Also included:

• FREE Holiday Planners – Also included in my Holiday Entertaining Guide, printable planners that you can use for planning your menu, grocery list, oven schedule, to-do list, table décor and setup and more.
• FREE Holiday Treats – Get 10 recipes for holiday treats that are perfect for cookie exchanges or gifting to your favorite foodie. From Peppermint Brownies to Nutmeg Snickerdoodles…you’ll be glad to have these recipes come time for your holiday baking.

Special Offer

Use the Coupon Code: GOBBLE and get your Holiday Entertaining Guide, free printable holiday planners and free 10 Holiday Treats for just $0.99.

$5 Dollar Dinner: Holiday Entertaining Guide $0.99 is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Also included:

• FREE Holiday Planners – Also included in my Holiday Entertaining Guide, printable planners that you can use for planning your menu, grocery list, oven schedule, to-do list, table décor and setup and more.
• FREE Holiday Treats – Get 10 recipes for holiday treats that are perfect for cookie exchanges or gifting to your favorite foodie. From Peppermint Brownies to Nutmeg Snickerdoodles…you’ll be glad to have these recipes come time for your holiday baking.

Special Offer

Use the Coupon Code: GRATITUDE and get your Holiday Entertaining Guide, free printable holiday planners and free 10 Holiday Treats for just $0.99.

$5 Dollar Dinner: Holiday Entertaining Guide $0.99 is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Also included:

• FREE Holiday Planners – Also included in my Holiday Entertaining Guide, printable planners that you can use for planning your menu, grocery list, oven schedule, to-do list, table décor and setup and more.
• FREE Holiday Treats – Get 10 recipes for holiday treats that are perfect for cookie exchanges or gifting to your favorite foodie. From Peppermint Brownies to Nutmeg Snickerdoodles…you’ll be glad to have these recipes come time for your holiday baking.

50% off – Special Offer

Use the Coupon Code: THANKS and get your Holiday Entertaining Guide, free printable holiday planners and free 10 Holiday Treats for just $1.99.

$5 Dollar Dinner: Holiday Entertaining Guide $1.99 is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

If you are in the mood for an inexpensive Iced Coffee recipe, check out Savings Lifestyle for way to make it at home!

Homemade Salted Caramel Mocha Latte Recipe is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Roasted Red Pepper & Basil Pesto w/Mushrooms & Penne Pasta

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 oz pine nuts
• 1/3 cup  Grated Romano or Fresh Grated Parmesan (Again, love the Ninja Chopper!)
• 1 cup Roasted Red Peppers (I used jarred as this is what we had in our fridge)
• 1 cup Fresh Basil Leaves
• 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Mushrooms
• Heavy Whipping Cream to taste
• Pasta of your choice (I used penne)

Chop the pine nuts and garlic in a food processor or your Ninja Chopper until finely chopped. Add parmesan, red pepper, basil, salt & pepper (to taste). Pulse until these items are well combined. Add olive oil.

Your pesto will look yummy like this…

Cook sliced mushrooms in a pan with a little olive oil.

Cook your pasta per the directions.

Add the pesto and mushrooms to the pasta in a sauce pan. Add heavy whipping cream as you desire. I used around 1/4 – 1/3 of a cup.  Heat until warm. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Post Dinner Analysis

This one was great! However, my husband and I both agreed it could be spiced up a bit as it was a little bland. It was still good but we think some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper would help spice it up for us.

Bonus: My youngest daughter who claims she hates vegetables enjoyed this one. She was a little skeptical because of the mushrooms so I told her I would make sure her plates didn’t have any mushrooms in it. She said it was yummy. Little did she know she was eating red roasted peppers!

Freezer Friendly

Freeze mixture without the pasta. Unfreeze and add pasta to the mixture.

Meat it Up

Add chicken.

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Roasted Red Pepper & Basil Pesto w/Mushrooms & Penne Pasta is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

By cutting these into wedges instead of leaving them as is, I reduced the cooking time and they were easier to eat. Let’s get started on this quick and easy recipe that packs a tasty punch.

Rosemary Garlic Red Potatoes

Ingredients

• 10-15 Red Potatoes
• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

Using the super nifty Pampered Chef Veggie Wedger…posting about because I absolutely LOVE! This is no way sponsored or provided by Pampered Chef, though I’ve done giveaways from them in the past. I just think this is one of the best new products in my kitchen.

Place your potato in the Pampered Chef Veggie Wedger.

Press down and align the wedger blades up with the bottom piece…

You will end up with pieces of potato that look perfectly like this….

Toss the olive oil along with the rosemary and garlic in a large bowl.

Bake at 350 degrees in a shallow roasting pan for around 45 minutes or until tender. You can serve hot or cold.

Delicious!

Find more meatless meals and dishes with my Meatless Monday series.

On Pinterest? Check out how I’m using Pinterest for Meal Planning.

Recipe inspiration from the Food Network.

Rosemary Garlic Red Potatoes is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Spinach, Mushroom, and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 cup Vegetable Broth
• 20 Sun Dried Tomatoes (I used packed in oil)
• Olive Oil
• Minced Garlic or Clove of Garlic
• Ground Cayenne Red Pepper
• Mushrooms (not pictured above because I decided to add them in the middle of the recipe!)
• Spinach, bunch (or a 3-4 handfuls of baby spinach leaves)
• 1 cup Grated Romano or Fresh Grated Parmesan (Again, love the Ninja Chopper!)
• Pasta of your choice (I used ditalini)

I will apologize in advance for my lack of exact measurements. When I cook, I usually just add things until it looks or tastes right.

If you use Sun Dried Tomatoes packed in oil, you can skip this step. If you use the packaged kind, you will want to boil 1 cup of vegetable broth. Remove from heat. Place your Sun Dried Tomatoes in the broth for around 15 minutes. Then coarsely chop. Reserve the broth to use later in the recipe.

Go ahead and cook your pasta according to the directions. I used Ditalini Pasta as this is what I had on hand. I think that Penne, Angel Hair, or Linguine as well as many others would work well too. I like the Ditalini because it is cute and is a little firm.

With a tablespoon or so of Olive Oil, sautee the mushrooms along with the minced garlic. Add a few teaspoons of Ground Cayenne Pepper to your taste. I kept just kind of pouring it on so mine was quite spicy but not overwhelming.

Add the spinach and cook until wilted. I kept adding spinach as it takes up quite a bit of space until you start cooking it. I felt like 3-4 handfuls of baby spinach was a good amount.

Pour the reserve broth into the pan along with the Sun Dried Tomatoes.

I cooked until most of the liquid was absorbed. (You should see mushrooms in there too! I forgot about the package of mushrooms I needed to use and decided to add it near the end because they needed to be used up and I thought it would add to the recipe, which it did!)

Combine the Spinach Mixture with your cooked pasta. Top with your freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Post Dinner Analysis

I loved this one! I am adding this to my rotation. Just the right amount of spice.

Freezer Friendly

Freeze mixture without the pasta. Unfreeze and add pasta to the mixture.

Meat it Up

Add chicken.

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Spinach, Mushroom, and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Tomato Basil Pesto Panini

Ingredients

• Bread
• Basil Pesto
• Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
• Tomatoes
• Pasta Sauce (optional)

Spread a thin layer of Basil Pesto on one side of the bread. Layer a thickly cut tomato with mozzarella cheese. Add pasta sauce to the other piece of bread if you want. Cook in a Panini Maker or cook like a grilled cheese.

I have the Cuisinart GR-3 Griddler Jr 3-in-1 Nonstick Countertop Grill which has been a good investment as we use it quite often. Kids can also use it by themselves as it is easy to operate than the stove.

Yummy and so easy!

For the little kids, I made half sandwiches with pepperoni, sauce, and mozzarella.

Post Dinner Analysis

Everyone loved the customized sandwich. For the little ones, I left off the pesto, since it’s green. For the older guys, I put pepperoni on it. My oldest daughter and I ate it vegetarian style. Everyone was happy.

Freezer Friendly

I’d skip the freezer on this one!

Meat it Up

Add pepperoni.

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Tomato Basil Pesto Panini is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Crockpot Refried Beans

Ingredients

• Bag of Dried Pinto Beans
• Green Pepper
• Jalapeno Peppers, Serrano Peppers, or whatever kind of peppers you like!
• Onion (optional)
• cumin, chili powder, red pepper flakes, or a packet of taco seasoning

Directions

Cook beans in a slower cooker with around 6 cups of water. Add your peppers, onion, and seasoning. I used what we had from our little garden – (2) green peppers, (2) jalapeno peppers, and (3) I don’t know what kind of little green peppers. I used a taco seasoning packet since we are out of cumin at the time along with a teaspoon or so of chili powder and red pepper flakes. I didn’t measure any of my ingredients, I just kind of tossed them all in.

