Author Archive
The Lady’s Cheesy Mac
July 23, 2016 Lee
Leave a comment

The Lady's Cheesy Mac

Cheesy Mac, always a favorite with me.
Print Recipe
Course Lunch, Main Dish, Side
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
  • 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 3 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, OR 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C. Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the cheddar, and stir to mix it in, then set this aside.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a baking dish, top with additional cheese if desired, and bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let rest for 5 minutes, serve.

Notes

The Cheddar cheese will be the most costly item here, at 180 Baht for 1 block, that should provide the 2 cups of shredded needed. This comes out to about $1.35 per serving for 4 servings. If served as a side, that would give you more servings.
Variants, and these will cost per serving is diced ham or cooked diced chicken.
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 - Mac & Cheese
One-Pot Creamy Barbecued Pulled Chicken Penne With Cherry Tomatoes
July 23, 2016 Lee
Leave a comment

One-Pot Creamy Barbecued Pulled Chicken Penne With Cherry Tomatoes

Sounds like a great pasta dish. This recipe assumes you have already made the Smoky Barbecued Pulled Chicken, recipe link is in the steps.
Print Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups BBQ pulled chicken
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 250 grams dry Penne pasta, OR any bite sized shaped pasta
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 3/4 cup cream, OR milk
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • Parmesan cheese, for garnish
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
  • chili flakes, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • In a skillet, saute diced onion for a few minutes until the onion turns soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and diced red pepper and stir to mix.
  • Add the chicken. Recipe is here http://thailand1dollarmeals.com/recipe/smoky-barbecued-pulled-chicken/
  • Once mixed, add the chicken stock and cream. Bring this to a boil and add the pasta. Give the pasta a stir. Cover the skillet and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Remember to give the pasta a stir occasionally. If the water level is too low, add a little more chicken stock. The starch in the pasta will thicken the sauce as it cooks.
  • Once the pasta is tender, the dish is ready. Season with salt and black pepper as desired. Serve the pasta, topped with cherry tomatoes, Italian parsley, chili flakes if desired, and Parmesan.

Notes

Well under $1 per serving since the chicken was cooked in another recipe.
Provided by The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and the link to this recipe is here.
Singapore.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,PASTA
Smoky Barbecued Pulled Chicken
July 23, 2016 Lee
Leave a comment

Smoky Barbecued Pulled Chicken

This is a useful recipe that can be served as is or used as a base in other recipes. This is quick and simple. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, OR legs and thighs skin off bone in
  • 3 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 3 tablespoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon course ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup BBQ sauce, OR make from a shortcut on this site

Instructions
 

  • Combine all the ingredients except the chicken and the barbecue sauce to make a dry rub. Coat the chicken with the dry rub. Place the chicken in the bowl of a slow cooker, pour the barbecue sauce over the chicken and cover with a piece of baking paper. Put the lid on and cook on Low setting for 3 to 4 hours, or until chicken is tender.
  • Cool slightly and remove the chicken from the slow cooker then shred the chicken with a pair of forks. If using thighs and legs, remove bones and any gristle on the ends of the legs, then shred. Ad the chicken back to the slow cooker and mix with the juices in the pot.
  • Serve as is with buns, lettuce, and cheese available or use in other recipes.

Notes

Chicken breasts run anywhere from 60 to 75 Baht/kilo. 4 breasts should be less than that. This is about $1 per serving for 4 servings. Very reasonable and inexpensive meal.
The baking paper is used to keep the moisture in and keeps the chicken moist.
Shortcut: BBQ Sauce.
Provided by The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and the link to this recipe is here.
Singapore.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker
One-Pot Garlic Black Pepper Chicken Pasta
July 23, 2016 Lee
Leave a comment

One-Pot Garlic Black Pepper Chicken Pasta

Sounds really good! I like everything about this recipe. I had to put anchovies on my shopping list, I have seen many pasta dishes that ask for this to make a great sauce.
Print Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons all purpose flour
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 250 grams fresh mushrooms, sliced, King Oyster, Shiitake, Straw mushrooms, etc
  • 6 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 4 anchovy fillets
  • 1/2 cup white wine, OR use chicken stock
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 500 grams spaghetti, or pasta of your choice
  • coursely ground black pepper, to taste
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
  • chili flakes, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Season the chicken with salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Toss with a little flour. In a pot or large skillet, brown the chicken in batches in a little olive oil. Once the chicken pieces have been browned and cooked through, transfer them into a bowl. Set them aside.
  • In the same pot or skillet, add a little more olive oil. Saute the garlic over medium heat for about 30-40 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the red pepper and stir to mix. Add mushrooms and the anchovy fillets. Mush the anchovy fillets – they will disappear into the sauce and impart the most amazing savory flavor to the dish!
  • Return the chicken into the pot or skillet and stir to combine. Transfer all the ingredients from the pot into a bowl. Set this aside.
  • Add white wine (or replace with the same quantity of chicken stock if you want to omit wine) into the pot. Bring this to a boil. Using your spatula, gently scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge the brown bits of flavor. Add the additional chicken stock, bring this to a boil then add the pasta. Make sure the pasta is submerged in the liquid, turn the heat to low and cover the pot. The pasta will cook and soften. Stir occasionally and cook until the pasta is done.
  • Return the ingredients into the pot, add more black pepper if you like, and toss to combine. Sprinkle chopped parsley and serve.

