CONGRATULATIONS TO Libby Rouse and Kristeen (of The Gough Inn) on winning the $5.00 Dinner Mom Cookbook Giveaway! Please email your mailing addresses to me at service@southernplate.com and I’ll get those right out to you!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I know we sure did. My in laws came for a nice long visit and it was really amazing to have grandparents here to watch the kids open gifts Christmas morning. I hope we can make a regular tradition out of it! I want to thank you for all of your comments on my Christmas Video Post. I was stunned at the number and each one that came in meant so much to us. I get an email on my phone every time someone posts a comment and with each one I’d stop what I was doing and read it to whoever was with me at the time. I can’t tell you how much that added to our holidays, receiving such kindness from such wonderful people. Thank you from myself, my kids (who enjoyed the comments every bit as much as we did), and my husband. I don’t know what we did to have such wonderful folks in our lives but I sure do hope to keep you here!

Today we have a special guest blogger, Erin Chase, from 5dollardinners.com. She is a mom blogger who has written a great new cookbook that I know you’ll enjoy, The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook: 200 Recipes for Quick, Delicious, and Nourishing Meals That Are Easy on the Budget and a Snap to Prepare. She did this post up special just for Southern Plate readers (Okra? HELLO! I’m in!) and I know you’ll enjoy it. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to go through her book and my mother and I are really enjoying it (Mama swiped it from me on Christmas day!). The dishes are down to earth and family friendly and her tips are wonderful to boot. I know you’ll enjoy her post and hope you’ll pick up her book as well. She’s as sweet as they come and you’ll fall fast in love with her.

Thanks to Erin, two lucky Southern Plate readers will be winning copies of her cookbook as well, to enjoy as much as my mother and I have! To enter, simply leave a comment below. I’ll draw two winners this Friday and announce them on this post as well as on the Southern Plate Family Page on Facebook. Here is just a sampling of her good cooking and I think I’m heading out to the grocery store here in a bit so we can have this tonight!

Chicken and Smothered Okra Casserole

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds chicken tenderloins ($2.82)
• 2-3 tsp Cajun seasoning ($.10)
• 1 tsp garlic powder ($.02)
• ½ tsp salt and pepper, each
• 1- 16 ounce bag of Gumbo mixed vegetables, including okra and red peppers ($1)
• 2- 15 ounce cans of diced tomatoes, drained ($1.30)
• 1 tsp garlic powder ($.02)
• 1 tsp salt and pepper, each
• 2 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed ($.50) or 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese ($.75)
• 1 loaf French bread, sliced ($.99)
• Butter ($.10)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9×13-inch glass baking dish.

2. Place chicken tenderloins into greased baking dish.  Season with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

3. In a medium saucepan, combine the Gumbo style mixed vegetables with the 2 cans of diced tomatoes.

Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Cook over high heat for 3-4 minutes, stir often.

4. Pour diced tomatoes and vegetables over the chicken tenderloins in the baking dish.

5. Scatter ¼ inch cubes of Velveeta over the top of the vegetables. (Or sprinkle shredded cheese over the top.)

6. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until chicken tenderloins have cooked through and sauce is bubbly.

7. Warm French bread and serve with butter.

8. Serve Chicken and Smothered Okra Casserole with Buttery French Bread.

Cost $6.85 for 8 people (Well under my $5 for 4 people budget!)

Click here to order The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook:

200 Recipes for Quick, Delicious, and Nourishing Meals That Are Easy on the Budget and a Snap to Prepare

When or Lose, Good or bad, I am going to praise you for allowing me to run the race!

~Barbara Corley. Submit your quote here.