Recipe Votes Needed!!!

PLEASE VOTE!!!

Last week, 5 lucky winners were selected at random to receive a $5 gift card to cover the cost of the chicken for their recipe. Now, each contestant is hoping that you'll vote for their recipe- scoring the most popular recipe contestant a $25 gift card to Meijer!

Sharpen Your Scissors readers, can you cast your vote?

Please vote based on these three criteria:

*Cost/value

*Complexity of the recipe

*Presentation

The winner will be selected (based on number of votes) Friday, 12/4 at 7pm!

Contestant #1

White Chicken Chili

7 (15oz) cans of great northern beans - Meijer $.67 each

2 cups salsa - Costco - ~ 1/3 of jar used - $1

2 cups fat free chicken broth - Meijer $2.09

2 cups cooked chicken breasts, diced - Meijer - frozen on sale - $1

1 cup 2% mozzarella cheese - Meijer - on sale - $.50

Combine all ingredients into a crock pot and simmer on low for 4-6 hours.

SUPER easy and SUPER tasty!!

Makes about 18 cups...12 (1 1/2 cup) servings.

Total cost $9.28...if 12 servings $.77 each ...and SUPER cheap!

Contestant #2

Chicken and Artichoke Alfredo:

Ingredients

1 lb Chicken cut up and cooked (mine was actually 1.65lbs Tyson, I prefer more meat)
1 can/jar of Artichokes (I used a can this time)
1 jar of Alfredo sauce (I used Ragu this time)
1 box spaghetti noodles (or noodles of choice, we used whole grain, and not a full box)
Seasoning of choice ( I used a couple dashes of black pepper and couple dashes of Season All)
2 TBs Olive Oil
2 TBs Water

Preperation

First after cutting up chicken to your liking, I did about 1 inch cubes, put olive oil and water in Fry pan or skillet, add chicken and seasoning. Start a sauce pan of about 6 qts water to boil, then cook noodles according to box directions. Drain Artichokes, and then cut into small pieces. When chicken is fully cooked add Artichokes, and Alfredo sauce. We add our noodles directly in, but you can choose to top the noodles. If you choose to top I would take olive oil or butter and stir it into the noodles so they do not stick.

My Cost

Since I had most of these items on hand, I will do my best at remembering.

Tyson Chicken at Kroger $2.99 lb, $4.93 - $1 of MF coupon (shopped in Howell so Dbled) = $2.93 ( good deal)

Reese Artichoke Hearts Canned (Jarred and Canned come in dif flavors or none, I prefer none. I also do not use Fresh to much involved to prepare and did not like the out come) bought on Sale at Meijer 2/$5 no coupon, only bought one.

Ragu Alfredo (I never use the same type, I use cheapest or couponed, nor have I ever made Alfredo sauce), on sale at Meijer couple weeks ago for $.49 a jar.

Spaghetti Noodles, I used Rozoni Healthy harvest Whole Grain. These were on the clearance rack at Kroger (Brighton) fro $.79 and I know we had a coupon but we got these so very long ago (yes still good, they had a long shelf life left and we stocked up) I am thinking with coupon we paid about $.09 a box.

Seasonings I had all on hand so I will not even begin to figure that out.

I am guessing that you can get about 6 - 8 servings, however my guys eat bigger portions. I do know we had left overs.

My total came to $6.01 adding up what I put on here, even with my best guesses on some things I am positive I didn't spend much more. We seldom spend much on anything anymore.

Contestant #3
Easy Chicken Pot Pies

Makes 4
10 min prep
14-17 min cook time

2 cups of shredded chicken

1 can of biscuits
1 bag of mixed veggies (I used corn, green beans, carrots and peas)
1 can of Cream of chicken or mushroom soup
1 1/4 cup of Skim milk
2 1/2 T Flour
1 tsp. Poultry Seasoning

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F. In skillet, heat soup, chicken, veggies and
milk to boiling, stirring frequently. Add Flour and poultry seasoning.
Remove from heat.
2. Into each serving bowl, pour 1/4 of the hot mixture. Place a
biscuit in the center.
3. On cookie sheet with sides, place bowls; bake 14-17 minutes or
until biscuits are golden brown and soup bubbles around edges. Cool 5
minutes before serving.

