Another Pantry Mash-Up

     I've taken a little turn from posting all vegan dishes, but I'll bring more recipes from my daughter in future editions. I'm trying to avoid take out this month as possible and tighten some spending in the grocery department. To that end, I'm back to focusing on no waste, which admittedly I got very lax at. I'm also looking at  what we buy and see if I can upscale humble items into melas that don't look like I spent less. It's no secret I a a dann of Aldi. I cringe after shopping at a regular store, spend nearly $100 and feel like I barely have groceries for the week. I know my dollar goes 25% if not more farther at Aldi on basics, and I find the quality of pretty much all I've bought there as good as the store brands and in some cases, better than brand names. As I try at create reserves in my pantry for if and when someone in my house gets ill, or stores shelves become sparse again, there are a few items I'll buy extras of too be sure. Some of these went into meals the last few nights. 

     Let's talk about the Aldi Tika Masala sauce. I just discovered this stuff a few weeks back. I find it hard to justify the time and energy when this ar of sauce is so easy and tasty. We like out sauce a bit thinner, so  after I empty the jar, I fill it with 1/3 of water, shake to get all the side bits, add another few heaping teaspoons of curry powder and add. The version below has a can of rinsed chick peas, a can of Aldi potatoes, quartered, 1/2 a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, and a sliced medium sized zucchini. I simmered thi all for about 20 minutes, served over rice, with Aldi bought naan mini breads. DD3 and I ate a full meal, plus she had for lunch yesterday and will today.

    Last night, and I apologize that I took the picture after we had eaten and before putting the rest aside for DH, we had doctored up spaghetti. I was planning on making the pizza bean burgers, but I had quite a day at work, and it would have involved getting the Ninja out, plus I was missing a couple ingredients. Instead, I cut up an orange bell pepper that was a day or two from being unusable, forgotten in the vegetable bin and a zucchini and steamed them. Along with a can of mushrooms, and the Aldi  basil pasta sauce, the veggies combine made a thick and rich sauce for spaghetti. 

     I never claimed to be a fancy cook, but I enjoy food with a little more than shelf flavor. This time of year when vegetables are local and abundant is the perfect time to load up in humble sauces, even if they come from a jar. Should I find inexpensive tomatoes and can cook some down and can for later use, and freeze some other  produce, we'll have a few really fresh tasting meals in late fall or winter. Those of you with gardens and your own tomatoes, and even if your ears are overrun with zucchini. I hope you are truly enjoying.