Author Archive
Dizzy’s Chicken
July 26, 2016 Lee
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Dizzy's Chicken

This is from a good friend of mine, she made this from what she had available, and from reading this, done well! I look forward to making this! When I make this I will update the process and times. Inexpensive meal. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box Stove Top stuffing, OR make from a shortcut
  • 4 chicken quarters
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced, Button, Shiitake would work
  • 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1/2 can milk, use the soup can, for homemade soup use 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, OR make from a shortcut
  • black pepper, to taste
  • butter, as needed

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 190 C. Grease a large baking dish with a little bit of butter.
  • Cook the stuffing according to instructions then spread that in the baking dish, place the chicken on top, add the mushrooms around the chicken.
  • Mix the can of soup with 1/2 can of milk, pour this over the baking dish, season the top with the celery salt, onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, and black pepper, to taste.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, at 10 minutes remove foil and bake for 15 minutes more or until chicken is cooked through.
  • Serve on a bed of hot fresh cooked pasta, with a salad and a fresh cooked vegetable for a complete meal.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcuts: Stuffing, Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Poultry Seasoning.
Variant: 1. Instead of mushrooms, use sliced celery or chopped onions.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Ms. Thomas.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CHICKEN & TURKEY
Crock Pot Style Gyros II
July 26, 2016 Lee
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Crock Pot Style Gyros II

Ok, after the Gyros I recipe, I figured out how to say this, is it "Year O". This does sound good as well and is just a variant. This is not traditional by any means as lamb is not used, but you are free to use that if you wish. This can be pork, beef, pork and beef, chicken, chicken and beef, chicken and pork. The original recipe stated lamb and turkey, lamb and turkey is costly but feel free to use that if you wish. Beef will be costly, chicken the least costly. This makes a smaller amount than the Gyros I recipe.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mixed
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

Meat

  • 250 grams ground beef, OR minced pork
  • 250 grams ground chicken, OR just use 500 grams of ground chicken
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 cup onion, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • juice from 1 lemon

Sauce

  • 1 cucumber, small, peeled, seeded, and chopped
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
  • juice from 1 lemon

To serve

  • Pita bread, OR corn or flour tortillas
  • lettuce, shredded
  • tomatoes, optional, chopped
  • Feta cheese, optional, crumbled
  • olives, optional

Instructions
 

  • Slice the onion and the mince the garlic, place in the bottom of your slow cooker. In a bowl mix the 2 types of meat (or just chicken) with the oregano and paprika.
  • Form the meat into a meatloaf and place on top of the onions in the slow cooker. Cook, covered, on Low setting for 3 to 4 hours or High setting for 2 hours. Use of a meat thermometer would be good to check the internal temp.
  • While the slow cooker is started, prepare your sauce. Just mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until the meat is done.
  • When the meat is done, carefully lift this out of the pot and place on a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Slice thinly and serve in tortillas (or pita bread) with the sauce and the desired optional fixings. Enjoy.

Notes

Ground beef will run about 50 Baht (that is a guess since I do not have that here), minced pork would be about 30 Baht/250 grams, and chicken about 20 Baht/250 grams (another guess). The costly item is the flour tortillas, store bought is about 230 Baht for a pack of 10 (I need to learn how to make these!) Using the beef price and chicken and the tortillas, and figuring 4 servings and roughly half the tortillas, this is about $1.40 per serving, it goes down with pork, and chicken, and if using chicken only (which sounds really good) this would be under $1 per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,Beef - Slow Cooker,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Crock Pot Style Gyros I
July 26, 2016 Lee
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Crock Pot Style Gyros I

I have never figured out how to say this, is it "Hero" or "Gyro" or "Year O". Either way, this sounds good. This is not traditional by any means as lamb is not used, but you are free to use that if you wish. This can be pork, beef, pork and beef, chicken, chicken and beef, chicken and pork. The original recipe stated beef and turkey, turkey is costly but feel free to use that if you wish. 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 Mixed
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

Meat

  • 500 grams ground beef, OR minced pork
  • 500 grams ground chicken
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 3 cloves galic, smashed and chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Greek seasoning, OR make from a shortcut on this site

Sauce

  • 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Greek seasoning, OR make from a shortcut on this site
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

To serve

  • flour or corn tortillas
  • lettuce, shredded

Instructions
 

  • Place onion and garlic into your slow cooker. Mix together meat and Greek seasoning. Form into two small loaves and place on top of onions and garlic. Cook on Low setting for 4-5 hours or until done, use of a meat thermometer would be a bonus here.
  • While the slow cooker is started, prepare your sauce. Just mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until the meat is done.
  • When the meat is done, carefully lift this out of the pot and place on a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes.
  • Slice the meat thin and serve on tortillas with shredded lettuce and the sauce. Enjoy.

