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Honey Mustard Tenderloin
November 27, 2015 Lee
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Honey Mustard Tenderloin

Simple and easy recipe and inexpensive as well. This one I am going to try soon and I will leave a comment on the results.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams pork tenderloin
  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon brown mustard
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • olive oil, as needed

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 190 C, rub just a bit of olive oil on the inside of the baking dish, then line the bottom with the onion slices.
  • Combine all ingredients but tenderloin; coat tenderloin well with sauce, and place on top of the onions in the baking dish.
  • Roast in the oven at 190 C for 20-30 minutes, basting occasionally, until meat thermometer registers 65 C, followed by a 3-minute rest time. Slice thinly to serve. Mashed or boiled potatoes and a green vegetable would be perfect for this dish.

Notes

Pork tenderloin is about 160 Baht per kilo, or 2 pounds. This recipe would be 80 Baht for pork, which comes out to about 60 cents each for 4 people/servings.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,PORK
Cottage Cheese
November 27, 2015 Lee
6 Comments

Cottage Cheese

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This is also known as Farmers Cheese, Ricotta Cheese, and if more dry and pressed, then it is called Paneer. Regardless of the name, this is a easy to make shortcut. Cottage Cheese and Ricotta Cheese can be used interchangeably in most recipes. True Ricotta Cheese is made from just from the whey and just a finer, drier curd than Cottage Cheese. The rule of thumb here is 1 cup of Cottage Cheese from 1 liter (quart) of milk.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 3 cups, approximate

Ingredients
  

  • 3 liters whole milk, do not use UHT milk, (3 quarts)
  • ½ cup white vinegar, or lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt, optional

Instructions
 

  • Heat the milk in a large pot, if you have a thermometer, you are looking for 88° C (190° F), if no thermometer, heat the milk until you see bubbles on the sides and remove from heat.
  • After removing from the heat, gently stir the milk and slowly add the vinegar, once the vinegar is added, stop stirring and allow the milk to cool, about 30 minutes.
  • When cooled, pour the mixture, which is now curds and whey into a fine mesh colander and drain off the whey into another pot, allow to drain for about an hour. You can also line the colander with a clean cloth, cheesecloth, or a paper towel. I used a metal strainer with tiny holes, not a mesh strainer, use a spoon and move around in the curd, along the bottom of the strainer and the whey will drain, let it sit in the strainer for an hour or so, use the spoon every 5-10 minutes.
  • Pour the curds, this is the cheese part into a bowl, add salt and mix or enjoy or use as is in a recipe that calls for Cottage Cheese or Ricotta Cheese or as a side dish. Can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. In this photo you can see the cheese has thickened up as the whey is draining, and you can see the holes in the strainer.
  • For the firmer 'Farmer's Cheese' used in recipes, once you have the cottage cheese strained, line a large bowl with 2 or 3 layers of cheese cloth and pour in the strained cottage cheese, gather up the corners and tie that into a bag shape. Place a cutting board in your sink, place the tied up bag of cottage cheese on the cutting board, place another cutting board or large place on top of the bag, place some heavy canned goods on the top cutting board or plate to force out the remaining whey. After a few hours, Farmer's Cheese.
  • If using this as an ingredient, say for lasagna or another dish, use as is. If using as a side dish, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and mix that in.

Notes

The yield from 3 liters of whole milk is about 3 cups of cheese. Cost for this is 55 Baht for a 946 ml carton of Meiji brand milk (just call it a liter and go with that) 3 cartons is 165 Baht, or about $4.85 for 3 cups of Cottage cheese. You can use the whey to make stock, use in place of milk or water in soup recipes and baking recipes, feed it to animals, and even water plants with it. If you refrigerate this, it will become quite stiff, add some milk and stir, you will have perfect Cottage cheese.
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
#1 Go-To Recipes,Ingredients - Cheese
Beef & Red Pepper Kebabs
November 19, 2015 Lee
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Beef & Red Pepper Kebabs

What has me interested in this is the marinade, Creamy Italian Salad Dressing, will try this soon. This is one of those recipes that is easily changed.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mixed
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 600 grams beef, OR pork, cut into bitesize cubes
  • 2 red bell peppers, cut into square pieces
  • 1/2 cup Creamy Italian Salad Dressing
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 8 bamboo skewers, soak in water 1 hour before grilling
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place beef cubes and red pepper in a bowl with salad dressing, sage, and rosemary and toss to coat. Thread the beef and pepper onto the skewers and pour over any leftover marinade, allow to marinate in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
  • Remove from fridge and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
  • Place on the BBQ over hot coals and cook until done, turning often. Serve with a green salad or a nice potato salad.

