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Loaded Potato Salad
September 25, 2016 Lee
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Loaded Potato Salad

The original name I found for this was Baked Potato Loaded Salad, there is no baked potato anything here, just potato salad with fillings of a baked potato, name aside, this is a must try for me. The one thing I do not like about this recipe is making the dressing first then adding the potatoes, but we'll see when I make this.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 large potatoes
  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 4 tablespoons brown mustard, OR yellow mustard
  • 1/4 cup chives, chopped
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
  • salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl whisk together the mayo, sour cream, and mustard until well mixed. Add 3/4 of the chopped chives along with some salt and pepper to taste and whisk to mix. Mix in the cheese and bacon (reserve some bacon for a garnish if you like). Cover and chill for thirty minutes.
  • Peel (if you want) and cube the potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces. Cook the potatoes in boiling water until fork tender. Drain and cool slightly. Fold the cooked potatoes into the chilled dressing. Garnish with the remaining chives and bacon.

Notes

Minimal cost for a side dish.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Mike Early.
United States.
Sides - Salads
Eduard’s Country Skillet
September 25, 2016 Lee
2 Comments

Eduard's Country Skillet

This is from a good friend, easy and delicious! This is a make with what you have recipe, no set rules here, amounts you use are up to you although I have edited to what I used when I made this on 27 Dec 2016 and it is a keeper! Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Breakfast, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 360 grams smoked bacon, 2 180 gram packs
  • sausage, OR make from a shortcut
  • 200 grams smoked ham
  • 3 potatoes, medium to large potatoes, diced large
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 bell peppers, colors are up to you, red, green, and yellow works
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon sage
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • bacon fat, as needed
  • olive oil, as needed
  • butter, as needed
  • spring onions, chopped
  • 2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 6 eggs

Instructions
 

  • Boil the potatoes until just for tender. Remove from the water and let cool so you can handle them. Once they have cooled a little, dice them into large pieces.
  • Cook the bacon, ham, and sausage separately then remove and set aside. You can use a bit of each, or just one or two, up to you.
  • In the same pan, heat it up with some bacon fat, olive oil, and butter, add the bell peppers, onion, season with salt, pepper, thyme, and sage.
  • Cook until the peppers are tender, then add in the potatoes and cooked meat, mix and heat through.
  • While cooking the peppers are cooking, preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), put your large cast iron pan in the oven while it heats. If no cast iron pan, or you oven will not support a cast iron pan, use a baking dish. I used a baking dish.
  • Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat slightly, then add the chopped spring onion and cheese, amount is up to you. Add this to the skillet with the potatoes and give a quick stir, remove the cast iron pan (baking dish) from the oven and pour this mixture into the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until the eggs are set. Serve.

Notes

No cost given here, cost would be based on what you use, shortcuts will save you money as well. This would be an excellent dish to prepare for a late breakfast, brunch, as I do, a main dish for dinner.
This can range from low cost to high cost depending on what you want to use. I will say this a fair value dish as average.
Shortcuts: Sausage, Breakfast Sausage.
Recipe and cast iron pan photo provided courtesy of good friend, Eduard Wijers.
United States.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,EGGS - ALL,Eggs - Chicken
Stuffed Bell Peppers II
September 25, 2016 Lee
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Stuffed Bell Peppers II

I was inspired to write this recipe from two good friends. There is no quantities listed, this is make what you have from leftovers, and the possibilities are endless. I made a version of this on 24 Sep 2016 using leftover Creamed Beef SOS and some shredded Cheddar cheese. The photo is what I made and topped with a fried egg on top (unwritten rule for SOS). The ingredients are simple, bell peppers of your choice, red, yellow, or green, shredded cheese if you like, or ketchup if you prefer that, and of course leftovers. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • bell peppers, red, yellow, or green, up to you
  • shredded cheese, Cheddar, Swiss, Mozzarell would be good choices
  • leftovers, see Step 1
  • tomato ketchup, OR make from a shortcut

