Author Archive
Tomato Eggs (西红柿炒蛋)
July 29, 2022 Lee
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Tomato Eggs (西红柿炒蛋)

Rasa Malaysia, Bee, United States.
This is a classic Chinese dish normally served at home, key things to keep in mind, you do not want to overcook the eggs and you do not want the tomatoes to watery. On my to make list and soon.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
  • ground white pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
  • 225 grams fresh tomatos, cut into thin wedges, (8 oz)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • hot cooked rice, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Crack eggs into a bowl and mix with a fork, then add the salt, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, and ground white pepper as desired, mix well.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet or wok, when hot, add the egg mixture, use a spatula to move the eggs around and cook to form lumps, gently breaking up larger into smaller lumps.
  • When the eggs are just cooked and not runny, removed from the pan to a plate and set aside.
  • Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, when hot, add the tomato wedges and just give a few quick stirs to start to soften them.
  • Sprinkle in the sugar and add the 2 tablespoons of water, give a quick stir, then cover to steam for 30 seconds.
  • Add the eggs back to the pan, and stir fry for 30 seconds.
  • Transfer to a serving dish.
  • Serve with rice on the side, enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: CHINESE,EGGS - ALL,Eggs - Chicken
Slow Cooker Taco Pasta
July 28, 2022 Lee
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Slow Cooker Taco Pasta

The Lazy Slow Cooker, Susan, United States.
This recipe comes from a social media friend and it is delicious! The pasta is cooked and added at the end so there is no chance it can get soggy.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker (4+ quart)

Ingredients
  

  • 750-1000 grams ground beef, or pork, (1½-2 lb)
  • 1 can corn, drained, (15 oz / 425 g, or 2 cups frozen)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, (20 oz / 565 g)
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 can diced green chilies, (7 oz / 198 g)
  • ⅓ cup taco seasoning, (1 packet), Shortcut
  • 3 cups sour cream, Shortcut
  • 340 grams dry rotini pasta, (12 oz)
  • 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

  • In a non stick pan, cook the beef until no more pink remains. Drain.
  • Butter, or use non stick spray of your choice, the inside of the slow cooker. Add the browned beef, corn, tomatoes, onion, green chilies, and taco seasoning.
  • Mix together, cover, and set to Low setting for 4-6 hours.
  • About 30 minutes before serving, cook the pasta in a pot of salted water until just tender, drain.
  • To the slow cooker, add the sour cream and drained pasta, mix everything together.
  • Sprinkle the Cheddar cheese over the top.
  • Cover and let cheese melt.
  • When the cheese has melted, serve and enjoy.

Notes

Fair cost per serving if using beef.
Shortcuts: Taco Seasoning, Sour Cream.
Updated on 1 September 2022.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Pasta - Slow Cooker
Hot Crab Dip
July 21, 2022 Lee
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Hot Crab Dip

Just a Pinch Recipe Club, Amanda S., United States.
This is an excellent hot crab dip, easy to put together and common ingredients. I made this on 20 Jul 2022 and it is very well liked by the family. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 10 servings

Equipment

  • Casserole (2 quart)
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams lump crab meat, four 6 oz cans drained is 4 oz each, perfect, (1 lb)
  • 250 grams cream cheese, softened, (8 oz)
  • ½ cup mayo
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 3 tablespoons spring onion, sliced, green and white parts
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, Shortcut

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 160° C (325° F), get out a 2 quart casserole.
  • To a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except the crab.
  • Mix together well.
  • Gently fold in the drained crab meat.
  • Add mixture to the casserole and spread out evenly.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
  • Serve hot as an appetizer with crackers or even as a side dish. Enjoy.

Notes

Shortcut: Old Bay Seasoning.
#1 Go-To Recipes,APPETIZERS / SNACKS,Seafood - Crab
Crockpot Goulash
July 16, 2022 Lee
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Crockpot Goulash

The Cookie Rookie, Becky Hardin, United States.
This is an American Goulash and is from a social media friend. I made this on 16 Jul 2022 and modified it slightly to what I have available to me. Wonderful goulash, excellent flavor!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker (3½+ quart) (6 quart if doubling the recipe)

Ingredients
  

  • 500-600 grams ground beef, (1-1¼ lb)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2½ cups water
  • 2 cubes beef stock
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained, (565 g / 20 oz each)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, Shortcut
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups dry elbow macaroni
  • 1½ cup Cheddar cheese, shredded, or more as desired

Instructions
 

  • Heat a non stick pan and cook the beef, breaking it up with your spatula. Cook until no pink is visible, drain and add to the slow cooker.
  • To the slow cooker, add the rest of the ingredients except the dry macaroni and cheese, those will be used later.
  • Stir together then cover and set to High for 2 hours or Low for 4-5 hours.
  • About 30 minutes before you plan to serve, add the dry macaroni and stir together. Cover and continue cooking on Low, check the macaroni at 15 minutes, and cook until just tender. Remove the bay leaves and discard those, then add the cheese and stir together.
  • When the cheese is melted, serve and enjoy.

