Good eats...the budget version

[vanillafluffy]

A little while ago, I said to myself, "Self, you really ought to find something to do with that package of Little Smokies you got from the food pantry the other day."

For starters, I threw them into my trust cast-iron skillet and heated them, and as that was going on, I rooted around in my pantry, because basically Little Smokies = weenies and we all know beans and weenies is a classic. And god knows, I've got beans.

So I threw in a drained can of pork and beans, then a can of drained light kidney beans. Nice, but it still looked inadequate.

I drained some diced tomatoes and plonked them in. Good, but a bit bland, so I fished out a packet of taco seasoning...best by last March. It was caked up, so I grabbed a strainer, held it over the skillet and dumped the taco stuff in. Ended up being about half the envelope, which given the sodium content, is plenty. It's enough to give it a little favor.

Despite having been drained, there's still a certain amount of pan gravy to it, so I threw the macaroni from a box of mac'n'cheese in to nuke.

Dinner will be served momentarily.
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Comments

[jdsgirlbev.livejournal.com]

If necessity is the mother of invention, she sure has some interestimg kids!

Sounds pretty good though! :D

[vanillafluffy.livejournal.com]

It filled the void nicely, and I've got leftovers. And considering the source of the ingredients, it was free. \o/


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*nom-nom-nom* Yummy!

[ladyjane]

You're a cook after my own heart. I love taking packaged goods and using them to create something new.

Re: *nom-nom-nom* Yummy!

[vanillafluffy.livejournal.com]

I can follow a recipe if I have to---shrimp scampi, for instance*---although most of the time, I'd rather "wing it". I'll look at a couple recipes to gt and idea of the general ingredients and proportions, and then go my own way. It may not be pretty, but it's usually edible.


* And even that ended up with me using my own judgement, because the recipe as written was drek.
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[ang5fam.livejournal.com]

I love beans and franks! When I can afford it, I buy those lil smokies- they are delish.
It will be good left-over on this cold day! I like to sop up the sauce with bread.

[vanillafluffy.livejournal.com]

They're not something I usually buy, but I had them and didn't want 'em to go to waste. Good and filling, and yeah, a hot lunch sounds good!
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