Low-Cost Winter Meals

Red Beans and Rice

1 ham hock

1 one-pound bag red beans (not kidney beans)

2 cups of Basmati or Brown rice

2 bay leaves

5 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Tbl. basil

2 Tbl. black pepper

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 onion, diced

1 bunch fresh parsley or 1 Tbl. dried parsely to top when serving.

Rinse the beans and place them in a large pot. Add the ham hock. Put in enough water to cover with and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down so the liquid is a low rolling boil and put a cover on the pan. Add water as necessary to keep the beans and ham hock covered. The beans will soak up a lot of water during the first hour and a half of cooking. Red beans have a softer coating than other types of dried beans, so they do not need to be soaked overnight. 

In a separate small pot or small fry pan, sauté the diced onion. Add the onion, bay leaves, basil, black pepper, and brown sugar to the beans about an hour and a half into the cooking process. Make sure the beans have enough water and turn the heat on medium-low for another hour. When the beans are soft, they are ready. That takes 2 to 3 hours. 

Remove the bay leaves before serving. Ladle the beans and some of the liquid over rice. I like the taste of oregano, so I also add some to the recipe. We have a rice cooker, so I start the rice about an hour before the beans are done. My rice cooker has a warm setting. I've also used the bags of rice that go in the microwave for 90 seconds. 

I live near Topeka, Kansas. Overbrook, Kansas has an organic hog farm where I buy my ham hocks a dozen at a time. They have more meat on them than the store-bought ham hocks, though either would do for this recipe. We also like a bit more garlic than the recipe calls for. When I plate the meal, I top with fresh parsley and fresh parmesan cheese. 

Pinto Beans and Ham

1 one-pound bag of dried pinto beans

1 ham hock

This is best made a couple of days after you've baked a bone in ham. Cut the ham off the bone. Use some of the excess ham for the ham and beans. The rest of the ham can be used for sandwiches, ham salad, ham casseroles, omelets, or other breakfast meals. If you didn't cook a ham, buy a ham hock at the market. Look for one that has some meat on it. 

Before going to bed, rinse the beans, place in a large bowl and cover with water. Top the bowl with a plate to keep dust out. The next morning, rinse the beans again and place in a large pot with a ham hock and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then put a lid on the pot and simmer. Check often, stir regularly, and add water as necessary. The beans will soak up a lot of water the first couple of hours. It takes about 4 hours for the beans to soften. Usually just season with pepper, the ham has plenty of salt in it. Serve in a bowl. 

Meatloaf

1 pound of hamburger

1 sleeve of soda crackers

salt and pepper

1 egg

1 can of tomato juice

4 pieces of bacon, uncooked

There are only two of us, so I use two small loaf pans and freeze one for later. In a large bowl, add the hamburger, the egg, salt, pepper, and half of the sleeve of crackers. Use a fork to mash all the materials together. Add the tomato juice a little at a time until so the meat mixture has time to absorb the juice. When the mixture holds together well, you've put enough juice in. Divide the mixture in half and place each half in a loaf pan. 

Place two uncooked pieces of bacon on top of each loaf and add tomato juice to cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes depending on the size of the loaf pan. I generally put a couple of potatoes in the oven at the same time. Serve with the baked potatoes and a vegetable. A slice of leftover meatloaf is great cold between slices of your favorite bread as a sandwich. 

Chili Casserole/Taco Pie

1 box corn bread mix

1/2 cup milk

2 Tbl. oil

1 egg

1 pound ground hamburger

taco seasoning mix

1 cup diced onion

1 bell pepper diced

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can corn, drained

1 cup shredded cheese - I use a taco or a casserole blend

Combine the cornbread mix, milk, 1 Tbl oil, and egg in a bowl and mix. Place in a casserole dish and level it out. Sauté the hamburger, bell pepper and onion. Add the kidney beans and corn. Mix together and place on top of the cornbread batter. Top with cheese and bake for 20 minutes in a 400-degree oven. 

Black Bean Soup

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 Tbl olive oil

1 red onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can of broth - vegetable or chicken

1/2 tsp. oregano

salt and pepper

1 cup long grain white rice

1 radish

1 lime

1 bunch cilantro

Place olive oil, onion, and garlic in a pot and sauté. Add beans, broth, oregano, salt, pepper. Stir frequently. Cook long grain white rice (we use a rice cooker or the microwaveable 90 second rice packet). Put some rice in a bowl and cover with a ladle of the soup. Top with radish slices, a lime wedge and chopped cilantro. Serve with grilled tortillas or garlic bread. 

Meatball Casserole

I tried this recipe because we received a large bag of frozen Italian flavored meatballs at a food drop. Not a bad recipe, the two of us were able to eat a total of 8 meals out of it. I did have to add more cheese and sauce the next day. 

2 cups of ziti pasta uncooked

3 cups of your favorite spaghetti or Italian sauce

1 cup milk

2 cups water

12 - 16 meatballs, depending on size, cooked and thawed

2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese

Place meatballs, pasta, milk, water, and sauce in a large baking dish and stir together. Cover with foil and bake at 425 for 45 minutes. Remove foil and top with the cheese. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. 

Swedish Meatballs

1 package Swedish Meatballs, thawed

2 Tbl. butter

3 Tbl. flour

1 tsp. sugar

salt and pepper

1 cup water

3/4 cup cream

1 can mushroom or fresh mushrooms, sliced

I love hand made from scratch Swedish meatballs, but they are frankly too expensive to make.