Dinner

This post is about to be all sorts of betty homemaker. Figuring out dinner first thing in the morning has been key for me. If I dont, it will eat at me all day and I am more likely to make a run to get fast food when dinner time comes around. So in an effort to save money I've been meal planning for the past couples months and have found some of our favorite recipes!  I go shopping every two weeks and plan about 5 meals every week.  (Sunday is spent with either family and Friday's are game days).  My fridge used to have so much un used junk in it before.   Now, at the end of two weeks it's completely bare and I've used everything I bought because I planned.  It was always hard to make sure I used everything espcially those items you can only buy in bulk.  If I buy a big pack of turkey bacon, before it would usually go to waste but now when I buy bacon it's usually in at least one meal a day whether it be chopped into bacon bits for baked potatoes, eggs and bacon, BLT's, or bacon cheesburgers. You get the idea.  I try and find a common denominator and use it multiple times.  I'll buy a huge baguette from the store and cut it in half for a meatball sub and then for the Roasted Red Pepper Sub (one of Dayton's favorites).  My mom, in the past, tried to have a Mexican, Italian, Asian, and American meal each night so it's always something different.  I try and have a new recipe at least once a week too.  If I'm not excited about what I'm making then I'm more likely to say "Let's just go to Cibo for dinner."

Meats can be tricky for me too.  We use chicken alot and unfortunately unless I can season canned chicken or disguise it somehow I have to use a chicken breast because the taste of canned chicken weirds me out.  I try and buy two meats every 2 weeks.  Tilapia usually lasts 2 months or so, so other than chicken I rotate between a roast, hambugers, and ground beef.  With ground beef, since I don't use it too often and it's just the two of use I split a pound and a half and then freeze them until I need it! Some recipes call for fancy cheese or homemade pizza crusts.  I usually just get generic cheese and the premade pizza crusts.  I have a budget and time constraints! I am, however somewhat picky on my sauces. I dont ever used prepared jarred pasta sauce or condensed soup. For pasta sauce it's usually just canned tomato sauce and my herb rack! I actually should really just link the entire Our Best Bites recipe index because that is my go to.  I don't post recipes if they aren't incredible so here are some of our favorites.

Zupas Cauliflower Soup
Bulgogi w/ Pineapple Kabobs (found the chile sauce at an Asian Market but you can do without)
Creamy Chicken Taquitos (season the canned chicken before adding to mixture)
Hawaiian Haystacks with Homemade Condensed Soup
Meatball Sub
Roasted Red Pepper Baguette
Cheesy Chicken Bacon Broccoli
Creamy Red Chicken Pasta
Roasted Tomato Sweet Corn Soup
Skillet Baked Ziti
Crockpot Chicken Rice Soup
Dr Pepper Chicken
Pastry Bites
Roast This recipe says the butter is optional. In my opinion, not optional. :)
Costa Vida Chicken with Cilantro Lime Dressing
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Tin Foil Dinners
Green Chile Chicken Soup
Stuffed Ricotta Shells
Shepards Pie
Pizza Dough
Chicken Chipotle Chowder
Sweet and Sour citrus Chicken Stir Fry
Italian Bread crumb Tilapia
Chicken Pot Pie
Baked Lemon Pasta

Desserts:
Best Chocolate chip cookies
Chocolate cake
Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Chocolate Crackle Cookies
Best Easy Brownies
Lemon Bars
Carmelita Bars
Peanut butter chunk cookies