Do you love taking your friends and family out for a steak dinner on special occasions? What if I told you, that you could *serve your friends and family a delicious steak dinner for a fraction of what a steakhouse would charge*? It's all about saving money in the kitchen and this week we're tackling the classic steak dinner. Most steak dinners come with a salad, bread, and a choice of potato. While a steak dinner can range from $9.99 to a few hundred dollars, depending on the type of steak and restaurant, you can prepare the same delicious meals for under $50 for four people. Talk about huge savings!

First of all, don't overdo the salad. A salad that comes with a steak dinner should be simple. Purchase a large bag of salad mix and a couple different types of salad dressing and you're done. As for bread, shop your grocery store's bakery for inexpensive, but homemade tasting choices. And, for the best savings on potatoes, go with French fries. That way, you don't have to buy toppings.

As for the steak, because you're cooking at home, you can afford to serve your guests high quality cuts of meat. For around $20, you could serve your guests half pound rib eye steaks. If you wanted to serve sirloin, the cost would be around $10. Now, time for the weekly recipe:

Easy Rib Eye Steaks
Serves 4

4 (8 ounce) rib eye steaks
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Olive oil

1. Season the steaks on both sides and place in a large, oven-safe skillet with enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet and brown on both sides before transferring to the oven.
2. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the steaks and serve immediately for medium well or cover and let sit for 15 minutes for well done steaks.

Last, but not least, top your delicious steak dinner off with a special dessert from your local bakery. It's really that simple and that inexpensive. Stop waiting for special occasions and have your friends over for a delicious meal tonight.

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.