Once the beans were cooked, I let mine cool because it was late. I then used my Ninja Chopper, my absolute favorite kitchen gadget, to mash the beans.

I adapted my recipe from Budget Bytes and she has some great step by step instructions with pictures.

Serves 4 – 6.

Post Dinner Analysis

Delicious enough to eat plain, on burritos, with chips, or however you like them! I left out the onion so that my picky onion hater would eat them too. However, I think if it was mashed up in there, he might not even notice.

Freezer Friendly

Freeze in freezer friendly containers. I broke my batch up into several containers about the same amount that you would get in a can. Next time, I’ll triple my batch to maximize my time even further.

Meat it Up

I’d leave these just as they are. No need for meat. Though, I know some restaurants will ad some type of pork products to flavor. I don’t think these need it at all.

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Crockpot Cooking: Refried Beans is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

This indicates people are excited about Crockpottin’ and sharing recipes. My favorite recipe to make in my Crock-Pot is my Crock-Pot Creamy Corn, which is so easy and tasty! I also have a new recipe up to kick the canned bean habit. This Crockpot Refried Beans recipe is so easy and customizable to what is in your cabinet.

I love to use my Crock-Pot for cooking dried beans, especially black beans.  A few weeks ago, I made a bag of dried beans by first fast soaking” them. Then I used a few peppers from my garden, which is actually just a few plants in my landscaping, and added a packet of taco seasoning and red pepper. I cooked in my Crock-Pot all day long. They were delicious and I was taking them to my aunt’s house for Taco night.

Of course, I cook from scratch and it doesn’t turn out. The beans turned out fabulously. However, I do not have a handy dandy Cook ‘n Carry Crock-Pot, which is now on my wish list.

Looking back the story is almost funny…

I was driving extremely cautious on my almost seven mile drive to my aunt’s house. Since there was some type of gas leak on the main highway, I took my county road all the way to “town.” Thinking of my precious beans, I was driving around 45 mph.

Since our road was now being used a parallel “highway” since the main road was closed, some impatient driver didn’t think I was going fast enough, tailgated me about a mile until we came to a stop sign, and then tried to pass me on a road that was not really meant for two cars to drive down it comfortably and proceeded to cut me off after passing me.

Needless to say this rattled me and caused me to veer and slam on my brakes.  At that moment, I screamed inside my head, my beans. Too late. Almost the entire pot of beans was now scattered in my vehicle. It took several days of cleaning, a whole can of carpet cleaning, and lots of airing out to get the stench out of my car, which conveniently I couldn’t smell at all.

I wish I could say this was my first Crock-Pot vehicle foul. There was an incident with my creamy corn in the Crock-Pot a summer ago….we won’t even go there….

I need a  Cook ‘n Carry Crock-Pot, right?

The Crock Pot Girls have several recipes on their website as well as their Facebook Page. Also, you will want to check out 365 Days of Crock Pot, which has a ton of recipes on it and Happy Housewife!

Find more recipes I’ve posted in the Recipe Category or find meatless recipes (usually with a meaty version too!)

Do you Crock-Pot? What’s your favorite thing to cook in the Crock-Pot? 

Crock Pot Girls: New Site to Find Crock Pot Recipes is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

Spinach Puffs

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspon baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup Cheddar Jack cheese
• Spinach, chopped

Combine flour, baking powder, milk, egg, and cheese until well mixed. Add in fresh chopped spinach. Spray muffin pan with non-stick spray. Fill cups 3/4 the way full.

Cook at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Makes 1 dozen regular size muffins or 2 dozen mini muffins.

Dip and serve with warm marina sauce.

Post Dinner Analysis

These were a tasty little snack. I wouldn’t consider this a full dinner but the kids seemed to enjoy the ones I made with pepperoni.

Freezer Friendly

Freeze after cooking.

Meat it Up

Add pepperoni.

Vegan Option

Use vegan cheese.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Meatless Monday: Spinach Puffs is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

• 1 Eggplant
• 1 cup Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese (Of course, I like using my Ninja Chopper to grate mine easily and quickly! We’ve said GOODbye to the fake parmesan forever!)
• 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups Spaghetti or Marina Sauce

Slice eggplant 1/4″. I leave my eggplant unpeeled. Layer eggplant  in 8.5″ x 11″ dish. Then layer half of the parmesan cheese, half the mozzarella, and half the sauce. Repeat. Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

Serves 4 .

Post Dinner Analysis

Great recipe for eggplant during the summer season.

Freezer Friendly

Freeze before or after cooking.

Meat it Up

Add sausage.

Vegan Option

Use vegan cheese.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Meatless Monday: Eggplant Parmesan is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

Spinach and Tomato Pizza

Ingredients

• Spinach
• Roma Tomatoes, sliced
• Vidalia or yellow onions
• Alfredo Sauce
• Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese (Of course, I like using my Ninja Chopper to grate mine easily and quickly! We’ve said GOODbye to the fake parmesan forever!)
• Pizza Dough (I used Meijer Organics pre-made for convenience)

Brush a little olive oil on the dough. Coat with alfredo sauce. Top with spinach, roma tomatoes, onions, mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan-Romano Cheese.

Cook until cheese is melted.

Serves 4 .

Post Dinner Analysis

This is my favorite pizza. Use leftover alfredo and vegetables to utilize those leftovers.

Freezer Friendly

Freeze before cooking.

Meat it Up

Add chicken.

Vegan Option

Use vegan cheese.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Meatless Monday: Spinach & Tomato Pizza is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Meatless Monday (Tuesdays edition!) ;)

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

This recipe is inspired by one I found on the Philadelphia Cooking Creme package. I omitted the meat & green peppers, added black beans and tomatoes w/green chilies. This was as tasty as some of the Southwest Pastas we have had in restaurants so we were very pleased with the result!

You will see I’ve added in the cost I paid for each item in the ingredient list. Sometimes I know these costs and sometimes I don’t but all of these items were recent purchases. I’m excited that the total cost of this meal is just a fraction of what you would pay at a sit down restaurant for one entree! It was a super quick and easy meal to prepare.

Southwest Pasta Skillet

Continue reading: Meatless Monday: Southwest Pasta Skillet

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

Lime Ginger Rice w/Vegetables

The entire secret to this simple recipe is School House Kitchen Ginger Lime Vinaigrette. I’ve tried both varieties of Vinaigrettes from School House Kitchen and love the taste of both.

This is so simple, it’s ridiculous. Steamed riced, steamed vegetables (broccoli & cauliflower), a little bit of shredded cheese, topped with School House Kitchen Ginger Lime Vinaigrette. All to your own taste. Just a little of this tasty dressing/marinade goes a long way. I also marinated Tofu later in the week and used it in a similar recipe.

After I took the picture, I piled on more broccoli and cauliflower…following the food people’s advice to get at least half a plate of veggies at every meal! :)

Post Dinner Analysis

Delicious and simple. I’m going to make sure I always have a bottle School House Kitchen Ginger Lime Vinaigrette on hand for a super quick and easy dinner! Plus, this meal was very filling. I did add a little bit of silken tofu the next time I made this just to get a little extra protein in my meal.

I was introduced to School House Kitchen from one of the Daily Deal Sites. I’ve seen other events and they do have some items listed on Abe’s Market as well as just ordering from their own website.

Freezer Friendly

Not sure about this. What do you think?

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Meatless Monday: Ginger Lime Rice w/Vegetables is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

Black Bean Burger Salad

What do you do when you have extra black beans? Make Black Bean Burgers. You can see my original version here. I made these again recently and I thought we didn’t have any prepared bread crumbs so instead I used panko, which I was pleased to see when I finally found my bread crumbs at the back of the pantry that the panko had less calories. They Black Bean Burgers tasted just as good with the panko.

We also didn’t have any celery so I left that out too. You can adjust this recipe very easily to fit your own dietary needs or what is in your pantry/fridge.

I cook a batch of Black Bean Burgers at one time so I can use them later. It makes a quick lunch or dinner for me. I do like the frozen Morningstar Black Bean burgers but the homemade ones are much more filling and hearty. Plus, it is much more economical when you make them yourself.

