Low-cost, easy-to-make recipes that go a long way: chicken pot pie, lasagna, apple fritters

Happy Inauguration Day! Oh, and I will be sworn in as a new Auburn Chamber of Commerce Board member tonight. So, as we talked about a few weeks ago, our grazing foodie members asked for budget recipes. I stated this is hard because everyone has a different idea of what a budget recipe is. I am not one that opens a box of mac & cheese and serves it or Hamburger Helper. I grew up with my parents always on a budget. Dad's favorite dinner was ground beef and a can of Franco-American spaghetti, and mom loved a canned ham. She would have the butcher slice the ham thin and tie it up with string, and she could make seven meals out of that one canned ham. Today, we have many options for shopping, and because we are in an upper-income community, our choice for discount shopping is at a minimum. If you venture down the hill, there are options like Winco, Walmart and Food Maxx, and in Auburn, we have the Dollar Tree and Grocery Outlet. If you read the weekly ads, you can hunt for great deals right here in town. I post about them every Wednesday on my Facebook page. This week, I have selected comfort food recipes that can be made on a budget. Many of you love the frozen pot pies, but I have given you a recipe for a pot pie that is quick and easy to make. The second is a skillet lasagna that is again simple to make and the cost is very low, with leftovers for lunch the next day. The last recipe is for apple fritters, a breakfast or dessert, and for the cost of buying one in a store, you can make 10. Easy Chicken Pot Pie Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes 3 celery stalks, finely diced 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced 1 large onion, finely diced Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 sheets frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3-ounce package), thawed 1 large egg, whisked with 1 teaspoon water 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon turmeric 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock, hot 2 cups Half and Half 2/3 cup frozen peas 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked 1 small sprig fresh rosemary, leaves chopped Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, celery, carrots, onion and some salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables just begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Meanwhile, make the crusts. Unroll both sheets of pastry, even out the surface with a rolling pin and cut out 3 circles from each. Transfer the circles to the prepared baking sheets, poke them all over with a fork and brush with the egg wash. Sprinkle over some salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, sprinkle the flour over the chicken and vegetables and add the turmeric; cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the hot stock, add the Half and Half, peas, thyme and rosemary and cook until the sauce thickens, another 3 minutes. Serve in bowls topped with the crusts. Skillet Chicken Lasagna Ingredients: 12 ounces bow tie pasta (Dreamfields pasta works for diabetics) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced or diced (or thigh) 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or herbs de Provence Salt 1 medium onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1 jar good-quality marinara sauce (14 to 16 ounces) 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, plus more if needed 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, plus more if needed 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more if needed and for serving 12 fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade or chopped, plus more if needed and for serving Directions: Cook the pasta according to the package instructions; drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the Italian seasoning and some salt. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the onions and garlic to the same skillet and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the broth, then scrape the bottom of the skillet to loosen the bits. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to let the broth reduce. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes, bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the drained pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan and basil. Add the cooked chicken on top. Toss to combine, then add more of the mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan or basil until the sauce is just how you like it. Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan and a little basil on top. Cinnamon Apple Fritters Ingredients For fritters: · 2 Tbl. sugar (I use MonkFruit sugar free) · 2 extra-large eggs · 1/2 tsp. vanilla · 1 cup all-purpose flour · 2 tsp. baking powder · 1/2 tsp. cinnamon · 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice · 1/2 tsp. salt · 1/4 cup milk · 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, OK to sub concentrate (*just a sprinkling is needed of either) · 2-3 cups peeled, cored and chopped Granny Smith or Gravenstein apples (firm pie apples) · Vegetable oil for deep-frying (approx. 4-5 cups, enough to come halfway up sides of pan or skillet) For glaze: · 1¼ cups powdered sugar (Swerve makes a sugar-free powder sugar) · ¼ tsp. vanilla · 1 Tbl. + 1-2 tsp. warm water (thin enough to make the glaze "paintable") Instructions In a large bowl (or the bowl to a stand mixer), cream the sugar, eggs and vanilla for 1-2 minutes with the paddle attachment. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, pie spice, salt and milk. Mix well, scraping bowl as needed. In a separate bowl, chop and toss peeled apples with lemon juice. Stir apples into batter. In large, deep, cast-iron skillet or deep-frying pan, heat vegetable oil to 375º (use a deep-fry thermometer or an electric skillet with a temperature control). Make sure the oil is hot enough to fry the fritters correctly. Once the oil is at 375º, scoop out large spoonfuls of the batter, and carefully and gently slide the fritter batter into the hot oil. *I use two large serving spoons for this. When they get to a deep golden-brown color, carefully turn the fritters over to brown the other side and continue cooking. (This should take approx. 2-3 minutes per each side.) When the fritters become brown on both sides (you might have to flip them over again to make sure both sides are nicely browned), you'll know they'll be fully cooked throughout. Using a wire mesh strainer or slotted spoon, remove the fritters, one at a time, to a paper-towel lined (several thicknesses) rack to drain, then transfer to another cooling rack to fully cool. (*If wanting to use the cinnamon-sugar coating, sprinkle or roll fritters in the mixture while the fritters are still hot.) Choose one of the three toppings or make a variety. For glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla and water in a small bowl until you have a thin, "paintable" glaze. Using a pastry brush, brush glaze over the entire bottoms of the fritters. Let glaze harden slightly, turn over, and "paint" the glaze on the tops and sides. Place glazed fritters back onto wire cooling rack; let glaze fully harden, serve.