My recession-friendly refried bean kick

I'm a SoCal native, which makes my soul food Mexican food,
just like gumbo to a New Orlean native or barbeque to a Texan.

Thus, I've been on a refried bean kick lately.



It's the strangest thing. I must be my tribute to the recession gods.

Lindsey thinks it's hilarious, but as a SoCal native, she understands completely, and when I told my sister about what I've been eating lately she told me it sounded "really goood"
(yeah, her dining hall food options include quinoa, edamame and fresh peaches in the dead of winter- I retorted that she was ridiculous).

Regardless, I've lately been feeling disgustingly indulgent dining out after I get on NY Times and read all the depressing (pun intended) stories...

which gets me to thinking about my grandpa who grew up in small town Utah during the Depression and has stories about rationing eggs...

so I figure this is my recession-era food story I'll tell my own grandchildren one day.
i.e. "Back in the Obama years when we drove these things called 'cars' to get around and people read newspapers..."

So here's what I do: I'll buy a pack of 16 Rosarita refried bean cans for about $10 at Costco...

also, while you're at Costco, pick up a thing of Parmigiano Reggiano and marinated sun-dried tomatoes (shh, I know that doesn't exactly sound recession-like, but buying in bulk is!)

All I do is I open a can, put in some cheese (highly recommend parmesan, but cheddar works too) and sundried tomato, nuke it in the micro for a few minutes and voila, a meal.

(It just occurred to me- not only is this easy on the wallet but it's also a fusion of Mexican meets Italian. Economic crises have never been so sophisticated.)

So needless to say, it's filling, healthy, delicious...and your stomach's economic best friend.