Spaghetti w/ Bacon Meatballs

Spaghetti w/ Bacon Meatballs via Real Simple

My daughter went through a meatball obsession when she was 2 years old.  She requested them all the time, including for her birthday dinner when she turned 3.  We eat less meat in general now, but when we do, there's a good chance meatballs are on the menu.

We liked these--the bacon mixture in the food processor smells divine.  (I used dried parsley instead of fresh.)  This recipe required too many steps to make it into my favorite list, but I'm glad I gave them a try.  (My own take on this recipe from Dinner: A Love Story will remain my meatball go-to for now.)

Asparagus Carbonara

This Rachael Ray recipe for Asparagus Carbonara has earned a permanent spot in my recipe repertoire for the following reasons:

1. Bacon.
2. This is a good asparagus recipe for people who don't like asparagus.
3. It elicited a round of praise from friends when it made an appearance in my spring meal prep last year.
4. The eggs make it so yummycreamy while the bacon/white wine addition add a salty/tangy element.
5. Bacon.

INGREDIENTS:
2 large eggs
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 lb spaghetti
1 bunch asparagus, halved lengthwise, & cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces*
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
5 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
salt & pepper

* You do not HAVE to cut the asparagus lengthwise, if you want to save some time.  But if you're serving this dish to someone who is skeptical of the whole asparagus business, I recommend halving them--the thin strips will be a better introduction to their deliciousness.

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, beat together eggs & cheese. Set aside.

2. Boil water, add salt, & cook spaghetti according to package directions (ab 9 mins); add the asparagus during the last minute of cooking. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.

3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon & cook until crisp; stir in the garlic. Add the wine, & cook until slightly reduced, about 1 min.

4. After draining, add the hot pasta to the egg mixture; toss to coat. Then, stir the bacon mixture into the pasta, adding pasta water to moisten if necessary. Season with salt & pepper.

Dinner on a Budget: 7 Meals, 14 Dinners

I've been working on making good food with good ingredients on a strict budget.  It's tough.

The above trifecta seems impossible without a fourth element: good planning.  Luckily, I've been putting that into play at my house, and I hope you can reap the benefits!

Food is such a personal thing...it seems like everyone has a very private & personal preference when it comes to their tastes (likes/dislikes) & budget.  I'm putting myself out there on this one--you/your family may not like what I choose to make, or you may think it is much too cheap/expensive...but in case it's right down your ally, keep on reading...

I recently set a food budget for $100 for one pay period (2 weeks) for our family of 3 (which usually yields 4 servings).  This included breakfasts, lunches, dinners, & snacks.  Our eating out budget was only $20, so I didn't have a back-up plan.  Depending on what you have on hand in your fridge/freezer/pantry and where you shop for groceries, you may come in a little under/over my totals, but I met the budget and we've enjoyed the meals!  The best part: they are heavy on the veggies--only one recipe includes meat!

The key to making this work (for efficiency, finances, AND sanity) was to plan 7 meals that would make 14 dinners--I planned to make and/or serve each meal twice in two weeks.  For a few of the meals, I made a big batch and froze what I planned to heat up & serve again, and a few of the meals I just made sure I had enough ingredients on hand to make it again the next week.  This is NOT usually my jam--I don't really care for leftovers and I don't have a "regular rotation" of meals.  BUT, this was the cheapest & most efficient way.  If you plan to make the meals twice, I'll add notes at the bottom of each recipe to let you know what I chose to do for the next week.

My sources for this week's recipes were:

Jenny Rosenstrach's "Dinner: A Love Story"

Ree Drummond's "The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier"

Deb Perelman's "The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook"

If you want to benefit from every ounce of my planning, click on the link below to preview and/or purchase this week's Menu Planner:

CLICK ON THE ARROW TO PREVIEW AND/OR PURCHASE

If you'd rather pick and choose your recipes or just read along, check back on the blog for each daily recipe!  And without further ado, Happy Monday!

This is a great meal to make quickly & cheaply, so of course it was a go-to for my first chosen meal.  Jenny Rosenstrach's original recipe can be found her thoroughly entertaining blog over here.  (If you have picky eaters, kiddos or grown-ups, her blog post is for you!)

If you don't like onions, DON'T just write this recipe off.  Caramelized onions are soft, sweet, and there's just a touch of tangy balsamic vinegar added to make them perfect.

INGREDIENTS:
Enough whole wheat spaghetti to feed your family*
2-3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 onions, halved & then thinly sliced
A handful (or two) of spinach
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Parmesan cheese for grating over the top

*Real Simple magazine taught me sometime, somewhere (if I had a nickel for every time I said that, right?) that a serving size of spaghetti for one person is about the diameter of, well, speaking of, a nickel.  When I am throwing in spaghetti for 3 or 4, I pull out 3 or 4 "nickel's worth."

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Cook your pasta.  (I highly recommend adding salt to your boiling water before adding the pasta.)  In the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time, add a handful or two of spinach.  Drain together.

2. Meanwhile, add 2-3 swirls of olive oil around a large frying pan set on med-high heat.  Add your onions and cook them for at least 15 minutes--longer if you want.  They are going to go through stages.  First, they're going to turn translucent.  Then, you're going to worry about them.  Finally, they'll start caramelizing.  When they're nice and golden brown, turn off the heat and add just a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar.

Juuust starting to brown

Finally caramelizing

3. Serve the caramelized onions over the spaghetti & spinach.  For deliciousness & wow factor, grate some fresh parmesan cheese over the top and tell your family members to say "when."  (This is my daughter's favorite part.  Oh, who am I kidding...this is MY favorite part.)

MAKE IT AGAIN: I kept the ingredients on hand and made this again from scratch.  It is super easy to make, especially once you already know how to make it!