WALGREENS- Tuna Balls in Tomato Sauce $5.68

So when I tell people about this entres I get wierd looks, like "that doesnt sound good at all", however, for me, tuna in tomato sauce over pasta is a very common meal in our home, and I have always liked it. Im not a huge tuna fan, and because it is loaded with protein and omega 3's, It is a great healthy option, and combined with tomato sauce, not a super big tuna taste. My sisterinlaw has been making tunaballs(like meatballs, only tuna) for years and my family loves them. I am certain she is using fresh garlic, onion, possibly carrot....so shopping at Walgreens, those ingredients wont be an option, but I am a big believer that enough flavor can be created from dried spices, infact a rub I made a few months back for salmon, with dried herbs from Walgreens, ranks as one of my favorite recipes on this blog. So I decided to give the tuna balls a try, and I cooked and served it in a tomato sauce made from items at Walgreens as well. So far this Walgreens "challenge" is going to be fun.
grocery list
2 cans tuna(regular $1.89) on sale for .69
1 egg .12
2 slices of whole wheat bread .16
1 tablespoon dried parsley .10
1 tablespoon dried minced onion .10
2 tsp garlic powder .08
1 tsp pepper .05
1 tsp red pepper flakes(optional, or more if spice wanted).05
1 tablespoon olive oil(onsale last week for $3.69) .30

set oven to 350 and place bread on cookie sheet, bake 15 minutes or until hard
remove from oven
combine all dry ingredients
put tuna, eggs, bread and dry ingredients in food processor, blender or mash with spoon or by hand, until smooth(can have a bit of a lumply comsistency, as long as it is evenly mixed)
form into balls and put in freezer for 1 hour

for sauce
1 can 14 oz diced tomatos $1.79
1 can 8 oz tomato sauce .99
1 tablespoon olive oil.30
2 tsp garlic powder .08
2 tsp dried onion .08
1 tsp salt .05
1 tsp pepper .05

heat oil and add onion and garlic powder, for 5 minutes
add tomato sauce and dinced tomato
add salt and pepper
stir and let simmer for a few hours

to cook tuna balls
heat oil in skillet on medium heat
cook tuna balls on each side for 5 minutes until slightly browned
place in sauce for 30 minutes on low

serve in sauce, if desireable, pasta of choice(if served with pasta, double the ingredients for the sauce)

This recipe made 8 medium size meatballs, we ate them without pasta, just with sauce, and they were thoroughly enjoyed by all. If a fuller meal is desired, cook up a pound of pasta, there is certainly enough sauce for that. The cost even for that would bring the meal cost up to $7.68. Just $1.42 per person, for a healthy nice meal.