2 cups of shredded chicken - used from making stock in the crock pot -
$2.72 for whole chicken - $.91 per chicken
1 bag of mixed veggies (I used corn, green beans, carrots and peas) -
$.88 for a bag at Kroger (I was out of free ones)
1 can of Cream of chicken or mushroom soup - $.24 ($.49 at Target had
$1/4 coupon)
1 1/4 cup of Skim milk - $.30
2 1/2 T Flour - maybe $.05
1 tsp. Poultry Seasoning - maybe $.05
1 can of biscuits - $.25 -

Total - $2.68 for 4 servings

Contestant #4
**CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE**

Ingredients: (Serves 6-8 people)

2-3 Split Chicken Breasts, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces
Wide Egg Noodles (about 3/4 of a bag), cooked
4 Tbs. Butter (or can easily substitute heart-healthy margarine)
4 Tbs. All-Purpose Flour
2 cups Chicken Stock
2 cups Milk (can use skim or 2%)
Parmesan Cheese (approx. 1/2 cup total, split into two-1/4 cup measures)

Procedure:

1. Place chicken breasts on tray and roast in a 375 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes, until cooked through
(I usually put a little olive oil, salt and pepper on them before placing in oven)
**I have also bought a roast chicken from Costco and used that, when I'm in a pinch...works great!**
2. Put water on to boil, for noodles. Follow package directions to cook noodles.
3. Melt butter (or margarine) in a large saucepan, over medium-low heat.
4. Add flour and whisk; cook on medium for about 1-2 minutes.
5. Slowly whisk in milk then chicken stock; continue whisking on medium to medium-high heat. Bring sauce to a simmer, whisking it every minute or so. Add salt & pepper. It will thicken slightly within about 12-15 minutes.
6. Put half of cooked noodles in buttered casserole dish. Chop chicken and place on top of noodles.
7. Sprinkle half of Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup) over chicken and cover with remaining noodles.
8. Pour thickened sauce over noodles, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup).
9. Cover with foil and place in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes. Take foil off when 10 minutes cooking time remains.

Cost Breakdown:

Chicken $5.50 (A Costco roast chicken is $5 - $6)
Noodles $1.19
Butter $.25
Flour $.10
Chicken Stock $1.65
Milk $.22
Parmesan Cheese $1.25

Total: $10.17 for 6 healthy (not skimpy) servings
Cost Per Serving: $1.70


I hope this recipe becomes a family favorite for many of you, too!

Contestant #5

Cheesy Chicken and Shells

• 2 cups of chicken shredded/chopped chicken (40% off whole frying chicken at Meijer =$2.42) [chicken cooked in my crock-pot made of 8 cans of broth (for later use) and 4 cups of shredded chicken].
  • 1 bag Steamfresh Mixed Veggies, thawed ($.98 at Meijer, $.28 after $.35 coupon doubles)
  • 1 box Annie's Shells & Cheese, prepared ($1.00, free at Kroger after $0.50 coupon doubles)
  • 1 can Southwest Pepper Jack or Cheddar Cheese Soup ($1.00 during Kroger sale with coupon)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder (we add much, much more!)
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup finely shredded Mexican or Monterrey Jack cheese (on sale for $1.00 per 2 cup bag at Kroger)
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs ($1.39 7.5 cup canister at Kroger)
  Heat oven to 350°. Spray a large, round baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Mix chicken, vegetables, prepared shells and cheese, soup, and ½ cup cheese. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.
  Serves 6.
  Total cost for all items:
  2 cups chicken=$1.21,
  1 bag Steamfresh Veggies=$0.35,
  1 can of Cheddar Soup=$1.00,
  1 cup of shredded cheese=$0.50,
  1/2 cup bread crumbs=$.20.
  Grand Total= $3.26 for 6 servings
  
  
  Approximate price per serving = $0.55ps cooked-