Jen, may I say that you are on a (Casse)role with the budget videos. I love them and the variety you're putting out. Thanks for thinking of a wide range of skill sets/diets/times to do this and sharing it all for FREE! Keep up the great work!💪
me too Jenn! One pot/pan anything is for me. I live alone and am disabled and i need all the help i can get! One pan is more than I want to wash but it sure beats several! thank you!
Wow, I’m so early to the party!!! Due to our time zone difference, I am usually asleep when you post and have to catch it after work the next day. Love these ideas!!
I have been paying cheese tax for some time and never did I ever know that was what I was doing. Haha! Quick and simple and looks so tasty. I especially like the chicken noodle soup/ casserole but will give them all a whirl. You are quite a life saver with your cooking knowledge, tips and tricks, and short cuts. I am so happy we are friends. Thanks for all you do and sharing with us. Taking your time to show and teach us. You are special to be so giving!
These recipes look great. My daughter and her husband😊 is going to the hospital tomorrow to have baby # 7 and then coming to stay with us for a couple weeks. I will be making these recipes.
I always use powdered or cubed bouillon. People who buy boxed broth, well I don't want to call them idiots, but really lacking in flavor and the cost adds up fast. With cubes or powder I can make my stock more chickeny, etc. It may say one cube per cup of water but I might add five cubes to three cups of water... A box of broth in my opinion is more flavorless to begin with, more expensive, and by the way if you have a partial left and put it in your frig it goes bad fairly quickly. If I had a jar of cubes that was ten years old I would use them. Seriously. They never go bad. People buying boxes or cans of broth need to get a clue and save a ton of money as well. I will throw in a bouillon cube or two to many things. Add one or two to your rice. Any pasta or casserole you are making. A gravy. You name it. You want some awesome au jus dipping sauce? Get a cup of hot water and throw more than one cube in there, maybe three. You have a very good au jus to dip in. I have to hide it because my daughter will DRINK it lol. I haven't tried the Knorr powder but I see many do and you have it. I will have to give it a try. I keep many jars of cubes on hand of both chicken and beef.
It is very backwards--my daughter LOVES, LOVES, LOVES tater tot hotdish. I come from the era it got hot in and my mom made it and I hated it and still do. My daughter never had me making it for her as I never liked it. Perhaps backwards compared to most people. I hated things with cream of soups in them and tater tots should be crispy. Period. Lol. My daughter's father in law makes tater tot hot dish just for her and gives her a panful. His own son won't eat it lol. I am a failure of a mom as I never made it for her as I never liked it and so her father in law has to. LOL. To this day, I have never made it and won't. HOWEVER I am past the point I maybe need tater tots crispy and could like other parts but if so, I will be making some sauce and there will never be a cream of crap in mine. we shall see... I don't like the funeral or as we call them cheesy potatoes either. The like hashbrown cheese crockpot potatoes. Yuck. I can eat them but am no fan. I'm always like where are the real potatoes and gravy, etc. when my sisters decide to bring those, etc. at Easter for instance. Man we have a HAM. You can't not do real mashed and real ham gravy, wth is wrong with you? I mean I WILL make them, take those off the menu. I am up in the middle of the night and can't sleep, just ignore my rambling about food. :D
Oh Jen so needed this tonight. I am stuck in the same old rut winter ideas and you just gave me a pick up. That ravioli dish is the first one on my list but they all look so yummy. And will get their turn. Even the casserole cookies 😁and that is what I am going to tell everyone they are called. And they will just think as normal....Mom has lost it but they love it....hugs
I use cream of chicken soup instead of cornstarch slurry for my chicken and noodles. And I think swiss cheese would taste really good with the chicken and broccoli casserole. 😊
I'm okay with boxed scalloped or au gratin potatoes. They are not like homemade but okay in a pinch. I'd also add though your own cheese, some onion, seasonings, etc. makes them even better and is so easy to do. So many things like this are often side dishes but if one adds a protein (ham) and a veggie (peas in your case) it is a full meal. Yet again even then they are often served as just a side. I often think that with Calico beans. My family makes them a lot for holidays. One has a ton of a variety off beans, they have a protein, usually burger. They are a meal all by themselves but we never have them as a meal, they are always just a side. In the south, beans or what we call bean soup in the north are just a side. In the north, bean soup is a meal. So is split pea soup. All on its own. There are peas or beans, usually ham, and usually carrots, celery, onion at minimum for veg. A meal on its own. Delicious. And cheap. I'm sorry. I can't sleep so kind of hitting the posts and the threads. And rambling a bit.
