Stretching your food budget recipes

Made with whole chickens
-I either bake the chicken in the oven at 250 degrees for 2-3 hours, cook in the crockpot for 4-6 hours, or boil in water until done. Then I pull all of the chicken off of the bones and I am able to use it for 2 to 3 of these recipes.
-when I freeze meals I line the casserole dish with non-stick aluminum foil with enough extending to fold back over the casserole. After the casserole is assembled I fold the foil over the top and freeze in the dish. When the casserole is frozen I take it out of the dish and put it in a labeled and dated freezer ziploc. The only casserole I cook before freezing is the chicken pot pie.
I also make sure to use all fresh ingredients so that all ingredients are only frozen once.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

6 cups water
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 boullion cubes
2 large carrots chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
Onion chopped
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Egg noodles
1 cup cooked chicken
Bring everything to a boil except egg noodles and chicken. Boil until vegetables begin to get tender. Add chicken and noodles. Boil until noodles are done.
*can use canned chicken to make it food storage friendly
*freezes well

Chicken Taco Casserole

2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 ½ cups sour cream (I sometimes use lowfat plain yogurt)
2 tbsp taco seasoning
2 cups cooked chicken
6 tortillas
1 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
Combine soup, sour cream, and taco seasoning. Add chicken. Tear tortillas into pieces and layer half of them in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Spoon half of chicken mixture over tortillas and repeat. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until bubbly. 1 hour if frozen.
* use canned chicken to make it food storage friendly
*freezes well

Mayonnaise Chicken

1 box chicken flavor rice a roni
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream (I sometimes use lowfat plain yogurt)
1 cup mayonnaise
4 cups cooked chicken
2 cups shredded cheese
Cook rice according to directions on box. Combine with other ingredients. Reserve some cheese for the top. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. 1 hour if frozen.
* use canned chicken to make it food storage friendly
*freezes well

Chicken Enchiladas

8-10 Tortillas
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ cup sour cream ( I sometimes use lowfat plain yogurt)
1 cup cooked chicken
2 cups shredded chicken
Optional: salsa
Mix soup and sour cream. Fill each tortilla with 2 tbsp soup mixture, chicken, cheese, and optional salsa. Roll up and place in 9x13 baking dish. Dilute remaining soup mixture with a little bit of water and stir. Pour over enchiladas and top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. 1 hour if frozen.
* use canned chicken to make it food storage friendly
*freezes well

Turkey or chicken pot pie

3 carrots sliced
3 diced potatoes
Boil carrots and potatoes together until tender. Put 3 cups cooked chicken or turkey on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Put drained carrots and potatoes and optional canned or frozen peas on top of the chicken. Mix 2 cans of cream of chicken soup with 1 cup water and 1 tsp chicken boullion or 1 can chicken broth. Pour soup mixture over meat and vegetables.
Crust
2c Bisquik
1 cup milk
2 eggs
Mix and pour over meat and vegetables. Bake 30 minutes at 425. I cook this before freezing and bake one hour at 400 if frozen.
* use canned chicken to make it food storage friendly
*freezes well

Bisquik mix

4 ½ cups flour
5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
5 Tbsp shortening
3 Tbsp butter or margarine
Mix dry ingredients. Gradually cut in shortening and butter. (resembles coarse bread crumbs). Store in airtight container. Refrigerate.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

2 cups cooked chicken
Broccoli
Sauce
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup milk
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Put chicken in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Cook Broccoli and put on top of chicken. Top with sauce. Sprinkle grated cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or cook in microwave until warm and cheese is melted. If frozen bake for 1 hour at 350.
* use canned chicken to make it food storage friendly
*freezes well

Made with a 1-2 chicken breasts

Stir Fry

2 cups hot water
3 chicken boullion cubes or 3 tsp
2-3 Tbsp cornstarch
2-3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 chicken breasts cut into chunks
Cooked Rice
Your choice of vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, etc. You can also use bagged stir fry vegetables
Cook chicken chunks in a large frying pan in a little bit of oil over medium heat. Add vegetables and cook for a few minutes. Add Hot water and boullion. Mix cornstarch with a little bit of water. Add cornstarch to the pan while stirring to prevent lumps in the sauce. Stir in soy sauce. Serve over hot cooked rice

Chicken and Pasta

2 chicken breasts cut into chunks
Spaghetti sauce
2 cups cooked rigatoni or other pasta
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Cook chicken breasts in large frying pan in a little bit of oil. Add sauce and heat until warm. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese. This can be stretched to feed more by adding more noodles and sauce.

