Rice bowls topped with tasty slivers of beef, chicken, egg, tempura or seafood have ancient roots in Japan and other parts of Asia. But the hearty, one-bowl dishes are also incredibly popular on American tables, given their wide variety and ease of preparation.

These days, it's just as easy to find a smoothie-like acai bowl made with fresh fruit and granola when you're out to eat as it is a poke bowl comprised of raw fish, rice and other toppings. Ditto with a grain bowl that pairs a protein with fresh veggies for a complete meal.

When it comes to a making a dinner everyone will cheer, being able to customize ingredients is a big selling point, not just for flavor and texture but also dietary preferences and allergies. If you can't eat a certain food or just don't like it, there's usually a suitable substitute.

Bowls also are popular because they make it easy save a buck. Affordable, everyday staples like carrots, peppers and onions are often common ingredients. And because the meat or protein is chopped or sliced into bite-sized pieces, you can stretch what normally might feed one or two into something that satisfies three or four.

The same can be said for the sauces that ties everything together. Something as simple as soy sauce mixed with sugar and ginger can add lots of flavor for just pennies.

This budget menu for two makes the most of pork chops I got on sale, and a bag of one of my favorite (and easiest) appetizers of all time — shishito peppers.

If I don't have a list firmly in hand when I head to the grocery store, I usually have at least a fairly good idea of what I want to cook that day or week. But it also benefits home cooks to be flexible about the menu when they happen upon an ingredient that's priced just right.

This week, it was a 1-pound package of five boneless pork chops for $4.54 and a $1.19 can of pineapple. Along with some fresh veggies, they laid the groundwork for a nutritious and lower-cal rice bowl that took only about 20 minutes from start to finish in a hot pan and a rice cooker.

The shishitos, which you can sometimes find at farmers markets in summer and also in larger grocery stores, took even less time to prepare — around 8 minutes, or until they blister in spots when fried in a little oil.

At $3.99 for an 8-ounce bag, the peppers were definitely a splurge compared with the two rice bowls, which totaled just $6.83 (a mere $3.42 per serving). But they are so tasty, seasonal and easy to whip up I couldn't resist. Besides, haven't we all had our fill of salad as a starter?

Brownies won't start any trends when it comes to dessert, but when baked in a skillet, they're a bit more fun. In the past, I've enhanced brownies with chili powder and nuts; for this batch, I added white chocolate chips for a spot of color. But you won't go wrong with milk or dark chocolate chips or baking them naked without add-ins.

I built the bowls with inexpensive white rice to stay on a $15 budget, but if you're willing to spend a bit more they also can be made with any other favorite grain, including quinoa, brown rice, farro or even wheat berries.

As always in this on-going series, the final tally excludes ingredients I had on hand and you probably do, too — soy sauce, carrots, cooking oil, white sugar and vanilla. The most exciting purchase this week was eggs — just $2.99 a dozen at my local store, about half of what I was paying just a few months ago.

All told, I came out more than $2 under budget and even had leftovers.

Blistered Shishito Peppers

PG tested

Native to Japan, but incredibly popular on American menus, shishito peppers are almost always eaten while they are bright green. (They turn red as they ripen.) They are hotter then bell peppers, but fall below jalapeños on the Scoville scale. But be forewarned: one in 10 packs some serious heat.

Here, the wrinkled peppers are quickly cooked in a hot pan or on a grill until they char and blister. All that's really needed to make them pop on the plate is a sprinkle of flaky salt. You also could go "fancy" and garnish them with a little citrus zest, some smoked paprika or a sprinkle of sumac, a tangy Mediterranean spice made from pulverized dried sumac berries.

2 ounces vegetable oil

8 ounces shishito peppers

Flaked sea salt

Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, just until it begins to smoke, about 3 minutes

Add peppers to pan and cook, without stirring, until skins are blistered, 3-5 minutes. Oil will pop, so you could use a lid on the skillet and leave it slightly ajar to avoid spatters.

Use tongs to flip the peppers. Continue cooking over medium-high heat until blistered on the other side, 3-5 minutes.

Transfer peppers to a serving dish and season generously with flaked salt. Let cool a minute or two before serving.

Serves 2.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Pork Teriyaki Bowl

PG tested

Whether you plan on eating your rice bowl with a spoon, fork or chopsticks, everything on top of the rice should be cut into bite-sized pieces. I used bell peppers and broccoli, but any favorite veggie that's in season works. Leave out the chilies if you want to tame the heat or add more if you prefer spicier dishes. Brown rice is always a more nutritious choice than white, but you gotta choose your battles, right?

1/2 pound boneless pork chops, cut into bite-sized chunks (around 3 pork chops)

2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

1 tablespoon white sugar, divided

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons neutral oil

1/2 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup broccoli florets, sliced

1 or 2 thinly sliced carrots

1 cup cubed pineapple, canned or fresh

1 serrano or jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

2 cups cooked white or brown rice, for serving

2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish, optional

In medium bowl, combine pork, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon sugar and the cornstarch, and toss until pork is evenly coated.

Add oil to a skillet and heat over medium-heat until shimmering.

Add pork in an even layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until pork is lightly browned, 4-5 minutes.

Add bell pepper, broccoli and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly browned and fork tender, 4-5 minutes.

Add pineapple, chilies and ginger, then cook, stirring occasionally, until pineapple begins to brown, about 2 minutes.

Stir in vinegar, remaining tablespoon soy sauce and another pinch or two of sugar. Cook, stirring often, until meat and vegetables are lightly coated with the sauce, 1-2 minutes.

Remove from heat, taste and season with more soy sauce and vinegar as needed.

Spoon cooked rice into two bowls. Divide pork mixture on top of rice, and sprinkle with the scallions, if desired.

Serves 2.

— adapted from "Milk Street: 365" by Christopher Kimball

Skillet Brownie Cookies

PG tested

If you like, these easy dessert brownies can be mixed and baked in the same pan, reducing cleanup. For even more chocolate flavor, add chocolate chips. You could also stir in some coffee granules to intensify the richness. They are on the crumbly side, so if you can wait (we know — it's hard!) allow them to cool completely in the pan before cutting into wedges.

6 tablespoons butter, cut into 6 pieces

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup semi-sweet or white chocolate chips or a mix

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Scrape butter into a bowl with a spatula and set skillet aside,

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

Add brown sugar and oil to bowl and stir until well combined.

Add egg and vanilla and whisk until smooth.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until just combined and no flour is visible. Add chocolate or white chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed.

Scrape dough into the empty cast-iron skillet. Spread and push dough into an even layer covering the bottom of the skillet.

Transfer skillet to oven and bake until edges of cookie are set and top looks dry and shiny 16-18 minutes.

Remove skillet to a cooling rack, and let cool for 30 minutes.

Use a butter knife to cut cookie into wedges, being careful not to scratch surface of skillet. Serve.

Serves 6-8.

— adapted form "The Complete Cook Book for Teen Chefs" by America's Test Kitchen

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