Some of the world's best recipes were born from frugality--a need to stretch ingredients or use up odds and ends (think bread pudding, fried rice, and stuffed cabbage). Got a half loaf of slightly stale bread? That's not filler for the compost bin, that's the start of a hearty main-dish salad! You might enjoy this twist on the original from Fresh Seasonal Recipes--our cookbook from The Happy Kitchen, with nutrition info and meal planning tools including cost per serving. That's frugal anddelicious!

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Panzanella Salad

• 4 c rustic whole wheat bread (cut or torn into 1" pieces)
• 1/4 c + 3 T olive oil, divided
• 3 c winter squash (butternut, red kuri, etc in season now), peeled and cut into 1" cubes
• 1 c cooked black-eyed peas
• 1/2 c fresh basil, chopped
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
• 1 T honey
• salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Drizzle 2 T of oil over bread and toss to coat. Spread bread pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5-10 minutes until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool.

Place cubes of butternut squash in baking dish. Drizzle 1 T oil over squash and toss to coat. Roast squash for about 15 minutes, until cooked through and slightly browned on edges.

Combine vinegar and honey in a small bowl; whisk in 1/4 c olive oil. Combine toasted bread, squash, black eyed peas, and basil in a large bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Salad is best if allowed to stand for about 30 minutes before serving.