Alpine Meatball Casserole Dinner for $9.10

It's time for the return of Got $10? Make a Meal!. I recently had a recipe comment that stated ground beef in the poster's area was $5.00 a pound. That's just terrible! I just got back from the store, and ground beef is $1.98 a pound on sale. So that's what I'm using to calculate the costs of this recipe.

Rice is always a good, inexpensive filler ingredient, and everybody likes it. You can use brown rice instead of white in this easy recipe to add more vitamins and fiber. Serve this casserole with a green salad made with canned mandarin oranges.

To fit into the $10 meals for four people, freeze half of the casserole before you bake it (instant dinner later in the month!) and cut the salad recipe in half. We then have a couple of dollars left over for dessert:

Alpine Meatball Dinner for $9.10

• Alpine Meatball Casserole
  I love the flavor and texture of these easy meatballs. The rice and smooth, cheesy sauce is perfect. Cost for four people: $4.59
• Pecan Mandarin Orange Salad
  Make half of this delicious salad for a bright and sweet, crisp and cool complement to the rich meatball casserole. Cost for four people: $3.72
• Brown Sugar Shortbread
  You can serve these cookies plain, or dip them in melted chocolate before serving, or serve with some ice cream. Yum. Cost for four people: $.79