1 tablespoon of butter

Utensils and Dishes:

• A large skillet
• 2 quart baking dish
• 2 medium sized pots
• A wooden spatula
• A spoon
• A strainer or something
• Large mixing bowl

Cost: $2.52 (there are a lot of little ingredients that I don't include, like the soy sauce)

People fed: 4 - 6

Cook time: around 60 minutes

Directions:

Start boiling some water for pasta.  While the water heats, put the butter in the skillet and start sauté-ing the onions, celery, and mushrooms.  Do so for about 2 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 350 and oil the baking pan.

White Sauce: combine the milk, flour, pepper, and salt.  Melt the butter and add it to the milk/flour.  Stir.  Heat the mixture until it is almost boiling (but don't let it boil).  Stir continuously.

Add the mayo, say sauce, and dry mustard to the White Sauce and continue to heat.  Add the vegetables (and the pan juices).  Mix well and remove from heat.

Put the noodles and sauce/vegetable mixture into the large mixing bowl and stir.  Drain the tuna and add.  If you so desire, add the peas at this point.  After it is well mixed, put into the baking pan.  Cover with buttered cracker crumbs (crumble 6 crackers and let them soak in melted butter).  Bake for 35 minutes.