Archive for the ‘5 Ingredients or Less’ Category
Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
This looks like a really good appetizer or side dish, a must try for me.
Ingredients
- 500 grams zucchini or summer squash
- 1/4 cup Mozzarella Cheese, heaping, shredded
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, heaping
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 C. Line two baking sheets with foil and lightly coat with butter.
- Slice zucchini or squash into 1/4 inch thick rounds and toss with olive oil to coat.
- In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Place rounds in breadcrumb mix, coating both sides of each round, pressing to adhere. The mixture will not completely cover each round, but provides a light coating on each side. Place rounds in a single layer on baking sheets. Sprinkle any remaining breadcrumb mixture over the rounds.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown, no need to flip them, they will cook up on the other side as well. Serve.
Notes
Nothing really high cost here, this is well under $1 per serving.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Denise Georgiades.
South Africa.
South Africa.
Egg Salad I
Basic Egg Salad, enjoy as is or make a sandwich from this. I have been making this for years. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 6 eggs, hard boiled, chopped
- 1/2 onion, finely diced
- 3-4 slices pickle, diced, optional, (Shortcut)
- mayo, as needed
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add eggs, onion, pickle to a bowl and mix to combine, add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add mayo a large spoonful at a time and mix, you are looking for well mixed but not dripping in mayo.
- Serve as is on a bed of lettuce, in a sandwich, on crackers, etc. This will make 4 thick sandwiches.
Notes
Less than $1 for the whole thing.
Shortcut: Dill Pickles.
Family recipe I have been using for many years.
Broccoli & Potato Soup
Sounds like a great soup, a must try.
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes, roughly diced, skin on
- 1 head large broccoli, roughly chopped, including stem
- sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium sized pot, boil potatoes until soft, then add chopped broccoli and cook for about 5 minutes more, there is no need to cook the broccoli until soft. Keep a lid on the pot at all times while boiling. Remove from heat and let cool for a little while.
- Once cooled a bit, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the potatoes and broccoli into your blender. Add some water from the pot. Save the rest of the water in case you need to change the consistency later. The water is also rich in the water soluble vitamins. You can refrigerate the water for several days and use in any recipe that calls for water.
- Blend thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste, then blend some more. Add water from the pot to get the smoothness that you desire. Serve with rice crackers or any bread not made with eggs or dairy and you have a great meal.
Notes
Well under $1 per serving.
Chicken, Chili, and Basil
No set recipe here, and no measured ingredients per say. This is a typical Thai meal, spicy, and goes together quickly. Photos are mine that I took yesterday while my wife cooked this.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken legs, skin and bones removed, slightly chopped
- 20-30 Bird's Eye Chilis, slightly mashed, seeds and all
- 4-6 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
- fresh Thai Basil, several good handfuls
Instructions
- Heat a heavy non-stick pan (or a wok) with some oil and add the chilis and garlic and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the chicken meat and stir to combine with the chili and garlic and cook until juices run clear, about 10 minutes, stir occasionally.
- Rinse the basil and squeeze dry and add to the pan.
- Cook until the basil is wilted, serve with rice.
Notes
The cost for the 4 chicken legs is minimal, the chilies came from our garden. This is probably a 30 to 50 cent meal per person, for easily 6 people.
Provided courtesy of my wife, Rrayada Thayer.
Thailand.
Thailand.
Pinto Bean Chili
An easy chili using our Chili Beans recipe listed on this site. The chili beans are the bulk of the recipe, just add ground meat, an onion, tomatoes and chilies. I made this on 1 Aug 2016, excellent, my comments below. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 4 cups Chili Beans and Sauce, Shortcut
- 750 grams ground beef, OR pork, OR chicken, (1 1/2 lbs)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped plus juice
- 1-2 Bird's Eye Chilis, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef in a large pot along with the onion, when cooked, drain off fat, not all, just most of it. Add the chili beans, chopped tomatoes, juice from the can, chilies, stir to mix and simmer for about 20 minutes to heat it through.
- Serve and enjoy.
- Or serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, diced onions, sour cream, well, you get the point. Enjoy.
