Feast for a Fraction

budget meals

Tater Tot Casserole (Make-Ahead Freezer Meal)

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Tater Tot Casserole (or Hotdish in the North) can be assembled and frozen for the perfect freezer meal. It can even be baked from frozen when you’re ready to eat.

collage of tater tot casserole freezer meal with title text

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Tater Tot Casserole is exactly what it sounds like. (Although in parts of the country it is called “Hotdish.”) Ground meat, frozen vegetables and a sauce mixed into a delicious, easy casserole and topped with frozen tater tots. It is filling and a complete meal in one plate. And to make it even better, you can make one or two at a time and package them up as freezer meals or bake right away.

Components of Tater Tot Casserole

Most “complete meal” casseroles start with some kind of ground meat. Sure, you can use diced chicken breast, but the quintessential casserole uses ground beef or ground turkey. These are interchangeable in my opinion, so use what you have on hand.

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Ground Chicken Salisbury Steak

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chicken salisbury steak patties on white platter with gravy

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Salisbury Steak gets a much needed upgrade with this Ground Chicken Salisbury Steak with homemade mushroom gravy. You’ll never go back to the freezer dinner version after this!

Not only is this recipe easy to make, it has way more flavor than the microwavable version ever could. Onions, garlic and parsley are mixed with the ground chicken to make a deliciously savory Salisbury steak.

Then, everything is cooked in one skillet and the flavors build as you brown the steaks, saute the mushrooms and onions and make a quick brown gravy with the pan drippings.

  • ground chicken in white bowl with seasoning and egg
  • chicken patty in bowl of flour on stone counter
  • chicken salisbury steak patties cooking in cast iron skillet
  • sliced onions and chopped mushrooms in cast iron skillet
  • butter and flour cooking in cast iron skillet
  • gravy in cast iron skillet

Ingredients

When it comes to ground chicken, I recommend a mixture of light and dark meat. The dark meat has more flavor and helps keep the ground meat moist. If you are watching calories or cholesterol, feel free to use 100% white meat ground chicken

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Easy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

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collage of instant pot chicken dishes with title text "Easy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes"

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Instant Pots, or electric pressure cookers, are the greatest kitchen appliance since the stand mixer. Yes, people have been pressure cooking for years, but the ease of use and safety features of an electric pressure cooker make it SO much easier to use and less scary than the traditional pressure cooker.

A dish that would have taken an hour in the oven to bake can now be cooked in 15 minutes in the Instant Pot. These Easy Instant Pot Chicken recipes will make it so easy for you to get dinner on the table quickly so that you don’t have to spend all night in the kitchen.

Tips for Cooking Chicken in Instant Pot

  • Make sure to ALWAYS have the equivalent of at least one cup of liquid. This will keep you from getting the dreaded “Burn” screen.
  • Don’t overfill your Instant Pot. Things like rice or beans will absorb all of the liquid and expand. Pay close attention to the “Max Fill” line on the inside of your Instant Pot insert.
  • Make sure to “Natural” pressure release for at least 5-10 minutes on all meat recipes. Releasing the pressure quickly will make the meat tougher. Giving the pot a chance to release the pressure naturally and slowly will allow the meat to remain tender.
  • Use the “Saute” button to reduce your cooking liquid for a delicious sauce. After you’ve cooked your meal and removed the meat and/or vegetables, press the “saute” button and bring the liquid to a boil. Make a corn starch slurry by mixing a tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and pour it into your liquid. Stir it and let the sauce boil for at least a minute for the cornstarch to thicken. You’ll have a delicious sauce to go with your meal.

For more tips, check out this article.

Tips for Freezer Meal Prep

  • These Freezer Containers are my absolute favorite for Instant Pot freezer meal prep. They are the perfect size to fit right in the 6 qt pot insert, so you don’t even have to thaw the freezer meal before cooking!
  • Help make your freezer meal prep go even faster by cutting up all of each item at one time. If you need diced chicken in multiple recipes, go ahead and dice up all the chicken you will need. This is the same for any vegetables, beans or grain needed, too.
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Slow Cooker Irish Chili

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white bowl containing irish chili on a white plate with crackers

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When we’re in the thick of winter, there is nothing more satisfying and soul-warming than a big bowl of chili! Give me the option to cook it in the slow cooker and you’re got a dish after my own heart. This Irish Chili combines the smoky flavor of traditional chili with dark Irish beer to give it a heft that deepens the flavor. You’ll definitely want to add this recipe for Slow Cooker Irish Chili to your monthly meal plan.

chopped peppers, black beans, ground beef, crushed tomatoes, and chopped celery in slow cooker

Start by browning the ground beef in a skillet. Then, transfer the meat, any pan dripping and ALL other ingredients to your slow cooker. Set it on Low and slow cook for 6-8 hours. That’s it!

overhead of irish chili in white bowl with bottle of Guinness beer

The Irish beer add a richness and bitter notes that are mellowed during the cooking process. You won’t taste beer when it’s done. You’ll taste a rich chili packed with smoky flavor.

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Homemade BBQ Sauce

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homemade bbq sauce in white bowl with pink trim on marble counter with title text "homemade bbq sauce"

Homemade BBQ sauce is one of the easiest condiments to make at home. In fact, my daughter whipped up this batch and loved helping in the kitchen.

