There's no denying that times are tough. Families are not only looking for quick and healthy meals to fix, but they're also looking for ways to stretch their dollar. One of the most expensive ingredients you'll buy each week is meat. For those families that want to still serve meat, but maybe stretch it a bit further, they need to look no further than mushrooms. Mushrooms taste meaty and make the perfect addition to several recipes.

Chicken Cutlet and Portobello Sandwiches
Serves 4

4 chicken cutlets, 2 ounces each
4 Portobello mushroom caps, gills removed
Olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
4 slices of pepper jack or provolone cheese
4 Kaiser rolls

1. Season the chicken cutlets and Portobello sandwiches with salt and pepper and sauté in olive oil in two separate skillets.
2. Before removing the mushrooms from the skillet, top with cheese and cover the skillet until the cheese melts.
3. Place the chicken and mushrooms on Kaiser rolls along with your favorite toppings.
4. Serve with baked potato chips or fries.

Saucy Cube Steak with Mushrooms
Serves 4

4 cube steaks, 2 ounces each
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
Olive oil
Sea salt
1 (10 ounce) jar of mushroom or beef gravy
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

1. In a large skillet, cook the cube steak over medium-high heat until well done.
2. In a second large skillet, sauté the mushrooms and onion in olive oil until the mushrooms are softened and the onions are translucent. Season with salt.
3. Combine the vegetables with the steak, add the gravy and pepper and heat through.
4. Serve with brown rice and a small side salad.

These recipes allow you to satisfy your family's craving for meat, but they're also kind to your wallet. The simple truth is you don't have to give up meat. You simply need to look for ways to stretch the meat. Stay tuned for more money saving recipes.

Every family has a picky eater. They have certain foods they'll eat and that's pretty much it. Not to mention that they also have weird eating habits. For instance, certain colored foods are completely off limits. How do you please these picky eaters? Again, it pays to have kid friendly recipes on hand. This week we'll discuss a couple more kid friendly recipes.

Cheesy Chicken Mac and Broccoli
Serves 4

8 ounces of dry whole wheat macaroni noodles
8 ounces of 2% Velveeta, cut into cubes
½ cup milk
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
8 ounces of chicken boneless, skinless chicken breast, baked and cubed
4 cups of frozen broccoli, boiled, but not cooked to mush

1. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions.
2. Stir in the cheese, milk, and pepper until the cheese is melted.
3. Stir in the chicken and broccoli.
4. Serve with whole wheat rolls and a side salad.

Cheeseburger Pizza Done Light
Serves 4

1 whole wheat pizza crust
1 cup of pizza sauce
8 slices of 2% American cheese
8 ounces of 93% lean ground beef
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
Fresh ground pepper, to taste,
Sea salt, to taste
2 large tomatoes, chopped
Sliced pickles

1. Spread the crust with the pizza sauce and add slices of cheese.
2. Cook the ground beef, green pepper, and onion in a large skillet and season with pepper and salt.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes to the beef and spread onto the pizza crust.
4. Bake according to package directions.
5. Top with sliced pickles and serve.

Kids will always be picky from time to time. When you have recipes like these though, you know that not only will they eat supper, but they'll also be eating something that's healthy. Remember, you can always sneak vegetables into fun meals without kids ever knowing. The next time they ask for kid friendly food, get creative and hide those veggies.

Sandwiches are always a quick fix meal, but the average sandwich can get boring. Wouldn't it be nice to prepare something different from time to time? This week we'll look at recipes for quick to fix sandwiches that are a bit different from the everyday sandwich.

Cheesy Chicken Flatbread Sandwiches
Serves 4

4 pieces of flatbread
12 ounces of refrigerated chicken strips, any flavor
4 ounces of shredded cheese, any flavor
4 tablespoons of fat-free ranch dressing

1. Layer each piece of flatbread with 3 ounces of chicken, 1 ounce of cheese and 1 tablespoon of ranch dressing.
2. Microwave for one minute or until the cheese melts.
3. Fold the sandwiches in half and serve with fruit and baked potato chips.

Tip: Turkey can be substituted and additional toppings can be added to make the sandwich your own.

Peanut Butter and Banana Wraps
Serves 4

4 whole wheat tortillas
½ cup of natural peanut butter
4 bananas, sliced
4 tablespoons of honey
2 cups of granola
½ cup of mini dark chocolate chips

1. Spread the tortillas with peanut butter and top with sliced banana, honey, granola and chocolate chips.
2. Roll into a wrap and enjoy.

Tip: These can be wrapped in aluminum foil and heated on the grill for a healthy camping treat.

Fruit and Cream Cheese Breakfast Sandwich
Serves 4

8 pieces of raisin bread
4 ounces of fat-free flavored cream cheese (strawberry is preferred)
1 large apple, sliced
¼ pound of strawberries, sliced
1 banana, sliced

1. Spread the slices of bread with cream cheese and top with fruit.

Tip: Any fruit can be used and toasted nuts can be added for additional flavor and protein.

Sandwiches don't have to be boring. There are so many different ways to reinvent this everyday meal. Try different types of bread, add fruit, consider different types of spreads and create something new. Better yet, get your kids involved. If you have trouble getting them to eat, letting them create their own meals is a great place to start.

This blog has already discussed meatless meals, but I feel that you can never have too many recipes for meatless meals. After all, they're healthy and more affordable. Here are a couple more recipes I hope you enjoy.

Vegetarian Nachos
Serves 4

2 large red onions, chopped
2 large zucchinis, halved and sliced
2 large green peppers, chopped
Olive oil
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 cans of chili beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of enchilada sauce
1 cup of 2-percent shredded cheddar cheese
1 bag of whole wheat tortilla chips

1. Sautee the onions, zucchini and green peppers in olive oil until cooked through.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, chili beans and enchilada sauce and bring to a simmer.
3. Top with cheese, cover the pan and let simmer until the cheese melts.
4. Serve with tortilla chips.

White Vegetarian Lasagna
Serves 8

3 large onions, chopped
1 pound of sliced mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Olive oil
2 boxes of frozen spinach, thawed
16-ounce container of low-fat ricotta cheese
16-ounce container of low-fat cottage cheese
2 cups of 2-percent shredded mozzarella
¼ cup parmesan cheese
2 jars of low-fat Alfredo sauce
1 box of lasagna noodles

1. Sautee the onions, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil and allow to cool.
2. Mix the onions, mushrooms and garlic with the spinach and set aside.
3. Mix the ricotta, cottage cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella and the parmesan cheese and set aside.
4. Pour a ¼ cup of Alfredo sauce in the bottom of a baking dish and add a layer of noodles.
5. Add another layer of sauce. Then add a layer of the cheese mixture and a layer of vegetables.
6. Repeat the layers ending with sauce. Top the sauce with the remaining mozzarella.
7. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
8. Remove the aluminum foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is browned.
9. Serve with side salad and garlic bread.