Instructions
 

  • First thing you need to do is determine how many peppers you based on your leftovers available. You can use anything, for some ideas, leftover SOS, Chili, Chili Mac, Chili and Rice, Stew, Sausage gravy, any casserole, you get the idea.
  • Preheat your oven to 180 C. Get out a 9x13 baking dish or my favorite to use is bread pans, 2 peppers each.
  • Cut the tops off the peppers, discard the stem section and dice the tops. You can do two things with the diced pepper tops, 1. you can add to your leftovers and they go in the peppers, or 2. save for an omelette for another day. Once the tops are cut off, remove the seeds and membranes inside. Don't worry if the pepper will not sit upright.
  • Now stuffing the pepper, you have some choices, if you like cheese, you can fill each pepper with leftovers half full, add some shredded cheese of your choice, fill the pepper to the top and add more cheese on the top. If you prefer just ketchup which is equally as good, just fill each pepper and spread some ketchup on the top.
  • Now for the peppers that do not want to stand up, and some leftovers to the bottom of the baking dish or bread pans and put the peppers in that, now you have the peppers and some baked leftovers to go on the side with the peppers.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, you want the peppers to be tender and the top to be browned up a bit. Serve as is or as I prefer, cut a pepper in half and top with a fried egg.
  • This is a yellow bell pepper that was stuffed with Creamed Beef SOS and topped with a fried egg.

Notes

No pricing for this, just the cost of the peppers and cheese, this is a Leftover meal since you have paid for the main meal already. If you went with ketchup instead of cheese, easily done, this is a very low cost way to use up leftovers.
Shortcut: Tomato Ketchup.
Provided courtesy of good friends, Lynn Batterman and Charles Knowlton.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,BEEF,CHICKEN & TURKEY,LEFTOVERS,PORK
Smoked Sausage & Cabbage Skillet
September 24, 2016 Lee
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Smoked Sausage & Cabbage Skillet

This sounds really good, to extend the servings, serve over mashed potatoes. On my to cook list. Minimal ingredients makes this a must try.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo smoked sausage, sliced
  • 1 head cabbage, coarsley chopped
  • 1 large onion, coarsley chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar, OR 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons brown mustard
  • olive oil, as needed

Instructions
 

  • Heat a splash of olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high and add the smoked sausage and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes to get a light browning to them. Remove from the pan to a plate with a slotted spoon and drain the fat back into the pan.
  • In the same pan with the sausage fat, add the cabbage, onion, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the cabbage is tender. Mix in the vinegar and mustard and give a stir, then add the sausage back to the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Serve as is or over mashed potatoes to get more servings.

Notes

Smoked sausage would be the most expensive part of this dish but you have to look around. I bought smoked sausage at Makro a few months ago for about 150 Baht/500 grams, yesterday however, I bought smoked sausage at Tesco for 99 Baht/1 kilo, so I will figure the sausage at 150 Baht/1 kilo until I check the new sausage I bought yesterday. For 4 servings this is about $1.10 per serving, not bad really, for 6 servings, this is about 75 cents per serving, very good cost.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,Pork - Sausage
Cheesy Taco Pasta
September 24, 2016 Lee
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Cheesy Taco Pasta

Sounds yummy indeed! Pasta, cheese, ground beef (or pork), and taco seasoning, always a good meal. On my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 400 grams dry pasta, any bite size pasta works here
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 fresh green chili peppers, chopped
  • 500 grams ground beef, OR minced pork, OR ground chicken
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix, OR make from a shortcut on this site
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, drained, juice reserved, and diced
  • 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, or a mix of Edam and Cheddar
  • olive oil, as needed
  • salt, to taste
  • fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Cook the pasta of your choice in boiling water until just tender, reserve 1/4 cup of the water then drain the rest. Add back to the pot and set aside.
  • While the water is heating and cooking pasta, in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat a splash of olive oil, add the onion and cook until it is tender, then add the green chillis and cook for a few more minutes, then add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Add the taco seasoning mix and cumin, and salt to your liking, mix well and cook for a few minutes, then drain off the fat and add to the pot with the pasta.
  • Add the tomatoes and the 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water and stir, then add the cheese and let melt, stirring occasionally, cooking this for about 2-3 minutes until everything is combined. Top with the cilantro and serve.

