The recipes: Cheap eats

For an economical and nutritious oven meal, Paula Tsufis of Duluth suggests roasted chicken leg and thigh quarters, which she says are always a good buy compared with other protein and meat sources.

Cajun Roast Chicken Quarter

4 whole chicken legs (drumstick and thighs together)

1 onion, diced into large pieces

1-1/2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning mix (store-bought or use recipe below)

If chicken is frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator in a plastic bag to catch any drippings. Arrange chicken leg and thigh quarters and onion pieces in a baking or roasting pan. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning mix. Bake at 375 degrees for about 1 hour (or until internal temperate is 180 degrees), basting once or twice during cooking.

Yield: 4 servings.

Tsufis adapted this Cajun seasoning mix from a recipe she found on the Internet. This recipe makes just enough for the Cajun roast chicken.

Cajun Seasoning Mix

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, black pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper

Combine ingredients.

Yield: 1-1/2 tablespoons.

Tsufis created this recipe for vinaigrette coleslaw, which keeps well in the refrigerator for several days to a week. That's much longer than creamy coleslaw, making this version better for leftovers.

Tangy Red Cabbage Coleslaw

1 small head red cabbage, cored and finely shredded

2 tablespoons carrot, shredded or finely chopped

2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons vinaigrettedressing (combine 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, salt and pepper to taste)

Combine shredded cabbage, carrotand onion with dressing. Toss and serve. Store leftover coleslaw in refrigerator.

Yield: 6 servings.