Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Chicken Taco Filling Recipe

Because Linda requested it, here is the chicken taco filling recipe my Daughter gave me.

Take deboned/skinned chicken(whatever parts you like, I used boneless skinless breasts)and put it into a crockpot/slow cooker. 
Add a can of cream of chicken soup.
Add a small jar of good salsa.
Turn on the crockpot.
Cook.
Since it's chicken you don't need to cook it very long(3 hours?)to get it to be fall off the bone/able to easily shred.
You can eat on corn or flour tortillas with the "fixings" you prefer.

Now when I prepared this recipe as given to me I noticed 2 things.

1. It was very soupy.  I obviously needed to add way more than 2 chicken breasts to this amount of salsa/soup to have this be the right consistency when done.  Daughter never told me the correct proportion of chicken to liquids was.
 This way would make nice enchilada filling, not so much a taco filling.  If I make it again, I'll cut the amount of soup and salsa in half.

2. It was very bland.  I used a mild salsa so hot sauce was needed when plated to serve.  I figured it would be very bland so I added cumin(lots!)to the crockpot at the beginning of cooking. But other than that I didn't alter the recipe the first try.
We like our taco filling more complex so next time I'll add more things, like extra garlic, onions and chili powder.

This is a good recipe for people who don't neccasarilylike authentic Mexican flavors(kids, old people, people with no taste buds lol), or people who can't cook/aren't good cooks, or have few ingredients to use, or people who are too busy to cook, or people who have salsa and chicken soup to use up.
It has it's place in the world of cooking but it won't be making my rotation unless the stars align just right again unless I want to doctor this recipe up and ramp up the flavors.

Sluggy
 

Monday, November 2, 2009

Meal Plan Monday.....November 2nd...Baking Recipes!


Last Week's Menu Postmortem...

We are averaging 5 out of 7 meals going as planned most weeks, it seems, on the menu.  Again, the Tacos and the Ham and Bean Soup didn't happen last week so they once again, carry over to this week.  Such is life with 1 child working and the other one in an active Band program most evenings.  The day falls apart right around 3pm and by 5pm, all bets are off!lolol

Here's what I will be serving our family of 4 this Week....

MONDAY--Tacos(freezer/stockpile-except for the lettuce)
TUESDAY--Date Night...Kids will fend for themselves or have leftovers
WEDNESDAY--Brioche French Toast w/Caramelized Bananas, Bacon and Fresh Fruit Salad
THURSDAY--Ham and Bean Soup(freezer), Cornbread
FRIDAY--Rigatoni with Meat Sauce(freezer/stockpile), Salad
SATURDAY--Italian Chicken(freezer),Baked Sweet Potatoes(Root Cellar), Green Beans(freezer)
SUNDAY--Dublin Coddle **A recipe from my friend McVal over at SEW NOT MY DAY!
SNACKS/DESSERTS--Fresh Fruit and the snacks as listed below.

I am taking part in the Tuesday Baking Day tomorrow.  Here is what I'll be making....
Pumpkin Bread(My variation on this recipe)double batch-will freeze half,
Pumpkin Roll(a friend's family recipe),
Scone Nibbles will freeze,
Old Fashioned Bread Pudding,
French Bread (this is similar to the recipe I use),
Brownies(from mix in stockpile)will freeze,
Brioche (This is my 1st time making this.)

I'll post recipes that aren't online on my blog later in the week or follow along on Twitter tomorrow at #BakingDay or check my blog for updates during the day.

Last week I spent $128.05(approx. $89 of that was food). I laid in some baking goods, an extra 3 dozen eggs, cheap chicken and hit a sale on sausage and a whole beef eye round. 

This week's menu shopping list.....weekly milk purchases, fresh produce(potatoes, carrots, lettuce), fresh fruit(bananas, grapes), some lunchmeat.  Shop-Rite had ground beef at rock bottom prices this week, so I might have to take a trip for that as I'm low. 

