Archive for the ‘5 Ingredients or Less’ Category
Basic Vinaigrette Dressing
June 9, 2020 Lee
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Basic Vinaigrette Dressing

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This is more of a guide than a recipe, and can be tailored in many ways.
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Prep Time 2 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Cuisine American
Servings 0 3/4 cup dressing

Ingredients
  

  • 9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1-2 pinches sea salt
  • 1-2 pinches coursely ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Add everything to a pint mason jar (or any small jar), cap, then shake. As easy as that.
  • Use on a salad, enjoy.

Notes

Variants: 1. Add a tablespoon of herbs such as dill, basil, parsley, cilantro, mint, or thyme. 2. Add a minced clove of garlic. 3. Add a teaspoon of grated ginger. 4. Add a tablespoon of horseradish. 5. Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard. 6. Add a teaspoon of honey. 7. Use white wine vinegar in place of rice vinegar.
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
5 Ingredients or Less,INGREDIENTS,Ingredients - Salad Dressings
Ranch Mashed Potatoes
June 8, 2020 Lee
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Ranch Mashed Potatoes

From a magazine article dated 1998.
This recipe comes from a food magazine in 1998, and it sounds good to me. This can be as easy as using instant mashed potatoes and a store bought packet or you can make homemade mashed potatoes and a homemade Ranch dressing packet. On my to make and taste list. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups hot mashed potatoes, Shortcut
  • 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix, Shortcut

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the mashed potatoes your favorite way, I will use my pressure cooker.
  • Sprinkle on the Ranch dressing mix and mix well into the potatoes, stir in butter as desired.
  • Serve as a side dish and enjoy.

Notes

Shortcuts: Mashed Potatoes (Pressure Cooker), Ranch Dressing Mix.
5 Ingredients or Less,POTATOES,Potatoes - Pressure Cooker,SIDES
Baked Jalapeno Poppers
May 30, 2020 Lee
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Baked Jalapeno Poppers

These are really good, I made these on 31 May 2020 to test these out, excellent poppers. Now I need to grow some of these peppers in Thailand! Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 12 fresh Jalapeno peppers
  • 250 grams Cream cheese, softened, (8 oz)
  • 1 cup Cheddar cheese, finely shredded
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix, Shortcut
  • 2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs

Instructions
 

  • Slice each pepper in half lengthwise, leaving the stem on one of the halves, remove the seeds.
  • Preheat your oven to 190 C (375 F). Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.
  • In a mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, and taco seasoning. Mix together.
  • Spread the cheese mixture into the pepper halves and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the cheese filling in the peppers. I used two teaspoons to add the filling to the peppers, worked great.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the peppers are just tender, so start checking on them at 15 minutes. Serve as appetizers or as a side dish, enjoy.

Notes

In the US, this is low cost per serving, in Thailand I have not seen Jalapenos in any grocery stores but I am going to try and grow them again soon.
Shortcut: Taco Seasoning.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,APPETIZERS / SNACKS,SIDES
Tuna & Noodles
May 28, 2020 Lee
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Tuna & Noodles

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This is an old time favorite when I was growing up, and it is just as good now as it was then. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams dry egg noodles, (16 oz)
  • 2 cans tuna, drained, (12 oz / 340 g each)
  • 1 can sweet peas, drained
  • 2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup, Shortcut
  • salt and pepper, as desired

Instructions
 

  • Heat a pot of salted water to a boil, then add the egg noodles and cook until just tender. Drain noodles and return to the pot.
  • Add the soup and tuna and mix in, then add the peas and mix together (I used a variant and used frozen peas and carrots that were steamed first).
  • Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Simmer for a few minutes until heated through.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Variants: 1. Use frozen peas, steamed, in place of canned peas. 2. Use peas and carrots (I used a 12 oz bag of frozen). 3. Add sliced mushrooms. 4. Use pasta of your choice. 5. Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese.
# Buster Approved,#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,Fish - Tuna,PASTA
Italian Bean Soup Mix
May 15, 2020 Lee
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Italian Bean Soup Mix

