Author Archive
Pizzadillas
January 7, 2016 Lee
1 Comment

Pizzadillas

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Quesadillas are an easy dish to make, and cheesy, which is always a bonus. Tortillas and filling is all that is needed, and a pan to cook them. This is an adapted version of quesadilla using pizza toppings. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Tex-Mex
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 8 flour tortillas
  • 250 grams Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, or more as desired, (8 oz)
  • 150 grams Pepperoni, sliced, SEE STEP 1, (5 oz), Shortcut
  • 1 jar pizza sauce, Shortcut

Instructions
 

  • This DOES NOT have not have to be Pepperoni, this can be Italian sausage, chicken sausage, grilled chicken, totally up to you, but you have to cook the meat first.
  • Heat a cast iron pan over medium heat. No oil is needed, fry the pepperoni until crisp. Transfer on a paper towel to drain.
  • Brush each tortilla with a thin layer of pizza sauce, thin so that it does not run off if held up.
  • Lay a tortilla in the hot pan, sauce side up, sprinkle with cheese then add Pepperoni slices or meat of your choice, cover with more cheese, place another tortilla on top, sauce side down, cook for 3-5 minutes, then using a wide spatula, carefully flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes until cheese is nice and gooey and tortillas are crispy on the edges. NOTE: Cheese is what holds the quesadilla together, too little cheese and it will fall apart when flipping or even holding to eat.
  • Remove from pan and slice into quarters, serve with pizza sauce as a dipping sauce.

Notes

Pepperoni I cannot state a price for although it is available here. Pork and chicken sausage is very inexpensive to make yourself, just crumble in a pan and fry until done. If you use store bought sausage, price will be higher. I will say 100 Baht for the meat.
Cheese is the expensive part, Mozerella cheese, Thai made is 140 Baht per block of 250 grams. So using 100 Baht for meat and 280 Baht for cheese, for 4 quesadillas, 380 Baht total, comes to about $2 per person if serving 4 people. Not all that unreasonable when you look at what restaurants are charging.
Shortcut: Pepperoni, Pizza Sauce.
Variant: 1. Feel free to add sliced mushrooms, sliced black olives, or even chopped ham.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,TEX-MEX, sort of
Chicken Patties
January 7, 2016 Lee
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Chicken Patties

These sound excellent and I will be making these soon! I love a good chicken patty burger.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams ground chicken
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, OR to taste
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. If you do not have an oven, this is not a show stopper! Just keep reading.
  • Place the flour, whisked eggs, and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the ground chicken, salt, and Parmesan cheese.
  • Roll chicken mixture into 4 or 5 equally sized balls and then flatten with your hands.
  • Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium to medium-low heat.
  • Dip each patty into the flour, then eggs, then breadcrumbs. Repeat until all five are coated evenly. Add all patties to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side.
  • When each side is golden brown, place them onto a baking sheet and bake for approximately 8 minutes (or until fully cooked through the middle). OR, just continue to pan fry at a lower temp, an additional 3-4 minutes each side.
  • Remove from oven and place onto paper towels to help soak up the excess oil.
  • Serve on a bun, top with Cheddar cheese and a thick slice of tomato, use mayo as the dressing.

Notes

500 grams of ground chicken, since I do not have that available here, is a guess, depending on if it is white meat or dark meat or a combination of both, 500 grams would be 45 Baht, for 4-5 servings this is easily under $1 per meal per person, even if served with a green vegetable or corn on the cob.
Recipe adapted from Real Fit Real Food Mom. Author, LeAnn.
United States
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CHICKEN & TURKEY
Sesame Mint Spread
January 7, 2016 Lee
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Sesame Mint Spread

An inexpensive appetizer with loads of possibilities! This makes just under 1 cup but goes a long ways.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Vegetarian
Servings 1 cup, just less than

Ingredients
  

  • 100 grams white sesame seeds
  • 1 bag fresh mint, about 2 palms worth of leaves
  • olive oil
  • pinch sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Dry blend the sesame seeds in the small jar attachment that comes with most blenders. You'll likely have to tap it a few times during the process. The blending time is a judgement call.
  • Tear up a bunch of mint leaves and include a few stems and add some olive oil to the blender jar. Blend again. Keep adding olive oil until you get the consistency that you desire.
  • Add a bit of sea salt and stir. Done.
  • Spread some of this on a thick slice of tomato and garnish with a cube or sliver of bell pepper. Yellow Bell peppers work nicely with this. Green olives on the side.

