With the cost of gas -- and everything else -- rising these days, I've been looking for ways to save money without really feeling like we have to sacrifice.

Obviously, eating out is a huge expense. One we love, but very expensive when you're trying to save money. So, we've been passing up restaurants in favor of cooking at home these days. And sometimes, the urge to cook is just not there.

So I asked some friends a few weeks ago what recipes they turn to time and time again -- the old standbys they use when there's either not much time, or not much motivation, to get into the kitchen.

Mine is pinto bean soup, which is comfort food from my childhood. My father is half-Mexican, and there was rarely a time when there wasn't homemade refried beans in our house. This pregnancy, I've been craving Mexican food, and have been searching for the recipes from my childhood. Pinto bean soup is good because it not only feeds your family the night you make the soup, but you can also make several batches of refried beans (which freeze well, too).

I noticed many of my friends rely on vegetarian recipes when they're not in the mood to cook. Whether that be because vegetables are often cheaper than meat, or that's what they've got readily available, I'm not sure.

Again, these recipes don't deal in specific measurements, because they are adaptable to what you've got in the house. I hope you'll give them a shot, and add them to your kitchen rotation.

Pinto bean soup

1 bag pinto beans

1 onion, diced

Garlic, minced, or granulated garlic

Cumin

4-5 slices bacon or a ham hock (optional)

Salt

One bag pinto beans, rinsed and picked over.

Put the beans in a pot, cover with water and let soak overnight.

When you're ready to cook them, drain the beans and rinse again, then put in a different pot.

To that pot you can add any of the following:

One onion, diced

A few cloves of garlic, minced, or a generous sprinkling of granulated garlic

Cumin, if you like.

4-5 slices of bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces

a ham hock, if you've got one.

Salt (how much you use will depend on if you use ham/bacon or not)

Cover all this up with water, and turn the heat on low. And cook until the beans are done. The amount of water you use will determine how much broth you have, but be sure to check it periodically to make sure the water isn't boiling off. I usually cook mine for about 2 hours, or until the beans are nice and soft.

Ladle into bowls, serve with sour cream, salsa, avocado, etc., if you like. We always eat this with corn bread.

Refried beans

Leftover pinto bean soup

Cheddar cheese

Milk

The added bonus of making your own pinto bean soup is that you're going to have a lot of leftover beans. The beans freeze very well, so divide into portions. When you defrost them, you can either have more bean soup, or homemade refried beans.

My dad always put the beans in a cast iron skillet, mashed them with a potato masher, and added milk and cheese to get to the right consistency (which is however you like it).

Typically, I put mine in a food processor, give them a whirl, then add the milk and cheese once I put them in the pan. Cook until heated through, and all the cheese melts.

Kate's Basic Vegetable Soup

Butter

Chopped onion

Garlic

Mixed vegetables

Melt a large spoonful of butter in a saucepan, and saute a chopped onion and some garlic. Add whatever vegetables on hand -- a couple of carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, etc. Throw in a potato for thickness.

Allow the vegetables to cook in the butter for a few minutes and then add water and vegetable bouillon - just enough to cover everything. Let it simmer away for about half an hour and then blend it with the hand blender. Served with warm bread, it's delicious. Any leftovers are frozen or eaten for lunch during the week.

Gwen's stir fry with tofu

Firm tofu

Cornstarch

Assorted vegetables

Soba noodles or rice

Garlic, minced

Onion, diced

Press the tofu. It is tempting to skip this step, but you will regret it, because it rids the tofu of the excess water. Toss it with cornstarch.

Fry the tofu in a pan with some olive oil, making sure to flip each cube individually after the down-facing side is golden brown.

Meanwhile, cook rice or soba noodles.

While the tofu cooks, take the vegetables in your refrigerator and cut them into bite-sized pieces -- carrots, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli and cabbage all work well here.

Add garlic and onion to the pan, and then throw in the rest of the vegetables in whatever order, depending on cooking time. Throw some curry paste or teriyaki or soy sauce on top and cook.

What are your favorites for those times when you need to get food on the table but don't really feel like cooking? And are you cutting back on what foods you buy in order to save money with soaring costs? E-mail Shannon Baylis Sarino at sbsarino@gmail.com with your stories and recipes, and we'll feature you in an upcoming food column.

---

user comments (0)