pepperoni stuffed chicken $3.66 recipe / $0.91 serving

pepperoni stuffed chicken

$3.66 recipe / $0.91 serving

It's true, I usually am not a fan of chicken. I find the flavor and texture to be rather boring. BUT doctor it up just right and it can be the perfect protein-packed vehicle for lots of flavor! I stuffed these chicken breasts full of pepperoni and mozzarella, which can be a little heavy, so I went for a smaller serving size. I plan to pair it with a heaping side of pasta salad to round out the meal. In reality, the serving size isn't that small (4 oz. of chicken plus the pepperoni and cheese) but most people are used to a full chicken breast as one serving. My chicken breasts were about a half pound each and I cut them in half to make four 1/4 pound pieces. It looks small because we're used to over-sized portions but when you add your vegetable and grain side dishes, 4 oz. is plenty. If you still want a whole chicken breast to yourself, this recipe will still only be $1.83 per serving!



Total Recipe cost: $3.66
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Cost per serving: $0.91
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 30 min. Total: 45 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 lb.	boneless, skinless chicken breasts	$1.98
2 oz.	mozzarella cheese	$0.40
1.25 oz. (approx. 16 slices)	pepperoni	$0.54
1 large	egg	$0.15
1/2 cup	all purpose flour	$0.14
1/2 cup	bread crumbs	$0.18
6 Tbsps	vegetable oil	$0.22
to taste	salt and pepper	$0.05
TOTAL		$3.66

STEP 1: Trim the chicken breasts of any large clumps of fat that may be still attached. Slice each breast in half diagonally to create two diamond-like shaped pieces. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a pocket into the side of each breast piece. This can be slightly tricky on thinner pieces so be careful. Be sure not to cut all the way through the meat but rather just into one side so that the fillings will stay in. See photos below.

STEP 2: Stuff each piece of chicken with 1/2 oz. of cheese and about 4 slices of pepperoni. Lightly season each piece with salt and pepper. Set the stuffed chicken aside.

STEP 3: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Begin to heat a large skillet with 6 Tbsp of vegetable oil over medium/high heat. Collect three shallow dishes and put the flour in one, the egg in another and the bread crumbs in the third. Beat the egg until it is an even consistency (adding a 1/2 tsp of water helps break it up).

STEP 4: One by one, coat each piece of chicken in the flour, then the egg then the bread crumbs. Use your hands so that you can keep the open side of the pocket pinched closed and keep the fillings in. The flour helps the egg adhere and the egg keeps the bread crumbs in place. This is a basic bread coating.

STEP 5: Test the oil in the skillet to see if it is hot enough by dropping a small pinch of bread crumbs in. The bread crumbs should sizzle and dance A LOT. It is very important that the oil is hot enough or else the breading will soak up a lot of oil and you'll end up with some really greasy chicken!. Place all four pieces of chicken in the skillet and cook until it is golden brown and crispy on each side. This should take no more than 2-3 minutes.

STEP 6: When you remove the chicken pieces from the skillet, transfer them to the baking sheet and place it in the oven. Finish baking the chicken (to cook the inside) for about 25 minutes (longer if you have larger pieces). Remove from the oven (check to make sure the chicken is cooked through) and serve immediately!

Step by Step Photos


I cut each chicken breast in half to make 4 oz. portions.


Slice into the chicken breasts horizontally to create a pocket. Do not cut all the way through to the other side.


Collect the fillings for your chicken.


Stuff the chicken pieces with the mozzarella and pepperoni.


Coat the chicken pieces in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs.


Briefly fry the stuffed chicken pieces on each side until they are golden brown. Finish baking in the oven at 350 degrees.



NOTE: Buying boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be expensive ($3 or $4 per pound) so I always buy in bulk. Today I bought a five pound pack for just $1.98 per pound. The pack contained 10 breast pieces and as soon as I got home I packed them into to freezer bags in two-breast portions. That way, whenever I want to cook something with chicken, I can choose how much I want to thaw and keep the rest frozen. Saving $1-$2 per pound is WELL worth buying the larger pack.

