Budget Bites

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Hello San Angelo moms, my name is Gigi, I am a stay-at-home, crafty mom to 3 girls. I am also a self-taught “explorer cook” who loves trying new foods and cooking anything from homemade ricotta, to DIY marshmallows to freezer and even crock-pot meals (hey, we all need a break from cooking at some point or another, even me).

I am looking forward to bringing you “Budget Bites”, meals that cost at or around just $12.50 to make, that can serve at least 4-5, that are mostly good for you, are homemade and can even be finished within an hour (most times)! Too good to be true? Not so! Let me show you…



Budget Bites: Cabbage Roll Casserole (Before you turn your nose up at the word “cabbage”, read below)

Serves 10-12, Prep Time 20 min, Cook Time 40 min, Cost $7.45-$8.45 (I do not include the price of staples like salt and pepper or condiments, since most of us do not have to run and buy these)

I love meals that are inexpensive, take a short time to pull together and better yet, taste really good! Believe it or not, this is one of them! I know, I know, you’re thinking, “how can cabbage taste good?” Well, trust me, it can! My family is not really keen about consuming cabbage in any other form but cole slaw, so when I made this for dinner and they asked for seconds, I knew it was a sure sign I had a winner!

My husband described it as “lasagna tasting”, and he is somewhat right. You shred the cabbage thinly enough that it does seem like noodles (the cabbage is not boiled, but is not undercooked either, so it has a wonderful texture). The rice is so tender that it could pass as ricotta, and of course you have the tomato sauce and mozzarella. Not to say I would try to pass it off as so, but if you like lasagna and would like to spend a little less on it, give this dish a try And be sure to let me know how you liked it!

*At about $7-$8 to feed 10-12, you have enough money left over for a sweet, ripe pineapple or cantaloupe and some nice crusty bread to serve on the side!

What you need:
*1 pound ground beef, $3.50 (Want to cut cost more or make it meatless? You can leave this out!)
* 1 med onion, chopped, $.50
*2 cans (8oz each) tomato sauce, $.50
*1 can tomato paste, $.75 (Don’t even think of using another can of tomato sauce here, this is what makes the top so rich!)
*1 teaspoon garlic powder
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon pepper
*1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (Don’t skip this, it needs the kick)
*1/2 teaspoon dill weed
*1/2 teaspoon dried basil
*2 cups cooked rice, $.20 (I use a rice cooker while preparing the meat)
*1 medium head of cabbage, shredded, $1-$1.50
*1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, $1-$1.50

What you do:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish, set aside.
In a large saucepan, brown the meat and onion over med-high heat until no longer pink (if you are leaving out the meat, cook onion in 1 teaspoon oil until translucent). Remove from heat, drain.
Add both cans of tomato sauce, spices and rice. Stir until mixed well.
Layer a third of the cabbage in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with half of the meat mixture. Repeat layers; top with remaining cabbage.
In a med bowl, whisk the tomato paste with one and half cans of water. Add salt, pepper, basil and garlic powder to taste. Pour the paste over the top layer of cabbage.
Cover and bake at 375° for 35 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.