Two Weeks of Meals on a Budget, Day 3: Taco Wontons

I have made a pledge to try and help out with our money situation. No more un-needed trips to Goodwill (maybe) and since I am the one who does all the grocery shopping, to cut down the grocery bill. Planning out my meals ahead of time actually really helped keep my grocery list to a minimum and I only bought things that were on my list. Usually, I roam the isles picking up ingredients or snacks that sound appealing with no real plan in place. This time I was prepared. I managed to cut down the grocery bill to $170 for two weeks worth of food; keep in mind I had to buy a couple extra ingredients because my husband volunteered me to make breakfast burritos for his work's boosters. I would say minus those ingredients the bill would have been around $15 cheaper or $145. Along with the dinners that I had planned, I also bought my son snacks, lunch and breakfast items and a few extra things. Below is my Meal Plan.

WHAT AM I GOING TO MAKE
FOR SUNDAY!?!?!

Tonight is Wednesday night, Taco Wonton night, and I have to say they turned out GREAT! I really liked them and they were not nearly as messy as I thought they would be as the wonton "cups" really stood up and did not crack and chip as I thought they would. 

Taco Wontons

1 lb hamburger meat

1 packet taco seasoning

1/2 cup shredded cheese, I used Jack cheese

1 packet of wonton wrappers

Cooking spray

Toppings for the tacos as desired

(I used tomato, green onion, lettuce, black olives, jalapenos, and Greek yogurt)

Preheat the oven to 375. Fry hamburger until cooked through, drain. Mix in taco seasoning and cook to specifications on packet.

Line 18 greased cupcake tins with the wonton wrappers; I did 12 and then 6 by themselves afterward.

Bake the unfilled wonton wrappers in the oven for 5 minutes; pull out and fill with a tablespoon or so of taco meat. You don't want to put too much filling in straight away, remember all of your toppings. After the wonton wrappers are filled with taco meat, top with a sprinkling of cheese. Return to the oven for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the corners of the wonton wrappers are crispy.

Take as many as you want onto your plate and top as desired!

Our neighbors grew a TON of tomatoes and offered us some, of which I thankfully obliged. I think homegrown tomatoes have so much more flavor than ones bought in the grocery store and I couldn't wait to use them. I made a homemade salsa and topped my wonton tacos with it as well.

6 tomatoes, 1 onion, 1/2 cup cilantro, 2 cloves
of garlic, 1/8 cup of lime juice, 2 jalapenos, and
LOTS of Salt into the food processor.

So far, so good on my quest of cutting the grocery bill and making delicious dinners. Hope you enjoy!

XoXo

Sara

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Rice (For Under $10)

I spent today deep cleaning my house because 

1: I have nothing else to do :)    

and 

2: It really needed it.

Dexter woke up very early so I was lucky enough to get him down for a nap by 10! Anyway, long story short, by the end of the day I was pooped. And even though I worked all day to make the house sparkle, I don't get paid for doing it, darn, and this mamma still had to make dinner with items around the house.

I bought a bunch of Knorr Rice Sides when they were 10 for $10 at Kroger and still have two or three in the pantry. I saw that I had a broccoli and cheese flavor and I knew I had chicken breasts in the freezer, sounded like dinner to me. I added in a couple other ingredients to make it more substantial and creamy and it still came in under $10, my kind of dinner.

NOTE: My husband loathes, let me make that clear, LOATHES, leftovers. No matter what it is the only leftover he could possibly, maybe eat would be pizza. Newsflash! He offered to take leftovers of the rice to work for lunch tomorrow. I know we're trying to save money with the recent purchase of the truck by my husband not coming home for lunch and I know he told me that from now on he wanted me to make him lunches but I still like to think the rice was so good that the anti-leftover king wanted to eat my leftovers tomorrow. Wishful thinking.

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Rice

1 Knorr packet of Cheddar Broccoli rice

1 Chicken breast

2 Tbsp Ranch Dressing powder, divided

1/2 cup frozen broccoli

1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese

2 Tbsp cream cheese

2 Tbsp Mayo

4 slices Cheese of your choice, I used Muenster
Cooking spray

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350. Coat the chicken breast in 1 tbsp of the Ranch dressing powder, salt and pepper. Bake, in an 8x8 pan sprayed with cooking spray, through, about one hour. When the chicken comes out, leave the oven on and let it cool slightly while you cook the cheddar broccoli packet by the directions; when it's time to put the lid on the rice and let simmer, shred chicken and mix with the frozen broccoli so it thaws slightly while the rice cooks.

When the rice is finished, mix in the chicken and broccoli, cream cheese, mozzarella, mayo, remaining Ranch powder, salt and pepper.

Spray the pan the chicken was cooked in with the cooking spray and transfer the rice back into the pan. Top with the sliced cheese and pop into the oven for around 10 minutes to warm through and melt cheese.

I asked my husband to take a picture of
me putting the sliced cheese on the
casserole and it turned into a photo shoot.
Most of the photos taken were not appropriate
for posting. Gotta love him :)

Take the rice and put it onto a rack that has been moved up to the highest setting and broil on high until the cheese is slightly brown and bubbly; around 2 minutes. Serves four. 

My son is allergic to all dairy products so he had spaghetti for dinner. Irrelevant? Yes. But I wanted to include a picture of him!

Thank goodness it was bath night!

Enjoy, everyone!

XoXo

Sara