I usually use turkey pepperoni but decided to go with the regular for this recipe. Honestly, I wish I had used the turkey pepperoni. It is much less greasy and you still get all of the spicy flavor. To lighten this recipe up, use part skim mozzarella and turkey pepperoni. You can also skip the frying step and just bake the breaded chicken.

Another serving idea for this dish would be to pour a little marinara over top of each piece and serve the whole shabang over some pasta. YUM!

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pasta salad (literally)$7.61 recipe / $1.27 serving

pasta salad (literally)

$7.61 recipe / $1.27 serving

One day last week, after a long day at work, I felt a slight hunger in my belly. I was kinda craving pasta and kinda craving salad but one seemed like too much and the other not enough. Then it hit me, "Why not put a little salad and a little pasta together in a bowl?" Both go great with Italian dressing and who cares if the greens wilt a little from the hot pasta? Well, as it turns out, the mixed baby greens didn't wilt AT ALL and this dish was absolutely perfect. Since the main dish that I'll be cooking later this week is Italian inspired, I decided to make a real batch of this wonderfully literal pasta salad to go along with it. Generally, I think spring mix is too expensive for it's own good (usually about $3 per bag) but I love the stuff oh so much. Therefore, I watch closely and snatch it up when it's on sale!



Total Recipe cost: $7.61
Servings Per Recipe: 6 large sides
Cost per serving: $1.27
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 10 min. Total: 15 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
one 5 oz. bag	spring mix/baby greens	$2
6 oz.	wide egg noodles ("dumplings")	$0.78
1 can	artichoke hearts (in water, not oil)	$2.09
1 pint	grape tomatoes	$1.98
1/2 cup	italian dressing	$0.45
1/3 cup	grated parmesan	$0.31
TOTAL		$7.61

STEP 1: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and cook the egg noodles according to the package directions (boil for 5-10 minutes). When they are done, drain them in a colander.

STEP 2: While the pasta cooks, empty the bag of spring mix into a large bowl. Drain and roughly chop the artichoke hearts and add them to the bowl. Wash and slice the grape tomatoes in half then add to the bowl.



STEP 3: At this point the pasta should be done cooking and draining. Shake the colander a bit to make sure all excess water has dripped away. Add the pasta, italian dressing and Parmesan cheese to the bowl.



STEP 4: Mix well and serve! I love how the warm pasta juxtaposes the cool vegetables in this dish. It is fantastic when served immediately. I ate leftovers of it today at lunch and microwaved it for 30 seconds or so. It was still lovely even though the greens wilted just a bit!



NOTE: I mentioned earlier that bagged salad mixes tend to go on sale. If you watch your flyers closely, you will notice a sale pattern with the salad mixes. They go on sale like clock work every other week or every two weeks or so. This is because of their "best if used by" date. The grocery stores have to move the product out before they go bad and they lose money. I see them on sale frequently for 2 for $4 so this is the price I used in the recipe cost analysis. I would not buy them for $3 a pop. Here is the real kicker... when I bought this salad mix, it was on sale for an astounding $0.99 per bag! I had never seen it so low and I didn't want to skew the average price of this recipe, so I used the more common sale price. I bought this mix on 12/24 and it had a "best if used by" date of 12/26. Well, today is 12/28 and the unused bag (I bought two) is still gorgeous and unwilted. So, don't be afraid of an approaching "best if used by" date! Let your eyes be the judge and take advantage of the sale!

If you don't plan on serving the salad all at once, I would suggest storing the components separately and building the salad one bowl at a time. You can bowl the whole lot of pasta and just keep that in a container by its self. Keep the artichokes and tomatoes separate from the spring mix to keep it from wilting. When you decide to eat a salad, simply combine the ingredients and go! It will take less than 5 minutes and be totally fresh.

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parmesan garlic twists $4.11 recipe / $0.17 each

parmesan garlic twists

$4.11 recipe / $0.17 each

The adventures in puff pastry continue! I had bought a second box of puff pastry to make another batch of Cinnamon Nut Palmiers for a party a week ago but never made them because... well... I got lazy. Yes, I do get lazy sometimes. Anyway, I had this box of puff pastry sitting in my refrigerator and I wasn't about to let $3.68 worth of puff pastry go to waste so I whipped up this savory little treat. Aside from being extremely quick, delicous and (of course) inexpensive, they just happen to go perfectly with the main dish that I have planned for this week (tune in Thursday to find out what it is!). You can fill puff pastry with any filling, savory or sweet... This is just one more option.



