As you've probably guessed by now, I'm a big fan of home cooking. That's not to say that I don't enjoy a good meal out once in a while, or that I can't appreciate the convenience of the occasional microwave dinner, but chances are if I can make it from scratch, I will. And this isn't just a matter of pride -- it's a matter of health. This week I'm going to let you in on the wonderful world of FOOD ADDITIVES, and I'm not talking vitamins or artificial flavoring. I'm talking the chemicals you often find in processed foods that are no good for you.

Let's take a look at some of the nasty little things they're putting in our food:

MonoSodium Glutamate (MSG): You all know about this stuff, as in -- "I'll have the Chow Mein, but hold the MSG, please." But what harm does this stuff do besides leaving your head feeling like the world globe at Epcot? According to a noted author and neurosurgeon, Dr. Russell Blaylock, it seems that MSG and artificial sweeteners cause "excitotoxic" damage, which is to say, they kill sensitive neurons. Doesn't sound bad enough to you? Consider this: this kind of neuron death is a contributing cause to sudden cardiac death. Think avoiding the takeout from Golden Palace is enough to keep the MSG out of your system? Think again -- MSG can be found in everything from diet drinks to hot dogs to dressings and chips.

I read a ton of advice on how to save money in the kitchen, and most of the advice comes from the very areas that make us spend more money!

I mean really, an appliance company telling us to buy a freezer so we can save money buying bulk, or, the mailed coupons that tell us that we can save 50 cents on a box of cereal, or with this coupon code, we can buy 10 boxes and save $5!

That's great, assuming I have any use for those 10 boxes, but most of the time... well, let's just take a look at some of the more practical things this old chef does to save.

In my last blog, I introduced you to the Chef Louie Dinner Party with my quick and customizable recipe for some rockin' ravioli. This week, we're continuing the party with my "quick" and easy sauce, as promised. I also have a great recipe for you to finish off the festivities: dessert ravioli!

First up, the sauce. This is a pretty basic tomato-based sauce that can be used for any kind of pasta, so bookmark this blog! You're going to want to come back to this one later.

To begin your sauce, you will need your aromatics: a stalk of celery, an onion, and a carrot, all finely minced. Once they're prepped, pop those babies into a high-sided fry pan over medium-high heat with a shot of olive oil, and let them cook until they soften (about 8 minutes). While that is cooking, chop up six tomatoes, being careful not to lose any juice. Once the aromatics are softened, add the tomatoes into the pan. Next, pour a nice glass of wine (about a cup and a half) for the sauce -- and one for yourself (I leave the measurement up to you on that one!). Cook another five minutes, then lower the heat to warm, and pop some minced garlic and Italian seasoning in the pan along with salt (to taste), a good shake of freshly cracked black pepper, and some red pepper flakes. Don't hesitate to dip in with a spoon and test the flavor - if you need more of one spice or another, just add it in! That's what home cooking is all about, after all - making things the way you like them.

Hello, WalletPop readers! Chef Louie here again, bringing you the best in cheap eats with dinners meant to save you mucho dinero! This week, we're going to broach a subject that many think can't be done on the cheap: dinner parties!

If you're like me, you love eating with friends, but you hate all the expense and time that goes into buying all of the ingredients, the drinks, the supplies. Some of you probably even hate all the time that goes into prep and cooking. Well, hate no more, because this week I am introducing you to the concept of the Chef Louie Dinner Party, where the cooking is as much an opportunity to party as the eating!

This week I'm bringing you a hearty, thrifty remix of one of the most popular recipes of all time: hamburger pie! Also known as shepherd's pie, this traditional Irish dish consists of a meat base (originally lamb), a layer of vegetable (usually green beans), and mashed potato as the topper. It's a delicious, easy-on-the-budget dinner that can feed an army!

You know, growing up, everything and everybody was Italian. For years I thought there was a singer named Nat Kingcola, and that the kitchen appliance that keeps our food cold was called an ice-a-box! Obviously, food was no different -- if there was any way to make a dish more Italian, my family found it.

Summer has officially arrived, which means humid air and a veggie garden ready for the eating. Sounds like salad time to me! Problem is, take a family of four to a salad/buffet restaurant, and you can easily be out 30 bucks or more -- and that's without drinks. What's a family to do? Bring the salad bar home, of course!

