Extreme Budget, Day Sixteen - Linguine Carbonara w/Homemade Italian Bread

Another week of menu planning. I can honestly say that I appreciate those that have to make budget meals every night of the week. Unfortunately in this house, we are not fans of chopped or stewed meats and it gets difficult at this time of year to find sales on anything but those types of meats and the produce is not only expensive but not in good shape.

I have done a good job of using up mostly everything I bought these last two weeks and by Sunday, everything should be gone.

I have a turkey breast tucked away in my freezer, the freebie the stores gave out and I probably should work my menu off of that.

Tonight I am getting off easy. The Nudge requested Linguine Carbonara. Another great simple Italian masterpiece. I make mine the way I watched Jamie Oliver make his on the series where he cooked everything from his garden including the eggs his chickens laid.

I love eggs but I have a hate relationship with undercooked whites so while most will add a whole egg to the pasta and toss, I will whisk mine well and mix with the cheese and pasta water and then toss it with the pasta while it's in the hot pan where I had the bacon and drippings. This dish is inexpensive and delicious and super easy.The sauce was eggy cheesy salty creamy good and because I added a splash of cream when most Carbonaras are not.

I found this dinner roll recipe over at Cook's Illustrated and I was preparing to make them for this meal.
95% of every bread recipe I have made could be done from kneading to oven in 2-3 hours.
As usual I did not read the recipe through to the end, where it said, these need to rise for at least 6-7 hours in a cool place in your house....
WHAT?
So I froze the dough and will make it another day when I can start the night before, so recipe in a few days.

Linguine Carbonara
Serves 4
* 1/2 pound thin linguine
* 2 eggs, beaten well
* 1 tablespoon heavy cream
* 4 slices bacon, chopped
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 cup pasta cooking water
* freshly ground pepper

1. Put a gallon of salted water to boil. While the pasta cooks, saute the bacon in a large skillet.
2. Mix the eggs with the cheese and cream.
3. When the pasta is al dente, remove the pasta right into the bacon drippings. Add reserved pasta water mixed with the egg/cheese mixture and toss vigorously until all the pasta is coated. If it becomes too dry, add more reserved pasta water and continue tossing. The pasta should be totally coated and moist but not dripping (if too wet just keep tossing in hot pan for a few more minutes). Remove from pan to bowls and serve with additional grated cheese.

Cost for this meal: $ 2.34
Bacon - $ 1.80
Eggs - $ .54

Running total for 16 days:$ 56.21