Total Recipe cost: $4.11
Servings Per Recipe: 24 twists
Cost per serving: $0.17 per twist
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 10 min. Total: 15 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 box (two sheets)	puff pastry	$3.68
1/3 cup	grated parmesan	$0.31
1 tsp	garlic powder	$0.05
1/4 cup	all purpose flour	$0.07
TOTAL		$4.11

STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle half of the flour onto a clean work surface. Unfold one sheet of pre-thawed puff pastry onto the floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet out with a rolling pin until it is about 25% larger (if you don't have a rolling pin you can skip this step).

STEP 2: Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the top of the pastry with water to help the filling adhere. Sprinkle half of the garlic powder and half of the parmesan cheese over the entire sheet of pastry dough. It will be easier to evenly distribute the garlic powder if you do not premeasure it but rather shake it directly from the bottle. The small "sprinkling" holes in the cap will help prevent large piles of garlic powder. You really only need a small amount dusted over the whole sheet. One half teaspoon per sheet was an estimate.

STEP 3: Fold the sheet in half to enclose the fillings. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the folded pastry dough into strips. I got twelve strips per sheet of pastry. The pastry already has creases from being folded into thirds in the box so I simply cut each third into four slices. They may look short (about 6" long) at this point but they will elongate slightly as you twist them.



STEP 4: Pick up each slice and, holding each end, twist into a spiral shape. Place the twisted sticks onto a foil covered baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until nicely browned. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry dough.





NOTE: I think two twists would make a fair serving, making this a $0.34 per serving side dish. They are a nice alternative to a roll or biscuit with dinner. You could also serve these as an appetizer with a warm bowl of marinara sauce! Or, serve these with a hearty salad for a light dinner.

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meatball stroganoff $7.99 recipe / $2.00 serving

meatball stroganoff

$7.99 recipe / $2.00 serving

Okay, I saved the best for last! This Meatball Stroganoff is my favorite of all of the recipes that I made with my homemade meatballs. Yes, it is a little bit more expensive per serving than most of my other recipes but it is worth every penny and still a bargain compared to a $8-$12 dish at a restaurant. I love the creamy, beefy sauce with the Italian Meatballs and when they are piled high on top of wide egg noodles, it is truly something special! If you've made meatballs and have some in your freezer, please take them out and make this Stroganoff right away!



Total Recipe cost: $7.99
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Cost per serving: $2.00
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 35 min. Total: 40 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
16	homemade italian meatballs	$3.52
12 oz.	wide egg noodles	$1.04
8 oz.	white button mushrooms	$1.88
2 cups (1 can)	beef broth	$0.97
1 cup	milk	$0.33
3 Tbsp	butter	$0.15
3 Tbsp	flour	$0.05
to taste	salt and pepper	$0.05
TOTAL		$7.99

STEP 1: Rinse the mushrooms and slice 1/4 inch thick. In a large skillet, cook the mushrooms in the 3 Tbsp of butter. This may seem like a lot of butter for the mushrooms but you need that quantity of butter for the roux/thickening power for the sauce.



STEP 2: Once the mushrooms have fully cooked and all of the liquid they released has evaporated, add the 3 Tbsp of flour. Stir and cook the flour covered mushrooms until the flour is golden brown (about 2-3 minutes)



STEP 3: Next, whisk in the milk and beef broth until all of the flour is dissolved. Continue to cook and simmer the sauce over medium heat until it has thickened (about 5-10 minutes).



STEP 4: While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the egg noodles according to the package directions (boil for 5-10 minutes).

STEP 5: Drain the noodles and divide into four servings. Top each serving of noodles with four meatballs and about 3/4 cup of sauce. Enjoy!


It was so good that I COULDN'T help myself while taking the pictures...