Notes

Figure about 150 Baht for the 500 grams of beef. For 4 servings this is about $1.10 per serving, even less for 6 servings, and even less if using pork or chicken.
Shortcut: Taco Seasoning Mix.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Mike Early.
United States.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,BEEF
Cheesy Smoked Sausage Pasta Skillet
September 24, 2016 Lee
1 Comment

Cheesy Smoked Sausage Pasta Skillet

This is an easy one skillet dish that is extremely good and very versatile. Lot of things to change in this to suit your taste. I made this on 4 Oct 2016, recipe modified slightly and some step by step photos added, my comments below.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams smoked sausage, OR ham, brats, or even plain quality hotdogs
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, you choice of color, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 3 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, with the juice as well
  • 2-3 Bird's Eye Chilis, chopped
  • 500 grams dry spiral pasta, any bite size pasta will work
  • 1-2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, OR Cheddar cheese

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter in skillet and brown the sliced sausage, onion, garlic, and bell pepper.
  • Add, salt, pepper, chicken stock, tomatoes and juice, chilies, and pasta. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, and let cook uncovered, or until pasta is tender and just some of the liquid remains, about 20-30 minutes.
  • Mix in the cheese and serve.

Notes

I get good quality smoked sausage at Makro for about 150 Baht/500 grams. One cup of cheese is about 1/2 of a 250 gram block (180 Baht), so I'll go with 90 Baht for the cheese. For 6 servings, I will estimate about $1.18 per serving. Good value overall.
Variants: 1. Add fresh sliced mushrooms. 2. Use fresh tomatoes but you will need tomato juice (just a bit) as well. 3. If you like cheese, use the whole block. 4. Add taco seasoning and use Cheddar cheese and you have a taco pasta dish. Variants add cost however but can change up the dish from one time you prepare it to the next.
Variants provided by good friend, Lynn Batterman, United States.
Toss in some Basil, Thyme, Oregano, and you have a great Italian dish. Leave out the sausage, but saute some chicken breast/thighs first, then add the rest with the herbs, and it's Chicken Cacciatore. Add paprika and you have Goulash. What you've done is reveal how EASY cooking can be... just add a few different herbs/spices, or even bake vs. pan fry, roast, and it becomes a whole different meal from a different country even though they are very similar. The biggest differences are the HOT dishes from various countries, India heat vs. Thai, vs. Jamaican, vs. Tex-Mex, is so different.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,PASTA
Cheesy Baked Enchiladas
September 23, 2016 Lee
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Cheesy Baked Enchiladas

Mike Early, United States.
This sounds really good and is a make with what you have recipe, but you need pork (or beef or chicken), tortillas, and shredded cheese, lot of options here. No Servings or ingredients amounts are given, this is a make what you need or have on hand. On my to cook list.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Tex-Mex
Servings 0

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Oven
  • Baking Pan (9x13 inch)

Ingredients
  

  • pork, can be any cut, I would go with 1 kilo (2 lb)
  • 1 packet enchilada sauce, 1 packet per kilo of meat, Shortcut
  • flour tortillas
  • cooked rice, optional
  • refried beans, optional, Shortcut
  • onions, chopped, optional
  • Cheddar cheese, shredded, optional for a filling
  • Cheddar cheese, shredded for baking

Instructions
 

  • Take the pork, or what ever meat you want such as chicken or beef which would work equally as well, in a slow cooker and pour in the enchilada sauce. Cook on Low setting for 7 hours (you may need to adjust time for chicken or beef).
  • After the cooking time, remove the meat to a plate with a slotted spoon so it is drained well, shred with 2 forks, retain the liquid in the slow cooker.
  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), get out a 9x13 baking dish.
  • Heat each tortilla in a non oiled pan on medium heat for a minute each side, this makes them easier to fold. On each tortilla, add a bit of meat of your choosing, then add a spoon or two of liquid from the slow cooker and any other optional items you wish, fold up the tortilla and place seam side down in the baking dish. Once all the tortillas are in the dish, spoon some more juice from slow cooker over the tortillas, then cover with shredded cheese.
  • Bake until the cheese is melted, let rest for 5 minutes then serve, rice and beans as sides would be great.

