Mussels Steamed with Bacon, Beer, and Fennel
You may not think of seafood as budget-friendly, but mussels certainly are. If you can't find a 16-ounce beer (a "tall boy"), you can use a 12-ounce beer plus 1/2 cup broth or water. If there's wiggle room in your budget, pick up some crusty bread to dunk into the beer broth.