NOTE: It wasn't until well after I finished making this that I remembered Stroganoff is traditionally made with a sour cream sauce. Woops. Either way, this is delicious! The sour cream would add a nice little tang and I bet you wouldn't have to go through the trouble of making a roux so perhaps next time I'll try it with sour cream instead. Because there DEFINITELY will be a next time!

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mexican lentil stew $9.23 recipe / $0.77 serving

mexican lentil stew

$9.23 recipe / $0.77 serving

After making a few heavy dishes this past week (meatballs, stroganoff, chorizo breakfast bowls), I was really craving something lighter and full of veggies (but still really hearty and satisfying, of course). After browsing the web, I decided on a vegetarian lentil stew. I began with this recipe for Spicy Red Lentil and Tomato Soup and tweaked it to my liking. As it turns out, this tomato based soupy stew is exactly what I was craving! Even better yet, it was incredibly easy so it could easily be a weeknight dinner. Be warned, this recipe is huge, yielding a whopping 18 cups so I think next time I'll definitely half the recipe. This time the rest will just end up in the freezer!



Total Recipe cost: $9.23
Servings Per Recipe: 12 (1.5 cups each = HUGE)
Cost per serving: $0.77
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 25 min. Total: 30 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
2 cups	dry red lentils	$1.65
2 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.21
1 medium	onion	$0.30
3 stalks	celery	$0.45
4 cloves	garlic	$0.24
two 14.5 oz. cans	fire roasted diced tomatoes	$2.34
4 cups	vegetable broth	$2.72
1/4 tsp each	turmeric and cumin	$0.10
1 tsp each	chili powder	$0.05
10-15 dashes	hot sauce	$0.15
1 medium	lime	$0.33
1 handfull	cilantro	$0.69 (whole bunch)
TOTAL		$9.23

STEP 1: In a medium pot, bring the 2 cups of lentils and 4 cups of water to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and let sit with a lid on for about 20 minutes.

STEP 2: While the lentils are cooking, begin the stew. Finely dice the onions and cook over medium heat in 2 Tbsp of olive oil. While the onions begin to cook, finely dice the garlic and add to the pot. While the onions and garlic cook, finely chop the celery and then add to the pot.

STEP 3: Cook the onions, garlic and celery until they are soft but not brown. Add the cans of diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, turmeric, cumin, chili powder and the hot sauce. Continue to cook over medium heat until hot.



STEP 4: At this point, the lentils should have absorbed the water and become soft. Add the lentils and any remaining water to the soup mixture. Stir well and slightly mash using the back of your spoon.



STEP 5: Once the entire mixture is hot, add a handful of chopped cilantro and taste test to see if you want any more heat (hot sauce) or salt and pepper.

STEP 6: You can either add the juice of lime to the pot or serve the bowls of stew with a wedge of lime. I like the wedge of lime because it makes for a pretty presentation and that way people can choose whether or not they want it.

NOTE: It wasn't until after I got home that I noticed I had bought organic vegetable broth which was probably considerably more expensive than regular. Also, if you can't find the fire roasted tomatoes, don't fret. They are great and have a wonderful smokey flavor but regular will do great as well (and be about 20 cents less per can).

I had some extra tortilla chips left over from a party (you know how I like to use up leftovers) and they were great dipped in this stew. You could also add a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese. If you have some frozen corn kernels they would also taste great in this stew. Basically, anything that goes well with chili will also taste great with this stew! It's delicious!!

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egg florentine quesadillas $0.63 each

egg florentine quesadillas

$0.63 each

Ever since making the creamed spinach, this has been my favorite breakfast. Wait, no, not my favorite breakfast... my favorite meal (because I can't pretend that I haven't made this for lunch and dinner too). I keep tortillas in my refrigerator at all times because quesadillas are one of those magically versatile dishes that you can make out of anything left over in your fridge. I usually buy the "main" brand of tortillas that come in a pack of either 8 or 10. Las time I was at the store, I found an "off" or "more authentic" brand of tortillas that were the same price per pack yet contained 20 tortillas! If you can go to a grocery store in an area that has a high Latin American population, you'll probably find more tortilla options, many of which will be less expensive than the main American brand.