Notes

Chicken breasts run anywhere from 60 to 75 Baht/kilo. 4 breasts should be less than that. This is about $1 per serving for 4 servings. Very reasonable and inexpensive meal. I need to locate anchovies so I can better price this.
Provided by The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and the link to this recipe is here.
Singapore.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,PASTA
Peri Peri Sauce
July 23, 2016 Lee
Leave a comment

Peri Peri Sauce

Can be used on steaks and also makes a great marinade for chicken for a BBQ. Refrigerate unused sauce.
Print Recipe
Cuisine South African
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1-2 chilies, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon paprika, plain OR smoked
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, OR apple cider vinegar
  • salt, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion for 1 minute, then add the garlic, pepper, and chili and stir fry until cooked through and tender. Add the spices and stir to combine.
  • Pulse the mixture with the vinegar in a food processor or blender until smooth. Season with salt. If the sauce is too thick, stir in 1 tablespoon of water.

Notes

Provided courtesy of good friend, Denise Georgiades.
South Africa.
Ingredients - Sauces
Chicken Chimichangas in 30 Minutes
July 22, 2016 Lee
Leave a comment

Chicken Chimichangas in 30 Minutes

Adapted from an internet recipe.
I am a fan of Mexican food, and when I lived in San Diego for 6 years, I never had a Chimichanga, it sounds like a cross between a Enchilada and a Burrito. And this does sound tasty! Not a cheap meal. Just from reading the recipe, I would increase everything to make some "fuller" chimichangas. I will report when I make this. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Tex-Mex
Servings 3 servings

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Baking Pan (9x13 inch)

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chicken, this can be breast, thighs, up to you, shredded or cubed
  • 1 cup salsa, Shortcut
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 2 spring onions, chopped
  • 6 flour tortillas, 8 inch size
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Toppings

  • diced tomatoes
  • sour cream
  • guacamole
  • salsa, Shortcut
  • Cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 200° C (390° F). Get out a 9x13 inch baking pan.
  • Mix the chicken, salsa, cumin, oregano, cheese, and onions. Place about â…“ cup of the mixture in the center of each tortilla.
  • Fold opposite sides over filling. Roll up from bottom and place seam-side down on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. Brush with melted butter. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
  • Serve with toppings of your choice. A side of beans and rice would be perfect here.

Notes

Chicken is the minimal part here, tortillas will be pricey, to the tune of about 280 Baht for a pack of 10. Two of these items per serving, not including cheese is about $2.75 per serving, if you make the tortillas, bonus, if you make the salsa, bonus, but over all, not an inexpensive meal, this would be a once a month or when relatives and family visits meal. Either way, it does sound really good.
Shortcut: Salsa.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,TEX-MEX, sort of
Sausage, Peppers, and Onion
July 22, 2016 Lee
1 Comment

Sausage, Peppers, and Onion

This is an old school recipe that has been a mainstay for years of many folks. This used to be considered poor folks food, but sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. I have been making this for years but stopped when I got to my present location due to availability of the sausage, now that I have found the sausage, this is a excellent dish and low cost. You can change this up to your liking. You can use any sausage you like, chicken, beef, or pork.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams smoked sausage, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large non-stick skillet on medium high heat, add the sliced sausage.
  • Brown the sausage, about 5-10 minutes.
  • Then add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper.
  • Season with oregano, and salt and pepper to your liking. When the pepper and onion are tender, remove from heat. (I cover with a lid while it is cooking and just mix it every few minutes.)
  • Sprinkle on the cheese and mix to coat everything, serve.
  • Serve as is, or over hot rice or pasta.

