Author Archive
Egg Noodles & Chicken Curry (Khao Soi)
April 17, 2017 Lee
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Egg Noodles & Chicken Curry (Khao Soi)

This sounds really good! On my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Thai
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, smash and roughly chopped
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 1-3 tablespoons Thai redy curry paste, depends on how spicy you desire
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, bite size pieces
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 250 grams dry egg noodles, Asian or Italian is fine

Garnishes/toppings of your choice

  • shallots, thinly sliced
  • fried shallots, OR make from a shortcut
  • fresh cilantro
  • roasted peanuts, chopped
  • lime, wedges
  • spring onion, chopped
  • pickled mustard greens
  • dried chilies

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and chopped shallot and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the curry paste and curry powder and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, chicken thighs, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir everything together, scraping up any curry paste that has stuck to the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles according to package directions, timing it so that the noodles will be cooked when the curry is done simmering. Drain and divide between two bowls. Top with curry and the garnishes of your choice. Serve immediately.

Notes

Low cost with just two chicken thighs. Can substitute chicken with beef or pork.
Shortcut: Fried Shallots.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: THAI,CHICKEN & TURKEY,PASTA
Son-in-Law Eggs (Khai Luk Khoei)
April 17, 2017 Lee
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Son-in-Law Eggs (Khai Luk Khoei)

These are very good, the sauce has a unique flavor to it and goes well with the eggs. Very glad I made this. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Dish, Side
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 8 hard boiled eggs
  • 1/2 cup fried shallots, make from a shortcut
  • 1 tablespoon shallot oil, make from a shortcut
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 Bird's Eye Chilis, seeded, slivered lengthwise
  • fresh cilantro
  • vegetable oil, as needed for frying

Instructions
 

  • In wok or deep heavy skillet, add some vegetable oil to about 2-3 inches deep and heat to almost 180 C but not smoking.
  • Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place it next to the stove.
  • When the oil is ready, gently add eggs with a slotted spoon and fry, stirring them as needed to ensure even browning, until they are thoroughly and evenly browned, about 3 minutes.
  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to the towel-lined baking sheet and let them cool down. Let them cool while you make the sauce.
  • To make the sauce, in a small saucepan, combine the shallot oil, sugar, fish sauce, tamarind, and water over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Once the sugar has fully dissolved, check the consistency of the mixture. It should have the consistency of warm pancake syrup. If it is too thin, reduce it a bit more. If it is too thick, add a little more water. When the desired consistency is achieved, remove the pan from the heat.
  • Slice the deep-fried eggs in half lengthwise and arrange the halves, cut sides up, on a serving platter.
  • Pour the warm sauce over the eggs and sprinkle the shallots over the top. Garnish with the cilantro and serve.

Notes

Low cost.
For the sauce, as stated will work perfectly. Now every region in Thailand has their own ways to prepare the sauce, as long as the tamarind, sugar, and fish sauce is used the results will be very similar.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: THAI,APPETIZERS / SNACKS,EGGS - ALL,Eggs - Chicken
Fried Shallots & Shallot Oil
April 17, 2017 Lee
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Fried Shallots & Shallot Oil

These two items are used in Thai cooking. This makes 1/2 cup fried shallots and 3/4 cup of shallot oil.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Cuisine Thai
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 4 shallots
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Instructions
 

  • Slice the shallots thinly, lengthwise.
  • Set a small fine-mesh strainer on top of a heatproof bowl and place both close to the stove.
  • With a room temperature small pan, add the oil and the sliced shallots, mix together then heat the pan over medium heat. Stir the shallots around a bit to separate them.
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until the oil becomes hot and starts sizzling, about 5 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally as the shallots around the edges of the pan tend to cook faster than those in the middle.
  • After 5 minutes, the shallots should be the color of honey (if not, turn the heat down to low and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer). Immediately remove the skillet from the heat and pour the contents through the prepared strainer.
  • Let both the crispy shallots and the oil cool completely before storing them in 2 separate airtight containers at room temperature. The crispy shallots keep for 3 weeks and the oil keeps for 2 months.

Notes

Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
Egg Noodles in Chicken Curry (Khao Soi),
Son-in-Law Eggs (Khai Luk Khoei).
Adapted from an internet recipe.
5 Ingredients or Less,: THAI
Chicken Casserole (Slow Cooker)
April 17, 2017 Lee
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Chicken Casserole (Slow Cooker)

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Sounds really good, takes some prep work but I think the results would be delicious. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups chicken, cooked and cubed, Shortcut
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, (10½ oz / 298 g), Shortcut
  • 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, (10½ oz / 298 g), Shortcut
  • 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 12 small corn tortillas, 6 inch size
  • 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, stir together first 8 ingredients. Set aside. Tear the tortillas into 1 inch pieces.
  • Layer â…“ of the tortilla pieces in a lightly greased slow cooker. Top with â…“ of the chicken mixture and â…” cup cheese. Repeat the layers twice.
  • Cover and cook on the Low setting for 3½ hours, then remove the cover and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes.
  • Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Notes

Figure 60 Baht/1 kilo of chicken, the cheese would cost about 180 Baht/250 gram block. I cannot price the tortillas until I buy them and I will update the serving cost when I make this. For 6 servings, minus the tortillas, this is about $1.18 per serving.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, Boiled Chicken, Salsa, Sour Cream.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,Casseroles - Slow Cooker
Hamburger Casserole II
April 17, 2017 Lee
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Hamburger Casserole II

