We eat beans and rice at least once a week for dinner. Sometimes they are side dishes, but usually they make the bulk of the meal. I make my own pintos as well as “from scratch” Mexican rice. We’ve found that the taste is better than the canned and boxed varieties, and generally the homemade version is less expensive as well.
During very lean times, we might have just beans and rice and perhaps a little cheese. But when we can, we dude them up with toppings. I make my own salsa because it’s very inexpensive. I buy the other items on sale whenever possible. Since I’m a salad girl, I tend to pile on the veggies. Yes, there really is rice and beans under all that. Quite a bit actually.
Here’s a loose recipe as well as the price breakdown.
Beans and Rice
pinto beans $1
Mexican rice $0.75
grated cheddar $1
shredded lettuce $0.25
salsa $0.50
tomatoes $0.25
chips $1
Total cost to feed a crowd: $4.75
For more low-cost meals, visit the $5 Dollar Dinner Challenge.
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Jessica,
Also, do you season the pinto beans at all, or do you just throw them on top of, or mix them into, the rice? Thanks for any help you might have. I’ve been following your blog for a while now, really do enjoy reading your stuff!
I hope you see this message, since it is on an older post of yours. I am very intrigued by this “recipe.” I’m curious about a couple things: Do you know if brown rice would work as well in your mexican rice? It takes twice as long to cook of course, but surely it would still cook the same? Of course, it’s not authentic “mexican” but it is healthier anyway.
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Jessica Reply:
April 22nd, 2012 at 1:56 pm
Yes, I get notifications on all comments.
I have been using brown rice in this for the past two years. My family doesn’t love it as much. It does take longer to cook, but it is still good. The texture is a little stickier, though.
As for beans, I season them the way they are in the recipe, but usually not more. With all the toppings, everybody makes his own like he likes it. And yes, it’s a non-recipe, isn’t it?
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Hi! I have to say that I love this website! You have helped me tremendously this week. Before that, I had a nice meal plan for my family, but after so many weeks and months we were getting so tired of eating the same things. I have 4 children and they all have different wants when it comes to food, so it can be frustrating to cook for them. But, they have really liked all of your recipes and ideas that I have implemented. Especially the pizza night and sandwich bar. Those were a huge success for me and now I am going to begin the beans and rice your way. It sounds great to me, as I love mexican food, and they like it too! Thank you so much!
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