Notes

The sausage at Makro will cost about 125 Baht for 500 grams. This comes to about 90 cents per serving for 6 servings. From my experience, Makro has sales on this sausage, buy 1 kilo get 500 grams free so there is even more savings.
Variants: 1. Use more sausage and add a red bell pepper. 2. Add a good handful of sliced mushrooms, King Oyster or Shiitake would be good, and I think Straw mushrooms sliced in half lengthwise would be excellent.
Another variant, provided by good friend John Petersen, United States, serve this on a bed of freshly cooked hash browns and top with a couple of sunny side up eggs. (This I will do!)
Been making this for years.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Pork - Sausage
One-Pot Chicken Alfredo
July 22, 2016 Lee
Leave a comment

One-Pot Chicken Alfredo

Pasta in a cheese sauce with chicken? I am in! This is a must try. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 600 grams chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, or thighs, cut into bite size pieces
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 1 cup heavy cream, OR make from a shortcut
  • 500 grams dry Penne pasta, OR any bite sized pasta
  • 2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Season the chicken with salt and pepper and in a skillet, brown the chicken in a little olive oil. There is no need for the chicken to be cooked through as it will be cooked with the sauce later.
  • Then add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Then add the chicken stock, cream, and pasta, mix this and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. Stir occasionally, if the liquid is reducing, add a bit more stock and cream.
  • When the pasta is cooked, remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese, season with salt and pepper as desired, garnish with parsley if desired, serve.

Notes

Chicken will run 60 to 75 Baht/kilo, you will need just 600 grams of chicken for this. Parmesan cheese on the other hand is about 280 Baht/200 grams. For 4 servings, this comes out to about $2.35 per serving. High cost for a good meal, much higher than our standard of $1 per serving. Maybe not a recipe to put on the weekly planner but sounds great on the monthly planner.
Shortcut: Heavy Cream.
Provided by The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and the link to this recipe is here.
Singapore.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,PASTA
One-Pot Spaghetti With Chicken Parmesan
July 22, 2016 Lee
Leave a comment

One-Pot Spaghetti With Chicken Parmesan

Sounds really good, and I really like on pot dishes.
Print Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

Seasoning for the Chicken

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2-3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Ingredients

  • 500 grams chicken breasts, OR thighs, skinless and boneless, cut into bite size pieces
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 can tomatoes, chopped, reserve the juice
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder, OR water
  • 350 grams pasta, Spaghetti, Penne, or Sprial would work well
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
  • chili flakes, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Season the chicken with items listed for chicken seasoning, Toss to combine and coat the chicken. Cook the chicken in large pot in batches, in a little olive oil until brown and cooked through. Set aside.
  • In the same pot, add a bit more olive oil if needed, saute the onion for a minute or two to soften them. Add the minced garlic and continue cooking for another 30 seconds.
  • Open the can of tomatoes, I use Brook brand whole peeled tomatoes in tomato juice, drain the juice into the pot, chop the tomatoes and add them to the pot. Add the chicken stock or the water, bring to a boil. Add the pasta then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook the pasta for about 8-10 minutes, time will vary so keep an eye on the pasta, stirring once ever so often, until the pasta is cooked.
  • When the pasta is cooked, remove from heat and add the Parmesan cheese and mix until combined, season with salt and pepper to your liking. Pour this into a large serving dish, top with the chicken and garnish with parsley and chili flakes if desired. Serve.

Notes

Chicken breasts run anywhere from 30 to 38 Baht/500 grams. Easily less than $1 per serving for 4 servings. Very reasonable and inexpensive meal.
Provided by The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and the link to this recipe is here.
Singapore.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,PASTA
One-pot Creamy Smoked Chicken Penne
July 22, 2016 Lee
Leave a comment

One-pot Creamy Smoked Chicken Penne

Sounds really good! Several steps involved but I think this will be great. On my to cook list! Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken

  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
  • 3 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 3 tablespoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup BBQ sauce, OR make from a shortcut

For the Pasta

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 zucchini, thinly sliced ad quartered
  • 2 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • 500 grams dry Penne pasta
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
  • chili flakes, for garnish

Instructions
 

For the Chicken

  • Combine all the ingredients except the chicken and the barbecue sauce to make a dry rub. Coat the chicken with the dry rub. Place the chicken in your slow cooker, pour the barbecue sauce over the chicken and cover with a piece of baking paper. Put the lid on and cook on Low setting for 3-4 hours, or until chicken is tender. Cool slightly before shredding the chicken with a pair of forks. Set aside.

For the Pasta

  • Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the red pepper and zucchini. Stir to mix. Add the chicken, followed by the chicken stock, condensed soup, and cream. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Bring to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, add the pasta, give everything a stir and lower the heat to a simmer.
  • Place a cover on the skillet and simmer the pasta for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the liquid dries out too much, add a little water. Once the pasta is cooked, remove from heat and serve, garnish parsley and chili flakes if desired.

Notes

Chicken breasts run anywhere from 60 to 75 Baht/kilo. 4 breasts should be less than that. Make the shortcuts listed and this is about $1 per serving for 4 servings. Very reasonable and inexpensive meal.
Shortcuts: BBQ Sauce, Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup.
Provided by The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and the link to this recipe is here.
Singapore.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker