Adult Eats - Pretty Penne Ham Skillet

I had a mental shift recently. The whole adulting thing is hitting me pretty hard, and although nutrition will always be a concern to me, cost has become a much larger factor in my decision-making a the grocery store. That means shopping at cheaper stores, using coupons, and eating in a whole lot more. 

It also means I'm less likely to choose recipes with fancy ingredients I don't have, and more likely to just use what I've got in the pantry. This may be why I have been blogging a lot less - because my meals are so run of the mill and don't always seem worth sharing. But I have an ever-growing pile of recipes that I have carefully annotated.When that pile gets too large, I find myself wanting preserve all that work so I can continue to make my cooking better.

Ironically, my grocery bill is 1/3 to 1/2 of what it used to be since I started being more budget conscious, but my restaurant spending is right in line with the typical millenial. According to one source (http://www.eater.com/2015/6/5/8737197/millennials-spend-more-money-dining-out-than-non-millennials), the average millenial spends $174/month on eating out at restaurants. I clocked in at $168 last month. I guess I have more work to do...

Ingredients
1/2 package (16 ounces) penne pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
2.5 cups cubed fully cooked ham
1 large sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add ham, red pepper and onion; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until ham is browned and vegetables are tender. Add garlic and herbs; cook 1-2 minutes longer.

2. Stir in broth and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Add pasta; toss to combine. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

Allergens: wheat, soy (chicken broth), milk

Nutrition (1/6 recipe, no cheese): 390 calories, 16 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 33 mg cholesterol, 903 mg sodium, 500 mg potassium, 42 g carbohydrate, 5.5 g fiber, 3.5 g sugar, 17 g protein, 6% vitamin C, 0% vitamin A, 14% iron, 3% calcium, 9% vitamin B-12, 11% vitamin B-6, 20% niacin, 10% riboflavin, 33% thiamin, 14% selenium, 17% phosphorous

Cost (1/6 recipe, no cheese): $1.63

Adapted from: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pretty-penne-ham-skillet/print#