Author Archive
Crock Pot Bowtie Casserole
This is an easy to make casserole in a slow cooker, and has lots of potential! Think using cubed chicken or minced pork. For greens instead of spinach, try some of the greens available at Tesco and most open markets, like Chinese Cabbage or Mustard Greens. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 750 grams ground beef, or minced or chicken, (1½ lb)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 can tomato sauce, 1½ cups, Shortcut
- 1 can stewed tomatoes, 565 gram can, or use fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, Shortcut
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 300 grams spinach, frozen (thawed) or fresh, (10 oz)
- 500 grams dry bowtie pasta, or corkscrew pasta, cooked and drained, (8 oz)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1½ cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Brown ground beef with onion and garlic, no need to cook it through, just brown it. Put in slow cooker and add sauce, tomatoes, and seasonings.
- Cook for 6-7 hours on Low setting.
- During the last 30 minutes, add the spinach, pasta, Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of the Mozzarella cheese, and mix well, then turn the heat setting to High. Add the last ½ cup of Mozzarella cheese on to and allow to melt.
Notes
Ground beef would run about 150 Baht/kilo. Mozzarella cheese will run about 142 Baht for a package, and Parmesan will run about 140 Baht for a package, each package should be around the correct measurements needed. Mozzarella you will need to shred, Parmesan comes shredded. Even though the recipe calls for 750 grams of meat, just with a kilo and call it good, no one will complain. For these three major items, the cost would be about $2.12 per person for 6 meals. Not bad overall, still a reasonable dish to make at home instead of the high prices of a restaurant.
Shortcut: Tomato Sauce, Italian Seasoning.
Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs
This sounds like one for the next time we have a cook out. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 5 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup Ranch dressing, OR you can make from a shortcut listed on this site
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3 tablespoons Worcherstershire sauce
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt, OR to taste
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar, OR use honey, to taste, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Soak skewers, if using wood ones, in water for 30 minutes before use.
- Preheat your grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.
- Lightly oil the grill, grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.
Notes
Chicken breasts run about 88 Baht/kilo, 5 would be just over, for the sake of argument, I'll say 100 Baht for chicken. For 6 people this would be about 50 cents a meal, add a salad and you have a meal.
For variation, the marinade sounds good, add thighs and legs and grill those, would be excellent.
Shortcut: Ranch Dressing.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Chicken Nuggets with Honey Mustard Sauce
These are homemade from breasts, prepped, and cooked by you.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 cup oil for cooking, your choice of what you would like to use
Honey Mustasd Sauce
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, OR spicy mustard
Instructions
- Place the flour on a large plate, season with garlic powder and salt and pepper to your taste.
- Whisk the egg and 1 tablespoon of water in a bowl.
- Place the breadcrumbs on a large plate, season with salt and pepper to your liking. (You are making an assembly line but with out all the processed garbage that big business do.)
- Heat some oil in a large frying pan on medium high heat.
- Now, coat some chicken pieces in the flour, then dip each piece one at a time in the egg to coat them, then into the breadcrumbs, gently pressing the crumbs onto the chicken pieces to coat them, then into the frying pan, work in batches, no need to over crowd the pan. Brown on each side, about 4 minutes each side, remove cooked nuggets to a planed lined with several paper towels. Serve while hot. Now wasn't that easy?
- Serve with a vegetable and a salad for a nice meal.
Sauce
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a medium bowl; mix well.
Notes
Chicken breasts run 88 Baht/kilo, 2 breasts for 4 people, even with a salad and vegetables, easily under $1 per person per meal.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Cream of Mushroom Chicken
This sounds really good, will need to add more mushrooms however. This is a simple skillet dinner that is easy to prepare. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, OR make from a shortcut
- 1 cup water, or as needed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 kilo chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cubed
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 package fresh mushrooms, think Tesco variety pack, chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter and add the onion and cook until soft, then add the soup, water and milk. Stir together over medium heat, and salt and pepper to taste and bring all to a boil.
