Mix and Match Burritos ($9.00 total cost, $1.13 per serving)

1 lb. ground protein of your choice (I used turkey, $4.00)
1 can vegetarian refried beans ($1.00)
1 cup salsa (I used peach mango salsa, $2.00)
1 cup shredded cheese (I used Mexican blend, $1.00)
8 burrito-sized tortillas ($1.00)

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brown your ground meat over medium heat and drain. (If you are using textured veggie protein or tofu, skip this step.)
3. Add refried beans and stir until well combined and heated through. (If you are using a vegetarian option, add it now and heat through.)
4. Add salsa and stir to combine. Remove from heat.
5. Lay out tortillas and divide the cheese equally. Lay it in a line down the center of the tortilla, leaving about an inch free at the top and bottom.
6. Top the cheese with 1/8th of the bean mixture.
7. Flap the top and bottom edges over the mixture. Then flip one side over the mixture and roll tightly. Place in a baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the burritos.
8. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve with sour cream and salsa on the side
Makes 8 servings

The Verdict
Josh was sick with strep throat and he STILL housed his burrito and half of Julia's. Julia enjoyed half of it but was more interested in the green beans and tomatoes that Grammy made as a side dish. Jim and I argued over who was going to get the leftovers for lunch. I won :) I will make this again soon. I want to try different types of salsa and proteins... "smart ground" and salsa verde, chicken and black bean and corn salsa, the possibilities are endless!

$0.77 per serving ~ Vegetarian Chili

The crockpot saved my life again! I knew today would be crazy because it was Jim's first day at his new job. I didn't expect to be sick too! So Jim and Josh got a yummy hot meal and I got to go to bed as soon as I got home.

Vegetarian Chili ~$0.77 per serving
1 medium onion, chopped ($0.35)
1 small green bell pepper, chopped ($0.35)
3 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes with mild green chiles, undrained ($3.00)
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed ($0.75)
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed ($0.75)
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 package vegetable protein crumbles ($2.50)

1. Dump all ingredients except protein crumbles into crockpot. Stir well. Cook on low 8 hours.
2. Stir in protein crumbles and cook another 30 minutes. Serve.
Makes 10 servings

The Verdict

I served this to my friends J&W a while back. W is an unrepentant carnivore, so I didn't tell him it wasn't ground beef. When I told him after his first bite, he was stunned... and then asked for seconds. And thirds! This is a mainstay on my meal planning rotation.

$0.75 per serving ~ Picadillo Bean Burritos

Mmm, the second meal from that crockpot recipe...

Picadillo Bean Burritos ~ $1.06 per serving
2 cups bean picadillo, warmed on stove (from Saturday's recipe) ($2.24 from Sun.)
4 burrito-sized tortillas ($1.50)
1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese ($0.50)
4 tbsp. sour cream

Lay out tortillas. Layer cheese, warmed picadillo, and sour cream, then roll up.
Enjoy!

The Verdict
I overfilled the burritos, so they fell apart and we had to eat them with a fork. Still good, though. I served them with frozen veggies - baby carrots, broccoli and cauliflower ($1.00). yum!

$1.01 per serving ~ Bean Picadillo with Rice Pilaf and Corn Bread ~ Three meals in one!

It's the weekend, and I am sick as a dog! Thank goodness Jim cooked breakfast...

Breakfast
$0.30 per serving ~ Stuffed French Toast
4 slices of bread, halved with crusts cut off ($0.40)
4 tbsp ricotta cheese ($0.25)
2 tbsp jam of your choice ($0.15)
1 egg ($0.25)
1/2 cup milk ($0.15)
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Spread 4 bread halves with ricotta and the other 4 with jam. Make into sandwiches.
2. Combine egg and milk to make egg wash. Dip sandwiches in egg wash and cook on griddle.
Makes 4 servings

Lunch
Grilled Cheese sandwiches served with carrots and ranch dressing

Dinner
Bean Picadillo ~ $0.56 per serving
2 14.5 oz cans pinto, black, or great northern beans ($2.00)
1/2 red onion, chopped ($0.35)
1 cup raisins ($1.00)
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 medium apples, peeled and finely chopped ($0.85)
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained ($2.00)
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted ($0.50)

1. Mix all ingredients except almonds in a large crockpot.
2. Cook on low 4 hours or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
3. Remove 2 cups (4 servings) into a separate container (I did this twice.) Can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen up to 4 months.
4. Stir almonds into remaining mixture and serve.
Makes 12 servings!!!

The Verdict
This recipe is usually made with ground beef (I got it from my girlfriend Jenny R a few years back and we LOVE it). But I couldn't be bothered defrosting the beef, and I had thebeans, so I figured, what the heck? I love this big gigantic recipe... we're having the picadillo in burritos on Monday, and I froze the second container to enjoy later in the month.

It was spicier than I expected, so we stirred in some sour cream and WHOA was it good! Jim's mom loved it, and so did Josh. I served it over rice pilaf (I only buy boxed rices on 10 for $10 sales) and found a Tex-Mex cornbread "beer bread" mix in the closet to go with it. Yum! Definitely making burritos with it Monday... adding cheese, wrapping it in tortillas, and dipping it in sour cream. It's going to be awesome :)