Menu Plan Monday ~ Saving Money in my Frugal Kitchen ~ Week #4 ~ February 2025

 My Frugal Week

This week I opened the last can of quick oats out of a box of six cans bought in April 2021 during the pandemic. They have a shelf life of thirty years, but I've used them up in only four years. 

With snow overnight on Wednesday, I stayed home rather than run errands and had a very productive day in the kitchen.

Cheryl over at Cheryl's Frugal Corner gave me an this idea past week. I had some pie crusts in the freezer, so I thawed one out and made pizza pockets for lunch one day over the weekend. The pie crust made them delicious. 

Recipe of the Week

This recipe came out of the necessity to use up some pinto beans I had cooked from the weekend. We really like beans with a lot of flavor and pinto beans are not very flavorful if they are not seasoned. So, I had about four cups left and decided to make this soup, which is very flavorful. Leftovers were stored in individual bowls in the freezer for future meals.

Mexican Pinto Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion diced

1 - 14 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes

3 garlic cloves minced

2 small carrots, peeled and diced

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

1 teaspoon oregano 

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

4 cups pinto beans

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium/high heat. 

Add onion and sauté for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in the roasted tomatoes, garlic, carrots, potato, and spices. 

Cook for 1-2 minutes and then pour in the broth.

Bring the soup to a boil and let it simmer with a lid for about 10-15 minutes. 

Add in the pinto beans and cook for 10 more minutes.

You can add more veggie broth or water if you want it to be thinner.

Photo of the Week

 

What’s for Dinner

Monday ~ Leftovers of Egg Roll in a Bowl, Pinto Beans, and Brussel Sprouts. I also roasted some potatoes in EVOO in the oven. 

Movie Night Tuesday ~ Chicken Breasts in the Air Fryer, Pinto Beans, and Steamed Broccoli. 

Wednesday & Thursday ~ I took the rest of the Pinto Beans and turned them them into Mexican Pinto Bean Soup. Then I decided to make also up a batch of Lentil Loaf and portioned them out into eight cabbage leaves for Cabbage Rolls. 

I cooked the cabbage leaves for one minute in the Instant Pot to get them soft enough to roll. I really liked these and will definitely make them again. I served them with roasted potatoes & onions and green beans with onions. 

That made two meatless meals to save money this week. I’m saving the soup for lunches rather than dinner. 

Friday ~ I had errands to run and was out until 6:30 p.m., bur I did not get take out. Instead, we had the last two cabbage rolls and made a big salad to go with it. 

Saturday ~ Using the free steaks from Save-A-Lot, I made Swiss Steak with them in the crockpot. I served them with Roasted & Smashed Yukon Gold Potatoes and Green Beans with Onions. 

Sunday ~ Chicken Fajitas, Corn or Flour Tortillas, Lettuce, Red Onions, Tomatoes, and extra sharp Cheddar Cheese, and Corn. 

What’s been on the menu in your home this past week?

Belinda

Homemaker at Heart

Mortgage & Debt Free~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27