Every family has that really cheap meal that they just love to eat. For some families, its rice and beans, or some kind of cheap soup. For our family, its ham hocks and beans.

My husband and I have a tendency to prefer different styles of beans though however. My husband likes making it with great northern beans, whereas I enjoy making it with the 16 bean soup mix. Typically the 16 bean soup mix comes with a flavor packet that adds some extra flavor.

Since my husband broke his arm a couple months ago, he hasn’t been able to work, so that’s left me trying to get creative in the kitchen, while I wait for food stamps to determine if I am eligible for aid again. In the meantime, we’ve gotten much appreciated help from our parents. Typically I’d also be going to the food banks, but we have none that are open on afternoons or weekends. And it seems wrong to take a day off just to hit a food bank.

The other good thing about this meal, is that you can use just about any broth with it, or you can let the ham hock flavor your broth.

Ingredients:

• 1 Package of dried beans (I use the 16 bean mix)
• 1 Ham Hock
• Chicken Broth ( I used bullion Powder)
• 1/2 Onion, Diced ( I used some frozen I still had)
• 1 can tomato sauce

Directions:

Soak your beans overnight, or follow the soaking instructions on the bag of beans.

Add your beans to the croc pot, along with your bullion powder, onions and ham hock. Just barley cover the beans. We will be adding the tomato sauce last, as tomato sauce, and the acidy tends to hinder the cooking process.

Turn the beans on low and let it cook all day. About a half an hour to an hour before serving, add in the tomato sauce, and take out the bones of your ham hock. I like to shred my ham hock as well, just to be sure that there is plenty of pork distributed in the soup. If your soup looks too liquidy, take out some of the juice, but keep it near by just in case you have to play with the ratio after adding the tomato sauce. I wound up adding a half a cup of the bean broth back in after I added the tomato sauce. It may be more or less for you depending on your preference.

Make sure to taste the soup before serving, to add any last minute touches it may need.

I love this soup, as its easy to add more veggies to it if you so desire, and it goes great with almost any bread. Garlic bread, regular sandwich bread, biscuts, cornbread. Whatever you have laying around works great!

Total Cost Breakdown:

Now, keeping in mind I’m from California, I shop at Grocery outlet, as they have some of the best prices where I live. The prices may vary wherever you are.

Beans: $1.29

Chicken Bullion: $0.99

Pack of 2 Ham hocks: $1.79

Tomato Sauce: $1.29

Yellow Onion ( I had some onion frozen) but typically: $0.91

Total Cost: $6.27

That’s less than $10.00 for a meal that is flavorful and could potentially last more than one day!