Or you can add plain rice (or use the rest of the flavor packet another time in plain rice or noodles)
5 Likes
OMG!! My mother said the same exact thing when I talked to her this morning (I try to call her 2-3 times a week). I usually don’t have much to say, so I mentioned my “Rice-a-Roni” purchase and she said exactly what you said!!
Great minds think alike!!
3 Likes
The cilantro lime and chicken garlic would be a nice base for arroz con pollo. Or you could scramble an egg and add some onions / scallions for fried rice.
The beef would be good with whole brown lentils – add some caramelized onions and cumin or garam masala or similar (akin to what I call masoor pulao / biryani, or middle eastern mujadara).
The cheese ones could make a good casserole / risotto with added veg – eg cauliflower or broccoli.
5 Likes
Great ideas… Thanks!!
Which one would you add tuna to?? I have a good supply of tuna in stock and I’m thinking of adding a can or two and make some kind of dinner with it?? (maybe the long grain and wild rice one??)
Hmm, I’m not a big fan of tuna in hot things myself (didn’t grow up with it), but if you like tuna noodle casserole, then it could certainly work in the same way with the cheesy ones. The cilantro lime would also be complementary.
For me, I’d probably make tuna cakes with mashed potato and have them alongside the rice.
(As an aside, I was thinking of the price of these at 0.50 for 6.5 oz, which works out to 1.23 / lb for the mix of rice & noodles – not sure what the per lb price of rice is near you.)
1 Like
Cheddar broccoli
2 Likes
Yes, I think you are right about the cilantro lime being better with the tuna.
I do serve (long grain) rice (a lot) from my rice cooker. The “Rice-a-Roni” side dishes introduce a different flavor, but you are right about the math and the value.
1 Like
Wow! ‘The San Francisco Treat’ sure has come a long way with different flavors over the years.
1 Like
Thank You!!
10 Great Depression-Era Recipes That Still Hold Up Today https://www.allrecipes.com/best-great-depression-recipes-you-can-cook-that-11827351
4 Likes
I’m going to bookmark this page.
I already make some of these, but want to try the Stuffed Potato Pancakes!
Thanks!!
2 Likes
I thought those sounded good, too.
ETA: if you look at the links at the bottom, Depression meals actually appears to be a series.
1 Like
Double Score, today!! Chorizo for $.63 - I’ll mix that rice or pasta or shredded potato, etc. I imagine I could mix it with mashed potatoes, cheese and onions as a pierogi filling??
And 4 bell peppers for $1.25, I’ll clean, slice and freeze them for later pizzas.
YEAH!!
6 Likes
If you are looking for a rice dish this James Beard one is a favoutite.
2 Likes
For sausage and peppers I always think of a low country rice, such as this one:
(@Desert-Dan: I hope you don’t mind all the suggestions. It’s kind of a fun challenge when you post your excellent purchases - like an episode of Chopped.)
5 Likes
are the reduced priced products usually coming from one particular store?
1 Like
I very much enjoy your suggestions. I do run the ideas past Sunshine before I attempt to make a new dish.
Most of the time she is fairly receptive to trying new things.
But yes, keep the ideas coming and Thank You!!
3 Likes
There are 3 grocery stores in the immediate vicinity, two of the them I can ride my bicycle to, so I hit them fairly often – looking for clearance/sale items.
The third one I actually have to drive to. Today’s finds were from that 3rd grocery store (Fry’s - which is a Kroger Store) on the way home from taking Sunshine to the doctor (checkup).
This is screaming “stuffed peppers” to me 
I stuff rice with sautéed aromatics (onion, garlic), a bit of tomato product of some type, and spices, and optionally some sautéed ground meat and a bit of cheese on top to finish.
Some chorizo would bring meat and spice both.
If you don’t fancy one of the rice a ronis quite as much as others, you could use that for the stuffing instead of plain rice.
(I sometimes sub jarred salsa for the aromatics and tomato.)
My mom makes a different variation using a spiced mashed potato filling — also delicious. You could add some canned tuna to the potato if you like (similar to a fish cake).
Those are sliced in half the other way (shallow) and pan-fried.
4 Likes
It makes an awesome taco filling with roasted potatoes or cauliflower!
2 Likes
