School is back in session at last - time for our annual spotlight on quick, weeknight dinners. This year, though, it's not just less-flexible schedules and fuller calendars that stand between the family cook and the evening meal. It's the economy.

With double-digit price increases for some staples and vastly higher prices at the gas pump, most of us are feeling a financial pinch as well as a time squeeze. And that limits our options. Frequent trips to the drive-through or phone orders for takeout food that might have been routine a year ago may not seem justifiable any longer. Neither may high-end frozen or store-prepped entrees.

That set me to thinking about one of the all-time great budget stretchers: ground meat. From picadillo to chili-mac, sloppy joes to stuffed cabbage, cooks around the world have long known how to turn a pound of ground meat into a tasty main dish. And by its quick-cooking nature, ground meat is a time-pressed cook's friend.

But even a "pound of ground" isn't super-cheap anymore, especially if you choose more healthful low-fat varieties. Ninety-percent lean ground beef (12 fats grams, 200 calories per 4-ounce serving) is $4.49 a pound at my supermarket. Ground chicken breast is $4.89.

Lean ground turkey (8 fat grams, 170 calories) - especially good with Asian flavors - is a relative bargain at $3.35. (Ground pork is versatile, and the price was right at $2.59, but there was no package information about fat content so I passed.)

It's always a good idea to stock up and freeze extra when your favorite ground meats go on sale. And here's another winning strategy: stretch a half-pound into a four-serving entree.

It's easier than you might think, as evidenced by the half-dozen family-pleasing recipes we've rounded up. In each case, vegetables, beans or grains make up the difference. It's an approach you can apply to your own ground-meat favorites. Figure -½ cup filler to replace -½ pound cooked, crumbled meat. Lentils - quick-cooking and small enough to blend in - are one great choice. So is cooked bulgar or cracked wheat.

The bonus, of course, is that the substitutions make the dishes more nutritious. Most important at my house, the resident carnivores ate them up.

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NO RECIPES REQUIRED

Bow-Tie Bolognese: Saute 8 ounces lean ground beef or pork with 1 cup finely chopped carrot, 1 cup finely chopped zucchini, ½ cup finely chopped onion and 1 minced garlic clove until carrots are soft, about 10 minutes. Combine with 8 ounces cooked bow-tie pasta (or another shape) and 1 (26- to 30-ounce) jar marinara sauce. Heat through, and serve with grated Parmesan on the side. Makes 4 servings. (Adapted from "Better Homes & Gardens' Healthy Family Cookbook.")

Mexican Pizzas: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Brown 8 ounces lean ground beef or pork, stirring to crumble. Add 1 drained (15-ounce) can red or black beans; mash slightly with a fork. Stir in 1 (16-ounce) jar salsa. Spread the mixture over the tortillas, and sprinkle each with a little Cheddar and/or Monterey Jack cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and pizzas are hot, about 10 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Taco Mountain: Brown and crumble 8 ounces lean ground turkey or beef; stir in ½ to 1 (1-ounce) packet reduced-sodium taco seasoning and 1 drained (15-ounce) can red or black beans. Spread 1 (9-ounce) bag tortilla chips on a large serving platter. Spoon meat mixture evenly over chips. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese. Pour on 1 (16-ounce) jar salsa. Top with several cups shredded lettuce. Makes 4 to 6 servings. (Adapted from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.)

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PLAYING THE GROCERY GAME

I was intrigued by an online resource, TheGroceryGame.com, mentioned in a story we ran about saving money at the supermarket. The writer was enthused, so I signed up. Two months later, I've more than gotten my money's worth ($1 for a four-week trial, then $10 every eight weeks).

Here's how it works: The site tracks sale items - advertised and not - at your supermarket. (I could choose Publix, Winn-Dixie or Wal-Mart; you can pay extra for information on more than one store.)

It also tracks coupons in the Sunday newspaper, and generates a weekly shopping list of the best buys - a two-for-one deal on paper towels, for example, on which you can save another $1 by using the coupon that ran three weeks ago. (You quickly learn to save and date those sheafs of coupons.)

There are seldom more than a dozen things I want on the 50- to 75-item list, but the savings have been substantial: More than $80 on my best week and never less than $30.