Notes

Ground beef will run about 100 Baht (that is a guess since I do not have that here), minced pork would be about 60 Baht/500 grams, and chicken about 40 Baht/500 grams (another guess). The costly item is the flour tortillas, store bought is about 230 Baht for a pack of 10 (I need to learn how to make these!) Using the beef price and the tortillas, and figuring 6 servings, this is about $1.60 per serving, it goes down with pork, and chicken, and if using chicken only (which sounds really good) this would be under $1 per serving.
Shortcut: Greek Seasoning.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,Beef - Slow Cooker,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Greek Seasoning
July 25, 2016 Lee
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Greek Seasoning

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Basic Greek seasoning recipe.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Cuisine Greek
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried mint, optional

Instructions
 

  • Mix everything in a small bowl, store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Notes

Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
Ingredients - Spice Mixes
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili
July 25, 2016 Lee
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Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili

What is Cincinnati Chili? I have no idea except that is has cinnamon and allspice in it. Normally, I guess, this is made with ground beef which is boiled rather than pan browned, but I will be using minced pork, but by all means if you use chicken, leave a comment on the results. I will make with ground chicken as well. Maybe Cincinnati was the start of Chili Mac? Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo ground beef, or ground pork, or ground chicken, (2 lbs)
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 cup tomato sauce, Shortcut
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon Worcherstershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 teaspoons chili powder, adjust to your liking
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 can red Kidney beans, Shortcut, 1-2 cups cooked
  • pasta, spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine, for serving
  • Cheddar cheese, shredded, for topping
  • onion, diced, for topping

Instructions
 

  • In a large non stick pan, add the onion and ground meat.
  • Brown the ground meat and onion, breaking up the ground meat with your spatula but still leaving it a bit chunky. Drain fat, then place in your slow cooker.
  • Add to the slow cooker the garlic, tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire, vinegar, salt, pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, allspice, and beans. Give everything a mix, there is a lot in the slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on High setting for 2 hours. Then switch to Low setting for another 1 hour. (You can also cook just on Low setting for 5 hours.)
  • Cook your desired pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until tender, drain. Put pasta in a bowl and ladle on the chili. Top with cheese and onions as desired. Enjoy.

Notes

Beef in my village will run about 250 Baht/kilo, but you have to mince that yourself. Minced pork at Tesco will run about 115 Baht/kilo, chicken, I have no idea on the price for ground chicken as I have not done this yet. For 8 servings, made with beef this is only 92 cents per serving. For 8 servings, made with pork this is about 43 cents per serving. Using beef and 8 servings, this is still only about 92 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Tomato Sauce.
Variants: 1. Replace the tomato sauce with a can of whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, plus juice. 2. Use your favorite chili seasoning packet in place of the chili powder, cumin, and black pepper.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Soups, Stews, Chili - Slow Cooker
One-Pot Pasta Curls with Bacon and Tomato
July 24, 2016 Lee
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One-Pot Pasta Curls with Bacon and Tomato