Total Recipe cost: $0.63 each
Prep time: 0 min. Cook time: 10 min. Total: 10 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 tortilla (6", 8" or 10" diameter. your preference)	flour tortilla	$0.08
1 large	egg	$0.15
1/4 cup	creamed spinach	$0.28
2 Tbsp	shredded cheddar cheese	$0.12
TOTAL		$0.63

STEP 1: In a small skillet, fry the egg. I really like runny yolks, especially in this quesadilla because of the way the yolk mixes with the creamed spinach and melted cheese. To accomplish this, make sure your skillet is nice and hot before adding the egg. Fry it on one side until the whites are mostly set and the yolk is still runny. Briefly flip the egg over and fry for 30 seconds or so. This will finish setting the top of the whites and create a skin on top of the yolk leaving the inside still runny! YUM!

STEP 2: Spread the creamed spinach (it's okay if it's cold from the fridge) over one side of the tortilla. Sprinkle the 2 Tbsp of cheddar cheese over the creamed spinach. Place the cooked egg on top of both and fold the other side of the tortilla over top of the fillings.

STEP 3: Place the folded tortilla in the hot skillet that you used for frying the egg (keep the heat on). Cook the quesadilla on each side until it is golden brown and crsipy. Serve immdiately!


Woops! I couldn't help eating some while taking the pictures...

NOTE: Even if you can't find the incredibly inexpensive 20 pack of tortillas like I did, this dish is super inexpensive. Another variation that I made was to spoon a couple dollops of homemade marinara in there with the rest of the fillings. The tomato flavor mixes wonderfully with the creamy spinach, egg and cheese. You could even use the marinara as a dip instead of salsa like regular quesadillas come with. I love quesadillas!

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meatball sandwich $1.62 each

meatball sandwich

$1.62 each

Have some frozen meatballs and marinara? Here is a quick (and very filling) snack or lunch whose components you can keep on hand in your freezer. I was lucky enough to find these little football shaped rolls at the store selling for $2.50 for a pack of ten. On first glance the rolls look small but really, who needs a 12 inch sub? Especially when it has four of these super hearty meatballs on it. Although this sandwich is smaller than something you might get at a local sub shop (it's about the size of my outstretched hand), it is every bit as satisfying and filling!



Total Recipe cost: $1.62 each (5 inches long, 3 wide... yes, I measured)
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 5 min. Total: 10 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
4	homemade meatballs	$0.88
1/2 cup	homemade marinara	$0.29
1 medium	hearty roll (soft bread won't cut it!)	$0.25
1 slice	provolone	$0.20
TOTAL		$1.62

STEP 1: Preheat the oven on the broiler setting at 400 degrees. In a microwave safe dish heat the meatballs and marinara sauce.

STEP 2: Slice your roll lengthwise. Spoon on the meatballs and cover with any remaining marinara sauce. Arrange the sliced cheese on top (I cut my piece in half to make it cover a longer/narrower surface area... kinda like the cheese "triangles" at sub shops).

STEP 3: Place the sandwich, open faced, on a cookie sheet and place under the broiler (make sure the rack is positioned so there is a few inches between the top of the sandwich and the heating element). Broil until the cheese is melted and the edges of the roll is brown and crispy.

STEP 4: DIG IN! ... make sure you have some napkins!



NOTE: When I made the meatballs, I packed most of them into freezer bags in groups of 8. I also froze some of the sauce and when I bought the rolls, I put them straight into the freezer. Now, all I have to do is pull out some meatballs, marinara, a roll, heat 'em all up and enjoy. The bread thaws really fast and it's ready slice within a few minutes out of the freezer. Since it's going under the broiler you don't even have to wait for it to thaw all the way before building the sandwich!

