Easy and Cheap Week Night Dinner

Polenta cakes. I am sure I could have made actual cakes that were fancy and formed. Whatever. Mush up log polenta with a fork and mash in butter and shredded asiago cheese. Add a lot of salt. Polenta erases salt, so if you want kick, 1/2 t. of seasoned salt EACH. 350 in the oven for 20 minutes. Take out and let cool slightly.

 

 Start with a log of frozen pork sausage. Why frozen? I never think of this in time to thaw it. I have mastered the art of quick thaw while cooking it up. I use butter and cover the skillet with the lid, open it up and push off the cooked meat from the frozen stir it up and repeat until all thawed and all is cooking.

 Then I add bell pepper and onions. This part is totally optional and where you can play with seasonal vegetables. Add celery, carrots, even mushrooms. I like peppers and onions.

In season you may have your own canned up crushed tomatoes. I'm out. I've been out for 2 years. Last summer I didn't can anything at all. Not one single jar of anything. Anyway, I order organic online because it is delivered to my farmhouse door and I don't have to give the local grocer the stink eye when I am faced with no options and overpriced organic stuff shoved in a corner of the newly remodeled store. Grrr. I like Muir Glen. The flavour is bright and sassy. I like sassy. Add the can (the big can) to the browned sausage and veggies. Since there is more meat than tomato we call this ragu.

 

At this point I was looking at my little polenta cakes and small pan of sauce. 5 hungry people? I need something else too. I found a bunch of asperagus in the fridge. Lemon, salt, and olive oil. 10 minutes to table? Stick it in the broiler.  While I set the table and wrangled small children into washing their hands before helping me bring forks out to the plate, it was sizzling away.

And ta da! Fancy dining servings on tea saucers! Ha! 

 

Just kidding. Check this out. Fancy schmancy healthy dinner on the table in 30 minutes from frozen. I rock. Kid approved. Really really good. All three food catagories met (meat, green veg, starch) plus some extra. Gluten free (for fun, not because of diet).

 

Ingredients for 5 BIG servings:
Log polenta 4$
1 lb Italian sausage (pastured pork is good) $5 retail but $3.50 if you bought bulk from our farm
1 bell pepper $0.50
1 onion $0.50
1 can of organic crushed tomato $2.75
1 bundle of asperagus $3
6 T Irish butter $1

$16.75 for the meal for 5 people, 30 minutes
Way cheaper than eating out.