Red Beans, Rice, Cornbread
About 70¢ a Plate

Red Beans and Rice: Serves 12

½# dry kidney beans
½# dry pinto beans
4 cups water + 4 cups chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 bay leaves
1 can tomatoes 14 oz. with liquid, chopped
1 jar pimento, drained
1 chopped each green & red pepper, onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
¼ cup snipped fresh parsley
¼ -½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
¼ -½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ -½ tsp. hot pepper sauce
1 tsp. each paprika & salt
1 Tbsp. vinegar

Put beans in large roaster pan with water or crock pot. First bring to boil; simmer 2 minutes.

Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans. Return to cooking pan and add broth, garlic and bay leaves; bring to boil.

Reduce heat and cover and simmer 1¼ hour
Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer another hour or until beans and veggies are tender and gravy is thick.

Remove bay leaves. Serve over rice. This keeps well and can be frozen.

Corn Bread Squares
9 servings

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten + 1 cup milk + ¼ cup oil

Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, bp & salt.

Add eggs, milk, oil. Mix until just moistened.
Pour into greased 8" square baking pan.

Bake 400º for 20-25 minutes until done.

Apricot Ground Steak
Sweet sauce with touch pepper

1#ground round or sirloin (lo fat)
¾ cup apricot preserves
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. salt + 1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce
Broil steak 6 minutes each side or grill.
Combine other ingredients in saucepan and cook until preserves are melted.

Set aside ½ cup; brush remaining sauce on steak. Broil 2-3 minutes longer until meat is done.

Serve with reserved apricot sauce.

Tasty * Great Alternative Sauce

BarBQ Beef leftovers
Extra from roast

Combine 2 Cubs shredded beef and 1 bottle of BarBQ sauce. Heat.

Serve on 5 Kaiser rolls, split
Or serve over rice.

Fried Potatoes
Use left over potatoes

Very inexpensive if you save your left over cooked potatoes.

3 cups diced potatoes, ½ cup diced cooked onion, 2 Tbsp. butter, salt & pepper to taste.
Cook until golden brown about 10 minutes and season. Serves 3-4.

Tuna Topping for Rice
Serves 4 (about 50¢ a plate)

¼ Cup chopped green pepper
¼ Cup chopped onion
¼ Cup chopped celery
mushrooms if desired
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
½ tsp. each of sugar and salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/3 Cup milk
1 can 14 oz. stewed tomatoes
1 can 7 oz. tuna drained
1 tsp. Creole seasoning* or ½ tsp. each of garlic powder & paprika, 1/8 tsp. each of cayenne pepper, dried thyme, ground cumin.

Hot cooked rice, use over rice.

Sauté, green pepper, onion, celery in butter. Stir in flour, sugar, salt and pepper. Gradually, add milk, stirring constantly. Stir in tomatoes. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add tuna and seasoning and heat. Serve over rice if desired.

Mushroom Rice
serves 4 (about 40¢ a plate)

1 can beef broth 10 oz.*
¾ Cup uncooked long grain rice
1 jar 4oz. sliced mushrooms, undrained
¼ Cup butter, melted
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion salt or powder, I use powder

Combine all ingredients into a 2 qt. microwaveable dish. Cover and microwave for 5 minutes on a high setting.** Microwave only 50% power for 15 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes. Stir before serving.

**This was tested in a 850 watt oven.

*I use chicken broth always instead of beef, but this would optional. Matter of taste. I make my own chicken broth so it has no additives. I freeze broth either in cubes or blocks and cut for serving size needed.

Chicken Biscuit Pie
serves 6

1 2/3 Cups frozen mixed veggies
¼ Cup chopped onion
¼ Cup chopped celery
1½ cups cubed chicken, cooked
1 can (10oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted*
¼ tsp. thyme
1 cup biscuit/baking mix
½ cup milk
1 egg

Combine veggies, chicken and soup with thyme. Pour into ungreased deep 9"pie plate
Combine biscuit mix, milk and egg; pour over mixture in pie plate.

Bake 400º for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

This is quick to assemble and pop into the oven. It's always a hit!

Paella with Tofu
350º for 30 minutes
Serves 4

2 T. Olive Oil or Virgin Coconut Oil
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 large sweet red pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomatoes, drained, chopped
½ tsp. salt, turmeric, Dried basil, thyme, crumbled
3 ½ Cups basic chicken stock
2 Cups chick peas, drained, rinsed
2 Cups long grain white rice
1 # firm Tofu cut in 1" cubes
½ Cup toasted slivered almonds optional garnish

Sauté onion, pepper, garlic for a minute. Mix in tomatoes, spices. Cook uncovered stirring for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Stir in stock, chickpeas and bring to boil. Stir in rice, and bring to boil. Add tofu on top. Cover and bake in 3 qt. casserole 30 plus minutes until rice is tender. Let stand 10 minutes and add almonds and garnish with fresh basil and thyme.

