Eating on the Cheap?

Tough economic times. Making hard choices. How many times in the last few weeks have we heard those phrases? And now fast food joints are trying to tell us that they have the answer to feeding our families.

In a recent ad (you'll have to Google it yourself...I don't want to give them the courtesy of a link), KFC says it can feed a family of four for $10, calling it "The $10 Challenge." Leaving aside the arguments about the real cost of the food they serve, not to mention its questionable nutritional value, health consequences, etc., is this the only choice that Americans have for feeding their families?

And is this a challenge that GoodStuffNW-erners are going to take lying down? I think not! So right here, right now, we're going to take on corporate fast food and show them how to eat well on a budget. You can read this article outlining the issues with some recipes to give you a start. And you've got the split pea soup recipe below (which, by the way, fed five last night with enough left over for at least another meal).

E-mail your favorite under-$10 recipes with costs included by Wednesday, Dec. 31. My top ten picks will be published weekly starting in mid-January in a series called 10 Under $10. Remember, it has to feed a family of four and should be more or less nutritionally balanced. And you can assume that most pantries contain small amounts of flour, oil, herbs and spices, soy sauce, vinegars, salt and so on (larger amounts will have to be figured into the cost). Extra points will be given for creativity and, naturally, great taste!