Fall is the time when many of us start to slow down, but also long for foods that warm us up on a crisp, chilly day and fill the kitchen with wonderful, comforting aromas.

Even better if it’s easy to prepare. And when does the dish in question not cost a proverbial arm and a leg? That’s a sure win in these economic times, when hunting for bargains at your local grocery store or farmer’s market has become both a sport and a necessary evil.

For this week’s Dinner on a Budget, the goal is once again to create a hearty three-course meal for two—hopefully with some delicious leftovers for lunch the next day—for about $15, or about what I’d pay for a glass of wine at the restaurant. While waiting for a flight at the airport recently.

Cooking seasonally, we decided to build the meal around a classic fall dish: a small-batch pot of beef and bean chili.

The price of ground beef, like everything else, has increased over the past few years, but it’s still among the more affordable proteins. You can usually find it for around $5.99 per pound; That’s not too bad, considering that a 16-ounce package can easily be expanded to four servings with the addition of equally budget-friendly canned tomatoes and beans.

Chili is the perfect dish for budget cooks because it’s so user-friendly (seriously, it’s pretty hard to make a bad chili pot) and versatile, lending itself to all kinds of veggies and proteins.

While ours is made with a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, diced green peppers, and red kidney beans, along with the requisite garlic and onion, you can throw in whatever’s sitting on your pantry shelf or in your refrigerator’s vegetable cooler. – Think lentils, canned corn, zucchini, celery and even sweet potatoes.

When the flavors really meld, it tastes even better the next day, and leftovers can be used not only on hot dogs or fries, but also as a topping on enchiladas, tacos, and baked potatoes. You can also scoop up a bowl of mac ‘n cheese with a few generous spoons.

I’m on a heavy hand with the chili powder and cumin, which add a nutty, smoky flavor, but that’s the beauty of cayenne. You can tame it by reducing the spices, or turn it up to five alert by adding a pinch or two of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and/or chipotle to the adobo sauce.

The accompanying baked dessert—individual chocolate cupcakes made from 5-ounce ramekins and painted with sweet coffee glaze—was almost ridiculously cheap and easy to put together. Cocoa powder, one of the main ingredients, costs just 8 cents per tablespoon. Since the recipe only calls for two servings, you don’t need a lot of sugar, flour, or confectioners’ sugar (pantry staples), either.

In fact, the most expensive ingredient is a single egg yolk, which costs 29 cents. Also, chocolate cake is delicious, especially if you eat it hot and use coffee as the cream.

What was most surprising and also a bit challenging when pricing this week’s recipes was the addition of fresh fruits and vegetables to the menu. A single baseball-sized apple will run you at least $1 at most grocery stores these days, and onions, a kitchen staple for many home cooks, are nearly as expensive, especially when the recipe calls for the more tender red onion.

Small packages of salad greens also tend to be expensive because you don’t get the same economies of scale when purchasing a family-sized container. The retail price for the 5-ounce package of spinach I used with the green apples and red onions I keep in my refrigerator as a crisper was $2.99, or nearly double the cost per ounce of the 16-ounce package, which retails for $5.99 (37 cents per ounce). ).

The takeaway: If you have room in your fridge and want to plan your meals a few days in advance, it’s probably always better to spend a little more on a larger box or package to save some money in the long run.

Using some ingredients I already had on hand, half a can of beans, and store-brand tomatoes instead of the fancy organic brand I really wanted, the total for chili dinner was: $15.05, or just a dime more.

Do you insist on completing your meal with some carbs? If you add a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix to your shopping list, you’ll add another dollar to the cost of dinner; You can compensate for this by using slightly less ground meat or opting to go without beans.

Spinach and Apple Salad

This simple salad can be adapted to every taste. I added green apple slices and some raisins I always have in my fridge, but you could also add sliced ​​pears or go a little sweeter with dried cranberries. Or top the salad with toasted hazelnuts or homemade croutons made with stale bread and Italian seasonings (whatever you have in your pantry).

CONTENTS

To dress:

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 clove of garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

5 ounces fresh spinach

1 apple, thinly sliced, such as honeycrisp

1/4 red or sweet onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup raisins or raisins

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, garlic, and Dijon mustard until completely combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dressing, stir and serve immediately.

for 2 people.

—Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Small Batch Pepper

Chili can be moderately spicy or very spicy, so add chili powder to your liking. Sometimes I’ll also stir a few chipotle peppers into the adobo sauce for extra heat.

If you have some shredded cheddar cheese in the fridge, toss it with chopped onions for a cheesy finish. Grated Parmesan also works for a flavor boost. Leftovers can be served for lunch the next day or added atop hot dogs, spooned into holy bell pepper halves over rice, or mixed with macaroni cheese to make chili mac.

CONTENTS

2 tablespoons neutral oil

1/2 yellow onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1 kilo of minced meat

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1/2 15 1/2 ounce pinto or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes diced

2 heaping tablespoons chili powder, or more to taste

1 tablespoon ground cumin or to taste

apple cider vinegar optional

DIRECTIONS

Add oil to a large saucepan set over medium heat. When it starts to sizzle, add the chopped onion, garlic and green pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables soften, about 2 minutes.

Add the minced meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until the meat is thoroughly browned.

Stir in kidney beans and fire-roasted tomatoes; If you prefer a thinner consistency, you can add 1/2 cup of water. Season with cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and pepper. I always like to add a splash of apple cider vinegar for an extra kick, but this is optional.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for at least 30 minutes. When ready to serve, spoon into warmed bowls and top with chopped onion.

Makes 4 servings.

—Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Chocolate Cake for Two

It’s easy when you bake the dessert for just two in a ramekin. This gooey chocolate cake with a hint of coffee flavor is a perfect example. It mixes together in seconds and takes only 20 minutes to cook.

Add less confectioners’ sugar for a thicker icing, and more coffee for a thinner glaze.

CONTENTS

For the cake:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 (heaping) tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons of milk

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons neutral oil

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon hot coffee

For the glaze:

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 (heaping) tablespoon of cocoa powder

milk (or remaining coffee) as needed to make glaze

DIRECTIONS

Spray 2 4-inch (6-ounce) ramekins thoroughly with cooking spray and place them on a mini baking tray. (I used butter to grease the molds.)

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking soda and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, milk, oil, vanilla, and coffee (or water).

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches and mix gently to combine.

Divide the mixture between two ramekins.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool.

While the cakes are cooling, prepare the icing: whisk all the ingredients together, add more coffee or milk to thin to a pourable consistency. Drizzle or spread over cakes and serve.

— sweetfortwo.com