We get it. People are trying to minimize their trips to the store right now and that might mean more meals that rely on ingredients with longer shelf lives. If you’ve been unsure what to cook or how to add some variety to a diet that seems to suddenly rely on canned goods, here are some ideas.
Plan With Potatoes
Potatoes can come in so many forms and varieties and have an excellent shelf life. I have been relying on sweet potatoes to add some new flavor to my meals. One creative option? Blend a sweet potato with a can of coconut cream for a sweet and savory sauce or spread. Not into that? Dicing, mashing, frying, baking, and everything in between is always on the table for potatoes.
Homemade Spanish Rice
This Spanish Rice Recipe comes from Taste of Home. You’ll find my easy Spanish rice is better than any found in grocery stores. Best of all, it can be prepared in the same amount of time as those so-called “quick and easy” boxes. —Anne Yaeger, Washington DC, Washington
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 cups uncooked instant rice
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup boiling water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add rice; cook and stir until lightly browned. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 10-15 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Frito Pie
The Daily Meal says that Frito pie is a mainstay at Texas high school football games, at county fairs and even in school cafeterias. Making it is quite simple: Slice open a small bag of Fritos, ladle in a heaping spoonful of beef chili and top with chopped onions, a generous sprinkling of cheddar cheese and, if you’re feeling decadent, a dollop of sour cream.
Fritos
Chili
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sweet white or red onions, diced small
Sour cream
Start with an empty bowl. Put a small handful of Fritos in the blow. Ladle chili over the Fritos. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Top with onions and sour cream. Dig in.
Homemade Black Bean Burgers
2 15.5 ounce cans seasoned black beans
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
½ small onion, diced very small
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup corn kernels
½ teaspoon chipotle powder
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1 egg
Canola oil, for grilling
4 slices jack cheese
4 hamburger buns, toasted
Lettuce, for serving
Sliced tomato, for serving
Sliced red onion, for serving
Drain the beans but do not rinse them. Add the bread crumbs, onion, garlic, corn, chipotle powder, salt, pepper, and egg to the beans and then mix with your hands, squishing some of the beans as you go to form a chunky paste.
Form the black bean mixture into 4 burger patties.
Heat your grill to medium heat and brush each of the black bean burger patties with canola oil to prevent sticking. Cook the patties until heated through, about 5 minutes per side.
Then, place 1 slice of cheese onto each patty and cook for 2 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted.
Serve the black bean burgers on the toasted buns, topped with lettuce, tomato, and red onion, to taste.
