THE BARRETT TOP 50 Cookbook Let’s Get Cooking

Welcome to my collection of favorite recipes! I have curated this list over the past decade and these are the ones we consistently come back to as our favorites. I love these recipes because they help me cook efficiently and affordably, while keeping my family healthy and satisfied. While I absolutely love to cook, I don't love doing it every day. These recipes are great because most of them make enough for 2-3 nights for a family. This allows me to enjoy cooking a few nights a week and get some time off from the kitchen the remainder of the week.

Cooking at home allows us to eat healthier, save money (how can you beat $2 per person per meal for dinner!), enjoy time together at home as a family, and on busy nights, pull leftovers out of the refrigerator when we are all going in different directions.

Enjoy! TOP 50 Laur Barret Table of Contents 01 10

Quick Gumbo Spicy Chicken-Tortilla Chip Casserole

02 11

Chicken Paprikash Oven-Roasted Chicken

03 12

Cauliflower, Tomatoes, and Pepperoni Pasta Chimichurri Beef And Rice

04 13

Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Ginger Garlic Sauce Elbow Macaroni With Crispy Breadcrumbs And Broccoli

05 14

Italian Wedding Soup Rigatoni With Red Pepper, Almonds, And Bread Crumbs

06 15

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Pork And Peanut Dragon Noodles

07 16

Shredded Chicken Stew Pesto Pasta With Chicken

08 17

Lemon Chicken Foil Packet Chicken & Rainbow Veggies

09 18

Sheet Pan Meatballs with Crispy Turmeric Chickpeas White Chicken Chili Table of Contents 19

Steak and Tomato Fried Rice

20

Tofu & Summer Vegetable Curry

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Door Dash Quick Rotisserie Chicken Gumbo Active: 30 min | Total: 50 min | Yield: 8 servings

This recipe is from the Oct 2017 issue of Food Network Magazine. We absolutely loved it! It ended up making about 8 'person' meals, as Brad says, or 4 nights of dinner for the two of us. We ate it twice this week and put two portions in the freezer.

Notes about the recipe: • I left out the fresh thyme and frozen okra. • I use bouillon cubes to make broth. • I accidentally left off the scallions at the end, (I just forgot when we went to serve it) • I used about 1/3 of a package of rotisserie chicken meat from Costco that sells for$12 ($4 for the chicken for this recipe) and I used 13 oz of smoked andouille sausage that I got for about $3.

Ingredients: Directions:

1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices 1. Cook the sausages in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat

1/2 pound Polska kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick until browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the sausages from slices the skillet and drain on paper towels. 1/2 cup peanut oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat;

1 cup chopped yellow onion gradually whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is a deep caramel color, 7 to 10 minutes. 1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 cup chopped celery 3. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, 2 garlic cloves, chopped celery, garlic, thyme, Creole seasoning and cayenne pepper; 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Gradually stir in the 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning broth; add the chicken, tomatoes, okra, Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper and sausage.

5 cups low-sodium chicken broth 4. Increase the heat to medium high and bring the mixture to a 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (from 1 large rotisserie chicken) boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally,

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained until all the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened slightly, about 20 minutes. Serve the gumbo over the hot 1 1/2 cups frozen cut okra TOTAL COST OF MEAL: cooked rice topped with the scallions. Serve with hot sauce, if 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce desired. $4 for chicken 4 cups hot cooked white rice $3 for sausage 1/4 cup sliced scallions $5 (approximately) for the other items (onion, pepper, celery, tomatoes, Hot sauce (optional) chicken broth, etc) $12 Total - $1.50 1 Total: 45 min | Yield: 8 servings

This recipe is from the Richmond Times Dispatch; however, I am not sure when. I believe that it was a few years ago.

Notes about the recipe: • I make my own chicken broth using bouillon cubes. • I don't use hot or smoked paprika. I just use an extra teaspoon of regular paprika and I add some cayenne pepper since we like a bit of spice. • The one thing I do that is different from the recipe is once you add the tomatoes & broth and you return the chicken to the pot, I then cook it on low for another 1-2 hours, instead of 10 minutes. I found if I cooked it for 10 minutes, the chicken was not very tender. When I cook it low & slow for 1-2 hours, the chicken basically shreds apart, which we love.

Ingredients: Directions:

3.pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a very large, deep heavy saute pan (such as a cast-iron skillet) over medium high, heat the oil. Kosher salt AND ground black pepper When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for about 4 minutes. Flip 1 tablespoon canola oil the chicken and cook for another 4 minutes; it will not be cooked 2 large yellow onions, quartered Jength-wise and thinly sliced through. Transfer the chicken to a plate. It's fine if there are bits stuck crosswise to the pan. 2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2. Return the pan to medium heat and add the onions. Saute for 5

2 tablespoons sweet paprika minutes, or until softened and moderately browned. Stir in the garlic

1 teaspoon smoked or hot paprika (optional) and saute for an additional 1 minute. Stir in the flour and both varieties of paprika, stirring for 1 minute, or until well-mixed. Add the bay leaves, 2 bay leaves tomatoes and broth. Bring to a-simmer, stirring occasionally and 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes scraping the bottom to loosen any stuck bits. 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

¾ cup sour cream 3. Return the chicken to the pan, along with any juices on the plate. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. 1 16-ounce bag egg noodles

