I know I've been on this bean kick the last few blogs, but once you incorporate more beans into your weekly menu, the better you begin feeling.  Not to mention these beans have a power pack protein advantage and they are cheap!  Sadly, being in such an immediate gratification society, we hate to wait for anything. 

But, as you can see, they take little preparation and give you extra time to complete needed tasks while they simmer aromatically on your stove.  Such a delightful fragrance will waft the air that family members will just have to lift the lid to see what's brewing.

1 pd. white beans
3 garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup oil
1 pd. canned tomatoes
1-2 tsp. dried sage (2 tab. fresh)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Soak beans overnight immersed in water.  Drain water; fill again in a saucepan to 2 inches above. Cook about 45 minutes or until tender.  Drain and keep one cup of water.  Add the remaining ingredients to pot and cook another 25 minutes on low.

Here's a wonderful, inexpensive recipe that is full of fiber and protein.  The ultimate Bean and Corn Burrito is one of the finest recipes in my collection.  Packed with a great array of flavors, you'll be pleasantly surprised when this dish is completed.  This recipe is a must with use of this type of tortilla as the corn flavor blends delightfully with the main ingredients. 

Remember, you must lightly warm or fry corn tortillas as the flavor and texture become enhanced.  Never serve them cold.

2 cups canned kidney beans
2 cups frozen corn
2 tsp. oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 red pepper chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
dash of hot sauce or 1 jalapeño pepper chopped and seed removed.  (Use gloves)
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tbs. chopped cilantro
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 lb. corn tortilla
Additional oil for frying
1 cup cheddar cheese

Cook onion, garlic, and peppers in oil.  Add kidney beans.  Cover and cook on low/medium for 15-20 minutes.  Mash beans slightly to add some texture.  Add corn and cook additional 10 min.  Add rest of the ingredients, cook  additional 5 min.  Set aside

In a fry pan add additional oil and lightly fry corn tortilla.  You can warm tortilla in pan without oil and use a tad of cooking spray. Cook 1 minute per side.

Fill tortillas as they come off pan with 2 tablespoon of bean mixture, and top with cheese.  A wonderful side salad is a great accompaniment.

You may find a large bag of beans from time to time in your monthly food pantry bag.  Most of you make look at this cumbersome object with disdain wondering how you can incorporate this into a hearty side dish or meal without too much effort.  Dried beans, for some reason, put most people within arm's reach of disparity.  The sheer thought of what to do with them brings countless hours of cooking time.  Well, trust me, it does not.  And this healthy version is often much easier on the digestion because it does not contain its canned counterpart's ingredients of preservatives.  Give this recipe a try, you'll be glad you did.

1 1/2 cups dried white beans
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 bay leaves

Soak beans overnight with two inches of water above them.  Drain.  In the morning put into saucepan and add the remaining ingredients.  Cook, just simmering, adding water if necessary, until beans are tender (about and hour).

Drain beans.  Place in a bowl.  Top with:
2 garlic cloves chopped fine
2-3 tab. lemon juice
1-3 tab. olive oil
1 cup sweet onion sliced thin (now in season!)
1/2 cup chopped parsley

Toss well and refrigerate for an hour or two.  See!  Not much work expended here.

This has got to be one of the all time favorite, quickest recipes you'll ever find if you need a wonderful treat.  It is simple, and believe it or not, most ingredients are already found in your cupboard.  

I came across this recipe by chance when I headed a summer camp program for youths.  We always had a treat available after lunch, and one day I only had a large box of cake mix left in our pantry.  No ingredients for icing could be had, and instead I located an old box of pudding.  Since we did have milk, I came up with the following recipe.  

The funny thing is that once the pudding sinks into the cake after being refrigerated,  the cake becomes extra moist picking up that delicious goodness of the pudding.  This cake can not be left out and must be kept cold to ensure freshness.  For those that are not big icing fans, you are going to love this!

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 4 oz. box chocolate instant pudding
1 3/4 cups of milk

Make chocolate cake as designated on box.   Place in a 13 x 9 inch pan and bake according to directions.  Let cake cool.  Meanwhile beat pudding and milk until thick.  Let stand for about 15 minutes to let pudding thicken to spreading consistency.  Once cake is cool, spread on top of cake.  Place in refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.

Oh yum!  Have I got a wonderful recipe to share with you!  Furthermore, it is going to save you on the purchase of those refrigerated canned types of dinner rolls your family presses you to buy.  These rolls can be made in advanced and frozen.  Then all you do is take out the selected amount for dinner that evening and warm them up in the microwave. 

These rolls are light, fluffy and simply delicious.  They are by far the best homemade dinner roll recipe I own.  Do make these often and store them in freezer bags for future use.  They are so easy, they'll become a weekend habit for serving on the weeknights.

1 package of yeast
1/8 cup warm water
1/2 stick butter or margarine warmed to room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 cups flour
Additional melted butter

Add all ingredients but flour and additional melted butter to bread maker.  Start machine cycle on "bread dough"  Add 2 1/2 cups flour.  Allow machine to mix.  Begin adding more flour by heaping tablespoons until bread dough forms a soft, sticky ball.  Too much will make a tough bread dough, too little will not allow proper kneading.  Once desired dough is achieved.  Close lid and allow bread to process.

Take dough out when completed and place in a greased bowl.  Top with saran wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.

