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Creamy Garlic Mushrooms
This is an excellent side dish.
Ingredients
- 8-10 white button mushrooms, large
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh or dry herbs, such as sweet basil, parsley, etc
- 2 tablespoons Cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the mushrooms. For this I used 8 large.
- Slice the mushrooms into quarters.
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium low heat, add mushrooms and garlic, stir until the mushrooms are soft and some liquid is released from them, if the mushrooms do not release any liquid, add a tablespoon or two of milk.
- Remove pan from the heat and add the cream cheese and mix well, return to low heat and stir until heated through. Once mixed, and the herbs of your liking and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve as a side dish.
Notes
I recently bought white button mushrooms at Tops, 59 Baht for a package of 4-5 large ones (100 grams or 4 oz). For 2 packages, 118 Baht, for 4 servings, this comes to 89 Baht per serving, for a side or a snack.
Variant: 1. Use Straw mushrooms halved instead of quartered.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Chilied Bacon and Potato Hash
Potato, bacon, onions cooked as a hash with cumin and chili powder, drop a couple of eggs on the top and cover to let them set, just a little, excellent! I made this on 19 Sep 2016 and this is a keeper! My Thai wife took one bite and gave me 2 thumbs up!
Ingredients
- 400 grams bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces, this is 2 regular packages
- 2 tablespoons red chili flakes, optional
- 4-6 potatoes, diced, peeled or unpeeled is up to you
- 2 tablespoons butter
- splash olive oil
- 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 large shallot, diced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4-6 eggs, or as many as you want to use
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, heaping
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, heaping
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Using a large heavy bottom pan, cast iron would be ideal, Add the butter and a splash of olive oil, set on medium to medium low heat, add in the diced onion, shallot, and chopped bacon, stir this once in a while and as you are dicing the potatoes add them to the pan. add potatoes until the pan is near full, they will cook down as well.
- As the potatoes cook, sprinkle in the cumin, chili powder, and black pepper, stir the potatoes occasionally.
- When the potatoes are tender, spread the potatoes out fairly flat and start dropping in eggs. I used 6 eggs but one yolk broke, when that happens it just sinks down into the hash like the whites do. Sprinkle some black pepper on the eggs (cannot have enough black pepper).
- Cover for a few minutes and check on the eggs, whites should be set in the hash, and the eggs should be a nice sunny side up.
- Serve. Not a great looking dish plated, but the taste is outstanding!
Notes
Easy meal for under $1 per person.
For options, instead of bacon, use sausage, breakfast sausage, ham, or a little of each! Add some chopped red, yellow, or green bell pepper, or even some hot sauce splashed on. Can also beat the eggs first and just pour into the pan over the hash and cover and cook to see the eggs, or place (oven proof pan keep in mind) in the oven and broil. Totally up to you.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Cheesy Chicken And Broccoli Pasta
Simple and easy dish, inexpensive as well. A must try for me.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
- 2 cups chicken broth, fresh or from powder
- 3 cups water
- 500 grams pasta shells, OR sprial pasta
- 4 cups fresh broccoli, about 1 or 2 heads of broccoli
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, this is one block of 250 grams of Cheddar
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large pot. Add chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper, and allow the chicken to brown on one side.
- Flip chicken, then add onions and garlic as the second side browns. Once the chicken has browned on both sides, add chicken broth, water, and pasta to the pot.
- Stir all ingredients, cover the pot with a lid, and bring to a boil. When it begins to boil, uncover and stir. Bring the heat to low, stir, then cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes has passed, uncover and add in the broccoli. Stir continually as the broccoli steams until the rest of the liquid evaporates. Add milk and cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese melts and you have a smooth cheese sauce. Add salt and pepper (to taste), cayenne, and nutmeg. Stir once more, then you’re ready to serve.
Notes
Two chicken breasts is reasonable price, 1 kilo is 88 Baht, 2 breast is well less than 88 baht, the cheese is the major factor, real cheddar is about 188 baht/kilo, puts this meal to about $1.50 to $1.70 per person for four meals. Reasonable.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Denise Georgiades.
South Africa.
South Africa.
Pirogi Lasagna
Looks easy and tasty, on my list of things to make.
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles, these are the cook before use type
- 6 cups mashed potatoes
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, if you like cheese, you know what to do
- 1/2 cup butter
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190 C and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter.
- Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions, and set aside.
- In a large skillet add onion, butter, salt, and pepper. Saute on medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes.
- Place 4 lasagna noodles in an even layer on bottom of baking dish. Layer 1/2 of total mashed potatoes on top of noodles, followed by 1/2 of the sauteed onions, and 1/2 cup of cheese.
- Repeat with another layer of lasagna noodles, remaining mashed potatoes, sauteed onions and 1/2 cup cheese.