Sometimes I want to skip the bread for obvious calorie count reasons. So I will eat a salad like the one pictured below. I used Romano lettuce, added a bit of fresh spinach leaves, leftover pico, salsa, a sprinkle of cheese, and a cut up Black Bean Burger. This was a super tasty and filling lunch.

One thing you may have noticed in the Black Bean Burger is the egg ingredient. I’m not vegan but I don’t eat eggs plain. I will eat them if they are cooked thoroughly into something and I can’t taste it at all like brownies, cakes, cookies, etc. ;)  In this recipe, I can’t taste the egg so I’m good to go and I leave it in there just because I know I need the health benefits from the egg. As long as I don’t taste it in there, I’m leaving it in. Egg substitutes are costly so I just don’t even want to go there.

Post Dinner Analysis

Delicious! :)

Freezer Friendly

Cook Black Bean Burgers in a batch and freeze for easy cooking at a later date.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Meatless Monday Lunch Idea: Black Bean Burger Salad is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

Spinach and Basil Calzones

Ingredients

• Ingredients on the Whole Wheat Dough List
• Tomato Sauce or Pizza Sauce (I used a jar sauce we had that I believe was 6 cheese)
• Spinach Leaves
• Basil Leaves – FRESH!
• Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• Pampered Chef Garlic Infused Canola Oil (Optional – you can just use olive oil if you would like!)
• Parmesan-Romano Cheese

I’ve purposely left out quantities on this recipe because I have no clue how much I used as I made a “mix” of meat filled calzones and vegetarian ones.

First, I love to use my Ninja chopper to make freshly grated Parmesan-Romano Cheese. I buy this by the block, chop it in the chopper and then store in the refrigerator in a container. Sofia says this is the best! It is so much better than the fake parmesan blend you can buy that sits at room temperature in the stores! ;)

Make your Whole Wheat Dough. I made mine the previous day, stored in the fridge until the next night when I was ready to use. Roll out the dough using a rolling pin coated with a sprinkle or two of flour. You will have to experiment on the size you want your dough. It really helps to roll it out as thin as you can.

Put some sauce to your taste on the rolled out dough, add a few spinach leaves and 2-3 basil leaves, and mozzarella cheese. Fold up into a calzone…I basically roll it like a burrito. Sometimes they don’t end up that great looking but they are still tasty! The main issue is you don’t want them overflowing.

Use a pastry brush to apply the canola oil. Sprinkle a bit of the Parmesan-Romano cheese. Cook at 375 for 10-15 minutes.

Serves: Varies.

Post Dinner Analysis

I only made myself one vegetarian calzone and I totally regretted it. I can’t wait to make this recipe again as it was filling and delicious. I love spinach and fresh basil leaves are a new favorite of mine. This recipe was great.

Freezer Friendly

After cooking flash freeze several on a baking sheet. Then you can store in your freeze in a gallon ziploc bag. Warm up in the oven or microwave.

Meat it Up

The kids (except Eli) enjoyed the meaty versions I made of this. Basically, I omitted the basil and spinach and added pepperoni.

Vegan Option

Use vegan cheese.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com. They offer a free starter kit.

Meatless Monday: Spinach and Basil Calzones is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

The following is a guest post from my cousin, Erin Scott. This is a family favorite recipe and was a favorite of mine before I went vegetarian. I do mine a little different as I leave out the onion and butter in our recipe and usually don’t even follow a specific recipe but combine the ingredients until it looks right!  I also use my Ninja chopper to combine the swiss cheese and ham to make the sandwich mixture instead of leaving it in slices.

Here is an easy, but oh-so-yummy, recipe. These sandwiches are a must at many of my husband’s family gatherings and so easy to make.

Baked Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients

• Diced onion
• ¼ C butter
• 2 Tbls yellow mustard
• Buns
• Sliced swiss cheese
• sliced ham

Combine onion, butter, and mustard. Spread on top half of buns. Add cheese and ham. Wrap sandwich in aluminum foil. Bake on 350 for 10-15 minutes.

I recently included this recipe in a cookbook that I gave my co-workers for Christmas and one of them sent me a message on Facebook a couple of day later:

“Hey Erin, I made your ham and cheese recipe from our cookbook and Brent was so funny, “Oh my gosh.., these are freakin’ awesome,… why haven’t you made these before?” I laughed so hard. If wrapping a sandwich in foil and baking it 15 mins. not dirtying a single dish (paper plate) makes him that happy, good for me. Thanks!!”

Of course you can use whatever meat is your fridge like turkey, a different cheese, or a different kind of mustard – just make sure you mix the butter, mustard, and onion prior to placing on the sandwiches and wrap the foil tight! Enjoy!

The ideas and opinions in this blog are those of Erin Scott. It was written as a guest blog for Bargain Briana. Erin Scott resides in Daleville, IN. She is Wife to Corey, Mom to Jack & Ben, and a Dental Hygienist. Erin is very active in her community. She loves reading and traveling. Her favorite vacation destination is Disney World and loves to plan her trips there as well as everyone else’s trips to the Happiest Place on Earth. She is always looking to use her creativity in different adventures and venues – Check out her jewelry blog Let’s Bead This.

Recipe: Baked Ham and Swiss Sandwich is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

I made my own homemade Whole Wheat Dough for calzones or pizzas. Eli refused to eat it because it looked nasty. You know it is just horrible if we eat something that looks healthy around here! The other kids didn’t complain and had no issues with the Whole Wheat Flour. Eli will probably try it eventually and tell me like he always does, “Mom, you were right, this IS good.”

One of my goals this year is to cook from scratch more often with healthy and organic ingredients. As much as the budget allows and as long as I can keep the kid grumbling to a minimum. Though, Sofia was introduced to the Two Bite Club at preschool, which she is very serious about…as long as she doesn’t have to try guacamole!

So back to the Whole Wheat Flour….

Why Whole Wheat Flour? It’s healthier and all that stuff. ;) Basically, you don’t lose the good stuff from processing. It is also a good source of calcium, iron, and fiber. Just google it and you will find all sorts of good things that Whole Wheat does for you.

Here’s my recipe for Whole Wheat Calzone/Pizza Crust

Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Then add the salt, sugar, oil, and flour. Mix and form it into a ball. You can store in your fridge if you aren’t ready to use right away. I made my dough the day before we used it. I’ll share my recipe for my vegetarian calzones pockets in a upcoming edition of Meatless Monday.

Whole Wheat Dough Recipe for Calzones/Pizza Crust is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

Black Bean Vegetarian Chili

(This picture really doesn’t display the deliciousness that is this recipe!)

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup peppers, chopped (I used a prepared onion/pepper mix from the deli because I was short on time! The pepper mix had red and green peppers)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tablespoons Chili Powder, Hot Mexican Style
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 28 ounce Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 4 ounce can chopped green chilies, undrained
• 3 cups black beans
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• salt to taste
• red pepper to taste
• serrano pepper (optional)
• jalapeno pepper (optional)

I know this looks like quite a few ingredients but most you probably already have in your cabinet!

I use dried black beans so I first cooked those in the slow cooker. I just fill it with water about twice the amount of the bean. I added cumin, one serrano pepper, and one jalapeno pepper. Cooked until they were done. I didn’t drain when I added to the mix below because I didn’t want to lose out on any of the jalapeno peppers or serrano peppers. Making black beans from dried beans is much more economical, healthy, and tastier too!  My friend, Cherie, was the one who told me how easy it was and now it’s hard for me to go back to the canned version.

Heat the oil. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic. Cook until soft. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon. I really liked the taste of the Hot Mexican Style Chili Powder from McCormick’s. Bryan picked that up at the grocery store. We go through chili powder like crazy around here. It’s one spice, I need to get at the warehouse store.

Next stir in the tomatoes, water, green chilies. Bring to boil. Then add your black beans, sugar, salt, and red pepper. Return to a boil. Cook for an additional 30-35 minutes at a low heat setting.

Serves 4 – 6.

Post Dinner Analysis

I loved this recipe! I will be making it again. The cinnamon gives this spicy dish a sweet flavor. I topped with a little bit of mexican style cheese and tortilla chip strips.

I made this a second time this past week with a little different variations…I  left out the chilis, onions, and peppers. Added in a leftover salsa and mushrooms! Bryan said he thinks this is his favorite chili recipe that I have made! :)

Freezer Friendly

Freeze in lunch size portions for a easy take to work lunch.

Meat it Up

Add chicken or ground beef. You could also add some type of fake ground beef if you want that consistency.

Vegan Option

This is vegan and vegetarian friendly!

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com. They will send you a free starter kit! :)

Meatless Monday: Black Bean Vegetarian Chili is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

This is a new feature to help those of you who shop at Meijer plan meals based on the sales ad. (It will normally be posted on Sunday or Monday so you will have plenty of time to shop!) This is put together by Amanda, who does the coupon matches for Meijer for the site each week.

These meal ideas come from the Meijer Sale ad for the week of 1/23 – 1/29 or 1/27 – 2/2 and all are easily created for less than $10 for an entire meal. You may have to adjust based on the size of your household or size of appetites!

Ravioli for 4

• 1 bag Meijer Frozen Ravioli (Meat or Cheese) – $3.00
• 1 jar Meijer Pasta Sauce – $.99
• 1 bag Dole Salad Blend – $2.50
• 1 Meijer Applesauce 4-pack – $.99
• 1 Loaf All Natural Italian Bread – $1.50

On top of the stove, bring a large pan of water to boil, and then add bag of Meijer Frozen Ravioli to water. Cook according to time on package. When cooked, drain and add 1 jar of Meijer Pasta Sauce. Heat for about 10 minutes, or until sauce begins to bubble.
For a complete meal, serve with a bag of Dole Salad Blend, Meijer Applesauce Singles and All Natural Italian Bread from the Meijer Deli.

Total Time: Less than 40 minutes
Total Cost: Less than $9.00

• Ground Beef Stroganoff
• 1 lb. Angus Ground Beef from Chuck – $1.99
• 1 can Meijer Cream Mushroom Soup – $.50
• 1 can Meijer Cream Chicken Soup – $.50
• 1 can Meijer Mushrooms – $.99
• 16 oz Meijer Sour Cream – $.99
• 1 bag Meijer Egg Noodles – $1.99
• 1 bunch Broccoli – $1.68
• 1 can Meijer Pineapple – $.99

On top the stove, brown Angus Ground Beef from Chuck and then drain the grease. While browning the ground beef, on top the stove, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 1 bag of No Yolks Egg Noodles to the water and cook according to the package. Drain when thoroughly cooked. Add 1 can Meijer Cream of Mushroom Soup and 1 can Meijer Cream of Chicken Soup to the ground beef. Also add 1 can Meijer Mushrooms. Stir together and cook for 7 – 10 minutes. Add 1/2 of 16 oz. container Meijer Sour Cream to the beef mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes. Use Stroganoff sauce over the noodles. For a complete meal, serve with a side of Steamed Broccoli and Meijer canned Pineapple.

Total Time: Less than 40 minutes
Total Cost: Less than $10.00

Wiener Winks & Fries

• 2 packs Bar S Franks – $2.00
• 2 packs Pillsbury Crescent Rolls – $3.00
• $1/2 Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls
• $0.50/2 Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls
• Kraft Singles – $2.99
• $1/1 Kraft 2% Singles (IE) Printable (FF)
• 1 bag Meijer Fries – $2.00
• 1 bag Meijer Frozen or Steamable Vegetable of your choice – $.99

Pre-heat oven to temperature on Pillsbury Crescent Roll package. On a cookie sheet roll out crescent roll dough and separate into the 8 pre-scored portions. Place 1/2 to 1 slice of Kraft Singles Cheese on each piece of dough. Open the Bar S Franks and wrap each frank with the crescent roll dough and cheese covering. Heat in the oven for the amount of time on the crescent roll package. While cooking the Wiener Winks, you can bake your fries in the oven or put them in the deep fryer. For a complete meal, serve with 1 bag of Meijer Frozen or Steamable Vegetable of your choice.

Total Time: Less than 45 minutes
Total Cost: Less than $10.00

Eggs & Sausage

• 1 dozen Meijer Eggs – $1.19
• 1 pack Meijer Sausage Patties – $2.39
• 1 pack Pillsbury Sweet Rolls – $1.50
• 1 lb Meijer Red or Green Seedless Grapes – $.99
• 1 carton Meijer Premium Refrigerated Orange Juice – $2.39

Pre-heat the oven to the temperature on the Pillsbury Sweet Roll package. Place sweet rolls in pan, and cook accordint to time on package. On top the stove, fry Meijer Sausage Patties. Prepare the Meijer eggs the way your family likes them best, for example, fried sunny side up or scrambled. Rinse theMeijer Seedless Grapes and serve with the eggs, sausage and sweet rolls. For a complete meal, serve with Meijer Premium Orange Juice.

Total Time: Less than 30 minutes
Total Cost: Less than $10.00

This Week’s Desert Ideas

• 1/2 Gallon Meijer Ice Cream – $2.50
• Betty Crocker Brownie, Muffin, Cake or Quick Bread Mix – $1.68
  • $0.50/1 Betty Crocker or Fiber One Muffin Mix 12/5/2010 GM Insert (exp 1/29/2011)
• Betty Crocker Cookie Mix or Frosting – $1.50
  • $1/2 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix
  • $0.40/1 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix
  • $0.40/1 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix

Leave me a comment with any other meal ideas you have for this week’s Meijer sales ad!

Meals Made Easy (Based on Meijer Sale Ad 1/23) is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

Tofu Tomato Basil Penne Pasta

Ingredients

• 16 oz package Penne Pasta
• 3-5 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
• 5-7 Basil Leaves
• 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
• 8 oz Italian Cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan, freshly grated
• 12 oz package of silken tofu, diced

Dice the tofu. I like silken tofu because the texture isn’t as spongey as some of the other varieties. It really just blends right into this recipe. Tofu doesn’t really have any taste but I add it for the protein and texture. I marinated the Tofu for a couple of hours in a vinaigrette dressing we had in the fridge. Then I warmed it on the skillet in olive oil for around 10 minutes.

Chop your tomatoes and basil leaves. Fresh basil is the ONLY way to go in this recipe. Cook penne pasta per the instruction. Mix the tomatoes, basil leaves, balsamic vinaigrette dressing, cooked tofu, cooked pasta, along with half your Italian cheese. Place in a 9″ x 11″ dish. Top with the remaining cheese and freshly grated parmesan. I use my Ninja chopper to make freshly grated Romano Parmesan available for us all the time. Sofia says it is the best!

Cook at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until done.

This paired perfectly with a fresh Romano salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

This will be several meals for me!

Serves 4 – 6.

Post Dinner Analysis

I love this recipe! Super light and tasty dinner. Hannah, my oldest daughter, asked me to make this again even with the Tofu in it. You can’t really taste the tofu but I was still surprised she liked it.

Freezer Friendly

Tofu isn’t freezer friendly but you could freeze everything and add the tofu when you are ready to eat.

Meat it Up

Use chicken instead of Tofu.

Vegan Option

Use Vegan cheese.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Meatless Monday: Tofu Tomato Basil Penne Pasta is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

TABASCO® Original Red was introduced in 1968 and is the most popular sauce made by Tabasco created to enhance the flavor of food. It is just a simple combination of salt, red pepper, and vinegar aged to perfection to bring out the best in your foods. Add heat and enhance your food!

You can do all of this for just ZERO calories in one teaspoon. So if you are committed to watching your caloric intake this year without sacrificing flavor, TABASCO® Original Red is an item you should add as a staple in your pantry.

With the big game coming up soon to finish off the football season, many of you may be planning your Game-Day Party Menu. Original red would be a great addition to many of your favorite recipes including Pizza Perfected, which is not something I would normally think of to add Tabasco to!

Here’s a recipe my family enjoyed using TABASCO® Original Red which I call Buffalo Chicken Lasagna.

• 1 – 1.5 lbs of Cooked Chicken, cubed
• 32 oz. Tomato and Basil Tomato Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons TABASCO® Original Red
• 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 egg
• 15 oz Cottage or Ricotta Cheese
• 12 lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 16 oz. Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 8 oz. Blue Cheese Crumbles

Combine chicken, pasta sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, water, garlic powder in a large bowl. Mix together beaten egg and cottage/ricotta cheese in a separate bowl. Spread a cup of the sauce mixture in the bottom of a lightly greased baking dish. Layer with lasagna noodles, cottage/ricotta cheese, half of the cheese, and sauce. Repeat. Cover pan and bake for an hour or until bubbly. Top with the blue cheese crumbles and cook for another 5-7 minutes uncovered.

Serve with a dinner salad for a complete meal.