- When mixture starts boiling, add the cubed chicken and simmer until chicken is cooked through. Add the sliced mushrooms and boil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Serve over egg noodles, rice, or potatoes.
Notes
One kilo of chicken breasts will run about 88 Baht/kilo. For 6 servings, per person, cost is about 45 cents.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Slow Cooker Dump and Go Cheesy Chicken
I am looking forward to making this, this is a good starter recipe and I may adjust it after I make it, as listed first. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, OR 3-4 quarters, cut
- 2 cans condensed Cheddar cheese soup, OR make from a shortcut
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Coat the inside of your slow cooker with some butter. Dump the chicken inside.
- Mix the soup and milk in a bowl and pour over the chicken, season with the garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook on Low setting for 6 hours and do not lift the lid while cooking!
- Serve over rice, pasta, or mashed/boiled potatoes.
Notes
Chicken breasts will be about 88 Baht/kilo, 6 would run about 110 Baht. Quarters run about 64 Baht/kilo, 3-4 would run about 80 Baht.
The canned soup is about 60 Baht/can, if you make from the shortcut, very easy, the cost would be 20 Baht/can.
For breasts and canned soup, the cost per person for 6 people is about $1.15. For quarters and homemade soup from the shortcut, the cost for 6 people, per person would be 60 cents.
Making the shortcut will save you money and it is so easy!
Shortcut: Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
This is a popular ingredient in many recipes but the ingredients on the store bought can is just down right horrific! Here is a shortcut, you know what goes in it exactly. This makes basically 1 can of condensed Cheddar cheese soup.
Ingredients
- 1 can evaporated milk, 385 gram can is what I use
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat, add corn starch and whisk until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and slowly add the evaporated milk, whisking to keep smooth. Return to heat and bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly until thickened. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add salt if desired.
Notes
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
- Meat & Vegetable Packets.
- Best-ever Meat Loaf.
- Best Slow Cooker Macaroni & Cheese, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Cheddar Sausage Bake.
- Easy Cheesy Slow Cooker Chicken.
- Slow Cooker Dump and Go Cheesy Chicken.
- Ham & Rice Casserole, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Pasta with Shrimp Sauce.
- Vegetable Stuffed Fish Rolls.
Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff I
Cubed chicken breast cooked in your slow cooker with a easy creamy sauce. I am going to have to try this, this sounds good! Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cubed
- 1/8 cup butter
- 1 packet dry Italian salad dressing mix, OR use the shortcut listed on this site
- 1 package Cream cheese, 250 gram package, standard size
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, OR make from a shortcut
Instructions
- Put chicken, butter and dressing mix in your slow cooker, mix together and cook on Low setting for 5 to 6 hours.
- When chicken is tender and browned, add cream cheese and soup, mix together and cook on high for another 1/2 hour or until heated through and hot. Server over rice or egg noodles.
Notes
Chicken breast would be about 87 Baht/kilo, get 4 breasts and work with that, the cost will be close to 80-90 Baht. Caroline brand cream cheese is about 110 Baht/package. Cost per person would be around $1.50, not bad for a good meal.
Shortcuts: Italian Dressing, Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Creamy Burrito Casserole
An easy to make casserole. I will be trying this one soon! Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground beef, OR minced pork, OR chopped chicken
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix, OR make from a shortcut
- 6 large flour tortillas
- 1 can refried beans, OR make from a shortcut
- 2-3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, OR make from a shortcut
- 4 ounces sour cream, OR make from a shortcut
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C.
- Brown the ground beef and onion, drain off the fat. Add taco seasoning and stir in refried beans (the home made slow cooker refried beans recipe on this site would be an excellent choice) and cook for just a few minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
- Mix the soup (no water) and sour cream in a separate bowl.
- Spread 1/2 the soup mixture in the bottom of a baking dish. Tear up 3 tortillas and spread over the soup mixture.