Notes

17 Baht for 100 grams of white sesame seeds, 10 Baht for a respectable size bag of mint, this is more than reasonable.

This would go nicely on a cracker with a slice of tomato and a slice of cheese. This would also go nicely on pasta too... especially cold pasta.

Provided courtesy of good friend, Dave Williams.
Thailand.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,APPETIZERS / SNACKS
Chicken Wings & Basil
January 7, 2016 Lee
2 Comments

Chicken Wings & Basil

This is a quick and easy meal and you can make it as spicy as you wish. This is written exactly how I just seen my seen my wife make this. Most Thais do not use a recipe and even more rare is measuring anything. Serve over rice and you have a easy lunch or dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 250 grams chicken wing drumets
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
  • 20-30 Bird's Eye Chilis
  • pinch salt, to taste
  • pinch powdered chicken stock
  • handful Thai Basil, also know as hot basil, stems removed

Instructions
 

  • Take the chicken wing drumets and cut each in half with a cleaver.
  • Pinch off the stem end if you wish and place chilis in a mortar, light smash the chilis just a few times, you are NOT making chili paste, just light smashed chilis.
  • Heat a non-stick pan to medium heat and add the chicken pieces, chilis, garlic, pinch of salt to taste, pinch of chicken stock powder. Add a bit of water, maybe 2 tablespoons, and stir everything together and let it simmer until chicken is cooked through, maybe 10 minutes, most of the water should be cook off at this point.
  • Add the basil and stir together, cook for about 2-3 minutes until the basil is good and wilted. Serve over rice.

Notes

Chicken wing drumets (also called chicken wing sticks) runs about 80 Baht/kilo, this dish would cost about 40 Baht, well under $1 per person per meal, easily 4 meals.
The basil and chilis come fresh from our yard.
Provided courtesy of my wife, Rrayada Thayer.
Thailand.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: THAI,CHICKEN & TURKEY
Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers
January 3, 2016 Lee
5 Comments

Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

I could not get my jalapeno plants going in Thailand so I made this in the US on 31 May 2020, and used Cheddar with the cream cheese. I only used 5 peppers as a trial run and I will say these are excellent peppers! I will certainly try to grow these peppers again.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side
Cuisine Tex-Mex
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can whole pickled jalapeno peppers, about 12 peppers
  • 250 grams Cream cheese, softened, (8 oz)
  • 1 cup Jarlsburg cheese, shredded, OR Swiss or Cheddar cheese
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup spring onion, thinly sliced

Instructions
 

  • Using a small sharp knife, cut a slit down one side of each pepper. Leaving the stem intact, remove the seeds and veins. I used a teaspoon to remove the seeds. For my trial run, I used 5 peppers from the can.
  • In a bowl, mix together everything except the peppers to make the cheese filling.
  • Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and line a baking sheet with foil.
  • Stuff each pepper with the cheese filling. I used two teaspoons and found this rather easy, scoop a little filling with one spoon, and push it off a little at a time to fill each pepper. Place peppers on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Well under $1 per serving in the US. In Thailand, I still have not found jalapeno peppers in a store, and I have been unsuccessful trying to grow them but I will be trying again real soon.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Craig Hohnstein.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,APPETIZERS / SNACKS,SIDES
Quick Fridge Dill Pickles
January 3, 2016 Lee
4 Comments

Quick Fridge Dill Pickles

Provided courtesy of good friend, Dave Williams, Thailand.
This is a brine-based pickle. The reason why they are called quick is because they are ready in about 2 days. They get a bit better if you wait, but they are very pickle-ish then.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine American
Servings 1 pint

Ingredients
  

  • 1 empty pint jar with lid, mason or reused olive or mayo jar is perfect
  • 2 tablespoons sea salt
  • 1 handful fresh dill, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon fresh peppercorns
  • cucumbers, small and short

Instructions
 

  • Fill the jar about halfway with very hot water and dissolve the salt in the water. Add part of the peppercorns, dill, and vinegar to the hot saltwater and stir.
  • Cut cucumbers lengthwise if you're making pickle spears, obviously if you want make chipped pickles just cut normally. Squeeze as many cucumbers as you can into the jar. Allow for a bit more liquid to be added if the cucumbers are not completely submerged.
  • Add the rest of the dill and peppercorns.
  • Let it cool down to room temperature. Put the lid on a shake it. Make sure the cucumbers are not poking up above the water. If they are, open the jar and push them back down. I made a jar of chips and a jar of spears.
  • Put in the fridge... done... it's just that easy.

Notes

Low cost. I normally make two pints at a time, one spears, one chips.
Variants: 1. Add a few chili peppers to spice it up. 2. Add a teaspoon of mustard seed. 3. Add a teaspoon of pickling spice mix you can find in the spice row of most grocery stores.
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
#1 Go-To Recipes,CONDIMENTS,SIDES
Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole I
January 2, 2016 Lee
5 Comments

Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole I

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This is another recipe where everything was processed, I changed it up here to reflect fresh ingredients. I made this on 29 Sep 2016 using diced ham in place of the bacon, and this is very good and highly recommended! Now since all slow cookers are different, this one you need to keep an eye on regarding the time then you can make adjustments based on your particular slow cooker. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 10 minutes
Course Breakfast, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 4-6 potatoes, washed, skin on
  • 250 grams Cheddar cheese, shredded, (8 oz)
  • 500 grams cooked bacon, see Step 1, (1 lb)
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 12 eggs
  • 1 cup, milk

Instructions
 

  • For any meat used, it needs to be cooked first. Good choices would be cubed chicken, minced Italian sausage, minced or sliced breakfast sausage, or diced ham, or any combination.
  • For your hash browns, wash, peel if you desire, then grate. Take the shredded potatoes and rinse them in cold water, and really squeeze them to get the water out, do this 3-4 times until the water is clear, this removes the starch, then your potatoes are ready. This photo shows the potatoes, bell peppers, onion, and ham ready. Only about ¾ of the potatoes were used.
  • Now with your slow cooker, add this in layers, in this order: half the hash browns, half the bacon or meat of your choice or omit, half the onions, half the bell pepper, and half the cheese.
  • Now add the remaining hash browns, remaining bacon or meat of choice, remaining onion, remaining bell pepper, and the cheese. If you like cheese, you know what to do. When you get done adding everything, it will look like this.
  • In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk, pour this over the contents of the slow cooker, add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Cook on low for 8 hours. IF YOU HAVE NOT MADE THIS BEFORE IN YOUR SLOW COOKER, THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO WATCH THE TIME NEEDED. SO PLAN ON THIS FOR A DINNER FIRST BEFORE YOU COOK OVER NIGHT FOR A BREAKFAST. AT THE 4 HOUR MARK, INSERT A BUTTER KNIFE IN THE MIDDLE AND PULL OUT, IF CLEAN, THE EGGS ARE SET AND IT IS DONE, IF RUNNY EGGS, YOU NEED TO COOK MORE, ADJUST YOUR TIME AS NEEDED. I was hungry so I took two scoops out of the pot before I thought of taking the photo when the dish is done.
  • Variations, you can figure this out as well, whatever you like in an omelet can go in here, think mushrooms, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, chilis, asparagus, etc. Serve with some toast and you have a meal.
  • Two scoops in my bowl, ready for dinner. The peppers and onion are crunchy, excellent flavor overall.

Notes

Nothing expensive here, this is easily under $1.00 per person.
Shortcuts: Sausage, Breakfast Sausage.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,BREAKFAST (for dinner!),Eggs - Slow Cooker
Creamy Italian Chicken
January 2, 2016 Lee
4 Comments

Creamy Italian Chicken

This is an excellent recipe, the sauce is very nice and creamy, the chicken is tender and juicy. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 4-6 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless, cut in half
  • 1 packet dry Italian salad dressing mix, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 250 grams Cream cheese, softened
  • 1-2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup, OR make from a shortcut
  • handful fresh mushrooms, think Tesco variety pack, chopped
  • cooked rice or pasta, to serve

Instructions
 

  • Place the chicken breast halves in the slow cooker. Combine the Italian dressing mix and water until smooth, pour over top of chicken. Cover and cook on Low setting for 3 hours. NOTE: since there is very little liquid during this step, it is important to not remove the lid for the 3 hours of cooking, the lid holds in the steam and heat.
  • Remove chicken to a plate, mix soup and cream cheese in the slow cooker along with liquid in the pot, then mix in mushrooms, add chicken back to the pot and spoon mixture over chicken pieces to make sure they are covered. Cover and cook 2-3 more hours on Low setting or until chicken is cooked through. NOTE about the soup: If using only 4 chicken breast OR 4 thighs, use only 1 can of soup. If using 5-6 breasts or 5-6 thighs, use 2 cans of soup, all other ingredients remain the same.
  • Serve over rice or pasta.

