Archive for the ‘* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving’ Category
Fruit Salad
December 19, 2017 Lee
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Fruit Salad

First thing, think fresh, not canned. This is just fruit, not 'heavy syrup' or anything like that from a can. Original recipe stated pineapple from a can, so easy and quick to prep a fresh pineapple. Maraschino or glaced cherries will increase the sugar however.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 fresh pineapple, peeled, sliced, cored, chopped
  • 1-2 apples, peeled, cored, diced
  • 1-2 oranges, peeled, diced
  • 1-2 bananas, peeled, sliced
  • 1 cup seedless grapes, sliced in half
  • 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, or glaced, cut in half, optional

Instructions
 

  • Toss everything together in a large bowl. Use maraschino or glaced cherries to add a nice red color but keep in mind they add a lot sweetness to this.
  • Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.

Notes

Low cost.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Sides - Salads
Apple Butter (Slow Cooker)
December 19, 2017 Lee
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Apple Butter (Slow Cooker)

I have not enjoyed apple butter for probably 30 years, I need to change that. On my to cook list.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 hours
Total Time 10 hours 20 minutes
Cuisine American
Servings 20 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 kilos apples, peeled, cored, and sliced, (6 lbs)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • For the sugars, you can reduce the amount based on the sweetness of your apples.
  • Place the apples as you prepare them into your slow cooker, after they are done, add the sugars, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix together.
  • Set your slow cooker to Low and cook for 10 hours, stirring every 2 hours or so. When the apple butter is thick and dark brown, it is ready.
  • Mash with a potato masher if you would like a chunky version, or use an immersion blender (or pour into a blender) to make a smooth version.
  • Pour into jars and refrigerate covered for up to two weeks or freeze in small containers.

Notes

Low cost.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CONDIMENTS
Egg Salad with Capers & Dill
December 19, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Egg Salad with Capers & Dill

This is a good egg salad, uses capers and dill which give it a great flavor.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish, Side
Cuisine American
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 6 hard boiled eggs, chicken or duck, peeled, chopped
  • 1/4 cup mayo
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 small red onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
  • toast, for serving

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, zest, juice, salt, and pepper.
  • Large mixing bowl, add the eggs, dill, onion, and add the mayo mixture. Mix to combine.
  • Add the capers and mix in.
  • Cover and place in the fridge for a few hours to chill.
  • Serve on crackers or toast.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcuts: Perfect Hard Boiled Chicken Eggs, Perfect Hard Boiled Duck Eggs.
Variant: 1. Serve on saltine crackers.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,EGGS - ALL,Eggs - Chicken,Eggs - Duck,Sides - Salads
Dumpling Egg Soup II
December 17, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Dumpling Egg Soup II

This is another version of the original soup, with the main ingredients being the potato, eggs, dumplings (wontons), and broth. For this version, the type of eggs was changed and I added Vietnamese sausage. This recipe is assuming you have dumplings (or wontons) ready made or already homemade and on hand, and hard boiled eggs on hand as well.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Asian
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups beef broth, fresh or from powder
  • 6-9 vegetable dumplings, or wontons
  • 15-20 hard boiled quail eggs, peeled
  • 1 small potato, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
  • salt and white pepper, to taste
  • 180 grams Vietnamese sausage, cubed

Instructions
 

  • Add the broth to a small sauce pan and add the potato and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until the potatoes are almost fork tender, 8-10 minutes or so.
  • Just when the potatoes are almost fork tender, add the eggs and Vietnamese sausage. Let this simmer for another 5-10 minutes or so to finish cooking the potatoes and to heat the eggs and sausage through. Vietnamese sausage is already cooked when you buy it, here you just need to heat it through.
  • For the dumplings or wontons, you can do this two ways. You can pan fry them first then add to the broth, or for raw wontons, you can just add to the broth when you add the eggs and let them cook that way.
  • When the potato is tender, season with salt and white pepper to taste and stir in some chopped coriander.
  • Ladle into bowls with plenty of broth, sprinkle some of the coriander on the top and serve.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcuts: Perfect Hard Boiled Quail Eggs, Vegetable Wontons.
Inspired by the original recipe provided courtesy of good friend, Drew Padilla.
United States.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Vegetable Wontons
December 15, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Vegetable Wontons

These are the Chinese type of wantons that use a small square wrapper that is about 3 inches by 3 inches. These can be fried or just dropped into a broth and cooked that way, each method will be listed below. And these freeze well also.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 40 wontons

Ingredients
  

  • 1-2 packages frozen wonton sheets, thawed
  • 2 cups green cabbage, shredded then finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, shredded then finely chopped
  • 1 bunch spring onion, green only, minced
  • 3 large mushrooms, finely minced
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed and finely minced
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, finely minced or grated or 1 teaspoon ginger powder
  • salt and white pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • The reason for the cabbage and carrot to be shredded then minced is any long pieces will tear the wonton wrapper, and no one likes a torn wonton 😉
  • Once the vegetables are prepped, set a small bowl of water near the filling, and line a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment.
  • Pick up a wrapper, these are floured so they are much easier to work with than spring roll wrappers, and place on one hand with one corner pointing away from you, and one corner pointing towards you. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of filling in the center of the wrapper.
  • Dip a finger in the water and run along a edge from the corner farthest from you to the next corner, dip your finger in water again and now run along the other edge farthest from you.
  • Now take the corner closest to you and fold in half, that corner going to the corner farthest from you, to make a triangle, then use your fingers to seal the two edges. There, you just made a wonton 🙂
  • Place the wonton on the parchment paper, and repeat the steps for the remaining wrappers. It goes fairly fast once you get the hang of how much filling, which is very small.

