Giveaway: The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook (Now Closed)

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5-dollar-dinners

My dear blogging friend, Erin Chase of 5dollardinners.com, recently celebrated the launch of her very first cookbook, The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook.

I first met Erin last spring at her $5 Dinner Workshop. We have since crossed passed at other blogging events, and I am looking forward to seeing her again at the upcoming Blissdom conference next month. Both of us will have our baby boys in tow!

I received a special advance copy of the book last month, and have enjoyed trying several recipes on my family, including banana bread made with applesauce.

This is not your ordinary cookbook! All of Erin’s recipes are healthy and affordable. She makes all her sauce from scratch! The cookbook also features a slew of frugal tips for shopping and stretching your grocery budget.

I have 3 copies of The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook to give away to 3 lucky readers!

For a chance to win:

1. Leave a comment below:  What is your favorite budget meal? Feel free to leave a link to your blog or recipe to share!

If you are reading via email or in a reader, please click through to the post to enter.

For Bonus Entries (leave a separate comment for each):

2. If you are a subscriber or follower (thank you!), leave a comment. You may subscribe for free updates via RSS or email and leave a comment telling me you have done so.

3. For a third entry, share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter.

This contest will close on Thursday, January 14th at 11pm CST. The winner will be selected by random.org and contacted via email. Contest open to US residents only.

Comments

  6. donna says

    My favorite budget meal is chicken salad. I buy split breasts, take the meat off the bone and use this for other meals, then boil what is left for chicken salad. I also freeze the stock for future use.

  18. says

    I thinkt hat my favorite budget recipe would have to be Zuppa Toscana (I may have spelled that wrong). It’s an Italian soup and it is so yummy!

  21. Shayna Hardy says

    I am a new subscriber, thank you. I love that you put God first! Blessings in Christ, Shayna

  23. Shayna Hardy says

    My new favorite budget meal is one that I found in the January issue of All You – the Salsa Chicken, check it out – easy, quick and good. – Shayna Hardy

  24. Stephanie Henson says

    My favorite budget meals involve the crockpot so I can use cheaper ingredients and cook them for a long time until they become savoury.

  25. maureen says

    My husband and I our favorite budget meal is getting chicken broth , acutting up a chicken brest and popping in some veggies and noodles so we make a homemade soup that is healthy. It usually last a few days also.

  32. debra says

    my favorite is any meal that I can cook once and use a little different way in another meal to save money on the second dinner

  38. Deanna Murphy says

    You can’t beat pasta and garlic bread for a budget-friendly (and fairly healthy) meal!

  40. Tracey says

    One our most frugal meals is pasta with tomato sauce – I always have those ingredients on hand.

  41. Jennah S says

    A great budget friendly meal at our house is roast chicken (home raised) with root veges from the garden and a nice salad.. maybe some homemade goat milk ice cream for dessert. Yummy!!

  53. Eva says

    I love the country ribs with oven fries.
    I enjoy reading your blog. I want to thank you for all your hard work.

  55. Kristen Foster says

    My favorite meal is anything that I can double and freeze half for later. Taco Pasta shells are my current favorite.

  58. says

    We eat a lot of beans (kidney bean stew; red beans and rice) and pasta (with garlic, oil, and broccoli)!

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    .-= Melissa´s last blog ..An Award! =-.

  64. Kimberly says

    I like pasta! Such an easy standby, I know. I have started cooking up a few pounds of ground beef at a time, seasoning it like normal, then freezing it. When I make pasta, I don’t need to cook any meat – I just throw some frozen meat into the microwave to defrost, or toss it into the sauce to simmer!

  69. Justine says

    nothing creative (and it’s already been mentioned here), but good ol’ spaghetti with bread (and salad if we have the fixin’s on hand) is my favorite cheap meal.
    a couple boxes of Kraft mac & cheese with some hotdogs cut up and mixed in also works (can you tell we like pasta?) 🙂

  71. Karalin says

    I’m not sure what my favorite budget meal is… Right now I’m just happy when I manage a meal for everyone instead of trying to think of an excuse for why we need to go to town! 🙂 I’m definitely working on it though…more eating at home, and then more saving money are two of my major goals!

    karalin (dash) lyons (at) comcast (dot) net

  73. Beth says

    My favorite budget meal is throwing some chicken in the crockpot with some seasoning and make mashed potatoes with chicken gravy. Very easy, but everyone loves it!

  79. Juliana says

    My favorite budget meal is Taco Soup in the crockpot – it stretches for 2 to 3 meals for my family and it uses low-cost ingredients.
    .-= Juliana´s last blog ..Template freebies for you! =-.