4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and divide among serving plates. When the chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the heat. Remove the bay leaves from the sauce and discard, then stir in TOTAL COST OF MEAL: the sour cream. Top each portion of noodles with chicken and sauce. $6 3 lb chicken thighs Image Source: NY Times 5. Increase the heat to medium high and bring the mixture to a boil. $4 Approximately $1 each for tomatoes, Onions, noodles, sour cream Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until all the $10 Total - $1.25 vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened slightly, about 20 2 minutes. Serve the gumbo over the hot cooked rice topped with the scallions. Serve with hot sauce, if desired. 1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1/2 pound Polska kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1/2 cup peanut oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 cup chopped celery

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

5 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (from 1 large rotisserie chicken)

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 1/2 cups frozen cut okra

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

4 cups hot cooked white rice

1/4 cup sliced scallions

Hot sauce (optional)

Cauliflower, Tomatoes, and Pepperoni Pasta Active: 15 min | Total: 30 min | Yield: 4 servings

This recipe is from the January 2013 issue of Woman's Day; It's a unique pasta dish that is one of Brad's favorite recipes. This makes about 4-6 'person meals', or 2-3 nights of dinner for two of us. I didn't think this would freeze well, but we tried it once and it came out great.

Notes about the recipe: • I made it the first time exactly as is. Neither of us loved the tomatoes so we sub them out and replace with sliced onions since we love roasted onion. I put the onions on the roasting pan exactly when the recipe says to add the tomatoes. We do everything else the same. I would imagine it might be very good with the tomatoes and onions. • We use double the pepperoni and the biggest head of cauliflower I can find.

Ingredients: Directions:

1 small head cauliflower 1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon 2 tbsp. olive oil pepper. Roast for 12 minutes. Kosher salt

Pepper 2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. 12 oz. medium shells or other short pasta Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

1 pt. grape tomatoes 3. Add the tomatoes to the cauliflower, toss to combine, and 3 oz. pepperoni roast for 6 minutes more. Scatter the pepperoni over the 1/2 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley vegetables and roast until the cauliflower is golden brown and tender, 6 to 8 minutes more. Toss the pasta with the cauliflow- er mixture and parsley.

TOTAL COST OF MEAL:

$0.80 12 oz pasta $2 7 oz bag of pepperoni $2.50 Head of cauliflower $1 1 large onion $6.30 Total - $1.57 3 Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a very large, deep heavy saute pan (such as a cast-iron skillet) over medium high, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for about 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 4 minutes; it will not be cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate. It's fine if there are bits stuck to the pan.

Return the pan to medium heat and add the onions. Saute for 5 minutes, or until softened and moderately browned. Stir in the garlic and saute for an additional 1 minute. Stir in the flour and both varieties of paprika, stirring for 1 minute, or until well-mixed. Add the bay leaves, tomatoes and broth. Bring to a-simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom to loosen any stuck bits.

Return the chicken to the pan, along with any juices on the plate. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and divide among serving plates. When the chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the heat. Remove the bay leaves from the sauce and discard, then stir in the sour cream. Top each portion of noodles with chicken and sauce.

Increase the heat to medium high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened slightly, about 20 minutes. Serve the gumbo over the hot cooked rice topped with the scallions. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Ginger Garlic Sauce

Active: 10 min | Total: 15 min | Yield: 4 servings

This recipe is from the the Pinch of Yum website/ food blog. It's a great website with fantastic recipes. This makes about 4 'person meals', or 2 nights of dinner for two of us.

Notes about the recipe: • I pretty much follow the recipe as it is. I think letting the ground turkey sit in the sauce before you cook it is what makes it so flavorful. • I do use the rice vinegar & cornstarch, as I think the vinegar adds a good flavor. • I use about 1.5 lb of ground turkey, to ensure that it is enough for two dinners for us. • I use iceberg lettuce because I think it holds up well as the 'wrap' and I just use whatever nuts I have around the house (peanuts, cashews, toasted walnuts). • I have made this with and without the noodles. It's a little heartier with the noodles, but you can use thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta instead of the rice noodles (good way to save money). • I have included $1.50 for small amounts of soy sauce, honey, chili paste, rice vinegar, etc. I always have these things in the house, so using a couple tablespoons probably doesn't even cost me a dollar. You may have to buy a couple of these things for the first time you make the dish, but after that the cost is dramatically less per meal.

Ingredients: Directions:

For The Sauce 1. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour

4 tablespoons soy sauce about 3/4 of the sauce into a bowl with the ground chicken

3 tablespoons oyster sauce and peanuts. Stir to combine – marinate for 15 minutes.

3 tablespoons water 2. 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (chili paste) Soak the rice noodles in a large bowl of water while the meat is marinating. When the noodles are softened, drain and rinse 1 tablespoon honey with cold water. Cut into small pieces. 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (I use a paste)

Juice of 2 limes 3. In a large skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add 2 garlic cloves, minced the meat and peanut mixture and sauté for 10 minutes or until 4 green onions, minced cooked through. Add the noodles and stir-fry for another 5 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (optional – makes it more tangy) minutes or until soft, adding a splash of water, oil, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional – helps the sauce thicken) oyster sauce, or lime juice to moisten the pan as you see fit.

