The wonderful crepe: Dinner for less than $5

Need to stretch that dollar to the max when feeding your family? Elise Cooke, author of "Strategic Eating, the Econovore's Essential Guide," says cooking for four for less than $5 is a snap if you think crepes.

Practically by definition, crepes are made with leftovers, because the food in them only heats up long enough to melt cheese. Dig around in the refrigerator, and pull out what you've got.

For savory crepes, some kind of pre-cooked meat, chopped small, with sauteed onions and added cheese taste wonderful. Most vegetables and grated or crumbled cheese do well in this dish as well. Crepes can also go in a sweet direction: chocolate, nutella, cinnamon-sugar, and sweetened thinly sliced fruits all make terrific desserts.