Food Waste Report....1 slice of bread at the end of the bag that molded up too badly to salvage any of it.  The rest of the loaf was fine. 8-)

Check out ORGANIZING JUNKIE to see what other Home Cooks are serving this week!

Sluggy

Monday, October 26, 2009

Meal Plan Monday....October 26th Edition Just need a Bag o' Beans!


Last Week's Menu Postmortem...

Everything was served as planned except when I went to make the Ham & Bean Soup I discovered I was out of the appropriate beans!lol 

So we had leftovers instead.  I got some Domino's take-out pizza on Saturday while I was out running errands.  That got us through a meal plus some of us had it on leftover night Sunday.
The Pork Cutlets in the Pork Parmesan were very good.  They tasted sort of like veal to me...with all that sauce and cheese on top, who can tell the difference?lol  It was also my least expensive dinners last week, as the pork was so cheap. 

Here's what I will be serving our family of 4 this Week....


MONDAY--Cheese Ravioli(freezer), Garlic Bread(hubby made rolls instead)
TUESDAY--Fried Catfish(freezer), Sweet Potato Fries(farm), Carrots(farm)
WEDNESDAY--Ham and Bean Soup(freezer), assorted sandwiches(Cheese, Turkey)
THURSDAY--Sloppy Joes(freezer/make my own sauce), Corn(freezer)
FRIDAY--Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole(freezer/stockpile)
SATURDAY--Tacos(freezer/stockpile)
SUNDAY--Leftovers or Breakfast for Dinner(if I make the brioche this week)
SNACKS/DESSERTS--Zucchini Bread,homemade Applesauce, Candy Corn Fudge

Be sure and check out the Ham and Bean Soup recipe link above.  I am NOT a fan of bean soups but with this one, even I want to lick the bowl clean!  It should be called the "Bean Soup for Bean Soup Haters" Soup.lol

Last week I spent $73.64.  That doesn't include the 2 trips to Rite-Aid(that was mostly HBA tho).  Yes, I was a "Spendy Spendington" last week!lol   $29+ of that was oreos, fruit and ketchup stocking up.  $26.50 of that was stocking up on a half bushel of apples and a peck of onions for the root cellar, plus some squash and a big pumpkin for carving. Though the farm stand is cheaper than the produce at the grocery store, I have seen a definite hike in prices there as well. 8-((

This week's menu shopping list.....weekly milk purchase but otherwise there is nothing we need to buy for this menu except a bag of northern beans.  I don't need to stock-up on much of anything so I'll think about where to allocate my food budget this week.  Maybe I'll lay in some baking supplies(flour and spices) or powdered milk and some dairy that's on sale this week.  I am good on sugars, nuts, chips but the spices are getting low with the baking season coming up.  After shelling out $1.50 for the beans, I'll have $33.50 left for fresh milk and whatever I want to stock up on.  Oh decisions, decisions about what to buy...lol

Food Waste Report....my last green pepper salvaged from the garden after the frost last week.  I forgot to put it in the fridge and by the time I remembered(2 days later...ugh!), it had started liquifying...not a pretty sight.lol  Pepper now resides in the compost pile out back.

Check out ORGANIZING JUNKIE to see what other Home Cooks are serving this week!

Sluggy

Monday, May 11, 2009

Meal Plan Monday May 11th Edition Easy Week!