The name is deceptive, make this with any meat you have, chicken, pork, or beef. This sounds really good.
Print Recipe
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 5 slices bacon, sliced into strips
  • 1/2 onion, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 250 grams spiral pasta, OR any bite size pasta
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, finely chopped, 565 gram can, retain juice
  • 1 teaspoon chili flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • salt, to taste
  • fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
  • Parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • In a heavy-bottom pan, brown the bacon in a little olive oil. Once the bacon bits are brown, transfer them into a bowl and set this aside. In the same pan, add the diced onion and cook for 30 seconds. Add the minced garlic and cook a further 30 seconds. Add chicken stock. Use your spatula to gently scrape the bottom of the pan (OR use a non stick pan).
  • Finely chop the can tomatoes and juice (or use tomato puree) and add into the pan. Bring this to a boil and add the pasta. I used pasta curls but you can use any pasta you like.
  • Give everything a good stir, reduce the heat and simmer this for about 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked. The sauce would have thickened slightly as well from the starch that was released when the pasta was cooking. If the sauce is too tart, add a little sugar to balance the flavor.
  • Turn off the heat, season with salt (if needed), chili flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle the bacon on the pasta and top with chopped parsley, as well as grated Parmesan before serving.

Notes

Minimal costs, easilly under $1 per serving. Now if you want to start adding chicken, pork or beef, yes the costs go up.
Provided by The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and the link to this recipe is here.
Singapore.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,PASTA
Chicken White Chili Mac & Cheese
July 24, 2016 Lee
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Chicken White Chili Mac & Cheese

Ok, I found the original recipe on the internet, and it was horrendous at best! And a totally misleading name. This is my rewrite, when I make this, I will update the recipe and make my report when I make this, it does sound good. This takes some time as noted in the first step.
Print Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken

  • 1 whole chicken, remove the head and feet and remove the giblets
  • 1 onion, leave skin on and just cut in half
  • 10 cloves garlic, just smash and leave skins on

For the Pasta

  • 500 grams spaghetti
  • 250 grams Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup chicken stock, you just made that, strain out the onion and garlic
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cans whole peeled tomatoes, diced and juice reserved (can use fresh but you need tomato juice)
  • 1-2 green chilies, diced
  • 1 cup fresh mushrooms, King Osyter or Shiitaki would be perfect
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

For the Chicken

  • Place whole chicken in large pot, add the onion, garlic and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 40 to 60 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat and let the chicken and stock cool to room temperature. Remove chicken from pot, reserving stock, discard the onion and garlic. Skin and bone chicken, set the skin and bones aside for your dog. Lightly shred the meat with forks or roughly chop. Set meat aside.

For the Pasta

  • In a slow cooker, add the onion, chilies, garlic, bell pepper, mushrooms, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste, to your slow cooker. Then add chicken, diced tomatoes AND juice, cheese, and chicken stock. Cover and cook on Low setting for 3 hours.
  • Before the 3 hours is up, cook your pasta in the chicken stock if you like or just water, then stir in cooked pasta before serving.

Notes

One whole chicken will run between 200 and 250 Baht. The cheese is one block for 180 Baht. This comes out to about $1.60 per serving for 8 servings. Not bad but high for what I would call a regular meal. The good thing is you have chicken stock for your next recipe.
Heavily modified from a internet recipe.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Penne Chicken Alfredo
July 23, 2016 Lee
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Penne Chicken Alfredo

Sounds delicious! On my to cook list for sure. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams Penne pasta, cooked per instructions, or any small pasta
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine, OR use chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream, OR make from a shortcut
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • chicken stock, additional for thinning if required
  • Parmesan cheese, extra for topping
  • fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  • Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts. Heat half of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook until deep golden brown on both sides and done in the middle. Remove from the skillet, slice into thin strips, and set aside. Let the chicken rest to reabsorb liquids.
  • Add the remaining butter to the skillet, followed by the minced garlic. Stir the garlic around the pan to avoid burning, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in wine (or broth), then let it bubble up and reduce for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add milk, cream, and extra salt and pepper as desired, whisking constantly until it's all combined. Allow liquid to heat up and thicken for a few minutes. If it gets too thick, you may thin it with a little chicken broth.
  • When the sauce looks good, remove it from the heat. Add Parmesan to the pan, then throw the hot pasta right on top of it. Toss it a bit. Add the chicken and continue tossing until it’s all combined. Again, if it gets too thick, splash in a little broth (you may return the pan to low heat if it needs it.)
  • Taste it, adjust seasonings, and top with minced parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately!