My family makes a broccoli stuffing casserole that I LOVE! It has chopped broccoli, onion, mushrooms, mixed with mayo , cream of mushroom soup, and sour cream, topped with cheddar, then topped with the stuffing. It is my favorite thanksgiving side! The broccoli part almost soufflés with the melty cheese and crunchy stuffing on top.
I stood in the freezer section and thought about buying frozen ravioli. It’s been years since I layered it like your ravioli bake. I need a good recipe that uses tortellini. I generally think of those in soup. Nice recipes! Thanks! ❤😊
Never had tater tot casserole until about 10 years ago. I am not from the Midwest and didn’t know it existed/ I have made it a few times since then. My mom made casseroles occasionally but never ravioli casserole or tater tot casserole. I had never heard of those. I have cooked ravioli in a similar way and it is so good. So easy to make. Very reasonable in cost for 4 people. Mom made them because they were cost effective. I think she would have fainted to see the cost of food these days (she passed away 12 years ago).
i dont cook my stuffing i just add the water and let it sit while i do the rest of the stuff. it absorbs and comes out really good. i did mixed veggies but i love broccoli!
Northwest Iowa subscriber here- I don’t remember anyone adding cheese to tater tot casserole back in the 70s/80s nor is the addition of cheese in my old recipe books. I just find it interesting how cheese is added tater tot casserole in recent recipes.
I would love to see if you have a few easy and budget friendly meals that do not require an oven! My mom’s oven doesn’t work so she does everything on the stove or air fryer and I’m always trying to find dinner ideas for her. I’ll definitely be passing the chicken and noodles along to her!
I agree I don’t like chunks of onion in my ground beef. Actually I don’t really like them in anything but I like the flavor they need to come out with an onion slurry or juice or something and sell it in the grocery stores because it’s so messy to make and I won’t do it, but I would buy it!! 😊
Asked for a casserole carrier for my birthday last year since I make so many for parties and my family from Oregon thought it was hilarious. They don’t get it. Not to mention they make fun of how we put cheese on everything. Midwest is best!
I just made a sloppy joe version of tater tot casserole for dinner tonight that my extremely picky teenager said should go into the regular rotation, so that's a win in my book! How can you go wrong with tots?
Jen excellent performance… Thank you for sharing these fantastic recipes I want to make the broccoli chicken cheese sauce and stuffing this sounds delicious and I will definitely be sharing this recipe at family dinner I go to once a month. Thank you P.S. I love love that violet glass sauce pot. ❤☮️🦋
Great video and recipe ides even for just me. Jen, have you tried, Thrive Market? It is an online organic grocery store that promotes healthier eating for less money. Many of the other UA-cam content providers like Mandy in the Making, Jessica O’Donahue, and others love it. I am thinking of trying it as the prices for everyday pantry staples at my local stores are so high. The subscription is $59 a year and if you don’t save that amount in a year, they refund your membership fee. Also when your order gets to $49 it ships for free, not hard to today. What do you think?❤️
It's a personal problem lol--I can't expect people to adapt their videos and recipes to me but I absolutely abhor "cream of" soups. I don't think there is a worse awful tasting processed food in our world. Take that out and do a quick sub which takes hardly longer than opening the can and I would like a lot more recipes. I get I can sub it myself but drives me crazy even seeing the sh*t. Like I said it is a personal problem of my own I guess as many a cook I watch uses such. I'd like to give this tip to people. Americans under-herb/spice their dishes. If you like basil, parsley, etc. over-herb your spaghetti sauce, etc. with such. We use a teaspoon of his, half a teaspoon of that, etc., it is ridiculous. True Italians throw in handfuls whether fresh or dried. I am careful with oregano as I don't like too much of it but the rest of just a blend of Italian seasoning oh YES. Like many of us, I can cook from scratch but don't always have the time. I am the queen of doctoring. Take jarred pasta sauce and add a lot of these herbs. I also with like spaghetti sauce will add a can of rotel or a can of diced tomatoes, etc. Adds some spice, or no spice but some "real" tomatoes, but always a lot of "herb". A lot of people doctor a frozen pizza adding cheese and toppings and such. Again do not forget the "herb". Things these days are bland to fit all, no salt, you name it, they also aren't going to go to the extra expense. Doctor, doctor, doctor. I had a can of Progresso tomato basil soup yesterday. I find it fairly good just as it is for canned soup--not too bad for a canned soup as it is. However, I microwave a bowlful and then add Italian seasoning, a sprinkle of garlic salt, a sprinkle of salt, a bit of red pepper flake and some shaved parmesan and it is instantly elevated. Takes no time at all, seconds. I like a lot of their soups. Beef barley, split pea w/bacon. Same there, add some real bacon to the split pea for instance. Anyhow GREAT video, just talking how to elevate even five ingredient dishes or any dish. A person can have convenience and yet make it so much better so quickly. Convenience chicken strips. Air fry them or bake them. Then toss them whole or cut up, just out of oven or further in a skillet with some Panda orange sauce or kung pao, etc. OR even easier, just use the sauce for dipping. Forget the chicken strips and ranch and go the China route. Over rice, even better. anyhow I am up in the middle of the night lol and can't sleep so just giving some ideas to elevate five ingredient meals even in just a minute. Or ANY meal, even a can of soup. I never leave a jar of spaghetti sauce untouched... 60 seconds is all one needs to change everything up and make it better.
