As I shared earlier this week, we’ve tried out some incredibly yummy recipes with Hurst Family Harvest Beans.  This weekend we tried out their Tri Bean Soup Mix, and it was so good, the perfect to meal to come home to all cooked and ready to go on Sunday after church.   Right now you can get Hurst Family Beans at Publix for just $1.99, and they’re such a simple way to feed your family a healthy complete meal.

Take a minute to enter to win the $25 Publix Gift Card & Hurst Family Harvest Giveaway, and be sure to pick up a bag of Hurst Family Beans the next time you’re out and about to pop in your slow cooker.  (You’ll also want to try out this Hurst White Bean Chicken Chili  . . . delicious!)

Slow Cooked Ham & Bean Family Beans

Ingredients

1. 1 package Hurst Family Harvest Homestyle Tri Bean Soup Mix
2. 1 large onion
3. 2 cloves chopped garlic or 1 tsp. minced garlic
4. 1/2 cup diced ham
5. 1/2 tsp. salt
6. 1 tsp. mustard powder
7. 6 cups water

Directions

1. Rinse and sort through the beans and set aside Hurst Family Harvest seasoning packet.  Place beans into large pot and cover with two inches of water.
2. Soak beans overnight or for at least 5-6 hours.
3. Rinse beans and add to crockpot.  Then add onion, garlic, ham, salt, mustard powder & water.
4. Cook in slow cooker 4 hours on high or 7-8 on low.
5. Add seasoning packet, cook an additional fifteen minutes

Serve with . . .

Cornbread We used Krusteaz Cornbread mix which is on sale at Publix in the Yellow Advantage Buy Flier for just $1.50

Visit I Heart Publix for more coupon matchups, and check out $5 Dinner Mom for more bargain meal deals. If you need a little more menu inspiration, check out the Recipe Gallery, and you can also see more recipe ideas over on my Pinterest board! 

Interact with 7677+ Penny Pinchers on Facebook and Twitter or Subscribe to Passionate Penny Pincher by email to keep up with all the penny pinchin’ deals!

One of my favorite pasta meals ever is Stuffed Pasta Shells.  (Although, after trying out that Scooter’s Spaghetti Recipe a few weeks back I’m not quite sure that anything will quite live up to that one . . . mmmmmm. . .)  I was looking for a slightly lightened up version of our regular Stuffed Shells though, and this one hit the spot!  They’re simple to make, yummy, and if you’re a Publix shopper there are some great prices on these items this week.  (You’ll feed EIGHT people for just $8, including main dish, salad & bread . . .WOW!)

I love that the calories are right at 500 calories per serving.  Add a side salad to round out your meal without adding too many extra calories, or if your family loves Garlic Bread you can add a little Cole’s for just $.49 this week.  The best part is that your meal won’t taste at all lightened up or penny pinched!

Spinach Stuffed Shells with Marinara Sauce adapted from Macaroni & Cheesecake 

Ingredients – For the Shells

1. 12 oz Jumbo Shells Mueller’s Jumbo Shells BOGO $2.30
2. 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
3. 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper
4. 2 cups part skim ricotta cheese Sorrento Ricotta Cheese On Sale $3.50, use $1/1 Sorrento Ricotta Cheese, exp. 5/31/12 (SS 02/12/12)
5. 2 cups 2% milk reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded Kraft Shredded Cheese or Chunk Cheese BOGO $3.48, use $0.50/2 Kraft Natural Shredded Cheese Product printable stacked with $1/2 Kraft Cheese Item Target printable if considered  a competitor
6. 1 egg
7. 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and drained Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, 7 to 10 oz pkg (excluding Asparagus Cuts) – BOGO $1.99, use $0.60/3 Green Giant Frozen Boxed Vegetables, exp. 3/3/12 (GM 01/08/12)
8. 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Kraft Parmesan Cheese $3, Use $1/2 Kraft Cheese Item Target printable if considered a competitor
   stacked with $1/1, $0.55/1 Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese, exp. 3/15/12 (SS 02/12/12)

Ingredients – For the Sauce

1. 1 28 oz. can Spaghetti Sauce Bertolli Pasta BOGO $2.30, use $1.50/2 Bertolli Pasta Sauces Target printable if considered a competitor
2. 1 tbsp. Italian Seasoning

Directions

1. Boil water and cook shells according to package directions ~ about fifteen minutes.
2. Meanwhile, add spaghetti sauce & 1 tbsp. Italian Seasoning to sauce pan, simmer on low for about 10 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375.
3. While pasta & sauce are cooking, mix together ricotta, egg, spinach, mozzarella, Italian Seasoning, parmesan, & salt & pepper.
4. Once shells are cooked, you may rinse them in a little cold water to cool.  Cover bottom of baking dish lightly with pasta sauce mixture.
5. Stuff shells with cheese, then place in baking dish.  Add remaining pasta sauce, and bake, covered for 40 minutes.
6. Uncover and bake an additional 4 minutes.

