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Chicken Pineapple Stew
August 29, 2016 Lee
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Pineapple Chicken Stew

When you and I think of stew, we are probably thinking cubed beef, chunks of potatoes and carrots, and a thick gravy. This stew is chicken, pineapple, red bell pepper. On my to cook list.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams chicken breast, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 250 grams pineapple, canned, retain the juice
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock, fresh or from the powder
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch

Instructions
 

  • In your slow cooker, add all the ingredients except the corn starch and pineapple juice. Mix together and cook on Low setting 8 hours or High setting for 4 hours. When cooking on Low setting, check at the 5 hour mark, temps can vary in slow cookers.
  • When the chicken is cooked all the way through, and the bell peppers are tender, mix the reserved pineapple juice with the corn starch in a small bowl until smooth, pour this mixture into the slow cooker and stir. Increase the heat to High setting and cook for 15 more minutes. Serve over white rice or pasta. Steamed broccoli or spinach would be a good side.

Notes

Chicken would be about 30 Baht for 500 grams. For 4 servings, this is about 22 cents per serving, even less for 6.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Soups, Stews, Chili - Slow Cooker
Creamy Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole II
August 27, 2016 Lee
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Creamy Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole II

Another version of this casserole, home made sauce is used as well as sliced items instead of cubed. On my to cook list.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Casserole

  • 500 grams chicken breast, boneless and skinless, cooked, shredded
  • 250 grams Swiss cheese, one block, sliced
  • 250 grams ham, sliced

For the Sauce

  • 1/4 cup butter, this is 1/4 of a standard block of butter
  • 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 3 1/4 cups milk
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons brown mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Topping

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup butter, this is 1/4 of a standard blcok of butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 180 C. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter. Place the shredded chicken on the bottom of the dish, next place the ham slices, the Swiss cheese over the ham.
  • For the sauce, over medium heat, melt the butter in a large sauce pan. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Continue to whisk mixture while slowly adding milk, whisk until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Add lemon juice, brown mustard, paprika, and black pepper. Bring sauce to a low simmer again, whisk continuously. Once it has reached desired thickness, remove from heat and pour sauce evenly over the casserole.
  • For the topping: In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and stir in panko breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, and black pepper. Sprinkle topping mixture over the top of the casserole.
  • Bake for 35 minutes until topping is golden brown. Let res for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving. Any green veggy on the side would go perfect with this dish.

Notes

Chicken will cost about 32 Baht/500 grams. Swiss cheese will cost 180 Baht/block of 250 grams, slice it thin. The ham will cost about 75 Baht. This comes out to about $1.05 per serving for 8 servings. This is a far price for a great meal.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,CASSEROLES
Creamy Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole I
August 27, 2016 Lee
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Creamy Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole I

This sounds good, and the use of the egg noodles makes this is a filling casserole as well. On my to cook list. Links to the shortcuts are 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 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 250 grams dry egg noodles, OR Fettuccine pasta
  • 2 cups chicken meat, cooked, chopped, white or dark is up to you
  • 250 grams ham, cooked and cubed
  • 250 grams Swiss cheese, cubed
  • 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, OR make from a shortcut
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C. Lightly grease with butter, 9x13 baking dish.
  • Cook the egg noodles or pasta in boiling water until just done, drain, and add to the baking dish. Add the chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese, mix together. Add salt and pepper to your liking.
  • Mix the soup, milk, and sour cream together in a bowl, spoon this mixture over the top of the baking dish.
  • Melt the butter in a skillet, add the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese until the bread is coated and the cheese is melted. Sprinkle this mixture over the baking dish. Bake about 30 minutes or until the casserole is lightly browned and bubbling. Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Steamed broccoli would be good as a side with this.

Notes

The chicken might be 100 grams, about 40 Baht. The ham would be about 75 Baht. The Swiss Cheese about 180 baht. Make the soup yourself for greater savings (25 Baht instead of 55 Baht). For 8 servings, this is about $1.28 per serving. Over all, not a bad price.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Seasoned Breadcrumbs, Sour Cream.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,CASSEROLES
Slow Cooker Creamy Mashed Potatoes
August 27, 2016 Lee
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Slow Cooker Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Sounds really good, on my to cook list.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker (6+ quart)

Ingredients
  

  • 2½ kilos potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces, (5 lb)
  • ¾ cup butter, softened, divided, cut into cubes
  • 3 cups water
  • 250 grams Cream cheese, softened, cut into cubes, (8 oz)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3-4 tablespoons milk, as needed

Instructions
 

  • Lightly grease the slow cooker with butter, place potatoes pieces inside. season with salt and pepper to your liking. Add the water then dot the potatoes with ¼ cup of the butter.
  • Cover and cook on High setting for 4-5 hours. Potatoes will be ready when fork tender.
  • When the potatoes are done, carefully drain the water from the pot, add the remaining butter and the cream cheese. Mash the potatoes with a masher until there are no lumps left, and all the butter and cream cheese is combined. Add milk to get the desired consistency. Season potatoes with more salt and pepper as desired. Serve and enjoy!
Sides - Slow Cooker
Slow Cooker Orange Chicken Thighs
August 27, 2016 Lee
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Slow Cooker Orange Chicken Thighs