The TABASCO® Original Red sauce gives this just the kick it needs!

Tabasco Original Red Sauce Review + Buffalo Chicken Lasagna Recipe is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

This is a new feature to help those of you who shop at Meijer plan meals based on the sales ad. (It will normally be posted on Sunday or Monday so you will have plenty of time to shop!) This is put together by Amanda, who does the coupon matches for Meijer for the site each week.  Eli, my youngest son, has been requesting tuna casserole and this is one of the recipes on this week’s list!

These meal ideas come from the Meijer Sale ad for the week of 1/16 – 1/22 (or 1/20 – 1/26) and all are easily created for less than $10 for an entire meal. You may have to adjust based on the size of your household or size of appetites!

Stove Top Tuna Caserole

• 1 pouch Starkist Tuna – 20% Off
  • $1/2 Starkist Tuna Pouch Meijer MealBox (exp 2/11/2011)
  • $0.50/1 Starkist All You Feb 2011 (exp 3/31/2011)
• 2 boxes Kraft Macaroni & Cheese – $1.68/ each
• 1 bag Freshlike Frozen Peas – $1.00
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken Soup (any brand)
  • $1/4 Campbell’s Condensed Soups
• Dole Fruit Bowls – $2.00
  • $1.50/4 Dole Fruit Bowls, Gels or Parfaits

Instructions:

Bring water to a boil as insrtucted on the boxed macaroni & cheese. Pour in the macaroni and the frozen peas to boil at the same time. When fully cooked, prepare the macaroni & cheese as instucted on the box, leaving the peas in the macaroni. Stir in the tuna and the cream of mushroom/chicken soup. Heat for about 5 minutes. Serve with a side of fruit, such as Dole Fruit Bowls.

Total Time: Less than 30 minutes
Final Price: Less than $10.00

Chicken Parmesan

• 1 bag Tyson Frozen Breaded Chicken Patties – $3.99
• 1 jar Prego Pasta Sauce – $1.68
  • $1/2 Prego Pasta Sauce Meijer MealBox (exp 1/28/2011) Stack with
  • $0.35/2 Prego Pasta Sauce 1/2/2011 SS Insert (exp 3/31/2011)
• 1 bag Sargento Shredded Italian Cheese – $2.00
• 1 box Mueller’s Pasta

Instructions:
Preheat oven to temperature instructed on the Tyson Chicken package. On top of the stove, bring water for the spaghetti to a boil. Place spaghetti noodles in the water and cook as directed by the package. Cook chicken patties for 1/2 of the alotted time. Drain the noodles and place them in a 9″ by 13″ baking dish. Place the half-baked chicken patties on top of the pasta. Pour 1 jar of Prego sauce over the top of the chicken. Bake for 15 minutes. Spread 1 bag of Sargento Shredded Italian Cheese over the top and bake for 5-10 more minutes. Serve with a side salad such as Dole’s Salad Blends – $1.50 this week.

Total Time: Less than 45 minutes
Final Price: Less than $10.00

Fish ‘n Chips

• 1 box Van de Kamps Fish Sticks or Filets – $3.99
• 1 bag Lay’s Potato Chips – B1G1
• 1 can Bush’s Baked Beans – $1.25
• 1 bag Freshlike Frozen Vegetable of your choice – $1.00
• 1 jar Mott’s Applesauce – $1.68
  • $1/2 Mott’s Applesauce or Apple Juice Meijer MealBox (exp 2/11/2011)

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven and cook fish according to the package. While the fish is baking, heat the Freshlike vegetables and the Bush’s Baked Beans. Serve the fish with chips, baked beans, vegetable and a side of Mott’s Applesauce.

Total Time: Less than 45 minutes
Final Price: Less than $10.00

Leave me a comment with any other meal ideas you have for this week’s Meijer sales ad!

Meals Made Easy (Based on Meijer Sale Ad) is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

Spinach & Mushroom Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1 package Sliced Mushrooms, fresh
• Olive Oil
• 2 Cloves Minced Garlic
• 1 package frozen Spinach, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
• 1 Cup Cottage
• 8 oz. Monterey Jack, shredded
• Corn Tortillas
• Green Enchilada Sauce (I like La Victoria’s)

Saute the mushrooms  in olive oil for 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic. Stir in spinach and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the sour cream, cottage cheese, and a handful or so of Monterey Jack cheese.

Warm corn tortillas in a skillet for 15-20 seconds. Add spinach/mushroom mixture and spoon into corn tortillas. Cover the corn tortillas with enchilada sauce. You can use red sauce. I like the green sauce even though it looks disgusting! :)

Top with the remainder of the cheese. Cook at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Serves 3-4.

Post Dinner Analysis

This was a decent meal or 3 meals as it turned out for me! I’m not a huge cottage cheese fan but I’m trying to expand my horizons. Of course, since it was green, no one else really wanted to try it. Lucky for them, I made them a chicken enchilada batch with their favorite red sauce.

Freezer Friendly

Freeze before cooking.

Meat it Up

Add chicken.

Vegan Option

Use Vegan cheese.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Meatless Monday: Spinach and Mushroom Enchiladas is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

Spinach Mozzarella Croissants

Ingredients

• 1 Package Refrigerated Croissants
• Fresh Spinach
• Mozzarella Cheese (Slices are easiest)
• Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese (Of course, I like using my Ninja Chopper to grate mine easily and quickly! We’ve said GOODbye to the fake parmesan forever!)

Place a slice of mozzarella cheese on one wedge of croissant.

Place a few pieces of spinach on top of the mozzarella.

Sprinkle with the freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese.

Roll the crossants from the point to the wide portion.

Cook at 350 degrees for around 8-10 minutes…until cheese is melted and croissants are cooked thoroughly.

These make a great party favor too!

Post Dinner Analysis

I love these. I could eat these a couple nights a week.

Freezer Friendly

Cook and then put in a freezer bag for easy freezing. Reheat in microwave or warm up in oven.

Meat it Up

The kids prefer when I substitute the spinach for pepperoni.

Vegan Option

Use vegan cheese.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Meatless Monday: Spinach Mozzarella Croissants is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Meatless Mondays is a weekly feature which will showcase some of my hits and probably misses with living a meatless life. Many of you know I stopped eating meat about a year ago for personal reasons. While, I haven’t had any desire to go back to eating meat, it has been a struggle to find healthy foods to eat.

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients

• 4 – Tomatoes (or 1 can of tomatoes)
• 4 cups – Tomato Juice
• 15 Leaves – Fresh Basil
• 8 oz – Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1/2 cup – Butter
• Salt & Pepper

Serves: 4 – 6

Simmer tomatoes and tomato juice for 30-40 minutes in a pot. I used my favorite tool – the Ninja chopper to puree the tomato mix and the basil leaves. Then if you are like me and realize your whipping cream is out of date and stinky you make a trip to the grocery store, run into every family member and several friends, and finally make it back home to finish your dinner.

Two hours later….(not really!)

You will then put the mixture back in the pot and stir in the heavy cream and butter. Don’t use margarine – only the good stuff will do in this recipe. Season to taste with salt and pepper. I like using my pepper grinder. Heat until butter is melted.

Post Dinner Analysis

The soup was a hit. It was just as good as any tomato basil soup I’ve had in a restaurant. The key is the heavy whipping cream and butter.

Freezer Friendly

I think these would freeze well in lunch size portions. Leave room at the top of the container for expansion when it freezes.

Meat it Up

I’d leave the meat out of this one! However, you could use this as a appetizer or side dish instead of the main entree.

Vegan Option

You could substitute vegan products for the butter and heavy whipping cream but I don’t think you would get the same creamy taste.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Meatless Monday: Tomato Basil Soup is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

The following is a guest post from Leslie at Whisper Wife.

This is my husbands favorite comfort food recipe. It’s called Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie. I make it quite often. It’s simple, quick and oh so cheesy! Fall is the perfect time to pull out all those yummy comfy recipes that have been put away all summer because it’s just too hot. I hope you try it at your home! Here’s what you need:

Ingredients

• 2-9 inch pie crusts
• 2 cans cream of potato soup
• 2 c. cooked chicken, cubed
• 15 oz can mixed vegetables (I use frozen), drained
• 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Line ungreased 9″ deep dish pie plate with one crust. Set aside. Mix soup, chicken, vegetables, and cheese together. Spoon into pie crust. Top with remaining crust, seal and flute edges. Cut vents in top, bake at 350 degrees for an hour.

