Good Eats on $45 a Week (Really!)

There are few dishes that demonstrate how delicious, inexpensive cuts of meat can be better than pricey cuts in a classic beef stew. First, you quickly brown cubes of chuck on the stove, then slide the dish into an oven for a few hours. You don't even need stock, since water does the trick, turning the beef tender enough that you don't even need a knife. The other well-known players in this homey meal: peas, carrots and potatoes. Stir in a spoonful of vinegar at the end of cooking, if you have it; it makes the entire dish taste brighter and fresher.

Get the recipe: Beef Stew