For the Lettuce Wraps: TOTAL COST OF MEAL: 2 tablespoons sesame oil 4. Remove from heat, scoop mixture into lettuce leaves, top with

1 lb. ground chicken or turkey cilantro, green onions, peanuts, and the reserved sauce. $4 12 oz pasta

1/2 cup lightly salted peanuts, chopped $1 7 oz bag of pepperoni

6 ounces rice noodles $1 Head of cauliflower

12 leaves of lettuce (I used Boston lettuce) $0.30 1 large onion Honey, soy, chili paste, lime juice Chopped cilantro, green onions, and peanuts for topping $1.50 4 $7.80 Total -$1.95 1 small head cauliflower

2 tbsp. olive oil

Kosher salt

Pepper

12 oz. medium shells or other short pasta

1 pt. grape tomatoes

3 oz. pepperoni

1/2 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Italian Wedding Soup

Active: 15 min | Total: 35 min | Yield: 8 servings

This recipe is from the December 2015 issue of the Food Network magazine. We love this recipe. This makes us 6 ‘person meals’, or 3 nights of dinner for two of us (using as a main dish) by adding extra meat.

Notes about the recipe: • I make my own chicken broth using bouillon cubes. • I don't use the parsley at the end. • I usually add extra meat so that this can be 3 nights of dinner instead of 2. It freezes really well so I'd rather get more meals out of it. If you're going to add some extra meat, go ahead and use a little more ricotta cheese, pesto & parmesan cheese in the meatballs too. You may also need a 5th cup of chicken broth. • I use spinach instead of escarole.

Ingredients: Directions:

Meatballs: 1. To make the meatballs: Stir the first 6 ingredients in a large

1 small onion, grated bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese, beef and pork. Using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each, shape the meat mixture into 1-inch-diame- 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley ter meatballs. Place on a baking sheet. 1 large egg

1 teaspoon minced garlic 2. To make the soup: Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over

1 teaspoon salt medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and curly endive and

1 slice fresh white bread, crust trimmed, bread torn into small simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the curly endive is tender, about 8 minutes. Whisk the eggs and cheese pieces in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, 8 ounces ground beef stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1

8 ounces ground pork minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Freshly ground black pepper 3. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Finish soup with Soup parmesan cheese if desired. 12 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 pound curly endive, coarsely chopped (1 pound of escarole would be a good substitution) TOTAL COST OF MEAL: 2 large eggs $6 1.5 - 2 lb ground turkey 2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish $0.75 Ricotta cheese Salt and freshly ground black pepper $1 Store bought pesto $2 8 oz bag spinach $1 Onion, garlic, parmesan cheese $0.50 Crusty bread for dipping $11.65 Total - $1.45 5 Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Active: 32 min | Total: 40 min | Yield: 6 servings

This recipe is from the October 2017 issue of Cooking Light magazine. We love this recipe. This made us 6 'person meals', or 3 nights of dinner for two of us (using as a main dish) .

Notes about the recipe: • I make my own chicken broth using bouillon cubes. • I left out the thyme & mushrooms. • I used about¼ of a package of Costco's pre packaged Rotisserie chicken meat. They sell it in a 2.5 lb package of just the rotisserie chicken breast meat. • I use spinach instead of kale. • I used regular white rice instead of wild rice.

Ingredients: Directions:

5 bacon slices, chopped 1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add bacon to pan; cook

1 cup chopped onion 4 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Add onion, carrot, 1 cup thinly sliced carrot and celery to drippings in pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add thyme, 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery mushrooms, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add stock and 1 cup 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or

1 (8-oz.) package presliced cremini mushrooms until vegetables are tender. Add kale, salt, and pepper; cook 3

4 garlic cloves, minced minutes. Stir in chicken and rice.

4 cups unsalted chicken stock 2. Combine half-and-half and flour in bowl, stirring with a whisk. 1 cup water Stir into soup; cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Top with 4 cups lightly packed chopped curly kale bacon.

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6 ounces shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast (about 1 1/2 cups) TOTAL COST OF MEAL: 1 (8-oz.) package precooked wild rice (such as Simply Balanced) $3 Rotisserie chicken 1 cup half-and-half $1 Bacon (about 1/3 lb) 1 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup) $1 Half & Half $2 8 oz bag spinach $0.50 Rice $1.25 Onion, carrot, celery, broth, garlic $0.25 Crusty bread for dipping 6 $9 Total - $1.50 Shredded Chicken Stew My dad found this recipe in a magazine years ago. The name of the magazine is cut off so I don't know where it's from. The original recipe calls for rabbit meat, but we use chicken. So you'll see the recipe constantly referring to rabbit. The recipe makes 6 servings, as written. We recently made this for our whole family while they were in town for Christmas and it made 12 servings by doubling the recipe.

Notes about the recipe:

• I left out the anchovy, bay leaves and thyme. • I use 2 lb of boneless chicken thighs for the regular recipe; when we doubled it for our family I used 4-4.5 lb. • We serve it over rice, instead of pappardelle noodles, although I'm sure that would be good too. • I cook the chicken the same way the recipe says to cook the rabbit. When it's all cooked after the 2 hours, 1 shred all of the chicken, instead of leaving some pieces large.

