Check out Money Smarts for the full recipe here.
Who said you couldn’t cook mouth-watering meals without spending all your money? Chef Amy Power of Fed & Frugal highlights key ingredients to cooking healthy and delicious meals while saving time and money. And the best part, she makes it easy for everyone.
This week, Amy showcases her marvelous meatball and polenta recipe which she describes as a “warm hug from your grandmother…the ultimate comfort food.” Before she became a professional chef, Amy would make meatballs for her friends who came over for dinner. A great way to save money while cooking this meal is to buy in bulk, cook extra and throw some in the freezer for those rainy days you don’t feel like cooking. 
Amy starts her meatball meal by chopping up herbs and onions that will go in the meat. She chops extra onions while she’s at it to store and use later in the week to save time for other meals. She also confits her garlic—cooks over a low heat in oil to preserve—to save more time in the kitchen later. Amy says, “Meal prep saves money because you can buy ingredients, in advance, on sale and in bulk.” Also, “If you keep a well-stocked pantry, every meal becomes more cost effective.”
Back to the meal: She sautés her onions and olive oil for the meatballs. After she uses the same pan to cook the polenta, uses chicken stock, brings it up to a simmer, stirs consistently and adds in red sauce. Kale, or any other leafy green, can be sautéed on the side with the garlic sauce that was preserved. She adds Mascarpone to the polenta to give it that creamy feel and taste. Now it’s time to assemble the meatballs. Note: using your hands instead of utensils to mix everything in will save you more money! Watch #Fed&Frugal and make your way into the kitchen to cook this delicious meal!

If making or using garlic confit, make sure to keep it refrigerated after preparing and use within 7 days. (See this USDA article for more)