Serve with . . .

Cole’s Garlic Bread BOGO $2.99 at Publix, use $.50/1 Coles Garlic Bread (must register)

Fresh Express Salad Blends BOGO $1.99 at Publix

Wish-Bone Dressing, 16 oz bottle BOGO $2.64, use $1.50/2 Wish-Bone Salad Dressings Target printable if considered a competitor, Stack with $0.65/2, $0.50/1, $0.70/1 Wish-Bone Dressing, exp. 2/26/12 (RP 01/29/12)

Visit I Heart Publix for more coupon matchups, and check out $5 Dinner Mom for more bargain meal deals. If you need a little more menu inspiration, check out the Recipe Gallery, and you can also see more recipe ideas over on my Pinterest board! 

Interact with 7674+ Penny Pinchers on Facebook and Twitter or Subscribe to Passionate Penny Pincher by email to keep up with all the penny pinchin’ deals!

  Enter to win one of five free Swiffer Dusters, and sign up for free emails for a chance to win a $50 Gift Card to your store of choice!

My neighbor Sarah makes this amazingly yummy cake that would be perfect as a special Valentine’s Day Treat (it’s sooooo good!)  It was actually one of my very first recipe posts way back in 2009, so the picture’s a little rough, but the recipe is a chocolate lover’s dream.  I’m planning to make it this year for Valentine’s Day at our house (and maybe I can update the picture then too!)

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake

Ingredients

1. 1 18.5 Devils Food Cake Mix Duncan Hines Cake Mix BOGO $1.82, use $.35/1 Duncan Hines Cake Mix 2/5/12 SS regional coupon, or use $1.50 any 2 Betty Crocker Super Moist cake mix 15.25 – 16.25 oz. or Ready to Spread frosting 12 – 16 oz. from Publix Yellow Advantage Buy Flier
2. 1 small instant chocolate pudding mix
3. 4 eggs
4. 1/2 cup oil
5. 1 cup sour cream
6. 1/2 c. warm water
7. 1 6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips $.50/2 Nestle Toll House Morsels

Directions

1. Grease bundt pan.
2. Beat first six ingredients for three minutes.
3. Add chocolate chips, beat 1 more minute.
4. Pour in bundt pan and bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes.

Frosting

Ingredients

1. 2 Tbsp. butter
2. 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
3. 2 c. powdered sugar
4. 3-4 Tbsp. water
5. 1 Tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Melt butter & chocolate.
2. Add sugar, vanilla and water.
3. If needed add more water to thin frosting. (Whisk the frosting if there are any lumps).
4. Drizzle over cake. Enjoy!

Interact with 7629+ Penny Pinchers on Facebook and Twitter or Subscribe to Passionate Penny Pincher by email to keep up with all the penny pinchin’ deals!

  Enter to win one of five free Swiffer Dusters, and sign up for free emails for a chance to win a $50 Gift Card to your store of choice!

I don’t consider myself much of a “real” cook.  If at all possible, I throw my ingredients in the crockpot in the morning, do a quick clean up of the kitchen, and let Mrs. Potts do the work all day.  However, when I saw this recipe for homemade Chicken Fried Chicken I knew it would make my southern-cookin’-loving hubby very happy.  So . . . I pulled on my apron and set to work.

The result?  Amazing.  It did take both my hubby and me almost a full thirty minutes to clean up after it was all done, but it was just delicious and he raved that it was the best chicken I’d made in almost sixteen years of marriage. Ever.  (And trust me, we’ve eaten a lot of chicken in these last sixteen years!)  So, while this one won’t be on the menu plan every week at our house, it sure was a fun treat. (And kept us eating at home on a Saturday night rather than spending $40 to feed our family of five Chicken Fried Chicken at Cracker Barrel!)