Jen, may I say that you are on a (Casse)role with the budget videos. I love them and the variety you're putting out. Thanks for thinking of a wide range of skill sets/diets/times to do this and sharing it all for FREE!
Keep up the great work!💪
You’re so sweet, thank you!
My dog heard the ring door opened noise and thought someone was home 😂 love seeing your pups
*Totally adding the broccoli chicken stuffing casserole to the meal plan for February!*
Me too, and I definitely want to try using diced potatoes in place of chicken
All of these recipes look great and I have most of the ingredients on a regular basis. I cannot wait to try them. Thanks for the great video!!
me too Jenn! One pot/pan anything is for me. I live alone and am disabled and i need all the help i can get! One pan is more than I want to wash but it sure beats several! thank you!
Wow, I’m so early to the party!!! Due to our time zone difference, I am usually asleep when you post and have to catch it after work the next day.
Love these ideas!!
I have been paying cheese tax for some time and never did I ever know that was what I was doing. Haha! Quick and simple and looks so tasty. I especially like the chicken noodle soup/ casserole but will give them all a whirl. You are quite a life saver with your cooking knowledge, tips and tricks, and short cuts. I am so happy we are friends. Thanks for all you do and sharing with us. Taking your time to show and teach us. You are special to be so giving!
These recipes look great. My daughter and her husband😊 is going to the hospital tomorrow to have baby # 7 and then coming to stay with us for a couple weeks. I will be making these recipes.
What a wonderful grandma/mom you are ❤ and congrats to you and your family that is a such a blessing, Lucky #7 🥳🥳❤🎉🎉
@@toniwalsh7317 congrats!
I always use powdered or cubed bouillon. People who buy boxed broth, well I don't want to call them idiots, but really lacking in flavor and the cost adds up fast. With cubes or powder I can make my stock more chickeny, etc. It may say one cube per cup of water but I might add five cubes to three cups of water... A box of broth in my opinion is more flavorless to begin with, more expensive, and by the way if you have a partial left and put it in your frig it goes bad fairly quickly. If I had a jar of cubes that was ten years old I would use them. Seriously. They never go bad. People buying boxes or cans of broth need to get a clue and save a ton of money as well.
I will throw in a bouillon cube or two to many things. Add one or two to your rice. Any pasta or casserole you are making. A gravy. You name it. You want some awesome au jus dipping sauce? Get a cup of hot water and throw more than one cube in there, maybe three. You have a very good au jus to dip in. I have to hide it because my daughter will DRINK it lol.
I haven't tried the Knorr powder but I see many do and you have it. I will have to give it a try. I keep many jars of cubes on hand of both chicken and beef.
It is very backwards--my daughter LOVES, LOVES, LOVES tater tot hotdish. I come from the era it got hot in and my mom made it and I hated it and still do. My daughter never had me making it for her as I never liked it. Perhaps backwards compared to most people. I hated things with cream of soups in them and tater tots should be crispy. Period. Lol. My daughter's father in law makes tater tot hot dish just for her and gives her a panful. His own son won't eat it lol. I am a failure of a mom as I never made it for her as I never liked it and so her father in law has to. LOL. To this day, I have never made it and won't. HOWEVER I am past the point I maybe need tater tots crispy and could like other parts but if so, I will be making some sauce and there will never be a cream of crap in mine. we shall see... I don't like the funeral or as we call them cheesy potatoes either. The like hashbrown cheese crockpot potatoes. Yuck. I can eat them but am no fan. I'm always like where are the real potatoes and gravy, etc. when my sisters decide to bring those, etc. at Easter for instance. Man we have a HAM. You can't not do real mashed and real ham gravy, wth is wrong with you? I mean I WILL make them, take those off the menu.
I am up in the middle of the night and can't sleep, just ignore my rambling about food. :D
Oh Jen so needed this tonight. I am stuck in the same old rut winter ideas and you just gave me a pick up. That ravioli dish is the first one on my list but they all look so yummy. And will get their turn. Even the casserole cookies 😁and that is what I am going to tell everyone they are called. And they will just think as normal....Mom has lost it but they love it....hugs
I needed this tonight! Thanks!
