Meals under $10

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I’ve been trying very hard to cook food for my family that is not processed–let me just say–it’s hard and I often fail!  I just bought Kraft Blue Box Mac and Cheese for  33 cents a box–preparing for those days of failure . . .

My cheapest meal is pasta with red sauce with a salad.  I can get a lb of pasta for $1 and red sauce at B1G1 free is $1.25 a jar, then organic romaine lettuce–not on sale for $2.99–I use this salad dressing but only if it is on sale with a coupon–today it was 2 for $5 plus I had 2 $1 off coupons–making each jar $1.50 each.  I keep the salad on the plain side but sometimes I add nuts or cheese . . . tomatoes from the garden–I never make any promises that one meal will ever look like the next!

kids love this–I like vinegar and oil

Total: $6.75 for the basic meal–then you can toss in other stuff in your pantry.

my favorite pizza sauce

Pizza Dinner:  I make 4 pizzas at a time–sauce is 50% off and I buy a bunch!  I also bought the cheese for 50% off–then I add some herbs from the garden or tomatoes–again no promises.  I do like a nice salad with pizza

I buy this as a treat when it is 50% off–in the summer with basil, or on pizza, or just by itself!

Total:  Salad:  $4.50, Flour $2.oo, $1.30 for organic pizza sauce, and $2.66 for fresh mozzarella–this is over $10 but I do make 4 pizzas and I could use cheaper cheese.

Pizza Dough:

1 cup water

1/2 tsp instant yeast

2 1/3 cups of flour

1 tsp salt

Add water, yeast and 1/2 the flour and mix until smooth.

Add salt and remaining flour–mix with your hands until it sort of is falling apart and then knead it for 8 minutes.

Spray a bowl and let it rest for 2 hours.

After two hours split the dough into 2 rounds, shape into a ball and let rise again until you are ready to use it–if you want to put it in the fridge you can–just cover it up!

I make the recipe in 2 different  bowls.

I think most of my meals can be made for under $15 for 6 people–the tricky part is that often times you need to buy 5 of something or 10 lbs of meat to get the best price–or 1/2 a cow!

Be Blessed as you nurture your family.