foodperson.com

With the economy on everyone’s mind, and food a key component of spending, National Public Radio announced today a contest, “How Low Can You Go? The contest asks listeners to send in their recipe for a meal for four people that would cost less than $10, with “[b]onus points for dishes that seem more expensive.”

The instructions (at the link above) imply that they’re looking for a dish, not a whole soup-to-nuts meal, for under $10. Should be easy.

I’m thinking about entering. The deadline is May 1. I cook lots of inexpensive meals, but I’m not sure they seem expensive except, perhaps, if I use organic ingredients. Here are ideas that jump to mind:

• Souffle. Seems fancy, though not expensive. I could even use local pastured eggs.
• Some kind of bean or lentil dish or pasta. I love beans and lentils and pasta, and they’re all cheap. Maybe I’ll send in one of those. Or rice. Hmm.
• Salad. On the other hand, it is spring, and that means lots of greens at a low price. I could add asparagus or nuts or berries or both to add to the possible bonus points.
• Soup. As you know, I love soup. Heck, I could probably do soup and salad.

How about you? Are you going to enter? If you were going to enter, what would you send? What would you consider a dish that seems expensive? Hey, maybe if you have great ideas, I’ll compile them in a post for Homecooking Revival. Let me hear from you!