Cheesy Beans and Rice

Wow -- I must have beans on the mind (or menu) lately. Here is a very fast recipe for beans and rice, flavored with plenty of cheddar cheese.

Ingredients
I can red beans or black beans, undrained
1 cup instant rice
1 cup water
4 oz. shredded cheddar or colby cheese
1 tsp. chili powder

Instructions
Combine water & rice in saucepan, bring to boil & simmer for 5-10 minutes, depending on whether you have white or brown instant rice. (3 minutes hands-on prep)
Stir in beans, cheese & chili powder until well combined. (3 minutes hands-on prep)
Although it might look messy, it tastes great & is usually a big hit with the kids.

Serving Suggestions
Serve by itself with a salad on the side. Or, make a burrito by rolling mixture up in a tortilla & topping with sour cream & salsa.

Black Bean Salad

This salad is good alone, but it's especially good served with tortilla chips or quesadillas in place of salsa.

Ingredients
1 can black beans
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 cup fresh corn kernels, raw or cooked
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. lime juice
1 tsp. honey or sugar
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbls. fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions
Place the drained and rinsed beans into a large bowl.
Add the onions, green pepper, tomatoes, and corn and mix gently.
In a small bowl mix the garlic powder, lime juice, honey, and salt. Pour over the beans mixture and toss.
Top with fresh chopped cilantro.

Variations
Try kidney beans or hominy instead of black beans. You can use lemon juice or apple cider vinegar instead of lime juice. For a very quick meal, melt cheese on tortilla chips at 350 degrees in the toaster oven while you're preparing the salad. They should both be ready at about the same time.