Chicken is always an affordable meal time solution for families. There are so many great tasting recipes that are quick and easy weeknight meals. You can save even more money, along with a lot more time, by buying large bags of boneless, skinless breasts that have been frozen. They’ll keep for at least 6 months in the freezer. You can pull out dinner-size portions when you’re ready, then reseal the bag to keep the rest fresh.

Speaking of great tasting recipes, right now you can get an Exclusive Free Download of 20 Affordable Chicken Dinners Recipe Booklet from All You Magazine. Chicken is always a main ingredient staple in our freezer, so we’re always excited about trying out new chicken recipes.  This recipe booklet features recipes from MyRecipes.com, Cooking Light, Real simple and Country Living. These are some fabulous looking recipes!

Hurry, before the daily sample is gone and add these tasty recipes to your family meal plan!

 

Monday night’s dinner idea was a simple crock pot recipe. Zesty Crock Pot Chicken served with Couscous. It will be on our family’s weekly menu again! Oh my goodness, the house smelt sooo good when I walked through the front door. Yes, it’s another one of those great make-ahead meals that can be prepped and placed in the refrigerator the night before to marinate.

For this recipe, I used the regular chicken breasts (boneless would worked just as well) that were on sale this past week at our local Raley’s grocery store.  Perfect family meal time deal and at $0.99 a pound you can’t go wrong!

Simply Couscous recipe:

Use a box or bag of couscous. Cook according to package directions, except instead of using water,  I used the broth from the chicken. Couscous cooks very quickly, making it a perfect side dish to any meal.

Crock pot recipes are perfect for busy cooks. Cooking dinner after a long day is something a lot of busy families don’t look forward to, so they end up eating unhealthy take out food or they throw something in the microwave just to get dinner over and done with. A great slow cooker recipe and a crockpot will solve the dinner dilemma.

There are an incredible amount of recipes for tasty main dishes, side dishes and desserts that are easy to make using your crock pot. You can get everything ready in the crock pot in the morning, and then walk in the door in the evening to a wonderful home cooked meal.

Need a little meal planning inspiration? Check out my Recipe Index which is updated daily with new recipes that include a grocery shopping list!

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Are you wondering what to make for dinner tonight for your family? You’ll love my easy, make-ahead and money-saving recipes on what to cook your family for dinner! You are encouraged to not only list your dinner plans below, but to request ideas, make suggestions and of course add your favorite recipes!

So what’s on your menu plan this week? I still on the lookout for some yummy new recipes. Especially crock pot ones….

Tonight’s dinner idea is a Stir Fry meal. Chicken marinated in a simple Teriyaki sauce served with Stir Fried Rice and Vegetables. This is a great make-ahead meal for busy families. The chicken and vegetables marinate in the fridge for 24 hours or can be popped into in a zip-loc freezer bag and placed in the fridge to marinate in the morning.  By the time dinner rolls around you’ll be ready to cook. It’s as simple as that!

Stir frying is really one of the best techniques we busy moms can have up our sleeves. Because they cook so quickly, you can have a stir fry on the table in about the time it takes to chop up your vegetables! Plus, stir fries are a great way to clear out the fridge and use up produce.

Need a little meal planning inspiration? Check out my Recipe Index which is updated daily with new recipes that include a grocery shopping list!

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Are you wondering what to make for dinner tonight for your family? You’ll love my easy, make-ahead and money-saving recipes on what to cook your family for dinner! You are encouraged to not only list your dinner plans below, but to request ideas, make suggestions and of course add your favorite recipes!

Tonight’s Family Meal Plan idea is a Chicken and Mashed Potato Casserole served with Steamed Broccoli and Homemade Crock Pot Apple Sauce. A budget-friendly dish the whole family will enjoy!

Chicken and Mashed Potato Casserole

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 1 10-12 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup Ritz crackers, crushed
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Slice chicken breasts into tender size pieces. In a large skillet,  heat oil and add chicken tenders. Cook chicken until no longer pink approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. In the bottom of a casserole dish, spread mashed potatoes evenly across the bottom. Add chicken tenders over the mashed potatoes.
4. In a small bowl, mix cream of mushroom soup and milk and add over the chicken.
5. Sprinkle crushed Ritz crackers over the top.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: To save time, make the mashed potatoes ahead of time and store in the fridge. This recipe also works with instant mashed potatoes. 

Need a little meal planning inspiration? Check out my Recipe Index which is updated daily with new recipes that include a grocery shopping list!

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Are you wondering what to make for dinner tonight for your family? You’ll love my easy, make-ahead and money-saving recipes on what to cook your family for dinner! You are encouraged to not only list your dinner plans below, but to request ideas, make suggestions and of course add your favorite recipes!

This week I’m working on quick weeknight meals. I’m using ingredients that are right in my freezer, pantry and fridge. I’m adding a few new dishes to the week’s menu giving my family a variety of great tasting meals!

This meal idea came from a bulk purchase of ingredients from Costco of sweet red peppers, broccoli and chicken breasts. Once I got everything  home, I broke these ingredients down to meal size portions, place in zip-loc freezer bags and placed in the freezer. This worked out well for my meal prepping day and allows me to pull out from the freezer with ingredients already prepped to use when I need them for another meal.

A few changes to this meal:

• Meat: use beef or pork instead of  chicken
• Veggie Ideas: spinach, green peppers, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, baby corn, snow peas, zucchini, green onion
• Sauce: any type of oriental sauce will do like Terryaki, Peanut Sauce, Sweet and Sour
• Rice: This would be great over spaghetti or rice noodles, or even soba, whatever you have!

Chicken Stir Fry

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
• 1/2 cup soy sauce, plus extra for drizzling
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chicken broth, plus 1/4 cup
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 cups broccoli
• 1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
• 1 1/2 cup sweet red pepper, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Directions:

1. Place the chicken pieces in a medium bowl.  Drizzle lightly with soy sauce and sesame oil. Add chicken broth. Set aside.
2. Have all of the vegetables cut up and ready to be added as you cook. (very important step in stir fry)  In a small prep bowl, combine 1/2 cup soy sauce with 3 tablespoons brown sugar.  Stir well and set aside.
3. Heat a skillet or wok over high heat.  When it is heated, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.  Add the chicken to the skillet and fry quickly, stirring around for 2-3 minutes.  When brown and just cooked through, remove to a separate bowl with a slotted spoon.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the skillet.  Add onions and cook for 1 minute.  Add red pepper and cook for 30 seconds.  Add garlic and stir well.  Add the carrots, stir well, and cook for 45 seconds.  Add the broccoli, stir well and cook for 45 seconds.
4. Pour in the 1/4 cup chicken broth and soy sauce mixture.  Add in 1 teaspoon rice vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil.  Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and stir.  Add the soy sauce/brown sugar mixture. Stir together, then turn off heat.  Sauce should become thicker. Serve over cooked rice.