44 g protein, 130 gr carbohydrates,21 g. fat, 693 mg sodium and 862 Calories.

Use Your Beans For Good Health!

They're low in fat and high in protein, minerals, vitamins and fiber. Plus, dry beans have no cholesterol -- and they taste great!
From Taste of Home

Ready to take your taste buds on a trip? This time we travel to Michigan, a state that ranks high in the production of dry beans. Michigan farmers grow 20% of the dry beans consumed in the U.S. and also export large quantities.

Sold in bags in the grocery store, dry beans are versatile, economical, nutritious and delicious. Dry beans are low in fat and high in protein, minerals, vitamins and fiber. Plus, they contain no cholesterol and only 224 calories per cup. Beans are perfect for a budget meal. On average, 1 cup of cooked beans costs less than 10¢. ("Bean counters" know that 1 pound of dry beans is equal to 2 1/2 cups uncooked or 6 to 7 cups cooked. One 15-ounce can of beans, drained, is equal to 1-3/4 cups cooked.)

Stored in an airtight container, dry beans keep indefinitely. Cooked beans can be stored covered and refrigerated for 5 days and frozen up to 6 months.

You won't have to store them long if you use them in Lima Bean Soup, suggested by Taste of Home field editor Betty K. of Bridgman, Michigan. This colorful soup has a golden broth dotted with tender vegetables and lima beans. "It makes an excellent lunch or first course," Betty informs.

Lima Bean Soup
Serves: 14 (3 1/2 quarts)

1 pound dry lima beans
1 large meaty ham bone or 2 ham hocks
2 1/2 quarts water
5 celery ribs, cut into chunks
5 medium carrots, cut into chunks
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Pinch paprika
1 cup cold water
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes

Place beans in a Dutch oven or soup kettle; add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and discard liquid; return beans to pan. Add ham bone and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Debone ham and cut into chunks; return to pan. Add celery and carrots. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until beans are tender.

In a skillet, sauté garlic in butter for 1 minute. Stir in flour, salt, pepper and paprika.

Add cold water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add to the soup with tomatoes; simmer for 10 minutes.

Roasted Vegetable and Pasta Bake      Serves 4   Bake 425º

Here's a hearty vegetarian dish that the whole family will enjoy.

1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled,
     seeded, and cut into 2-inch cubes
2 red onions, cut into large chunks
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks, thickly sliced
6 ounces asparagus spears, cut across in half
10 ounces rigatoni or penne
2 cups nonfat milk
3 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup sharp reduced-fat cheddar cheese, grated
2 teaspoons coarse mustard
Salt and pepper
Place the squash and red onions in a large roasting pan and sprinkle with the garlic. Drizzle with the oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat the vegetables with the oil, then place the pan in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and add the leeks and asparagus. Toss gently, then return to the oven. Roast until all the vegetables are tender and starting to brown, about 20 minutes.

Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water according to the package instructions, or about 10-12 minutes.

For Sauce: Measure 4 tablespoons of the milk into a medium bowl, add the flour, and stir to make a smooth paste. Heat the remaining milk in a saucepan until almost boiling. Stir the hot milk into the flour mixture, then return to the saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the mixture boils and thickens. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Remove the sauce from the heat and add about 2/3 of the cheese and the mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the pan of roasted vegetables from the oven. Drain the pasta, add it to the vegetables, and gently stir to combine. Stir in the sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top. Return to the oven and bake until golden and bubbling, about 10-15 minutes. Serve hot.

Baked Eggs Mexican Style
Serves 4
Bake 400º

1 C. canned refried beans Trader Joes (no lard)
2 T. water
1 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thaw, drain, squeeze dry
5 scallions, chopped, include tops
1/3 C sour cream (I use plain yogurt)
1 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz.)
4 large eggs
1/2 bottle salsa or Basic Salsa
4 flour tortillas 8"
1 Cup guacamole
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Salsa and Sour Cream (Optional Toppings)

Mix beans and water in greased 8 X 8" baking dish.
Spread on bottom. Mix spinach and all but 2 T. scallions and spread on beans. Top with sour cream and then cheese.

Make 4 indentations in surface and break an egg into each one. Spoon salsa on top and bake uncovered for 20 minutes until eggs are set.

When eggs are done spoon 1/4 C. guacamole on top and sprinkle with pepper and remaining scallions.

Heat Tortillas for 5 minutes.
Serve with hot tortillas and guacamole and salsa and sour cream if desired.

25 gr. Protein, 1,099 mg sodium, 29 fat, 43 carbs

Apricot Ground Steak	Cabbage Salad	Fried Potatoes	Red Beans, Rice, Cornbread
Baked Eggs Mexican Style			Roasted Vegetable Pasta Bake
	Chicken Biscuit Pie	Lima Bean Soup	Saucy Potatoes
BarBQ Beef leftovers
		Mushroom Rice	Tuna Topping for Rice
	Cornbread Squares	Paella with Tofu	Use Beans