Notes

Fair cost per serving based on beef used and the amount of cheese you use. The cost of the beef will depend on if you can source locally and grind yourself, or store bought ground beef. 
Shortcut: Italian Seasoning.
Variants: 1. Use ground pork or chicken in place of beef. 2. Use bulk Italian sausage in place of beef. 3. Stir in a packet of taco seasoning. 4. Use small shell pasta in place of elbow macaroni.  
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,Beef - Slow Cooker
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Cocktail Sausages
July 13, 2022 Lee
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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Cocktail Sausages

Family Fresh Meals, Corey, United States.
I prepared this on 26 Nov 2022 exactly as written, and wow is this good! Excellent flavor, great combination of ingredients. This is now my go to cocktail sausage recipe to use.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker (3½+ quart)

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ⅓ cup honey
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 kilo cocktail sausages, (2 lb)

Instructions
 

  • To your slow cooker, add the first 5 ingredients, stir to mix together.
  • Add the cocktail sausages and stir to coat.
  • Set your slow cooker to Low setting for 3 hours, quickly stirring once an hour.
  • Serve with sides of your choice, enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving. 
Variant: 1. Use chili sauce in place of ketchup.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Chicken - Sausage,Pork - Sausage
Broccoli, Chicken & Rice Casserole
July 12, 2022 Lee
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Broccoli, Chicken & Rice Casserole

Just a Pinch Recipe Club, Darin Layton, United States.
I love a good casserole and this one not only sounds really good, it is delicious! I made this on 11 Jul 2022 and it was well liked by the family. I used my pressure cooker to cook the chicken, and that also provided me with 2 quarts of broth for other recipes. I also made the homemade Stove Stop stuffing using my shortcut. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Notes section.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 1 head broccoli, cut into bite size pieces, steam or boil until tender, drain well
  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cooked and cubed, Shortcut
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup, (10½ oz / 298 g each), Shortcut
  • ½ cup mayo
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 box stuffing mix, just the contents of the box, not the additional ingredients it calls for, (6 oz / 170 g), Shortcut

Instructions
 

  • In a saucepan, add the soup, mayo, milk, and lemon juice.
  • Whisk together and place on low heat and heat until warmed through, set aside.
  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Get out a 9x13 inch baking dish and lightly grease with butter or non stick spray.
  • In the baking dish, add the cooked and drained broccoli and spread out in an even layer. Then add the rice over the broccoli in an even layer.
  • Then add the cooked cubed chicken over the rice.
  • Add the soup mixture over the chicken, spreading it evenly over the top.
  • In a mixing bowl, add the contents of the stuffing mix and the melted butter and mix together. Spread the buttered stuffing over the top of the casserole.
  • Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Quick Chicken Broth (Pressure Cooker), Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Homemade Stove Top Stuffing.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CASSEROLES,CHICKEN & TURKEY
Chicken Nugget Spaghetti Bake
July 4, 2022 Lee
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Chicken Nugget Spaghetti Bake

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This is an excellent way to serve chicken nuggets. I made this on 21 Nov 2022, and adjusted the ingredients based on the family comments, and the updated ingredients are are updated.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams dry spaghetti, (1 lb)
  • 4-5 cups pasta sauce, Shortcut
  • 500 grams frozen chicken nuggets, thawed, (1 lb)
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, or as desired

Instructions
 

  • Heat a pot of salted water to boiling. Add the spaghetti and cook until just tender, drain well.
  • Just before the spaghetti is done, preheat your oven to 180° (350° F), get out a 9x13 baking pan.
  • After the spaghetti is drained, add to the baking dish.
  • Add 2-3 cups of pasta sauce and mix together. Spread out evenly.
  • Top the spaghetti with the chicken nuggets in an even layer.
  • Drizzle another 1-2 cups of sauce over the nuggets, then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
  • Top with Mozzarella cheese, be generous.
  • Bake for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is starting to brown.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Fair cost per serving based on the cheese used.
Shortcut: Pasta Sauce.
Updated on 21 November 2022.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,Chicken - Nuggets,PASTA
Ham & Cheese Macaroni Salad
July 3, 2022 Lee
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Ham & Cheese Macaroni Salad

