Six dollar dinner

Sometimes people don't believe it when I tell them how cheaply I feed my family.  I decided to start sharing some of my amazingly cheap dinners.

This is a meal I cooked for my husband, my daughter and me:

I bought these beautiful 1" thick pork chops on sale for just 3.31.  I seared them off in a screaming hot iron skillet for about 5 minutes on each side, and then I finished them off in the oven til they reached 160 degrees.  I made a quick pan gravy using a little flour to make a roux, then milk, salt and pepper.

I served them with stuffing (1.00), Corn on the cob (.99 from the produce manager's special rack), and applesauce (1.79, and we used 1/2 of the jar, so .90)

Total for this beautiful meal - $6.20 to feed 3 people!

If we were to eat this same meal out in a restaurant, it would cost well over $30 for the 3 of us.

Easy, cheap chicken recipe - Chicken Franciase

Tired of the same old chicken recipes week after week?  Here's something different and super easy to make!

"Fancy" up your chicken tenders without adding a lot of cost!  My family goes nuts when they find out I am making this one.  It's really easy.  Next time you buy chicken tenders to make for dinner, grab a lemon too.  I will assume you have flour and an egg or two on hand at home.

Take your raw chicken tenders and put them in a big baggie with a couple big spoonfuls of flour and shake til coated.
In the meantime, whisk a couple eggs in a pie tin (or similar dish).  Then, have another plate with flour.

Now melt a stick of butter or margarine in a frying pan.

Take the flour coated chicken tenders from the baggie, coat with egg, and then the other flour and carefully place the in the frying pan.  Cook till golden brown on both sides.  Just before serving, squeeze the lemon all over the chicken while the pan is still on the burner.  (The butter will sizzle when you do this and it mixes with the lemon to make the lemon butter sauce.)  Prepare to get compliments!

This is really good with fettucini alfredo and broccoli.  You can buy the noodle side dishes for like a buck.  I like to steam the broccoli, then transfer to a frying pan with oil & garlic.  A little squeeze of lemon just before serving.

Your family will LOVE this chicken!

For My Local Friends:
Food City has chicken tenders on sale 1.99/lb., and locally grown broccoli 2/3.00!

Build a better mouse trap

Well, folks, it's that time of year again. It getting cold outside and the little mice are looking for refuge. Unfortunately, that means you may be hearing unwanted pitter-patter of tiny feet in your house.

Granted, mouse catching is not rocket science, but it can be tricky. If I thought in any way I could humanely capture a mouse and let it go without it turning around and coming right back in my house, I certainly would. I frequently catch spiders, grasshoppers, etc., that hitch-hike in on my family’s pants legs and let them live, but the mice like food & warmth, which I am not willing to provide. It's not that I don't like them; it's just that they make a mess and eat my food which I then have to throw away.

As a rule, mice like to come in around the pipes under the sinks. This is why I keep a mouse trap set at all times under all of my sinks. I like to get them before they can get any farther.