I hope you enjoy our favorite cozy weather food as much as we do!

My name is Leslie, and I live in Upstate NY with my husband and three children.  I start each day with one goal:  to make my house a wonderful place to come home to. I love to share my successes and failures with others.  That’s how “Love Alone” came about.

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

First you will need the Cut n Seal from Pampered Chef. You can usually find these on Ebay or Amazon.

The Cut n Seal from Pampered Chef allows me to make our own crust free sandwiches. The kid’s favorite is peanut butter with jelly but you can use this tool to make any type of sandwich. It makes it a little more fun for the little ones and you can freeze these and use as needed! Stock up on bread when at a low price and make a batch of these to save time and money.

To save time, I like to go ahead and make up enough sandwiches and “sides” for the week. Then the kids can pick and choose which items they want for the day, which allows them a little control over their lunches. Items not needing refrigerated such as crackers, chips, snack cookies can be pre-bagged by you for your own convenience.

You can even save your crusts for toppings in casseroles or make your own croutons if you cut them just right!

How to Make Your Own UnCrustables Sandwiches is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

I told you about the $0.55/1 Morton’s Salt Printable coupon a few weeks back. Now I’m going to tell you about one of my favorite ways to use Morton’s Season All Salt especially on these hot summer days. It’s so simple, yet so refreshing!

Seasoned Cucumbers

• Cucumbers
• Morton’s All Season Salt

I peel the cucumbers and then use my Pampered Chef tool to slice the cucumbers. I don’t know what this tool is called and I use it for multiple things but I really like to use it to make my cucumbers pretty. I have had it for years now.

When you slice the cucumbers, it makes a pretty design. For some reason, I think it make them taste better too.

Then just sprinkle some Morton’s Season All Spice.

There you have it. You then have a quick treat. This is especially good if you are craving something salty but don’t really feel like you should open up that bag of chips.

You can also check out these Grilled Potato recipe from Marcy at Stretching a Buck. These look easy and tasty too!

I’m also in the process right now of making my favorite Corn Crockpot recipe and trying out the Season All Salt in lieu of salt/pepper. I’ll let you know how that goes!

This giveaway was sponsored by Collective Bias as part of a Morton’s campaign . Post was written 100% by me and was not edited by the sponsor. Read more on my Disclosure Policy.

Quick and Easy Treat with Morton’s All Season Salt is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Mission Foods. All opinions are 100% mine.

I was excited to discover that Mission Tortillas has website called Mission Menus, which has numerous budget-friendly meals for $10. I love quick and easy meals and if its a budget friendly meal, even better. Exploring the site will give you some inspiration and ideas for your own $10 meal.

Beginning June 28, 2010, Mission Foods is kicking off the summer with the Mission Menus Challenge. Mission Foods along with Chef Sara Moulton are encouraging you to submit your budget-friendly recipe for a chance to complete in a cook-off in Los Angeles and win a $10,000 dream kitchen makeover as well as weekly prizes. $10,000 for a dream kitchen sounds pretty dreamy to me. Submit your original Mission Flour Tortilla recipe which would feed a family of 5 for $10 or less by August 9, 2010 to be eligible!

Mission Flour Tortillas are available in 3 sizes: small (6″), medium (8″), and large (10″) and are sold in major grocery stores around the country. They contain 0 grams of Trans fat per serving and are cholesterol free.  Mission Tortillas are a kid favorite in our household and there are so many uses for tortillas!

My favorite way to use Mission Flour Tortillas is quesadillas. Quesadillas are so versatile and can be adjusted for each household member’s specific preferences. You know in a family of six, everyone has their own taste preferences. Some want it meaty, some don’t. Others want to exclude the onions and peppers, others love them. Many just like cheese quesadillas.

Are you up to the challenge? Here’s a little recipe I created with ingredients I already had on hand.

::Black Bean & Peppers Quesadillas

Ingredients

• Olive Oil
• Orange, Red, Yellow Pepper Mix
• Yellow Onion
• Chopped Cherry Tomatoes
• Salsa
• Mexican Cheese
• Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• Mission Flour Tortillas

First I start out by sautéing chopped peppers and onions in a small amount of olive oil. I used orange, red, and yellow peppers, which are my favorite.

Add the pepper/onion mix, chopped cherry tomatoes, and Mexican cheese to your Mission Flour Tortilla.

Add the black beans and a small amount of salsa.

Fire up the Panini maker. You can also just cook in a pan obviously. I love my little sandwich maker for projects like this because it flattens it, which helps to keep all the goodies inside the tortilla.

Cook until cheese melts and it is a little brown.

Enjoy! I think I overfilled mine a bit but it was still very tasty!

What would you create with Mission Flour Tortillas?

Mission Menus Challenge: Black Bean & Peppers Quesadillas is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week? There is a movement called MeatlessMonday.com where you can learn more!

Black Bean Lime Tostados

Ingredients

Cilantro Lime Rice

• white rice, cooked
• cilantro
• 1 lime

Tostados

• corn tortillas
• 1 can black beans, drained
• cilantro, chopped
• diced tomatoes
• shredded mexican cheese
• shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

First prepare white rice according to instructions. I used a leftover batch of rice. Add fresh cilantro and squeeze a lime to taste.

Next you will spray the corn tortillas on both sides with cooking spray. Cook for around 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven.

Start adding your goodies! I used my Pampered Chef scoop to add the rice and beans.

Top with a bit of cheese.

Cook until cheese is melted. Remove from oven. Add tomatoes, sprinkle with cilantro, and add a bit more cheese if you wish.

Post Dinner Analysis

Top with hot sauce or salsa! This recipe doesn’t have a ton of flavor and is a bit bland by itself. I used my favorite salsa Mama Rosarita’s Salsa Verde, which is a medium salsa but really taste like a hot salsa to me.

I offered to top this off with diced chicken or cooked taco meat but Bryan said he would eat it just like it was. He agreed with me about topping it with a salsa. I personally like this because it is so quick and easy to make and you can use whatever ingredients are in your refrigerator. For example, I whipped up a couple of these as a quick dinner for myself one night and added the fresh guacamole, which was in my fridge.

Freezer Friendly

I’m not sure if this is freezer friendly. Any thoughts?

Meat it Up

If you are a meatarian, you can top with diced chicken or used leftover taco meat.

Vegan Option

Use vegan cheese.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Meatless Monday: Black Bean Lime Tostados is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week? There is a movement called MeatlessMonday.com where you can learn more!

Southwest Black Bean Pizza

Ingredients

• Pizza Crust
• 1 can of black beans, drained
• 1/4 c. salsa
• onions
• peppers (I used orange, yellow, and red)
• shredded Mexican Cheese (any variety you like)
• cilantro (optional)

This recipe is so easy and very versatile.

Slice the onions and peppers. Sautee.

While the onion/pepper mix is cooking, combine the beans and around a 1/4 cup of salsa in a blender or food processor. Of course, I used my favorite tool – the Ninja. Add salsa until it is the consistency of regular pizza sauce.  I used Rosarita Salsa Verde, which I had leftover from a previous review.

Start with a crust base. Any type will do. I tried this with thin and thick and loved both versions. I buy the pizza crusts at Meijer based on a recommendation from my friend Cherie (Queen of Free). Having these on hand makes it quick and easy for us to throw together a homemade pizza of any sorts. My oldest son is quite the dough maker. When we have more time, he is very good at helping make the pizza dough.

Spread the bean mixture on the crust like you would normally.

Add your toppings. (Chop if you would like for easier eating!)

Top with cheese. I used Kraft Authentic Mexican Style cheese which must be a limited edition and it isn’t showing up on their website but it is a blend of queso quesadilla asadero and manchego cheeses. If you are looking for that authentic Mexican style cheese, this is what you want.

Sprinkle a little cilantro.

Cook at 375 degrees until the cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Post Dinner Analysis

I based this recipe on my friend Kelly, Faithful Provisions, Black Bean Pizza recipe. I love this recipe. It combines my two favorite loves – Mexican and pizza into one tidy dish. What I love about this recipe is its versatility. Use whatever items you have in your fridge! I just happened to have a pepper mix (red, orange, yellow) and cilantro in our fridge. You could also chop up tomatoes and put them on top to suit your tastes.

Freezer Friendly

Freeze the ingredients separately or assemble the pizza and freeze for an easy dinner.

Meat it Up

If you are a meatarian, you can top with diced chicken.

