Comments on fat mum slim: $5 dinner: Roast tomato + ricotta pasta

YUM YUM YUM... whipped this up today, we are a sin...

2012-01-13T00:10:52.481+11:00

YUM YUM YUM... whipped this up today, we are a single income family of 6 and i honestly thought that at least 2 of our 4 children would turn their nose up... Nope all gone and everyone ate it. I tweaked the amounts by adding a punnet and a half ($1.50, 99c per punnet), 500g penne woolies pasta (59c), 250g ricotta ($2.01 from the Deli), i already had the garlic, blasamic vinegar, oil and SnP at home they are staples here so the whoe dish came in at $4.10 for 6!!!. I didn't add basil as not one of my kids likes the taste and my last basil plant died over winter (must get another!). There wasn't enough there for us all really but with a little dessert (and a meat pie to Mr11) they were all satisfied and agreed to do this again.

Guess what we're having for dinner tomorrow ni...

2012-01-11T18:37:57.358+11:00

Guess what we're having for dinner tomorrow night!! Yum!! Thanks Chantell.

Nice work Telle. My hubby would be screaming for p...

2012-01-11T16:21:14.009+11:00

Nice work Telle. My hubby would be screaming for protein to be added tot his though.

More important to me than the $5 would be a 5 minute dinner - if only

I am the master of the $5 dinner! It helps having ...

2012-01-11T12:51:29.531+11:00

I am the master of the $5 dinner! It helps having been very, very poor haha xx

I mentioned this post to my husband and he said we...

2012-01-11T10:39:45.420+11:00

I mentioned this post to my husband and he said we need to be more frugal too. He loves his protein. We have tuna, pasta, sweetcorn, mayo & sweet chilli sauce often for lunch (which is easy to take to work).

If we have more time I like to use farfalle instead of penne and turkey instead of tuna and add colourful peppers and cucumber (this is also nice cold).

What quick meal can you do with tuna?

x

Thanks guys. Prices are as I've paid for them,...

2012-01-11T07:39:46.394+11:00

Thanks guys. Prices are as I've paid for them, where I live (in Sydney - which I thought was expensive). Obviously I can't fly to States to check out other prices! I wish I could!

If prices on all produce are higher in the area you live, then surely this would be cheaper than other meals - perhaps not under $5 but cheaper still.

@Little Gumnut: Ha! Hubby would have two serves of this, and my daughter and I would have one. x

Fantastic, I am definitely going to try that one! ...

2012-01-11T05:46:39.120+11:00

Fantastic, I am definitely going to try that one! My girls eat tomatoes and pasta like it's going out of style. Thanks for sharing!

Honestly, Telle said she was growing herbs, and it...

2012-01-11T04:10:36.722+11:00

Honestly, Telle said she was growing herbs, and it's all based on proportions! Packet of pasta is $1. Besides, still cheaper even at $6 than a $30 meal! Ricotta at the deli is $8/kg. looks yummy and simple - thanks!!! What about a chicken stir fry? Or fajitas?

Yum! I've gotta agree with a couple of other c...

2012-01-10T23:08:58.037+11:00

Yum! I've gotta agree with a couple of other commenters, though...there is no way in hell I could make this dish at the prices you've listed. I bought cherry tomatoes today, on special, for $2.50 a punnet. That's standard for Perth. Also love to know where I could buy good ricotta for $3 or a bunch of basil for $1.20. I knew Perth was expensive but geez...this has really confirmed that for me!

I do make this occasionally and it's super yum, so thanks for sharing!

Yum! I've gotta agree with a couple of other c...

2012-01-10T23:06:49.823+11:00

$35? I had the same reaction as your sister! We ar...

2012-01-10T23:01:59.099+11:00

$35? I had the same reaction as your sister! We are a one income family of five so plenty of pasta and rice dishes in our house, I like your style. Just mentioned you over on my blog - you didn't mention anything about it being a healthy meal?!! haha x

mmm loving your foodie photography. Not sure whet...

2012-01-10T21:53:45.427+11:00

mmm loving your foodie photography. Not sure whether hubby would look at me and say, well that was a delicious starter, what's for mains! :)

One of my favourite dishes .. yummy .. and so simp...

2012-01-10T21:07:14.126+11:00

One of my favourite dishes .. yummy .. and so simple.
Have a great day :)
Mantha xx

That looks delicious (and saves a few pennies)..I ...

2012-01-10T21:00:35.073+11:00

That looks delicious (and saves a few pennies)..I am going to have to this give this a go! Thanks for sharing :)

Oh yum!!! I doubt hubby will eat it as he's an...

2012-01-10T18:41:22.503+11:00

Oh yum!!! I doubt hubby will eat it as he's an 'I need meat' man but I totally love it!!

The only chep meal I can think of is our Ravioli Carbona night, but it's a Latina-Made pasta and sauce, so I hear it up, cook the pasta and it's done :) its about $8 for apparently 4 serves, but it feeds me, hubby and our 6-year old who usually has seconds as its his favorite :) it comes in handy on 'swimming' night when our son has swimming lessons and we are very time poor...

Xxx

I overspend on my meals as well, I figured with ju...

2012-01-10T16:43:15.556+11:00

I overspend on my meals as well, I figured with just 2 of us we can but your right thats a pair of shoes right there!
I do Meatless Mondays, which usually involves a vegetarian pasta or risotto which makes it pretty inexpensive.

Yum...I think we might cash in on your thriftiness...

2012-01-10T16:20:56.735+11:00

Yum...I think we might cash in on your thriftiness for our family too. Thanks for sharing. x

A punnet of cherry tomatoes for $1.33, pasta for 4...

2012-01-10T15:53:06.303+11:00

A punnet of cherry tomatoes for $1.33, pasta for 47c? Where on earth do you do your grocery shopping?! Aldi? WA doesn't have Aldi. I wouldn't be able to create this meal for <$5 if using store-bought herbs.

Tuna Mornay? I love it because you can get all th...

2012-01-10T15:39:41.581+11:00

Tuna Mornay?

I love it because you can get all the ingredients at the servo.

Dare you C!

xx

PS this looks bloody delish!

I love a cheap meal! This one looks delish and I l...

2012-01-10T15:08:30.427+11:00

I love a cheap meal! This one looks delish and I look forward to seeing what else you come up with.

Dude we are having that tonight! Great minds and a...

2012-01-10T14:08:37.663+11:00

Dude we are having that tonight! Great minds and all that. I made a version of it just before Christmas and was thrilled with how yummo, easy, quick and cheap it was to make. We have vego's over tonight so snap! It's on it's way x

Oh. And? Happy New Year!

That looks SO delicious! I'm a pasta salad suc...

2012-01-10T11:15:13.948+11:00

That looks SO delicious! I'm a pasta salad sucker I must try this! I'll just add some roasted chicken to make my husband happy.

I love this idea, but groceries are so exspensive ...

2012-01-10T09:26:02.149+11:00

I love this idea, but groceries are so exspensive here in Perth (cherry toms cost double that) I'm thinking that maybe a $10 meal challenge

I am drooling over here! YUM! I need to convert th...

2012-01-10T09:20:36.843+11:00

I am drooling over here! YUM! I need to convert the measurements (I'm in the U.S.) and pick up the ingredients this week — I am seriously making this.

I aim for no more than $10 a dinner and that is fo...

2012-01-10T09:06:00.106+11:00

I aim for no more than $10 a dinner and that is for six of us. Roasts every now and then are probably the only time we go over. I do a variation on this pasta as my kids are still not completely sold on the virtues of ricotta *sigh*