To Fry Wontons

  • Heat about 1 inch of oil in a heavy pan, when the oil is hot, add wontons but do not overcrowd them. Cook for a minute or two on each side until golden and crispy, remove to paper towels to drain. Continue with more wontons as desired. Serve with a dipping sauce of choice if desired.

To use Wontons in a Broth

  • Heat a broth of choice in a sauce pan, about 3 cups, chicken is a common broth used. Simmer a few fresh made wontons at a time, don't over crowd the pot, when they float to the top, they are done. Place some spinach leaves in a bowl, place wontons in the bowl, ladle some hot broth in which will cook the spinach and top with some chopped spring onion.

To Freeze Wontons

  • Place a single layer of wontons on a sheet with parchment paper and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes, when good and firm, place wontons in a zip lock bag, use within 1 month.

Notes

Low cost.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,APPETIZERS / SNACKS,SIDES
Garlic Butter Rice (Rice Cooker)
December 13, 2017 Lee
14 Comments

Garlic Butter Rice (Rice Cooker)

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This is a wonderful side dish, and a rice cooker is used so you can concentrate on preparing the main dish, even better. I made this on 20 June 2018, perfect.
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Rice Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup dry white rice, rinsed
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, smashed and finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1¾ cups water

Instructions
 

  • Place the first 5 ingredients in your rice cooker and mix evenly. Add the water. Set the cooker to the Cook setting. (After this photo, then the rice was added and mix together.)
  • When the cooker switches to Warm setting, fluff the rice with a spoon and taste, season with a pinch of salt if needed. Serve as a side with any main dish.

Notes

Low cost.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Seasoned Rice - Rice Cooker,Sides - Rice Cooker
______ & Gravy
December 13, 2017 Lee
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______ & Gravy

You fill in the blank with a meat of choice, can be leftovers or bought purposely for this recipe. I like simple dishes that come together quickly, and can be changed numerous ways. This is a base recipe that you can can tailor to make your own specialty. This can be a side dish over rice, or a main dish over pasta, mashed potatoes, or biscuits.
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Course Main Dish, Side
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Concept

  • 500-700 grams meat
  • 2 cups gravy, OR make from a shortcut
  • 100-200 grams pasta, rice or mashed potatoes or biscuits

For Seasoning

  • ground sage, to taste
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • celery seed, to taste

For Additional Ingredients

  • onion, diced
  • garlic, smashed and minced
  • mushrooms, sliced or chopped

Instructions
 

For the Meats - Pick One

  • Think simple items that are cooked or can be cooked up quick. Chicken Hearts, Chicken Livers, Chicken Gizzards, Sausage, leftover roast chicken, leftover beef pot roast, leftover pork loin.
  • Cook fresh meats in a non stick skillet with a splash of olive oil along with a diced onion and several cloves of mined garlic and mushrooms if using those. Drain and set aside.
  • For leftover meats, cube or shred, your preference. Saute a diced onion and several cloves of garlic in a non stick pan with a splash of olive oil. When the onion is translucent, add mushroom if using, then add the cubed or shredded leftover meat and saute until heated through. Drain and set aside.
  • For sausage, bulk or sliced would work well with a milk gravy.

For the Gravy - Pick One

  • Gravy can be from a homemade mix, from a gravy packet, or from the drippings in the pan when using fresh meats. I use packets or from a homemade mix. Your choice.
  • Chicken giblets and leftovers obviously pair up with chicken gravy. Beef with beef gravy, and pork with pork or chicken gravy. Sausage would pair nicely with a milk gravy.
  • For 2-3 servings, go with 2 cups of gravy, either 2 packets, 2 cups worth from a homemade mix, or you can make in the pan with the drippings.
  • Once the gravy is made, add the cooked or heated up meat of choice.

For the Seasoning

  • After the meat of choice is added to the gravy and mixed, taste and add salt and pepper as desired. For the chicken giblets, sage and celery seed works very well, for two cups of gravy I used 1/2 teaspoon of sage and 1/4 teaspoon of celery seed.
  • White pepper can be used in place of black pepper. Any herbs of choice can be used, like rosemary, thyme, parsley, coriander. Totally up to your preference.

For Serving - Pick One

  • Rice, small amount for a side dish or a large amount for a main dish.
  • Pasta, can be spaghetti, egg noodles, fettuccine, macaroni, small shells, spirals, totally your preference.
  • Potatoes, mashed would be my first choice, boiled and fried potatoes also work.
  • Biscuits, think milk gravy with sausage. And additional option for this would be a fried egg or two on top.

