$12 Meals (or Less) Feeding a Family of 4 – Hearty Soup, Creamy Dijon Chicken, & More

I love it when Lauren McDonald from FOX21 News comes to my house and cooks with me. Today we’ll be making three different meals for less than $12 that will feed a family of four. These recipes are all easy, nutritious, and less expensive per person than eating fast-food. 

 

PASTA & BEAN SOUP

I really enjoy this pasta and bean soup, also known as “pasta e fagioli,” because it’s delicious, quick to make, and best of all, inexpensive. Add a loaf of warm crusty bread for sopping up all the broth and you have a satisfying meal. Great for a cold winter evening and your home will smell great as it simmers. 

PASTA & BEAN SOUP

Prep Time: 10 minutes          Cook Time: 30 minutes              Serves: 4 for approx. $9

Ingredients:

2 -15.5 oz. cans cannellini beans (or canned Great Northern beans)

2 -28 oz. (or 4 14.5 oz) cans whole tomatoes

6 stalks celery (about 2 cups) diced

4 medium garlic cloves, crushed (use a garlic press or the back of a metal spatula or knife)

2 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

4 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup olive oil

8 ounces dry small pasta shapes 

1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Rinse and drain cannellini beans. In large pot, add beans, tomatoes and tomato juice, celery, garlic, jalapeno peppers, and chicken stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes, occasionally breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon and stirring. 

Add oil, pasta, and parsley and return to a boil. Boil, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until pasta is cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in large soup bowls. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

**You can usually find baguettes for $1.50 or less (or make your own bread for even more savings,) and using vegetables you already have in the fridge, make small salads which still makes this meal super affordable.

 

SHAKSHUKA & SAUTEED KALE 

I first tried this recipe several years ago after seeing it in a Rachael Ray magazine. I’m not someone who typically eats poached eggs but I gave it a try and it was delicious! And super easy. Easier than I thought actually. Shakshuka (pronounced shack-SHOO-kah,) is a Middle Eastern dish of poached eggs in a spiced tomato sauce. Again, delicious! I serve it with a side of garlicky sautéed kale. Pita bread is a welcome addition, especially  since you’ll want to scoop up every bite. 

The shakshuka, pita, and sautéed kale added up to approximately $11 for 4 servings.

SHAKSHUKA (Spicy Tomato-Poached Eggs)

Prep Time: 30 minutes               Cook Time: 20 minutes             Serves: 4 to 6 for approx. $7

Ingredients:

For The Garlic-Herb Hot Sauce

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 jalapenos chopped (if you want a milder flavor, remove seeds)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

 

For The Tomato-Poached Eggs:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 can (28-oz.) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed

6 eggs

 

Directions:

For The Sauce:

In a food processor, puree all ingredients. Season with salt.

For The Eggs:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the bell pepper and jalapenos. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and spices; cook, stirring about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their liquid. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Using the back of a spoon, make 6 evenly spaced indentations in the sauce. Crack 1 egg into each, season with salt and pepper. Reduce the head to medium-low. Cover and cook until the whites are just set, about 7 minutes. Serve with garlic-herb hot sauce and pita bread if desired.

SAUTEED KALE & GARLIC

Prep Time: 5 minutes            Cooks: 5 minutes or less             Serves: 4 small side portions for approx. $1.50

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 garlic cloves, finely minced

salt and pepper

Directions:

Tear kale into large pieces. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and quickly stir to avoid burning. Add kale and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until slightly wilted but still crisp, about 2 minutes.

 

CREAMY DIJON CHICKEN & MUSHROOMS with MASHED POTATOES & ROASTED CARROTS

This meal is simply delicious! The first time I made this I served it over hot pasta but I actually prefer it over basic mashed potatoes, which is how we made it today. You could also serve it over rice or in pastry shells. With the chicken, potatoes, and roasted carrots, the entire meal came in at approximately $10.50 for a family of 4.

CREAMY DIJON CHICKEN & MUSHROOMS 

Prep Time: 15 minutes                Cook Time: 20 minutes           Serves: 4 for approx. $9

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken stock

1 bay leaf

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

1/2 stick butter, divided

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1/2 pound button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoons dry red wine, or sherry

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

Add chicken stock and bay leaf to saucepan and bring to a boil. Set aside.

Cut chicken into 1/2-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat and saute the chicken until cooked through and golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Using the hot pan, add remaining butter and saute shallot for about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir. Add the wine and cook until the flour is absorbed.

Add the stock and chicken. Stir while the sauce thickens. Add mustard, heavy cream, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir for another minute. Stir in the parsley. Spoon over mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta.

BASIC MASHED POTATOES

Prep Time: 10 minutes        Cook Time: 20 minutes          Serves: 4 for approx. $1.50

Ingredients:

2 pounds potatoes* peeled and quartered

4 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup milk

salt and pepper

*I always buy my potatoes in the 5 or 10 pound bag which makes them way cheaper than buying by the pound.

Directions:

Bring pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain.

In small saucepan, heat butter and milk over low heat until butter is melted. Using a potato masher or electric beater, slowly blend milk mixture into potatoes until smooth and creamy (or leave a bit lumpy if you prefer.) Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

ROASTED CARROTS – (A fave recipe of mine from Ina Garten)

Ingredients:

1 pound carrots, peeled and cleaned

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill or parsley if desired 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice carrots diagonally in 1 1/2-inch-thick slices. Toss in bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a sheet pan in 1 layer and roast in oven for about 20 minutes, until browned and tender.

Toss carrots with minced dill or parsley if desire. Season to taste and serve warm.