[Scotttheking]

I cooked dinner last night for myself and some friends (7 people total).
It cost about $26 for everything (very simple meal), and when leftovers were taken into account, it was $3 each. Make large portions and freeze lots of it, it lets you have healthy food quickly.
3 pounds of spaghetti ($3).
6 jars of Barilla spaghetti sauce ($12).
1.2 pounds of ground beef (about $8).
Misc veggies ($2-$3).

[Stradlater]

Scott: better yet, buy cans of diced tomatoes (cheaper) and make your own sauce (better-tasting).

SIMPLE SAUCE:
1. Chop up veggies you want in the sauce, any or many or all (if you dare) of the following work well:
- Garlic, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, mushrooms.

2. Saucepan + heat + olive oil + veggies. Medium heat to soften (even brown, if you like; just don't stir as often so it has a chance to) and shrink (especially the mushrooms) over the next 5-10 minutes, but try not to burn (read: blacken, impossible to clean). You can also brown meat here if making a meat sauce.
- NOTE: Veggies go in now, not later. Onions just don't soften the same way in an acidic tomato environment.

3. Add the herbs and then the liquid(s).
- Lots of herb choices; I like thyme, oregano, maybe a bay leaf.
- Liquid: Either jam in the diced tomatoes right away, or first deglase your pan with wine or vinegar and scrape up the brown bits.

4. That's it. Let cook (simmer) awhile and reduce, serve when ready.

optional 5. You can, if you like, mash it with a potato masher or (for even more consistency), blend it.