The Meal Plan for last week went off mostly without a hitch, except for the Scallops & Fish. They just didn't happen...(what is it with me and seafood??lol).
And the Pork BBQ happened Sat. instead of Fri. The Pork BBQ almost didn't happen at all. I tried 3 times last week to locate a pork rump or shoulder to cook down but none of the grocery stores here had ANY Pork roasts....just some spareribs and chops.
I FINALLY located a 9.5lb. Pork Shoulder on special for .99¢ lb. What a great deal that was!! So I cooked that hog low and slow over 1.5 days and we'll get 3 or 4 meals out of that. Whatever doesn't get eaten this week will be frozen to have next month. The dogs are certainly loving all those lovely pork drippings, fat and scraps I saved for their dinner bowls.lol
As for the FOOD WASTE report for last week....we had a few grapes (that #1 son took when he was sick and didn't eat, but couldn't put back in the bag), a piece of lamb that never made it into the doggies food bowls, and about 4 overripe getting moldy strawberries hidden in the bottom of the container of strawberries I bought.
I really NEED to do a 'take everything out and scrub down the fridge' badly! Especially before the hubby's relatives arrive in 3 weeks for #1 son's graduation. Perhaps I'll get to that this week. Hubby will be in Canada for a work conference half of the week, so meals for most of this week will be quick, easy and lowkey. I don't foresee stocking up the fridge with groceries, so it will be a good time to do that scrubdown.
The Bargain Meal this week would have to be the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup. I'll probably use about $7.00 in ingredients, which I already have here. My kids can each eat 2 sandwiches so there's almost an entire loaf of bread($1.99 on sale) and 3/4lb. of cheese($3.75). The soup(2 cans)are the cheapest part of this meal...2 cans I got at Target on sale for $.54 each($1.08 total). Add 1-2 tablespoons of butter(.10¢) & applesauce on the side(.14¢ at Target on sale)and you've got a filling meal(double helpings for 4)for $7.06 or $1.76 per person.
The only items I need to buy for this menu are the large Mushrooms for the Parmesan and Romaine Lettuce for the Caesar Salad and either Graham Crackers or a ready-made Graham crust for the Key Lime Pie and the weekly milk pick-up. Another eating from the Pantry/Stockpile Week for us.

I'll post a recipe for the Stuffed Waffles and the Bourbon Bacon Scallops later in the week, after I've served them, so check back.
Here's what is on the Menu at Sluggy's house this week.
MONDAY-Leftovers(tons of odds & ends in the fridge to eat)

TUESDAY-Meatloaf, Broiled Potatoes & Onions, Creamed Spinach

WEDNESDAY-Grilled Cheese, Tomato Soup

THURSDAY-Breakfast for Dinner...Stuffed Waffles

FRIDAY-Burgers on the Grill, Potato Salad, Corn on the Cob

SATURDAY-Mushroom Parmesan, Caesar Salad

SUNDAY-Bourbon Bacon Scallops, Stir-Fried Veggies, Rice

DESSERTS FOR THE WEEK-Carrot Cake, Key Lime Pie, Oranges


Organizing Junkie is the home to Menu Plan Monday. Go see what's on her and many other Home Cooks' Menus for the week at Organizing Junkie's Website.


Sluggy

Monday, May 4, 2009

Meal Plan Monday May 4th Edition


The Meal Plan for last week was like trying to nail Jello to the wall.
Since I wasn't feeling well, Hubby helped out a bit on tuesday w/Tacos & wednesday w/the Beef Pie. I slept through most of thursday & friday and I can't for the life of me remember what we ate. I KNOW we ate but WHAT is beyond me.lol
Saturday we grilled steak, squash & red peppers and sunday was brats, dogs & corn as planned. Grilled veggies is turning out to be my favorite way to fix most any vegetable.

The Mac & Cheese with Ham, the Bourbon Bacon Shrimp and the Pizza never happened, so we'll see those items this week.
We have Track Meets and a Band & Chorus Concert this week, so the plan is not very inventive and a few crockpot or easy 'throw-together' meals are included.


As for the FOOD WASTE report for last week. First, let me plead sickness...
I can't be expected to achieve 0% Food Waste while delirious with sinus.lol

We had to throw out a corningware dish full of sweet potato casserole leftover from Easter. This just makes me sick!
I had fixed baked sweet potatoes for Easter dinner but #2 son loves them mashed with all that sugar, cinnamon & marshmallows on them. I gave in and made him a big dish of it. He hardly touched it!
Ugh

So it got pushed to the back of the fridge.
I had plans to either dump it into the brownies I made &/or mix it into the dog's food bowls over the course of a few nights.
Daughter ended up making the brownies without my imput(OR the sweet potatoes)and being sick, I wasn't the one feeding the dogs this past week...so they didn't get the SPs in their bowls.

