The $26 Way to Cook a $200 Steak Dinner

This easy—and economical—potato dish is as tasty as a pile of french fries but doesn't require a vat of bubbling oil or a pricey french-fry cutter. You place a big, heavy cast-iron skillet (empty) in a 350-degree oven until it's so hot that when you drop quartered, skin-on red potatoes in, along with a touch of oil, they sizzle and brown on contact. After another 45 minutes in the heat, they're crunchy on the outside and soft inside.

Average cost to feed 4 people: $3.60

Get the recipe: Cast Iron-Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary and Onion Recipe