Miser Monday - First Edition; Navajo-ish Tacos and Chicken and Dumplings

Miser Monday:  First Edition

Navajo-ish Tacos and Chicken and Dumplings

Ok, I’m going to cut to the chase and list the recipe first if you just want to business end of this thing.  Keep reading and scrolling for the pricing and the explanation.  Enjoy!

Navajo-ish Tacos and Chicken in Dumplings – Feeding the Moselys on one Summer Sunday

First, cook that chicken!  What you need:

One whole chicken

Seasonings to taste (I used smoked paprika, onion powder, serendipity season salt and sea salt)

1 cup of water

Dump the chicken, trimmed of the innards and neck into a crock pot on high and add 1 cup of water and your choice of seasonings; cook for 5-6 hours and then let cool

Navajo-ish Tacos:

2 cups cooked shredded chicken

1 can hatch chilies and tomatoes or rotel; drained

½ chopped yellow onion

2 tbsp. butter

½ cup chicken broth from your crock pot chicken

Shredded cheese for topping

Sauté all ingredients above until the onion is glassy

Fry Bread:          

2 cups flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ cup – 1 cup milk or ice water

Mix the above, adding milk until you have a drop biscuit type consistency and let sit for 10 minutes

Spoon dough into ice cream scoop size balls and roll in hands, then flatten out.  It adds to the crispiness to punch a few holes in them with your fingers.  You can air fry them (make sure to spray them generously with cooking spray first) at 370 for about 10 minutes or until golden brown; alternatively you can skillet them or deep fry at 350 in canola or vegetable oil, flipping them when browned

Once your Fry-Bread is finished top with the chicken mixture and cheese.  For a more filling meal and to add nutrition you can add a can of corn, black beans or whatever floats your boat.  I’ve also experimented with adding yellow squash and sweet potato, both tasty options. 

Chicken and Dumplings:

Take the remainder of the deboned chicken and place in a large pot.  Add 4 tbsp. butter, the other half of your sweet yellow onion, chopped and 2 cups chopped carrots.  I like to sprinkle in some rubbed sage, sea salt, smoked paprika and garlic.  You can add the remainder of your chicken broth but I like to can mine for other purposes and use water for my dumplings.  Either way, after sautéing the chicken mixture until the onions are glassy, add about 6 cups of liquid.  Bring this to a boil.  While you’re waiting, mix your quick dumplings:

2 cups Flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 cup milk

1 tsp salt

Once the liquid is boiling drop spoonful’s of your batter into the pot until you’ve used all your dough.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cover for 15-20 minutes.  Check one of dumplings to make sure that it is bready and cooked completely on the inside.  Let cool and enjoy!

Ok, these two meals fed my family of 5 for both lunch and dinner on a Sunday.  There are other ways to make a whole chicken go further such as quesadillas, taquitos, etc. but these two meals are very filling and satisfying and that’s how I roll on Sundays.  Fill up on churching, fill up on food, take a nap and prepare for the coming week. 

Like I said, you can make a whole chicken go a lot further but both of these meals had a half a chicken which added a lot of protein which helps ward off the hungry monsters I've found.  

Here’s the price breakdown:

1 small whole chicken:  $11.57 (Aldi)

1 yellow onion $.27 (Aldi, one pack for $1.89 with 7 onions)

Butter $.70 (Kroger 1lb package divided by 4)

Carrots $1.79 (Aldi)

Flour $.92 (Part of a 5lb bag from Aldi)

Milk $.22 (Used 2 Cups from a gallon of whole milk from Aldi for $1.89)

Rotel $.65

Cheddar $1.39 (Half of a Kroger bag of Shredded cheddar for $2.78)

Seasonings I estimate cost me about $.50.

Ok, that brings us to a grand total of $18.01.  That’s two large, filling meals for 5 hungry people including my gigantic growing boys.  Not bad.  Now, I will say that these are a bit more expensive than a lot of our weekday meals but again, it was Sunday.  Also, I had a lot of broth left over which I plan on making some enchilada sauce with later this week.  Either way, when the husband and I were on vacation we ate out at reasonable places and averaged about $30 per meal just for the two of us.  This is a really great example of how eating at home and being resourceful can save you a whole lot of money.  

Let’s say that you had big meals like this every meal, for five people, 7 days a week, and 3 meals a day.  You’d spend about $378 per week. 

I realize that’s a lot lower than a lot of grocery budgets I’ve seen but in all honesty I usually try to only spend that every other week.  I’m hoping to do a weekly installment of meal planning and budget tips to help you!  Hence the title, Miser Monday!  Because, alliteration. 

I’m not taking into account things that are just in my kitchen such as cooking spray, etc.  Aldi has Canola cooking spray, which is one of my staples for under $2.00.  These are tasty meals too and approved by 4 out of 5 Moselys. 

As always I really appreciate and enjoy your comments and questions!  Please feel free to share or ask me questions!  Thanks!