It seems I am the Lone Keeper of the Leftovers in this house, so when I don't use the leftovers, they go to waste. The kids won't touch them unless I hide them in something else. The only Leftover-eating helpers are hubby and the dogs.

I'm thinking about instituting a Leftover Night one day a week. No new food cooked....just find something in the fridge to eat. Everyone fends for themselves....except hubby. I'll heat up his leftover for him. ;-)
Good idea? Let me know what ya'll think.

The Bargain Meal this week would have to be the Rigatoni. No meat so it's the natural low cost pick. Pasta for $1 box, sauce cheaply made or jarred for $1.50, mixed salad greens(with carrot) for about $2.00, dressing $1.00 small bottle, homemade garlic bread for $1.00 loaf (including garlic & butter)=$6.50 for the meal or $1.08 per serving.

I bought Cabbage & Swiss Chard last saturday so the only items I need for this week's menu is a Pork Shoulder for the BBQ, rolls & the pizza fixings I never bought last week. I'm figuring I'll be able to pick up some pork quite cheap, due to the hysteria over Swine Flu & hogs. I'll be picking up milk, bread, strawberries and some fresh produce this week as well and anything I find for cheap for the freezer stockpile.
Speaking of the freezer....2 Saturdays back I got the coolers out and took a hammer to the ice build-up in the big freezer. It took about 3 hours to finish but after loading up the coolers with what was in the freezer, I was able to turn off the freezer and perform my 'Manual Defrosting/DeIceberging' on it. The freezer went from a jampacked with frozen food glacial landscape to a half-filled 'chill chest' with room for more food items.
I'm not looking to cram it full but I have space if some bargain presents itself this week in my travels.

Here's what is on the Menu at Sluggy's house this week. I'll post a recipe for the Bourbon Bacon Scallops after I make one up on thursday.lol

MONDAY-Pizza, Tossed Salad
TUESDAY-Macaroni & Cheese, Ham or maybe ham chunks mixed into the Mac & Chz, Swiss Chard
WEDNESDAY-Rigatoni & Sauce, Salad, Garlic Bread
THURSDAY-Bourbon Bacon Scallops, Cheese Polenta(grits), Collards
FRIDAY-Pork BBQ Sandwiches, Coleslaw
SATURDAY-Baked Salmon Teriyaki, Stir Fry Veggies, leftover Mac & Chz(if there isn't any, broiled Potatoes & Onions
SUNDAY-The Cook's day off!!! Maybe if they get hungry enough THEY'LL COOK!lol
DESSERTS FOR THE WEEK-Strawberries-fresh or in Strawberry Shortcake

Organizing Junkie is the home to Menu Plan Monday. Go see what's on her and many other Home Cooks' Menus for the week at Organizing Junkie's website.

Sluggy

Monday, April 27, 2009

Meal Plan Monday April 27th Edition


The Meal Plan for last week went off without a hitch until we hit Friday.
I didn't feel well for a couple of days so hubby winged it alone. The Cheese Ravioli he could handle aok(and made on Friday instead) and while daughter and I were off smashing up my minivan, he whipped up sandwiches for himself & #2 son instead of the Scallops, so those will be put on this week's menu plan. I hope these Scallops don't turn up to follow in the footsteps of the elusive Crab Cakes! If so, you could be hearing about them for weeks on end...lol

Again, we are eating from the pantry/freezer this week. Shopping list consists of the chicken(I bought on Monday), a bag of salad(also bought on Monday), carrots, grits, some pepperoni and rolls(if I don't feel up to baking them this week with the heat and my sinuses being all goofy).

