Some Food and Stuff

My original plan for this post was to keep a food diary for a week to share with you, the reader. I've been planning out meals pretty well lately (for the most part) and I know some of my just-getting-started friends might like to know some handy, easy recipes that I'm currently making.

Plus, Mama always seems to be asking what I've been making lately... :)

*Quick Side Note*

If you haven't tried meal planning, you REALLY should. Take the 20 minutes you would have spent on Facebook after dinner and just get on it! You'll be glad you did. The evening becomes to much easier when you don't have to come up with a grand idea for dinner, or ponder if you actually have all the ingredients to make it. The biggest bonus, however, is how much you'll save on groceries. If you start planning your meals, you'll buy less and waste less at the same time!

*Back to the main feature...*

Without further ado, here are just a few things I've made lately (in no particular order):

Grilled Ham Steak and Sweet Peppers

I bought the ham steak to make a ham and cheese frittata, but when we got our new grill, Hubby was ready and rearing to test it out. The grill we got was very small, but perfect for the two of us.

Adam wrapped mesquite chips in foil and set it on top of the burner. This gave the ham and peppers a rich, smoky flavor. The flames came up and charred it just a little on the edges, crisping the skin on the outside, and bringing out the juicy flavors inside. Ham steak is something that I never ate growing up, but it makes for a cheap meal for two. The steak is less than $5, and makes up a filling meal when matched with the peppers. We're definitely going to try this one again!

Chili and Cornbread Muffins

I absolutely LOVE my crockpot. Since we often go home on our lunch break, I can throw everything together on lunch and it's ready when we come home! This is a pretty basic chili recipe, so it doesn't take very long to put together. I brown the ground beef and onions, pour in some kidney beans, tomatoes, etc. throw in a generous amount of spices and it's done. I make the cornbread from scratch as well, since we already have most of the ingredients sitting in our cupboard. This meal was awesome because it was easy, cheap, and tasty!

*To make this even easier I use a crock pot liner. They ca usually be found in the grocery store with the plastic baggies, plastic wrap, etc.

Chicken Salad on a Kaiser Bun 

Believe it or not, this sandwich was a result of left-overs. The night before I was feeling particularly lazy, and bought some fried chicken and potato salad for dinner from the grocery store. The amount that they give you is enough for 4 people, so I took the other 2 peoples' worth of chicken and made chicken salad! I shredded up the chicken, cut up some celery, added some mayo, spices, and viola! Lunch! Pair it with some chips and a kosher dill pickle, and you've got yourself and easy, tasty meal.

Buffalo Chicken Breast and Colby Jack Cheese on an Everything Bagel

Buffalo chicken breast was on sale at the deli this week, so I made sure to pick some up. This sandwich features a veggie cream cheese spread, along with the chicken and Colby Jack cheese. I was able to throw this together with things we already had in the fridge, and it was especially yummy!

Adam's Awesome Breakfast Bowl

This is pretty much my favorite breakfast ever. Actually, it's my favorite thing that Hubby makes for us, period. The delicious, slightly greasy bowl of heaven before you is a mix of fried potatoes, eggs, bacon, cheese, salsa, cilantro, mushrooms, peppers, and other various things we have sitting around. This bowl makes for a great brunch item on those Sundays or Saturdays when we have time to cook. 

Black and Bleu Burgers

Every time we go to Applebee's, I open up the menu, and Adam laughs at me. Instantly, I know why. He's laughing because I may be looking at the menu, but he knows that I know what I want-

a black and bleu burger.

Ah yes, the black and bleu. The tang of the bleu cheese coupled with grilled onions, chipotle mayo, and salty bacon on a grilled bun is plain irresistible. I like these so much that Hubby found a copycat recipe and made it for me. It was just as good as it is at Applebee's! Although these burgers weren't cheap to make, they were an awesome splurge item, and we'll definitely have them again sometime.

So there you have it. Just a few of the meals we've been making on the cheap. What are some favorite meals of yours to make that are inexpensive? Any fun finds that have become staples? I'm always looking for new ideas, and I'm sure everyone else would love to know too!