Ingredients: Directions:

2 lbs boneless chicken thighs 1. Pac the rabbit pieces dry and season with salt and pepper. In a Dutch

1/4 cup olive oil oven over medium-high heat, add the oil and brown the pieces, working in batches if needed to avoid crowding. Transfer to a plate. 1 anchovy (optional)

1 medium onion, diced 2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the anchovy (if you choose) and mash 1 carrot, diced it until it dissolves into the oil. Add the onion, carrots and celery, stirring

1 stalk celery, diced until soft, about 5 minutes. Then add the red-pepper flakes, garlic and

Pinch of red-pepper flakes tomato paste, stirring for another minute. Deglaze the pan with the wine, tum the heat to high and boil to burn off the alcohol, about 4 1 tablespoon minced garlic minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth, bay leaves and thyme. Return the 1 teaspoon tomato paste rabbit pieces to the pot, spacing them evenly so they are partly covered 1 cup dry red wine by the liquid. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer,

1 cup seeded, chopped San Marzano tomatoes covered, until the rabbit is falling off the bone, about 2 hours, Turn the pieces at least once. 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 2 bay leaves

2 sprigs thyme 3. Turn off the heat and discard the thyme and bay leaves. Remove the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces rabbit from the sauce and let cool; then pull the meat from the bones. 12 ounces pappadelle Shred some pieces and leave ochers large. Return the meat to the pan TOTAL COST OF MEAL: Pecorino Romano cheese. for grating. and simmer the sauce until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the butter, $8.50 4.25 lb boneless chicken thighs piece by piece. Season to taste with salt and pepper. $2.50 2 cups red wine

4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pappardelle until al $1.25 Tomato paste+ crushed tomatoes dente. Before draining, save a cup of the pasta water. Toss the pappar- $1 Rice delle with the sauce over low heat, adding pasta water as necessary if $2 2 onions, carrot, celery, broth Photo Credit: Joe Lingeman the sauce is too thick. Divide among pasta bowls and top with the grated made from bouillon cubes cheese. $15.75 Total - $2.65 7 Chicken This is my mom's recipe that she's been making for years. I think it's something she got from someone in her family so there is no one specifically who gets credit for this recipe. It's simple and easy and doesn't require many ingredients.

Ingredients: Directions:

½ cup flour 1. Mix flour & pepper together. Cut chicken into one inch squares and coat

1 tsp pepper in flour mixture: 2. Melt butter in large pan over medium high heat. Once it is melted, add 1.5 lb boneless chicken breast chicken pieces to the pan. Cook one one side until chicken is golden 1 stick butter brown on outside. Then flip each piece over to brown the other side. 2 cups chicken broth (1 use bouillon to make my own broth) 1/3 cup white wine 3. After chicken is browned, add broth. Cook 5 minutes. +/- 1/3 cup lemon juice (depends on how lemony you like it) 4. Add wine & lemon juice and cook another 5-10 minutes.

5. Serve over rice & enjoy.

TOTAL COST OF MEAL: $3 1.5 lb boneless chicken breast $1 Wine, lemon juice, broth $1 Rice $0.75 Stick of butter, flour, pepper $5.75 Total - $1.45 8 Sheet Pan Meatballs with Crispy Turmeric Chickpeas

Total: 60 min | Yield: 4-6 servings

This recipe is from the Smitten Kitchen website, one of my favorite food biogs. We just recently made this for the first time and loved it! This made us 5 'person meals', or 2 nights of dinner for two of us and one extra dinner or lunch. We served everything on one plate: chickpeas, meatballs, some of the sliced lemon onions, Naan bread and the yogurt sauce for dipping. If you like Middle Eastern flavors, you'll love this. The meatballs were so light & fluffy.

Notes about the recipe: • I left out the fennel seed. • I used 20 oz of ground turkey. • I use Trader Joe's frozen naan bread for the pita. It's $2 for 4 pieces. • The meatballs were enough for the 5 person meals. The second night we had it, I made the chickpeas again, so I needed 4 cans of chickpeas and two red onions, total. Ingredients: Directions:

Meatballs 1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine chickpeas, fennel seed,

1 pound (455 grams) ground turkey cumin, 1 teaspoon turmeric and half the red onion slices on a

1/2 cup panko, or another plain, dry breadcrumb rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast for 25 minutes, until 1/4 cup plain yogurt beginning to firm/crisp up. 2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon kosher salt 2. Meanwhile, make meatball mixture. Mix all ingredients in a 1 large egg large bowl with a fork or (my recent discovery) a potato 2 garlic cloves, minced masher to mix. Form into 1.75-inch meatballs; I use a #40

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander cookie scoop, which holds about 12/3 tablespoons.

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 3. Remove sheet pan with chickpeas from the oven (leave oven 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric on) and move the chickpeas to the sides of the chickpeas to 1/ 4 teaspoon cayenne, hot paprika, or red pepper flakes, plus more to taste the outer edges of the baking sheet. Lightly coat center with a thin coat of oil, either brush or spray 't on. just to be safe. Place 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, flat-leaf parsley or mint leaves, or a mix thereof. plus more to garnish baking sheet in oven and bake 10 to 15 minutes. or until meatballs are cooked through. Meanwhile, toss remaining Chickpeas TOTAL COST OF MEAL: onion slices with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and season with 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas. drained and rinsed salt and pepper; set aside. $3.50 Ground turkey 1 tablespoon fennel seed $2.50 4 cans chickpeas

1 teaspoon ground cumin 4. Combine yogurt with remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice and $2.50 2 large red onions

1 teaspoon ground turmeric season with salt and pepper; set aside. $0.75 1 cup plain yogurt $1 2 pieces of naan bread 1 large red onion, thinly sliced, divided $1 Spices, lemon juice, bread crumbs 2 tablespoons olive oil $11.25 Total - $1.87 9 Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Spicy Chicken-Tortilla Chip Casserole

Active: 20 min | Total: 60 min | Yield: 6 servings

This is from Food Network magazine, a few years back but I don't have the exact date. I thought it sounded like it would be just a bunch of chicken and tortilla chips, but it was super flavorful. It reminded me of a white chicken chili served on nachos, but instead it was all baked together. The recipe says it makes 6 servings. That is definitely possible, however, we will feeling a little hungry the night I made it, so it made us 5 servings.

