- Kiki, we're in your kitchen.

We're gonna cook.

Kiki offers to teach me one of her favorite meals.

(upbeat music begins) "Ruff Rice" named after her mother-in-law.

- [Kiki] My mother-in-law raised six boys on one income, and this was a staple dish.

So one of the reasons I wanted to make this one is because it's super versatile.

Cooking did not come naturally to me, and it was a lot of growing pains, and it was a lot of mistakes.

And there were a few kitchen fires.

(Kiki gasps) First, I am going to season the meat.

This is actually the only time I wear gloves, because I don't like touching meat.

So we're gonna go in first with a bunch of basil.

I wish that I had dried this myself.

I think it's more flavorful, but that's what I had access to.

- But one substitute could be fresh basil.

- Yeah.

- It could be parsley, could be all of those greens.

- And then I'm really gonna salt it.

I am Irish and I prefer it that way.

- Okay, we're in your kitchen.

- Yes, correct.

I learned how to cook on food stamps.

When you only have access to things in a food pantry, it removes a lot of autonomy.

Giving people the confidence to take those items and make them into something that they actually really want has, I've seen such a positive, like mental shift in a lot of people.

- This is a one pot meal, what everybody loves, right?

A one pot meal.

- Yes, yes.

It means less dishes for you later.

It means easier cooking process altogether.

And with the one pot too, that's when you can really sneak in those substitutions.

And I think in American kitchens there's like a fear of spice.

When I look at modern recipes, it's like one teaspoon of pepper.

And I'm like, what is that gonna do?

- Exactly.

- Get in there.

- I love my spice.

Don't, don't cry for me.

- I'm sorry.

I'm trying real hard not to.

- All right, all right.

(Kiki shouts lightly) - Okay.

- Okay, stop.

- One of the ways that I have tried to eliminate shame in the kitchen is being messy, is the fact that I don't have a plan.

That I'm coming in there just as scattered as the people at home watching are.

- You know what helps crying?

I'll tell you.

When you cut your onion in half, put it under the water and just rinse it.

So let's get back to serious cooking here.

- For every one part flour, we're gonna want one big spoonful of butter like that.

It does give people confidence, because if this crazy like disorganized woman in her kitchen can throw something together that actually looks really good, even though she doesn't really seem like she knows what she's doing, that's empowering.

So this recipe calls for stewed tomatoes.

I don't have stewed tomatoes.

We're gonna use pasta sauce because it is gonna do just about the same thing.

We're just not gonna get our tomatoey texture.

And this is when we add in the rice.

Creating the "Recession Recipe" series was just taking what I knew how to do and giving it to everyone else who is now facing food insecurity, because it's becoming way more widespread.

- [Lidia] So this looks pretty good, huh?

- [Kiki] Yeah, it does.

(spoon clangs) - Let's let it simmer a little bit.

- I don't have a lot to offer financially for causes, but I can teach, and that's where this all came from.

(upbeat music continues) - [Lidia] You wanna put this in?

- [Kiki] Yeah, sure.

- [Lidia] Okay.

- [Kiki] There are so many families who check in on me.

- [Lidia] Get some more water in here?

What do you think?

- [Kiki] Yeah.

They tell me about how their grocery bill has been cut down, how they've modified a recipe to like it better.

There is one woman who care-takes for her mother, and I've always knocked it outta the park getting her mom's favorite recipes up, and she'll comment and tell me how much I've knocked off her grocery bill.

- [Lidia] So let's taste, let's see.

Well, I think the flavoring is fine.

I don't think it needs any salt, do you?

- I would salt it.

- [Lidia] It's your kitchen.

Okay, I think the rice needs another five minutes or so, for sure.

Like that, we'll let it simmer away.

And that's that.

- [Kiki] I have another follower who just had a baby and she talks about what kind of recipes she's used of mine to help adjust to the new cost of a child.

Here you go, Lidia, it's ready.

- [Lidia] Wow, looks delicious.

So can I serve you some?

- I would like that.

(upbeat music continues) - [Lidia] And then you can invite your neighbors over too.

There's enough.

(Kiki laughs) (upbeat music continues)