Notes

Fair cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Enchilada Sauce, Refried Beans.
TEX-MEX, sort of
Chicken Broccoli Mushroom Stir Fry
September 22, 2016 Lee
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Chicken Broccoli Mushroom Stir Fry

This sounds really good and appears to be easy to make. Don't let the 'stir fry' name fool you, no wok is needed. Easily modified to your liking. On my to cook list.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken

  • 500 grams chicken breast, boneless and skinless, cubed, OR thigh meat
  • 500 grams broccoli, cut into bite size pieces, include stem
  • 250 grams fresh mushrooms, sliced, lot of choices here
  • olive oil, as needed for frying
  • black pepper, to taste

For the Sauce

  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 cup chicken stock, fresh or make from powder
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour, OR cornstarch

Instructions
 

  • In a large pan, on medium-high heat, add a splash of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until cooked through and browned, takes just minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
  • In the same pan, heat a splash more olive oil and the mushrooms, when start to soften, add the broccoli pieces and stir-fry until the broccoli is tender, takes just a few minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Add another splash of olive oil to the pan if needed and cook the garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and cook and stir until smooth. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pan, stir until heated through. Serve over rice or pasta.

Notes

Chicken breasts will run about 32 Baht/500 grams, broccoli would be about 33 Baht/500 grams. For 4 servings, this is about 48 cents per serving, excellent value.
Variations: Can include skip the broccoli and add pea pods and baby corn, or cauliflower.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CHICKEN & TURKEY,MUSHROOMS
Chicken Curry I
September 22, 2016 Lee
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Chicken Curry I

This comes from a good friend of mine in the capitol city of Conakry, Guinea. This sounds delicious and is a must try for me.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mixed
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 chicken quarters, seperated legs and thighs, skin on bone in
  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 2 medium eggplant, cubed
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground tumeric
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder, heaping
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 tablespoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 can Garbanzo beans, 15 ounce/425 grams, drained
  • 1 cup chicken stock, you will be making this, see Step 1
  • 1 zucchini, cubed
  • 4 tablespoons raisins
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • fresh grated ginger, to taste, or ground ginger

Instructions
 

  • Boil the chicken thighs and legs you cut from the quarters, add 1 onion and spices of choice for flavor. Once cooked, remove the chicken, strain the stock and return to the pot and reduce the stock down to 1 cup, set aside. While the stock is reducing, remove skin and bones from the chicken pieces (save as a snack for your dog) and chop the meat into bite site pieces, set the meat aside.
  • In a large stock pot place sweet potato, eggplant, peppers, carrots, onion, and three tablespoons of olive oil. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stir often.
  • While the stock pot is cooking, in a medium saucepan add 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stir often.
  • Pour garlic and spice mixture into the stock pot with vegetables in it. Add the chicken pieces, garbanzo beans, ginger to taste, zucchini, raisins, the chicken stock you made, and orange juice. Simmer 20 minutes covered, or until the sweet potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice.

Notes

This is a low cost dish using 2 chicken quarters, that might cost about 40 Baht, everything else is low cost or on hand. For 8 servings, this is about 15 cents per serving, excellent value!
Provided courtesy of good friend, Mark Bowen.
Guinea.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CHICKEN & TURKEY
Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken & Rice
September 21, 2016 Lee
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Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken & Rice

Chicken, cheese, rice, sounds good to me! On my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded, if you like cheese, add a bit more
  • 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1 3/4 cup corn, canned or cooked fresh, drained
  • 1 teaspoon powdered chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place the chicken in the slow cooker, then add the onion, then pour the soup in, season with salt and pepper to your liking. Cover and cook on Low setting for 7 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3-4 hours.
  • When the cooking time is done, open the pot and using 2 forks, break up the chicken, it will fall right apart, then add in the corn, cooked rice, Italian seasoning, and chicken stock powder, give it a good stir, this will break up the chicken a bit more, then stir in the cheese. Cover and let cook for another 15-30 minutes. Serve as is or with a side.

Notes

Chicken will cost about 40-50 Baht for 4 breasts. The cheese will run about 90 Baht if you use half a 250 gram block and shred yourself. For 4 servings, this is about $1.05 per serving, make the soup shortcut additional savings.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Mike Early.
United States.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker