Archive for the ‘INGREDIENTS’ Category
Basic Vegetable Stock
February 12, 2016 Lee
2 Comments

Basic Vegetable Stock

This is a good basic stock, no preservatives or extra salt or sweeteners found in canned or boxed stock, and is easy.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Cuisine American
Servings 7 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 8 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 stalks celery, plus leaves
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 bunch spring onions
  • 8 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 8 sprigs fresh parsley
  • 8 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Wash all vegetables, skin on is ok for root vegetables, chop everything into 1 inch pieces.
  • Heat oil in a large pot, add all the ingredients except the water, cook on high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Add water and salt and stir to mix, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, uncovered for about 30 minutes. Strain liquid into a pot and discard vegetables. When stock cools, put in containers and refrigerate until needed, should keep for several days refrigerated, can also be frozen.
  • Use vegetable stock as a soup base, boiling chicken, cooking beans, etc. If a recipe calls for water, use the stock to add a bit of flavor, and nutrition.

Notes

This is a great way to use up old veggys sitting in the fridge, if you want to maximize the use of your veggys, save all trimmings and put in the freezer, when you have a good amount, make some stock. Trimmings can include: mushroom pieces, butt ends of asparagus, corn cobs, bell pepper pieces, pea pods, celery root ends, potato, and carrot peelings.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
INGREDIENTS
Chili Beans (Slow Cooker)
February 12, 2016 Lee
1 Comment

Chili Beans (Slow Cooker)

Adapted from an internet recipe.
I like to cook with dried beans, they are nutritious and versatile. This is the homemade version of canned Chili Beans, healthier and more nutritious. These can be served as a side, as a main, or as a base for chili. Takes some time but well worth it. I made these on 30 July 2016, very good! The recipe is a total rewrite to make into a slow cooker recipe. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 9 hours
Total Time 9 hours 5 minutes
Course Main Dish, Side
Cuisine American
Servings 10 cups

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams dry Pinto beans, (1 lb)
  • 1 large onion, minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup taco seasoning mix, (two 1.25 oz packets), Shortcut
  • 1 can tomato paste, the small 170 gram can
  • 4 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock for vegetarian

Instructions
 

  • Pick through and discard irregular beans or stones. In 5 quart container, add dry beans and soak for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Drain beans, discard soaking liquid, rinse and drain beans.
  • In your slow cooker add the chicken stock, or 4 cups of water and stir in the stock powder, add in the taco seasoning and whisk well. Add the tomato paste and whisk more so no lumps, then add the onion and garlic. Add the beans and give a quick stir. Add salt to taste. Cook on High setting for at least 8 hours up to 12 hours, depends on the age of the beans so you will need to check them (this is based on my slow cooker) and the beans will still have a bit of bite to them but are not mush either.
  • Serve as a main dish as a soup with topping just like chili, such as grated Cheddar cheese, diced onions, and sour cream, with crackers or cornbread on the side. Serve as a side dish with Mexican dishes, burgers, pulled pork, or as a base for other recipes listed below.

Notes

A bag of 500 grams of beans will cost between 50 and 65 Baht. Make the stock from scratch or from stock base powder. For 10 cups of beans and sauce, this dish is well under $1 per person per serving.
Shortcut: Taco Seasoning.
Used in Recipe Listed on this Site:
Updated on 30 July 2016.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,INGREDIENTS
Boiled Chicken
December 31, 2015 Lee
4 Comments

Boiled Chicken

Common method used here at the house.
I know, you folks are like, eeeewwwwww, boiled chicken! Boiled chicken is used in many recipes, and you are making chicken broth as well, bonus! I routinely boil chicken when making chicken salad, chicken burritos, stews, casseroles, etc. If you are making a chicken based soup or stew, use the broth in place of water in the recipe. Do you have to use a whole chicken? No but your chicken pieces should have skin on and bone in, the skin, the fat, and the bones, is where the flavor is for a broth.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken, OR, quarters, or thighs, see note about the chicken
  • 1 onion, unpeeled, just cut in half
  • 2 carrots, unpeeled, cut into 3-4 pieces
  • 2 stalks celery, if you have it, just cut in 2-3 pieces, leave end on as well
  • 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
  • water

Instructions
 

  • Place chicken in a large pot with onion, carrots, celery and peppercorns; add water to cover. Cover pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a gentle boil and cook for about 90 minutes, or until chicken meat is falling off of the bone.
  • Here is the trick, when the meat is falling off the bones, let the chicken sit in the water until the water is cooled, this will give you more juicier chicken meat.
  • Once the water has cooled, remove the chicken using several slotted spoons, and put the pot back on to a simmer. Remove the meat from the bones and use per your recipe, return the bones to the pot and continue to simmer for another 2-3 hours.
  • Turn the heat off, strain the pot, now you have chicken stock, and chicken meat for your recipes, how easy is that?

