The Food Nerds

Melissa d’Arabia was the season five (August 2009) winner of the Food Network’s The Next Food Network Star and many suspect her win could be attributed not only to her talent in the kitchen, but to the way she embodies family home cooking in an economical time when staying in is more common than going out.As with all Network Star winners, the channel gave her a show of her own, and in her Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d’Arabian she “pairs her varied culinary and life experiences to provide food lifestyle solutions and approachable recipes for all stages of life,” according to the network.Staying true to her show’s title, she offers tips such as:

• Eggs are a great protein to serve when you’re having a crowd because they’re so inexpensive. You can get them as cheap as eight cents per egg. Even if they’re not on sale and you’re getting the fancier, more expensive eggs, they’re still about 15 cents. So you’re getting a lot of protein for not a lot of money. Deviled eggs are a really filling, downright cheap appetizer perfect for entertaining.
• Beans are a great go-to ingredient for entertaining. They’re full of fiber and protein, they’re tasty, inexpensive and they fill guests up. You can buy beans canned but try to use dried (which can be up to 80 percent less expensive). Save time by cooking up a large batch of beans, portioning them out for your specific recipe need and then freezing the rest. One cup of cooked beans costs only about 22 cents.

If you want more tips and tricks you may want to tune in on Sunday afternoons at 12:30pm to see what she might offer up to save you time and money in your own kitchen!