Example: Chicken Hearts & Gravy

  • Trim and cut the hearts, 500 grams (1 lb) in half. Saute until just cooked through. Season with salt and pepper as desired while sauteing.
  • Prepare 1 cup of Chicken Gravy.
  • Drain the fat from the pan and add the hearts to the gravy. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve over rice, with pasta, a pasta salad, you get the picture.

Notes

Cost is dependent on if you are using fresh meats specifically for this dish or using leftovers.
Shortcut: Gravy Mix.
Based on making Chicken Hearts & Gravy, Lee Thayer.
Thailand.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,LEFTOVERS
Chicken Hearts & Gravy
December 13, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Chicken Hearts & Gravy

Lee
I like chicken hearts, and this is a simple and easy meal to put together. I made this on 12 Dec 2017 as a way to use up some chicken hearts I had in the freezer, and this gives me an idea for a base recipe for leftovers as well. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 750 grams chicken hearts, cleaned, cut in half lengthwise, (1½ lb)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper, as desired
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • ½ teaspoon ground sage
  • ¼ teaspoon celery seed
  • 2 cups chicken gravy, (prepare 2 packets), Shortcut
  • 250 grams egg noodles, or pasta of your choice, (8 oz)

Instructions
 

  • In a large non stick pan, heat the oil and add the chicken hearts and saute for a few minutes, they release a lot of fat was well (additional flavor), add the onion and garlic, and saute until the onion is translucent and hearts cooked through. Drain the hearts.
  • While the hearts are cooking. In a small sauce pan prepare the chicken gravy according to the packet instructions, this is normally 2 packets to make 2 cups. Once the gravy is made, add the drained hearts and stir in, season with the sage, celery seed, and salt and pepper to taste.
  • In another small sauce pan, cook the pasta in boiling water until tender, then drain.
  • Place some noodles on a plate and ladle on the gravy, enjoy.

Notes

Figure about 50 Baht for the chicken hearts. For 2 servings, this is about 74 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Gravy Mix.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Chicken - Giblets
Corn Soup with Quail Eggs
December 11, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Corn Soup with Quail Eggs

Panlasang Pinoy, Vanjo Merano, United States.
This is a Filipino soup, and it is unbelievably delicious, and quick to prepare. This is from a good friend so it is authentic. This can be a breakfast, lunch, or light dinner. This was enjoyed by 4 of us at the house last night, 22 Aug 2018. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Breakfast, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 24 hard boiled quail eggs, peeled, Shortcut
  • 2 cans cream style corn, (410 g/14½ oz each)
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • ¾ cup spring onion, chopped
  • 1 chicken egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a medium size pot, add the water and broth and bring to a boil. Add the creamed corn, stir, and allow to come to a boil again then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add the spring onion and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour in the cornstarch and water mix (slurry), stir and simmer for 1 minute.
  • Slowly stir in one direction while slowly pouring in the chicken egg. Then add the quail eggs, stir, then cover, turn off the heat and leave on the same burner. Let this sit for 5 minutes.
  • Stir and then ladle into bowls, enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Perfect Hard Boiled Quail Eggs.
Updated on 12 June 2022.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: FILIPINO,Eggs - Quail,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Dumpling Egg Soup I
December 9, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Dumpling Egg Soup I

I got this from a friend, who had an Asian friend make this soup for him, and as my friend calls it, 'comfort soup, right up there with chicken noodle soup'. My friend never kept the recipe and just goes by how he remembers it, and it not only looks great, it tastes great! This is a simple to prepare soup with plenty of nutrients. I will be making several versions of this easy and delicious soup. This recipe is assuming you have dumplings (or wontons) ready made or already homemade and on hand, and hard boiled eggs on hand as well.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Asian
Servings 1 serving

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups beef broth, fresh or from powder
  • 2-3 vegetable dumplings, or wontons
  • 3 hard boiled eggs, peeled, chicken or duck
  • 1 small potato, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2-3 spring onions, 1-2 chopped, 1 for the side
  • salt, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Add the broth to a small sauce pan and add the potato and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until the potato pieces are almost fork tender, 8-10 minutes or so.
  • Just when the potatoes are almost fork tender, add the eggs. Let this simmer for another 5-10 minutes or so to finish cooking the potatoes and to heat the eggs through.
  • For the dumplings or wontons, you can do this two ways. You can pan fry the dumplings first then add to the broth, or for raw wontons, you can just add to the broth when you add the eggs and let them cook that way. (And I totally forgot to add the wontons that I made just 2 hours before.)
  • When the potato is tender, season with salt as desired, scoop the potato, eggs, and dumplings or wontons into a bowl, ladle over plenty of broth, top with 1 or 2 chopped spring onion.
  • Serve with a spring onion or two on the side.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcuts: Perfect Hard Boiled Chicken Eggs, Perfect Hard Boiled Duck Eggs, Vegetable Wontons.
Recipe provided courtesy of good friend, Drew Padilla.
United States.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI