Must remember to snap a photo next time. This photo doesn't do it justice! Lorenia / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

You’ve probably had red-sauce enchiladas before, but have you tried enfrijoladas? They’re just as yummy, easy, and inexpensive to make. Try your hand at the recipe below.

Frijol is the Spanish word for bean. In this dish, purred beans will be used as a sauce. I made these for dinner last night and grilled chicken breasts as a side. They were delicious!

Ingredients

4 cups cooked black or pinto beans
2 tablespoon olive oil
tortillas
salt and pepper
2 tbs cumin
1/4 of an onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (or whatever you have on hand)
Sour cream, for drizzling

Directions

Start by making the refried beans. In a saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until it’s soft. Then add cumin and continue sauteing. Add the beans to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Be careful when you do this! Cool the beans for about 5 minutes and put them in the blender to puree. You want them to be extra runny like a sauce. Return the pureed mixture to the pan and gently reheat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

To warm up the tortillas, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spritz the rest of the olive oil on the tortillas and sprinkle with a dash of salt. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. They’re ready when they are crunchy.

Use tongs to pass the tortillas 1 by 1 through the refried bean sauce until they are coated on both sides with the sauce and they’re semi-soft. Set aside on a plate by folding them in half. (You can also fill them with chicken or veggies at this point.)

Arrange them in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and top with your favorite cheese. Bake until cheese is melted about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, drizzle with sour cream and top with onions or chicken. What are your go-to meals tight now?

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MizGingerSnaps / Flickr

I share five must read blog posts about saving money every Friday.

Dining out? Save money on eating out with these ten tips. (The Digerati Life)

The most common car repairs and how to avoid them. (Mainstreet)

Money managment tips for newly married couples or spouses who argue about money. (Money Crashers)

Save money and energy! Reduce your heating bill with these frugal ways to keep your home warm this winter. (Wisebread)

Frugalista? Stay in fashion and learn how to buy shoes on a budget. (The Centsible Life)

graymilkn/Flickr

It doesn’t matter if I am going to Disneyland for the day or to a local park for a few hours, I always take a thermos of water and a picnic basket with me. If you follow my advice, you can save well over a thousand dollars a year just like I do.

“But Bobbi, why would I go to all that trouble when I am just going on a few errands?” You go to that trouble because if you don’t, you might find yourself spending up to $50 for a nutritious lunch for you and one or two of your kids. (Or $20 for sugar and fast food.) Buy an unplanned meal at a restaurant once or twice a week and you’ve busted your budget for sure.

“Well, then I will just tell the kids they have to wait til we get home to eat or drink.” You can do that, but then you will be cranky and your kids will be cranky. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather be stuck in a traffic jam with happy kids than with cranky kids.

It’s not hard to save lunch money. It just takes pre-planning. Your first step is to buy yourself good picnic baskets. I like one with a handle and wheels. Make sure it will easily fit into your vehicle. Because I live in sunny California, my baskets are very insulated – the hard-sided picnic basket type. When I lived in New England where the temperatures didn’t get so high, I had a soft-sided picnic basket. The soft-sided baskets are easier to jam into awkward spaces and take up less room when they are empty. (Of course, if you can find one of these in great shape at a yard sale, then grab it up there!) For short outings, Bargain Babe likes the Easy Lunchbox.

Here are some food items that travel well:

• Veggie treats – carrots, celery, cucumbers, broccoli

• Cheese sticks – get a brick of cheese and cut into pieces, don’t buy pre-cut cheese

• Carbs – crackers, pretzels, toasted pita pieces

• Fruit – grapes, apples, pears, quartered oranges, clementines, bananas (watch out for the bananas because they will squish and give a banana smell to everything around… but most kids will eat them and they are full of potassium which is good on a hot day.)

• Peanut butter and jelly – my favorite. These sandwiches can last a whole day in the hot or the cold.

• Sandwiches – make the favorite of each person and label. If sandwich has mayo, meat or fish it needs to be kept cold and eaten in the first few hours of the trip.

• Pasta and sauce – my kids eat this cold or lukewarm. Adults tend to like it warmed up.

• Yogurt – comes in all sizes, shapes and flavors. Just make sure they stay cold.

• Frozen juice boxes – these will help to keep your food cold and then the drinks will be cold later in the day.

Non-food items to have packed in your picnic basket at all times:

• Paper plates and bowls

• Napkins or paper towels

• Wet wipes

• Utensils

• Bag for trash

• Little salt, pepper, sugar packets (keep in a sandwich bag)

• Frozen ice packs – buy several and keep them in your freezer. When they start to leak, just toss them and pick up new ones at the 99 Cent Only store

I hope this helps you save as much money as it has helped me to save. Do you have other healthy foods that travel well?

