Cheap meal

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last night I made this dish again, I make it often, and I thought I'd post it because it is a cheap, healthy, very filling meal.
It's a food network recipe (Rachel Ray I believe, but I have altered it, and I'll put my notes in there for you)

Creamy Spagetti and Beans

Risotto meets Pasta e Fagioli in this Tuscan Classic

5 to 6 cups chicken stock (use any type of broth, homeade or canned)
2 tbsp evoo
2 tbsp butter
1/4 pound pancetta or american bacon (I don't use this, I'm a vegetarian)

4 cloves garlic chopped
1 pound spagetti
1 medium onion chopped
2 carrots, small dice (I didn't use carrots…I was making the recipe from memory and forgot these guys!)
1 fresh bay leaf (I also omittted this, from memory)

5-6 springs fresh thyme (optional)
1 (15 oz) can small white beans (Goya usually has these particular beans but I think you could use any light colored bean)
salt and black pepper
1 cup dry white wine (I skipped this, and used all broth) wine just gives it a different flavor

1 cup grated parmesan cheese
chopped parsley (dried is fine, I dry my own but the bottled stuff is fine)

In medium pot, warm stock/broth and keep it simmering.

Heat hte olive oil adn butter in deep skillet over medium heat. Add bacon/pancetta and brown slightly. Add garlic and spagetti and toast. (3-4 minutes) Add onions, carrots, bay and thyme, season with s&p.

Soften veggies a bit (5 minutes) Add wine (or stock) and allow it to be completely absorbed. Add beans, then add a few ladles of stock allowing liquid to be absorbed (or cooked out, however you want to look at it) before you add more. When liquids are absorbed, adn spagetti is al dente (12-15 minutes) stir in cheese, adjust salt and pepper.

Turn off heat and stir another minute. Remove bay and thyme if you used it. Serve in shallow bowls garnised with parsley.

So this recipe seems more intimidating than it really is..you can pare it right down to onion/garlic/beans/pasta, salt/pepper/cheese and it's equally delicious….and CHEAP. The yield says 4 servings, but they are GENEROUS servings. prep time 10 minutes, cook time 20 minutes.

While I was babysitting, ladling, stirring etc…I also got a pot of spagetti sauce going…which I also make myself, and freeze…i got a great deal on 32 oz cans of crushed tomatoes ($.65) and tomato paste (4/$1.00) so I've been making a batch here and there for the freezer.

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