Counting Pennies

These recipes ares some of my favorites for quick & inexpensive meals. Feel free to share any that you may use in your own home.

Ground Beef 'N' Biscuits

This saucy

meal is

family pleasing

and also

budget-pleasing

at .98 cents

per serving.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cans (8 oz each) tomato sauce
1 pckg. (10 oz) frozen peas
1 tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

In a skillet over medium heat, cook beef, celery and onion until meat is no longer pink and celery is tender; drain. Stir in the flour, salt, oregano, and pepper until blended. Add tomato sauce and peas; simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish. Separate biscuits; arrange over beef mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden and cheese is melted. Yield: 6 servings.

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Creamed Tuna Recipe

Serve creamed tuna as a lunch dish or for dinner over toast, biscuits, or rice.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 1 can (about 7 ounces) tuna, drained
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup frozen peas, cooked

Preparation:

• Melt butter over medium-low heat; blend in flour, salt,
  and pepper.
• Stir and cook for about 2 minutes, or until smooth and bubbly.
• Gradually stir in milk while stirring constantly. Continue cooking, stirring
  constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
• Add drained tuna and cooked peas. Continue heating and stirring until hot.
• Serve creamed tuna over toast, biscuits, or rice. Creamed Tuna recipe makes approximately 3 cups. Cook time: 7 minutes
  
  From Diana Rattray of Your Guide to Southern Cuisine from About.com

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Homemade Oven French Fries:

Ingredients:

• 2 baking potatoes or sweet potatoes
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Peel potatoes (optional) - by leaving peeling on it offers more nutrients
• Cut into strips, about 1/4 inches in diameter.
• In a bowl, combine potatoes with olive oil, and mix well so that potatoes are evenly coated with the oil. (optional) - Instead of using a mixing bowl, I use a Ziploc bag or even better, the plastic liners of empty cereal boxes. It recycles and leaves no mess.
• Spray baking sheet (0ptional)
• Place in a single layer on a baking sheet in a preheated oven.
• Bake until potatoes have browned, about 20 minutes.

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Baked Pork Chops and Potatoes

Ingredients:
4-6 pork chops
Salt & Pepper
1/3 cup onions, chopped
Vegie Oil
4 cups potatoes, thickly sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/4 cups milk

Directions:

• Pour a couple of teaspoons of vegie oil in pan. Add onions and saute. Add pork chops that have been seasoned with salt and pepper. Brown on both sides.
• Place potatoes in a 2 quart greased baking dish and arrange browned chops on top. To the cooked onions in the skillet add the soup and milk. Stir and heat. Pour on top of chops and potatoes.
• Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and bake 30 - 40 more minutes. Serves 6
  
  From: Living On a Dime Newsletter

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Easy Pizza Sauce
Have you ever ran out of the canned pizza sauce when you really needed it? This recipe is so good and easy you may never buy pizza sauce again. by Bonnie Young at www.recipezaar.com

Ingredients:

2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
4 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups water

Instructions:

• Combine tomato paste, garlic, parsley flakes, onion, oregano, basil and water in 2 quart saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.
• Cool a little and spread on your pizza crust and proceed with remainder of your toppings. Makes 3 cups, 4-6 servings.

*Here are the adjustments we made for our preferences:

• Used Organic Tomato Paste we had on hand. Made for a sweeter taste.
• Used 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder instead of 2 cloves garlic
• Used 1/2 tsp. of Onion powder instead of the 4 tspns. of dried onion flakes
• Added 1 tsp. of sugar
• Added 1 tbsp. of Olive oil and removed 1 tbsp. of water.
• Added a few pinches of salt.