This is a straight forward bean mix using common beans. This makes 1 bean mix of 452 grams (1 pound). Measurements are in grams as that is more accurate. This is a make ahead recipe, and you can make several types of bean mixes at one time and the beans are then all prepped for use in another recipe. The recipe that uses this mix is in the Recipe Notes section at the end.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Cuisine American
Servings 1 bean mix

Ingredients
  

  • 113 grams dry white kidney beans
  • 113 grams dry chickpeas
  • 113 grams dry red kidney beans
  • 113 grams dry Pinto beans, or cranberry beans

Instructions
 

  • Weigh each bean type, place in a zip lock bag, label, use as directed in a recipe to make bean soup.

Notes

These are common beans in Thailand and this is low cost per mix.
Used in Recipe Listed on this Site:
 
My creation from researching a bag of Italian beans, Lee Thayer,
United States. 
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,INGREDIENTS
Frosted Graham Crackers
May 6, 2020 Lee
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Frosted Graham Crackers

I remember these from my childhood, and remembered these after I put some frosting in my shopping cart and wandered through the cracker aisle and seen graham crackers. Feel free to use your favorite canned frosting for convenience or make your own frosting. Store brand crackers would be a cost saver over name brand. This is a make as much as you like guide.
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Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can chocolate frosting, (1 lb / 453 g)
  • graham crackers
  • candy sprinkles, optional, as desired

Instructions
 

  • Open a package of graham crackers and break each cracker in half so you have squares.
  • Generously frost a cracker square, top with another square. Repeat with as many crackers as you have.
  • Optionally, add some candy sprinkles to a bowl and tap the frosting oozing cracker edges into the sprinkles. This is one package, there is 3 packages in a box.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving, keeping in mind, store bought frosting in the US is very inexpensive and store brand crackers is a cost savers as well. For Thailand, the frosting would best be homemade to lower cost but the graham crackers are pricey however but you can make a lot from box of crackers.
Made these many times when I was a child, Lee Thayer.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,DESSERTS
Smoky Hard Boiled Eggs
May 3, 2020 Lee
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Smoky Hard Boiled Eggs

Adapted from an internet recipe.
I made these on 30 Dec 2021 and taste tested on 31 Dec, and these are excellent hard boiled eggs salty from the soy sauce and a nice flavor from the liquid smoke. This recipe assumes you have hard boiled eggs on hand, if not, a Shortcut is provided to my preferred way to make them. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Passive Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American, Asian
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

  • hard boiled eggs, amount is up to you, Shortcut
  • 1 cup light soy sauce, for less salty, use ½ cup light soy sauce and ½ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons liquid smoke

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the hard boiled eggs with your preferred method. Cool and peel. Place eggs in a glass or ceramic container, preferably with a watertight lid, makes for turning the eggs easier. I used just 4 eggs to test out the recipe.
  • Measure out the light soy sauce and liquid smoke.
  • Add the liquid smoke to the soy sauce and mix together, pour over the eggs, cover and soak eggs for 3 hours or even overnight, rotating the eggs occasionally until all the sides are a nice brown, containers with waterproof seal, just shake the eggs around to turn them. Soak longer for a darker brown.
  • Serve as is, make into deviled eggs, slice for salad or a sandwich, enjoy.

Notes

Shortcut: Perfect Hard Boiled Chicken Eggs.
#1 Go-To Recipes,5 Ingredients or Less,APPETIZERS / SNACKS,EGGS - ALL,Eggs - Chicken,INGREDIENTS
Chinese Pie
April 2, 2020 Lee
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Chinese Pie

Adapted from an internet recipe.
No, this is not Chinese, not even close, this is a French Canadian dish very much like a Shepherd's Pie. The French name for this is Pâté chinois. Possibly created by Chinese immigrants working on the Canadian Pacific Railway, or just a variant of making Shepherd's Pie.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Canadian
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Casserole (3 quart)