Thank you for the ideas!
I love all these. Totally making baked Ravioli now! I've made that broccoli chicken casserole before with a rotisserie chicken.
I use cream of chicken soup instead of cornstarch slurry for my chicken and noodles. And I think swiss cheese would taste really good with the chicken and broccoli casserole. 😊
I'm okay with boxed scalloped or au gratin potatoes. They are not like homemade but okay in a pinch. I'd also add though your own cheese, some onion, seasonings, etc. makes them even better and is so easy to do. So many things like this are often side dishes but if one adds a protein (ham) and a veggie (peas in your case) it is a full meal. Yet again even then they are often served as just a side.
I often think that with Calico beans. My family makes them a lot for holidays. One has a ton of a variety off beans, they have a protein, usually burger. They are a meal all by themselves but we never have them as a meal, they are always just a side. In the south, beans or what we call bean soup in the north are just a side. In the north, bean soup is a meal. So is split pea soup. All on its own. There are peas or beans, usually ham, and usually carrots, celery, onion at minimum for veg. A meal on its own. Delicious. And cheap.
I'm sorry. I can't sleep so kind of hitting the posts and the threads. And rambling a bit.
I love your videos on easy meals thanks❤
My family makes a broccoli stuffing casserole that I LOVE! It has chopped broccoli, onion, mushrooms, mixed with mayo , cream of mushroom soup, and sour cream, topped with cheddar, then topped with the stuffing. It is my favorite thanksgiving side! The broccoli part almost soufflés with the melty cheese and crunchy stuffing on top.
I stood in the freezer section and thought about buying frozen ravioli. It’s been years since I layered it like your ravioli bake. I need a good recipe that uses tortellini. I generally think of those in soup. Nice recipes! Thanks! ❤😊
Never had tater tot casserole until about 10 years ago. I am not from the Midwest and didn’t know it existed/ I have made it a few times since then. My mom made casseroles occasionally but never ravioli casserole or tater tot casserole. I had never heard of those. I have cooked ravioli in a similar way and it is so good. So easy to make. Very reasonable in cost for 4 people. Mom made them because they were cost effective. I think she would have fainted to see the cost of food these days (she passed away 12 years ago).
Yum, girl, yum! Definitely going to make all of these! Loved it
These are all great meal ideas and I love that you made a casserole for your grandparents. 👍🏻
will be doing the chicken brocc stuffing cass [ it sure looked good! Great video Jen!
Great recipes! The ravioli bake would be my favorite. 😃
Everything looks sooo darn good! Love watching your videos, Jen.
Great video, Jen! The chicken and noodles look amazing!
i dont cook my stuffing i just add the water and let it sit while i do the rest of the stuff. it absorbs and comes out really good. i did mixed veggies but i love broccoli!
Im really excited to see this type of budget cooking video from your channel, great ideas!❤
Great casserole ideas. Casseroles are such comfort food. Simple and affordable!
Northwest Iowa subscriber here- I don’t remember anyone adding cheese to tater tot casserole back in the 70s/80s nor is the addition of cheese in my old recipe books. I just find it interesting how cheese is added tater tot casserole in recent recipes.
I would love to see if you have a few easy and budget friendly meals that do not require an oven! My mom’s oven doesn’t work so she does everything on the stove or air fryer and I’m always trying to find dinner ideas for her. I’ll definitely be passing the chicken and noodles along to her!
Does she have a slow cooker?
@@Jen-Chapin yes!
Thanks so much for these easy and quick dinners!! Also that color is awesome on you ❤
Tater tot casserole is one of my favorites too! I’m going to make those cookies tomorrow, I have M&M’s too!
Dealing with a cold right now so the chicken noodle soup/stew looked absolutely delicious to me !! Now I need to make those cookies ! 🍪🍪🍪
Tater tot is a favorite for me too. I use cream of celery soup and no veg.
I am going to try the American cheese next time
Separate the m&ms…red for Valentine’s Day, green for St Patrick’s day! Same with the red and green wrapped kisses…stretch those holidays!
I do this as well. Same with the red and green frosting that I buy on clearance after Xmas
Hello Jen... hope you and the family are doing well....❤❤❤
Thks.for sharing they all look delicious.
Oh the cheese tax, my 2 shepherds know of this and come running as soon as I say ‘cheese’. 😂😂
I make the tater tot recipe using sweet potato tots …looks good
I agree I don’t like chunks of onion in my ground beef. Actually I don’t really like them in anything but I like the flavor they need to come out with an onion slurry or juice or something and sell it in the grocery stores because it’s so messy to make and I won’t do it, but I would buy it!! 😊
You can try Spice World Easy Onion in the jar
@ thanks!
