HOLIDAYS
HOLIDAYS
Sticking to a budget doesn't mean you can't have a great time and delicious food. Check out the Estimated Cost Breakdown for these recipes and try them for:
Ask any older Italian and most will tell you that polenta was the dish that was served when families were on a serious budget. My Italian mother-in-law refers to it as porridge!
Add a predominant flavoring ingredient to it, such as olives, and cook it with a highly-seasoned bouillon cube (as opposed to water) and you've got a restaurant quality appetizer. See the Estimated Cost Breakdown for this recipe.
- 2 (3.5 gm) chicken bouillon cubes
- 2 cups water
- 3/4 Cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 (3.8 oz) can sliced olives
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Bring water and bouillon cubes to boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Slowly sprinkle cornmeal into water while quickly whisking mixture. Continue whisking for 3 minutes smoothing out any lumps as mixture thickens. Replace whisk with wooden spoon and cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Spoon should stand in mixture and polenta will come away from sides of pan. Remove from heat and stir in olives.
- Spread mixture on to a lightly oil baking sheet making ½-inch thick rectangle of polenta. Cool until polenta is set, about 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve as an appetizer. Makes 6 servings.
To turn this delicious recipe into Fettucine alla Carbonara, cook 8 strips of bacon and then chop it up into bite-size pieces. Whisk in the bacon along with 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat to the Parmesan sauce.
See the Estimated Cost Breakdown for this recipe.
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 5 oz.)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 lbs. fettuccine ( about 1 1/2 boxes dry pasta)
- Add 1 teaspoon salt into a pot of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add fettuccine and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the Parmesan, eggs and cream into a large serving bowl and whisk until combined.
- Pour pasta into a colander to drain. Immediately add to serving bowl and toss with Parmesan sauce mixture until coated. Serve hot.Makes about 6 servings
This easy dessert will conclude any dinner on a sweet note.
See the Estimated Cost Breakdown for this recipe.
- 1 shot espresso (purchased from a coffee store like Starbucks)
- 3/4 Cup water
- 1 Cup sugar
- 1 store-bought pound cake, cut into cubes
- 6 individual portion cups of prepared vanilla pudding (Jello brand)
- Add espresso, water and sugar into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool.
- Alternate layers of pound cake cubes and pudding into 6 individual Martini glasses. Pour cooled espresso syrup over the top of each one and serve.Makes 6 servings
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