- Top lasagna with remaining 4 noodles and 1 cup cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Cheese is the most costly item here, get 2 blocks of cheddar for 185 Baht/block, this comes out to about $1.35 for 8 servings. Not bad overall.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
Three main ingredients, easy to assemble, must try for me. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1/2 can Root Beer, OR coke
- 1 bottle BBQ sauce, OR make from a shortcut listed on this site
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts and root beer in a slow cooker and cook for about 3 hours on High Setting.
- Shred in the pot and drain most of the liquid but leave a little so chicken doesn’t get dry. Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Pour in a bottle of BBQ sauce and let cook another 20-30 minutes in slow cooker. Serve on buns, rolls, or bread.
Notes
Chicken breasts, boneless and skinless run about 87 Baht/kilo, 4 breast is under that, if you go with skin on and bone in, the cost is about 58 Baht/kilo. Go with skin on and bone in, remove the skin and excess fat before putting in the slow cooker, when done, remove from pot and remove bone (easy) then return to pot to shred, the bone in will add more flavor. For serving 4 people, this is well under $1 per meal per person.
Shortcut: BBQ Sauce.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
KFC Gravy
KFC does have some tasty gravy, but more than likely the ingredient list is as long as my arm, so here is a shortcut. I have not tried this yet but on my list of things to do.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 5 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cube beef boullion, OR use the powder
- 1 cube chicken buollion, OR use the powder
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil and add the bouillon or powder and stir until dissolved, set aside.
- In another small pot, melt the butter on low heat, stir as needed. Mix the sage, black pepper, and garlic powder with the flour.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the melted butter and whisk continuously, until the mixture takes on a golden brown color.
- At this point, slowly stir in the bouillon mixture, continuing to whisk. One the mixture is whisked in, turn up the heat to medium until some of the water evaporates and leaves a creamy and pourable gravy.
- Serve while hot over mashed potatoes.
Notes
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Lawry's Seasoned Salt
This is a shortcut to make this seasoned salt, I have not tried this but some cooks swear by it.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground tumeric
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon corn starch
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Pour the blend into an empty spice bottle to store. Use where ever Lawry's Seasoned Salt is required in a recipe.
Cajun Seasoning Mix
This is an easy recipe and is much cheaper than the store bought product.
Equipment
- Screw Top Jar
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1½ tablespoons salt
- 2½ tablespoons garlic powder
- 1½ tablespoons ground black pepper
- 1½ tablespoons onion powder
- 1½ tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1½ tablespoons dried thyme
Instructions
- Put everything in a screw top jar, I used a 1 pint Mason jar, shake to mix. When a recipe calls for Cajun seasoning, use as directed, such as 1 tablespoon in a recipe is 1 tablespoon of mix. See, that was easy.
Notes
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
- Shrimp & Corn Soup, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Slow Cooked Black Eye Peas.
- Cajun Pinto Beans, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Petah's Cajun Sausage Dish.
Beef & Noodles I
Prepare, bake, then enjoy, it is that easy. On my list to try! This the first version, Beef & Noodles II is in the Beef - Slow Cooker category. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 kilo beef, cut into 1 in cubes
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, OR you can make from a shortcut listed on this site
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix, OR you can make from a shortcut listed on this site
- 1 packet brown gravy, OR you can make from a shortcut listed on this site
- 1 cup water
- 1 can mushrooms, sliced
- egg noodles, cooked, OR or wide fettuccine noodles, OR mashed potatoes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160 C.
- Add the cubed beef to a 13×9 baking dish.
- Combine the cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix, brown gravy mix and water in a bowl. Add the mushrooms and stir to combine. Pour over the beef and stir to mix thoroughly.
- Cover with foil and bake for three hours. Uncover and serve on top of egg noodles, fettuccine noodles, or even mashed potatoes.
Notes
Beef will cost about 200 Baht/kilo. Just go with a large chunk from an open market and cube that. For 6 servings, this is about $1 per serving. Very reasonable on price for a hearty meal.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, Dry Onion Soup Mix, Brown Gravy.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew I
Basic Beef Stew recipe, this is on my list to make 🙂
Ingredients
- 1 kilo beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Worcherstershire sauce
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups beef stock, fresh or from powder
- 3 potatoes, diced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
Instructions
- Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture.
- Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
- Cover and cook on Low setting for 10-12 hours or High setting for 5-6 hours.
Notes
Beef will cost about 200 Baht/kilo. Just go with a large chunk from an open market and cube that, the slow cooker takes care of the tenderness. For 4 people, this is about $1.50 per person, for 6 people, this is about $1 per person. Very reasonable on price for a hearty meal.
Adapted from an internet recipe.