Share YOUR recipes at
Colette & Cassi's Country Kitchen!

Marinara sauce: More than just spaghetti
I may be a coupon shopper, but I'm also picky. Not just about brand but also about whether the item is on sale. That means I hold onto a coupon until the item comes on sale. When it does, I'm nearly guaranteed a bargain. Take marinara sauce (aka spaghetti sauce), for example: A 24-ounce jar that retails for $3.29 goes on sale, two for $4. I've been harboring a 75-cent coupon for that particular brand, like Classico or Ragu. I buy one jar for $2; the store doubles my 75-cent coupon, subtracting $1.50, with a final net price of just 50 cents. Not bad! Actually, this kind of sale happens all the time, resulting in a lot of spaghetti sauce in my grocery stockpile. So, what to do with all the sauce? Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce is always an option, but that gets old. If you've got plenty of sauce on hand (as I always do) consider these other options.

UPSIDE-DOWN MINI PIZZAS

4 plain bagels, halved
24 slices pepperoni
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup marinara sauce

Top each bagel half with 3 slices pepperoni followed by 1 tablespoon shredded cheese on top. Cover the cheese with 1 tablespoon sauce (assembling the pizza with the sauce on top is the secret to keeping these mini pizzas from getting soggy). Place bagels on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with no-stick cooking spray. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bagel is golden brown.

Yield: 8 mini pizzas