Adapted from an internet recipe.
A basic macaroni salad that can be a light lunch or dinner, or a nice side dish. On my to make and taste list. This is a versatile macaroni salad that can be tailored to your taste or made a different way each time it is prepared.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 2 hours
Course Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 340 grams dry macaroni, (12 oz)
  • ½ cup creamy Caesar salad dressing, and as needed
  • 750 grams cooked ham, cubed, (1-1½ lb)
  • 250 grams Cheddar cheese, cubed, (8 oz)
  • 1 onion, diced, red or yellow
  • ½ cup gherkins, chopped
  • salt and pepper, as desired

Instructions
 

  • Heat a pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally until tender.
  • Drain well and place in a mixing bowl to cool.
  • Cube the ham and cheese, dice the onion, chop the gherkins, and prep any additional items you want to add. (I added some chopped spring onion.)
  • When the macaroni has cooled, add that to a larger mixing bowl or large pot, then add the dressing and mix together.
  • Now add cubed and the diced/chopped items, fold into the pasta to coat everything with dressing, adding more dressing as needed for your desired consistency.
  • Transfer to a more manageable container, cover and place in the fridge to chill and blend the flavors for 2-3 hours.
  • Serve as a lunch, light dinner, or a nice side dish with any main dish. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Variants: 1. Use Ranch or Bleu Cheese dressings. 2. Add veggies you like, such as sliced spring onion, green olives, or diced bell pepper. 3. Add some chopped hard boiled eggs or whole hard boiled quail eggs.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Salads - Pasta
Chicken Nugget Casserole I
July 1, 2022 Lee
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Chicken Nugget Casserole I

Inspired by Eating on a Dime, and the original recipe is here.
As a way to use chicken nuggets in a creative way, I thought why not a casserole. I made this on 8 Jul 2022, and it is delicious! This was loved by the whole family! I state using pasta sauce for this, but I am also going to experiment with adding diced tomatoes when I prepare this again. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Notes section.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 750 grams frozen chicken nuggets, (1½ lb)
  • 500 grams bowtie pasta, (1 lb)
  • 2 cups pasta sauce, Shortcut
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, Shortcut
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, divided

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling. Add pasta and cook until almost tender, as it will get cooked more while baking. Drain well. Return drained pasta to the pot.
  • While the pasta is cooking, preheat your oven to 180° (350° F). Get out a 9x13 baking pan and grease with butter.
  • To a mixing bowl, add the tomato sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Whisk together. Add the sauce to the drained pasta and mix with a large spoon.
  • Add 1½ cups Mozzarella cheese, and ½ cup Parmesan cheese. Mix together.
  • Add the frozen chicken nuggets and mix together.
  • Dump the mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread out evenly.
  • Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses.
  • Bake for 45 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and cheese is browned.
  • I simply used a spatula and cut the casserole into 6 portions. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Fair cost per serving based on the cheeses used, the nuggets are actually low cost.
Shortcuts: Pasta Sauce, Italian Seasoning.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,CASSEROLES,Chicken - Nuggets
Wacky Cake
June 24, 2022 Lee
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Wacky Cake

Brown Eye Baker, Michelle, United States.
This is a mix right in the pan recipe, and uses no eggs, butter, or milk. I made this on 25 Jun 2022 and it is absolutely excellent chocolate cake, no frosting or whipped cream needed!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 9 servings

Equipment

  • Pyrex Baking Pan (8x8 inch)
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water
  • frosting, of your choice, if desired

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), get out an 8x8 inch Pyrex or ceramic baking pan, do not use a metal pan for this.
  • To the baking pan, add the first 5 ingredients.
  • Mix together with a fork. The reason of using a fork is it acts like a whisk.
  • Make 3 indentions in the flour mixture. To each one, add the vinegar, vanilla, and oil.
  • Pour the 1 cup of water over that.
  • Then mix everything together with fork until mixed and no dry ingredients are visible.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Once cooled, frost if desired with your choice of frosting, or enjoy without.
  • Cut into 9 squares, serve and enjoy. Excellent cake even without the frosting.
#1 Go-To Recipes,DESSERTS