With the beginning of a new school year and still so much uncertainty about what this fall will look like, we decided this month to focus on budget-friendly meals for your family.
Providing for our families and keeping home life as stress free as possible is now more important than ever. Thus, our September menu is an easy meal that won’t stretch the pocketbook and will give everyone a reason to look forward to gathering around the table for a little family bonding time.
We cherish the days when our kids were all home and we would have dinner together. The meals weren’t fancy or elaborate, but the act of taking 30 minutes out of everyone’s busy schedules to sit and share stories about our day created some of our most favorite memories. Enjoy!
STUFFED BELL PEPPERS
It’s the simple ingredients that make this dish a comfort food classic. A breakfast sausage dressing with rice stuffed into peppers with tomato sauce makes for an easy-to-prepare dinner. Our recipe can also serve a family of six for under $20.
Servings: 6
1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
¼ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground thyme
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 cups cooked rice (brown or white)
1 cup Parmesan cheese
6 bell peppers
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce with Italian herbs
1. In a large skillet, brown the bulk sausage until it is no longer pink. Drain the sausage in a colander. Place the skillet back on the stove.
2. Add the chopped celery, onion and bell pepper to the sausage drippings in the skillet. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Put the drained sausage back into the skillet along with the onion mixture. Stir to combine.
4. Add in the chicken broth, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
5. Fold in the cooked rice and cheese until well combined. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
6. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.
7. Cut the tops off the bell peppers, and core and seed them. Divide the sausage mixture between the 6 peppers and place them into the prepared baking dish.
8. Pour the can of tomato sauce over the stuffed peppers and cover them with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 7 to 10 minutes, or until the peppers are tender but still hold their shape.
SWEET AND TANGY GREEN BEANS
Green beans are always a go-to vegetable in our households. They are quick to cook and a favorite of our kids, especially when they were younger and not big fans of most veggies. We spruced up these green beans by adding a few simple ingredients that we always have on hand in the pantry and fridge. The result turns this budget-friendly vegetable side dish into something a little more special.
Servings: 6
2 pounds fresh green beans, cleaned and trimmed
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup thin sliced onions
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and drop in the green beans.
2.Blanch the green beans for 1½ to 2 minutes. Drain them well.
3.Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the sliced onions, red pepper flakes and salt. Sauté for 2 minutes.
4.Add in the sugar and vinegar, and mix until the sugar is dissolved.
5. Add the beans to the skillet with the onion mixture, and toss until all is combined. Serve immediately.
BAKED APPLES WITH OATMEAL CRUMBLES
Baked apples remind us of the fall. We always tend to have apples on hand, so this is a quick dessert that can be thrown together in a matter of minutes. We find buying bags of small apples is more economical. We like using either Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Jazz or Pink Lady apples for this dessert, because these varieties have a tangy hint to them. They’re also a little firmer, which helps keep their shape as they bake. The brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and pecans melt into the middle of the fruit, creating a sweet, warm gooey filling. The oatmeal crumble gives this dessert a little more texture, and the apple juice turns into a nice sauce that can be spooned over the apples when serving.
Servings: 6
6 small Granny Smith or Jazz apples
Juice of one lemon
1⁄3 cup chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar, divided
2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
1 stick cold butter
1½ cups apple juice
½ cup flour
½ cup rolled oats
1.Heat the oven to 375 degrees and lightly spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2.Peel the apples and cut off the tops. Use a spoon to core the middle and remove the seeds.
3. Place the apples into the baking dish and pour the lemon juice over them to prevent browning.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped pecans, half of the brown sugar, and half of the cinnamon. Mix well.
5. Spoon this mixture into the prepared apples. Top each with a ½ tablespoon of butter.
6. Carefully pour the apple juice into the bottom of the baking dish. Cover the apples with foil. Place the dish into the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
7. While the apples are baking, use a separate mixing bowl to combine the flour and oats with the remaining sugar, cinnamon and butter until the mixture looks like wet sand.
8. Once the apples have baked for 30 minutes, remove the baking dish from the oven and top each apple with the crumble topping.
9. Place the apples uncovered back in the oven and continue baking for another 12 to 14 minutes, or until the apples are tender but still hold their shape and the crumble is golden.
10. Remove the apples from the oven. Spoon the juices from the bottom of the pan over each apple. Serve warm.
This article was originally published in the September 2020 issue of 225 Magazine.