Here's the caveat: That's the amount I saved over the regular price of the items purchased. For the first several weeks, my total bill stayed around the usual $200.

That's because the list pushes you to stock up on staples when the price is right. Now that I'm using those pantry purchases, my weekly bill is averaging $170 to $180 - a 10 to 15 percent savings at a time when grocery prices are going up.

And though it takes an extra 30 minutes or so to plan my shopping, I get a kick out seeing how much I can save each week. No wonder they call it The Grocery Game.

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WHEN THEY'RE ON SALE

It's worth pouncing when you see a great deal on a premium, quick-cooking cut. Here are delicious ideas for three favorites:

CHICKEN CUTLETS

These thin slices of breast meat are usually close to $6 a pound. I got them on sale for $3.79 and won raves with this riff on an Everyday Food magazine recipe:

Line a sheet pan with foil and spray it with cooking oil.

Heat the broiler (make sure first that an oven rack is about 6 inches from it).

Blot the cutlets dry with paper towels.

Mix about 3 tablespoons soft cheese (I used 2 Laughing Cow wedges) with a minced garlic clove, pepper and, if you have any, fresh parsley and/or chives. (Or use herb-flavored Boursin or cream cheese.)

Spread the cheese mixture on one side of each cutlet, almost to the edge.

Roll each cutlet up tightly, jelly-roll fashion, starting from a short end; secure any large ones with a wooden toothpick.

Place the cutlets seam-side down on the baking sheet and spray them with cooking oil.

Broil about 10 minutes, until lightly brown on top and firm to the touch.

PORK TENDERLOIN

I got a four-pack of tenderloins for under $4 a pound a Costco, marinated and froze three (see below) and fixed one for dinner using my favorite, fool-proof method:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. (A lighter pan won't work.)

Prep the pork, removing the membrane (silver skin) and any fat with a sharp knife. Fold the tapered end back over the tenderloin and tie it with kitchen string for uniform thickness. Dry it with paper towels.

Grease the hot skillet lightly.

Brown the pork on one side for about 3 minutes (don't move it around in the pan).

Turn the tenderloin over and put the skillet in the hot oven.

Remove the meat after 20 minutes and check for doneness: 145 degrees on an instant-read thermometer or a firm feeling when you poke the meat with a finger.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board and make a simple, "au jus"-style sauce: Put the skillet on high heat and deglaze it with wine, fruit juice and/or broth, scraping up the browned bits with a spatula or wooden spoon. If the meat was marinated, add the leftover marinade, too, and boil it for a few minutes to kill any germs.

FLANK STEAK

Usually about $7 a pound, this is another fast-cooking cut worth grabbing on sale or at the warehouse store. It's great on the grill, under the broiler or in a cast-iron skillet as described above (reduce oven time to 10-15 minutes).

Our tip is about prepping, not cooking: Add marinade to the freezer bag along with flank steak - or chicken breasts or pork tenderloins. It will marinate as it freezes and defrosts, and be ready to cook as soon as it's thawed.

I came across the idea (applied to meats for stir-fries) in "Can I Freeze It? How to Use the Most Versatile Appliance in Your Kitchen" by Susie Theodorou (Morrow, 2007). Here are a few favorite marinades (enough for 1 to 1-½ pounds meat):

Mediterranean: ¼ cup lemon juice, ¼ cup olive oil, 3 rosemary or thyme sprigs, 2 minced garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon coarse-ground pepper (from "Can I Freeze It?").

Hoisin-Mustard: ¼ cup hoisin sauce, 3 tablespoons Dijon or other mustard, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons minced garlic and/or fresh ginger.

Mojo Criollo: Buy your favorite bottled brand and use ½ cup per pound of meat.

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1 pound ground meat - 2 delicious dishes:

NO-BAKE TAMALE PIE

Cutting back on meat usually means cutting calories, and diet cookbooks proved a great recipe source. This one-dish dinner is adapted from Good Housekeeping's excellent "Supermarket Diet Cookbook," which is full of healthful, creative and fairly easy dishes. Here, a quick saute gives bland, precooked polenta a lovely toasted corn flavor. You can have this on the table in 30 minutes - 15 if you cook and refrigerate the meat mixture in the morning.