Wanna impress your southern-cookin’-loving hubby too (or just about anybody else?)  Here you go. . .

Southern Chicken Fried Chicken adapted from Mommys Kitchen ~ find detailed directions & pictures over HERE

Ingredients

1. 4 (6 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts Hopefully you have some in your freezer, or try Market Pantry Chicken 2.5 lb bag – $4.49 at Target (great price!)
2. 2 tsp. salt
3. 1 1/2 tsp. pepper
4. 1 sleeve saltine crackers Use $1/2 Nabisco Crackers or $1/2 Keebler Crackers or Sunshine Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers, exp. 3/25/12 (RP 01/29/12)
5. 1 cup flour
6. 1/2 tsp baking powder Use $0.30/1 Kingsford’s Corn Starch or Argo Baking Powder, exp. 4/15/12 (SS 11/06/11) or $0.30/1 Argo Baking Powder printable
7. 1/2 cup milk
8. 2 large egggs
9. oil

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts between thick plastic wrap and flatten to 1/4 inch thick (I had my hubby help with this one. . . we placed the chicken in large plastic ziploc bags, and rolled them out with a rolling pin.)
2. Sprinkle with half the salt and pepper, set aside.
3. Mix together the cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, remaining salt and pepper.
4. Whisk together 1 1/2 cups milk  & eggs.
5. Dredge chicken in cracker crumb mixture, then dip it in the milk mixture and back again in the cracker mixture one more time.
6. Add oil to 1/2 in 12″ skillet (we used our cast iron skillet).
7. Over medium high heat, fry the chicken in batches, about ten minutes, adding more oil as needed.
8. Turn and fry four or five more minutes, until nicely browned.
9. Place chicken on a wire rack on top of cookie sheet, and keep warm in 225 degree oven while remaining chicken is cooking.

If you’re a simply amazing cook, you can also try out this white country gravy.  It looks just amazing, but didn’t work out so well for us.   (Like I said at the beginning, I’m not always the most amazing cook and have just about given up making gravy!) So, if you’re like me pick up a packet of white gravy mix at the grocery store and your family will probably never know the difference.

Serve with  . . .

Mashed Potatoes Idaho Potatoes, 5 lb $2.99 at Publix or $2.49 at Kroger

Veggies hopefully you have some canned or frozen veggies in your stockpile this week, I don’t see a deal on these anywhere!

Gravy We love the Publix brand white gravy mix!

Simple 7 Up Biscuits (or pick up Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls On Sale $1.00 at Publix, use $0.50/2 Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls printable or $0.40/2 Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls from SS 12/04/11)

Interact with 7629+ Penny Pinchers on Facebook and Twitter or Subscribe to Passionate Penny Pincher by email to keep up with all the penny pinchin’ deals!

  Enter to win one of five free Swiffer Dusters, and sign up for free emails for a chance to win a $50 Gift Card to your store of choice!

Every Saturday for just about the last twelve years (at least when we haven’t had early morning ball games . . .) our family has made these Oh Boy Waffles. The recipe came from a 1969 Better Homes & Gardens cook book (you know, the one with the picnic table cover?), and undoubtedly our favorite Saturday morning treat.

This weekend, my (~very wise~) Sweet Caroline decided that we needed to fluff those waffles up a bit by adding some fresh strawberries. Then, she noticed a few chocolate chips lurking in the pantry, so she decided they’d be perfect to add to the batter as well.  The result? Heaven sent yumminess. (That girl knows a thing or two about her breakfast!)

Here’s how you can treat your family to special sweet treat this Valentine’s Day (or Valentine’s Day weekend . . .)

Oh Boy Waffles recipe adapted from BH&G Cookbook

Ingredients

1. 2 1/4 cup flour (the recipe originally called for 2 1/4 cups flour, but I usually add about 1/8 cup more to get the right consistency)
2. 4 teaspoons baking powder Use $0.30/1 Kingsford’s Corn Starch or Argo Baking Powder, exp. 4/15/12 (SS 11/06/11) or $0.30/1 Argo Baking Powder printable
3. 3/4 teaspoon salt
4. 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar Use $0.50/1 Imperial Granulated Sugar printable
5. 2 beaten eggs
6. 2 1/4 cups milk
7. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
8. 2 tablespoons semi-sweet morsels per waffle (optional) Use $0.50/2 Nestle Toll House Morsels printable
9. strawberries for topping (optional) On Sale $2.49 at Publix
10. syrup & powdered sugar for topping

Directions

1. Sift together dry ingredients (I just beat the dry ingredients together for a few seconds with a wire whisk to sift).
2. In seperate bowl mix together eggs, milk and vegetable oil.
3. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until well moistened (not too long).
4. Pour 1/2 cup waffle mix into preheated waffle iron.
5. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons chocolate chips over batter (optional)
6. Bake according to waffle iron directions.
7. Top with strawberries, powdered sugar & syrup (yummmm!)

