What is on the menu?

Since I usually do one or two big shopping trips each month I always try to write out a month worth of dinner menu at one time. This month I decided to use 4 index cards with 5 different meals on each card so that I could easily pick a different card each week depending on what I had planned or what I felt like cooking. I then placed the cards in my Couponizer so that I had them with me while I shopped just in case I needed to improvise. On the menu card for this week I have

1. Chicken Nuggets, French Fries and a vegetable
2. Spaghetti with sauce, garlic bread and a salad
3. Broiled Salmon, steamed rice and broccoli 
4. Spaghetti with sauce and a salad
5. Turkey Chili with beans over steamed rice and cornmeal muffins on the side

Left overs are always an option as are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches I just don't worry about writing them on the menu. We eat a lot of spaghetti at our house. I recently had coupons that allowed me to purchase 100 one pound boxes of Muellers pasta for free plus overage that was applied to the rest of my grocery bill! I was not going to pass that up considering I feed a small army almost every night. Chili is a family favorite and I figured out this awesome recipe that my kids just love. It is extremely cheap too especially if you receive W.I.C. and shop at the Commissary.

To make Turkey Chili with beans you will need

• 2 Pounds Ground Turkey (this is usually $1 a pound at the Commissary)
• 4 Cans of mixed beans Dark Red Kidney, Light Red Kidney, Black whatever your family prefers drained and rinsed
• 2 15 ounce cans of tomato sauce
• 1 packet McCormick Original Chili Seasoning or your favorite chili seasoning

Brown ground turkey in a large pot until no longer pink breaking it up into small pieces as it browns then drain out any fat. Stir in chili seasoning, both cans of tomato sauce and the 4 cans of beans bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cover let the chili simmer for about 15 minutes stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes. I like to serve this over rice with a little bit of shredded cheese and sour cream on top or as the meat in a taco salad. My husband enjoys eating his chili with a tortilla and sometimes for lunch on a cold day I love mine over a nice hot baked potato. This chili tastes great anyway you can think of to serve it so give it a try and let me know how it goes.