MOLINE, Ill. — Every week the Good Morning Quad Cities team brings you a recipe that will help you and your family beat inflation. Our team is challenged to find a recipe that can feed a family of four for under $25. If the team can't buy the items within that budget, they can't make it.
News 8's David Bohlman found a recipe that will have you in that budget but also finding an aesthetically pleasing way to serve up some veggies.
Today's recipe comes from Foreignfork.com - Easy Ratatouille Recipe.
End Cost:
Our team was able to shop this recipe for $24.47.
What you will need:
- 1 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- salt/pepper to taste
- Fresh thyme (David used dried)
-2 small zucchinis (David only needed one so start with one)
-5 Roma tomatoes
-1 eggplant
-2 red bell peppers
-1 red onion
-1 tsp garlic
- 4 pork chops
How to make it:
- Preheat your oven to 375°
- In a cast iron pan add the can of crushed tomatoes (you may use a different, oven-safe pan, such as a cake pan if that's what you have. Keep an eye on your dish as baking times may change based on the pan you use.)
- Sprinkle salt, pepper, and thyme on top of the crushed tomatoes.
- Slice zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, and onion into circle slices.
- Assemble your veggies in your pan in a pattern (i.e. Slice of zucchini, tomato, eggplant, bell pepper, onion).
- Continue until your pan is packed full.
- Add more salt and garlic to the top of the vegetables.
- Bake for approximately 55 minutes or until vegetables are fully cooked.
- Cook your pork chops your favorite way.
- Enjoy!
Pro Tips:
This segment is all about saving money. Don't be afraid to make this recipe your own. It's generally cheaper to buy green bell peppers, but feel free to find the cheapest ones. Or if you want to swap out one vegetable for another, you can totally do that too.
While this recipe called for pork chops to be served with it, you could use the meat, or non-meat of your choice. Fish also pairs well with this, as well as chicken.
More 'Budget Bites' - Cheesy Taco Skillet
Do you have a recipe that would feed a family of 4 under $25? Email David Bohlman at dbohlman@tegna.com
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