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By Lisa Abraham
Beacon Journal
POSTED: 01:41 a.m. EDT, Jun 25, 2008
You can easily cook typical carryout dinners for half the cost.
Carry-in menu: Home-delivered pizza shop baked pasta with five breadsticks.
Cost: $11.99.
Make-at-home menu:
Cheesy Baked Penne, green salad.12
Cost: $5.65.
CHEESY BAKED PENNE
1 lb. penne pasta, boiled according to package directions and drained
2 jars prepared meat-flavored pasta sauce
1 lb. ground beef
1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. dried onion flakes, or 1/2 fresh onion, chopped
Fresh garlic or garlic powder, to taste
Dried basil, to taste
Dried oregano, to taste
While pasta water is coming to a boil, place meat in a skillet over medium heat, add onion and brown thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper and seasonings of your choice.
In a saucepan, heat 1-1/2 jars of the sauce until simmering. Add garlic or other seasonings to sauce to bolster its flavor, if desired. Drain meat, add to sauce and continue to simmer sauce while pasta is cooking.
Place hot cooked pasta into a large mixing bowl, stir in meat sauce, and then ricotta cheese, which will begin to melt.
Place into a large baking pan, 9-by-13-by-2 inch or larger, which has been coated with nonstick cooking spray, or divide between two smaller square baking dishes.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, until heated through and bubbly.
While pasta is baking, simmer remaining half jar of sauce, adding seasoning to taste. Serve along with baked pasta.
If you've made two casseroles, you can freeze one after baking. To serve, thaw completely in refrigerator and reheat in microwave, adding sauce if needed.
Each casserole makes 4 servings.
Where we spent our money:
1 lb. box of pasta, $1.
1 lb. ground beef, $2.99.
1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese, $2.29.
2 jars (26 oz. each) prepared pasta sauce, $3 on sale.
1 head iceberg lettuce or 1 lb. leaf lettuce, $1.99.
No-cost pantry staples: dried onion flakes/onion, garlic, dried herbs, salt and pepper, bottled salad dressing.
Total for two meals: $11.27
We've been intrigued by recent advertisements by a national chain boasting 3 pounds of home-delivered pasta for just $11.99. What we discovered is the 3-pound measurement is the after-cooking weight of the completed pasta dish, not the amount of dry pasta that goes into the dish — a bit misleading.
When we finished with our baked penne, we had enough to fill two pans the size of the advertised home-delivered entree. (And we're still wondering, if the entree serves four, who gets the fifth breadstick?)
We considered the $2.19 purchase of a package of 10 ready-to-bake breadsticks, but decided this pasta dinner would be more well-rounded with the addition of a simple green salad.
How convenient was it?
This dish is fairly simple to prepare: boiling water and pasta, browning ground beef, simmering prepared sauce. It all comes together in about 30 minutes, and requires another 30 to 45 minutes to bake. But it offers the convenience of having a second meal ready in the freezer for the future.
We purchased a simple meat-flavored sauce and doctored it with the addition of garlic, basil, and other spices. However, it would work just as well with a chunky marinara sauce. This pasta easily converts to a vegetarian dish with the omission of the beef, and then costs even less.
SLOW COOKER CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES AND HERBS
8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and cut in half
1 cup frozen pearl onions
1 cup chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
4 chicken leg quarters (legs with thighs attached, 2 to 21/2 lbs. total)
2 to 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
In a 5-1/2 to 6-quart slow cooker, combine mushrooms and onions. Stir in 1/2 cup broth, wine, tomato paste, garlic salt, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Add chicken leg quarters.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours, or on high-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours.
When done, use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken, mushrooms and onions to a serving platter. Discard the bay leaf. Cover chicken and keep warm.
Skim fat from the cooking liquid. Measure 2 cups of cooking liquid, adding chicken broth if needed to equal 2 cups.
Transfer liquid to a medium saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk the flour and 1/4 cup of chicken broth together. Stir into the cooking liquid in the saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Spoon sauce over the chicken and vegetables.
Makes 4 servings.
Better Homes and Gardens recipes at http://www.bhg.com
Where we spent our money:
Chicken, $4.22.
1 15-oz. can chicken broth, 79 cents.
Fresh mushrooms, $2.
Frozen pearl onions, $2.25.
1 can tomato paste, 50 cents.
1 12-oz. bag extra-wide egg noodles, $1.39.
1 16-oz. bag frozen broccoli cuts, $1.29.
1 can of 10 ready-to-bake biscuits, $1.25.
No-cost pantry staples: salt, pepper, herbs, flour.
Total: $13.69
For this recipe, we happened to have some leftover red wine in our refrigerator. We would not spend the money for an entire bottle of wine for the 1/4 cup called for in this recipe.