Notes

Chicken breasts run about 88 Baht/kilo, and if you make the Italian seasoning mix and soup from shortcuts listed on this site, this is easily under $1.00 per person. If you use thighs, which would be ideal, the cost is even lower with thighs at about 65 Baht/kilo.
Shortcuts: Italian Dressing, Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Boiled Chicken
December 31, 2015 Lee
4 Comments

Boiled Chicken

Common method used here at the house.
I know, you folks are like, eeeewwwwww, boiled chicken! Boiled chicken is used in many recipes, and you are making chicken broth as well, bonus! I routinely boil chicken when making chicken salad, chicken burritos, stews, casseroles, etc. If you are making a chicken based soup or stew, use the broth in place of water in the recipe. Do you have to use a whole chicken? No but your chicken pieces should have skin on and bone in, the skin, the fat, and the bones, is where the flavor is for a broth.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken, OR, quarters, or thighs, see note about the chicken
  • 1 onion, unpeeled, just cut in half
  • 2 carrots, unpeeled, cut into 3-4 pieces
  • 2 stalks celery, if you have it, just cut in 2-3 pieces, leave end on as well
  • 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
  • water

Instructions
 

  • Place chicken in a large pot with onion, carrots, celery and peppercorns; add water to cover. Cover pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a gentle boil and cook for about 90 minutes, or until chicken meat is falling off of the bone.
  • Here is the trick, when the meat is falling off the bones, let the chicken sit in the water until the water is cooled, this will give you more juicier chicken meat.
  • Once the water has cooled, remove the chicken using several slotted spoons, and put the pot back on to a simmer. Remove the meat from the bones and use per your recipe, return the bones to the pot and continue to simmer for another 2-3 hours.
  • Turn the heat off, strain the pot, now you have chicken stock, and chicken meat for your recipes, how easy is that?

Notes

What can you use? A whole chicken is cheapest if the mixed white and dark meat has no impact on your recipe. If you prefer prefer dark meat for a recipe, go with quarters but cut them apart first.
Keep in mind, you are making not only the chicken for use in a recipe, you are making a good broth as well.
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
CHICKEN & TURKEY,INGREDIENTS
Grilled Chicken Thighs Tandoori
December 31, 2015 Lee
5 Comments

Grilled Chicken Thighs Tandoori

Takes time to marinate the chicken but well worth it. This recipe is written as it was posted, so unless feeding a large group of folks, I think cutting back on the chicken thighs but keeping all the rest as written, would work fine. Inexpensive meal! I made this on 12 Nov 2016, well worth the time to marinate! I took some step by step photos and my report is in the comments section.
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Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 day 45 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Indian
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

  • 16 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
  • 2 containers plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
  • 6 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
  • 4 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin, see note on this
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, see note on this
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • olive oil

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt, and all spices listed. Set aside. All the spices added on top of the yogurt.
  • Everything mixed.
  • Rinse chicken under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken, press air out of bag, and seal. Turn the bag over several times to distribute marinade. Place bag in a bowl, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight, turning bag occasionally.
  • Get your outdoor grill fired up for direct medium heat.
  • Remove chicken from bag, and discard marinade. Scrape off excess marinade with a spoon, using a brush, lightly coat each side of the chicken with olive oil.
  • Place chicken on the grill over direct heat, and cook about 2 minutes. Turn, and cook 2 minutes more. Then arrange the chicken to receive indirect heat, and cook approximately 35 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally, to an internal temperature of 82 C. Serve with grilled corn on the cob and grilled potatoes for a meal.
  • Removed from the grill.
  • Dinner!

Notes

Note about the cinnamon and cloves, you can replace these two items with 1 tablespoon of Garam Masala and add 2 tablespoons of lime juice, if you choose.
Feel free to use just thighs, or legs and thighs, or quarters. Chicken thighs will run about 65 Baht/kilo, 16 thighs could cost, I am guessing about 200 Baht. This comes out to about 75 cents per person.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,GRILLED / BBQ / SMOKER