I am happy to report that we had.....drum roll please......NO FOOD WASTE this week!
Can I get an Amen?

Leftovers got eaten....
Every.
Single.
Bit.

Of course, the puppies did have to consume some "kid flavoured" yogurt.
Not that the yogurt was flavoured like Kids, but it's that yogurt they market toward kids in crazy colors and too much sugar in it. Daughter wanted me to buy it but she decided that the 'orange' ones didn't taste good, so the female beagle volunteered to finish those up. I swear that dog eats anything!

I'll be keeping a watchful eye on the leftover situation in the fridge this week. I hope I feel better in the next couple of days or I'll be saying "screw it" to the meal plan after having collapsed into bed & letting hubby take all the family meals from the Colonel, the King, the Clown & the Bell.

If I can stay vertical, here's what is on the Menu at Sluggy's house this week.

MONDAY-Grilled Marinated Chicken Breast, Mashed Garlic Potatoes or Macaroni Salad(both leftovers), Corn on the Cob
TUESDAY-Tacos...it's going to be too HOT to cook!
WEDNESDAY-Beef Pie
THURSDAY-Bourbon Bacon Scallops, Cheese Polenta(grits), Grilled Squash
FRIDAY-Macaroni & Cheese, Ham, Mixed Veggies
SATURDAY-Pizza, Salad
SUNDAY-Sausage Sandwiches, Potato Salad, Corn
DESSERTS FOR THE WEEK-Strawberries, Carrot Cake, Sherbet

My Bargain Meal this week....could be any one of 3-the Grilled Chicken Meal, the Tacos or the homemade Pizza. With the Grilled Chicken you only have the cost of the chicken(which I got at a reduced price Monday afternoon), seasonings and the corn(great price direct from the farmer of .18¢ an ear that I froze last summer). The Mac. Salad and the Garlic Mashed are both leftovers so no cost on those. Tacos or Pizza are both fairly frugal entrees--a have cheap cheese from a stock-up for both and these two use small amounts of meat, with the pizza using hardly any or none at all if we do a vegetarian pizza.
I just don't feel like picking one and doing the cost analysis this week.
It's my blog and if I don't feel like it, too too bad. ;-P

I also owe ya'll some recipes from last week-the Lemon Pepper Chicken w/Zucchini and the different French Toast. Once I get my sinuses shrunk down to normal size, I'll be posting those recipes this week.
Pinky Swear.

Organizing Junkie is the home to Menu Plan Monday. Go see what's on her and many other Home Cooks' Menus for the week at Organizing Junkie's website.

Sluggy

Monday, March 23, 2009

Meal Plan Monday March 23rd Edition


Last week's meal went as planned except for Friday. We ended up not having the Fish & Coconut Rice. And Sat.'s leftovers plan was thwarted as we barely had any leftovers last week! The eating machines, er....teens ate nearly EVERY SCRAP OF FOOD I cooked! That's gratifying, except when you plan on having leftovers for 1 night's meal.

Here's what is on the Menu at Sluggy's house this week.

MONDAY-Chicken, Rice & Broccoli Casserole
TUESDAY-Pretzel Dogs, Corn-On-The-Cob, Potato Salad
WEDNESDAY-Lasagna, Salad
THURSDAY-Pork Chops, Mixed Beans, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Applesauce
FRIDAY-Pizza
SATURDAY-Leftovers or Club Sandwiches
SUNDAY-Crabcakes, Harvard Beets, Leftover Potato Salad

Desserts for the Week-Grapes, Cantaloupe, Carrot Cake


My shopping list for this week's menu(besides milk & bread)is 3 items long.....salad greens & ricotta cheese(for Wed. meal) & 1 tomato(for the club sandwiches). Everything else is on hand.


