Two Dinners - One Pot

I love making food and well yea I love eating food. But I really love making inexpensive recipes that feed the family well and leave them asking for more. One the best gifts my wife bought me was my crock pot. I love it so much that I practically use it at least once a week. Here are two meal ideas using the crock pot at one time.

We love pinto beans at our place. Its something that my Dad uses to make all the time and I make a simpler variation that my wife loves. When you are gathering ingredients at the store grab everything you will need for the next two meals. Purchase 1 bag of dry pinto beans, 1 jar of instant beef bouillon, 1 can diced tomatoes with jalapeño peppers, 1 can chili starter, and 1 can of red kidney beans.

For the first dinner, break open your bag of beans and sort through them. Most people don't know it, but because of the way beans are harvested sometimes they have rocks or other foreign matter mixed in. It's better to find it now rather than bite on a rock and break a tooth. After sorting rinse the beans well and put in the crock pot. Mix up 4 -6 cups of beef bouillon and add to the crock pot until it is ¾ full. Cover and set to high for about three hours, checking on it occasionally. When the beans are starting to soften a bit reduce to simmer for another two hours. Meanwhile, make a pan of cornbread if you like, as this goes great with pinto beans. Whatever beans are left, leave in the crock pot and refrigerate.

For meal number two, we are going to bring out or leftover beans. To the pot add the diced tomatoes, chili starter, and kidney beans. If necessary add water to cover. Set the crock pot on low setting and let it cook for about two hours, stirring occasionally. Add hot sauce to the pot according to your taste. As an added treat, sprinkle shredded cheese on top of chili in everyone's bowls.

I hope you enjoy the recipes I shared here. They are simple and relatively inexpensive. I will almost guarantee that there will be no leftovers after the second night. The chili is especially good with football Sunday snacking as well.