Instead, simply increase the amount of chicken broth initially put in the slow cooker to 3/4 cup and, if you have it on hand, add a splash of red wine vinegar or grape juice.
We also didn't have garlic salt, so we substituted table salt and garlic powder.
How fast and convenient was it?
The chicken took 5 to 10 minutes to assemble and cooked all day in a slow cooker.
When the chicken was done, we boiled the water and cooked the noodles. While this dish would go great with mashed potatoes, we opted for the less labor-intensive egg noodles, which required nothing more than boiling and went well with the mushrooms and sauce.
While the noodles were cooking, we thickened the sauce, microwaved the broccoli, and baked the biscuits.
Dinner was on the table in about 30 minutes
Carry-in menu:
Chinese barbecued spareribs, vegetables with white rice
Cost: $34
Make-at-home menu:
Slow Cooker Asian Barbecued Pork Ribs, white rice, Asian vegetable medley
Cost: $16.89
SLOW COOKER ASIAN BARBECUE PORK RIBS
8 boneless country-style pork spareribs or 8 boneless pork chops
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 tsp. ground ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
Place pork ribs or chops in a slow cooker and season with salt and pepper. Combine all other ingredients and mix well. If using ribs, you can increase the amount of ketchup to 1 cup for additional sauce. Pour sauce over pork.
Cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours, or until pork is 165 degrees on a meat thermometer. Serve with white rice, using extra sauce from ribs to spoon over rice, and with Asian vegetables on the side.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Adapted from http://www.allrecipes.com
Where we spent our money:
1 package of 8 country-style pork ribs, $10.23.
1 bottle soy sauce, $1.49.
Ground ginger, $1.49.
1 box instant rice, $1.79.
1 16-oz. bag frozen Asian vegetables, $1.89.
No cost pantry staples: garlic, ketchup, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
Total: $16.89.
Unlike the small barbecued ribs with bones that you find at Asian carryouts, country-style ribs are boneless and meaty, so two are likely to have more meat than four restaurant-style ribs. The slow cooking makes them fall apart tender and sticky.
Yes, we do assume that garlic is a pantry staple. However, don't hesitate to substitute chopped garlic from a jar or garlic powder in this recipe. We did factor in the cost of soy sauce and ginger, which may not be on everyone's shelves.
How convenient was it?
Mixing up the sauce for these ribs couldn't be easier. In less than 5 minutes, they were in the slow cooker and on their way.
At dinner time, we prepared the instant rice, microwaved the vegetables and dinner was on the table in less than 15 minutes.
You can easily cook typical carryout dinners for half the cost.
Carry-in menu: Home-delivered pizza shop baked pasta with five breadsticks.
Cost: $11.99.
Make-at-home menu:
Cheesy Baked Penne, green salad.12
Cost: $5.65.
CHEESY BAKED PENNE
1 lb. penne pasta, boiled according to package directions and drained
2 jars prepared meat-flavored pasta sauce
1 lb. ground beef
1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. dried onion flakes, or 1/2 fresh onion, chopped
Fresh garlic or garlic powder, to taste
Dried basil, to taste
Dried oregano, to taste
While pasta water is coming to a boil, place meat in a skillet over medium heat, add onion and brown thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper and seasonings of your choice.
In a saucepan, heat 1-1/2 jars of the sauce until simmering. Add garlic or other seasonings to sauce to bolster its flavor, if desired. Drain meat, add to sauce and continue to simmer sauce while pasta is cooking.
Place hot cooked pasta into a large mixing bowl, stir in meat sauce, and then ricotta cheese, which will begin to melt.
Place into a large baking pan, 9-by-13-by-2 inch or larger, which has been coated with nonstick cooking spray, or divide between two smaller square baking dishes.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, until heated through and bubbly.
While pasta is baking, simmer remaining half jar of sauce, adding seasoning to taste. Serve along with baked pasta.
If you've made two casseroles, you can freeze one after baking. To serve, thaw completely in refrigerator and reheat in microwave, adding sauce if needed.
Each casserole makes 4 servings.
Where we spent our money:
1 lb. box of pasta, $1.
1 lb. ground beef, $2.99.
1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese, $2.29.
2 jars (26 oz. each) prepared pasta sauce, $3 on sale.
1 head iceberg lettuce or 1 lb. leaf lettuce, $1.99.
No-cost pantry staples: dried onion flakes/onion, garlic, dried herbs, salt and pepper, bottled salad dressing.
Total for two meals: $11.27
We've been intrigued by recent advertisements by a national chain boasting 3 pounds of home-delivered pasta for just $11.99. What we discovered is the 3-pound measurement is the after-cooking weight of the completed pasta dish, not the amount of dry pasta that goes into the dish — a bit misleading.
When we finished with our baked penne, we had enough to fill two pans the size of the advertised home-delivered entree. (And we're still wondering, if the entree serves four, who gets the fifth breadstick?)
