$5 Friday: Jazzed up baked beans

It’s cold outside, and winter bills are pouring in.  When you don’t feel like going out to do the shopping (or don’t have much money in your purse anyway), this is a quick and easy comfort dish that uses up that iconic Aussie cheap food – baked beans.

Those tinned baked beans are based on Boston baked beans, except that they are made with a cheaper tomato sauce style soup.  I actually think 85c for a can is a tad expensive. Yep, I’m frugal. I have been wanting to make my own for ages, except for the fact that I have trouble finding the navy beans you need.  There are plenty of other fancy Italian beans, but I want the original.

In the meantime, I am using a tin of baked beans in this dish.  The dish was inspired by a work colleague, who told me what their favourite frugal food dish was.  I love people who share cheap recipes with me.  Everyone has a secret recipe they used to make when they were a student, or that their frugal grandmother passed down or that they just like.  I would so love to hear more – please drop me a line or a comment as I would so love to pass on your secrets:)

This recipe turned out to be a bit like huevos coreanos.  I only realised that AFTER googling it for similar recipes. If you are making for more than one person, add more eggs.  I was cooking just for me and wasn’t hungry so I only added one.  This was still more filling than I realised so I ended up over eating.  The quantities are for two people (with two eggs) but you can stretch it further with bread.

Ingredients

1 tin baked beans
1 rasher bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon oil
chilli sauce (optional)
1 – 2 eggs

Method

1. In a cast iron frypan or some other fry pan that looks good (i.e. something you might make an omelette or frittata in), fry the bacon in a little oil until it it is crispy.  Add the chopped onion and continue to cook for a further minute or so.
2. Add the baked beans and stir to combined.  Add chilli sauce (if using) to taste).  Cook until it begins to bubble.
3. Gently break one or more eggs on top of the baked beans.  Place a lid on top of the frypan for a minute or so until the eggs are poached to the desired consistency.  Serve over buttered toast or with sour dough bread.

Total cost (based on ALDI):

Baked beans 85c
Bacon 50c
Onion 15c
oil 5c
chilli sauce 5c
Eggs (assuming two) 60c

Total:  $2.20, plus up to 50c for bread