Meal 1 Crock pot meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and peas

Crock pot meatloaf
2 lbs ground meat($5.00)
1 packet dry onion soup or 1/2 cup homemade mix ($0.60)
2 eggs whipped($0.20)
1 roll ritz crackers, crushed($0.50)
1/2 cup onion chopped(free from the garden)
Garlic powder
Ketchup


Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl until well blended. Shape into crock pot size loaf. Line crock pot with foil. Place loaf in crock pot and top with ketchup. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Simple Mashed potatoes
2.5 lbs washed,peeled, chopped potatoes($1.25)
Stick of butter ($0.50)
Milk (1/2 cup)

Boil potatoes 20 to 30 minutes until try slide off a fork easily. Drain and let rest for 5 minutes to let steam escape.
In a large bowl mash or whip potatoes with butter,milk, salt and pepper until desired consistency is reached.
You can adjust the butter, milk, salt and pepper to you taste.

Cooked frozen peas ($1.00)

Total cost $8.05 with leftovers for lunch!

The $10 challenge

I love to cook and eat. Sometimes I go way over the top with cost and difficulty. Sometimes my recipes turn out and sometimes my dogs won't even touch them.
Well for the next 20 days every supper I make is going to cost under $10. It will be real food too!
Starting with tomorrow. Crock pot meatloaf, mashed potaotes and peas,
I can do this!

Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix

5 t beef bullion granules
3 T dried onion flakes
1 t onion powder
1/4 t pepper

Mix together. Makes one packet.

Natural Hardwood floor cleaner.

This works for real hardwood and laminate floors too.
My sister once told me that a group of pugs is called a grumble. Well we have a grumble of pugs and a six year old human child who spills everything. Keeping my old wooden floor clean is a challenge. I have tried almost everything Lysol, simple green, oil soap. They would clean the floor but they would streak and dirt would stick to it easily so it would look dirty every day. Most days we just use the swifter dry and dry dust it. Some days it really needs a bit more.

1/2 gallon hot water
1/2 gallon vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice

The vinegar and water clean and the lemon juice removes residue. I hand wash it to prevent pooling.

Aidenism....Life with Cool Bill

Aiden is not into all the new toy fad. So one day while walking uptown we found this old antique truck. It is dented and missing its paint. Aiden obviously fell in love with and had to buy it for a whole $10. His hard earned allowance. I asked him if he was sure if he wanted to spend his money on this crappy old toy. He replies it was a well made toy just in need of some love. Aiden always does things his own way and marches to his own beat. I love him for having the courage to be different. He doesn't realize how special he is to all of us.
He named the truck Cool Bill. Our adventures start here!

Nacho average casserole

Chips

8 corn tortillas
Cooking spray
Sea salt

Preheat oven to 350.
Cut corn tortillas into 6 equal pieces.
Place on cookie sheet. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 10 minutes. Flip and bake a few more until crisp. Set aside to cool.

For casserole
2 cups cheese
1 cup beans cooked
1 cup chicken
1/2 small onion chopped
2 cups lettuce
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 guacamole
1/2 sour cream.

Place chips in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Top with cheese onion and chicken. Bake for 20 minutes until cooked and crunchy.

Remove from oven. Top with lettuce, salsa, guacamole and sour cream.

You can also add what ever else you like. Olives and tomatoes would be good.