Shaw's Bargain Meal week of 6/3-6/9

There's lots of barbecue items on a three day sale (through July 5)- some highlights include 1.49/lb boneless spare ribs and 1.99/lb chicken. Some other goodies include 3.99 whole seedless watermelon, 1.49/lb cherries, and .99 for a package of white mushrooms. Corn on the cob is 10 for 1.99 again this week, and ground beef is 1.59/lb (part of the 3 day sale- with a $1 off 3 lbs or more coupon making it about 1.26/lb )- making hamburgers on the grill and corn practically a no-brainer for this week. But what if you've had enough of barbecue? Put that extra ground beef and those ears of corn to work... try a goulash, chili, or taco soup. (Cajun-style Corn Soup looks good..) Bell peppers at .99/lb, yellow onions at .99 for a 2 lb bag, and Hunt's tomato sauce at 10 for $10 (or Spike's Santa Fe Salsa, also 10 for $10) will work in most of these recipes, too.

No-Brainer Chili

1 lb ground beef (1.26) (I actually usually use turkey)
1 chopped onion (about .20)
1 can beans including liquid (kidney, pinto, or black- I usually find them for about .75 a can)
1 jar salsa (1.00)
1 can diced tomatoes (often on sale for about .50)
1 chopped bell pepper ( about .50)
2 ears corn, kernels cut off (.39)
hot sauce and black pepper to taste (.05)
1 large tortilla ( I got some from a bulk food store for .50/20 frozen tortillas... so about .025)

In a large saucepan, brown 1 lb. ground beef over medium heat- when it is almost completely cooked (still a little pink) drain off the fat. Saute with the onion until the onion is clear. Then dump the beans, salsa, and tomatoes in with the meat, and turn the heat to low. Let it simmer for 10-20 minutes or so (the longer it cooks over low heat, the better it tastes). Then add the peppers and corn and cook for a little while longer. Add hot sauce and pepper until you like the flavor.

I like adding the peppers last so they don't turn into mush, and are still crispy and green. Sometimes I serve chili over brown rice, but I also like to make my own tortilla crisps and use them to dip in the chili. I tear up a big tortilla and bake them at 400 degrees in the toaster for a few minutes. You can top chili with cheese- or sour cream (I use plain yogurt and no one knows the difference.) Total cost: About $4.18.