We considered the $2.19 purchase of a package of 10 ready-to-bake breadsticks, but decided this pasta dinner would be more well-rounded with the addition of a simple green salad.
How convenient was it?
This dish is fairly simple to prepare: boiling water and pasta, browning ground beef, simmering prepared sauce. It all comes together in about 30 minutes, and requires another 30 to 45 minutes to bake. But it offers the convenience of having a second meal ready in the freezer for the future.
We purchased a simple meat-flavored sauce and doctored it with the addition of garlic, basil, and other spices. However, it would work just as well with a chunky marinara sauce. This pasta easily converts to a vegetarian dish with the omission of the beef, and then costs even less.
SLOW COOKER CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES AND HERBS
8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and cut in half
1 cup frozen pearl onions
1 cup chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
4 chicken leg quarters (legs with thighs attached, 2 to 21/2 lbs. total)
2 to 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
In a 5-1/2 to 6-quart slow cooker, combine mushrooms and onions. Stir in 1/2 cup broth, wine, tomato paste, garlic salt, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Add chicken leg quarters.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours, or on high-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours.
When done, use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken, mushrooms and onions to a serving platter. Discard the bay leaf. Cover chicken and keep warm.
Skim fat from the cooking liquid. Measure 2 cups of cooking liquid, adding chicken broth if needed to equal 2 cups.
Transfer liquid to a medium saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk the flour and 1/4 cup of chicken broth together. Stir into the cooking liquid in the saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Spoon sauce over the chicken and vegetables.
Makes 4 servings.
Better Homes and Gardens recipes at http://www.bhg.com
Where we spent our money:
Chicken, $4.22.
1 15-oz. can chicken broth, 79 cents.
Fresh mushrooms, $2.
Frozen pearl onions, $2.25.
1 can tomato paste, 50 cents.
1 12-oz. bag extra-wide egg noodles, $1.39.
1 16-oz. bag frozen broccoli cuts, $1.29.
1 can of 10 ready-to-bake biscuits, $1.25.
No-cost pantry staples: salt, pepper, herbs, flour.
Total: $13.69
For this recipe, we happened to have some leftover red wine in our refrigerator. We would not spend the money for an entire bottle of wine for the 1/4 cup called for in this recipe.
Instead, simply increase the amount of chicken broth initially put in the slow cooker to 3/4 cup and, if you have it on hand, add a splash of red wine vinegar or grape juice.
We also didn't have garlic salt, so we substituted table salt and garlic powder.
How fast and convenient was it?
The chicken took 5 to 10 minutes to assemble and cooked all day in a slow cooker.
When the chicken was done, we boiled the water and cooked the noodles. While this dish would go great with mashed potatoes, we opted for the less labor-intensive egg noodles, which required nothing more than boiling and went well with the mushrooms and sauce.
While the noodles were cooking, we thickened the sauce, microwaved the broccoli, and baked the biscuits.
Dinner was on the table in about 30 minutes
Carry-in menu:
Chinese barbecued spareribs, vegetables with white rice
Cost: $34
Make-at-home menu:
Slow Cooker Asian Barbecued Pork Ribs, white rice, Asian vegetable medley
Cost: $16.89
SLOW COOKER ASIAN BARBECUE PORK RIBS
8 boneless country-style pork spareribs or 8 boneless pork chops
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 tsp. ground ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
Place pork ribs or chops in a slow cooker and season with salt and pepper. Combine all other ingredients and mix well. If using ribs, you can increase the amount of ketchup to 1 cup for additional sauce. Pour sauce over pork.
Cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours, or until pork is 165 degrees on a meat thermometer. Serve with white rice, using extra sauce from ribs to spoon over rice, and with Asian vegetables on the side.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Adapted from http://www.allrecipes.com
Where we spent our money:
1 package of 8 country-style pork ribs, $10.23.
1 bottle soy sauce, $1.49.
Ground ginger, $1.49.
1 box instant rice, $1.79.
1 16-oz. bag frozen Asian vegetables, $1.89.
No cost pantry staples: garlic, ketchup, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
Total: $16.89.
Unlike the small barbecued ribs with bones that you find at Asian carryouts, country-style ribs are boneless and meaty, so two are likely to have more meat than four restaurant-style ribs. The slow cooking makes them fall apart tender and sticky.
Yes, we do assume that garlic is a pantry staple. However, don't hesitate to substitute chopped garlic from a jar or garlic powder in this recipe. We did factor in the cost of soy sauce and ginger, which may not be on everyone's shelves.
How convenient was it?
Mixing up the sauce for these ribs couldn't be easier. In less than 5 minutes, they were in the slow cooker and on their way.
At dinner time, we prepared the instant rice, microwaved the vegetables and dinner was on the table in less than 15 minutes.
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