Cheaper versions of Bolognese

Here we are, heading towards the end of the week and the purse is empty, but the family still need feeding.    I have about 150g of minced beef leftover from a larger pack which I double wrapped in cling film and froze for future use.  So  It is time to rummage around in the fridge and see what I can come up with to go with it.  I have some leftover sausages, onion, & mushrooms.  The sausages would have made a wonderful sandwich for lunchtime, but I need them for dinner so I shall have to resist.  I also have some store cupboard items which I can put to it to make a tasty, nutritious meal for the family.  So I used ...

• Approx 150g minced beef
• 4 pork sausages - cooked and sliced
• A small handful of lentils
• 1 onion
• 3 or 4 mushrooms 
• 1 clove of garlic
• Can of tomatoes
• Splash of worcester sauce
• Tomato ketchup
• lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of flour

You can alter the amounts to suit your requirements and what you have available.  If you don't have sausage but do have a rasher of bacon, feel free to substitute it, or anything else for that matter.

1. Put the lentils into a pan of cold water and put on the hob to boil.  Keep an eye on the pan as it boils over very quickly and leaves a nasty looking mess on the hob.  Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down to simmer, and cook the lentils until they lose their hard, dome shaped appearance and look fluffy round the edges.
2. Peel and dice the onion
3. Peel and crush the garlic
4. chop the mushrooms
5. Put a fairly large pan on the stove and let it heat up, then add the minced beef, ensuring that the strands are separated so that you don't have clumps of meat.  Keep the meat moving in the pan until it is all browned.  
6. Add onions, mushrooms, sausage and garlic. Stir until they are all mixed together well. Then let the meat keep browning.  I find that the longer the meat browns, the better the flavour.
7. When the meat is sufficiently browned sprinkle over a tablespoon of flour and stir it in.  Keep the pan on the heat,and keep stirring the contents for about a minute, to allow the flour to cook.  
8. Add chopped tomatoes, drained lentils and about 150mls of cold water.  Stir the mixture and which will start to thicken.  Add more water until it reaches the consistency you prefer.
9. Add a good splash of worcester sauce, a tablespoon of ketchup, a splash of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of mixed herbs to the mixture and stir well.
10. Bring back to the boil, then turn the heat down and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes and you have a cheaper version of Bolognese Sauce.

If you have no meat available this is just as good using lentils alone.  Use more than you would add to meat but prepare them in the same way.  Prepare your vegetables in the same way but use a little oil to cook the onions, mushrooms etc before going onto step 7.

Prepare your pasta according to the instructions on the packet.