A new category has been added under “Cooking” called “Frugal Recipes”. I debated about whether to add it because what one calls frugal, another may think it’s extravagant.
My criteria for a frugal recipe is something that is relatively low in cost per serving. While some recipes may have a bit more expensive ingredients than others, they may provide multiple servings. Also, in my experience, Vince and I cannot go out to eat lunch for less than $25 these days so, in the end, if I can provide two good servings for about $10 or less, I consider that pretty frugal. Of course, there’s the cost of utilities to cook and clean up and there are the items I don’t always add up to arrive at a total cost/serving but when Is ay we spend $25 on lunch, there are at least a couple of dollars of gas money that should be added in.
In the end, these are going to be recipes I consider frugal. If your ideas of frugal aren’t in alignment with mine, that’s ok.
Here’s my first frugal recipe: Make Ahead Spicy Olive Pasta
You could easily leave out the anchovies. They aren’t terribly inexpensive and they’re kinda gross. Vince loves them and I had them so I used them.
I made a small dish for Addie. I went along with the recipe but I sliced up a can of drained black olives, left out the green olives, pepper and the anchovies and fixed her dish. Then I added the pepper, green olives and anchovies and fixed our dish.
I totally left out the capers. I like them in sauces, but I don’t really like to bite into them.
The small dish on the left is Addie’s. She ate less than 1/3 of that dish. The pan in the middle front was ours. We ate a little more than half of that. When we have it as leftovers, Addie won’t be here so I’ll eat what was left in her pan and Vince can have what’s left in our pan, anchovies and all.
The dish in the back went into the freezer before I baked it. I’m thinking this recipe will easily feed 8 hungry adults or 10 not so hungry adults. We had the fried green beans as our side, along with coleslaw.
Elle says
Frugal is definitely the eye of the beholder. $25 for lunch is a great buy IMO especially if that includes tip. I think $35 all-in, is about the best we do.
I don’t care for olives, anchovies or capers. so for me it’s a baked pasta but fantastic nonetheless. Love me some stringy melty cheese 🙂
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Those prices are for places like Chick-fil-A, McAlister’s, Subway, the local Mexican restaurant that has lunch specials. There are plenty of places that are more but if we’re eating out, it’s usually because we’re in town and we’re hungry and we just want to eat quickly and be on our way. We don’t eat out much . . probably not even once a month on average, and if we want something good . . we eat at home. 🙂
Laura Haynes says
Do you leave your frozen meals in their dishes in your freezer, or do you remove the frozen food and wrap it for staying awhile in the freezer?
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I have several sizes of Pyrex glass containers that I use for freezing. Once it’s frozen solid, I remove it and vacuum seal it. Then, when I’m ready to cook it, I remove it from the vacuum packaging, place it back in the original Pyrex dish so it fits perfectly, let it defrost and bake it.
patti says
that was my question too, so glad it was answered. an additional detail tho, is the pyrex sprayed first with oil or does it just pop out easily with being frozen?
ps i got the 2 norwex cloths and am getting used to them. happy so far, thanx
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I do spray the pans always and if it doesn’t pop right out (and it doesn’t always), I run a little cold water in a bigger baking pan and place the pan of frozen food in that for 2 or 3 minutes and it pops right out.
Nelle Coursey says
Did you give me the recipe for the Green Chili Chicken Enchilada’s? If you didn’t I will send it to you. It is hatch green chili sauce and rotisserie chicken. This sounds great!
Rebecca says
This sounded so intriguing in your breakfast post that I looked it up, and when I read it to my husband, he asked to have it tomorrow, and he does NOT like pasta! I made up a shopping list. He will want black and green olives, also.