AS costs spiral, staying in with friends is the new going out.
Having pals over for dinner is a cheap alternative to a restaurant — as long as you plan the menu carefully.
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Here’s an easy three courses that won’t break the bank . . .
VEGGY DOES IT: Asparagus is a great little starter dish and just about to come into season, making it more abundant and easier to buy.
You can also get frozen packs for £1.35 from Morrisons.
Simply wrap three or four spears in a bundle with a little prosciutto ham (Tesco sells six slices for £1.39).
Drizzle in oil with a pinch of salt and bake until the asparagus is soft and slightly charred.
POSH PASTA: Switching to a slightly less common variety of pasta is a cheat way of giving classic recipes a novel twist.
Tomato and chilli linguine is the type of dish you’d expect to see in a restaurant.
But it is cheap and easy to make at home.
Most read in Money
Fry a couple of cloves of garlic and chopped red chilli or chilli flakes in oil for a couple of minutes then stir in a tin of chopped tomatoes.
A 500g pack of linguine is 95p from Tesco.
Boil as much as needed until cooked and mix with the sauce.
Prawns make for the perfect addition if you want to splash out and add an extra ingredient.
A 150g pack of cooked cold-water prawns is £1.99 at Tesco.
Just stir through the sauce until warm.
CHOCOLATE POT DESSERT: Impressive and so simple to make, this pud is all done ahead of time.
Just grab it from the fridge when you are ready to serve.
You need 120ml double cream, 120ml whole milk, 175g dark chocolate and an egg.
Break up the chocolate and melt in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
Pour the milk and cream into a pan and heat gently.
Add in the melted chocolate until you have a smooth mixture.
Take off the heat and leave to stand before beating in the egg.
Pour equal amounts into four ramekins, espresso cups or glasses — whatever you have available — and leave to set for a couple of hours.
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