Punch down dough and divide in half.  Lightly flour a board and roll out each dough into 10 inch circles.  Cut dough like a pizza making 12 equal slices.  Roll up like crescent rolls.  Place on pan to rise an additonal hour.

Cook at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 min until lightly golden.  Spread with additional melted butter before serving.
Freeze unused immediately.

I was perusing Winn Dixie and noticed  tomatillos  at absolutely ridiculously low prices.  I thought best to keep this recipe until the main ingredient was thrifty and in reach.  Well, spring is here and so are affordable tomatillos. Why by bottled salsa when you can save a few dollars and make your own?  This is the second salsa recipe on this site, and I must admit,  the best.

Grab a bag of corn chips, and I promise your family will never go back to the canned version again.  If anything, I'm a firm believer that a bit of good comes out of the worse possible situations.  Funny, my family ate healthier when I was able to cook the home made versions of countless recipes I threw to the bottom of my recipe card file wondering if I'd ever have time to create them again.  Despite the reduced income, we found new ways to treasure our time together which was usually in the kitchen.

5 plum tomatoes (chopped)
5 tomatillos (chopped)
1 jalapeno pepper (seeds removed)
1/2 lime juiced
2 tbs. white vinegar
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 medium onion
4 cloves of garlic peeled
1 tsp. salt
few dashes of hot sauce
1/2 tsp. pepper

Add everything to a food processor or blender.  Pulse until chopped course.  Grab those chips and a good movie!

Got several of those canned sweet potatoes in your Food Pantry bag this week due to Easter?  A bit embarrassed about serving them for an Easter meal?  Don't be!  When cooked in this fabulous casserole style dish, you' won't be able to tell the difference.  Furthermore, it will save you a bit of trouble on preparing and peeling those odd shaped potatoes.  

4 cans 15 oz. sweet potatoes drained
1/4 cup of pancake syrup
1/2 stick of butter cubed
2/3 cup brown sugar packed
1 tsp. cinnamon
Sprinkling of salt
2 cups of marshmallows
Nuts if desired

Place potatoes in a 2 quart casserole dish or 13 by 9 inch pan.  Top with syrup, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Bake for 20 min.  on 350.  Take out of oven and top with marshmallows and cook until marshmallows are golden brown.  I found by baking the  toppings  first, there is no need to get another saucepan out and combine sugared ingredients on the stove top. 

I am always shuffling through past tried and true recipes trying to make your nightly dinner ritual a bit more enticing on this limited budget.  If you have an Aldi food store near you, then you are in luck with this recipe.  Aldi promotes weekly sales on Portolbello mushrooms toting only $1.69 a box!  Furthermore, if you are keeping a stash of frozen chicken breasts, you are always ready for a simple, thrifty meal such as this one.

I use an 8 oz. block of mozzarella cheese for this recipe also found at Aldi for $1.79.  Saving almost a dollar for a 2 cup shredded cheese bag, I do the shredding myself.

2 1/2 cups pasta
1 pkg. baby portobella mushrooms sliced
1 tab. olive oil
1 tab. butter
2 garlic cloves chopped
3 tab. flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 chicken breasts (Stocking Up on Chicken Breasts) Cubed
1/3 cup whipping cream, 1/2 and 1/2, or milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cups mozzarella cheese
2 tab. parmesan

Cook pasta according to directions.  Fry garlic, mushrooms in oil and butter.  Add chicken and cook through.  Stir in flour and mix well.  Add milk and cream and stir until thick.  Add noodles and one cup mozzarella cheese.  Toss and place in baking pan.  Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and parmesan.  Bake at 350 for 20 min.

Who thought such a rich, inviting name would be featured here in Living on Food Banks?  The sad truth is, that living frugally in today's environment usually means getting back to the basics of home cooking.  If you receive the full allotment of food stamps for your family due to a scarce income, the least you can do is to indulge yourself esteem  preparing meals as though you are financially stable.

And, folks, it's easy here.  Lovely pictures, full of hearty good ideas for your family.  Plus, for those recipes you enjoy, do bookmark the Cookbook section.  You'll be able to prepare these meals for years to come, even if you get back on track, because your family will begin to enjoy this home cooking more than the supermarket's prepared type.

Basil plants are on sale for around $1.  Get yourself one and plant it in a pot next to your door.  You'll be able to harvest enough for the spring and summer season of great pizza and pastas sauces.

1/2 box spaghetti
1 tab. olive oil or oil
2 cloves garlic thinky sliced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
salt/pepper to taste

Prepare pasta as directed.  In a small skillet add garlic and oil. Cook until tender, one minute.  Quickly add cooked pasta and remaining ingredients.  Remove from heat and toss.  Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Are you receiving a good amount of bagged dried beans in your food pantry bag and unsure how to prepare them?  Do be sure to check out our cookbook section on how to prepare various beans.  This recipe is delicious and requires a few dried spices available in your pantry.  It is a wonderful filling side dish that accompanies just about any main fare. 

Will you are downsizing your food budget, why not get on board with healthier versions such as beans? 

1 pd. dried navy beans
3 cups water
1 bay leaf
3 cloves chopped garlic
2 large onions chopped
3 plum tomatoes chopped
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
salt/pepper to taste

Soak beans overnight in bowl covered with water.  Drain and place in saucepan.  Add all ingredients and cook on low-simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.