Notes about the recipe: • I followed the recipe exactly as it is written; no adjustments. • You could definitely reduce the cost of this recipe by making your own chicken instead of using the Rotisserie chicken ($5) it calls for. Slow cook a pound of chicken breast ($2) in chicken broth & then shred or dice it up. I was a bit short on time, so I used the Rotisserie chicken and it was delicious but it would be just as delicious if you made your own.

Ingredients: Directions:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish 1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat to 400

1 bunch scallions, chopped degrees F. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the scallions and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 2 cloves garlic, chopped minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, cumin, oregano and cayenne and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour stir until coated. Add the chicken broth and heavy cream and 1 teaspoon ground cumin bring to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano minutes. Stir in the salsa and remove from the heat. Stir in the

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper chicken, white beans and 1 cup cilantro.

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 2. Butter a 3-quart baking dish. Spread one-third of the crushed 1 cup heavy cream tortilla chips in the bottom. Top with half of the chicken 1 1/2 cups salsa verde mixture. Spread another layer of tortilla chips on top and

3 cups cubed rotisserie chicken, skin removed sprinkle with half of the cheese. Top with the remaining chicken mixture, tortilla chips and cheese. Cover with foil and 1 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until lightly browned and TOTAL COST OF MEAL: 1 cup fresh cilantro, plus more for topping bubbling, about 10 minutes. Top with more cilantro. $5 3 cups rotisserie chicken 1 8-ounce bag tortilla chips, coarsely crushed (about 4 cups) $1.50 Heavy cream 2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces) $1 Tortilla chips $2 Salsa verde $0.60 Beans $1 Cilantro $1.50 Cheese $0.75 Scallions $0.65 Garlic, flour, spices, chicken broth 10 $14 Total - $2.33 Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma

Total: 45 min | Yield: 4 servings

This is from the New York Times website in March 2015. This is probably our family's favorite recipe and our go-to meal to cook when people come over. The recipe says it makes 4-6 servings. I make 1.5 times the original recipe and then it easily makes 6-8 servings. I calculated the cost using 7 servings.

Notes about the recipe: • I use bottled lemon juice instead of squeezing two , about½ cup. I don't roast onions with the chicken. Instead we thinly slice red onion and put it on top of the pita. • I also don't cook the chicken for additional time in a large pan after it is roasted (as it says in step 3). I just slice it thin when it comes out of the oven and serve like that. We put it on a piece of naan bread w/ homemade tzatziki sauce, chopped tomatoes, red onion, lettuce and a drizzle of hot sauce.

Ingredients: Directions:

2 lemons, juiced 1. Prepare a marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice,

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric,

6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced cinnamon and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and 1 teaspoon kosher salt store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin 2. When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees. Use the 2 teaspoons paprika remaining tablespoon of olive oil to grease a rimmed sheet ½ teaspoon turmeric pan. Add the quartered onion to the chicken and marinade,

A pinch ground cinnamon and toss once to combine. Remove the chicken and onion

Red pepper flakes, to taste from the marinade, and place on the pan, spreading everything evenly across it. 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 large red onion, peeled and quartered 3. Put the chicken in the oven and roast until it is browned, crisp 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley at the edges and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Homemade tzatziki sauce: Remove from the oven, allow to rest 2 minutes, then slice into 2 cupes plain greek yogurt bits. (To make the chicken even more crisp, set a large pan over TOTAL COST OF MEAL: high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then the 2 cloves garlic, minced $6 3 lb boneless chicken thighs sliced chicken, and sauté until everything curls tight in the 1 cucumber, seeded & diced $3.50 7 pieces naan bread heat.) Scatter the parsley over the top and serve with 2 TBS olive oil $2 Greek yogurt tomatoes, cucumbers, pita, white sauce, hot sauce, olives, $2 Cucumber, tomato, red onion 1 TBS red wine vinegar fried eggplant, feta, rice — really anything you desire. $1.50 Oil, spices, lemon juice, etc Salt, to taste $15 Total - $2.14 per person 11 Chimichurri Beef And Rice

Active Time: 10 min | Total: 30 min | Yield: 4 servings

This recipe is from the food blog, www.cookingclassy.com. I didn't make any adjustments; just followed the recipe exactly as it is. We liked this recipe because the flavors were quite different than most of my regular rotation recipes. Usually, I leave out parsley when it's in a recipe but in this recipe if it's just for garnish; however, the parsley and cilantro are a big part of the flavor in this recipe since that's mostly what chimichurri is made from. Also, I always make my own broth from bouillon cubes. The recipe says it makes 4 servings. I would say it makes 2 adult and 2 child servings or 3 adult servings.

Ingredients: Directions:

1 Tbsp olive oil 1. Heat a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add

1 cup chopped red or yellow onion onion and saute 2 minutes.

1 lb lean ground beef (85 - 90%) 2 Crumble in beef and add bell pepper. Cook and let brown, 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (1 medium) tossing and breaking up occasionally, until cooked through, Salt and freshly ground black pepper about 7 - 9 minutes, while adding in garlic during the last 2

1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic (4 cloves) minutes.