4 teaspoons canola oil, divided

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 ounces lean ground pork or beef

1 (15-ounce) can red or black beans, rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 (16-ounce) jar medium-hot salsa (preferably low-sodium)

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 (16-ounce) log cooked polenta, cut crosswise into 8 slices

¼ chopped cilantro (optional)

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high. Saute the onion a few minutes, until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook half a minute. Stir in the ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, chili powder and cumin, and turn down the heat a bit.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in another skillet over medium-high. When hot, add the polenta. Saute until golden and heated through, turning once, about 5 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, stir the salsa and corn into the meat mixture, and simmer about 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Serve in the pan or a deep-dish pie plate with the polenta slices arranged on top. Makes 4 servings.

Source: Adapted from "The Supermarket Diet Cookbook" by Janis Jibrin and Susan Westmoreland (Hearst, 2006).

Per serving: 611 calories (24 percent from fat), 16 g fat (4.5 g saturated, 7 g monounsaturated), 39 mg cholesterol, 28 g protein, 88 g carbohydrates, 16 g fiber, 381 mg sodium.

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LOADED TWICE-BAKED POTATOES

The microwave isn't my favorite way to bake potatoes, but these are delicious. They can be stuffed up to two days ahead and refrigerated. (Increase final microwave time by a couple of minutes.) If your kids balk at broccoli, chop it finely in the food processor before cooking and they probably won't notice it. You don't want super-big potatoes here - 6 to 8 ounces each is about right.

4 medium russet potatoes

8 ounces lean ground beef

1 cup frozen chopped broccoli

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon fresh-ground pepper

1 cup reduced-fat grated Cheddar cheese

½ cup reduced-fat sour cream

3 scallions, sliced

Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork and microwave at 50 percent power for 20 minutes, turning once, or until tender.

Meanwhile, cook the meat in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling it, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in the frozen broccoli and cook, stirring a few times, until it's tender and its liquid has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper and set aside.

Carefully cut the top third off of the potatoes (save for another use). Scoop the insides into a large bowl, and place the potato shells in a small baking dish. Add ½ Cheddar and the sour cream to the bowl with the potato insides and mash well. Stir in the scallions and the meat mixture.

Divide the mixture among the potato shells, and top with the remaining ½ cup Cheddar. Microwave on high until the filling is hot and the cheese melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Source: Adapted from "Eating Well Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook" by Jim Romanoff (Countryman Press, 2006).

Per serving: 366 calories (30 percent from fat), 12 g fat ( 6 g saturated, 4 g monounsaturated), 54 mg cholesterol, 24 g protein, 41 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 535 mg sodium.

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ASIAN TURKEY WRAPS

Thrifty cooking is a mainstay of service magazines like Better Homes & Gardens. We adapted this yummy recipe from BGH's "Healthy Family Cookbook" (Meredith, 1995). If mushrooms are an issue at your house, mince them in the food processor before cooking.

8 (8-inch) flour tortillas (preferably whole grain)

Cooking oil spray

8 ounces lean ground turkey, chicken or pork

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (jarred is fine)

1-½ cups shredded carrot (3 medium carrots)

2 cups shredded cabbage (or packaged coleslaw mix)

½ pound sliced baby bella or white mushrooms

4 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 or 3 tablespoons bottled plum sauce

 

Wrap tortillas tightly in foil and place in a 350-degree oven (or toaster oven) to warm and soften.

Meanwhile, spray a large nonstick skillet with oil and cook the turkey and ginger over medium-high heat, stirring to crumble the meat, until it's no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in the carrot, cabbage and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have soften and the mushroom liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onion and soy and hoisin sauces, mixing well. Remove from heat.

Place the warm burritos on a work surface; brush with plum sauce. Divide the turkey mixture among them. Fold in 2 sides on each and roll up burrito-style. Makes 4 servings (2 wraps each).

Per serving: 463 calories, (22 percent from fat), 12 g fat (2 g saturated, 4.75 g monounsaturated), 45 mg cholesterol, 22 g protein, 69 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 909 mg sodium.