Notes

Chicken breasts run anywhere from 60 to 75 Baht/kilo. 4 breasts should be less than that. The cheese would be about 150 to 180 Baht for 3/4 cup. This comes to about $1.25 per serving for 6 servings, less for 8 servings. Over all, not a bad cost.
Shortcut: Heavy Cream.
Provided by The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and the link to this recipe is here.
Singapore.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,PASTA
Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese
July 23, 2016 Lee
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Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese

Or Grilled Cheese Sloppy Joe. I normally have a thick slice of onion with my Sloppy Joe sandwich, some people use a slice of cheese. But cooking like a Grilled Cheese, this is interesting. This recipe, more of a guide than a recipe, is for one sandwich. Think leftovers.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 6 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 1 sandwich

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup Sloppy Joe mix, leftovers are perfect for this, cold
  • Cheddar cheese, real cheese, sliced thin, as needed
  • 2 slices bread
  • butter

Instructions
 

  • Spread butter on one side of each piece of bread. Place one piece of bread, butter side down in your heated frying pan.
  • Place on slices of real cheese on the piece of bread. Top with leftover Sloppy Joe mix (cold works best, so that you can spread it evenly without it sliding out). Top with remaining slices of cheese and piece of bread, butter side up.
  • Cook until the first side is golden brown. Flip sandwich and cook until the second side is equally golden brown. Enjoy.

Notes

Actually, not that really an inexpensive meal, real cheese is the costly part, as the Sloppy Joe mix was already prepared. This would be about 75 cents to $1 per sandwich.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Mike Early.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,BURGERS & SANDWICHES,LEFTOVERS
Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
July 23, 2016 Lee
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Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

This sounds like a wonderful meal, but does take some time, this recipe will take you through cooking a whole chicken, making the sauce, and baking.
Print Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Shredded Chicken and Broth

  • 1 whole chicken, remove the head and feet and remove the giblets
  • 1 onion, leave skin on and just cut in half
  • 7 cloves garlic, just smash and leave skins on
  • 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary

For the Sauce

  • 110 grams butter
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 400 grams fresh button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine, OR use chicken broth you just made
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth, this is from the chicken you just cooked
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine, OR use chicken broth you just made
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus additional for the topping
  • 1 cup pitted black olives, sliced
  • 500 grams spaghetti, broken in half

Instructions
 

For the Shredded Chicken and Broth

  • In a big pot, place a chicken that had been cleaned. Add the halved onion (no need to remove the skin) as well as about 7 cloves of smashed garlic (also no need to remove the skin) and a sprig or two of rosemary. Simmer this for about 40 minutes.
  • At the end of 40 minutes, you should have an aromatic broth and a chicken that is completely cooked through. Discard the onion, garlic and rosemary and place the chicken in a bowl to cool. Once the chicken has cooled, remove the skin and bones and shred the meat. Set this aside. (For juicier chicken, let the chicken cool while in the pot, then remove it to debone.)

For the Sauce

  • In a large skillet, add some butter and olive oil. Saute the onions until they became soft and slightly translucent. Add the minced garlic, stir for about 30 seconds then add the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms have softened a little, add the white wine (or stock) and continue cooking the mushrooms until almost all the water has evaporated. Set this aside.
  • Bring the broth back to boil and cook the broken spaghetti for 10 minutes (3 minutes less than the time stated on the pack). Once cooked, drain the spaghetti (reserve the stock) and set it aside.
  • Now for the fun part. In a large skillet, add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the flour. With a hand whisk, whisk the flour to allow the flour to cook through. Then add the stock, then the milk, whisking all the while. Then add the wine (or stock), and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Leave the sauce to cook and thicken. Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Stir continuously until all the cheese has melted. Then add the mushrooms and chicken to the sauce and mix. Then add the spaghetti. Mix well.
  • Transfer the spaghetti and sauce to a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese on top. Bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes, or until the top has turned a delicious shade of golden brown.
  • Scatter some chopped parsley on the spaghetti casserole if desired. Serve it with a salad or warm crusty chunks of garlic bread. Or just enjoy a as it is.

Notes

A whole chicken costs between 200 and 250 Baht depending on where you get it from. The 1 cup of Parmesan will run about 200 Baht. Using the high end of the chicken at 250 Baht, this comes out to about $1.65 per serving for 8 servings. Not an overly expensive meal.
Provided by The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and the link to this recipe is here.
Singapore.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,CASSEROLES