Frugal Recipes

I'd like to share two yummy recipes I made this week. They both include rice, as we have been consuming more rice in an effort to save money. Savory and fairly easy, they are healthy and kind to the budget!

Cabbage Roll Casserole (Adapted from Taste of Home)
TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 55 min. (or cook in crock-pot)
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef (I used less- on the short end of 1 1/2lb)
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (15 ounces each) tomato sauce, divided (or use canned tomatoes; I used a mixture of fresh tomatoes and tomato paste, because fresh tomatoes are cheaper here than canned)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dill weed (feel free to use seasonings you have)
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups cooked rice (I used more)
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (I substitute this for a pork seasoning cube)
1 medium head cabbage (2 pounds), shredded
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (or any cheese)

Directions: In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in one can of tomato sauce and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat: cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in rice and bacon; heat through. Remove from the heat. Layer a third of the cabbage in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Top with half of the meat mixture. Repeat layers; top with remaining cabbage. Pour remaining tomato sauce over top. Cover and bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

To make in crock-pot (this turned out wonderfully!): I made the rice and cooked the tomatoes (because they fresh) the night before. I followed the directions in cooking the beef, and adding auce and rice. Then I layered it into the crock-pot. When I came home from church, I realized I had not used enough tomato sauce, so I added more paste and water. When it was finished, I sprinkled the shredded cheese on top and let it melt. Because the crock-pot hold in more liquid than the over, the cheese melted beautifully and mixed in well when served. Yum!

Dijon Rice & Egg Skillet Supper
This recipe uses eggs as its source of protein. Here is the link.
The only thing I did differently from this recipe was using home-made Italian dressing. I also forgot to add the parsley, though I will do that next time, as we have fresh parsley in a pot on our porch. :)

I will definitely be making both of these again and adding them to our "frugal favorites!"