Sounds really good, this is a must try for me. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 chicken thighs, bone in, skin off, trimmed of any fat
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup orange marmalade
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup, OR make from a shortcut on this site
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
  • all purpose flour, to coat the chicken

Instructions
 

  • Roll the chicken thighs in flour to coat, then place them in your slow cooker. The flour will thicken the sauce. Go with quarters and separate the thighs from the legs, you get larger thighs and legs for another meal.
  • Add remaining ingredients to a bowl and mix, pour this over the chicken, move each thigh with a spoon to make sure the sauce is coating all parts of the thighs. Cover and cook on Low setting for 4 hours.
  • Serve with rice and steamed broccoli for a complete meal.

Notes

Chicken quarters run about 80 Baht/kilo (quarters have the largest thighs). 4 quarters would be about 1 kilo, then you have 4 thighs for this recipe and 4 legs for another recipe. So I will figure about 50 Baht for the thighs. This is about 37 cents per serving for 4 servings, add in the broccoli, you might be approaching 50 cents per serving. Outstanding value.
Shortcut: Ketchup.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Banana Mango Blueberry Bread Pudding Cobbler
August 27, 2016 Lee
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Banana Mango Blueberry Bread Pudding Cobbler

Wow! That is a name but I know from a very good friend who provided this recipe, it is also very good! Don't forget the Vanilla ice cream! On my to cook list for sure!
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Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

For the Bread Pudding

  • 1/2 loaf baguette, cubed and air dried or lightly toasted, or 6-8 slices of bread
  • 2 cups milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 bananas, over ripened, use 3 small ones if using local
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup butter, unsalted, this is 1/4 of a block, melted
  • 1 cup mango, cubed OR you can use peaches
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

For the Crumble Topping

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted
  • pinch ground cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C. Lightly grease a baking dish, a 9x13 should be perfect for this, or a large pie dish. Add the cubed dried bread to the baking dish.
  • Put the Bread Pudding ingredients, except the dried bread, butter, blueberries, and mango, in your blender and blend until smooth, slowly dribble in the melted 1/4 cup of butter, while the blender is on the lowest speed. Once mixed, pour this over the bread in the baking dish. The liquid mixture should cover the dried bread. Cover this and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour, the bread will soak up the liquid.
  • While the bread pudding is in the fridge, mix the Crumble Topping in a bowl until it looks like rough sand and set aside.
  • When the bread pudding has chilled, remove from the fridge and sprinkle on the blueberries and mango, then sprinkle the Crumble topping over that. Bake for 35 minutes, rotating the dish half way through.
  • Cool slightly before cutting, serve as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Tastes better the next day!

Notes

This is really a low cost dessert.
Recipe & photos provided courtesy of good friend, Grace Adamson, Gourmet Kwi-zeen.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,DESSERTS
Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
August 27, 2016 Lee
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Southern Baked Mac and Cheese

I am not sure what makes this a "Southern" dish, but it sounds really good. I love a good Mac & Cheese. On my to cook list.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Dish, Side
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
  • 4 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, this is about 1-1 1/2 250 gram blocks
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup butter, this is 1/4 block of butter, softened
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 block Cream cheese, softened
  • salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 200 C. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter.
  • Place cooked and drain macaroni in a large bowl, add 3 cups of the Cheddar cheese, milk, eggs, butter, and cream cheese. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Mix until all combined. Pour into the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of Cheddar on over the top.
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on the top. Serve as a side or as a main dish.

Notes

Low cost meal for sure, well under $1.00 per serving.
For variants, ad one of the following, cooked cubed ham, cooked sliced smoked sausage, cooked cubed chicken. Even with these, still under $1.00 per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Pasta - Mac & Cheese
Garlic Whole Chicken
August 27, 2016 Lee
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Garlic Whole Chicken

This is not an overwhelming flavor of garlic, it does season the chicken slightly. The chicken is indeed tender and juicy. The slow cooking of the garlic, much like roasting, reduces the garlic flavor but yield some great soft garlic you can just spread on the potatoes. Good chicken without a doubt. This is in my regular rotation. The plus side to this recipe is minimal ingredients, no olive oil, no water needed. The Thai family loved it, even the picky niece who normally refuses anything not Thai.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken, remove the head, neck, feet, and giblets.
  • 40 cloves garlic, peeled but whole
  • 3 large shallots, palm size is perfect, 2 sliced, 1 quartered
  • salt, pepper, and paprika, to taste
  • 3 small potatoes, optional, cut into big bite size pieces

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the chicken and remove the feet, head, and neck. Trim any fat near the chest opening.
  • Peel the garlic, set aside. Peel the large shallots, slice 2 and quarter 1, set aside. Feel free to use onions in place of the shallots.
  • Place slices of shallot on the bottom of your slow cooker.
  • Take the bird and sprinkle salt, pepper, and paprika on the backside, rub it in well, flip the bird over and do the same, coating the front of the bird, legs and wings. Place in the slow cooker, backside down on top of the shallots. Stuff the cavity with several quarters of the shallot and as many garlic cloves as you can. Place the rest of the garlic under and on the sides of the chick, top with the shallot slices.
  • Cover and cook on High setting for 4 hours, then reduce to low setting and add the large cubed potatoes on the top, salt and pepper as you desire. Cook for another hour. At the 5 hour mark of total cooking time, use a meat thermometer in the thickest section and check the temp to be safe, ours was perfect at 5 hours. The potatoes were perfect. The chicken, fall off the bone tender, and juicy.
  • Serve, use a pair of tongs to grab the meat, as it is fall off the bone tender. Add some potatoes and some garlic. A vegetable on the side would make this a complete meal (I took the photo before I added some spinach.)

Notes

This chicken in the photo was 113 Baht, that is 83 cents per serving for 4 servings, and just 55 cents per serving for 6 servings. A delicious and hearty meal for very good value.
Original recipe by Lee Thayer.
Thailand.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Chicken Pizza Biscuits
August 24, 2016 Lee
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Chicken Pizza Biscuits

I received this recipe from a good friend in the states, sounds wonderful and is on my to cook list. Quantities are not listed, this is a make with what you have type recipe. When I make this I will narrow down the measurements. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Course Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • chicken, see Step 2
  • biscuits, see Step 3
  • Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • pizza sauce, OR make from a shortcut
  • butter, melted

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
  • Chicken, several options. 1. Use chicken meat from a whole slow cooked thicken (most economical), white meat or dark, up to you, and shred the meat you need. 2. Cook and shred several chicken breasts, seasoned with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. 3. Buy a rotisserie chicken or make one yourself.
  • For the biscuits, several options. 1. Use your favorite rolled biscuit recipe (most economical). 2. If you find, say, Pillsbury Grands biscuits in a tube, use those if you like. Then take each biscuit, either your rolled biscuits that you have cut into biscuits or those from a tube, and on a lightly floured surface, pat out biscuit each with your fingers to make a larger, thinner biscuit, like 5-6 inches in diameter.
  • Take the patted out biscuit and place some shredded chicken in the center of the biscuit, add shredded cheese on top of the chicken. Fold the sides of the biscuit to cover the filling and lightly pinch together, place biscuit on the baking sheet. When the sheet is full, allow room between the biscuits, brush with melted butter and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat this if you have to cook in batches.
  • Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

Notes

This is a snack or meal, great while watching a sports game on TV. If you make the biscuits and pizza sauce yourself, this is very inexpensive. Chicken is inexpensive, think cooking a whole chicken in your slow cooker, using some meat for this recipe, and then you have more meat for another 1 or 2 recipes. The cheese would not be that much as not a lot is used.
When I prepare this I will edit the recipe, pricing, and add photos.
Shortcut: Pizza Sauce.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Bob Wicker.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,APPETIZERS / SNACKS
Philippines Style Stuffed Crab
August 23, 2016 Lee
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Philippines Style Stuffed Crab

Allan & Sheila Conatser, United States.
This comes from a good friend, and it sounds absolutely wonderful! Takes time but I think this is well worth it. On my to try list.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Baking Sheet

Ingredients
  

  • 12 blue crabs, cooked, and cooled
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 small potatoes, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • ½ box raisins, this would be the small box
  • ¼ red bell pepper, diced
  • ¼ cup peas, canned or cooked frozen peas
  • dash soy sauce, low sodium
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • salt, to taste
  • olive oil
  • panko breadcrumbs

Instructions
 

  • First task is, you guessed it, you have to pick all 12 crabs, putting the meat in a separate bowl, try to keep the meat in the largest chunks possible, pick everything. Save the top of the shells for use later to bake the crab in. Clean the tops and rinse them out and allow to dry.
  • Heat a large non stick skillet with a splash of olive oil, then cook the diced potatoes until done, remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Same skillet, cook the onion and garlic until the onion is soft. Then gently fold in the crab meat, make sure you do not make it mushy. Then fold in the cooked potatoes, then fold in the red bell pepper, peas, and raisins. Gently mix in a dash of low sodium soy sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside, letting it cool.
  • Preheat your oven to 190° C (375° F) and get out a baking sheet.
  • Stuff each crab shell with the mixture, pack them tight and mound over the top, about 5-7 shells is what you will need. Brush each mound of filling with beaten egg and top with Panko breadcrumbs.
  • Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the breadcrumbs start to get golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool 5 minutes. Serve, coleslaw, corn chowder or a green salad would be excellent sides.

Notes

Blue Crabs would cost about 200 Baht for 12 decent sized crabs, for 6 servings (this is based on 6 stuffed shells and 1 stuffed shell per serving), this is about $1 per serving. Overall, not bad, but can be time consuming to put together.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,SEAFOOD - ALL,Seafood - Crab