Sounds like a great casserole, on my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 5 small potatoes
  • 1 kilo ground beef
  • 2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter.
  • In a large skillet brown the ground beef, drain fat, and set aside.
  • While the beef is cooking, slice the potatoes thin, a mandolin would be the perfect tool for this.
  • In a bowl, mix together the soup, milk, and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Once the beef is cooked and everything else prepped, assemble the casserole. First, place 1/2 of the potatoes in the baking dish, then spread out 1/2 the beef, then 1/2 of the soup mixture, then 1/2 the cheese. Repeat these layers using the remain potatoes, beef, soup, and cheese.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes, then cut, serve, and enjoy.

Notes

Figure about 200 Baht for the 1 kilo of beef and 100 Baht for the cheese. For 6 servings this is about $1.47 per serving.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,CASSEROLES
Hamburger Casserole I
April 17, 2017 Lee
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Hamburger Casserole I

Cannot go wrong with a casserole, any of them can be easily changed to your taste. This is an old classic casserole that is just that, add or remove anything you want, make it your own. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams dry pasta, shells, spirals, or macaroni
  • 500 grams ground beef
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 2 cans tomato soup, OR make from a shortcut, 2 1/2 cups
  • 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 190 C. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter.
  • Add the pasta to a pot of boiling water and cook until just tender, drain.
  • In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic, season to taste with salt and pepper. After the beef is cooked, drain the fat and add the soup and 1/2 can of water or if you made soup from the shortcut, add 1/2 cup of water. Stir and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
  • Pour cooked pasta into the baking dish and then pour the beef mixture over the pasta and stir. Sprinkle the cheeses over the top, cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes, serve.

Notes

Beef would cost about 100 Baht/500 grams. Cheeses would cost about 180 Baht for the 2 cups. For 6 servings this is about $1.38 per serving.
Shortcut: Tomato Soup.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,CASSEROLES
Impossible Pie
April 14, 2017 Lee
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Impossible Pie

Stephen Connell, United States.
This recipe is Amish in origin and I must say, it is delicious, beyond all expectations. All I can say is this is hands down a perfect, quick to throw together pie. I will certainly be making this often.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 7 tablespoons butter, softened, just under 1/2 cup
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Grease a pie dish with butter then flour it.
  • The flour, sugar, and coconut measured out, the nutmeg is ready for later.
  • Liquid ingredients measured out, the milk, eggs, vanilla, and butter. Mix in the dry ingredients.
  • Pour the batter into the pie dish and sprinkle the nutmeg onto the pie and the bit of reserved coconut.
  • Bake for 45 minutes or until nicely golden brown on top. Remove from oven and let it cool completely, then refrigerate until cold. When the pie comes out of the oven it should be well above the edge of the dish, this is normal.
  • When the dish cools, the center will sink in leaving a raised area around the edge of the dish, this is normal.
  • Serve and enjoy.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,DESSERTS
Are You Kidding Cake
April 14, 2017 Lee
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Are You Kidding Cake

Sounds wonderful and easy. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 box cake mix, any flavor, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1 can pie filling, any flavor

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C, get out a 9x13 baking dish.
  • Mix all three ingredients in a large bowl, mix well, pour into the baking dish and bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Notes

Low cost. Canned pie filling runs from 150 to 165 Baht/can, and for 8 servings minimum, this is just 60 cents per serving.
Some cake and filling combinations:
Pineapple cake mix and blueberry filling.
Chocolate cake mix and cherry filling.
Yellow cake mix and cherry filling.
Yellow cake mix and blueberry filling.
Butter pecan cake mix and apple filling.
Yellow cake mix and apple filling.
Yellow cake mix and blackberry filling.
Strawberry cake mix and blueberry filling.
Shortcut: Yellow Cake Mix.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,DESSERTS
Buttermilk Pie
April 14, 2017 Lee
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Buttermilk Pie

This is a vintage recipe from many years ago and sounds very good as well. Common ingredients. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 eggs, room temp
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened, this is 1/2 standard block
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 cup buttermilk, OR make from a shortcut
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 pie crust, OR make from a shortcut

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C, line a pie dish with a single pie crust.
  • Beat eggs until foamy. Beat in butter, flour and sugar until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.
  • Pour into prepared crust and bake for 45-55 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcuts: Buttery Pie Crust, Buttermilk.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,DESSERTS
Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
April 14, 2017 Lee
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Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

Sounds like a nice and tender beef recipe, very easy to get ingredients as well.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 750 grams beef flank steak, or use any cut if that is not available
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 3/4 cup soy sauce
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup carrot, grated
  • spring onions, chopped, to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Cut flank steak into thin strips. In a ziplock bag add flank steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake to coat.
  • Add olive oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and carrots to slow cooker. Stir ingredients. Add coated flank steak and stir again until coated in the sauce.
  • Cook for High setting for 2-3 hours or on Low setting for 4-5 hours until cooked throughout and tender. Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Notes

Figure the beef at about 150 Baht/750 grams. For for servings, this is about $1.11 per serving.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,Beef - Slow Cooker