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 3. Drain excess fat if needed. Stir in chicken broth, paprika, 1/2 tsp paprika oregano, cumin and red pepper flakes and bring mixture to a 1/2 tsp oregano simmer. 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 4. Mix in rice, bring to a boil and let boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover skillet and let rest 8 minutes. 1 1/2 cups uncooked instant white rice

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro 5. Toss in parsley, cilantro and lime. Serve with lime wedges for 1 Tbsp lime juice, plus wedges for serving spritzing.

TOTAL COST OF MEAL: $2.50 l lb ground beef $1.50 Red pepper = $1 $1.25 Onion, garlic, broth, spices, lime juice $1.50 Instant rice $1.25 Cilantro & parsley 12 $7.50 Total - $2.50 per person Elbow Macaroni With Crispy Breadcrumbs And Broccoli

Active Time: 10 min | Total: 25 min | Yield: 4 servings

This recipe is from the Nov. 2014 issue of Food Network Magazine. We absolutely loved this! The breadcrumbs are just delicious with the pasta & broccoli. I would say this serves 2 adults & 2 kids, when using as a main dish.

Notes about the recipe: • I made the recipe exactly as is, except that I left out the parsley and I made my own broth, as always. • I used high quality parmesan cheese, not the unrefrigerated canister from the pasta aisle.

Ingredients: Directions:

Kosher salt 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the breadcrumbs and toast, stirring constantly, until they are crisp 1/ 2cup panko breadcrumbs and golden, 4 to 5 minutes, taking care not to let them burn. Finely grated zest of 1 lemon Scrape into a small bowl and toss with the lemon zest and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley parsley and then season with salt.

3 cups elbow macaroni (about 12 ounces) 2. 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets (about 4 cups) Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until al dente while you make the sauce. 1 clove garlic, finely chopped Wipe out the skillet used to toast the breadcrumbs and return 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes it to medium-high heat. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons olive 1 cup chicken stock oil and, when the oil is hot, add the broccoli and toss to coat.

1 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano Saute until it turns bright green, 2 to 3 minutes, then add the garlic and pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute, then pour in the stock. Simmer until the broccoli is tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

3. When the pasta is done, scoop it out of the water with a spider or a small strainer and add directly to the sauce, reserving the TOTAL COST OF MEAL: pasta water. Simmer the pasta with the sauce just to blend the $1.50 1 head broccoli flavors, 1 to 2 more minutes, then drizzle with a tablespoon or $0.75 12 oz macaroni so of olive oil and toss again. $2.50 1 cup parmesan $0.75 1 lemon 4. If the sauce seems dry, add up to 1/2 cup pasta water. Off the $0.50 Garlic, broth, breadcrumbs heat, stir in the cheese. Serve in warmed bowls and sprinkle $6.00 Total: - $1.50 per person with the breadcrumb mixture. 13 Rigatoni With Red Pepper, Almonds, And Bread Crumbs

Active Time: 7 min | Total: 15 min | Yield: 4 servings

I found this recipe on Food Network's website, www.foodnetwork.com in July 2009. We used to make this ALL the time. Now that I'm thinking about how delicious it is, I don't know why I haven't made it in a while! I'll have to add it to the list to make soon. I made the recipe as is. I got the slivered almonds from the baking aisle of the grocery store. Just make sure to toast them. I usually put them on a small cookie sheet and bake about 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees. As soon as you can smell the almonds, they are probably done toasting. Also, I used the roasted red peppers from the jar; I did not roast my own. The recipe says it makes 4-6 servings. I would say it made us 4 nice large adult servings, if using as a main dish. I have also made some sort of meat with this and then used this as a side dish and in that case you would have 6-8 side dish servings.

Ingredients: Directions:

1 pound rigatoni pasta 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add

3 cups purchased garlic-flavored croutons, (about 5 ounces) the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large 1/4 cup slivered almonds (about 1 ounce), toasted bowl. 1 cup julienned roasted red bell peppers

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 Place the croutons and the almonds in a food processor. Pulse until it becomes the texture of bread crumbs. Add the crouton and almond mixture to the hot pasta. Add the peppers and the olive oil. Toss to combine and serve.

TOTAL COST OF MEAL: $1.00 1 lb rigatoni pasta $1.25 1 cup roasted red bell peppers $1.25 Croutons $1.00 Almonds $4.50 Total - $1.13 per person 14 Pork And Peanut Dragon Noodles

Active Time: 10 min | Total: 25 min | Yield: 2 servings

This recipe is from the food blog, www.budgetbytes.com. I didn't make any adjustments the first time I made this; however, it was VERY spicy, so the second time I made it, I used slightly less than half the amount of the chili garlic sauce. We really like spicy food but with the full¼ cup of chili garlic sauce, it was way too spicy for us. We absolutely love this recipe! I love Asian food but always have trouble finding recipes to make at home that taste authentic and this is one that I have made a few times because it's so simple, requires very few ingredients and is delicious! The recipe says it makes 3 servings. I would say it made us 2 nice large adult servings. The second time I made it I doubled it, so there were 4 servings and that was easy to do.

Ingredients: Directions:

Dragon Sauce 1. Combine the chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a

1/4 cup chili garlic sauce bowl.

1/4 cup soy sauce 2. Add the ground pork to a skillet and cook over medium heat 1/4 cup brown sugar until it is fully browned*. Once browned, add the prepared Pork and Noodles dragon sauce and chopped peanuts. Allow the pork and

1/2 lb. ground pork peanuts to simmer in the sauce for another 5 minutes, or until

6 oz. ramen noodles the sauce has reduced by half.

3 green onions, sliced 3. While the pork is browning, begin boiling water for your 1/4 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped noodles. Once boiling, add your noodles and cook according to the package directions. Drain the noodles in a colander.

4. Once the sauce has reduced and the noodles have drained, add the noodles to the skillet and toss until everything is combined and coated in sauce. Top with sliced green onions and serve! TOTAL COST OF MEAL: $2.00 1/2 lb ground pork $0.50 6 oz Ramen noodles (used the individual 3 oz packages and just didn't use the flavor packet) $0.75 Scallions (green onions) $1.25 Soy sauce, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce, peanuts $4.00 Total - $2.25 per person 15 Pesto Pasta With Chicken

Active Time: 15 min | Total: 25 min | Yield: 4 servings

This pesto recipe is pretty standard; it was passed down to me from a friend's mother years ago and we love it. This meal is incredibly easy, especially if you use rotisserie chicken! Serve it with salad on the side and you've got an easy, delicious dinner without much effort.

Notes about this recipe: • Pesto sauce also freezes well, so if you have a lot of basil to use up, make some extra pesto sauce and throw it in the freezer for another time!

Ingredients: Directions:

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (or from a rotisserie chicken) 1. Mix everything besides chicken & pasta in food processor to

3 cups fresh basil (about 30-40 leaves) make your pesto sauce. Set aside.

2/3 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese 2. Cook pasta as directed. When finished cooking, reserve 1 cup 12 oz bowtie pasta pasta water. Drain pasta, return to pot, stir in chicken and 1/2 cup walnuts about 1 cup pesto sauce (not an exact amount – see how much

1/2 cup olive oil you think you need). Add in some pasta water to loosen a little.

2 cloves cloves Add more pesto sauce or pasta water as needed after mixing for a minute. Serve and enjoy! 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

TOTAL COST OF MEAL: $3.00 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken $0.75 12 oz pasta $2.00 Basil $2.50 Parmesan cheese, walnuts, garlic 16 $8.25 Total - $2.06 1/2 lb ground pork 6 oz Ramen noodles (used the individual 3 oz packages and just didn't use the flavor packet) Scallions (green onions) Soy sauce, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce, peanuts Total - $2.25 per person

Foil Packet Chicken & Rainbow Veggies

Active Time: 20 min | Total: 60 min | Yield: 4 servings

I think I originally found this recipe in Foot Network magazine, but have slightly adapted it over the years. It calls for a ‘rainbow' of veggies, which included red pepper, carrots, yellow pepper, broccoli and red onion. We have since changed it to be just our family's favorite veggies, so we usually do a mix cauliflower, red onion and broccoli.

Ingredients: Directions:

1 pounds chicken breast- sliced thin and pounded 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1 red pepper – cut into 1 inch pieces 2. Lay out veggies on baking sheet. Sprinkle liberally with salt 1 yellow pepper – cut into 1 inch pieces and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat. Roast in 1 cup baby carrots oven for 40 minutes. 1/2 cauliflower – cut into medium size florets

1 large red onion – cut into 1 inch pieces 3. Sprinkle both sides of each piece of chicken with salt, pepper and paprika. Get 4 pieces of foil about 12 inches x 12 inches. Lay ¼ of the chicken (a piece or two, depending on how small you cut the chicken) in the center of the foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Fold up foil packet so that it is loose on top. Repeat for all of the chicken so that you have it in 4 foil packets. Put the foil packets on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes (put in when veggies are halfway through their 40 minutes).

4. Serve one foil packet of chicken to each person (be sure to include some of the juice from the foil packet) and plenty of veggies for everyone!

TOTAL COST OF MEAL: $3.00 1 and 1/2 lb. chicken $2.00 1 red and 1 yellow pepper= $2 $2.50 1 head broccoli, 1 cup baby carrots, 1 red onion = $2.50 $0.50 Oil, spices, aluminum foil = $0.50 $8.00 Total - $2.00 per person 17 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken 12 oz pasta Basil Parmesan cheese, walnuts, garlic Total - $2.06

White Chicken Chili

Active Time: 20 min | Total: 55 min | Yield: 6 servings

I've made a couple different white chicken chili recipes and this one from Food Network's “Down Home with the Neelys” is definitely my favorite. It was incredibly easy since it uses rotisserie chicken and I loved the consistency of the chili with half of the beans being mashed up instead of left whole. You could also make your own shredded chicken, which might save you a little bit of money. Note: I used bottled lime juice, instead of buying 2 limes. This easily made us 6 servings, I think possibly a little more but we'll calculate it at 6 servings.

Ingredients: Directions:

2 (14.5-ounce) cans white beans 1. Drain and rinse the canned white beans. In a medium bowl,

1 tablespoon canola oil mash half of the beans with a potato masher until chunky. Reserve the beans until needed. 1 medium jalapeno pepper, minced

2 medium poblano peppers, chopped 2. Add the canola oil to a large Dutch oven and heat it over 1 large onion, chopped medium-high heat. Add the peppers, onions, and garlic and

4 cloves garlic cloves, minced saute until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Season the

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper vegetables with salt, and pepper, to taste. Add the cumin, coriander, and chili powder and continue to saute for 1 more 1 tablespoon ground cumin minute to toast the spices. Stir in the chicken stock, and lime 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander juice and bring to a simmer. Add the beans and continue to 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder simmer for 20 more minutes.

