Archive for the ‘* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving’ Category
White Cut Chicken (Chinese Poached Chicken)
December 10, 2017 Lee
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White Cut Chicken (Chinese Poached Chicken)

This is a Cantonese poached chicken that is served cold with a Spring Onion & Ginger Oil dipping sauce. The 'White' part of the name comes from meaning plain, as in minimal ingredients. The 'Cut' part comes from meaning the while chicken is simply cut into pieces with a cleaver, not separated at the joints like in the western part of the world. This sounds absolutely delicious for a lunch or light dinner.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken

  • 1 whole chicken, small, about 1 kilo
  • 4 slices fresh ginger
  • 2 spring onions, tied in a knot
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
  • 1/4 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, or use pink or white peppercorns
  • sesame oil, for brushing
  • fresh coriander, chopped, for garnish

For the Spring Onion & Ginger Oil Dipping Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
  • 1/2 cup spring onion, green part only, finely chopped
  • 4 spring onions, white part only, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh coriander, stems, chopped
  • 2-3 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 2 tablespoons broth, from poaching the chicken
  • pinch salt, or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Remove the head and feet from the chicken, rinse it inside and out and place in a large pot. Add the spring onion, ginger, peppercorns, and cooking wine.
  • Add water to the pot to just cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and hold that for 8 minutes (a few minutes longer if you have a larger chicken), then turn off heat, leave on the burner, and cover for 20 minutes.
  • In a large bowl fill with cold water and ice, remove the chicken from the pot, set the pot and broth aside, and place in the ice water and soak for several minutes, turning it often to ensure the chicken is completely cooled. Remove and drain residual water, place on a cutting board and brush the skin with sesame oil.
  • To cut the chicken, use of a large cleaver is highly recommended as the weight of the knife is helpful. The chicken has to be completely cooled in order to cut to get smooth edges. Basically remove the legs at the thigh joint, then cut each thigh from the leg, then cut each leg in half. Remove the wings and separate each wing at the joints. Cut the remaining chicken in half, cut each half into large pieces.

For the Spring Onion & Ginger Oil Dipping Sauce

  • In a small heat proof bowl, mix together the ginger, chopped spring onion greens. and coriander.
  • Heat the oil in a small saucepan or wok, and the spring onion whites when the oil is hot and saute until the whites are just starting to brown and they are aromatic.
  • Pour the hot oil into the bowl with the other ingredients and mix. Add two tablespoons of broth from the pot the chicken was in. Season with a pinch of salt or to taste and mix well.
  • Serve the dipping sauce as a side for the chicken, enjoy.

Notes

I cannot really remember what a whole chicken in the market costs, I think 150 or 200 Baht. Going with 200 Baht, 2 servings is about $2.95 per serving, which I think may be on the high side. I will verify price and servings when I make this.
This recipe for White Cut Chicken (Chinese Poached Chicken) is from China Sichuan Food.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,: CHINESE,CHICKEN & TURKEY
Cajun Chicken & Sausage Pasta
December 4, 2017 Lee
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Cajun Chicken & Sausage Pasta

This is from a good friend and sounds absolutely delicious. On my to cook list for sure.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 4 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts
  • 2 shallots, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 handful fresh Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, chopped, optional
  • 750 grams Andouille sausage, or pork or beef sausage
  • 1/2 - 1 kilo chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cubed
  • 500 grams dry Penne pasta
  • 4 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • olive oil, as needed

For the Chicken Seasoning

  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • onion powder, to taste
  • garlic powder, to taste
  • chili powder, to taste, think Thai chili powder
  • paprika, to taste
  • cayenne pepper, to taste
  • Cajun seasoning, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Slice the Andouille sausage in half lengthwise and slice half moons 1/4 inch thick. For regular pork or beef sausage, just slice 1/4 inch thick. Set aside.
  • In a large non stick pan, heat a splash of olive oil, when hot, add the cubed chicken and season with the Chicken Seasoning spices to taste, just a bit of each spice will do. Lightly brown the chicken, no need to cook through, over cooked chicken = tough chicken. When lightly browned, remove from the pan to a large bowl and set aside. If there is water in the pan, pour that off.
  • Same pan, add the sausage and brown that up, remove from the pan and add to the bowl with the chicken and set aside.
  • Same pan, add the bell peppers, saute for about 5 minutes then add the garlic and shallots. Saute for about 15 minutes or until the bell peppers are just softened yet still crunchy. If using the the optional mushrooms, add those now and saute to just soften them. Remove from heat and set aside. Now follow either Method 1 or Method 2 for the final preparation.