Vegan Option

Use vegan cheese.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Meatless Monday: Southwest Black Bean Pizza is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week? There is a movement called MeatlessMonday.com where you can learn more about this once a week challenge!

Cinnamon Apples with Rice

Ingredients

• 2-3 apples
• 1/4 onion, chopped (optional)
• 1 lemon or 2 T. lemon juice
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• white rice (I use minute rice for quick preparation!)
• broccoli or asparagus as a side dish

Chop your apples and onions (optional).

Add the lemon juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Mix it up.

Place in microwave container with the rice ingredients (per box). Cook as directed.

While this is cooking, prepare your side dishes. In the picture above, I trimmed the asparagus and simply sauteed with olive oil in a pan. For broccoli, I chop it and steam it.

Serves 4 – 6.

Post Dinner Analysis

In our household, if it has onions, nobody else is going to touch it. So it is all me. This is a tasty, quick meal, which can be made when apples on are on sale. It is a light dinner or lunch. You would think this would be super sweet dish but once cooked, it is the perfect mix of sweetness.

Freezer Friendly

I’m not sure. Readers, do you think this is freezer friendly?

Meat it Up

This same topping can also be used on pork tenderloins, pork chops, or chicken to meat it up!

Vegan Option

This should be vegan friendly.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Meatless Monday: Cinnamon Apples with Rice is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week? There is a movement called MeatlessMonday.com where you can learn more about the one day a week challenge!

Spinach Polenta Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 jar marinara sauce
• 1 bunch of spinach, chopped
• 16 oz. ricotta cheese
• 1 cup Italian cheese (or mozzarella)
• 1 package polenta mix (you can also buy prepackaged)
• Olive oil (optional)
• parmesan cheese, freshly grated (optional)

This first step will vary depending on whether you purchased mix or ready made polenta. Follow the directions on the mix or cut into slices.

Layer on the bottom of the pan. I rubbed a little bit of olive oil on top and sprinkled a bit of freshly grated parmesan cheese on top.

Then you will want to add a layer of marinara sauce. Then half of the ricotta cheese. Top with spinach.

Repeat layers and then top with cheese.

Cook on 375 for 20-30 minutes. I cooked until the sauce was bubbly.

Serves 6

Post Dinner Analysis

It wasn’t popular in our household. The reason, the texture of the polenta. My daughter thought it was too spongy. Bryan said he could hardly stand to eat that part of it. I didn’t mind the polenta but it was a different texture. They would prefer me to use noodles. However, I think maybe our polenta layer was too thick. So if I was to make it again, I would probably use half the amount of polenta I used in this recipe.

I also based my recipe on this Pesto Spinach Lasagna from Kohler Created. After I started this, I realized I didn’t pick up pesto at the store. I usually forgot at least one key ingredient. The taste may have been different had we had this ingredient. However, I don’t think it would have changed the texture of the polenta.

Freezer Friendly

Freeze this meal before cooking or after cooking (reheat) for a easy weeknight dinner.

Meat it Up

Add sausage to meat this recipe up.

Vegan Option

Use vegan cheese.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

This recipe was inspired by Kohler Created’s Pesto Spinach Polenta. Her pictures are much prettier than mine!

Meatless Monday: Spinach Polenta Lasagna is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

BJs Wholesale is the only wholesale club that accepts paper and printable manufacturer’s coupons along with their own store coupons, which you can find at online at BJs.com. Here’s what is cool, if BJs sells the item in a 3 pack, you can actually use 3 coupons – one for each individual item! Warehouse shopping just got much better in my eyes. It is just too bad we don’t have a BJs Wholesale in my area.

If you have a BJs Wholesale location nearby, print out this FREE 60 Day Saving Pass and be sure to activate it by 7/15/2010. This would be a FREE way to try out BJs Wholesale and see how much you can save!

In an effort to help families save more money, BJs has developed several recipes to help families save.  Here’s a recipe BJs Wholesale shared with me:

Photo Courtsey of BJs Wholesale

Tortellini Salad

Recipe courtesy of BJ’s Wholesale Club

With grilling season approaching, this salad is a light alternative to heavy, mayo-laden pasta side dishes.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Dijon Vinaigrette (recipe below) or similar bottled dressing
1 lb. frozen Mama’s Home Style 5-Cheese Tortellini
2½ cups Fresh Broccoli, chopped
3 medium Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 Green Onion, chopped

1. Cook pasta until almost al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add broccoli to pot with pasta and cook just until pasta is al dente, about 1 minute more. Drain immediately.
2. Rinse pasta and broccoli in very cold water until completely cooled. Drain thoroughly.
3. Combine pasta and broccoli with rest of vegetables in large bowl.
4. Prepare vinaigrette according to recipe. Add to pasta and vegetables, reserving 1/ 3 cup. Toss to coat.
5. Chill overnight.
6. Bring to room temperature before serving and drizzle with reserved vinaigrette.

Would you like to win a $45 Giftcard to BJs Wholesale? BJs Wholesale has offered one lucky Bargain Briana a $45 Giftcard. This is going to be a fun one as you will find in the instructions below.

Entry Methods

Prize: $45 BJs Giftcard

How: The reader whose guess comes closest to the amount it costs per serving to make the Tortellini Salad I posted above when you shop at BJs Wholesale without going over will win. If multiple readers guess the correct amount, the first one to guess would be declared the winner.

You can enter up to 3 times with the following methods:

1.  Leave your guess as a comment on this blog post!

2. You can also leave a comment on this Facebook post (Must be the one for BJs Wholesale or it won’t be counter) on my Facebook Fan Page with your guess.

3. Send me a tweet on Twitter @BargainBriana with your guess use #bjswholesalefreepass along with your tweet so I can track it.

Please leave a comment for each additional entry. Ends around 3/30/2010 at 11:59 EST. Be sure bargainbriana@gmail.com is in your safe sender list as you don’t want to miss the email if you are the chosen winner. If winner doesn’t respond to my email within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen. U.S. Entries only.

Want to win more? Enter to win the rest of my current giveaways!

This giveaway was sponsored by BJs Wholesale. Post was written 100% by me and was not edited by the sponsor. Read more on my Disclosure Policy.

NOW CLOSED: BJs Wholesale: FREE 60 Day Pass + $45 Giftcard Giveaway is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week? There is a movement called MeatlessMonday.com where you can learn more!

Southwest Black Bean Burgers w/Guacamole Topping

Ingredients

Black Bean Burgers

• olive oil
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 15 oz. can of black beas
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp. Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime (or any Mexican flavored spice!)
• 1/2 c. breadcups, plain
• salt/pepper

Guacamole

• 2 Avocados, ripe
• 1 red onion
• 1 lime
• 1 chili pepper
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro
• salt/pepper

I start with the black bean burgers. (Peek a boo on the Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats in the background.)

I use my Ninja Kitchen (of course) to dice my onions and celery stalk. I’ve heard the Magic Bullet works nice too but I don’t have one of those so you will only hear me talking about my Ninja.

Saute the onions, celery, and garlic in olive oil (or butter or vegetable oil.) I use what I have on hand.

Drain and rinse your black beans.

Mash the black beans. I use a potato masher but you could use a spoon or a fork. (Peek a boo Blistex.)

Then add a lightly beaten egg, bread crumbs, and your celery/onion mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. I still will eat eggs cooked in products. This particular egg was a farm fresh egg from my lovely aunt & uncle. (Thanks, Jane & Scott!) If you don’t eat eggs, you can use a substitute. Stir until mixed.
.

Form into patties.

Place on a baking sheet and cook at 375 degrees for around 10 minutes on each side.

While these are in the oven, you can whip you some fresh guacamole.

The chili pepper is not pictured because I forgot to grab one at the store. I was looking at them and then completely forgot. I did remember the lime this time and that made a huge difference.

You will want to remove the stems from the cilantro. Then finely chop. I used the Ninja to shave time. Chop the pepper and the red onion (I only use half a red onion.) I learned how to properly cut my avocado from Erin at $5 Dollar Dinners.

Once you have the prep work done. Mash the avocado, add the chopped ingredients, squeeze the lime into the mixture, and  finish with salt/pepper to taste.

Serves 4 – 6.

Post Dinner Analysis

It’s a hit! This Southwest Black Bean Burger recipe has completely replaced my previous frozen option. They are so simple to make and are very tasty. I do want to experiment and try a black bean rice burger at some point.