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 3. After 20 minutes of simmering, taste for seasoning, and adjust 2 limes, juiced, plus lime wedges, for serving if necessary. Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken and cilantro 1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat shredded and simmer until heated through, about 5 more minutes. Serve 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves the chili in individual bowls topped with a dollop of sour Sour cream, for topping cream, crushed tortilla chips, and lime wedges.

TOTAL COST OF MEAL: $5.00 Rotisserie chicken $1.25 2 cans beans $1.50 Peppers, onion, garlic Cilantro, sour cream, crushed tortilla $1.50 chips 18 $0.75 Other: lime juice, spices, broth $10 Total - $1.67 per person 1 and 1/2 lb. chicken 1 red and 1 yellow pepper= $2 1 head broccoli, 1 cup baby carrots, 1 red onion = $2.50 Oil, spices, aluminum foil = $0.50 Total - $2.00 per person

Steak & Tomato Fried Rice

Active Time: 25 min | Total: 25 min | Yield: 4 servings

This recipe is from the Sept 2019 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. I adapted it to add about½ lb leftover London Broil steak to it. We absolutely loved this!

Notes about this recipe: • I made the recipe exactly as is, except that I Scrambled the eggs and cooked them before adding them to the pan. When I have cooked them in the pan in the past, I found that instead of having pieces of egg in the rice like in a restaurant, the egg just mixed in with the rice ancj gave it an overall creamy texture. I added the eggs & leftover steak at the very end so they were just mixed and heated through. • I think I added a little extra soy sauce and topped it with some thinly sliced jalapenos before serving.

Ingredients: Directions:

4 scallions 1. Trim dark green tops from scallions and thinly slice; set aside.

1 lb. cherry and/or grape tomatoes of any and all colors Thinly slice white and pale green parts; set aside separately. Quarter any larger tomatoes and halve any small ones. Place Kosher salt about one-quarter of tomatoes in a small bowl; season 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil, divided generously with salt and toss to combine. Set aside. 3 garlic cloves, finely grated

1.5 teaspoon finely grated peeled ginger 2. Heat 1 Tbsp. sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add

2 cups chilled cooked long-grain white or brown rice reserved white and pale green parts of scallions and remaining three-quarters of tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 large eggs, beaten to blend until softened and any liquid from tomatoes has evaporated, 1 teaspoon soy sauce about 4 minutes. Mix in garlic and ginger; cook, stirring Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling) constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and stir

Crushed red pepper flakes (for serving; optional) to separate grains. Cook just to heat rice through, about 3 minutes. 1/2 lemon

3. Scoot vegetables and rice to 1 side of skillet, then pour half of remaining sesame oil into pan. Add eggs and cook, stirring often, until just set, about 1 minute. Mix into vegetables and rice, then drizzle in soy sauce and cook, stirring, just until well TOTAL COST OF MEAL: combined. $1.50 Leftover steak $3.00 Tomatoes 4. Transfer fried rice to a large bowl or platter. Drain salted $1.00 Rice tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and spoon over rice. Sprinkle $0.50 Lemon with reserved scallion tops and red pepper flakes (if using) and $1.25 Scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, drizzle with remaining sesame oil. Finely grate zest from lemon jalapeno over. 19 $7.25 Total - $1.81 per person Rotisserie chicken 2 cans beans Peppers, onion, garlic Cilantro, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips Other: lime juice, spices, broth Total - $1.67 per person

Tofu & Summer Vegetable Curry

Active Time: 35 min | Total: 35 min | Yield: 4 servings

I found this recipe in the September 2019 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. Since we have recently discovered how much we love tofu, I tried this. It was fantastic!! I've made it twice in the past month.

Notes about this recipe: • Instead of eggplant, I added extra zucchini. • The curry paste I had was pretty spicy (made in Thailand), so I would cut back to¼ cup next time. • We served this over rice. • I didn't make a side vegetable or anything with this since it is loaded with vegetables already.

Ingredients: Directions:

4 teaspoons virgin coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over

1 package package firm or extra-firm tofu, patted dry, cut into ½” medium-high. Add tofu in a single layer and cook, turning over cubes once, until cooked sides are golden brown, about 4 minutes.

Kosher salt Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season with kosher salt.

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped 2. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a large pot or high-sided skillet 1/3 cup red curry paste over medium-high. Add onions and a generous pinch of salt 2 large zucchini, cut into ½” pieces and stir to coat. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 1 large or 2 small Japanese eggplant, cut into ½” pieces minutes. Stir in curry paste and cook, stirring often, until

8 oz. green beans, trimmed, cut into 1 pieces darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Add zucchini, eggplant, and green beans and cook, tossing to coat, until vegetables 1 oz can unsweetened coconut milk are softened and starting to brown in spots, 5–7 minutes. Pour Lime wedges, cilantro leaves with tender stems, and coarsely in coconut milk and ½ cup water and bring to a simmer. chopped salted, roasted peanuts (for serving)

3. Add tofu to pot and stir gently to combine. Cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Season with more salt if needed. TOTAL COST OF MEAL: 4. Divide curry among bowls and add a generous squeeze of lime $1.80 Tofu juice to each. Top with cilantro and peanuts. $3.00 Coconut milk & curry paste $4.00 Onions, 3 large zucchini, green beans $1.20 Cilantro, peanuts, rice= $1.20 $10 Total - $2.50 20