I'll be posting a recipe for my Chicken, Rice & Broccoli Casserole, later today or Tuesday, so check back. This dish is a homemade cheaper version of a Schwan's Readymade Dinner-Chicken & Broccoli with Cheesy Rice Meal Kit. I use to buy this, back when I wasn't as careful with my money. My family loved it! 1 bag of it wasn't enough for our 5 mouths, so I had to buy 2 bags at a time, at a cost of $10.50 a bag, so $21 for 1 meal! (This same item is now up to $11.49 a bag!) My cost analysis for the homemade version(using my actual costs for the ingredients that go into this batch of the recipe) is $10.08 for 8 generous servings or $1.26 a serving. That's less than 1/2 what the Schwan's item cost, is very easy to make AND it tastes just as good, if not better!


Organizing Junkie is the home to Menu Plan Monday. Go see what's on her and many other Home Cooks' Menus for the week at Organizing Junkie's website.



Sluggy


Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Boston Baked Beans Recipe

Finally, here is the Boston Baked Beans recipe. I have made this in the traditional way, in the oven, and in a crockpot, with equal success. I have an older crockpot, so I use the high setting. Your crockpot temp. may work for this on a lower setting.
If preparing in a crockpot, I find you don't need as much of the reserved bean water poured over the beans before baking/simmering either, as the oven dries out food & a crockpot doesn't.
This recipe is great as a side dish or can stand alone as a main dish, especially on those cold, cold days of winter. Serve with fresh homemade bread, biscuits or rolls.

Boston Baked Beans

Ingredients
2 cups navy beans(can use other similar type beans-navy, great northern)
1/2 lb. bacon
1 onion, diced
3 Tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions
*Soak beans overnight in cold water. Simmer beans in the same water until tender, approx. 1-2 hrs. Drain and reserve the liquid. (For a shortcut, you can use canned beans too. If doing so, skip this soaking & simmering step but still reserve the "juice" from the cans for later.)
*Preheat overn the 325 degrees F.
*Brown bacon. Remove from pan. Add diced onions to the bacon grease & cook about 3 min., until soft.
*Arrange the beans in a 2 Quart bean pot/casserole/dutch oven(or crockpot if using a crockpot)by placing a portion of the beans in the bottom of dish, and layering them with bacon and onion.(I cut or tear the bacon into 1 inch pieces.)
*In a saucepan, combine molasses, salt, pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce & brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and pour over the beans.
*Pour in just enough of the reserved bean water to cover the beans.(If using a crockpot, pour about 1/2 cup of that water in.) Cover the dish/pot with a lid(or aluminum foil if it has no lid).
*Bake for 3-4 hours in the oven, until beans are tender(the crockpot may take longer). Remove the lid about halfway through cooking & add more liquid if necessary to prevent the beans from getting too dry.
*Serve & enjoy. Makes 6 generous main dish portions. This dish can be doubled.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Rustic Pork Ragu-a Fabulous & Inexpensive Meal

I have declared a moratorium on frozen food shopping until further notice.

My freezer is incredibly JAMMED with food. Ok....make that TWO freezers full-the little freezer above the fridge AND my big old freestanding upright Freezer in the garage.

Seriously.
Full.
Like not 1 square inch of space left in either.

I blame 50 blocks of cheese from an incredible deal a few weeks ago.
And then there was a sale on the little boxed packages of Green Giant Vegetables that retail for $1.79. The store in my teeny tiny town had them marked $1 on sale. I forgot I had coupons for 50 cents off on GG veggies, that my store doubles to $1. Using the coupons made them 50 cents a box, so I had to go stock up last night before the sale ended. Hey, I only bought 20 boxes.....don't look at me like that!

So I actually had to rearrange and evict a package of meat(a pork roast) from the freezer to make all the boxed veggies fit. You can see about 1/3 of the cheese blocks here in the door. The rest are with the boxed veggies and their friends, the bacon, the local corn-on-the-cob & the salmon filets in the upright freezer.



A Seriously full freezer section.

So dinner tonight is NOT the Boston Baked Beans, Sweet Potato Biscuits and Smithfield Ham slices as planned.