- Spread 1/2 the meat mixture of the tortillas, and add a layer of cheese.
- Repeat the layers ending up with cheese on the top.
- Bake uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown a bit and is bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, serve.
Notes
500 grams of minced pork is about 55 Baht, ground beef would be about 110 Baht for 500 grams. Tortillas, store bought, will add to the cost about 200 Baht, Cheddar cheese will add 180 Baht minimum. For 6 servings, this is about $2.14 per serving.
If you make the shortcuts listed, this will reduce the cost.
The beauty of this recipe, you can easily tailor this, such as using chicken instead of beef or pork, adding fresh chilis, etc.
Shortcuts: Taco Seasoning, Refried Beans, Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, Sour Cream.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken Stuffed Bell Peppers
Easy to prepare and do ahead recipe. You can add other leftover vegetables from the fridge and other spices to suit your mood.
Ingredients
- 4 red bell peppers, or yellow, gives a much better flavor than the green
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into strips like you would do for a stir fry
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 can sweet corn, 165 gram can, the really small one
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes, OR fresh chilis of your liking
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup chicken stock
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Slice the top off each pepper, save the tops and pop out the stems. Remove seeds & membranes from peppers, do not puncture the bottoms. Dice the tops.
- Saute the chicken in a non stick skillet for 5 minutes with just a small splash of olive oil, remove from the pan (not trying to cook them through, just giving them a head start).
- Same pan, saute the onion until transparent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the cumin, chili flakes, salt and pepper to taste, and mix in, then add the chicken again, then the rice, corn, chopped tomatoes, and the chopped pepper tops. Mix to combine and remove from heat.
- Fill each pepper with the mixture and place in the slow cooker. Any extra meat mixture left over, pack that around the peppers.
- Add the chicken stock to the slow cooker and turn on Low for 5 hours and cover. Do not open the lid unless you see no liquid in the pot, just add another cup of water then.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Chicken breast would be about 87 Baht/kilo, get 4 breasts and work with that, the cost will be close to 80-90 Baht. The bell peppers will run between 30 and 40 Baht each, for this pricing I will use 35 Baht per pepper. This meal is $1.70 per serving. Still reasonable and nutritious.
Variants: 1. If you want to add cheese, fill each pepper half full of meat mixture, then add some shredded cheese of your choice, then fill the peppers to the top with the meat. 2. You can also substitute or add to the corn, any vegetables you have left over in the fridge, celery and chives works very well. 3. Use ground chicken, or coarse ground chicken instead of the sliced chicken.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Variant 3. suggested by good friend, Jason Hanchey.
United States.
United States.
Stuffed Bell Peppers I
I like Stuffed Peppers, and when I did not have an oven, I made these and simply steamed them in a pot with some water, they were excellent. These can be steamed, baked, or even made in a slow cooker, cooking time varies. No need to use green bell peppers, feel free to use red or yellow ones. This is a versatile recipe, if you do not want to use cheese, leave it out, if you want to add mushrooms, added them, this recipe can be adapted to many tastes.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (7x11 inch)
Ingredients
- 6 small bell peppers, red, yellow, or green
- 500 grams ground beef, or minced pork, (1 lb)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded, (4 oz / 113 g)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), cut tops off peppers, remove seeds and pulp. Place peppers in a baking dish. A 7x11 dish holds 6 small pepper, a 9x13 dish will hold 6 large peppers.
- Dice tops of peppers. Add the ground beef, onion, eggs, tomato paste, oregano, diced tops, rice, salt and pepper to a mixing bowl.
- Mix together with a sturdy spoon.
- Fill each pepper half full with meat mixture.
- Add some Cheddar cheese to each pepper.
- Top with remaining meat mixture, mounding the tops. Any meat left over, just pack in a small baking dish. Add ⅓ cup water to the baking pan.
- Cover pan with foil, bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 30 minutes. Top each pepper with Cheddar, bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Fair cost per serving.
Updated on 14 August 2021.
