(Baked Eggplant Parmesan with Pasta & Panzanella Salad)
Pasta Night is
our theme
for Monday. I put it at the beginning of the week since it's easy to
throw together...generally. Some days I may take a little more time in
planning and preparing the meal, but if things are crazy as we start
into another school/work week I can just make spaghetti. That means I can make dinner for as cheap as
$2.00! Some of our
favorites are the Baked Eggplant Parmesan & Panzanella Salad
(pictured above), Homemade Mac & Cheese, Lasagna,
Chicken Spinach Fettucini, Crock Pot Lasagna and
Spaghetti Bake.
Even though we call it Pasta night, anything Italian works. The kids
requested Lasagna and Zuppa Toscana Soup for our Back to School dinner. If I choose to bulk up our dinner, there's a better chance of
leftovers. That helps keep my budget in check!
A fresh green salad compliments any pasta dish!
I'm
lucky to have a photo of this baked zucchini at all, the kids ate it so
fast!!! I just dipped the zucchini in a beaten egg and then in a
mixture of panko and Italian seasoning. I placed them on a cookie sheet
and baked in a 425 degree oven for about 5 minutes on both sides.
Adjust time to crisp up and brown the coating.
WHAT TO HAVE ON HAND:
PASTA
- look for sales on pasta and stock up when they are really low. The
last time I stocked up on dried pasta it was $0.50/lb!!! Even at $1/lb.
it's still a great deal for dinner. I have made my own pasta
once....and stocked up on durham wheat to make my own semolina flour and
try my hand at pasta making again. I'll post recipes when I do.
SAUCE
- I shop strictly for my budget with this one. The least expensive is
generally Hunt's canned pasta sauce at Walmart. Buy what makes you happy
and works in your budget! I've also made this
Guiltless Alfredo Sauce from
Our Best Bites. Delicious on pasta, pizza or dipping bread in!
VEGGIES - I think the key to any dish on Monday night is the veggies. In a pinch,
I can make some pasta with sauce and call it a night. If I add roasted veggies to our
pasta, it becomes a feast! I love shopping at
Superstition Ranch Market
(check out what local farmer's markets you may have in your area) for fresh veggies at a great price. You can also use your veggies as
an appetizer (baked zucchini) or a green salad. Top your salad with an
Italian dressing or balsamic vinaigrette. To roast the veggies: Just
cut/prepare, then toss in a bowl and mix with a little olive oil. Place
them on a cookie sheet and season with kosher salt & fresh ground
pepper and Italian seasoning and bake at 425-450 degrees for 30-45
minutes. They can be a side dish or placed right on top of your pasta.
YUM!!!
BREAD - A 99
cent loaf of french bread from the grocery store is a quick and easy
solution. I slice the loaf and either make garlic bread or a cheesy
bread. Another easy option is visiting
Alpine Valley Bread Outlet
and picking up an herb round loaf. I slice it thin, spray both sides
with olive oil and put it under the broiler to toast each side. Watch
it, it browns quick! So delicious.
RECIPES:
Baked Eggplant Parmesan
(No set recipe for this, I adjust it to how much eggplant I have.)
one bowl of egg wash (1-2 eggs beaten with a little water or milk)
one
plate of bread crumbs mixed with grated parmesan cheese (I currently
have a mixture of Panko [Japenese break crumbs] and seasoned bread
crumbs)
I peel and slice
the eggplant into1/2 - 3/4 inch slices. Then dip in the egg mixture,
then the bread crumbs/paremsan mixture. Place on a cookie sheet and
bake at 425 degrees for 7-10 minutes on each side. We place the slices
on top of the pasta and cover in sauce.
Panzanella Salad
(Again, not a set recipe. I searched online and for ideas and put it together. It may not be authentic, but it was delicious)
4-6 cups of 1 inch cubed bread
Tomatoes - Red Onion - Red Bell Peppers (you can use any veggies you want)
Drizzle
olive oil on the cubed bread and toast in a large skillet. When
toasted I place in the bowl or platter I'll use at the table. Then I
place a little more olive oil in the skillet and put my sliced onions
in. I saute until softened and then add the tomatoes and bell peppers
and toss with a little balsamic vinegar, some capers and a little
Italian seasoning. Then pour the veggies over toasted bread, salt and
pepper and toss.....so yummy!
Zuppa Toscana Soup - recipe from twopeasandtheirpod.com
(I LOVE SOUP!!! Bonus that a big pot fills us up for dinner and a lunch or two - budget friendly!)
1 lb. Italian Sausage
1 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (I used 1 tsp)
1 large white onion, diced
4 slices of bacon, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
8 c. chicken broth
2 c. water
1 c. heavy cream (I just used the 1% milk from the fridge - it was great!)
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped (if your potatoes are smaller, just use more)
3 c. kale, washed & roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
In
a medium skillet, saute the Italian sausage with the red pepper
flakes. Drain excess fat, set aside. In a large soup pot, saute the
bacon. When the bacon is halfway cooked, add the onions and garlic.
Saute until the onions are tender - about 5 minutes. Add the chicken
broth and water. Bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until
soft, about 30 minutes. Add in the heavy cream (or milk) and sausage
and cook until the soup is heated. Stir in the chopped kale. Season
with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Serves 8. Our family enjoyed this for dinner and a couple of lunches!
