BUDGET COOKING (Marie)

It's the perfect season for bean salads. They're easy on the budget, a snap to prepare and they happen to be good for you. What could be better? If you cook your own dried beans (it's much easier than you think), you'll spend roughly a third of what canned beans cost. As for that nutritional profile, beans score high marks in everything from protein and fiber to carbohydrates, B vitamins and iron- all with very little fat.
To Prepare Dried Beans
Put them into a colander, pick out any small pebbles and rinse well under cold running water. Except for lentils and split peas, dried beans need to be soaked before cooking.
So... Soak beans overnight, refrigerated, in water to cover them by 3".
Or.... Cover beans with water by 3". Bring to a boil, turn off heat and let stand 1 hour.
Either way, be sure to drain off the soaking water and rinse the beans before you cook them. (This step really helps to reduce intestinal gas.)

To Cook Dried Beans
Add 3 c. Water to each cup of soaked beans in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently 1 & 1/2 hr- 2 & 1/2 hrs until tender but not mushy. If desired, add 1/4 tsp. Salt for each cup of beans about 30 min. Before end of cooking time. Drain and cool or freeze.

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Mustard Vinaigrette Dressing
2 C. Vegetable oil
1 & 1/2 c. Cider vinegar
3 T. Dijon Mustard
2 t. Salt
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp. Sugar
Puut ingredients into a 1-qt. Jar with a tight-fittling lid. Cover & shake until well blended. Makes 3 & 3/4 C. About 65 calories per tablespoon. This dressing will keep well up to 1 mo. In the refrigerator.

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Tuscan Bean & Bread
2c. Each red kidney beans and chickpeas
4c. Cubed Italian bread
4c. Chopped tomatoes
1c. Chopped red onion
1/2 c. Muustard Vinaigrette
1 & 1/2 tsp. Dried basil
Serves 4 as a main dish.

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Pike's Bean
3 c. Small red beans
2 c. Cooked corn kernels
1 & 1/2 c. Chopped bell pepper
3/4 c chopped onion
1/3 c Mustard Vinaigrette
1 & 1/2 tsp. Bottled barbecue sauce
Serves 4 as a main dish.
(This is also great served with hot dogs & buns.)