There is no doubt that rice is one of the champions of frugal food. It is very inexpensive and can be used to plump up many a meal. We buy large bags of rice from a warehouse store to keep in our pantry. To make it handy to use rice for any meal, I simply empty the large bag into a large dry cat food container. The cat food containers are square and roomy and come with lids that seal very tightly. When I need some rice it is easy to simply take my measuring cup over to the container, pop the lid and scoop the rice up.
There is no end to the many meals you can create with rice. To get you started, here is an easy meal that can be made in the crockpot and costs just pennies.
Some of the great things about this recipe:
- It freezes and reheats very well, so I often triple the batch to add to my stock of freezer meals.
- Believe it or not it is extremely kid-friendly. It has passed the test with my five-year-old, my two-year-old and my picky husband.
- It is a meatless meal that offers plenty of nutrition.
Onto the recipe:
Lentil and Rice Casserole for the Crockpot
Ingredients
- 3 tsp powdered chicken bouillon (or vegetable bouillon for a completely vegetarian meal)
- 2-1/2 cups very hot water
- 3/4 cup dry lentils, rinsed
- 1 cup white or brown rice
- 1 small to medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 tsp dried sweet basil
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (I buy minced garlic by the jar, so no mincing needed)
- Topping: Two handfuls or so of shredded cheddar cheese.
Directions
Mix all (except cheese) together in the crockpot and cook on low for four hours. Add the cheddar cheese to the top of the casserole about 30-45 minutes before the casserole is done.
Do you have any great rice recipes to share?
Related Articles:What Types of Food Are Frugal Friendly?