Archive for the ‘* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving’ Category
Salmon Casserole
This is a delicious casserole that is put together quickly, I was pleasantly surprised with this dish, this will be a regular. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Notes section.
Equipment
- Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry elbow macaroni
- 2 cans pink salmon, (15 oz / 425 g each)
- 1 can sliced carrots, drained, (15 oz / 425 g)
- 1 can condensed cream of celery soup, Shortcut
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, Shortcut
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup dry bread crumbs, Shortcut
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Heat a pot of salted water to boiling, add the macaroni and cook until just tender, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process, drain again. Add the macaroni back to the pot.
- Preheat your oven to 190° C (375° F), grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter.
- Open and drain the salmon, remove any skin and bones if desired, flake apart with a fork. Prep the other cans. I leave the skin on and bones in, nutrition.
- To the pot with the drained macaroni, add the salmon, soups, carrots, cheese, milk, and pepper. Mix together.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Combine the breadcrumbs and melted butter in a small bowl, sprinkle over the casserole.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until heated through and the topping is browning.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Figure about $6 for two cans of the salmon in the US, this would come out to just over $1 per serving. For Thailand, I have seen canned salmon for much much more, and I will get the price when I make this from frozen then steamed salmon.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Condensed Cream of Celery Soup, Bread Crumbs.
Variants: 1. Use a can of peas, drained, in place of the carrots.
Some Mores
You may be familiar with the more popular version of this name, "S'mores" which is a contraction of the phrase "some more". "Graham Cracker Sandwich" was the term used when the recipe was published by the Campfire Marshmallow Company in the 1920's, then appeared as "Some More" when published in a cookbook for the Girl Scouts in 1927, and the term "S'mores" was used in 1938 in a cookbook aimed for summer camps, and was popular in both the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. In 1957, the recipe for "S'mores" appears in a Betty Crocker cookbook. A s'more is basically a graham cracker topped with a toasted marshmallow and some chocolate bar. This recipe is just marshmallow cream sandwiched between graham crackers and dipped in melted almond bark, easy and simple. Since no toasted marshmallows are used, these could also be called "Moon Pies" which were created in 1917. Regardless of any name you wish to use, they are easy and tasty. Measurements are approximate, this is a make what you want guide.
Ingredients
- 2 packs graham crackers, (3 packs in a box, use 2 of those packs)
- 1 jar marshmallow cream, (7 oz / 198 g), you will use about 1/2 of that
- 750 grams almond bark, (aka chocolate coating, 1 1/2 lbs)
- candy sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Open the two packs of graham crackers. Using the lines on the crackers, break the crackers in half, then each half in half, so you have 4 crackers from each cracker from the packs. Don't worry if a few crackers break in odd shapes, those are treats for the cook, so just enjoy those at your leisure.
- Spread marshmallow cream on a cracker then top with another cracker, place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the crackers are used. Place the baking sheet in the fridge to chill.
- Setup a double boiler, place on low heat, and add the almond bark. Allow the bark to melt, and stir the coating once in a while as it melts.
- When the bark is fully melted and smooth, remove the crackers from the fridge. Drop a cracker in the bark, turn it with a fork and coat all sides, lift the cracker out with the fork, scrape off the excess bark from the bottom of the fork and place the cookie back on the foil. Repeat until all crackers are coated. If you want to sprinkle with candy sprinkles, coat about 5 cookies then sprinkle them, if you wait until all the cookies are dipped, the coating may have set up and not able for the sprinkles to stick.
- Place the baking sheet back in the fridge to chill for about 20 minutes or longer.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Cost per serving would be based on location for these. Low cost per serving in the US, this would be costly in Thailand as 2 out of 3 items would have to be bought at high end western stores.
Just something I made on a whim, Lee Thayer.
United States.
United States.
Hershey's Chocolate Cheesecake
This recipe was given to me by my sister and is from an old Hershey Easy Bake recipe card. I made this on 29 Sep 2019, and the family and I, thoroughly enjoyed this cheesecake. The flavor was beyond expectation, and is a easy recipe to prepare as well. Highly recommended.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 cup Oreo cookies, crushed, 15 cookies
- 1/4 cup butter, melted, (1/2 stick)
- 1 springform pan, 9 inch
For the Chocolate Filling
- 3 packages Cream cheese, 8 oz / 250 g packages, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 eggs
For the Chocolate Drizzle
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 230 C (450 F). Assemble your springform pan.
- Add the cookies to your food processor and pulverize until they are crumbs. Melt the butter in your microwave. Add the crumbs to a mixing bowl, add the butter, mix until combined.
- Pour the crumb mixture into the springform pan and tamp down to make an even layer. Set the pan aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Then add the sour cream and vanilla and mix in.
- Add the cocoa powder and flour, beat together.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mix in until just blended.
- Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to 120 C (250 F) and bake for another 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack, loosen the cake from the side of the pan with a knife.
- Allow the cake to cool completely.
- After the cake is cooled completely, remove the springform side.
- Prepare the drizzle by microwaving the chocolate chips and butter for 30 seconds, then in 15 second intervals until fully melted, stirring after each time microwaving. Or melt some almond bark in the microwave (this is what I did) for the drizzle.
- Drizzle the chocolate on the cake. Cover and place the cake in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours before serving.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving in the US using a store brand cream cheese, in Thailand, this would be High cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Use a store bought chocolate crumb crust. 2. Use almond bark for the drizzle.
Adapted from a Hershey's recipe card.
Salmon Loaf II
This is an excellent tasting salmon loaf. Common ingredients, goes together easily, and my family loved this.
Equipment
- Loaf Pan (5x9 inch)
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 cans salmon, (15 oz / 420 g can each)
- 2 eggs
- 1½ cups salmon liquid, plus milk to make 1½ cups
- milk, as needed
- 3 cups coarse cracker crumbs, or panko
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- ¼ cup celery, finely diced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon dried dill
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan with butter and set it aside.
- Drain the liquid from the salmon cans into a measuring cup. Add milk to measuring cup until you have 1½ cups of liquid.
- Add the drained salmon to a mixing bowl, remove any bones and skin as desired and flake apart the salmon with a fork.
- To the mixing bowl, add all other ingredients, mix into the salmon.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan, spread the mixture out and pat it down evenly.
- Bake for 50 minutes.
- Remove and place on a rack for 10 minutes to cool and firm up. Turn out onto a serving tray. Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
I will price this when I get canned salmon again. For now I will say High cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Use fresh salmon that has been steamed and bones and skin removed.
Salmon & Three Bean Salad
This sounds good, on my to make and taste list. Feel free to use canned beans or cooked from dry. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Notes section.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 can salmon, (425 g / 15 oz), Shortcut
- 250 grams long beans, or green beans, (8 oz), Shortcut
- 1 cup cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup pinto beans, rinsed and drained, Shortcut
- ½ cucumber, diced
- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 spring onions, sliced
- handful young fresh spinach leaves
For the Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
- salt and pepper, as desired
Instructions
- Drain and chunk the salmon, remove any skin and bones, then set aside. If using steamed salmon, use about 2 cups flaked and drained.
- Cook the green beans in a pot of water until just tender, about 4 minutes, then drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking, drain well.
- In a large salad bowl, add all the Salad ingredients except the salmon. Toss together.
- Add the salmon and gently toss together. Cover and chill the salad until ready to serve.
- In a small bowl, mix together the Dressing ingredients. When ready to serve, drizzle dressing over salad and gently toss.
- Enjoy as a side or a light main dish.
Notes
High cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Steamed Salmon (Rice Cooker), Fresh Long Beans (Pressure Cooker), Pinto Beans (Pressure Cooker).
Creamy Seafood Pasta
This sounds tasty but there is some prep work involved to get all the seafood ready. This can be tailored to suit your taste.
Ingredients
For the Seafood
- 1 cup shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
- 1 cup squid, cut into rings
- 1 cup mussel meat, grass removed, fresh preferred, frozen will work
- 1 cup crab meat, or imitation crab (crab sticks), chopped
- butter, or olive oil, as needed
- salt and pepper, as desired
For the Pasta
- 500 grams dry pasta, bite size or spaghetti, (1 lb)
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 handful fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- ½ onion, diced
- 1 leek, sliced
- ¾ cup whipping cream, and as needed
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
To Prepare the Seafood
- Shrimp can be fresh, frozen raw, or frozen cooked. For fresh shrimp, peel, devein, and remove the tails, heat a non stick pan with a tablespoon or two of butter or olive oil, when hot add the shrimp, stir them around and turn them, cook until pink, remove from the pan. For frozen raw, thaw them and saute them as you would fresh. For frozen cooked, thaw them and check for any shell still attached. Now the shrimp is ready.
- Squid will normally be fresh, pull off the head end, remove the skin, the clear bone (called a pen), and insides. you can turn them inside out to facilitate cleaning the inside. Slice the body into ½ inch rings. Cut the tentacles off past the beak, discard the head. Heat a non stick pan with a tablespoon or two of butter or olive oil, when hot add the shrimp, stir them around and turn them, cook for about 2-3 minutes, season with salt and pepper as desired. Remove from the pan. Now the squid is cooked.
- Mussels can be frozen cooked, or fresh raw. For frozen, simply thaw, check for and remove any beards. For fresh, clean the shells, remove visible beards outside of the shell, and discard any open or cracked shells, steam the mussels until the shells open, about 6-8 minutes, allow to cool to handle, discard any shells that did not open, remove the mussel meat from each shell, and again, check for and remove any beards. Now the mussels are read.
