It's not easy to cook cheap AND healthy as most of us know.... I'm trying to cut back on my food budget in 2010 and so far I'm not doing great.

Here's my problem.... we don't eat out... so we don't waste money eating at other places... we don't use credit cards for lavish wants vs needs.. ( we learned that a long time ago)... we don't run to new stores... we don't have to have the latest things...BUT where food is concerned I'm addicted to going to the grocery store almost daily! I LOVE fresh veggies, fresh meats, and other items.. I can't help it.. but I'm realizing that it's hurting our budget... BADLY.

Heck.. I got a Pandora bracelet for Christmas.. and I have no beads to go on it.. and I'm not sweating it... not a priority to me and in fact.. I love the plain silver chain if I do say so myself... as I find some of the beads to be... well... not my taste...

But.. back to the topic of food...
My Monday night Library Date nights have enticed me to grab more and more cookbooks for more frugal, happy meals. Now throw in the challenge of me working... gives me less time to whip up the meals it use to take me all day to make sometimes... I'm not complaining and enjoyed those days.. but now I need something quicker.. yet still inexpensive...

I found this recipe in one of the Once-A-Month Cooking Cook books I grabbed at a Yardsale last summer... as you guess from the title it's a FABULOUS recipe to make a head and freeze for later... so if you find you LOVE this recipe.. you can double it up and freeze for a later date!!

Super easy to make.. here.. I just browned up some ground beef with garlic... while preparing the base of the soup here...
Now.. to share the recipe... This literally took about 40 minutes to make and throw together... NOW.. if you're going to FREEZE this recipe... DO NOT make the Ravioli's until the day you want to serve it... You can also make this a meatless dish and serve with plain cheese ravioli's..I didn't have any tomato paste so I cut the water in half. I did double this recipe so we could have left overs for another day this week

RAVIOLI SOUP
1 pound ground beef
1/ 4 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon onion salt
2 teaspoons minced garlic cloves (2 cloves)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 28-ounce can Italian-style crushed tomatoes in puree
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 14 1/2 can beef broth
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 12-ounce package plain ravioli without sauce
salt
Parmesan cheese for serving

Cook the ground beef in a large pot until browned, about 15 minutes. Drain the fat. Combine remaining ingredients except frozen ravioli and additional Parmesan cheese. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Thaw and cook ravioli according to package directions until just tender. Drain ravioli; add to soup. Salt to taste and serve with Parmesan cheese.Here is the final outcome... I'm even practicing putting my names up on my pictures ( I've been noticing some family members are snagging pictures that I take off my facebook sadly...)
I have to cut this blog post short.. as my daughter is headed back to college... it was nice having her home for a month.. and now I feel like I have to get use to her not being here all over again... :(