$30 for 5 meals (04/13 edition)

hello there! it’s finally spring! can you believe it? 2 days into spring we received 6 inches of snow, so i have to admit i was very skeptical when it got warm one day. the kids are pulling out their shorts and sandals, and have to tell ya, i’m ready! not only is it nice outside, but it takes 2 seconds to get out of the door with the kids. there is no putting on socks, tying shoes, slipping on coats, gloves and hats. just slip on a flip flop and we are headed out of the door! spring also brings fresh foods. i love the fruits and vegetables that come with spring. they are so bright and fresh! this month’s edition will embrace a tiny bit of spring as we head into the summer months.

here we go!

bell pepper chicken stir-fry – love, love, love stir-fry’s! stir-fry’s are a great way to clean out the fridge before food goes bad. while i was at the store, i saw these beautiful bell peppers on sale. i knew they would make a quick and delicious stir-fry with chicken. i used both green and red peppers. the green peppers for the bite and the red for the sweet. ginger, garlic, onion, soy sauce, onion and sesame oil flavored the stir-fry up nicely. this meals is so easy and tasty, you have to try it!

slow-cooked red beans and rice – this recipe hits close to home. my mom used to make it all the time. for this recipe, i slow cooked the beans with a smoked turkey wing and other aromatics. near the end, i added some seared andouille sausage for more flavor and kick. make this dish and have your tastebuds dancing in your mouth. double up on this recipe and freeze!

braised chicken thighs and red potatoes – i have received a few requests for chicken thigh recipes. my hubby is a huge fan of white meat, and we rarely use dark meat for our family. so when i came up with this recipe, i was surprised that my family gobbled it up. i started with lightly flouring the seasoned chicken and searing it until brown. i seared the potatoes in the delicious chicken drippings and made a sauce with garlic, onions, bay leaf, tomato paste and chicken stock. i baked it all in the oven until fork tender. it’s great when suggestions by readers change your mindset on different flavors and foods. this will now be in our rotation!

spinach lasagna rolls with red bell pepper alfredo sauce – i made this dish for a very close family friend named dede! she works with my hubby and they have become very close. when she finally accepted our invitation for dinner, i knew it would be a slight challenge as she is a vegetarian. so i tried to think a little outside the box to make this meal special for her. these lasagna rolls blew all of us away. i folded the roasted bell pepper puree into the creamy homemade alfredo sauce and poured it over the cheesy spinach lasagna rolls. promise me you will try this meal. perfect and elegant enough for entertaining.

spicy cilantro pesto pasta with roasted asparagus – given cilantro is my favorite herb, i thought it would be perfect for pesto. i absolutely love some spicy, so i tossed in a jalapeno! the added bonus to this dish is the caramelized roasted asparagus. it is so nutty and delicious. this meal takes no time and is perfect for a weeknight meal.

the GRAND total? $30.20! awesome. so happy we hit the mark. here is our receipt, by the way…