- Crab can be canned, frozen, or imitation. For canned crab meat, just drain and check for any shell fragments. For frozen, thaw and check for any shell fragments. For imitation, simply unwrap the crab sticks and slice at an angle, about ¼ inch slices. Now the crab is ready.
To Prepare the Pasta
- Heat a pot of salted water to boiling, then add the pasta and cook until just tender. Drain.
- While the water is heating, heat a large non stick pan on medium heat with 1-2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil, when hot, add the garlic, mushrooms, celery, onion, and leek.
- Saute until the onion and leak are tender, season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Lower the heat to low and pour in the whipping cream, feel free to add another tablespoon or two, and mix with well.
- The pasta should be done now, drain it well, then add the pasta to the pan and mix together.
- Add the seafood to the pan and toss with the pasta, simmer for just a minute or two to heat the seafood through.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
I will price this after I source all the seafood. For now, I will say High cost per serving.
Variants: 1. Replace or reduce an item of seafood and add some poached whitefish or salmon. 2. Replace a seafood item with an equal amount of a favored item. 3. Reduce a seafood item and add cooked oyster meat.
Giant Meatball I
I was in another province in 2017 and there was a German restaurant right around the corner from where I was staying. I decided to order a meal there and looked through the menu, one item stuck out, "Meatball, served on mashed potatoes with gravy and a vegetable." I called the waitress over and asked "is this one meatball or many meatballs?" She said "just one, but it is big." I ordered this, and oh my, I was surprised, about a ½ to ¾ pound meatball! And it was very good! So here is my rendition of this delicious meal. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Sheet with Rack
- Foil
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 500 grams ground beef, (1 lb)
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs, Shortcut
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup beef broth, fresh or from powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 tablespoon onion, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Gravy
- 1 packet beef gravy mix, Shortcut
For Serving
- hot mashed potatoes, Shortcut
- steamed vegetable, of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Line a baking sheet with foil then place a rack on the sheet and cover that with foil, this is so the fat will drain.
- Add all the meatball ingredients to a mixing bowl, use your hands to fully mix everything but without overworking the mixture.
- Divide the mixture into 2 or 3 equal portions, shape each portion into a ball and place on the foil covered rack.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes. The meatballs should be nicely browned and internal temp should be 70° C (160° F).
- About 20 minutes before the meatballs are done, go ahead and prepare your gravy, make the mashed potatoes (I will use my pressure cooker method), and steam a vegetable of your choice.
- When the meatballs are done, add a generous helping of mashed potatoes to a plate, place a meatball on top of the potatoes, ladle some gravy over the meatball, add the veggy of your choice to the side of the plate, repeat for the remaining meatball(s), serve and enjoy.
Notes
This will a High cost per serving for 2 or 3 servings. I'll get a specific cost when I order beef again.
Shortcuts: Breadcrumbs, Gravy Mix, Mashed Potatoes (Pressure Cooker).
Variant: 1. Use hot cooked egg noodles in place of mashed potatoes.
Just winged this, basically just beef meatballs on a larger scale. Lee Thayer, Thailand.
Crab & Cheese Spring Rolls
These are delicious and easy to prepare. Keep in mind, this is in no way Chinese. The number of spring rolls you make from this will depend on the size of the wrappers you use, either 8.5 x 8.5 inch or 5.5 x 5.5 inch, either size will work. I used 5.5 x 5.5 inch wrappers and made 15 spring rolls, so using the larger ones, you will make less.
Ingredients
- 15 spring roll wrappers
- 250 grams imitation crab sticks, (8 oz)
- 250 grams Cream cheese, room temp, (8 oz)
- ¾ cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- 2-3 tabelspoons mayo
- 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2-3 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1-2 tablespoons water
- sweet chili sauce, for serving, or dipping sauces of your choice
Instructions
- If your spring roll wrappers are frozen, take them out and place on the counter for 1-2 hours before you start. Take out the cream cheese, unwrap that and place in a mixing bowl for about an hour, to come up to room temperature and soften, or use a spreadable cream cheese.
- Unwrap the crab sticks and chop them, then shred or break them apart with your fingers. Here they are just chopped, not shredded yet.
- Prep the spring onion and garlic.
- Mash up the cream cheese up with a heavy spoon to get it mixable.
- To the bowl, add the mayo, Mozzarella cheese, Worcestershire sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar. Mix to combine.
- Add the crab, garlic, and spring onion.
- Mix to combine, now your filling is ready. Go ahead and mix together the corn starch and water in a small bowl, this is your glue to seal the edges of the spring rolls.