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cinnamon nut palmiers $4.76 recipe / $0.14 cookie

cinnamon nut palmiers

$4.76 recipe / $0.14 cookie

Puff pastry is so incredible. All you have to do is thaw it, fill it up with stuff, throw it in the oven and it comes out looking (and tasting) so amazingly gourmet that you won't believe it came out of YOUR oven. I've been seeing recipes all over the internet for all sorts of palmiers made with puff pastry so I had to give it a shot too. I didn't put a lot of thought into what I was going to fill them with. I just went with things that I knew I had in my kitchen. Plus, you can't go wrong with honey, brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. Even though a box of puff pastry doesn't seem very inexpensive when you're buying it, one box made a whopping 34 cookies. Yes, they are small cookies and it's easy to pop 4 or 5 at a time (like I did while taking these pictures) but I would say a fair serving is 2-3 cookies (24-42 cents per serving). Oh, and one more bonus: you house will smell AMAZING while they are baking!



Total Recipe cost: $4.76
Servings Per Recipe: 34 cookies
Cost per serving: $0.14 per cookie
Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 25 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 box (2 sheets)	frozen puff pastry	$3.68
2 Tbsp	honey	$0.45
2 tsp	cinnamon	$0.10
4 Tbsp	brown sugar	$0.12
4 Tbsp	chopped walnuts	$0.32
1/2 cup	confectioners (powdered) sugar	$0.09
TOTAL		$4.76

STEP 1: Thaw the box of puff pastry either on the counter at room temperature or in the refrigerator over night. I just put mine in the refrigerator instead of the freezer when I got home from the store and a couple days later it was ready to go. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

STEP 2: Sprinkle a clean counter top with powdered sugar to keep the dough from sticking. Unfold the dough and lightly drizzle it all over with honey (about 1 Tbsp per sheet). Next, sprinkle lightly with cinnamon, brown sugar and chopped walnuts. You don't need a lot of any of these because you will be rolling the dough up and the ingredients will be more concentrated than they seem when it is unrolled.



STEP 3: Roll each side of the puff pastry inward until the two sides meet. You may need to get a little more powdered sugar from the counter and powder up the log again.



STEP 4: Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1/2 inch sections and place them on a cookie sheet (about 1.5-2 inches apart).


That weird one in front was an end piece... they don't look pretty but they're good for taste testing!

STEP 5: Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Check the cookies at 10 minutes and keep an eye on them. You want them golden brown but not dark brown. If the cookies get too dark they will taste like burnt sugar!



NOTE: These are a great little coffee cookie or something to bring to a dinner or party. They look and taste impressive but only take minutes to make! Experiment with the fillings and rolling technique!

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creamed spinach $3.34 recipe / $0.56 serving

creamed spinach

$3.34 recipe / $0.56 serving

I made creamed spinach a couple weeks ago and then again this week to fine tune the recipe before posting. Between the two batches of creamed spinach, I found out how versatile the stuff is! I began putting it in everything from casseroles (I mixed it into my Bacon Pesto Pasta Bake) to sandwiches, quesadillas or straight up on crackers. I've decided that creamed spinach should almost be a staple in my refrigerator. If you choose your ingredients right, it's a fairly healthy way to sneak some dark green veggies into your day!



Total Recipe cost: $3.32
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost per serving: $0.56
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 20 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
two 10 oz. boxes	frozen chopped spinach	$1.92
1/2 medium	yellow onion	$0.22
2 cloves	garlic	$0.12
2 cups	milk	$0.65
4 Tbsp	butter	$0.20
1/4 cup	all-purpose flour	$0.13
1/4 tsp or to taste	crushed red pepper	$0.05
to taste	salt & pepper	$0.05
TOTAL		$3.34

STEP 1: Thaw your spinach and squeeze out excess water. I just use the microwave to thaw it (put it in a bowl to catch melting liquid) but you can leave it in your fridge for a day too. You do not need to squeeze out ALL of the water, I think some is fine and it holds a lot of spinach flavor.

STEP 2: Finely dice the onion and garlic. Saute until soft and translucent (not browned) in 4 Tbsp of butter over medium heat. This may seem like a lot of butter for half an onion and 2 cloves of garlic but you need 4 Tbsp for the roux to make sure there is enough thickening power for all of the milk.

STEP 3: Once the onions and garlic have cooked, it's time to make the roux. Dump in the 4 Tbsp (or 1/4 cup) of flour and stir it into the melted butter well. Continue to cook this paste for 1-2 minute more over medium heat.