  81. Nancy says

    My Fav budget meal these days is fajitas. Rice, peppers onions and a wrp. One of the only things that all three of my kids will eat.

  83. Lisa says

    My favorite budget meal is a chili taco casserole:

    1 can of chili
    1 can of corn (drained)
    1 cup shredded cheese
    crushed tortilla chips

    layer in casserole dish in that order and bake at 350 degrees until cheese is bubbly.

  85. Christina says

    It’s certainly not creative, but pasta is a real budget meal for us. A jar of sauce, a box of pasta, and a salad…maybe a loaf of french bread. Super cheap, and everyone loves it!
    .-= Christina´s last blog ..5-Pack Gerber Onesies for $6 =-.

  96. Mattie says

    We always fix a lot of chili and stew in the winter. In the summer, we grow tomatoes and peppers and my husband is a hunter, so we have to buy relatively few ingredients! Super cheap for us!

  103. Natalie says

    Soups and chilli are always easy on the budget because you can use what you have on hand and they have such great leftover/freezing potential.

  104. Ms Benjamins says

    my favorite budget meal is spaghetti, salad and toasted bread!
    .-= Ms Benjamins´s last blog ..Today’s trip to CVS… =-.

  106. Marilyn says

    I just subscribed to your newsletter! Your site is great. Thanks to Bonnie for posting on FB. I’d love this cookbook!

  107. Leah says

    I love to make waffles or pancakes from scratch for my family. A whole meal costs probably about $2, if that!

  119. Jen says

    Sausage with noodles and cream of mushroom soup is how my husband and I kept from starving during college!

  120. Kerrie G says

    My favorite budget meal is spaghetti severed with garlic bread and green beans! My kids love it and I always have the ingredients on hand

  122. Joy @ Frugal Menu Mamas says

    My favorite bargain meal is Garlic Chicken and Pasta…all you need is chicken, olive oil, garlic cloves, angel hair pasta, and Parmesan cheese. First, saute the chicken in the oil. In a separate skillet, saute the garlic until brown–don’t burn! Make pasta according to package. Place cubed chicken on pasta, pour oil with garlic over and sprinkle cheese on top. YUM!
    .-= Joy @ Frugal Menu Mamas´s last blog ..My Bloggy Thoughts for 2010 =-.

  123. Joy @ Frugal Menu Mamas says

    I subscribe through a reader!
    .-= Joy @ Frugal Menu Mamas´s last blog ..My Bloggy Thoughts for 2010 =-.

  124. Bonnie Kline says

    I follow on Facebook!!! I’m going to share the giveaway on Facebook so that I can get a second entry!!!

    Thanks!!!

    Bonnie

  126. Jolyn @ Macomb Money Savers says

    I read you daily in my Google Reader! 🙂
    .-= Jolyn @ Macomb Money Savers´s last blog ..Target: January 10-16, 2010 =-.

  128. Sidni H. says

    Meatloaf with mashed potatoes & gravy. It’s fast, quick & easy! If I have leftovers, I have can crumbled it up for tacos or filler in enchiladas. Kids love grilled meatloaf sandwiches. I hope I win this cool cookbook!

  133. Nancy Ward says

    I guess my most economical meal is meatless spaggetti sauce over noodles. It’s also a quick and easy meal….just pick up a jar of chunky sauce and a package of noodles and you’ve got a cheap and easy meal.

  143. says

    My favorite budget recipe is burritos. Tortillas, refried black beans, cheese, and a little enchilada sauce is all you need, and they are always yummy! I’m a big fan of $5 Dinners, so I’m excited for the opportunity!

  145. Deanna says

    I like to doctor up macaroni and cheese with ham, or tuna and brocolli, or whatever add in’s you have in the fridge.

  146. Nikki L says

    breakfast burritos are a big favorite here at home and a great way to use up leftover cheese, salsa, potatoes, peppers, or anything else you want to try to spice it up!

  150. Sarah G says

    We love tacos – they’re fast, easy, and inexpensive. I usually find ground beef or chicken on clearance for $2 or less, and stock up on the tortillas and other fixings for mere pennies on triple coupon days. 🙂

  152. Gerrie says

    I love to make a “cola chicken”. It is a weight watchers recipe that is super wasy to make, not very expensive when you can find chicken on sale, and everyone LOVES it!!

  162. Laurel says

    My favorite budget meal is ground turkey with zucchini and tomato sauce over rice. It is a Cooking Light recipe.

  164. Jess Y says

    Shepherd’s pie! I just make some mashed potatoes and cheese sauce and add leftover meat, rice, beans, vegetables, etc…

  177. Lauren says

    Lately, my fave budget meal is cheeseburger hamburger helper (the generic kind from Aldi’s) :).

