4 Easy Meals to Make for Your Hungry Family on a Budget

I’m going to share four easy and delicious family meals on a budget.

Cut rolls in half with a serrated knife.

Spray the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch casserole dish with a cooking spray.

Lay the bottom half of the rolls in the dish.

Melt half a stick of butter in the microwave.

Add one tablespoon of au jus gravy mix.

Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and mix well.

Brush or pour the sauce over the tops of the rolls.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Take the rest of the gravy mix and add it to a small saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil and then simmer until the sauce thickens.

Look at those perfectly browned tops!

2. Chicken and rice

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless chicken breasts, diced
• 2 carrots, shredded
• Olive oil, butter
• Salt and pepper
• Onion powder (or diced onion, optional)
• Jasmine rice

Directions:

Hit the saute button on the Instant Pot. Wait until it says “hot” before adding oil and butter or everything will stick together. Melt oil and butter until bubbly.

Saute and season the carrots with some salt and some onion powder. Use a diced onion if you prefer.

Add two boneless, skinless chicken breasts chopped into small pieces. Season with salt and black pepper and cook for about five minutes.

Add a box of chicken broth.

Then cook the rice.

Add a whole head of sliced garlic on top of the rice. Put the lid on, set it to the sealing position, hit the manual button, and crank it for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, do a quick release, then slide the valve over to let out all the steam – and wait for the pin to drop.

Add shredded parmesan cheese and chopped parsley to the top and mix in.

The chicken was a little bland so we drizzled A1 steak sauce, extra cheese, and pepper.

3. Mini barbeque bacon cheddar meatloaf

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of ground beef
• 6 ounces chili sauce
• 2 eggs
• 5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Seasoned salt (I use Lawry’s)
• Mustard
• Worcestershire sauce
• 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Barbeque sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)

Directions:

Make the mix.

Put all the ground beef in a bowl along with 6 ounces of chili sauce, 2 eggs slightly beaten, five slices of crumbled bacon, and ½ cup of the breadcrumbs.

Season with onion powder, garlic powder, and seasoned salt. Add in mustard and Worcestershire sauce.

Shape meat into eight mini loaves and place them on a cookie sheet (add foil or parchment paper).

Drizzle barbeque sauce on each indented section.

Brush the sauce all over each loaf. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Shut off the oven and let the barbeque sauce caramelize.

The flavor of this meatloaf is out of this world. I served this with boxed scalloped potatoes and green beans.

Melt butter and olive oil in a pan, add onions, carrots, chopped garlic, and onion powder to saute.

Add plain all-purpose flour, mix, and cook for a few minutes. This will thicken up the soup.

Pour in a container of chicken broth.

Add as little or as much spinach as you desire (or leave it out). Add shredded rotisserie chicken as you want.