- Rolling, for this step, it is best to have two people, one to pull the wrappers, one to roll. Lay a spring roll wrapper, smooth side down on the counter with one corner pointed towards you. Place about 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of filling near the corner closest to you. Fold the corner nearest you up and over the filling and roll away until you are at the widest point of the wrapper. Use your fingers and dip into the glue and rub that on the two side that are away from you, be generous. Now fold one side, left or right, towards the middle, the repeat with the other side, now it should look like an open envelope. Now continue rolling away from you to complete the roll. If the point flap does not stay glued down, just dab a bit more glue on it. Repeat until the filling is all used. Once you have done this a few times this actually goes pretty fast. The reason for the two people is you do not want the wrappers drying or they will tear when pulling them apart. If only you are making these, cover the wrappers with a damp towel while you roll each one.
- Completed spring rolls.
- When you are ready to fry them, heat about ½ inch of oil in a pan, you want it hot but not smoking. When the oil is hot, fry 4 to 5 rolls at a time until golden brown then turn over until the other side is golden brown. Drain on paper towels and continue frying in batches until all are cooked. Keep in mind, the filling in these is soft and some rolls may ooze a bit of cheese and filling into oil, that accounts for the dark specks you see on the rolls, just cosmetic, no harm.
- Serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping, or other sauces of your choice. Enjoy as an appetizer or even as a main dish. These are excellent even without a dipping sauce.
Notes
The crab sticks are 52 Baht, the cream cheese is 108 Baht for Caroline brand (Thai), and figure about 60 Baht for the Mozzarella. For 15 spring rolls, this is about 48 cents per spring roll. If using and import brand of cream cheese, figure about 60 cents per spring roll. Figure 1-2 rolls as a serving as an appetizer (Low cost), and 3-4 rolls as a main dish with a nice side. (High cost).
Slow Cooker Tuna Mornay
What is a mornay you ask? It is a casserole, a mornay seems to be a cream sauce with cheese, possibly an Australian thing. First clue was Tasty Cheese (Cheddar cheese, Mainland Brand) and second clue was liquid measurements in metric. Either way, this not only sounds good, it is good! Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, Shortcut
- 1¼ cups whipping cream, or evaporated milk
- 3 cans tuna in brine, about 165 g / 5 oz each, do not drain
- 2 cups dry Penne pasta
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn, or canned
- 3 shallots, diced
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- salt and pepper, as desired
Instructions
- I used 3 cans, 185 grams each, of tuna chunks in brine.
- Open each can and dump brine and all into the slow cooker pot.
- Break up the tuna with a fork.
- Add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese, season with a pinch of black pepper as desired. I used frozen mixed veggies in place of the corn and peas. And I took the photo before I added the evaporated milk (I actually forgot to add it at this point).
- Give everything a good stir. Cover and cook on Low setting for 4 to 5 hours. Stir the pot (literally, not figuratively) once an hour. Check if the pasta is tender at the 4 hour mark, if tender, stir in the cheese. If not tender, check again at 4½ hours.
- Cook for another 15-30 minutes on Low setting, stir again, taste, season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Spoon into bowls, serve.
Notes
Three cans of tuna is on average 43 Baht per can, 3 cans would be 129 Baht, 1 cup of of shredded cheese from a block would be on average 90 Baht. For 4 servings, this is about $1.77 per serving.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Variants: 1. Use 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables in place of the corn and peas.
Salami Cream Cheese Sandwich
This recipe comes form a good friend, and it is delicious! I made this on 9 Feb 2019, the same day I came across this. Highly recommended.
Ingredients
- 250 grams Cream cheese, room temp, (8 oz)
- 1/4 cup spring onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, pressed
- 8 slices sandwich bread
- 280 grams salami, thin sliced, (10 oz)
- 8 lettuce leaves, or as desired
Instructions
- For the salami, I used Haus (German style), produced here in Thailand, which is beef and pork. Imported Genoa salami, one would need to take out a small loan to get that. This Haus salami is excellent. I used one pack, 70 grams (2 1/2 oz) for each sandwich.
- Add the cream cheese, spring onion, dill, and garlic to a mixing bowl.
- Mash together with a fork to completely mix.
- To make a sandwich, spread some cream cheese mix onto two slices of bread, top one slice of bread with the lettuce leaves.
- Top the lettuce with the salami slices from the whole 70 gram package or 2 1/2 ounces if the salami you are using is larger diameter.
- Top the sandwich with the other slice of bread. Slice in half, and enjoy. Repeat for remaining sandwiches. The cream cheese mix will keep refrigerated for 3 to 5 days.
Notes
The salami I used is 88 Baht/70 gram package (2 1/2 oz), that is 352 Baht. The cream cheese is 120 Baht/250 gram package. For 4 sandwiches, this is about $3.70 per sandwich. High cost but oh so good for a once in a while treat.
This recipe for Salami Cream Cheese Sandwich is from Natasha's Kitchen.
