Posts Tagged: budget recipes

Tomato Sauce Recipe: Healthy Ingredients, Quick Easy Method

Use this in Mostaccioli, Lasagna, Moussaka, Tomato Bisque Soup, etc. One advantage of this recipe: it doesn’t easily scorch. Some recipes require a lot of stirring, but as the juicy tomatoes boil down, the sauce suddenly thickens, and the pan burns as well! This is avoided by adding tomato paste last. The onion-garlic mix still…

Worchestershire Sauce; Fancy Name, but Perfectly Spiced Brew

What with the anchovies and HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) in most Worchestershire products, a friend had wondered if I had a recipe to make it from scratch. We’d actually been making our own “Worchestershire Sauce” at the deli for ages, just to save money. A gallon of the stuff seemed too big an investment….

Chili, Traditional, For a Crowd (Extra Large Recipe)

Bowl of Chili and corn bread

A big batch of chili comes in handy for feeding a crowd. I made this for the last Chili Cook-Off our church had. No, I didn’t win the cook-off, but we did LOVE this chili! One caveat: I used homemade Worchestershire sauce (there’s a good recipe here, on Saveur, and there’s also one in my…

Spaghetti and Meatballs: Authentic Italian Seasoning

Pasta and Meatballs on Italian style table

Homemade spaghetti and meatballs are quite a crowd pleaser! The homemade sauce for this is made easier by adding tomato paste last; less stirring is required while the sauce reduces. And the meatballs have that sausage-like flavor, without the extra fat and additives that pork sausage typically has. Another convenience: the browned meatballs are put…

Corn Bread w/Apple & Sage (Using Whole Grain Corn Meal)

Corn Bread w/ raisins, apples, corn meal, maple syrup

Though this is a quite textured corn bread, it is gluten-free, which can be a plus. The flavors go well with roasted meats (see Stuffed Pork Loin Roast here). Use whole grain, organic corn flour from the health food store if possible (as opposed to the standard “degerminated” corn meal). Coconut milk can even substitute…

Pork Loin Roast: Easy Marinade- No MSG! Juicy, Tender…

A whole pork loin (about 6-8 lb.) can be cut in half, making it easier to fit into a zip-lock bag for marinating. If starting with a smaller roast, cut down a bit on the marinade ingredients. It may still take up to 1 1/2 hours to cook; a meat thermometer stuck in the middle…

London Broil w/ Marinated Mushrooms (Tri-Tip Works too)

Roast beef w/ Marinated Mushrooms, barbequed on grill

I pulled this recipe out of the archives, since I’m planning ahead for summer barbeques. This recipe for London Broil or Tri-Tip (AKA “bottom sirloin butt” or “triangle roast”) is economical and flavorful. (Did you know the expensive cuts are much more tender, but cheaper cuts have a more robust flavor?)

A bit of sugar helps the meat to brown; soy sauce adds savory flavor, and vinegar tenderizes. Easy!

Chili Rellenos: Vegetarian Dish W/ Red (“Mole”) Sauce

Mexican style Chili Rellenos

To roast fresh Anaheim or Pasilla peppers at home, broil them or grill in very hot pan with a lid on it; turn the peppers as needed until all sides are blackened. Let cool, then peel off skin and remove core and seeds, trying to keep peppers as whole as possible. Canned peppers can also…