  178. Erica says

    I think my favorite frugal meal is anything breakfast! I am a breakfast fanatic anytime of the day!

    Thanks for the great giveaway!
    .-= Erica´s last blog ..Rite-Aid Highlights 01/10/10 – 01/16/10 =-.

  180. Erica says

    I subscribe to you via Google Reader!
    .-= Erica´s last blog ..Rite-Aid Highlights 01/10/10 – 01/16/10 =-.

  192. Amy says

    Our fave is barbque weenies. We always have free bbq sauce and when weenies are on sale, they make a yummy and cheap dinner!

  195. Shawna says

    Our favorite quick meal is sandwiches with leftover meats from a roast, turkey or ham with chips! I love it because it’s an easy wash up night.

  197. sati says

    *waves* hi alyssa!! been a bit since I had time to comment!!

    one of my favorite budget meals is pretty simple.

    we make up taco meat and add 1 cup cooked rice to the meat while we simmer in the seasonings. this extends a meal to feed several extra people or for the next day for lunch leftovers.

  201. says

    My favorite frugal meal is goulash, which just consists of ground beef or turkey or deer meat, browned with onions, drain. Boil macaroni noodles, drain, add tomato sauce, about 2 cans, just get it tomato-ey or I add a quart of my own homegrown, canned tomatoes instead, then add the meat, salt and pepper to taste. We have green beans (canned from the garden) and we just eat buttered bread with it too. Cheap, easy and everyone loves it. The leftover are really good too!

  203. cortney says

    I like to cook whole chickens in the crockpot and shred them for later use. Then I can also make chicken broth from the bones.

  205. Kim Warren says

    A quick, easy and frugal meal my kids love is Kraft blue box mac and cheese, cooked according to directions with frozen peas added to pasta cooking water during last few minutes. Drain and follow directions on box. Add in 1 can white tuna, drained. Easy Cheesy Tuna Pea Casserole!

  206. Beverly says

    My favorite meal is clean out the fridge salad. I love to have boiled eggs, left over chichen bites, cheese, toasted nuts, green beans, maybe some pickles beets on a premade salad blend from the store.

  210. Jennefer says

    My favorite easy meal is unstuffed cabbage rolls and porcupine balls. Both are wonderful and filling and great for these cold nights we’ve been having! Recipe.com have a version that similar to mine. I love your blog~! God Bless you!

  211. Julie says

    My favorite budget meal is macaroni and cheese with hot dogs cut up in it. Definitely not the healthiest meal in the world but yummy and cheap! My dad would make scrambled eggs with cut up hot dogs in it too, also yummy and cheap. 🙂

  217. Julie F. says

    Lentil or pea soup. I put whatever veggies I have on hand and cook it up. Usually we have leftovers so I freeze those in individual containers for lunches.

  226. Lora says

    My favorite budget meal is breakfast-for-dinner! You can’t beat pancakes and scrambled eggs or even quiche!
    .-= Lora´s last blog ..Baking/Cooking Day Plans! =-.

  229. stephanie says

    Our favorite budget meal is crepes. We fill them with all sorts of fruits, jams, etc & the kids have a ball!

  230. Tamara says

    Favorite budget meal: throw a pork shoulder roast in the crock pot and add a jar of salsa verde. Cook on high 6 hours. Serve on warm tortillas.

  231. katey says

    I love make breakfast . it cheap to buy for breakfast.. pancake, gravy sausage, olemet , french toast, and casserole.

  237. Robin says

    My favorite budget meal is pizza…homemade of course. We have a large garden in the summer so I even make my own sauce. Yummy!

  242. MISTY ANDERSON says

    EVERY Sunday we have Spaghetti Sunday. This meal we feed our family of 6 for less than $2 unless we add French Bread then we still all eat for less than $5!

  243. Lisa says

    I love to cook things in the crockpot. I love to throw pork chops or chicken in there with a bottle of barbecue sauce. So easy!

  244. Lindsay says

    My family’s favorite budget meal is hamburger patties in cream of mushroom soup gravy with a can of mushrooms…served with mashed potatoes and half a bag of frozen broccoli. Its an under $10 meal that is full course.

  249. kelly ringle says

    My favorite budget meal is pasta. You can’t go wrong with it & you can create a bit of variety too.

  250. Rebecca says

    We love plain old spaghetti around here! We make our own sauce with tomato sauce and a quarter pound of meat and it id delicious!

  253. Patti D says

    We have two and we actually do crave these from time to time.
    The first is just a can of bean n bacon, with orzo, and some parmesan cheese. The beans help with the fiber and protein and the orzo is filling.