Method 1

  • In a large pot, add the stock, cream, chicken and sausage, bell peppers from the pan, and the pasta. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 25 to 30 minutes uncovered, to reduce the liquid amount, stirring often.
  • Stir in the spring onion and Parmesan, simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Method 2

  • In a pot heat the stock to boiling and cook the pasta until tender. Drain.
  • While the pasta is cooking, add the sausage and chicken to the pan with the bell peppers, use low heat and just heat everything through.
  • Add the drained pasta to the pan and mix together well, then add the cream and just simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

The chicken will cost between 30 and 60 Baht, 500 grams/1 kilo, and the sausage, going with Cumberland, 750 grams is about 267 Baht. For 6 servings, this is about $1.60 per serving.
Recipe and photo provided courtesy of good friend, Anthony Ramirez.
United States.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving
Easy Fish Pie
November 28, 2017 Lee
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Easy Fish Pie

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Sounds wonderful, on my to cook list! This is very rewritten to make this user friendly. This recipe assumes you have hard boiled eggs (chicken or duck), and mashed potatoes already prepared.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Pie Dish (9 inch) , or 7 x 11 inch baking pan.
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 400 grams whitefish fillets, boneless, skinless, (14 oz)
  • 400 grams salmon fillets, boneless, skinless, 14 oz)
  • 200 grams shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, (7 oz)
  • 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
  • 2½ cups milk
  • 1 small onion, quartered
  • 4 cloves, not the garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup all purpose flour, pinch less
  • pinch ground nutmeg, small pinch
  • 1 kilo mashed potatoes, (2 lb)
  • 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Get out a deep dish Pyrex pie dish or a 7x11 baking dish, I will verify when I make this.
  • To poach the fish, heat a non stick pan and add the milk, onion, bay leaves, and cloves. Heat to just before a boil, add the fish and simmer until the fish is cooked through and flakes with a fork, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove the fish to a plate, strain the milk mixture and pour into a bowl, discard the contents of the strainer.
  • Flake the fish into large pieces into the baking dish, Add the shrimp and arrange the quartered eggs on the top. Sprinkle the parsley on the top.
  • To make the sauce, melt half of the butter in a small pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring, then remove from heat. Stir in the reserved milk to get a smooth sauce. Return the pot to heat and bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes, stirring continuously, until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
  • Pour the sauce over the fish. Top the pie with mashed potatoes, push the mash right up to the edges to seal, fluff the top with a fork then sprinkle on the cheese.
  • Bake for 30 minutes then let rest for 5 minutes, serve.

Notes

Figure about 50 Baht for the whitefish, Pangasius, and about 200 Baht for salmon. For the cheese, figure about 90 Baht. For 4 servings, this is about $2.50 per serving.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,FISH - ALL,Fish - Salmon,Fish - White Fish,SEAFOOD - ALL,Seafood - Shrimp/Prawn
Salmon Gravlax II (Gravad Lax)
November 11, 2017 Lee
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Salmon Gravlax II (Gravad Lax)

Simply Recipes, Elise Bauer, United States.
This is the Swedish version of Gravlax, and is salmon cured with salt, sugar, white pepper, and the herb used is just dill. This is not a cooked dish, just cured.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Passive Time 2 days
Total Time 11 minutes
Course Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Swedish

Ingredients
  

To Prepare the Salmon

  • 1 kilo salmon fillets, see Step 1, (2 lbs)
  • ¼ cup sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons crushed white pepper
  • ½ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped

For the Sauce (Gravlaxsås)

  • 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • ¾ cup neutral flavored oil, slightly less than ¾ cup is perfect
  • salt and white pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup fresh dill, finely chopped

Instructions
 

To Prepare the Salmon

  • Ideally, you would want two 500 gram (1 lb) skin on fillets from the center cut of the fillet, remove the pin bones if that is not already done. But you can use the smaller fillets from Tesco, as what is in this photo. When I make this, I will use two of these fillets on the bottom, and two on top, just reduce the salt and sugar in equal proportions.
  • Mix together the salt, sugar, and white pepper. Rub the mixture into both sides of the salmon fillets.
  • Put half of the dill between the fillets, then divide up the remaining dill between the top and bottom, place in a ziplock bag and seal after removing as much as as you can. Place the bag in a backing dish and place a smaller dish on top and weight it down with some canned goods.
  • Place in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours, flip the bag about every 12 hours.
  • Remove from the fridge and remove from the dish. Rinse the fillet very well with cold water, and use your fingers to rub off all the salt and dill. Dry the fillets with paper towels.
  • Place a fillet skin side down on your cutting board, hold your knife at a angle and slice as thin as you can down to the skin but not through the skin. Repeat with remaining fillet or fillets.