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McPrior / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

You’re in the office and your tummy starts grumbling. You have many options for lunch but which one is best for your wallet? Options include eating out, brown bagging and re-heating a frozen entree.

Eating Out

Pros: This option is convenient and depending on where you work, you have an array of foods at your fingertips. There is no need to pack a lunch the night before or wake up extra early to prepare something.  Eating out with coworkers can be a bonding experience and if you can chose the eatery, you can make sure you have an Entertainment Book coupon. Cons: This can quickly become an expensive habit if you don’t find deals for eating out. If you stick to dollar menus to minimize the cost, your waistline and health may take a toll. Cost: $10 per meal x 5 days a week = $50 per week

Brown Bagging

Pros: Keep an eye on your wallet and your waistline with this option. Brown Bagging can be more environmental if you use a reusable lunch bag, bring utensils from home instead of using disposables and pack a reusable water bottle. Being your own chef allows creative meal planning, especially if you use a multi-compartment easy lunch box. Re-heat dinner leftovers for a tasty meal. You can eat quickly at your desk or find a nearby park. Brown Bagging is nearly as fun as eating out with a favorite co-worker. Cons: It gets boring fast if you stick to the same meals and requires advance planning. Cost: $2.60 for a sandwich + .40 for baby carrots or fruit slices = $3 x 5 days a week = $15

Frozen Entrees

Pros: Prepackaged foods are very convenient and easy to grab on your way out the door in the morning when you’re in a hurry. You can stock up when they go on sale and keep them for weeks in the freezer. You can eat quickly at your desk. TV dinners used to have a bad rap for being unhealthy but there are now healthy options. Cons: Many TV dinner are loaded with salt and lack fiber and vitamins, taking a toll on your health over time. Portions are often so small you head to the candy machine for an afternoon snack. Cost: The entrees cost around $5 and sometimes cheaper when you can find coupons.  $5 x 5 days a week = $25

Eating out costs significantly more than brown bagging or relying on frozen meals,  but also takes a lot more time. What’s your frugal lunchtime option?

jpellgen/Flickr

This is a guest post from Marie, a long time reader of BargainBabe.com.

Most restaurants today offer great cost-conscious meals for those willing to search for them. Getting super deals when eating out is as simple as clicking keys. 

The best way to get great deals is simply to visit their Internet sites, join their online member clubs, and take advantage of the great deals most restaurants offer on their sites and email regularly to their members.

It’s not just grownups that can benefit.  You can fill in membership applications online for your children to get great free or low-priced offers.  Here are a few examples, but you can find your own at almost any restaurant, simply by exploring their web sites.

 Claim Jumpers Restaurants

Join the Claim Jumpers E-Club.  Members receive a complimentary Small Bite Dessert for joining.  Club members also receive monthly emails with exclusive offers, in-store promotions, etc.

Children 12 years of age and under can join the Little Jumpers Club to receive a FREE Build Your Own Sundae for joining and a FREE Little Jumpers meal on their birthday.  You will also receive emails about children’s promotions and events at Claim Jumpers. 

Benihana Restaurants

Benihana, the Japanese-style restaurants where food is cooked fresh on your table, have great online offers.  Join the Benihana Chef’s Table club at www.benihana.com to get a Benihana Birthday Dinner certificate for a FREE meal of $30 or less during your birthday month.  They will also take an instant birthday photo for you to keep as a souvenir.

Benihana is now launching Kabuki Kids for children 12 and under.  Go to the site and fill out the form with the child’s name, birthday and address. Benihana will send the child a special postcard to bring into any participating Benihana during their birthday month for a FREE souvenir mug of their choice with the purchase of any Children’s meal.

Baja Fresh Restaurants

Join Club Baja to get email offers.  Recent offers include a $5 coupon off any purchase of $15 or more (two can eat for this offer); a coupon for $2 off any $6 or more entree; and if you buy a Primo Taco Combo (which includes your choice of Langostino Lobster, Spicy Marinated Fire-Grilled Steak, and Blackened Mahi Mahi), you get the second Primo Taco Combo for $2.99.

Tip: Your Baja Fresh receipt often offers $2 off your next meal if you complete a survey.

Perhaps it is time to stock up for yourself or get a head start on your Christmas shopping? Expires Sept. 13, 2009.

The certificates last for a year, but check the fine print because some have unusual redemption rules.