I have a meat sauce recipe that is a family favourite, and we use it to make Spaghetti Bolognaise, Lasagne, Nachos, or simply serve it on rice or mashed potatoes. It is very simple and tasty, but ordinarily I would use 1 kg (2lbs) of mince to make it for my family. In the interest of my Frugal Fortnight I wanted to use half as much mince, and use up some of the canned beans in the pantry, so I did exactly that, using two cans of butter beans to ensure there would still be plenty of meat sauce to satisfy everyone. Both variations are explained in the recipe below.
Totally Yummy Easy Meat Sauce
Ingredients:
1 kg mince (2lbs ground beef)
OR 500g (1lb) mince and 2x 400g/14oz cans Butter Beans, drained and rinsed
1x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
1 can of Tomato sauce (ketchup)
1 tsp dried Oregano
1 tsp Soy Sauce (I use naturally brewed organic soy sauce)
Method:
Brown mince in a little oil in a large pot. When well browned add other ingredients, using empty tomato can to measure tomato sauce. Bring to boil, cover and reduce to simmer. Simmer for 15-20 mins stirring occasionally. Serves 6-8
Note: If your children don't like the pieces of tomato in the sauce, then whiz together the tomatoes, tomato sauce, herbs and soy sauce in a blender before adding to the pot. That's how I always used to make this anyway.
1 kg mince (2lbs ground beef)
OR 500g (1lb) mince and 2x 400g/14oz cans Butter Beans, drained and rinsed
1x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
1 can of Tomato sauce (ketchup)
1 tsp dried Oregano
1 tsp Soy Sauce (I use naturally brewed organic soy sauce)
Method:
Brown mince in a little oil in a large pot. When well browned add other ingredients, using empty tomato can to measure tomato sauce. Bring to boil, cover and reduce to simmer. Simmer for 15-20 mins stirring occasionally. Serves 6-8
Note: If your children don't like the pieces of tomato in the sauce, then whiz together the tomatoes, tomato sauce, herbs and soy sauce in a blender before adding to the pot. That's how I always used to make this anyway.
Spaghetti Bolognaise with Butter Beans
To put together this meal, first put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. While this is heating, place side-dish veges into a pot ready for cooking, and make the meat sauce as above, using the smaller amount of mince plus butter beans option.
By the time you have the meat sauce simmering, the pot of water should be boiling, and you can turn on the pot of veges to cook (in my case I used frozen beans).
Add pasta to pot of water. Adding a little cooking oil to the water will help prevent the pasta from sticking together. Boil with lid off for approximately 10 mins, until pasta is done. Did you know that the Italian chef way to tell if pasta is cooked is to throw a piece of it at the wall or ceiling? If it sticks, it's cooked just right! Teach that one to your kids - they'll LOVE helping you test the pasta!
To serve, pile some pasta on a plate, spoon meat sauce over the top, and sprinkle grated cheese on it. Serve with veges of your choice, or a mixed salad.
Other options: Use either variation of the meat sauce (or try your own combinations of meat and beans or lentils) on corn chips for nachos, layered with cooked lasagne pasta and cheese then baked for 45 mins to make lasagne, or simply serve it over rice or mashed potatoes. Also good on toast as a Sloppy Joe alternative.
By the time you have the meat sauce simmering, the pot of water should be boiling, and you can turn on the pot of veges to cook (in my case I used frozen beans).
Add pasta to pot of water. Adding a little cooking oil to the water will help prevent the pasta from sticking together. Boil with lid off for approximately 10 mins, until pasta is done. Did you know that the Italian chef way to tell if pasta is cooked is to throw a piece of it at the wall or ceiling? If it sticks, it's cooked just right! Teach that one to your kids - they'll LOVE helping you test the pasta!
To serve, pile some pasta on a plate, spoon meat sauce over the top, and sprinkle grated cheese on it. Serve with veges of your choice, or a mixed salad.
Other options: Use either variation of the meat sauce (or try your own combinations of meat and beans or lentils) on corn chips for nachos, layered with cooked lasagne pasta and cheese then baked for 45 mins to make lasagne, or simply serve it over rice or mashed potatoes. Also good on toast as a Sloppy Joe alternative.
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