Easy Stroganoff

1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

1 can mushrooms

2 lbs. hamburger

1 pint of sour cream (I use fat free)

Egg noodles, rice, or baked potatoes

Brown hamberger, add soups and mushrooms. Simmer. Just before serving, mix in sour cream. Serve over egg noodles, rice, or baked potatoes. Serves about 6.

Price Guesstimate: $6-7 (assuming hamburger was around $2/lb)

Steph's Comments: This is my mother-in-law's recipe and it is yummy. I've made stroganoff a lot, but hers was always so much better than mine, so I finally got her recipe. The secret ingredient is the Lipton Onion soup mix! Yum.

Baked French Fries

4 potatoes

1 Tbs olive oil

spices of your choice

Wash and cut potatoes. (I always leave the skin on but you can peel them too.) Put everything in a bag and shake! Lay on a cookie sheet and cook at 400 for 30 min, flipping fries after 15 min.

Price Guesstimate: $1 (not even!)

Steph's Comments: Sorry for the long hiatus. My husband was out of town, and I felt like I was running around with my head cut off! That, and I don't cook when my husband's not around - we just eat tomato soup & mac n' cheese 'cause that's what my kids will eat. :) So, that said, I'M BACK! And I wanted to start out with a very yummy side for practically any meal.... my mom made these a lot growing up. It's really fun to play around with the spices. I love garlic powder and salt & pepper... you can have a lot of fun with it. Thanks for the reminder Rach!

Potato Soup

3 c. chicken broth
1 c. finely chopped celery (opt.)
1/2 c. chopped onion
5 c. potatoes, peeled and cubed small
1 t. salt
Pepper to taste

3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. flour
1 qt. half-n-half (I use 1% milk and it works fine!)

4-6 oz. grated cheese
Bacon, if desired, but I never do b/c of cost

Boil chicken broth, celery, onions, potatoes, and salt & pepper for 10 min In a separate pan melt butter. Once butter is melted, add flour, and stir until bubbly. Add half-n-half (or milk). Let thicken. Add to potatoes.

After all ingredients are added, stir in grated cheese (or just let each indivdual add cheese to his/her own bowl).

Price Guessimate: $5-6 (not counting bacon)

Steph's Comments: It's cold again outside, so today is a soup day, and this is a filling, yummy cheap soup! It's perfect with some homemade bread, too, but it's also great on it's own! Like I said in the instructions, I make this soup with milk, not half-n-half, which makes it cheaper and less fat. I got this soup recipe from my sister Heidi, and I think she got it from a family friend, Becky Preece. Enjoy! (Oh, and I'm sorry about no post yesterday. I made a casserole that I planned to post, but it wasn't at all post-worthy!) :)

Rehashed Roast & Potatoes

Leftover roast
Potatoes
1-2 TB oil (olive, vegetable, or canola) - may need more or less depending on how much roast/potatoes you have!

Optional Toppings:
Salt and Pepper
Ketchup
Ranch

Wash and peel potatoes. Cube both roast and potatoes into bite size pieces. Pour oil into a frying pan. Add roast and potatoes. Cook until brown and crispy. Top with optional toppings if desired.

Price Guesstimate: This varies depending on how much you make (duh), but it's LEFTOVER roast, so it's using up something you need to use, and potatoes are super cheap! Therefore, this is a very cost-effective meal! :)

Steph's Comments: I love this dish on a cold day - it just tastes very home-y to me. I usually serve it with a can of green beans and some fruit. Super easy, super cheap. It's also filling. I know it's not a flashy meal, but it's a great way to use up your leftover roast!

Baked Potato & Chili

1-2 cans of Chili (I like Nalley Vegetarian Chili because it's low fat)
4-6 potatoes

Optional Toppings
Cheese
Sour Cream/Ranch

Bake potatoes at 425 for 1-1 1/2 hours. Top with Chili and optional toppings. Yields: 4-6 servings.

Price Guesstimate: $3?

Steph's Comments: It's snowing outside today - where is SPRING? On days like today I get kind of grouchy because I want it to be warm, so I think making a good ol' baked potato with chili for dinner is something to at least help take off the stress of cooking- it's cheap, fast, and filling. My cousin Bonnie reminded me about this wonderfully cheap meal - thanks Bonnie!