Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, and Cooking Lessons - $5 Dinners (2024)

Things I'm Crushing On (And Using All the Time) This MonthHoliday 2023 FAVES … [Read more...]

I think Ravioli Bakes might be my new favorite dinner. I don't know why...they just seem so easy. Well, they are easy. The ravioli doesn't take any pre-cooking. You just add it into the dish, pour the sauce (in this case a beefy-spaghetti sauce) over the top, then pile on as much cheese as your waistline can handle. ;) Then, bake. And you end up with this. Now, there … [Read more...]

How to prepare SIX meals in LESS THAN 30 MINUTES with this 5-Ingredient Meal Plan! I don't know about you, but it makes my heart happy when a recipe only needs a handful of ingredients. And when they are "normal" ingredients, too! You know what I'm talking about. Ingredients you often have in your kitchen, and are commonly found at a typical grocery store. So I made a … [Read more...]

If I started keeping track, I imagine I eat an avocado or guacamole at least 5 times a week. Sometimes I get guacamole at my fave tex-mex restaurant, sometimes I make my own, sometimes I get it on top of a Chipotle salad, sometimes I just scoop it right out of the skin with a little lemon juice and salt. I'm always looking to mix things up and keep the guacamole "fresh" and … [Read more...]

Holiday To-Do List Already Starting to Stress You Out?!What if you could prep SIX 5-Ingredient freezer meals in 30 minutes...before the holiday chaos begins?!?I'm Erin Chase and I'm here to show you how... Join me the week of NOVEMBER 1stfor a few days oftips and tricks that will help you breeze through this meal prep!Each day throughout the Deck … [Read more...]

Get the Recipes Erin Cooked on Food Network's Big Bad Budget Battle WELCOME to my Big Bad Budget Battle Besties! I'm so glad you're here and I can't wait to connect with you and further help you on your journey to spending less money on groceries and cooking well on a budget. I am beyond tickled by the concept of the show, the opportunity to compete on the show, and … [Read more...]

Save TIME, MONEY, and MORE with these amazing 20 Meals for $150 Plans! ELATED. ECSTATIC. STOKED. That describes how I'm feeling this week, as I re-share this amazing grocery saving and sanity saving resource with you! Many moons ago, I decided to make some updates to the "20 meals for $150" plans. I started creating them in 2013, and it was just time for a … [Read more...]

If you love getting ahead with dinner prep, and you love cookbooks, these Make-Ahead Freezer Meal Cookbooks are the books for YOU! The Freezer Meal StereotypeOften times when people think of freezer meals, they think of mushy casseroles. Or slow-cooker-only recipes. Or bland, tasteless, freezer burned meals. It is also the assumption that these bland, mushy … [Read more...]

Check out the Best Grocery Savings Mobile Apps! These are also Erin's favorites. (She might be a bit biased about the first one!)MyFreezEasyWith MyFreezEasy, it really is as easy as 1-2-3. Get organized, choose your recipes, use the shopping list provided, and then follow the instructions to get your make ahead freezer meals into your freezer! You'll save on groceries … [Read more...]

Oh my heavens - divine, divine, divine. This Pumpkin Pie French Toast recipe is a MUST TRY in the fall and winter months! I so wish I'd doubled this recipe for Pumpkin Pie French Toast while I was first making it. Tripled, or quadrupled even! These are so scrumptious...perfect for the fall season. It's really simple...you just add some pumpkin puree and spices to … [Read more...]

Before you say it, yes...brownies were dessert of the month in April...just a few short weeks ago. But Caramel Cashew Brownies and these Mocha Brownies are different. Very, very different. I know. I know. This is really an indication that I have a brownie problem. Please. Send help. Brownies anonymous, anyone?! So I served these to a group of ladies last week...and … [Read more...]

You will love the ease and convenience of these "Dump and Bake" recipes for scrumptious and hearty casseroles! … [Read more...]

Learning to Cook is Easier than You Think! Your Wallet and Bank Account Will Thank You! Over the years, I've spoken with many people who get frustrated by their overspending on groceries because they don't know how to cook. So they overbuy, or sometimes underbuy, or they resort to dining out and dinner delivery 4-5 times a week. If you are tired of the dining … [Read more...]

This Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole will soon be in your regular dinner rotation because it's so easy to prep to bake, and so scrumptious!I've got another "dump and bake recipe" for you! This Dump & Bake Meatball Casserole is a perfect hearty dish for a cozy family dinner on a super busy weeknight. This no-fuss recipe requires minimal preparation, making it an … [Read more...]

When Chicken and Rice Night collides with TACO TUESDAY you get to enjoy this scrumptious Dump & Bake Taco Chicken!Love the easy and convenience of dump and bake chicken and rice casserole. This variation calls for a can of cream of poblano soup, and if you can't find that at your store, you can swap it for cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup … [Read more...]

You Will Love this Cheesy Delight: The Ultimate Dump-and-Bake Macaroni and Cheese!It's the ultimate comfort AND EFFICIENT food! This Dump & Bake Macaroni and Cheese recipe is a cheesy masterpiece that's as easy to make as it is delicious. This no-boil, no-fuss recipe requires you to simply bake uncooked macaroni with a milk mixture. Once the pasta has cookd, … [Read more...]

The Most Effortless Weeknight Dinner: The Dump & Bake Chicken and Rice CasseroleThis Dump & Bake Chicken and Rice dish is the no-fuss, delicious meal that's perfect for your busy weeknights. All you have to is combine uncooked rice, chicken stock, chicken breasts/tenderloins, and your favorite seasonings in a casserole dish, then bake to fluffy perfection. It's … [Read more...]

Say 'I Do' to Flavor: This Marry Me Ravioli That Will Do the Proposal Part For You!With this scrumptious recipe, I've taken the traditional "marry me" sauce with sun dried tomatoes, cream and Parmesan...and cooked ravioli in it. The result: a truly magical meal. Inspired by that once in a lifetime, magical moment. This Marry Me Ravioli is the ideal cozy … [Read more...]

These Valentine's Day Sugar Cookie Bars with Strawberry Frosting can be made with gluten free flour blend or all-purpose flour, and they are the perfect light and fluffy treat for your special day!These sugar cookie bars are inspired by the Drop Sugar Cookies with Strawberry Frosting that my boys LOVE. I saw some V-Day sprinkle at the store and immediately decided that … [Read more...]

A New Melty Mashup: Savor the Flavor Fusion of Your Favorite Cheeseburger with a Quesadilla!Enjoy! Burger Quesadillas A melty mashup of two cheese favorites - cheeseburgers and quesadillas! 1 lb. ground beef1 Tbsp minced onion1 tsp garlic powder1 tsp paprika3 Tbsp ketchup1 Tbsp yellow mustard1 cup chopped pickles4 large flour tortillas2 cups … [Read more...]

Use chopped rotisserie chicken meat to make these easy Chicken Fajita Quesadillas for a super quick weeknight dinner! Enjoy! Chicken Fajitas Quesadillas Pack a flavor punch with sauteed peppers and onions and rotisserie chicken! 1 Tbsp olive oil1 small white onion (finely chopped)2 small bell peppers (seeded and chopped)2 cups rotisserie chicken meat … [Read more...]