Notes

What can you use? A whole chicken is cheapest if the mixed white and dark meat has no impact on your recipe. If you prefer prefer dark meat for a recipe, go with quarters but cut them apart first.
Keep in mind, you are making not only the chicken for use in a recipe, you are making a good broth as well.
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
CHICKEN & TURKEY,INGREDIENTS
Heavy Cream Substitute
November 8, 2015 Lee
1 Comment

Heavy Cream Substitute

Adapted from an internet shortcut.
Options to make heavy cream substitute. Each provides 1 cup of heavy cream substitute.
Print Recipe
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

Option 1

  • â…“ cup unsalted butter, melted AND cooled to room temp
  • ¾ cup milk

Option 2

  • 1 cup Cream cheese

Option 3

  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Option 4

  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions
 

Option 1

  • This combination is great when your recipe does not call for whipped heavy cream. melt the butter and let cool to room temp, then add to ¾ cup milk and stir. If you prefer to use low-fat milk, add 1 tablespoon flour to thicken your mixture and stir well.

Option 2

  • Another substitute for heavy cream you can use in soups and sauces is low-fat cream cheese, which provides a similar consistency but with reduced calories and fat. However, you will need only half the amount called for in the recipe. Therefore, for every one cup of heavy cream needed, use only half a cup of cream cheese. Cream cheese tastes a little bit sour, so avoid using it in recipes that need to be sweet.

Option 3

  • Just mix the cornstarch into the milk, stir and allow to thicken slightly.

Option 4

  • Just mix the cornstarch into the evaporated milk to thicken.

Notes

Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
INGREDIENTS
Bisquick
November 8, 2015 Lee
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Bisquick

Bisquick is a go to for quick baking of biscuits, dumplings, etc. I have not seen this available here so I did some research and found this shortcut to make your own.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 7 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups all purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 cup vegetable shortening

Instructions
 

  • Sift flour, baking powder, and salt several times into a large bowl.
  • Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
  • Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
  • Use whenever your recipe calls for Bisquick Mix.

Notes

Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
Adapted from an internet recipe.
INGREDIENTS
Sardines in Olive Oil (Slow Cooker)
November 5, 2015 Lee
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Sardines in Olive Oil (Slow Cooker)

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Sardines are any type of small oily fish like sardines, mackerel, herring, or even milkfish, that have been preserved in oil or packed in sauce. I like sardines, I love sardines in olive oil, but I could only find one store that carried them in olive oil (Thai made as well) and was pricey to say the least. So I set out on an internet search and found this recipe, I have made it twice with excellent results.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Passive Time 3 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Course Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • brine, ¼ cup salt in each 2 cups of water
  • 3-4 mackeral, cleaned with heads and tail removed
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¾ cup pickle juice
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons black peppercorns

Instructions
 

  • Clean your fish, for both times I made these I used 4 mackerel, remove the head, tail, insides, and clean well on the inside along the backbone. Leave skin on and bones in.
  • I took each fish and cut into 3 pieces, place all in a bowl with a lid.
  • Prepare your brine with ¼ cup salt for 2 cups of water. I do this separate so I don't make more brine than what is needed. Make a batch and pour over the fish pieces, make more as needed to cover the fish.
  • Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, I normally refrigerate overnight.
  • Remove the fish from the brine and rinse, place fish pieces in a slow cooker, add the olive oil, water, pickle juice, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
  • Put the slow cooker on Low setting for 3-6 hours, depending on size of fish, 3 hours for small fish, like milkfish, and 6 hours for mackerel. Check the fish about an hour before the time, you are looking for soft fish and soft bones, if the bones are not soft, go another hour and check again, repeat until the bones are soft.
  • When done and the fish and bones are soft, allow to cool and store in the fridge in olive oil.
  • Serve as is with or on a lettuce salad with tomatoes and garlic, or as a sandwich with bread spread with mustard.

Notes

Mackerel will run about 25 baht per fish, if using as a light meal, well under $1 per person. If I use in a sandwich, I use 3 fish pieces, split each in half, lunch for under $1. If I use in a tomato salad, I use 3 pieces and just kind of chop them up, salad for under $1.
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,FISH - ALL,Fish - Mackerel,Fish - Sardines,Fish - Slow Cooker,INGREDIENTS
Onion Soup Mix
November 3, 2015 Lee
4 Comments

Onion Soup Mix

Shortcut to make Onion Soup Mix.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 cup of mix

Ingredients
  

  • 2/3 cup dried minced onion
  • 3 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons tumeric, optional
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, OR 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a jar and give it a good shake. Shake the jar before each use.
  • Use 2 to 4 tablespoons of mix in place of 1 packet of onion soup mix.

Notes

Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
 
Adapted from an internet recipe.
INGREDIENTS
How to make Buttermilk
October 29, 2015 Lee
1 Comment

How to make Buttermilk

Adapted from an internet recipe.
If you cannot find buttermilk at the grocery, this is a great shortcut to make your own.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 1 cup

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, OR lime juice, OR vinegar

Instructions
 

  • Measure out your milk in a measuring cup, stir in lemon juice, let stand for 5-10 minutes, the milk will be slightly thickened with some small curdled bits.
  • Use as you would regular buttermilk in your recipe, including the curdled bits.

Notes

Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
INGREDIENTS