Budget friendly meals - Butterbeans

The butterbean aka dried lima beans is a  Southern classic that often gets overlooked.  Butterbeans can be cooked any way you like and many people have many twists on their favorite recipes.  I'm going to share with you my favorite way to cook butterbeans. We are having them for dinner tonight with some hot water cornbread. 

Put 1 lb. of butterbeans in a pressure cooker.  (I am using the small ones but any size is ok.)
Add in 8 cups water, 1 1/2 tsp. salt & 1/4 tsp. black pepper.
About an hour before serving turn pressure on for 20 minutes.
Check for doneness.  If not done yet turn back on for about 5 minutes. (They do not take as long as some other beans.)
When done add in 1/4 cup of butter.
Stir & serve!

You can also do this on the stove top or crockpot. Just adjust cooking times.

Stovetop- approximately 1 hour, if soaked before
Crockpot- approximately 5 hours

Butterbeans make a great main dish or side dish.  Left-overs freeze well and they also taste even better the next day for lunch.

Enjoy!

My Version of Taco Soup

My crock pot is a kitchen tool I really wouldn't want to be without. On days where we plan on being busy it is so nice to come home to a nice, hot meal simmering away.  Another plus is if I'm out later than dinner time the members of my family that are home can go ahead and eat if they want to.

This recipe could easily be cooked on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker.  I just usually make it in the crock pot.

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef, turkey, or pork (your preference)
2 c. cooked black beans
1 cup corn
2 c. tomato sauce
1 c. diced tomatoes w/green chili's (or just use plain diced tomatoes if you're not into spicy)
2 T. taco type seasoning
1 T. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder (or could use 1/3 cup chopped onion)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Brown your meat & drain off any fat.  Then pour everything else into the crockpot.  Add in just enough water to where everything is just covered.  Cook on low for about 7 hours or high for about 4.

You can serve this as is or you can pour some over some tortilla or frito chips. Then sprinkle on a little shredded cheese.

This is so easy & you can adapt pretty much any of the ingredients to suit your taste.

This makes about 7 good sized bowls.

Apple Butter

Yesterday we picked a bushel of apples from the only apple tree on the homestead.  They are a green, granny smith variety.   They are much too tart to enjoy just eating plain but they make really good apple butter & applesauce. 
This year it was a family affair.  I really appreciated the help & it went much faster & we ended up with a delicious result!

I have 2 crockpots an oval traditional type and then I have an electric pressure canner that can also function as a crockpot. 

We used the apple corer, peeler, slicer and then handed that off to the next person who used a paring knife to cut off the remainder of the skin & any bad spots.  Then the next one filled up both crockpots with the slices. 

To each pot we added 2 cups of sugar, 4 tsp. of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. cloves, and 1 1/2 cups water.

Now time to wait! 

Put on the lids and cook for 8-12 hours.  Depending on your cooker.  Stir every couple of hours.  I let it cook over night.

The apples will turn to 'mush' and when they are all tender and dark it's done. 

If you like it a little chunky then leave it alone.  If not use a stick blender & smooth it out.  (I did)

You can store it in the refrigerator or freezer.  If you make a lot, like we did, you can also can it.

To can your apple butter place it in pint or half-pint jars. 

Canning time is 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

(Please look up canning procedures if you have never canned before & you do so at your own risk.)

Cheep & Yummy = Crockpot Red Beans & Sausage

Crockpot Red Beans & Sausage

1 lb. red kidney beans (or could substitute small red beans) $1.50
14 oz. pkg. smoked sausage  $2.50
1 T. Mexican seasoning blend (could use taco seasoning)  .25
2 tsp. salt
2 c. rice $1.00

Soak beans over night if you want but it's not really necessary with kidney beans.
In crock place washed beans, salt, & Mexican seasoning.
Cover with water to about 2x over the beans.
Turn crockpot on high & cook for about 4 hours.
Now add in the smoked sausage, sliced.
Allow to cook another hour or two or until beans are tender.

Cook rice in another pot according to package directions.