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SHORTCUT COTTAGE PIE

When I see Simply Potatoes on sale, I stock up. Their nutrition profile is pretty good, and they taste almost like homemade. The mashed potatoes cut prep time significantly in this comfort favorite, adapted from a fine old cookbook, "The Best of Family Circle" (Family Circle, 1985). It can be assembled in about 20 minutes and refrigerated, covered, up to 24 hours before baking.

Cooking oil spray

2 cups finely chopped onion (frozen is fine)

1 to 1-½ cups finely chopped carrots (2 large)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (or -½ teaspoon each dried sage and thyme)

½ pound lean ground beef or turkey

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup low-sodium beef broth

1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas

1 (24-ounce) package refrigerated mashed potatoes

2 eggs, beaten

 

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a nonstick skillet with oil and place over medium heat. Saute the onion and carrot 5 minutes, until onion is soft. Stir in the garlic and seasoning; cook another minute, until fragrant. Add the ground meat and cook, stirring often, until crumbled and no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle on the flour, and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Stir in the tomato paste and broth; cook, stirring, a few minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in the peas and transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish.

Put the potatoes in a bowl (or, to minimize dirty dishes, the skillet). Use a fork to beat in the eggs, mixing well. Spoon onto the meat mixture and spread evenly, making sure the potatoes touch all sides of the pan. Bake 45 minutes, until the top is puffed and lightly browned. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Per serving: 288 calories (28 percent from fat), 9 g fat (3.5 g saturated, 4 g monounsaturated), 99 mg cholesterol, 16 g protein, 30 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 648 mg sodium.

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HOPPED UP HOPPIN' JOHN

You could use another ground meat, but sausage (and cayenne) add zing to this variation on a Southern standard, another winner adapted from Better Homes and Gardens' "Healthy Family Cookbook" (Meredith, 1995). Long-grain or parboiled white rice works, too; adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Cooking oil spray

8 ounces lean, ground, Italian-style turkey sausage (preferably hot)

2 (10-ounce) bags frozen seasoning blend (chopped onion, bell pepper and celery)

2 medium carrots, chopped (1 cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled

½ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

1 (14- to 16-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained

1/8 to ¼ teaspoon cayenne

1 cup quick-cooking brown rice

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water

 

Spray a 4-quart pan with oil and heat over medium. Add the sausage, seasoning blend and carrots. Cook, stirring often, 5 to 10 minutes, until sausage is crumbled and no longer pink, vegetables have softened and liquid has evaporated. Sprinkle on the garlic, rosemary and thyme and cook, stirring, about a minute, until fragrant.

Stir in the black-eyed peas, cayenne, rice and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, about 10 minutes, until rice is done. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 453 calories (14 percent from fat), 7 g fat (2 g saturated, 2 g monounsaturated), 45 mg cholesterol, 25 g protein, 74 g carbohydrates, 12 g fiber, 119 mg sodium.

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GREEK MEAT AND SPINACH CASSEROLE (Easy Pastitsio)

 

The rich, creamy-tasting topping and flavorful filling are true to the Greek original, but with a lot less meat (and cheese) and the attendant fat and calories. The best tool I've found for squeezing out frozen spinach is a potato ricer. (The liquid makes a nutritious addition to soup.) Make and refrigerate the filling ahead of time, and you'll need just a few minutes to fix the topping and get this into the oven.

Cooking oil spray

½ pound lean ground beef

2 medium onions, chopped

1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 (14-½-ounce) can diced tomatoes

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup whole-grain elbow macaroni or ziti, cooked and drained

1 (12-ounce) can fat-free evaporated milk

2 large eggs

2 egg whites

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with oil.

Spray a nonstick skillet with oil and heat over medium. Cook the meat and onions, stirring to crumble the beef, until it's no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach, tomatoes, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper; heat through. Transfer to the baking dish.

In a saucepan, heat the milk over medium-high until steaming but not boiling. Whisk together the eggs and egg whites, then slowly whisk them into the hot milk until blended and frothy. Pour over the beef mixture, sprinkle with cheese and bake about 45 minutes, until golden. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: Adapted from "Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook" (Wiley, 2006).

Per serving: 261 calories (36 percent from fat), 10.5 g fat (4.5 g saturated, 4 g monounsaturated), 107 mg cholesterol, 20 g protein, 22 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 368 mg sodium.