Tuna and Broccoli Pasta Salad

I am on a tight budget right now, so the cheaper the meal... the better.  I got everything for this recipe for 6 dollars, now that is a cheap meal.  My boyfriend told me what he wanted in a pasta salad, and it turned out just like he wanted.  It is very important to let the salad chill, so all the delicious flavors can soak in.  I will be making this again, and like I said it is PERFECT if you are looking for cheap meals.  It made a lot too, which is great because I have left overs for lunch.

Ingredients

• 1 box of elbow noodles
• 3 4 oz. cans of tuna (drained)
• 1 head of broccoli (chopped)
• 1 cup of mayo
• 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon of onion powder
• 1 tablespoon of Adoba seasoning
• 2 teaspoons of paprika
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Boil noodles.
2. While pasta is cooking, chop your broccoli.
3. Rinse your pasta with cold water, and place in a large bowl.
4. Add all of the above ingredients, and mix well. (You may need to add more mayonnaise if it gets to thick)
5. Let chill for 2 hours.
6. Enjoy!

Final Product

Crockpot Loaded Baked Potato Soup

I am completely obsessed with my crockpot, which I am guessing is pretty apparent!  Football is back, which mean delicious food.  Last Sunday it was pretty chilly, and I was in the mood for some soup.  I decided I would try a loaded baked potato soup (in the crockpot, of course!)  This gave me all the time to watch the football games!  This cooked all day, made plenty, and was delicious.  I will for sure be making this again
Prep time:10 minutes
Cook time: 4-8 hours (4 on high, 8 on low)
Serving size:6-8 people
Recipe adapted from:

Ingredients

• 8 russet potatoes cut into bite size pieces
• 1 tablespoon of onion powder
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 3 14.5 oz. cans of chicken broth
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoons of ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup of butter
• 1/3 cup of flour
• Sour cream for topping
• Bacon for topping (I used the already cooked bacon)
• Mexican cheese for topping.

Directions

1. Add your potatoes, onion powder, garlic powder, chicken broth, evaporated milk, and pepper to your crockpot.
2. Cover and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low(I cooked on low for 8 hours)
3. Once your time is up remove 2 cups of liquid from the crockpot, and set aside.
4. In a pan add your butter, and cook till melted.
5. Once melted add your flour and stir well.
6. Add your reserved mixture, and mix until it is smooth.
7. Once smooth, add to your crockpot and mix well.  (You may need to add flour if it is not creamy enough)
8. Serve with sour cream, bacon and cheese.
9. Enjoy!

Final Product

Baked Lemon and Pepper Chicken

My boyfriend is OBSESSED with lemon and pepper, and would probably eat anything if that was the marinade.  I was in a rush the other night, and decided to make a quick marinade, and then bake the chicken when I came home.  This quickly turned into a favorite meal (I must have made it about 3 times that week.)  This is very lemony so if you are not a huge lemon fan, I would reduce the amount of lemon.  I personally am a huge fan, so it was perfect for me.

Prep Time- 30 minutes-6 hours (however long you want to marinade the chicken... the longer the better!
Cook time- 20 minutes
Serving Size-4/5 people

Ingredients

• 1.5-2 pounds of boneless chicken breasts
• 4 tablespoons of Lemon juice (or juice of 2 large lemons)
• 6 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon of onion powder
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of ground black pepper
• Parsley for topping
• Grated parmesan cheese for topping.

Directions

1. In a large bowl place your chicken, and add the lemon juice, garlic, onion powder, pepper and olive oil.
2. Mix well until all chicken is coated.
3. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes-6 hours (the longer the better)
4. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Place chicken on a greased baking tray sprinkle with parsley, and bake for 15-20 minutes until chicken is no longer pink.
6. Remove from oven, and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of chicken.
7. Enjoy!

Final Product

Crockpot BBQ and Root Beer Chicken

I recently started a new job, and I have been living off crock-pot meals.  I absolutely love chicken in the crockpot, and always love trying different ways to cook the chicken.  I saw this recipe floating around Pinterest, and I love root beer and BBQ sauce so I knew I had to try it.  This was delicious!  It was the perfect combination of sweet and saucy.  I know it sounds weird, but trust me it was GREAT!
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time:6 hours
Serving size:4-6 people

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 15oz bottle of Sweet Baby Rays Original BBQ Sauce
• 1/2 can of birch beer( You can use root beer too, I just prefer birch beer)
• 2 Tablespoons of Onion Powder
• 6 Garlic Cloves (minced)
• Rice for Serving

Directions

1. Place chicken on the bottom of the crockpot
2. Add your birch beer, BBQ sauce, Garlic and Onion Powder.
3. Mix well, till chicken is completely covered.
4. Place on low for 6 hours
5. Serve over rice.

Final Product