Some call it “dirty rice” but I don’t like using the words “dirt” and “food” in the same sentence!

Cost: $6.69, Prep Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef (85% lean), 1 onion, 1 bag collard greens, 1 box cornbread, 1 egg, 1/3 cup milk, 4 cloves garlic, ½ cup brown sugar (optional)

Cooking Instructions

Collard Greens (30 minutes)

Get large 8 quart pot and spray bottom with cooking spray.

Add HALF of the garlic and onion mixture you prepared in step 1 (the other half is in the ground beef and rice)

Cook for about 1 – 2 minutes (until onions are soft)

Add 4 cups water (if you have beef stock or chicken stock that would be better), collard greens, salt and pepper, and brown sugar (optional).

Cover and let simmer on medium heat for 5-10 minutes

Remove lid and stir to mix all ingredients (by now your greens should have reduced and softened quite a bit so it should be easy to stir).

Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for another 20 minutes or so (until greens are soft)

Ground Beef and Rice (10 minutes)

Peel 1 onion, and dice it.  Smash and finely chop 8 cloves of garlic.  Set aside

Boil 2 cups of water in small pot

When water reaches a boil, add 2 cups instant rice and salt and pepper to taste.

Place lid on pot and remove from heat (rice will be done in 5 minutes)

Remove 1 lb ground beef from its package and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Get large frying pan/skillet.  Spray with cooking spray and turn heat on medium high.  Break up ground beef and cook about 5 minutes.

Drain fat from ground beef (if any) and then add HALF the onion, garlic to skillet.

Continue browning for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to let the onions and garlic cook.

Add rice and ¼ to ½ cup of water to ground beef and continue to stir until ground beef and rice is well mixed and water is absorbed (2 – 3 minutes)

Cornbread (15 minutes)

Recipe is on the box.  All you need is 1 round pan, 1 egg, and 1/3 cup of milk

Spray round pan with cooking spray

Combine contents of box, egg and milk and stir

Pour mixture into round pan and bake at 425 degrees for about 10 -15 minutes (or until golden brown).

To test if done, stick a fork in the middle of the cornbread.  If it comes out clean, your cornbread is done.

Cost of Meal

Ground Beef (1 lb) $2.49

1 onion (1/2 lb of $2.99 3 lb bag) $0.30

8 cloves garlic (1/3 of $0.50 head) $0.17

2 cups instant rice (1/2 box at $2.09) $1.05

1 12oz bag collard greens $1.99

1 box cornbread mix $0.49

1 egg (1/12 of $1.20 carton) $0.10

1/3 cup of milk $0.10

Total cost of meal: $6.69

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