For the Sauce (Gravlaxsås)

  • Mix together the mustards and sugar, stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the vinegar.
  • Using a mixer or food processor, very slowly add the oil, continuously mixing, start with just drops at first and when it binds (like making mayo), you can increase the amount of oil you are adding at a time. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Mix in the dill.
  • Serve with the sliced salmon as an appetizer on rye bread or with boiled potatoes for a lunch or dinner.

Notes

The salmon fillets I will use will be from Tesco, 69 Baht each for 140 to 160 gram fillets, frozen, from Norway. Initial test will be 4 fillets for a total of 276 Baht, about $8.40. I don't know the number of servings as an appetizer until I make this and I will update the pricing. For now I will say High Cost per serving.
Safety Note: Most times the salmon you will buy is frozen or was previously frozen, perfectly acceptable. If wanting to make this with fresh salmon, it is highly recommended you freeze the salmon first at -17° C (0° F) or colder for at least 48 hours to kill off any parasites that may be in the fish.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,: SWEDISH,FISH - ALL,Fish - Salmon
Salmon Gravlax I
November 11, 2017 Lee
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Salmon Gravlax I

Simply Recipes, Elise Bauer, United States.
This is a Scandinavian dish, and is salmon cured with salt and sugar and herbs used are just dill and fennel seeds. This is not a cooked dish, just cured.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Passive Time 2 days
Total Time 2 days 10 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Scandinavian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo salmon fillets, see Step 1, (2 lb)
  • ¼ cup sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped

For Serving

  • ½ purple onion, finely diced or cut in half then sliced
  • ¼ cup capers, drained
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges
  • fresh dill, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Ideally, you would want two 500 gram (1 lb) skin on fillets from the center cut of the fillet, remove the pin bones if that is not already done. But you can use the smaller fillets from Tesco, as what is in this photo. When I make this, I will use two of these fillets on the bottom, and two on top, just reduce the salt and sugar in equal proportions.
  • Mix together the salt, sugars, and fennel seeds. Sprinkle some of the mixture along the bottom of a glass baking dish, sprinkle some dill on that. Place half of the fillets skin side down on that.
  • Sprinkle half the remaining salt mixture on the fish and half of the remaining dill. Lay the second piece or pieces of salmon on top of the salmon already in the dish, skin side up.
  • Sprinkle remaining salt mixture and dill over the top of the fillet. Cover the dish with plastic wrap. Set another smaller dish on top of the fillets and weight it down with some canned goods, a brick wrapped in foil, or any kind of heavy weight.
  • Place in the fridge for two days to cure, turn the fillets after one day, so the top piece becomes the bottom piece, this is to cure them evenly.
  • After two days, remove from the fridge and remove from the dish. Rinse the fillet very well with cold water, and use your fingers to rub off all the salt and dill. Dry the fillets with paper towels.
  • Place a fillet skin side down on your cutting board, hold your knife at a angle and slice as thin as you can down to the skin but not through the skin. Repeat with remaining fillet or fillets.
  • Place the thin slices on a serving tray, sprinkle with purple onion, dill, and capers. Serve with toasted rye bread and lemon wedges.

Notes

The salmon fillets I will use will be from Tesco, 69 Baht each for 140 to 160 gram fillets, frozen, from Norway. Initial test will be 4 fillets for a total of 276 Baht, about $8.40. I don't know the number of servings as an appetizer until I make this and I will update the pricing. For now I will say High Cost per serving.
This recipe for How to Make Salmon Gravlax is from Simply Recipes.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,APPETIZERS / SNACKS,FISH - ALL,Fish - Salmon
Poached Salmon Fillets
November 8, 2017 Lee
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Poached Salmon Fillets

Simply Recipes, Elise Bauer, United States.
Sounds great. This uses a shallow poaching method and from start to finish, about 15 minutes.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 salmon fillets, as shown in Step 1
  • salt, as needed
  • ½ cup white wine
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh dill
  • 1 sprig fresh parsley
  • black pepper, as needed
  • lemon slices, for serving, optional

Instructions
 

  • This the type of salmon fillets I get at Tesco, 140-160 grams (5-5 oz) each. One fillet per serving is ideal.
  • In a non stick pan that will hold all the fillets, add the water, wine, parsley, dill, shallots, and heat to a simmer on medium heat. While the pan is heating, season the salmon with salt on both sides.
  • When the liquid is simmering, place the fillets in the pan, skin side down, cover and let steam for 5 to 10 minutes depending on thickness of the fillets or until they flake easily with a fork.
  • Serve lightly sprinkled with black pepper and lemon slices if desired with rice and a vegetable on the side.