The guacamole is simple with a whole bunch of flavor. Once you eat this, you will not be able to go back to the seasoning packets for guacamole. Bryan and my oldest daughter prefer the Guacamole without the onions.  Of course, the little ones as a rule won’t touch anything that is green. I, on the other hand, will eat this guacamole straight out of the bowl.

In the completed meal pictured, I didn’t eat this as a traditional sandwich. I simply topped a large baking potato with goodies and then mixed the black bean burger topped with guacamole.

Freezer Friendly

Batch cook the Southwest Black Bean Burgers for easy meals. Top on salads or potatoes instead of your usual meat. Sorry but everything I’m reading on guacamole is it can not be frozen. This has to be made fresh, which is probably why it is so yummy.

Meat it Up

I can’t think of a option to add meat on this. Unless you want to add a strip of bacon to the burger. <giggle>

Vegan Option

Use an egg substitute to make this a vegan recipe.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

Meatless Monday: Southwest Black Bean Burgers w/Guacamole Topping is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Everywhere you go, meat is the main dish. Since I was new to this lifestyle, it led me to eating unhealthy options. I’m on a path now to cook healthier options at home without meat. While going meatless is a personal choice for me, you can still save money by having one meatless meal a week.

Will you join me on this journey by preparing one meatless dish every week?

Vegetarian Cheddar Broccoli Soup

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/4 c. flour
• 32 oz. vegetable stock
• 1 head of broccoli
• 1 1/2 c. milk
• 2 c. shredded sharp cheddar
• croutons

Melt the butter.

Since we are multi-tasking moms, while the butter is melting, diced your onions. I use my Ninja Kitchen to dice mine because I use it for everything.

Cook for a few minutes until soft. If your family hates onions, like mine, this may be where you want to set aside the onions and add in the bowls individually.

Then add the flour.

It will be pasty.

Then whisk in the broth. I used vegetable broth but it would probably have more flavor if you use chicken broth. Use whatever you feel comfortable with. Plus, chicken broth is cheaper.

Bring it to a boil and then add the broccoli. You will want to stir it often so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Don’t try to multitask right now. I’m kind of talking to myself there because often I leave things on the stove and go to check my email, skype, or my website and forget about my food until it is burning or overflowing.

There is no exact timing here but it is done when the broccoli is soft. Then you will puree the broccoli mixture. I use my Ninja Kitchen and can do it all in one batch.

Once all is pureed, you will put it back in the saucepan. Add the milk and half the cheese. Cook until warm.

Top with croutons & cheese. Yummy.

Serves 4 – 6.

Post Dinner Analysis

My daughter and I both enjoyed this soup. The little ones won’t eat anything with green in it. Bryan thought it was “ok.” I think he would have liked it better with chicken broth for a bit more of a meaty flavor.

I made this both ways, once with the onions in it so they were diced up nice and smooth and another time with the onions on the side. I prefer the chunky onions on the side (like pictured at the top) in the soup. If you don’t like onions at all, just leave them out.

Freezer Friendly

I will be making this one often and freezing single serving portions for easy lunches. Pair with a salad or a sandwich for a complete meal.

Meat it Up

Top with ham or bacon.

Vegan Option

Use soy milk and vegan cheese.

If you have any questions about the vegetarian lifestyle, you can read more about it at GoVeg.com.

**This recipe has been adapted from the All You Eat Well, Save Big Cookbook.

Meatless Monday: Vegetarian Cheddar Broccoli Soup is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Photo by gozalewis

This is a guest post from Sarah, who blogs at The Frontier Kitchen. Sarah loves to experiment in the kitchen to create delicious recipes and shares them on her blog. You will be delighted to know that many of the recipes are very frugal!

I’m delighted that Briana asked me to do a guest post on here! It’s always so fun to see what deals Briana finds for her readers.

First off, I wanted to share with y’all some simple tips to follow for saving money at the grocery store.

• Use coupons. If you’ve been a frequent reader of Briana’s I’m sure you’re probably rolling your beautiful eyes and saying “duh!” because she is so great at encouraging people to use coupons with her posts. Need convincing? When I use grocery coupons, I typically save 50% – 80% on my grocery bill!

• Shop Weekly Sales. Chances are your life is a busy one. If so, you might find yourself without the time to clip coupons for a week or two, you can still save tons of money at the grocery store just by buying the fruits, vegetables, breads and meats that are on sale. Then, plan out your dinners for the week using the sale items for the bulk of your meals.

• Never overpay for meat. Grocery stores generally have better prices on meat than superstore chains like SuperTarget and Walmart. Wondering what a good price on meat is?

Boneless skinless chicken breast: $1.99/lb. or less.
Bone-in chicken: $0.99/lb. or less.
Beef Roasts: $2.99/lb. or less. I generally pay $1.99/lb. for mine but I do live in an area flowing with cattle so prices in your area may be higher.
Ground Beef: $1.99/lb. or less.
Fresh Fish: 4.99/lb. or less.
Steaks: 5.99/lb. or less.

All of these meats freeze beautifully so you can buy in bulk and freeze whatever you won’t use within 3 days.

Another one of the best ways to save money on meals is by making food from scratch. Now, I know quite a few of you are probably thinking to yourself “But I’m busy and don’t have time to make things from scratch!” I hear you, I really do.

What if I was to give you a recipe that was not only simple but also only took about 5 minutes longer to make fresh with quality ingredients instead of buying it pre-packaged  and loaded with ingredients created in a lab? Well, get ready, because this biscuit recipe will be restaurant quality, easy, money saving AND ready in 15-20 minutes. Once you try these biscuits, you’ll never go back to the pop-can variety again.

{Grandma’s Biscuits}

Makes 10-12 biscuits

• 2 c. flour ($0.20) Bought flour on sale for $1
• 2 tbsp. sugar (0.05)
• 1 tsp. salt (0.01)
• 4 tsp. baking powder (approx. $0.05)
• ½ tsp. cream of tartar (approx. $0.05)
• ½ c. cold butter ($0.25) Used a coupon when butter was on sale for 1.99, bringing the price down to just $0.99!
• 1 c. cold milk ($0.15)

Stir together dry ingredients. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in milk and stir quickly to combine.

On a well floured surface, knead the dough by folding it in half, pressing it out slightly and repeating those two steps until the dough holds together, about 2-3 kneading repetitions. I usually sprinkle 1/8 c. flour onto the counter, place the dough down and then sprinkle another 1/8 c. flour on top before kneading.

Press out until ½” thick, cut into 2” rounds using a cookie cutter or even a drinking glass. Place on an oiled baking sheet, close together for softer sides and about 2” apart for crispier sides.

Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom.

Total Cost: $0.76 for 12 biscuits! You would easily pay 3 – 4 times as much for just 8 biscuits in a can!

Bargain Briana here: I think I could probably handle these biscuits, even with my time schedule! What about you? Do you cook from scratch instead of buying prepackaged to save money?

Make from Scratch: Grandma’s Biscuits is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!

Sara Lee and Hillshire Farms have always been family favorites in our household. They offer a wide variety of high quality meats, cheeses, and breads. They have joined together to create a website to help you with your holiday festivities called Tasty Holidays.

Tasty Holidays has many recipes and tips to help make you family holiday special. In addition, submit pictures or write an entry telling how Sara Lee and Hillshire Farms have made your holiday special at Tasty Holidays and you can be the winner of a $500 Walmart Gift Card.

Recently, I gave you ideas on Hillshire Farm Holiday Recipes. Now I have some recipe ideas which use Sara Lee products – great recipe ideas for holiday leftovers.

Sandwich Ideas

• Turkey + melted Sara Lee Swiss Cheese + bacon & avocado
• Turkey + mustard + Sara Lee Muenster Cheese + 2 Tablespoons Cole Slaw
  
• 3 Cheese Grilled Cheese: Sara Lee Muenster Cheese, Swiss Cheese, and Colby Jack + Lettuce + Tomato **My Favorite!
  

Sara Lee offers breads, buns, and rolls with rich and flavorful varieties, including:

• 100% Multigrain Bread
• 100% Wheat With Honey Bread
• Home-Style Buttermilk Made with Whole Grain Bread
• Country White Made with Whole Grain Bread
• Sunflower Seed Bread
• Sesame Seed Hamburger Buns
• Corn Dusted Kaiser Rolls Made with Whole Grain

And many more!

This post is sponsored by Tasty Holidays. Post was written 100% by me and was not edited by the sponsor. Read more on my Disclosure Policy.

Holiday Leftover Sandwich Ideas is a post from BargainBriana. Check out this online and in-store Black Friday Deals!