I love how versitile this recipe is. Have a little bit of cooked chicken or beef to use up? Throw it into the pot! Want black beans instead of meat? Perfect. Don’t want any meat or beans at all? Leave them out.
Sometimes I like to stir in one cup of sour cream if I have it. That raises the cost of this meal, so adding the sour cream only happens if I have some that I need to use up. Also, the corn is optional. I love the sweetness that it adds, but two of my boys prefer it without the corn.
Confused yet? Don’t worry. Here’s the actual “recipe” – but just know that this one lends itself to a lot of flexibility. Do with it what works best for cleaning out the leftovers in your fridge. Or make it depending on what you’re hungry for at the moment. No matter how you make it, you’ll be serving a healthy meal without spending much money!
Spanish Rice
3 cups water or broth
1 1/2 cups brown rice
2 cups salsa
1 cup cooked chicken, cooked ground beef, or black beans
1 cup frozen corn
Boil water. Add rice, stir, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Add salsa, chicken, and corn. Cook on medium heat until warmed through and through.
Serves 6
Dollar Menu Cost BreakDown:
Spanish Rice = $5.35* which divides to 89¢ per person. I typically serve this with fruit, so the additional cost will vary depending on what is served with the Spanish Rice. If I serve it with applesauce that I made from free apples – the cost is practically free. If I serve it with smoothies from frozen berries and yogurt or kefir, the prices is going to be a bit more.
*I calculated my cost based on the food sources and prices I have available to me. Most of the ingredients I use are organic. Your cost may be slightly more or less depending on where you find your ingredients.
What would be your favorite add-ins to this meal? Chicken or beef are my favorites, but I’m a meat lovin’ girl, so that probably comes as no surprise. :)