Notes

Beef in a rural area runs 150 to 200 Baht/kilo. Pork runs 130 to 160 Baht/kilo depending on the cut.
Using the 200 Baht/kilo figure, 600 grams of beef would be 120 Baht, or about $1 per meal per person. Add a potato salad or green salad, maybe some corn on the cob, and this is just over $1 per meal per person.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Denise Georgiades.
South Africa.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,GRILLED / BBQ / SMOKER
Basil, Lemon, and Garlic Chicken Pasta
November 16, 2015 Lee
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Basil, Lemon, and Garlic Chicken Pasta

Sounds very good! Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into strips
  • 2 tablespoons basil paste, OR make from a shortcut
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 lemon, juice and zest
  • 1 1/2 cups dry Penne pasta, cooked and drained, or any amount you desire
  • 6-8 zucchini, sliced
  • 1 cup cream
  • Parmesan cheese, shredded, to serve

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan, add garlic, chicken pieces, and courgettes for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
  • Stir in the basil paste, lemon juice, lemon zest, cream, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce.
  • Serve over Penne pasta and top with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Notes

This is a low cost but great sounding meal. Until I make this, I will say easily under $1 per serving.
Shortcut: Basil Paste.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Denise Georgiades.
South Africa.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,PASTA
Basil Paste
November 16, 2015 Lee
1 Comment

Basil Paste

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 cup

Equipment

  • Food Processor / Blender

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups fresh basil leaves, about 4 ounces, stems removed, washed, and dried
  • ¼ cup olive oil, may need a bit more as needed

Instructions
 

  • Place the basil leaves in the bowl of a food processor (or blender). Drizzle with ¼ cup of the olive oil. Pulse, then process until finely chopped to form a paste, adding a little more olive oil as needed so the paste is barely covered with oil.
  • Transfer to a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid and drizzle with oil to barely cover the top. Or transfer ½ to 1 cup of the paste to a heavy-duty freezer-safe resealable plastic storage bag, pressing the paste until it's flattened and removing the extra air, and then seal and freeze.
Ingredients - Spice Mixes
Hash Browns
November 13, 2015 Lee
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Hash Browns

Been making this for many years.
This is an easy side dish to prepare, I do not state servings on this recipe, 2-3 medium potatoes works fine for my wife and I.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 medium potatoes, washed, skin on or off, shredded
  • 2-3 tablespoons butter, or bacon fat
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • After shredding the potatoes, place in cold water and swish around for a bit, then pick up the potatoes and squeeze all the water, and I mean squeeze! Change the water and repeat this, do this 3-5 times or until the water you are squeezing out is clear and the water is clear. What you are doing is removing the starch. Once the water is clear and the potatoes are well squeezed, place on a plate. If using in another recipe where the hash browns will be cooked, use them now and disregard the rest of the recipe.
  • Heat a large heavy pan, cast iron is a good choice, to medium low heat and add the butter or bacon fat. When the butter is melted, swish it around in the pan a bit to coat the bottom. Add the shredded potatoes and pat out flat with a spatula. Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Now let it cook, you are not making a stir fry, no mixing, just let it cook, flatted out. Watch the edges and you will seem them start to brown up, using the spatula, lift up an edge and check the bottom, should be golden brown, when golden brown, try and flip the whole thing, think of it like a potato pancake.
  • If it falls apart, no harm, just keep cooking, you will just have to turn more often. If the hash browns stayed together, when the other side is golden brown, using the spatula, cut in half or quarters and plate up with eggs for a hearty breakfast.

Notes

Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
#1 Go-To Recipes,5 Ingredients or Less,POTATOES,SIDES
Potato & Bacon Bake
November 13, 2015 Lee
3 Comments

Potato & Bacon Bake

Denise Georgiades, South Africa.
This is a South African traditional dish, it is delicious, highly recommended! The sauce is excellent. This is a light main dish and can be tailored with minced pork, sliced sausage, cubed chicken, or cubed ham instead of bacon. Serve with a salad and you have a great meal. Or serve as breakfast with a couple of eggs on the side. I made this on 5 Sep 2016 and took the step by step photos.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Dish
Cuisine South African
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Baking Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 6-8 large potatoes, washed
  • 2-3 cups bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, coarsly chopped
  • 1 large shallot, coarsly chopped
  • 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

