I’m trying to revisit the cost of family meals that are easy to prepare, easy to freeze, and then easy to serve up to hungry people in 15 minutes after a long day at work. The simplest meal has to be pasta/spaghetti bolognaise. I serve this up most weeks, all the family like it, and with a tomato salad it makes a great meal. Now before you imagine me making a lovely home made tomato sauce with fresh basil, please remember(and try not to laugh) at the moment I can’t/don’t cook too much. I’m embarrassed by my cooking skills but I am trying to learn little by little.
My bolognaise sauce goes a bit like this:
10 portions = 50p a portion
1kg of fresh steak mince – £4 at Tesco
1 jar of pasta sauce – 50p on offer ages ago at Asda
Onion and mushrooms – 50p max
I serve with pasta and a tomato salad.
I divide the sauce into different amounts for the freezer, labeling each tub. This ensures that I only take out the right size for the amount of family eating.
Any suggestions for an easy tomato sauce are welcome:)
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
hi
was just reading tattyhousehastings and saw this link and haveing a great read:).loads of people cant cook but you only learn by giving it a go and making mistakes like i have:)and now im quite good i have to say. anyway i think its great your giving it a go so many people dont bother. A great cheap and quick tomatoe sauce as follows.
1 onion chopped
1-3 cloves of garlic depending on how garlicy you like it chopped
couple of tsps of dried mixed herbs(italian herbs are great)
1-2 cans of chopped tomatoes (whole toms are cheaper but im lazy and dont want to have to liquidise them)
optional heriso chilli paste or chilli flakes add to taste.(give good depth of flavor with a little kick but only add a small amount at a time then taste as each batch of chilli flakes of paste differs in strength)
fry onion and garlic on a low heat with a good amount of olive oil on a low heat and sweat down until soft if cathing turn down heat. 5minish
add herbs and stir for a few seconds the add tomatoes and chilli if wanted. cook for 8 – 10 mins depending how rich you want it.
and viola great in batches and frozen when making bolanase fry the meat at the onion and garlic stage and leave to simmer with the tomatoes for as long as you can 30 mins if you have the time as it tenderises the meat further. for dinner paties replace herbs with fresh like basil and rosmary add thesin last min though as loses flavor with heat.
hope this is of some help
thanks
angela
ps sorry about any spelling mistakes!
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Wow..thanks angela
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My tomato sauce recipe is very similar to Angelas except I add a little wine just after I’ve fried the onions and reduce it right down.I also add a little sugar.I freeze left over wine to use as you only need a little.Red or white will do.For a creamy tomato sauce you can add a little creme fraiche and parmesan just before serving.
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