Throwing together a salad bar at home is easy. Super easy. Ridiculously easy. All you need are your favorite greens, an assortment of fixings, some dressing, and people to help you eat.

First up: the greens. I like to start with a head of iceberg lettuce, and a head of Romaine. Give them a chop or tear, then rinse them off, and take them for a spin in a salad spinner. If you don't have a salad spinner, just toss the greens into a large colander and give them a good shake to get rid of the excess water. Add a little sliced onion and chopped fresh tomato to the mix, and you're all set! (Store any leftovers of this mix in a large Ziplock bag, and it can be used for side salads or another round of salad bar any time over the next week).

Besides saving money, I'm a freak for saving time. I know how difficult it is to work all day, then come home and cook yourself and your tribe a great dinner before you all waste away from starvation.

OK, that may be a little dramatic, but I know that when I get home I am famished, and I bet you are too! So let's blow the dust off that crock pot you got as an engagement/graduation/first-apartment gift many moons ago, and put it to good use.

Crock Pot Chicken and Fennel Stew

Here is a dish that is delicious, healthy, and so easy that it cooks itself -- and of course, it's cheap! At least once a month you can usually find whole chickens on sale at the supermarket for under a buck per pound. These are usually 2.5-pound to 3.5-pound yard birds, which are the perfect size for this dish.

Okay, ladies and gents, here it is: your final week of Hamming it Up with Chef Louie. And we're wrapping it up with one of my favorite ham recipes: ham croquettes!

I don't know about you, but I know that when I carve up a ham, there are always a few small shavings that get left behind. These pieces are perfectly edible -- they just didn't quite make the cut of the other slices. Save these pieces! We're using them today.

In addition to these shavings, you will need a few slices more of ham, finely minced. Put all these pieces together and you get what I fondly call "ham shrapnel."

Last week, I gave you a recipe for what I consider to be the most flavorful ham dinner on the planet -- maybe even the universe. This week, I've decided to extend both your food dollar and that warm, tasty ham flavor throughout the week in the form of a unique cold cut.

First things first, let's fire up that inexpensive slicer I had you buy a few weeks ago. Take a hunk of the leftover ham (assuming you didn't eat it all -- as good as that recipe is, this might be a problem), and make some thin, cold-cut-style ham slices. Place a layer of ham slices flat on a sheet of saran wrap, and layer it with your favorite sliced cheese. I usually make the slices two long, about 8 inches or so, overlapping slightly. Go ahead and do this to create at least 6 ham-and-cheese layers, then roll these delectable layers up tightly. Wrap the plastic wrap over the log, and twist the ends to seal.

Put the roll into the microwave for 30 seconds on high, then let it chill out in the fridge over night. The warmed cheese will allow log will keep its shape once chilled, resulting in a super-tasty ham and cheese spiral loaf. Cut a few nice, big, round slices of goodness, slap it on your favorite bread, top with a good, stone-ground mustard, and voila! You have yourself a quick and tasty ham-and-cheese sammie.

Last week, I gave you a great recipe for one of my favorite cold cuts -- roast beef. This week, we're moving on to another popular lunch meat: ham!

I think ham is just about the most versatile meat on the market today. Don't believe me? Then consider this: one day of good ham prep could help feed you for the better part of a week -- heck, even longer if you make the right dishes.

Ham can start as a Sunday dinner, get sliced into sandwich meat (using that handy slicer you bought two weeks ago) for Monday's lunch, chopped into tasty croquettes for Wednesday's dinner, and the bone can be simmered for a few hours to make a tasty ham and bean soup! Freeze the soup, and you have something that can be reheated in a few weeks when life has you too busy to make a proper meal.

See? A little ham goes a long way -- and at bargain basement prices, too! In my experience, ham can usually be found at about a buck per pound. Cheap, versatile, and tasty: ham is one of the ultimate money-saving, flavor-giving foods around.

"But Louie," you may be saying, "I've been eating ham my whole life, and it's never really rocked my world. It's too salty, or too dry, or just too... blah." Well, you're in luck, because I'm here to provide a recipe for ham that is out of this world: Chef Louie's Hot/Sweet Ham.