My personal favorite are all of these delicious looking meals.
Asked for a casserole carrier for my birthday last year since I make so many for parties and my family from Oregon thought it was hilarious. They don’t get it. Not to mention they make fun of how we put cheese on everything. Midwest is best!
I just made a sloppy joe version of tater tot casserole for dinner tonight that my extremely picky teenager said should go into the regular rotation, so that's a win in my book! How can you go wrong with tots?
Jen excellent performance…
Thank you for sharing these fantastic recipes I want to make the broccoli chicken cheese sauce and stuffing this sounds delicious and I will definitely be sharing this recipe at family dinner I go to once a month. Thank you P.S. I love love that violet glass sauce pot. ❤☮️🦋
Hii Jen 👋
Heyyyy!!! 😊
Those look like delicious “hotdishes “. to this Minnesota friend. 😀 I’m loving all you content. ❤
I have to pay the cheese tax to my 2 dogs too 😂😂
Must pay the cheese tax! These recipes are great! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing budget meals.
Great video and recipe ides even for just me. Jen, have you tried, Thrive Market? It is an online organic grocery store that promotes healthier eating for less money. Many of the other UA-cam content providers like Mandy in the Making, Jessica O’Donahue, and others love it. I am thinking of trying it as the prices for everyday pantry staples at my local stores are so high. The subscription is $59 a year and if you don’t save that amount in a year, they refund your membership fee. Also when your order gets to $49 it ships for free, not hard to today. What do you think?❤️
Yes I used to use them all the time! I still have a membership but haven’t ordered in awhile :)
Can use your electric mixer to quickly shred your chicken.
We call the ravioli bake, lazy lasagna.
Just run your scissors thru that broccoli
It's a personal problem lol--I can't expect people to adapt their videos and recipes to me but I absolutely abhor "cream of" soups. I don't think there is a worse awful tasting processed food in our world. Take that out and do a quick sub which takes hardly longer than opening the can and I would like a lot more recipes. I get I can sub it myself but drives me crazy even seeing the sh*t. Like I said it is a personal problem of my own I guess as many a cook I watch uses such.
I'd like to give this tip to people. Americans under-herb/spice their dishes. If you like basil, parsley, etc. over-herb your spaghetti sauce, etc. with such. We use a teaspoon of his, half a teaspoon of that, etc., it is ridiculous. True Italians throw in handfuls whether fresh or dried. I am careful with oregano as I don't like too much of it but the rest of just a blend of Italian seasoning oh YES.
Like many of us, I can cook from scratch but don't always have the time. I am the queen of doctoring. Take jarred pasta sauce and add a lot of these herbs. I also with like spaghetti sauce will add a can of rotel or a can of diced tomatoes, etc. Adds some spice, or no spice but some "real" tomatoes, but always a lot of "herb".
A lot of people doctor a frozen pizza adding cheese and toppings and such. Again do not forget the "herb".
Things these days are bland to fit all, no salt, you name it, they also aren't going to go to the extra expense. Doctor, doctor, doctor.
I had a can of Progresso tomato basil soup yesterday. I find it fairly good just as it is for canned soup--not too bad for a canned soup as it is. However, I microwave a bowlful and then add Italian seasoning, a sprinkle of garlic salt, a sprinkle of salt, a bit of red pepper flake and some shaved parmesan and it is instantly elevated. Takes no time at all, seconds. I like a lot of their soups. Beef barley, split pea w/bacon. Same there, add some real bacon to the split pea for instance.
Anyhow GREAT video, just talking how to elevate even five ingredient dishes or any dish. A person can have convenience and yet make it so much better so quickly.
Convenience chicken strips. Air fry them or bake them. Then toss them whole or cut up, just out of oven or further in a skillet with some Panda orange sauce or kung pao, etc. OR even easier, just use the sauce for dipping. Forget the chicken strips and ranch and go the China route. Over rice, even better.
anyhow I am up in the middle of the night lol and can't sleep so just giving some ideas to elevate five ingredient meals even in just a minute. Or ANY meal, even a can of soup.
I never leave a jar of spaghetti sauce untouched... 60 seconds is all one needs to change everything up and make it better.
Every time you use that seasoning brand I have to say it bad boys style ua-cam.com/video/UoJkZdO5zPg/v-deo.htmlsi=m3j59YxG9-NqzxM-
Those look like delicious “hotdishes “. to this Minnesota friend. 😀 I’m loving all you content. ❤