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams ground beef, or ground pork, (1 lb)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 can whole kernel corn, drained, (16 oz / 454 g)
  • 1 can creamed corn, (16 oz / 454 g)
  • mashed potatoes, as needed, about 4 cups

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the mashed potatoes, fresh made or instant. I made fresh, using 5 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled, mashed with milk and butter.
  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), get out a 3 quart casserole and lightly grease with butter.
  • Brown the ground beef in a non stick pan, season with salt and black pepper as desired, drain the fat after no more pink is visible.
  • Place the drained beef on the bottom of the casserole and spread out evenly.
  • Open the kernel corn and drain the water, sprinkle corn evenly over the beef.
  • Open the creamed corn and spread that out over the kernel corn.
  • Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the corn.
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges of the potatoes are starting to brown.
  • Let casserole rest for 5 minutes, then serve and enjoy.

Notes

Fair cost per serving using beef.
Variants: 1. Add some sliced canned mushrooms or sliced fresh mushrooms to the beef while browning that.  2. Add a diced green bell pepper to the beef when browning. 3. Sprinkle the mashed potatoes with Cheddar cheese for the last 5 minutes of baking.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,: CANADIAN,BEEF
Meatball Dinner
March 19, 2020 Lee
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Meatball Dinner

Lee
This is a basic dinner to put together, easy for a weekday meal for a family or quickly prepared by senior citizens. I based this guide on Kroger brand meatballs, which I think are excellent in taste and value. Stated here will be a good meal for 3 people with leftovers that you can add to to make another meal. The meatballs are based on 4 oz per serving, or four 1 oz meatballs per serving. Use a store brand, or homemade, for the items and that is a money saver as well. The nice thing about this meal is that all the items are prepared at the same time. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 225 grams dry egg noodles, (8 oz)
  • 2 packets beef gravy mix, Shortcut
  • 12 frozen meatballs, 1 oz each, Shortcut
  • vegetable of choice, frozen or canned, for a side dish

Instructions
 

  • Heat a pot of salted water to a boil, add the egg noodles and cook until tender, drain.
  • While the noodles are cooking, go ahead and prepare the gravy as listed on the package, and heat up the canned or frozen vegetables, I used the stove top for this or you can use your microwave, up to you. Count out the meatballs, add some extras, and heat those per the package instructions as well.
  • Serve, ladle gravy over the meatballs and egg noodles, and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Beef Gravy Mix, Frozen Meatballs.
Variants: 1. Use mashed potatoes in place of egg noodles. 2. Use your own cooked and frozen meatballs for this.
# Buster Approved,#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,MEATBALLS
Jon’s Mac & Cheese
March 9, 2020 Lee
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Jon's Mac & Cheese

This recipe comes from my brother in law, Jon, and I must say, this is excellent Mac & Cheese and one of my favorites! And only 5 ingredients.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams dry elbow macaroni, (1 lb / 16 oz)
  • 8 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided, (about 1 kilo / 2 lbs / 32 oz)
  • 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup butter, (1/2 block / 1 stick)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Grease a pyrex 9x13 baking dish with butter.
  • Heat a pot of salted water to boiling then add the macaroni and cook until just tender.
  • While the pasta is cooking, add the whipping cream and eggs to a mixing bowl and mix with a whisk.
  • When the pasta is just tender, pour into a colander to drain then add the butter to the pot and put back on heat to melt.
  • When the butter is melted, return the drained pasta to the pot and add the whipping cream mixture. Stir together.
  • Add 4 cups of the cheese and mix until the cheese is melted in.
  • Pour pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.
  • Top with the remaining 4 cups of cheese. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown on top.
  • Remove from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes to firm up.
  • Slice into 8 squares, serve, and enjoy.

Notes

I will price this when I make this in Thailand, for now this is a fair cost per serving dish in Thailand.
Provided by my brother in law, Jon Bargeman.
United States.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,Pasta - Mac & Cheese