Even if you usually use white rice, try short-grain brown rice here: whole grains are nutty and delicious, and they're a great, inexpensive way to add nutrients to your diet. Get the recipe at Disney Family.com
This is the ultimate in thriftiness and convenience - beans in a slow cooker. The long, slow cooking time coaxes all the flavor from the sausage into the beans for a mild yet full-flavored dish. You can also cook in on low heat for 8 hours.
For tortilla soup like abuela used to make, start with zesty garlic chicken, add tomato sauce, and kick up the flavor when you top with avocado, cheese and cilantro.