Place a scoop of rice in a bowl and ladle over a big scoop of the beans & sausage.

$5.25  for the entire meal.  Serves 6-8.

Now this is a whole yummy meal but my husband insists it needs a big hunk of cornbread on the side.   :)

Farm to Fork

A cheap & easy meal that my family enjoys is purple hull pea soup.  I make it in the crockpot & I like to eat mine plain in a bowl with the broth.   It's a whole healthy meal in itself but you can make a pot of rice & cornbread to go along with it & it's over the top yummy!  The other night after class we made grilled cheese sandwiches to eat with it & that was good too.

Purple hull pea soup (Totally Farm to Fork or homemade version)

4 cups frozen purple hull peas (picked from the farm just down the road)
1/2 c. chopped green onions (from my garden & frozen)
1 quart chicken broth (I make & freeze)
pinch of cayenne pepper (from my garden, dehydrated & then ground up)

Put all in a crockpot & set on low for about 6 hours.

Done!

Of course you can make this with store bought ingredients & it's good too but there's just something special about knowing it all came from close by.

Crockpot

My mom used to use the crockpot often, and so do I. Well, about once a week, sometimes more.  I would say it is probably my favorite appliance other than my mixer.
I have 4 meals on my 2 week meal plan I listed yesterday that are cooked in the crockpot.

Pinto beans (for a couple recipes)
Black eye peas
Crockpot BBQ pork
Creamy crockpot chicken & broccoli

I typically pick crockpot recipes for days that we plan on being busy.  However, a roast or a pot of stew on a cold day really makes the house smell warm & cozy.

For any beans or peas it is best to soak them overnight with a little lemon juice or whey then turn on the crockpot in the morning. BUT...if you forget that throw them in early and by dinner they should be done.  Add in any seasonings, especially salt,  or a little bacon or ham & delish!

BBQ pork- I just put in a pork roast and a bottle of our favorite BBQ sauce or homemade.

The creamy crockpot chicken is one I found on pinterest. If it turns out well I'll share that link.

I am a pinterest fanatic. There are lots of crockpot recipes on there that just look delicious! 

Long-Cooked Healing Chicken Stock (or turkey)

Any time I bake a chicken I save all the carcass.  After pulling most of the meat off I place it in my crockpot. Fill it to the top with water & any veggies and seasonings I may have in the fridge. 

(parsley, basil, cilantro, garlic, celery, carrots, cabbage are the norms around here) I use some or all.  Fill the pot up to the top but mostly it should be water.
Turn the crockpot on low and allow to cook over night.  (12 hours or so)
Allow to cool a bit & then pour the stock through a strainer to have a smooth beautiful stock. 
You can now put your stock in the refrigerator and allow the fat to settle at the top and scoop it off if you like.  I usually don't though. This is good for you when your immune system is low.
Put into quart jars or freezer bags and freeze for later or use it now. 
If you freeze in jars make sure to leave a couple inches at the top for expansion or your jars will crack.
I usually take the bones & veggies and give them to the dogs.  The bones are so soft they won't hurt the dogs now and they love this special treat.

A big, beautiful, golden pot of stock waiting to be made into chicken & dumplings!

 

Church Chicken

In the crockpot before turning on

 

The past 2 Sunday's I've started this in the crockpot before we went to church & by 2:00 it is done.  Add some potatoes or rice and a veggie & you have a delicious Sunday dinner.

Place chicken in the crockpot (bone-in breasts is what I used because they were on sale)  Leave the skin on or not, you're choice.

Place some sliced onion & garlic on top of chicken.

Sprinkle with any seasonings you like.

Cook on high for about 6 hours.

Remove chicken to a platter & slice.

You can use any combination of seasonings you have on hand. 

Here are the ones I've done before:

*onion, garlic, basil, salt & pepper
*onion, bell pepper, Cajun seasoning blend
*sliced lemon, salt, & lots of black pepper
*garlic, salt & pepper, fresh rosemary

Have fun with it & enjoy!