Budget-Friendly Family Meals Provide Real Solutions

(NewsUSA) - As Americans see food and gas prices continue to rise, there’s good news for families looking for affordable meal options. Grocery bills, restaurant bills, even fast food meals, can really add up, but there are resources to help families prepare nutritious, convenient meals inexpensively at home.

The Pampered Chef offers products and recipes for family mealtime solutions and develops quick and easy recipes that can feed a family of six for around $2 per person. Even better, these recipes can be made in only 30 minutes, using nine ingredients or less.

One example, the Deluxe Cheeseburger Salad, proves healthy enough for parental approval and tasty enough for kids.

Deluxe Cheeseburger Salad
Makes 6 servings

* 4 sesame seed hamburger buns
* 1 small red onion, divided
* 2 plum tomatoes
* 3/4 pound 95 percent lean ground beef
* 1/2 cup finely diced

* pickles
* 3/4 cup ketchup
* 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
* 8 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
* 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Slice the bun tops into 1/4 inch strips. Arrange the buns in a single layer on a large bar pan, then bake them until they look toasted, about eight to 10 minutes. Allow the buns to cool.

Use a mandoline or a sharp knife to cut half of the onion into thin rings. Cut tomatoes into quarters lengthwise and slice crosswise. In a sauté pan, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat for five to seven minutes, or until the meat becomes brown. Break the beef into crumbles. Chop the remaining onion. Finely dice pickles. In a large bowl, combine the onion, pickles, ketchup and mustard. Add the cooked ground beef, and mix well.

To serve, put the lettuce on a large platter, then spoon the beef mixture over the lettuce. Top the salad with cheese, tomatoes and sliced onion. Arrange the toasted hamburger buns around the edge of the plate and serve.

For a free download of more high-value recipes that cost around $2 per serving, visit pamperedchef.com.