Tonight is the Rustic Pork Ragu over Orrichiette Pasta.
It's basically pasta & spaghetti sauce with bits of pork. Orrichiette is Italian for little ears. My family likes this shape of pasta. It's a little bowl shape with ridges, so you get 2, count 'em 2, methods to hold the sauce.

This PORK RAGU recipe is a family favorite. My daughter is attending a friend's sweet 16th surprise party tonight. When she found out I was having to make this dinner tonight, she complained about having to eat Pizza instead at the party.
I found the thought of a teenager disappointed in having to eat pizza slightly amusing. ;-)

And because of my good grocery store deals lately this meal will cost me very little.




The basic recipe is this...

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pork roast or loin or shoulder(boneless or bone-in) approx. 2-3lbs
1 large onion
4 cloves of garlic
2-4 cans of tomatoes(28 oz. size)
2 sprigs of rosemary(or try basil for a different flavor)
kosher salt
black pepper
1-2 lbs. of pasta(orrichiette or whatever non-long spaghetti type shape you like)
parmesan cheese(optional)
tomato paste(optional)

*Chop up a large onion.
*Mince 4 cloves of garlic(fresh is better, but you can use already prepared from a jar or garlic powder as a last resort).
*Pour 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil in a Dutch Oven or Large Cooking Pot & heat on medium/high heat.
*Salt and Pepper the Pork Roast & place in the hot oil.
*Sear on each side 3-4 minutes.
*Remove Roast from Pot.
*Add Onion, Garlic & Rosemary(1 teaspoon or 2 sprigs fresh, chopped) to oil & cook a few minutes, stirring.
*Add 2-4 large cans of crushed, whole or puree tomatoes. I use the 28 ounce cans. If you want more sauce, use more cans, less sauce-less cans. If you like a chunky sauce, use whole or crushed;if you like a smooth sauce, use the puree.
*Scrape off the bits of pork that stuck to the bottom of the pot during the searing.
*Return the pork to the pot with the tomatoes and bring to a boil.
*Once boiling, lower the temp. to simmer and cover with a lid.
*Simmer until the pork is fork tender & falling apart-about 3 hours.
*Once done, remove the pork to cool. After cooling, pull the meat apart into bite sized chunks and discard the bones (if you used a bone-in roast).
*Put the pork pieces back into the sauce.(If you like a thicker sauce, add 1 can of tomato paste at this point.)
*Cook your pasta according to the directions on the box/bag.
*Serve Ragu over pasta, sprinking Parmesan or Romano Cheese on top.

My cost break down...
I used a bone-in Pork Roast that was a Manager's Special at .99 a lb. It was just over 3lbs.=$3.15
I used the 4 cans of crushed tomatoes from the markdown table, I bought during my Price Chopper Saga post last week. 4 x .50=$2.00
1 Onion=$.25
4 Garlic cloves=$.10
Olive Oil=$.30
Salt,Pepper=$.05
Rosemary=$.15
Orrichiette Pasta(2 boxes)=$3.00 (You can use less expensive pasta, orrichiette is NOT widely available and runs more than most boxed pastas in this part of the country.)
Parmesan=$1.00

Total=$10.00

(I didn't use tomato paste this batch, but that would have added about .65 cents to the total.)
This much sauce & 2lb. this shape pasta give you 12 generous servings.

That makes this dinner $.84 a serving! Add a salad or some sauteed chard or escarole and you have a yummy, healthy, well-balanced meal.


This dish is Crockpot Friendly as well. After searing your pork and sweating your onions & garlic, you can transfer this to a crockpot to cook with your tomatoes. As long as you have time in the morning to do the chopping & searing, you can cook it off while you are at work or running errands or kids around to activities.

Crockpots are great for letting you have a Slow Cooked meal without having to be home to stand watch over the process.

So what did you make for dinner tonight?

Sluggy