What’s cooking?
Start with what you have. Find a recipe, fill the gaps with food from nearby sellers, and make something good.
Finding ingredients around Billings. Your community
What would you like to make?
Applesauce
Apples, water and optional cinnamon make a simple batch of applesauce to serve now or keep in the refrigerator.
Something for the next meal.
18 recipes, including the recipe above
A good start
Eggs, greens and something warm for breakfast.
Illustrative photograph. Photo by I Own My Food Art, Pexels Bison veggie egg scramble
Ground bison with onion and bell pepper, folded into scrambled eggs and rolled in flour tortillas. Breakfast that holds up as dinner.
View recipe8 tortillas
Illustrative photograph. Photo by Karolina Ferretis (gentilesco) Scrambled Eggs With Spinach
Fresh spinach cooks with scrambled eggs for a breakfast or a simple meal, with whole-wheat toast if you like.
View recipe6 servings; 2 eggs with spinach per serving
15 minutes total, with 15 minutes of hands-on work.
Illustrative photograph. Photo by Gonzalo Mendiola, Pexels Veggie egg and bean burritos
Carrot, onion, garlic, and black beans with taco seasoning, scrambled eggs, and tortillas. A meal kit staple built from storage vegetables.
View recipe8 burritos
Put a pot on
Soups and chili for the table, a lunchbox or another day.
Illustrative photograph. Photo by Роман Нагаевский, Pexels Pastina soup
The Italian comfort soup sometimes called Italian penicillin: vegetables simmered in chicken broth, tiny pastina cooked in the broth, Parmesan to finish.
View recipeIllustrative photograph. Photo by Heather Brock, Pexels Potato and bean soup
Onion, potatoes, a can of beans, and tomato paste simmered in water. Mash a few potatoes against the pot to thicken it.
View recipeIllustrative photograph. Photo by Helen Brudna, Pexels Potato and vegetable soup
Carrots, potatoes, onion, and garlic simmered in water or milk. Four vegetables and twenty-five minutes.
View recipeIllustrative photograph. Photo by Stephanie Monfette Vegetable Chili Boat
Pinto, kidney and black beans cook with tomatoes, onion and green pepper. Serve small bowls topped with tortilla chips and a blend of cheddar and mozzarella.
View recipe6 servings; 3/4 cup chili, 3 chips and about 1 tablespoon cheese blend per serving
20 minutes preparation and 25 minutes cooking.
What’s for supper?
A meal to build around, with ingredients to find from local sellers.
Illustrative photograph. Photo by René Roa, Pexels Bison tacos
Ground bison, onion, and taco seasoning in a skillet, then into warm tortillas with whatever toppings the table likes.
View recipe8 tacos
Illustrative photograph. Photo by Nic Wood, Pexels Black bean chili
A pantry chili from canned beans, tomato paste, and taco seasoning. No meat needed, thirty minutes on the stove.
View recipeIllustrative photograph. Photo by Nur Tok, Pexels Layered enchilada bake
Torn tortillas layered with a bean, pepper, and tomato filling and cheese, baked twenty minutes. Add shredded chicken or ground meat if you have it.
View recipeOne 8-inch pan
Something on the side
Vegetables, snacks and simple additions to a meal.
Illustrative photograph. Photo by Nourishment DECODED, Pexels Baked tortilla chips
Tortillas cut into triangles, brushed with oil, and baked crisp. The chips for the black bean and corn salsa.
View recipeIllustrative photograph. Photo by Olena Bohovyk, Pexels Black bean and corn salsa
Tomatoes, corn, black beans, and red onion with lime and a little oil. Better after half an hour in the refrigerator.
View recipeIllustrative photograph. Photo by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDAgov) Corn and Zucchini Pancakes
Shredded zucchini, corn and scallions make savory pancakes. Serve them plain or add yogurt, salsa or herbs.
View recipe12 pancakes; 2 pancakes per serving
35 minutes total, with 35 minutes of hands-on work.
Illustrative photograph. Photo by Sheri Silver Harvest Delight
Roast sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots and red onion, then add green apple, herbs and a little maple syrup. Spinach and dried cranberries finish the dish.
View recipe6 servings; 1/2 cup per serving
30 to 40 minutes preparation and about 1 hour cooking.
Illustrative photograph. Photo by Vural Yavas Lentils of the Southwest
Green or brown lentils simmer with onions, tomatoes, cumin and chili, then finish with fresh cilantro. A small side to serve with the rest of your meal.
View recipe6 servings; 1/4 cup per serving
15 minutes preparation and 50 minutes cooking.
More to make
Keep exploring the recipe collection.
Start with prepared mashed potatoes for the topping. Ingredient illustration, not the finished pie. Gio Bartlett / Unsplash. Unsplash License. Photo source. License. Meatless lentil shepherd's pie
Tender lentils and vegetables under a golden mashed-potato topping. A warming dinner for six that makes good use of cooked lentils and leftover mash.
View recipe6 servings
35 minutes
Barley is the grain base for this chicken and vegetable dinner. Ingredient illustration, not the finished recipe. Barley grains by 국립국어원 (National Institute of Korean Language), via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 2.0 KR. Resized for display. Photo source. License. Sweet and sour chicken with barley
Chicken, vegetables and pineapple in a tangy sauce over tender barley. Frozen vegetables and canned pineapple make this a practical dinner for five.
View recipe5 servings
70 minutes
Follow the Montana food year.
A little inspiration for what to look for, wherever you are in the season.
September–November
A kitchen full of possibility.
Apples, pumpkins, potatoes and winter squash arrive alongside the last summer crops. Think about a pot for tonight and a few sturdy ingredients for the meals ahead.
Make something with applesSeasons vary with place, weather and growing methods. These are possibilities, not current stock. Based on Montana Team Nutrition’s seasonal food chart (PDF).
Make room for local in the way you already cook.
You don’t have to change every meal. Pick one thing you need, find a nearby source, and build from there.
Make a plan before you shopMake the most of a winter share.
Winter Kissed Farm in Stevensville shares a practical resource for the vegetables that carry a kitchen through colder months.
Open the farm’s winter vegetable storage guide (PDF)Look in your kitchen first.
Choose something you already have to use up. A bunch of greens, half a cabbage or a bag of potatoes is a place to begin.
Choose the meal, then fill the gaps.
Check the recipe against your cupboard. Add only the ingredients you need to your food list.
Make the buying part fit your day.
Compare pack sizes and prices, then check pickup times or delivery with the seller before making a trip.