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Erin Chase is my grocery shopping hero! Known as the $5 Dinner Mom, she is recognized for her frugal menus and grocery shopping skills. I recently had the opportunity to review her new cookbook, aptly named, “The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook” and had a blast trying out recipes. I’ve even added a few to my freezer cooking rotation, like our version of the Apple-Dijon Pork Roast.

Balancing nutrition, taste and the budget seem to be the main goals of this cookbook and Erin definitely hits the mark. These aren’t exotic recipes with ingredients you have to hunt all over for. Most times, you will shop from your own pantry for the ingredients to make these tasty dishes. The fun thing is that she isn’t talking about a $5 main dish. When she says $5, she means the whole dinner!

The first three chapters of this informative book are your training manual for maneuvering through the grocery store and making the sales work to your best advantage, instead of theirs. Erin shows you how to make the most of coupons and how to plan your meals, so that you, too, can successfully feed your family of 4 for only $5 per dinner. There are 200 recipes to satisfy your family and stretch your grocery budget. Simple and quick with a minimum of ingredients are the factors that make these recipes the ones you will return to again and again as you plan your menus.

I’m so excited about this cookbook and I know all of you who are working to be good stewards of your finances and your time will love it, too. Order your copy of “The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook” at Erin’s website, “The $5 Dinner Mom“.

Table of Contents

• Chapter One: Strategic Grocery Shopping
• Chapter Two: Strategic Couponing
• Chapter Three: Strategic Meal Planning
• Chapter Four: Pasta and Pizza Dinners
• Chapter Five: Chicken and Turkey Meals
• Chapter Six: Beef Meals
• Chapter Seven: Pork Meals
• Chapter Eight: Fish and Seafood
• Chapter Nine: Soups and Stews
• Chapter Ten: Vegetarian Meals
• Chapter Eleven: Homemade Recipes (Homemade Breads, Sauces and Dressings)

You’ll enjoy these recipes and so many more:

• Slow Cooker Meatballs with Spaghetti
• Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
• Bacon-Wrapped Apple Chicken
• Grilled Chicken with Summer Salad
• Mexican Chicken Skillet
• Beef Fajitas
• Cheeseburger Pie
• Lentil Meatloaf
• Meat and Potato Lasagna
• North Carolina Pulled-Pork Sandwiches
• Pork Roast with Apples and Pears
• Broiled Lemon-Pepper Fish
• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
• Broccoli-Topped Potatoes
• Veggie Tacos with Spanish Rice
• Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Steak Rub

Erin and her publisher, St. Martin’s Griffin, graciously consented to the reprint of one of her recipes, so you get the treat of sampling one of the delicious, frugal supper menus!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts ($1.66)
• 3 Tbsp oil ($.10)
• 3 cups homemade chicken broth (.30)
  
• 1 12 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles ($.37)
  
• ½ onion, chopped ($.15)
  
• 1 cup milk ($.10)
• 6 corn tortillas ($.50)
  
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese ($.75)
  
• 4 corn cobs ($1)

Directions

1. Cut chicken breast into cubes. In medium saucepan, add 3 Tbsp oil and cubed chicken. Sauté chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes, then add 2-3 cups of water or homemade chicken broth. Add Rotel tomatoes, chopped onion and milk. Season soup with salt and pepper. Let simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken pieces have cooked through.

2. About 10 minutes before serving, add torn corn tortillas and shredded cheese to the soup.

3. Remove husks and threads from corn and boil in large saucepan for 4-5 minutes, or place corn cobs in glass baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 7-9 minutes.

4. Serve Chicken Tortilla Soup with Corn Cobs.

Cost $4.93

Recipe From The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook by Erin Chase. Copyright © 2010 by the author and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Griffin.