Archive for the ‘BEEF’ Category
Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
January 20, 2016 Lee
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Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

It has been probably 5 years since I had cabbage rolls, and they were delicious! Here is a cheater recipe, no need to boil the cabbage leaves or roll anything, just make on the stove top in a large pot. I have not tried this yet but it sounds really good and I will give my remarks after I make this. The recipe is normally made with beef but feel free to use pork or chicken. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo ground beef, OR minced pork, OR ground chicken
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped
  • 1 head cabbage, small, chopped
  • 1 cup rice, uncooked
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, 425 gram can, OR fresh chopped tomatoes
  • 1 can tomato sauce, 225 gram can, OR make from a shortcut on this site (1 1/4 cups)
  • 1/2 cup water, OR beef stock
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • salt, to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet pot, brown the ground beef, onions, and garlic. Drain off the fat.
  • Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce temp to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 25-30 minutes or until cabbage is tender.

Notes

Ground beef can run as high as 200 Baht/kilo. For this dish, that is your most expensive item, if using minced pork, you can almost cut the cost in half. For 200 Baht, 6 servings would be less than $1 per serving, less for 8 servings, and a lot less if using minced pork or ground chicken.
Shortcut: Tomato Sauce.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,BEEF
Stuffed Bell Peppers I
December 21, 2015 Lee
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Stuffed Bell Peppers I

Family recipe, I have been eating these since I was a little child.
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.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

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 â…“ 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.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,BEEF
Skillet Potato Stroganoff
November 9, 2015 Lee
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Skillet Potato Stroganoff

This is the poor mans stroganoff, but is a hearty and delicious meal. Cooked in one skillet, making cleanup easy. Serve with a salad or vegetable for complete meal.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 kilo ground beef, OR minced pork
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, OR use 2 cups milk if not using sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cups potatoes, thinly sliced or diced
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced, any type works fine

Instructions
 

  • Brown the beef or pork in a large skillet, drain fat.
  • Add all other ingredients except the mushrooms, stir and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover, stirring occasionally. When the sauce thickens a bit, add the mushrooms and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Serve and enjoy. a salad or vegetable on the side works well for a complete meal.

Notes

Half kilo of beef or pork is very reasonable, other ingredients are minimal. A very good meal, less than $1 per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,BEEF
Skillet Chili Mac
November 9, 2015 Lee
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Skillet Chili Mac

Excellent meal, this goes well with a salad or vegetable on the side.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 kilo ground beef, OR minced pork
  • 2 1/4 cups hot water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni
  • 1 cup stewed tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions
 

  • Brown the beef or pork in a large skillet, drain any fat.
  • Add all other ingredients except the cheese, stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and stir occasionally.
  • When the sauce has reduced and thickened a bit, and the macaroni is tender, stir in the cheese and serve. Goes well with a salad or vegetable on the side.

Notes

Half kilo of beef or pork and the macaroni is very reasonable, for 4 to 6 meals, this is well under $1 per meal.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,BEEF
Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf
November 6, 2015 Lee
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Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

I like meatloaf, easy to prepare and delicious with mashed potato or just boiled potatoes and a green veggy. I got this recipe from my Dad, so it gets 5 stars as being good! Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 500-750 grams ground beef, OR ground pork
  • 1 cup potato chips, crushed, BBQ flavored if available
  • 1/2 cup butter cracker crumbs, think Magic brand, similar to Ritz but costs less
  • 1 egg, large
  • 1/8 cup mustard
  • 1/4 cup ketchup, OR make from a shortcut on this site
  • 1 spoonful relish, sweet or dill, no worries
  • 1/4 cup onion, diced, just dice a small onion
  • 2 tablespoons pickle juice
  • 4-6 slices bacon
  • Cheddar cheese, sliced, use real cheese!

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except bacon and cheese, easiest way to mix this is with your hands.
  • Take half of the meat mixture and press into a baking dish.
  • Cut the Cheddar Cheese into slices and place on top of meat mixture.
  • Top the Cheddar Cheese with remaining meat mixture.
  • Lay slices of bacon on top of the meat mixture (it will cook while the meatloaf does).
  • Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes, or until cooked through. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy! Served with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.

Notes

Not a cheap meal, but less expensive if using pork and Magic brand crackers. Minced pork is 125 Baht per kilo, this would be less than that for the meat, a few slices of imported cheese, a few baht more but you can get a lot of meals out of cheese. For beef, not sure of the price as that is not available here. At 6 meals, probably a few more, I would say $1 or less per person.
Shortcut: Tomato Ketchup.
Provided courtesy of my Dad, Richard Thayer.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,BEEF
American Goulash I
October 21, 2015 Lee
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American Goulash I

An American twist on a European standard. Hearty, filling meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo ground beef, OR ground pork
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cans skinless tomatoes in tomato juice, chopped
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ground black pepper, good shaking
  • 2 cups dry elbow macoroni, OR spiral pasta

Instructions
 

  • In large pot over medium heat, add onion and garlic, saute until transparent.
  • Then add ground beef or pork to the onions, mix, and over medium heat until cooked through, drain the fat.
  • Add 2 cups of water, the diced tomatoes with the tomato juice, all seasonings, and bay leaf and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  • Add pasta and corn, mix, and allow to simmer an additional 20 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Add a little water as needed. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Notes

200 Baht for ground beef, 125 Baht for ground pork. 42 baht per can for tomatoes and corn. Macaroni and other ingredients, minimal. Cost would be for beef: $9.60 for 2 people for 3 days, or $1.60 per person per day. For pork: $7.40 for 2 people for 3 days, or $1.25 per person per day.
This is an easily tailored recipe to suite your tastes or to what you have on hand. No corn on hand, use mixed mixed vegetables, no canned tomatoes on hand, use fresh and tomato juice. No tomato juice on hand, make from tomato paste. Endless possibilities.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,BEEF
Beef Pasanda
October 21, 2015 Lee
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Beef Pasanda

A dish from Pakistan. The beef is tenderized by marinating in yogurt, the yogurt is also used as a cooking sauce.
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Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 day 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Pakistani
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup plain yogurt, this is equal to 250 ml
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • fresh ginger, grated, to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground red red chili pepper
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons tumeric

Instructions
 

  • Rub the salt into the meat, place in large and add yogurt, mix to coat all the beef and marinate for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
  • After the beef has marinated, in a heavy pan fry the onions till golden in olive oil, then add the garlic and ginger and all of the spices, stir and cook for 5 minutes over low heat.
  • Add the beef and yogurt mix and cook till the meat is tender about 50 minutes.
  • Serve with a side dish of curried okra and boiled rice.

Notes

Beef is the most expensive at about 200 baht per kilo, this is from a local farm, not a grocery store. Recipe calls for 1/2 kilo, so cost for the beef is 100 baht or about $2.90, for 2 people this meal would probably last 2 meals, about 75 cents per meal per person minus other ingredients which are minimal.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Denise Georgiades.
South Africa.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,BEEF