Well, maybe not BROKE per se, but you know what I mean. You want to cook something tasty and special, just so long as tasty and special = cheap. My husband and I spent the first three years of our marriage eating on the cheap. In fact, our first grocery budget (in the year 2004) was $30 a week. We ate a lot of canned vegetables and casseroles with very little meat per square inch. I’ll admit that having very little monetary resources really does cramp one’s culinary ambitions. But over thoseearly years of penny-pinching I did find a few recipes that I used to make because they were cheap, but now make because they’re good recipes. To me, if you can do both, you’ve got it made. If you’re broke, it’s more money for canned beans and bread. If you’re not, it’s more money for beef tenderloin or fancy imported cheese or your kids college fund. Which ever comes first.
I’m only posting one recipe today - but it’s a goodie. I actually created this soup based on a really fabulous black bean soup recipe I got from a friend. I call it “Checker Board Soup” because of the black and white beans. After making it with dried beans once, I realized that I prefer canned. This way you don’t have to cook it for very long – just until the onion is tender. If you have a $30 a week budget and you can’t afford the $2.99 for fresh thyme, skip it. But it is a lovely addition.
Checker Board Soup
- 2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 cans of white beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 5 cups of chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 2 tsp of McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning (NOT the spicy one if you want to live.)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
Combine everything in a large stock pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until the onion is tender and everything is nice and hot and fragrant (15 to 20 minutes). Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheddar cheese to garnish.