White Sauce

  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 6 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 3 cups milk
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Boil potatoes in a large pot until just tender but still firm. Drain and set aside.
  • Heat a pan on medium heat and fry bacon lightly, then add onion and shallot and cook for a few minutes until the onions are soft, remove from heat and set aside.
  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Grease a large baking dish with butter.
  • For the sauce, melt butter in a medium, heavy-based saucepan. Add flour and stir over low heat for about 1 minute. Add milk and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until sauce is smooth and has thickened. Remove from heat and add seasoning. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of milk at a time to thin the sauce a bit.
  • Cut the potatoes into thick slices, remove skin if desired. Layer half the potatoes in the baking dish. Cover with half the bacon mixture and pour half the sauce over bacon mixture. Repeat layers with remaining potatoes, bacon mixture and sauce. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Photo shows just before the sauce was added.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

The bacon or ham will cost between 100 and 200 Baht. Based on 200 Baht, for 8 servings, this comes to about 74 cents per serving. Excellent value.
Variants: Substitute bacon for minced pork, sliced sausages, cubed ham, even cubed chicken. Serve with a salad for a nice meal or for breakfast with eggs on the side.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: SOUTH AFRICAN,POTATOES
Beef Stew with Herb Dumplings
November 12, 2015 Lee
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Beef Stew with Herb Dumplings

Easy to prepare stew and the dumplings sound very nice! I will have to try this. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

Stew

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 kilo beef, lean, cubed
  • 4-5 plum tomatoes, diced
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
  • 2 2/3 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons onion soup powder mix, OR make from a shortcut

Dumplings

  • 1 cup self rising flour
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
  • water, as needed

Instructions
 

Stew

  • Heat oil in a pot and fry onion until clear then add beef and cook until well browned.
  • Add tomatoes, paprika, and mixed herbs, and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add the water and allow to simmer for 1 hours, stirring occasionally.
  • At about 30 minutes of cooking time, mix the soup powder with a little water to form a smooth paste and stir into the stew and continue simmering to thicken.

Dumplings

  • Cut butter into flour with a fork until it resembles breadcrumbs and then add mixed herbs and enough water to form stiff dough.
  • Divide dough into 8 dumplings, drop dumplings into stew about 30 minutes before end of cooking time. Cover and simmer until fluffy and cooked and stew is thickened.

Notes

For beef, which is the most expensive item for this recipe, is priced at 316 Baht/kilo at Tesco. If you buy from a local fresh market you can find between 150 and 250 Baht/kilo. Based on 316 Baht, for 6 meals, this is about 53 Baht or about $1.66 per meal per person, still reasonable.
Figuring the rate at 250 Baht/kilo, 6 meals would be about 42 Baht or about $1.25 per meal per person, even better.
Figuring the rate at 150 Baht/kilo, 6 meals would be about 25 Baht or about $0.75 cents per meal per person, much better!!
Served with a green salad this would make a great meal.
Shortcut: Onion Soup Mix.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Denise Georgiades.
South Africa.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Ranch Potatoes
November 12, 2015 Lee
1 Comment

Ranch Potatoes

I will have to give this one a try soon, this has real possibilities. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 8-10 medium potatoes, washed and cut into 1/2 cubes
  • 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1 soup can milk
  • 1 envelope dry ranch dressing mix, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, divided
  • salt and pepper, to taste, go easy on the salt as well
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C and grease 9x13 inch baking dish.
  • Add the potatoes to a saucepan. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil; cook about 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender; drain. Place drained potatoes into the baking dish.
  • In a bowl, mix together the soup, milk, salad dressing mix, 1 cup cheese, salt and pepper to taste; pour over potatoes. Sprinkle crumbled bacon and the remaining cheese over the top.
  • Bake, uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and the cheese is bubbly.

Notes

Potatoes are about 35 Baht/kilo, there is not a kilo of potatoes here, the rest is minimal. Easily a less than $1 per meal per person.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, Ranch Dressing Mix.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,POTATOES
Cucumber Salad I
November 12, 2015 Lee
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Cucumber Salad I

Marinated cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes, excellent side dish.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours
Course Side
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 3 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced and separated into rings
  • 3 plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • 1/2 cup vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup oil

Instructions
 

  • Combine liquids, salt and black pepper in a large bowl, mix well.
  • Add vegetables and mix, cover, and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. After the meal, just return the covered container to the fridge, this keeps for several days.

Notes

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Sides - Salads