It's a Tasty Thrifty Tuesday (yep, I'm a nerd!)

Good news: It's not Monday anymore. Yay! It seemed this evening that we had eaten meals that involved potatoes, corn and bread for like a week, and I was pretty tired of it. What was the antidote? Something SPICY!! So, searching through the cabinets I went.....think.....think.....oh yeah! Beans in the freezer, tortillas in the cabinet, rice, salsa, cheese...check, check, check. Everything came together nicely for a rice and bean burrito supper! Aside from my love for all things hot and spicy, this is a really cheap meal to have. For one, it is meatless. That alone makes it cheap. The ingredients I use are all very inexpensive, and are easy to keep on hand in the cabinet at all times. What did I use for my Rice and Bean Burritos?

From Dollar Tree:
10 ct. package of medium flour tortillas
8 ounce bag of "mexican shreds" shredded cheese
Jar of jalapeno slices (only used a a couple tablespoons)
Campbell's Traditional medium salsa (only used about a half cup)
Tortilla chips (just to crunch on between the soft burrito bites)

From Kroger:
Frozen leftover pinto beans (I always buy bags of dried beans and cook my own)
White rice (1 cup uncooked)
Taco seasoning (about 50 cents)

What I did: Thaw the recycled butter bowl full of beans in the microwave while the rice cooked on the stove. After the rice was done, I added 2/3 cup of water and the taco seasoning packet. I removed the beans from the microwave. Then, I scooped an icecream scoop of beans and two scoops of seasoned rice into the tortillas, tossed on about a tablespoon of shredded cheese and folded them up, placing them into a baking dish. Once it was full, I tossed a little more cheese on top and I baked it for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees - - just enough to allow the cheese to melt.

After you remove them from the oven, you can top them with a little salsa, cheese and peppers and they are delish! My guys love them too, despite the fact that they are huge meat eaters. These are very filling and actually make you feel as if you are eating something hearty and meaty. From the ingredients used, I still have plenty of tortilla chips, jalapenos, salsa, and rice left to use for other meals in the future. I estimate that I have about $3.50 in all ten tasty burritos. Try that Taco Bell!!!!! Your bean burrito is $1.09 for one burrito, which would mean ten of them would set me back $10.90 plus tax. By the way, Taco Bell, I may have picked up a couple of extra sauce packets the last time I visited with you. Here they are in the picture, heehee. They are in good hands.

Have a fun, frugal and fabulous Tuesday, from our house to yours!!