Deep-browned beans need little more than the pork already in the tin, but a handful of pantry cornbread and a quick sear of any pork chop or sausage you can find turns this shelf into a weeknight supper that tastes like you planned it.

Serves 2. 35 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 340 calories a serving, 19 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate, 18 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Heat your oven to 400°F [200°C]. Whisk together 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Whisk 1 egg with 1/2 cup milk and stir into the cornmeal until just combined. Pour into a buttered cast-iron skillet or baking dish and bake until a toothpick in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.20 min
2. While the cornbread bakes, pour the tinned beans into a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring now and then. Warm through, about 10 minutes.10 min
3. If you have a pork chop or sausage at hand, brown it in a skillet over medium-high heat in a teaspoon of oil until the exterior is crisp and the inside cooked through, about 8 minutes. Slice it and scatter over the beans. If not, serve the beans as is.

Note If the tin has extra pork, use it; if not, any quick-cooking protein suits this dish. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for three days and warm well in a skillet. Serve with a simple green salad or coleslaw on the side.