I just took a picture of my pitiful copy of this recipe (it’s hung on the door of our spice cabinet in every home that we’ve lived in, so that I can always easily access it on those groggy Saturday mornings. . . )  My mother-in-law gave my husband the cookbook back in his bachelor days, and I got a kick looking through it this morning! 

You may know how near and dear homemaking is to my heart, so this just made my day!  I need to go check my newer BH&G cookbook and see if they still include it . . .

Looking for another sweet treat to impress your family with this Valentine’s Day? This Cherry Cheese Cobbler would be perfect because the Crescent Rolls are on sale at Publix (and just about everywhere!) this week! Yummmm……

Interact with 7629+ Penny Pinchers on Facebook and Twitter or Subscribe to Passionate Penny Pincher by email to keep up with all the penny pinchin’ deals!

We had a few (brief!) quieter weeknights throughout January where we actually ate some super yummy meals at home, but this week we’re back to way too many nights of busy activities for my kiddos!  So, as I was trying to figure out what on earth to make that would help us scoot out the door in a hurry, I was so excited to come up with this yummy sandwich.

It’s just a very basic grilled sandwich, but was so much better than a bowl of cereal on a busy night (which we’ve been known to have quite a few times as well!)  Here’s how to make this one if your family has a few crazy busy nights too . . .

Grilled Deli Sandwiches

Ingredients

1. 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
2. 1 medium sliced onion Sweet Onions on sale $.99 at Publix
3. 2 tablespoons olive oil Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil BOGO $7.99, use $1/1 Pompeian Olive Oil or OlivExtra Plus printable
   or $1/1 Pompeian Olive Oil, exp. 12/31/12 (RP 11/13/11)
4. 1 loaf Sourdough or Italian bread Sourdough Loaf on sale $3.99 at Kroger, or Italian Loaf should be around $1.99 at most stores
5. smoked turkey or ham (or some of each) Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Shaved Lunch Meats or Combo On Sale $3.33 at Publix, use B3G1 Free Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Meats Target Coupon if included in sale
6. Bacon, cooked Smithfield Bacon, Naturally Hickory Smoked: Regular or Thick-Sliced, or Lower Sodium Sliced On Sale $3.33 at Publix, use $1/2 Smithfield Regular or Thick Sliced Bacon @Publix, exp. 2/12/12 (SS 01/08/12 #2 R)
7. Swiss Cheese

Directions

1. Cook onion and mushrooms in olive oil in skillet until mushrooms are tender and onions are translucent.
2. Make sandwiches out of remaining ingredients, and coat outsides of bread with olive oil to grill.
3. Grill on skillet for 4-5 minutes per side.

Serve with . . .

• Lay’s Potato Chips BOGO $4.49 at Publix Use $0.55 off Lay’s Dip wyb Potato Chips, exp. 2/5/12 (SS 01/22/12 R) &
  $0.50/1 Lay’s Potato Chips, exp. 3/7/12 (Target, Super Strong Coupons Booklet) if considered a competitor
• Lay’s Dip On Sale $3.00 at Publix
• Publix Baby Cut Carrots, 16 oz bag – $1.29

Interact with 7551+ Penny Pinchers on Facebook and Twitter or Subscribe to Passionate Penny Pincher by email to keep up with all the penny pinchin’ deals!

Looking for a yummy treat to serve for Super Bowl Sunday?  This one was a big hit at our house . . .we even had a few friends come over to taste test it last night, and they all agreed it was delicious!  I love that you can pop it all in the crockpot a few hours before game time, and then it stays warm throughout the game in your slow cooker.  So, if you need a super easy recipe this Sunday, here you go!

