This small batch chili with a simple salad and dessert will feed two for under $15 – Twin Cities

Autumn is a time when many of us start to slow down while also craving foods that will warm us up on a crisp, cool day and fill the kitchen with wonderful, comforting aromas.

If it’s easy to make, even better. And when is this food not worth the proverbial money? That’s a definite win in these economic times, when bargain hunting at the local grocery store or farmers market has become both a sport and a necessary evil.

For this week’s budget dinner, the goal is again to make a filling three-course meal for two—hopefully with some tasty leftovers for lunch the next day—for about $15, or what I paid for a glass of wine at a restaurant. airport while waiting for a flight recently.

In preparation for the season, we decided to base the meal around a classic fall dish: a small casserole of beef and bean chili.

Ground beef, like everything else, has become more expensive over the past few years, but it is still one of the most affordable proteins. You can usually find it for around $5.99 per pound, which isn’t too bad considering the 16-ounce package can easily be stretched into four servings with the equally cost-effective addition of canned tomatoes and beans.

Chili is the perfect dish for budget-conscious cooks because it’s so easy to use (seriously, it’s hard to make a bad pot of chili) and versatile, allowing you to add a variety of different types of vegetables and proteins.

While ours consists of a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, chopped green peppers and red beans, and the requisite garlic and onions, you can add whatever you might find sitting on a pantry shelf or stashed in the fridge’s vegetable drawer. — think lentils, canned corn, pumpkin, celery and even sweet potatoes.

It tastes even better the next day when the flavors really meld, and the leftovers can be used as a topping not only for hot dogs or fries, but also for enchiladas, tacos, and baked potatoes. You can also fill your bowl of mac and cheese with a few generous spoonfuls.

I tend to have a heavy hand with chili powder and cumin, which add a nutty, smoky flavor, but that’s the beauty of chili. You can tame it by reducing the spices, or kick it up to five-alarm level by adding a couple drops of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and/or chipotle in adobo sauce.

The accompanying baked goods—individual chocolate brownies made in 5-ounce ramekins and topped with a sweet coffee frosting—were almost ridiculously cheap and easy to throw together. One of the main ingredients, cocoa powder, costs only about 8 cents per tablespoon. And since the recipe only makes two servings, you won’t need much sugar, flour, or powdered sugar (all pantry staples).

In fact, the most expensive ingredient is a single egg yolk, which costs 29 cents. Plus, chocolate cake is delicious, especially if you eat it warm and use coffee for the frosting.

What was most surprising and yet challenging when pricing this week’s recipes was the inclusion of fresh fruits and vegetables on the menu. These days, a single baseball-sized apple will still set you back at least $1 at most grocery stores, and onions—a kitchen staple for many home cooks—are almost as expensive, especially if the recipe calls for more tender red onions. .

Small packages of salad greens also tend to be expensive since you don’t get the same economies of scale as you would if you bought a container for the whole family. The 5 ounce bag of spinach I used with the green apple and red onion I already had in the fridge was $2.99 ​​on sale, almost double the cost of the 16 ounce container at $5.99 (37 cents per ounce). ).

Bottom line: If you have fridge space and like to plan meals a couple days in advance, it’s probably always better to spend a little more on a box or larger package to save some money in the long run.

Total for a chili dinner, using some ingredients I already had on hand, half a can of store brand beans and tomatoes instead of the fancy organic brand I really wanted: $15.05, or a little over five cents.

Insist on supplementing your meals with carbohydrates? If you add a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix to your shopping list, you’ll add another dollar to the cost of dinner, which you can offset by using a little less ground beef or skipping the beans.

Spinach and apple salad

This simple salad suits every taste. I added green apple slices as well as some raisins that I always have in my fridge, but you could also add chopped pear or add some sweeter dried cranberries. Or top your salad with toasted nuts or homemade crusty bread croutons and Italian seasonings—whatever you have in your pantry.

INGREDIENTS

For dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

5 ounces fresh spinach

1 apple, such as Honeycrisp, thinly sliced

1/4 red or sweet onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup raisins or craisin

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic and Dijon mustard until completely dissolved. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing, stir and serve immediately.

Serves 2.

– Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Small Batch Chili

Chili can range from mild to very hot, so add chili powder to suit your taste. Sometimes I also add a couple of chipotle peppers to the adobo sauce for extra heat.

If you have shredded cheddar in the fridge, add it on top with chopped onion for a cheesy twist. Grated Parmesan also improves the flavor. Leftovers can be served for lunch the next day or used to top hot dogs, topped with rice in halved bell peppers, or added to mac and cheese to make chili mac.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons neutral oil

1/2 yellow onion, diced (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 green pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)

1 pound ground beef

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1/2 15 1/2 ounces canned pinto or red beans, drained and rinsed

1 15 oz can diced roasted tomatoes

2 tablespoons chili powder or more to taste

1 tablespoon ground cumin or to taste

Apple cider vinegar, optional

DIRECTIONS

Add the oil to a large sauce pan set over medium heat. When it sizzles, add the chopped onion, garlic and green pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes.

Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned.

Add beans and roasted tomatoes; if you prefer a thinner consistency, you can add 1/2 can of water. Season to taste with chili powder, cumin, salt and black pepper. I always like to add a little apple cider vinegar for an added kick, but it’s optional.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for at least 30 minutes. When ready to serve, divide among warmed plates and top with diced onion.

Makes 4 servings.

– Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Chocolate cake for two

Dessert for two is easy to prepare if you bake it in a mold. This gooey chocolate cake with a hint of coffee is a perfect example. It mixes in seconds and only takes about 20 minutes to bake.

Add less coffee to the powdered sugar for a thicker frosting, and more for a thinner frosting.

INGREDIENTS

For the cake:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 heaped tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons neutral oil

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon warm coffee

For the glaze:

1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 (heaped) tablespoon cocoa powder

Milk (or leftover coffee) as needed for glaze.

DIRECTIONS

Spray 2 4-inch (6-ounce) ramekins well with cooking spray and place on a small baking sheet. (I used butter to grease the pans.)

Preheat oven to 350.

In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk, milk, oil, vanilla and coffee (or water).

Add the dry ingredients in two portions to the wet ingredients and mix gently.

Divide the mixture between two ramekins.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool.

While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting: mix all ingredients, adding more coffee or milk to thin it to a pourable consistency. Drizzle or arrange on top of cakes and serve.

– DesertForTwo.com