Making BBQ sauce and other pantry staples at home allows you to control the ingredients AND it usually winds up saving you money! This BBQ sauce recipe consists of ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, mustard powder and salt and pepper. The best part: it really is as simple as dumping all the ingredients in a bowl and stir it up.

homemade bbq sauce ingredients in clear glass bowl with child's hand adding tablespoon of paprika
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Budget-Friendly Game Day Appetizers

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images of budget-friendly appetizers round-up with title text "Budget-Friendly Game Day Appetizers"

Hosting a Super Bowl party doesn’t have to break the bank. These budget-friendly Game Day appetizers will feed a crowd and save you enough to splurge on fancy beer. 😉

From homemade crackers, chicken flautas, and allergy-friendly bagel bites to dips and crock pot appetizers, we’ve got a range of recipes for whatever you’re craving and they’ll fit any budget.

How to Plan for a Game Day Party

When hosting any kind of party, it is important to know about how many people you are expecting. This way, you can plan your food budget to make sure that you don’t spend an arm and a leg feeding everyone.

The trick for calculating appetizers for any party is:

  • 1-2 pieces per person per hour bite size snacks
  • 1-2 ounces of dip per person
  • 1-2 drinks per person per hour (this could be one beer, one glass of wine, one can of soda or one bottle of water)

How to Keep it Budget-Friendly

For parties where you won’t have a sit-down meal, one of the best ideas for keeping food costs low is to make your own veggie and cheese tray.

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Southern Pimento Cheese

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southern pimento cheese spread in a white bowl sitting on a white platter with carrots and celery

Southern Pimento Cheese has been a staple in my house my whole life. My dad grew up in Texas and has been putting his own spin on this simple dish for as long as I can remember.

Some will argue that Pimento (or Pimiento, they’re both acceptable and mean the same thing) Cheese should contain cream cheese, but I disagree. The simple, affordable ingredients really do allow for the flavors of each component to come through.

Ingredients

Sharp Cheddar Cheese: It is really important to shred the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in a powder to prevent it from clumping, and it really affects the flavor. Take the time to shred it either by using a box grater or a food processor. I call for Sharp Cheddar because you want cheese with a lot of flavor, but Extra Sharp is too overpowering.

Diced Pimientos: These will come in a jar and be in the pickle/olive section of your grocery store. If you can’t find diced, you can get a jar of whole or sliced and chop them yourself.

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Easy Holiday Appetizers on a Budget

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collage of appetizers with headline text "easy holiday appetizers on a budget"

The holidays can be a stressful time between gifts and attending parties. Check out my tips for keeping it simple during this busy holiday season and check out the compilation of appetizer recipes below. These easy holiday appetizers come together quickly, will be a crowd-please, and they are affordable for any budget.

Tips for Easy Appetizer Prep

It’s important to set yourself up for success when you know you’re entering a busy time of year. When planning what to bring to a family gathering or holiday party, think of items that can be made days in advance. You can get the prep out of the way so that it comes together very easily the night of your event.

If you’re headed to a brunch, try my Everything Bagel and Lox Spread. It can be made up to two days in advance. I serve it with “bread sliced” bagels when I’m really trying to impress. 😉

Don’t be afraid to take some help from the store. Prepared pie crust or puff pastry is the perfect shortcut for easy appetizers that will still look amazing. Canned beans will blend up easily for a delicious, homemade dip or hummus.

The slow cooker is your best friend. I don’t know how many times I’ve thrown a package of Lil’ Smokies in the slow cooker with a bottle of barbecue sauce and a little grape jelly. It is the easiest appetizer and it is always a hit. Meatballs, chicken wings, spinach dip… These all would work wonderfully in the slow cooker.

For even more tips, check out this article from Taste of Home.

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Classic Corn Casserole

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ingredients for corn casserole in a glass bowl with spoon with heading text "Classic Corn Casserole"

Corn casserole, corn pudding and spoon bread are all possible names for the same dish – Whole Corn, Creamed Corn, Sour Cream, Butter, Eggs and Jiffy Corn Muffin mix. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

The variations, though, come in your extra additions or subtle differences in the combination of ingredients. If you ask anyone on my mom’s side of the family, Corn Casserole consists of whole corn, creamed corn, butter, eggs and crushed up saltine crackers. It’s a perfectly acceptable interpretation of corn casserole, but I very much prefer corn muffin mix to the saltine crackers.

Ask someone else and they’ll tell you that corn casserole should have chopped jalapenos and shredded cheese mixed in. Again, a perfectly delicious option.

That is the beauty of this dish. You have a basic, fool-proof recipe in which you can customize to your heart’s desire.

Corn Casserole Variations

  • Add 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice to the batter. Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded cheese on top. Bake as usual.
  • Mix in one drained can of diced green chilies before baking.
  • Amp up the sweetness by added 1/4 cup sugar to the batter.
  • Add 1/4-1/2 cup crumbled bacon to the batter.
  • Do any combination of the above for an even more interesting interpretation.
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Instant Pot Apple Butter (with free printable canning label!)

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cutting board with burlap napkin with jar of apple butter and spoon

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When I think of fall flavors, I immediately think of the rich apple and cinnamon flavor of apple butter! Oddly enough, apple butter does not contain any actual butter. It is really just spiced applesauce that is cooked down to the point that all of flavors basically caramelize into a sweet, apple-y, cinnamon-y love in a jar.

The process to make apple butter is usually pretty time consuming if you make it on the stove or in the slow cooker. I’ve cut it down to a total time of 45 minutes by using the Instant Pot!

How to Make Apple Butter

By cooking in the Instant Pot, we cut down the time it takes to cook down the apples. To start, all you have to do is core and slice your apples. There is no need to peel them if you don’t want. I really like leaving on the peels because it is added nutrition and it helps deepen the color of the apple butter.

You can also use whatever apple variety you prefer or have on hand. I tend to go for the crunchy and super juicy varieties like Gala and Fuji. Go with apples that you enjoy to eat raw and you can’t go wrong.

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