Italian Budget Dinner: Party Menu & Cost

Italian cuisine offers such a variety of flavors, from the white cream sauces found in northern Italy to the hearty red tomato sauces enjoyed in the southern part of the country.

Italian Menu

Delight dinner guests with an Italian menu that clocks in at around $50!

• Olive Polenta Squares (recipe)
• Easy Fettuccine Alfredo (recipe)
• Green Salad with Diced Tomatoes and Oil and Vinegar Dressing
• Espresso Trifle Martini (recipe)

Estimated Cost Breakdown:

Olive Polenta Squares
$2 - 1 (3.8 oz) can sliced olives
$3 - 1 (1 lb.) box cornmeal
$2 - 1 (2 oz.) container chicken bouillon squares (about 15 count)
$5 - small (8 fl. oz.) generic brand bottle olive oil

Fettuccine Alfredo
$2 - 1 dozen eggs
$4 - 1 pint heavy whipping cream
$5 - 5 oz. wedge Parmesan cheese
$4 - 2 (1 lb.) boxes fettuccine; dry pasta

Salad
$2 - 1 head romaine lettuce
$2 - 3 Roma tomatoes
$0 - olive oil (included above)
$3 - small (8 fl. oz.) bottle red wine vinegar

Espresso Trifle Martini
$5 - 1 store-bought pound cake cut into cubes (frozen desserts)
$4 - 6 cups prepared vanilla pudding
$2 - 1 shot espresso (purchased from a coffee store like Starbucks)
$2 - 1 (lb.) box granulated sugar

$47 - Estimated Total