Notes

I bought 4 fillets, Norwegian import, 69 Baht for 140 to 160 gram fillets. I figured the servings as 1 fillet per serving. For 69 Baht per fillet, this is about $2.03 per serving. High cost but would be nice for a once in a while meal.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,FISH - ALL,Fish - Salmon
White Wine Garlic Shrimp
November 1, 2017 Lee
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White Wine Garlic Shrimp

Sounds really good and pretty straight forward recipe as well. On my to cook list.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail removed
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 6 cloves garlic, smashed and finely minced
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 4 plum tomatoes, diced
  • 3/4 cup whipping cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 cups spinach
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large pan on medium heat, melt the butter and add the garlic and saute for a minute or so, then add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for about 2 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set them aside.
  • Same pan, add the wine and tomatoes and cook for several minutes, then stir in the milk and cream and cook for a few more minutes.
  • Add the spinach and stir until wilted, Taste and season as needed with salt and pepper, then stir in the Parmesan. Simmer until the cheese is melted and the sauce thickened.
  • Return the shrimp to the pan and stir them in to fully coat the shrimp, cook for another minute or two to warm the shrimp through.
  • Serve over pasta or rice.

Notes

Figure about 150 Baht/500 grams of large white shrimp from Tesco, you may find them cheaper from local fishermen or farms. For 2 servings, this is about $2.20 per serving.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,SEAFOOD - ALL,Seafood - Shrimp/Prawn
Drunken Garlic Slow Cooker Roast
October 18, 2017 Lee
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Drunken Garlic Slow Cooker Roast

Sounds good. On my too cook list for sure.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 - 1 1/4 kilo beef roast, or any large cut or two
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
  • 24 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 2 cubes beef boullion
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1 cup beer
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • cornstarch slurry

Instructions
 

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy pan, when hot, brown the roast on both sides while seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove the roast to a plate and set aside.
  • Same pan add the remaining oil and add the onions and cook until they just start to soften and wilt then add the garlic and cook a few more minutes until the onions are translucent.
  • In a measuring cup, add the hot water and the bullion cubes and mix to dissolve, then pour that into the pan, also to the pan, add the beer, brown sugar, vinegar, and stir to mix well.
  • Pour the mixture, carefully, into your slow cooker insert, place the roast on top of that mixture. Switch the slow cooker to Low setting for 7-8 hours. Check for tenderness at 7 hours. If needed, continue to cook until the roast is tender to your liking.
  • When the roast is tender, remove from the slow cooker and place on a platter. Pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a saucepan on the stove and bring to a boil.
  • While the liquid is heating, mix together a slurry of 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2-3 tablespoons of cold water, stir into the liquid until the gravy is thickened to your liking.
  • Serve with mashed potatoes or pasta, spoon gravy over slices of roast and potatoes.

Notes

Figure about 300 Baht/1 kilo of beef. For 4 servings, this is about $2.20 per serving.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,Beef - Slow Cooker
Caesar Chicken
October 13, 2017 Lee
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Caesar Chicken

This sounds really good. For where I live, Caesar dressing is not stocked in town, only in the city, but Italian dressing is stocked and can be made into Caesar dressing, win win. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
  • 1 cup creamy Caesar salad dressing, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1-1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
  • black pepper, as desired

Optional, for a thicker crust

  • 1/2 cup sour cream, OR make from a shortcut

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 190 C, lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter.
  • Sprinkle the meat on both sides with black pepper and some of the Parmesan cheese, do not use any salt. Place the chicken in the baking dish.
  • Pour 1/4 cup of salad dressing over each piece, then sprinkle remaining Parmesan on each one. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until juices run clear.
  • Change the oven to broil and continue to cook the chicken for 2-4 minutes or until the chicken is nice and golden colored. Remove from the oven and cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Serve with mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice, and a vegetable.

Optional, for a thicker crust

  • Mix the sour cream into the dressing, and just follow the steps above as stated.

Notes

Figure about 70 Baht for the chicken, and 150 Baht for the Parmesan. For 4 servings, this is about $1.62 per serving.
Shortcuts: Caesar Salad Dressing, Sour Cream.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,CHICKEN & TURKEY
Slow Cooker Potato Soup II
October 6, 2017 Lee
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Slow Cooker Potato Soup II

Sounds really good, simple and common ingredients, and cooked in a slow cooker, bonus. On my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1-1 1/2 kilos potatoes, cubed
  • 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 6 cups chicken broth, fresh or from powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Add everything to your slow cooker crock, stir to mix together. Cover and cook on Low setting for 8 to 10 hours. or until the potatoes are fork tender.
  • Mash the potatoes while they are in the slow cooker to the cooker to the consistency you prefer.
  • Serve.

Notes

Low cost. With some planning, plan on a chicken dish that uses boiled shredded chicken, then you can make the stock for this by simply adding trinity when boiling the chicken, and use several tablespoons of the chopped chicken to make the soup with a shortcut.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,Soups, Stews, Chili - Slow Cooker