    The other is rice (Lipton Rice n Sauce or the equivalent) and chickpeas. The other day, I also added a can of black eyed peas….a little bit of butter and seasoning. YUM!
    pattidv at gmail dot com

  255. Patti D says

    I now subscribe, and follow with Google friends- this is a fantastic blog!
    pattidv at gmail dot com

  256. M Ford says

    My favorite frugal meal is vegtable soup. An excellent way to use up those little leftovers.
    cricket

  257. Diana Campbell says

    Fluffy pancake w/ powdered sugar – gained recipe from Tightwad Gazette

    Not healthy but sure is good and cheap.

  258. Victoria says

    We like the King Ranch Chicken Recipe. I usually have most of what I need always on hand. It’s not hrd, but it is yummy!

  259. Spring B says

    Pancakes are becoming my go to. I keep everything on hand and with a 3 yo they’ll pretty much always please.

  260. dawn says

    Big spaghetti and meatball fans. My 4 and 2 year old never get tired of it and always clean thier plates.

  261. Andrea Tsueda says

    My favorite budget meal is Breakfast for dinner! If Hubby is cooking then it’s his favorite and yummy spaghetti!

  265. Candias says

    I would definitely say spaghetti. My family can never get enough of the stuff. Just adding different spices to a plain old jar of sauce, really makes an ordinary dish of spaghetti extraordinary!!

  266. Amber says

    My favorite budget meal is definitely an egg bake. I like to cook some yummy chicken/apple sausage from our local Sprout’s, add it to egg/milk mixture…..and sprinkle in cheese and spinach. Then bake….and yum!

    thank you for the chance to win this, I have been eyeballing this book since it hit the shelves! :0)

  270. Jennie says

    I love making stir-fry with veggies I froze from the summer, and meat I bought on sale. Oh, and homemade teriyaki sauce. Yummy!

  272. says

    I love lots of budget meals, I am the coupon teacher. My favorite for the winter is probably chili. Warm and delicious!
    .-= Shelly´s last blog ..Lowes Foods Matchups 1/13 =-.

  273. Dana Irwin says

    My fave cheap meal is chicken leg quarters with cream of mushroom soup and rice in a pan. Not healthy but a cheap meal when necessary. Or there is always spinach salad with grilled chicken…a little more healthy.

  274. Cyndy says

    We love to eat breakfast for dinner sometimes…eggs/toast/juice. It’s about $3.50 for our family of 9.

  275. Belinda says

    I combine red beans and rice along with a little diced smoked sausage and a can of tomatoes for a cheap meal. (Go heavy on the beans and rice and light on the other.) Thanks!

  276. says

    My favorite budget meal is to take my random leftovers & make something new out of it. Example: last week I took the macaroni & broccoli that my 1.5 year old refused to eat, combined it with shredded chicken from the freezer, more broccoli, topped with shredded cheese. Delicious leftover casserole!
    .-= Becky´s last blog ..Homemade Applesauce =-.

  279. says

    My favorite budget meal is barley (bought in bulk,) ground beef (bought on sale,) green onions, mushrooms, and soy sauce for seasoning. Yummy!!!

  284. says

    My favorite budget meal is also quick, easy and most items can be stockpiled in your pantry during sales.

    > Black Bean Tortilla Soup

    > 1 C chopped onion (1 large)
    > 1 T cumin
    > 4 cloves garlic, minced
    > 2 T olive oil
    > 2 14-oz cans reduced-sodium chicken brother
    > 2 C chopped tomatoes (2 medium) – I just use canned
    > diced tomatoes
    > 1.5 C frozen whole kernel corn – I tend to use canned
    > corn
    > 1 4.5-oz can diced green chile peppers, undrained
    > 1 15-oz can black beans, drained & rinsed
    > .25-.5 C snipped fresh cilantro
    > 2 C coarsely crushed tortilla chips
    >
    > In a large saucepan cook & stir onion, cumin & garlic
    > in hot oil about 5 min. or until tender. Carefully
    > add broth, tomatoes, corn & chile peppers. Bring to
    > boil; reduce heat. simmer, covered about 5 min. or
    > until corn is tender. Stir in black beans & cilantro;
    > heat through. Divide crushed tortilla chips among 6
    > soup bowls; ladle soup over chips. If desired,
    > garnish each serving with shredded monterey jack
    > cheese & additional tortilla chips.

  289. Cheryl Jennings says

    One of my favorites, from childhood, red beans and cornbread! I can put it in the crockpot and forget it, until time to make the cornbread! Sometimes I fry up sliced onions and potatoes to go wiith it…yum!