STEP 4: Add the 2 cups of milk and whisk until all of the flour/butter paste has dissolved. Let the mixture simmer until it is nice and thick (5-10 minutes). Add the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. The red pepper flakes are not necessary but I think it gives the creamed spinach a nice little kick... Too much and it will over power the fresh, delicate spinach flavor.

STEP 5: Stir in your spinach and you're done! If your creamed spinach is still too liquidy, you can simmer it a little bit longer until the sauce reduces. Just remember that when it cools down it will thicken as well.



NOTE: Traditionally, nutmeg is the spice of choice for this cream sauce so if you're not into red pepper, try nutmeg.

The second time I made this creamed spinach, I made half a batch and it was just enough for me. I had half an onion in my fridge waiting to be used up so instead of using only 1/4 onion (if truly halving the recipe), I used the entire half and it still tasted great. I have the container of creamed spinach in my fridge and, I kid you not, I've been eating a little bit with everything; breakfast, lunch and dinner!

I find that 2% lowfat milk is my favorite for this recipe because it is has enough fat to keep that creamy taste but not so much that this dish ends up being so heavy that I don't feel like I'm truly eating vegetables. If you prefer a super rich creamy dish, use whole milk or even a splash of cream. Parmesan cheese melted in would also be divine... but I have to stop myself somewhere!

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spaghetti and meatballs $9.02 recipe / $1.50 serving

spaghetti and meatballs

$9.02 recipe / $1.50 serving

It's true, cooking from scratch can take more time than opening up a box, can or jar. So is it worth it? Honestly, that's going to vary from person to person and from situation to situation. I've openly admitted that most of the time I like to just quickly boil some pasta, brown some beef, pour in a jar of sauce, add a little of this and that and enjoy what comes of it. Sometimes though, you feel like cooking. You feel like enjoying the beautiful (and tasty) fruits of your labor. Sometimes, spending 2-3 hours cooking to have delicious food ready and waiting in your freezer is worth it. The two recipes that I made today for this spaghetti are definitely "Sunday Afternoon" recipes, not "Week Night Dinner" recipes but the great thing is that next time you need a week night dinner, you can have the real thing instead of something out of a box, jar or can.



Total Recipe cost: $9.02
Servings Per Recipe: 6 (2 oz. pasta, 3/4 cup sauce, 4 meatballs)
Cost per serving: $1.50

INGREDIENTS		COST
14 oz. package	spaghetti	$1.22
4.5 cups	homemade marinara	$2.52
24	italian meatballs	$5.28
TOTAL		$9.02

STEP 1: If reheating your homemade sauce and meatballs, do so together in a medium sauce pan over medium heat (the flavors will infuse this way and be even more delectable!).

STEP 2: Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.

STEP 3: Serve the sauce and meatballs over a pile of pasta and dig in!



NOTE: In my recipe for Marinara, I used 1/2 cup as the serving size. I did this mainly for ease in comparing the price to the jarred sauce that i usually buy (it has a serving size of 1/2 cup). A half cup of sauce would probably be sufficient for 2 oz. of pasta but when you add 4 meatballs to the equation, you definitely need more which is why I used 3/4 cup of sauce per serving for this recipe.

Don't be deceived by the four smallish meatballs (they are each slightly smaller than a golf ball)... they are extremely filling! While making my recipes today I ate 2 of them (along with a little pasta and sauce) and I was absolutely stuffed. I would say, for a woman, 3 meatballs might even be enough for one serving.

I really am amazed at how inexpensive this was to make from scratch. The serving size for this meal is really large and yet it was only $1.50 per serving. Go to any Italian restaurant and you'll be paying about 8 times this much.

The quantities of sauce and meatballs used in this post are not the same quantity as each recipe makes (I stated 24 meatballs for the spaghetti while the meatball recipe makes 42, I stated 4.5 cups of sauce while the sauce recipe makes 6 cups). As I mention in the individual sauce and meatball posts, both are large recipes and you can freeze any leftovers. Your other option would be to make half recipes... both are very easily divided by two. I simply used the amount of sauce and meatballs that I thought would be needed for one package of pasta (which is about 6-7 servings).

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