Asian chicken and noodles

1 cup chopped broccoli
½ cup chopped carrots
Sliced mushrooms
½ cup Kraft Asian toasted sesame dressing
½ cup teriyaki sauce
2 chicken breasts cut into chunks
Spaghetti
Cook chicken and mushrooms in a large frying pan in a little bit of oil. Add dressing and teriyaki sauce. Some garlic powder and ginger powder. Cook spaghetti adding carrots and broccoli to the water for last 3 minutes of cooking time. This can easily be stretched to feed a bigger crowd, just add more chicken, sauce, and spaghetti.

Chicken Tacos

2 Chicken Breasts
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 can corn (drained)
1 can black beans (drained)
1 pkg taco seasoning
½ cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
In crockpot add raw chicken, broth, salsa, corn, beans, and taco seasoning. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Shred chicken before serving. Top with sour cream and cheese and serve on a warm tortilla with white rice.
* use canned chicken for a food storage meal
*Freezes well

Made with Hamburger

Supper on a Slice

1 lb ground beef
1 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp worchestershire sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Shredded cheddar cheese
French bread
Brown hamburger and drain then add ketchup, worchestershire sauce, and soup. Mix together. Cut French bread in half lengthwise. Spread mixture on both halves of bread, top with cheese and broil for a few minutes until cheese is melted.
*sauce freezes well

Goulash

1 lb ground hamburger
1 quart tomatoes
2 cups macaroni
Cook macaroni in boiling water. Brown hamburger, then add tomatoes and cooked macaroni.
Optional: top with cheese.

Shepherd’s pie

1 lb ground hamburger
1 8 oz can tomato sauce or regular size can tomato soup
1 can green beans
Mashed potatoes
Shredded cheese
Cook and drain hamburger, add tomato sauce or soup. Put in the bottom of a casserole dish. Layer green beans on top of that. Put mashed potatoes on top of that. Top with cheese. Microwave or bake until heated through and cheese is melted. Bake 1 hour at 350 if frozen.
*freezes well


Soups

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2 ½ cups water
2 chicken boullion cubes
½ cup half and half
4 slices American cheese
¼ c flour
¼ tsp minced onion
Black pepper to taste
2 cups cooked broccoli
Combine water, boullion, half and half, cheese, flour, onion, and pepper in a saucepan. Whisk to break up lumps of flour. Turn heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Add broccoli and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Creamy Potato Soup

1 Tbsp minced onion
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
6 medium potatoes peeled and diced
2 chicken boullion cubes
1 tsp salt
Dash pepper
1 ½ cups water
8 oz cream cheese
¼ cup flour
3 cup 2% or whole milk
In a large saucepan sauté onion in butter. Add cut potatoes, boullion, salt, pepper, and water. Cover and cook on medium heat until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. In a medium bowl blend cream cheese and flour until smooth, add milk. Stir mixture into pot until cream cheese is melted.

Leftover Potato Soup

1-2 medium baked potatoes
1 cup chicken broth or 1 cup water and 1 tsp boullion
Cooked and crumbled bacon
Cheddar cheese
Onion powder
1 oz cream cheese
½ cup cream of chicken soup
Bake potatoes in microwave or use leftover ones. Peel and cut into cubes. Microwave potatoes, milk, chicken broth, soup, cream cheese, and onion powder for 6 minutes, stirring after 3. Add cheese and bacon and serve with sour cream.

Taco Soup

1 can chili
1 can corn
1 can tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
1 can tomato sauce
Minced onion
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Mix everything together and heat through. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.
*food storage friendly
* freezes well

Chili

Soak 4 cups of beans overnight. Cover beans with cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer until soft. Pour off water and rinse. Add 1 quart tomatoes 1lb hamburger browned with onions, 1 large Tbsp chili powder, and salt. Simmer until dinner.
*food storage friendly
*freezes well

Cheeseburger Soup

2 ½ cups water 1 lb hamburger cooked and drained
Minced onion 2 ½ cups milk divided
1 clove minced garlic or garlic powder 3 T flour
1T beef boullion ½ 1b cooked and crumbled bacon
4 cups potatoes peeled and cubed 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 small carrot grated
Cook first column of ingredients until potatoes are tender. Add hamburger & 2 cups milk. Slowly stir in ½ cup milk mixed with 3 T flour. Bring to a boil. Add ½ 1b cooked and crumbled bacon and 8 oz of shredded cheddar cheese.

Made with Tuna

Tuna Casserole

2 cups cooked macaroni noodles
1 can tuna
1 can cream of chicken soup
Cook macaroni noodles. Mix tuna and cream of chicken soup then add cooked noodles.
Optional: top with cheese or crushed potato chips
*food storage friendly