Warm Chicken Nacho Dip adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients

1. 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers We used Rotel
2. 1 (1 pound) loaf processed cheese food (Velveeta) cubed
3. 2 large cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, shredded Whole Chicken on sale at Publix for $1.29 per pound, you can easily cook your whole chicken to have tons of meat to use in the slow cooker as well, or use boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale at Publix for $2.99/lb.
4. 1/3 cup sour cream Breakstone’s Sour Cream On Sale $1.50 at Publix
5. 1/4 cup diced green onion
6. 1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
7. 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper, or to taste (optional)
8. 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

Directions

1. Place first seven ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high 2 hours.  (If your slow cooker cooks very warm like mine does, you’ll want to watch it so that it doesn’t over heat. I had to turn mine down to low.)
2. Stir occasionally.
3. Add black beans.
4. Cook an additional 15 minutes.
5. Serve, & enjoy the game!

Interact with 7551+ Penny Pinchers on Facebook and Twitter or Subscribe to Passionate Penny Pincher by email to keep up with all the penny pinchin’ deals!

 Enter to win a $25 Publix Gift Card and sign up for PPP emails to get a $50 Gift Certificate to your favorite store!

I can’t even begin to tell you how delicious this “Scooter’s Spaghetti” that I found over on Salad in a Jar was for dinner tonight.   Here’s just a hint:  I don’t much like spaghetti (at all, really. . . ), but I’m pretty sure I could eat the entire. pan. all. by. my. self.  My hubby even proclaimed it “good-enough-to-take-to-a-pot-luck”.  (Which apparently means really, really, good at our house.)

Now, if you’re on a diet, do yourself a favor and don’t even think about making this recipe.  (I know – I hate that too, but no matter how solid your will power is you won’t be able to stop at one serving ~ you just won’t!)  Thanks to Scooter’s Spaghetti I’ll be scooting my way to the gym in the morning to work off what I ate, but goodness . . . every bite was sooooo good!

If you’re making supper for a new mom or someone who’s been a bit under the weather, this is just the perfect make-and-take recipe.  You can even make it ahead of time (minus the French’s onions), pop it in the freezer, and then bake when you’re ready to eat.  So, try it out and let me know what you think!

1. 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti hopefully in your stockpile!
2. 1 pound ground beef Ground Round On Sale at Publix, $3.99/lb
3. 1 large can spaghetti sauce (26.5 ounces) Ragu BOGO $2.20, Use $.50/1 Ragu pasta sauce 1/29/12 RP
4. 1 tablespoon butter
5. 1/2 cup chopped green peppers optional, we did not use them
6. 1/3 cup chopped onions Sweet Onions On Sale, 1.29/lb at Publix
7. 8 ounces softened cream cheese
8. 2 tablespoons milk
9. Fresh grated Parmesan cheese we substituted with mozzarella because I didn’t have any Fresh parmesan
10. French Fried Onions (small can) Use $.30/1 French Fried Onions

1. Cook spaghetti according to directions on the package. Cook to al dente, drain and set aside.
2. Brown ground beef, and drain grease.  Pour spaghetti sauce into ground beef and heat.
3. While spaghetti & ground beef are cooking, combine onions, peppers & butter in microwave save bowl.  Cover and heat on high for four minutes.
4. Add cream cheese and milk to microwaved onions & pepper mixture and stir (you may need to warm the cream cheese up a few seconds in the microwave to make it easy to mix together.)
5. In a 10×6 oval pyrex dish (or similar size), put a thin layer of the spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the dish.
6. Then add all the spaghetti noodles.
7. Next add cream cheese mixture, and then the spaghetti sauce.
8. Sprinkle parmesan cheese (or mozzarella) over the top of the casserole.  (I added about 3/4 cups of mozzarella, but I think fresh parmesan would ahve been fantastic!)
9. Bake at 350 for twenty five minutes. Add can of fried onions, and bake an additional five minutes (be careful not to let them burn!)
10. Garnish with grated parmesan. . . yummmmmmm!

Serve with . . .

• Publix Hearts of Romaine Salad, Spring Mix, American, European, or Italian Blend, or Caesar Salad Kit On Sale $2.00
• Garlic Bread Hopefully in your stockpile. . . my freezer is pretty stocked right now with Garlic Bread!

Interact with 7478+ Penny Pinchers on Facebook and Twitter or Subscribe to Passionate Penny Pincher by email to keep up with all the penny pinchin’ deals!