$0.49 oer serving ~ Spaghetti with Veggies and Lentils

It's been a while since I've done something new in my Crock Pot. I decided this New Year to challenge myself to at least two vegetarian dinners per week. This was a good one.

Spaghetti with Veggies and Lentils ~ $4.85 total cost, $0.49 per serving
1 medium onion, chopped ($0.10)
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped ($0.15)
2 celery stalks, chopped ($0.10)
1 can diced tomatoes, liquid included ($0.90)
1 8 oz can tomato sauce ($0.60)
1 cup vegetable stock ($0.75)
1/2 cup dried lentils, picked over and rinsed ($0.25)
garlic powder
oregano
basil
crushed red pepper
1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti ($1.00)
grated cheese

1. Add first 7 ingredients to crock pot. Add spices to taste, stir to combine.
2. Cook in crock pot on low for 8-10 hours.
3. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain, and stir into lentil/veggie mixture
4. Top each serving with grated cheese
Makes 10 servings

The Verdict
No one said ANYTHING, not even Julia. Bowls were quickly demolished and seconds requested. When I asked Josh if he liked it, he looked up with his mouth full, nodded quickly, and took another bite. Success!

It was a bit thicker than I liked, so I thinned it just before adding the spaghetti by stirring in extra vegetable stock. TONS of leftovers.

$0.81 per serving ~ Quickest Ever Chicken Pot Pie

This was a super speedy dinner... easy to put together and get on the table!

Quickest Ever Chicken Pot Pie ~ $0.81 per serving, $4.85 total cost
3 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped ($2.00)
1 16 oz package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed ($1.00)
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted ($0.70)
1/2 cup french fried onions, divided ($0.50)
onion powder
rosemary
kosher salt
white pepper
1 egg ($0.25)
1/2 cup milk ($0.10)
1 cup biscuit/pancake mix ($0.30)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Mix chicken, vegetables, soup, and 1/4 cup of the onions together. Spice to taste and blend well. Place into a deep casserole dish. (This can be done ahead of time and left in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to meld.)
3. Beat together the egg and milk. Mix in biscuit mix until just moistened.
4. Pour over the chicken mix. Top with remaining onions.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Makes 6 servings

The Verdict
Before dinner was even out of the oven Josh was running around the house singing "Chicken pot, chicken pot, chicken pot PIE!!!!!!" with Julia chiming in on "PIE!!!!" and laughing hysterically. Thank goodness they enjoyed this enough that the singing was worth the energy! They both attacked it and demolished their plates. Josh said it was "super yummy" and Julia answered him with "yeah, ummy!" Jim enjoyed it too and we both have leftovers for lunch at work today. I need to be more heavy-handed with the spices, since I felt it needed a bit more rosemary and onion. Maybe adding garlic next time? Or a touch of liquid smoke? It's definitely worth making again!