Cooking spray
12 ounces red potatoes, cut into wedges
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 8 ounces)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and sage in a small bowl. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Rub garlic mixture under loosened skin. Place chicken, breast side up, on rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Place rack in broiler pan.
3. Combine potatoes, squash, butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange vegetable mixture around chicken. Bake at 400° for 1 hour or until a thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 165°. Let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin.
Wine note: For an affordable wine to pair with this dish, pick a dry riesling from Washington state, like Chateau Ste. Michelle's 2007 (Columbia Valley; $9). It has peach and orange flavors that create a tempting aromatic package with the sweet flavors of Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Butternut Squash.
Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Price: $2.14 per serving
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 cup vertically sliced red onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp white cheddar cheese (such as Cracker Barrel)
8 (1 1/2-ounce) slices hearty white bread (such as Pepperidge Farm)
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
6 slices center-cut bacon, cooked
Preparation
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 cup onion and garlic; cook for 10 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally.
2. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over each of 4 bread slices. Top each slice with 1/2 cup spinach, 2 tomato slices, 2 tablespoons onion mixture, and 1 1/2 bacon slices. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese; top with the remaining 4 bread slices.
3. Heat skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place sandwiches in pan, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese melts.
Stewed Pork and Squash
Price: $2.12 per serving
Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
4 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Preparation
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add pork; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, and red pepper; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until pork is almost tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in butternut squash; simmer 30 minutes or until pork and squash are tender.
Sausage Ragù over Creamy Polenta
Price: $2.45 per serving
Ingredients
3 (4-ounce) links sweet turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce (such as McCutcheon's)
2 1/3 cups water, divided
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup instant polenta
1 ounce fresh pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage; sauté for 6 minutes, stirring to crumble. Remove sausage from pan; drain. Wipe pan clean; return to medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl. Add onion, and sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in sausage, marinara, and 1/3 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes.
2. Bring remaining 2 cups water and milk to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; reduce heat to low. Gradually add polenta, and cook for 3 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and pepper. Serve with sausage mixture; top with parsley.
Chicken and Rice with Mushrooms
Price: $2.31 per serving
Ingredients
2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/4 ounce)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup uncooked brown basmati rice
2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Preparation
1. Combine 2 cups boiling water and porcini mushrooms; let stand for 20 minutes. Drain through a sieve over a bowl, reserving soaking liquid. Finely chop mushrooms.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until chicken is browned, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from pan.
3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and cremini mushrooms; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in reserved porcini liquid, chopped porcini, and rice; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 35 minutes. Stir in the reserved chicken, peas, and thyme. Cover