Easy Vegetarian Refried Beans

When we were newly married, we lived near an excellent Mexican restaurant. We didn’t eat there often, but when we did, I always got a dish that included refried beans. We no longer live near the Mexican restaurant, so I make them at home instead!

This recipe is delicious (and reheats reasonably well). It is a great side dish, but we often eat them as part of an entree. I use the refried beans as a filling in my tacos (in lieu of meat). I combine the beans with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and guacamole. It is absolutely delicious.

The beans are also relatively inexpensive. It costs about $1.65 to make a batch of the beans, and you should be able to get two entree-sized servings out of the batch. If you are serving as a side dish, you should be able to get four servings out of the batch. Enjoy! – Kristin

Frugal Cost Analysis:

Note: This cost analysis is based on what I paid for my own ingredients in the year 2020. Actual prices may vary.

Picture Tutorial:

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Recipe:

Easy Vegetarian Refried Beans

• Servings: 2
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

These homemade refried beans are easy, delicious, and cost $0.83 per serving. You'll never go back to the can…

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (more if you like them spicy)
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lime juice, optional
• 1 can (14.5-15.5 ounces) pinto beans, NOT drained

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat.
2. Add diced onion and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add garlic and chili powder and cook for an additional minute.
4. Mix in the pinto beans (with liquid from can), the vegetable broth, and lime juice.
5. Continue to cook the mixture on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to stir and mash (or mush if you prefer the term) the mixture periodically. The beans are ready when they thicken.
6. Serve in tacos, as part of a taco salad, or as a side dish to any Mexican fare.
7. Enjoy!

Advertisements

Advertisement

Flippy Floppy Pancakes for a Nickel?

Kristin’s Uncle Bert is big, loud, and extremely cheerful. One of her classic Uncle Bert memories involves him boisterously preparing his “Flippy Floppy Pancakes” on New Year’s Day. Uncle Bert’s pancakes were flippy, floppy, and delicious. He always touted a “secret ingredient” that made the texture just right. The secret ingredient has yet to be officially disclosed, but we think we have figured it out. Here’s to you, Uncle Bert!

Per Uncle Bert’s original specifications, these pancakes are flippy and floppy. They are also a very cheap and easy meal. Pancakes shouldn’t be pigeonholed as a breakfast food. They can be enjoyed at any time of the day!

Cost Analysis:

Read more on the cost of toppings here!
Note: This cost analysis is based on what I paid for my own ingredients in the year 2020. Actual prices may vary.

Picture Tutorial:

Recipe:

Flippy Floppy Pancakes for a Nickel?

• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 2-3 mins per batch (10-15 minutes tota)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

These flippy floppy pancakes are nostalgic, delicious, and cheap! Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

1. Pour milk into a glass measuring cup or bowl.
2. Add vinegar to milk and set a timer for 5 minutes. (This gives the milk time to sour.)
3. Place a large frying pan on burner and set to medium-low heat.
4. Combine all dry ingredients into a separate bowl and whisk together.
5. Melt butter in the microwave.
6. Add melted butter and egg to milk mixture.
7. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until the batter is reasonably smooth.
8. Pour batter into frying pan. Make pancakes approximately 3″ in diameter. We can usually fit three pancakes in a large frying pan.
9. This batter is thick and bubbles don’t normally form on the top of the pancakes. Watch the edges and when edges start to thicken, look under one pancake. If the bottom of the pancake is golden brown, flip all the pancakes.
10. Repeat until you use all of your batter. Give your batter a stir before making each new batch. It thickens as it sits.
11. Serve with maple syrup, butter, or peanut butter!

Advertisements

Small Batch Miniature Chocolate Chip Cookies for $0.11

I love chocolate chip cookies, but generally don’t want to be tempted by dozens of cookies. So, I compromise with the following recipe. It makes 16 miniature chocolate chip cookies.

Cost Analysis:

Note: This cost analysis is based on what I paid for my own ingredients in the year 2020. Actual prices may vary.

Picture Tutorial:

Recipe:

Small batch miniature chocolate chip cookies

• Time: 8 to 9 mins per batch
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Delicious miniature chocolate chip cookies to meet your craving without breaking your budget or diet!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cups + 1-2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons SOFTENED butter (1/2 stick)
• 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons of packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk (from a large egg)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet is our favorite)

Directions

1. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Use 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon of flour in the initial mixture. Add additional tablespoon of flour (if needed) when you add the flour to the butter and egg mixture.
2. Beat butter in a mixing bowl
3. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract to butter and mix together.
4. Add egg yolk to butter mixture and beat.
5. Gradually add flour mixture and beat after each addition.
6. The mixture will be relatively dry. Add chocolate chips and mix together with your hands.
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit and chill dough for 20 minutes.
8. Use your hands to roll cookie dough into small balls (about 1 heaping tablespoon worth of dough) Note: The dough will be dry. Use your hands to squeeze the dough into balls.
9. Place balls of cookie dough on a cookie sheet (spaced out as cookies will spread a bit)
10. Bake for 8-9 minutes.
11. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes.
12. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
13. Enjoy!