Notes
The chili beans would cost about 65 Baht for 8-10 cups worth, 3-4 cups is minimal. Ground beef would be about 75-100 Baht for 500 grams, pork and chicken would be less. Easily less than $1 per meal for 4 people.
Shortcut: Chili Beans.
Variants: 1. Use a 1 lb 8 oz (680 g) can of ground pork or beef, drained, in place of fresh beef or pork. 2. Use a can of diced tomatoes in place of chopped whole tomatoes.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Bangers & Mash Rolls
I do love a good plate of Bangers & Mash with a side peas and a bowl of onion gravy. Here is a twist on the common sausage roll to include mash as well. Bangers being thick pork sausages and mash being mashed potatoes. This is a must do for me, and I will take photos as well.
Ingredients
- 4 thick pork sausages, aka Bangers
- 1 package puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
- mashed potatoes, cold, can even be leftovers
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190 C. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
- Brown the Sausages on all sides in a large skillet - until mostly cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Unroll a sheet of puff pastry and cut into 4 pieces. Spread mash down the center of each pastry, top with cooked sausage and add additional mash to the top and sides. Roll up each sheet - pinch together to seal and trim off any excess. Place on the baking sheet - seam side down - and brush each roll with beaten egg.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes - until the pastry is golden and crispy on all sides and the meat has cooked through. Serve with a side of Onion Gravy as a dipping sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Thick pork sausages, Bangers, run about 200-250 Baht for 10 sausages in Makro. 4 sausages (figured at 250 Baht) would be about 100 Baht, for 2 servings this is about $1.50 per person, more than reasonable.
Variants to this would be to add shredded Cheddar cheese to the top before rolling.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Eggs in Clouds
I just seen this posted today and it sounds really good, I will have to give this a try.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 chilled metal bowl
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 230 C. Lightly grease a baking sheet using butter.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and separate the yolks from the white (use a empty water bottle for this) and place the yolks in separate small bowls. Pour the whites into the chilled metal bowl and whisk the whites until stiff peaks form. Mix in whatever you want, think chopped cooked bacon, chopped spring onions, shredded cheese, etc.
- Spoon the whites into even piles on a baking sheet and create a well in the center of each pile with the back of the spoon. Using 2 eggs, make 2 piles, if making 4 eggs, 4 piles. Bake in the oven for 3 minutes.
- Remove baking sheet, add a yolk into each well, bake another 3 minutes. Serve.
Notes
No need for math here, two eggs and added ingredients of your choice, under $1 per person with a serving of two eggs.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Eggs in a Basket
This is certainly nothing new, but this is a creative way to make eggs, and toast, at the same time. I thought this was a notable post just to post something a bit different. A number of years ago, my wife, I, and our daughter were in Pattaya on holiday from Japan (I worked in Japan). One morning when we got up, I asked my daughter if she wanted to go have breakfast with me, she said yes and away we went. We stopped at my favorite place opposite the beach and we were given menus. My daughter was about 6 years old at this point. I ordered my breakfast, and my daughter said she wanted Eggs in a Basket, they of course were not on the menu, the waitress was very nice and helpful and asked if something special was needed, I described Eggs in a Basket and away she went, big smile on my daughter's face. About 10 minutes later, Eggs in a Basket was placed in front of my daughter, she was happy to say the least!
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread, any kind you want, thick sliced is best
- 2 eggs
- butter
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan to medium low or medium heat. Add a bit of butter.
- Take the bread and using the open end of a drinking glass, cut a hole in the center of each slice of bread. When the butter is melted and hot, add each slice, and crack an egg into the hole in the bread, place the round bread pieces in the pan as well.
- When the bottom is golden brown, like a slice of toast, flip and cook for a few more minutes until golden brown as well.
- Serve with bacon or sausage.
Notes
No math needed here, under $1 per meal of two eggs, even with bacon or sausage. A simple breakfast does not have to be hard.
Variant: 1. Use an egg and milk mix like making French Toast, cut the circles out first, use the egg wash, and put into the pan then add the egg in the center, egg wash the circle and cook that as well.
Recipe I learned from my Mom and that I have been making for 25+ years.
Pizzadillas
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.
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.
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.