Archive for the ‘* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving’ Category
Pineapple Chicken Tenders
April 1, 2017 Lee
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Pineapple Chicken Tenders

Sounds easy and good, on my to cook list.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/3 cup light soy sauce
  • wooden skewers

Instructions
 

  • Cut the chicken breasts into strips and place in a medium sized bowl.
  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix together the pineapple juice, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Remove from heat just before the mixture comes to a boil. Pour the marinade over the chicken and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • Start your grill and arrange the coals for medium heat. Run the chicken strips onto the skewers lengthwise. Grill the chicken for about 5 minutes per or until the juices run clear. They cook fast so keep an eye on them. Serve.

Notes

Chicken breasts will cost on average 65 Baht/kilo. For 6 servings, this is about 32 cents per serving.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,GRILLED / BBQ / SMOKER
Chicken & Dumpling Casserole I
April 1, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Chicken & Dumpling Casserole I

This actually sounds like a chicken cobbler if you can picture that. I made this on 2 Apr 2017 and it is very good. This takes some time but the results are delicious. The baking dish will be full almost to the top before you put it in the oven. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo chicken, see Step 1
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, OR make from a shortcut
  • 2 cups chicken broth, see Step 4
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • The chicken can be anything you like, breasts, thighs, legs and thighs. My personal opinion would be thighs, lots of flavor in thighs. Use bone in and skin on chicken.
  • Place the chicken in a pot and cover with water. Cover and cook on medium heat for 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and let this cool to room temperature, this ensures juicy chicken.
  • Once the pot has cooled to room temperature, preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F).
  • Remove the chicken from the pot. Strain the liquid and reserve, there is your broth to use.
  • Remove the skin and bones, and any cartilage and shred the chicken use large forks. If making the soup from a shortcut, reserve about 2-3 tablespoons of chicken and dice that up and set aside, use that for the soup shortcut. Place the shredded chicken in a 7x11 baking dish, spread the chicken out to make a even layer.
  • Whisk together the flour, milk, and butter, pour over the chicken. Do not stir.
  • Whisk together the broth, soup, salt and pepper, pour over the casserole, Do not stir.
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top starts to brown up a bit. All ovens are different, so you may have to bake longer or shorter. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy.

Notes

Chicken is low cost, using quarters, legs, thighs, or breasts will all cost on average, 65 Baht/kilo. For 6 servings, this is about 32 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup.
Provided courtesy of good friends, Stephen Connell & Angie Davis Williams.
United States.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CASSEROLES
Grilled Salami & Cheese Sandwich
April 1, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Grilled Salami & Cheese Sandwich

I was wanting to test out a rye bread recipe for my bread machine, and try something new with Provolone cheese and real German salami that I had brought back with me from Phuket, so after making a loaf of rye bread, turned out perfect, I made these for myself, my wife, and a visiting niece. These are excellent sandwiches! Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 1 sandwich

Ingredients
  

  • 2 slices rye bread, OR make from a shortcut
  • 2 slices Provolone cheese
  • salami, sliced, as needed
  • green bell pepper, sliced, lightly fried, as needed
  • butter, as needed

Instructions
 

  • In a small pan lightly fry the thin sliced green bell pepper in just a bit of olive oil, when just getting soft, remove from the pan to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside.
  • Heat a heavy flat bottomed pan, cast iron is perfect, with about a tablespoon of butter. Lay down a slice of rye bread on the counter, place a slice of Provolone cheese on it, add several good layers of salami, on top of the salami add some of the green bell pepper, then top that with another slice of cheese. Take the other slice of bread and butter one side, place that on top of the sandwich with the buttered side facing up.
  • When the pan is hot, pick up the sandwich and place in the pan. Watch the bottom closely, takes only a minute or so to turn golden brown, then using a large spatula, carefully flip the sandwich over and cook the other side. When golden brown, remove to a plate and cut in half. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcut: Light Rye Bread (Bread Machine).
Something I just threw together.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,BURGERS & SANDWICHES
Stuffed Eggplant (Rellenong Talong)
March 30, 2017 Lee
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Stuffed Eggplant (Rellenong Talong)

This is another dish from the Philippines, and sounds really good, this will use Chinese eggplant, which is readily grown here, unlike the larger purple eggplant that was just recently introduced and is grown in a limited number of areas and is more expensive.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Breakfast, Main Dish
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Chinese eggplant
  • 250 grams ground pork
  • 1 plum tomato, diced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • cooking oil, as needed

Instructions
 

  • Split each eggplant in half, but not all the way through and spread apart, grill skin side down until steam rises from the eggplant, remove from the grill, let them cool, and peel off the skin, set aside. Internet photo.
  • In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and cook the garlic, onion, and tomato until starting to get soft. Then add the ground beef and brown until cooked through, maybe 8 minutes or so.
  • Add the soy sauce, pinch of salt and pepper, remove from heat and set aside.
  • Pour the eggs into a large shallow bowl. Heat a clean a pan with about 1/2 cup of cooking oil, type of oil is up to you.
  • Place a split eggplant in the hot oil, scoop about half of the ground pork mixture and distribute on top of the eggplant and pat that down, then pour on about 2-3 tablespoons of the beaten egg over the ground pork. Hint, scoop some of oil in the pan over the egg mixture, this will help keep it from falling apart when you flip it.
  • Gently flip the eggplant using 2 spatulas if possible to cook the other side. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on low to medium heat.
  • Remove from pan and serve, 1 split eggplant per serving. Serve with a sauce of your choice and steamed rice.

Notes

Low cost.
Provided by Panlasang Pinoy and the link to this recipe is here.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,PORK
Baked Potato Casserole
March 30, 2017 Lee
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Baked Potato Casserole

Sounds really good. On my to cook list. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Main Dish, Side
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 kilos potatoes
  • 1 cup sour cream, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted, this is 1/2 standard block
  • 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix, OR make from a shortcut

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven 200 C.
  • Wash the potatoes and prick several times with a fork. bake the potatoes for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let potatoes cool.
  • Peel the potatoes if desired or just go right to cutting them with skin on into chunks. Set aside.
  • Preheat your oven now to 180 C.
  • In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients, add the potato chunks and toss gently to coat potatoes. Pour this into a 9x13 baking dish and bake for 40-60 minutes or until hot and bubbly, serve.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcuts: Ranch Dressing Mix, Sour Cream.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CASSEROLES
Bean & Bacon Soup
March 29, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Bean & Bacon Soup

I love a good bean soup, and a bean soup with bacon, even better. I have modified this to use a slow cooker.
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Prep Time 12 hours
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 18 hours
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams dry Great Northern beans
  • 4 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 300-500 grams smoked bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 handful celery, about 5-6 bunches, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • black pepper, to taste
  • dried parsley, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Sort the beans and discard bad beans or debris, rinse and place in a large bowl that has a lid, cover with water by about 2 inches, cover and place in the fridge overnight.
  • Next day, drain the beans, quick rinse and place in the slow cooker. And the chicken stock and set the slow cooker to High setting.
  • Fry the bacon in a pan until just crispy, remove from the pan, briefly drain on a paper towel, then add to the slow cooker. You can reserve some of the bacon to garnish the top of each bowl if desired. This photo shows I am using 1/2 package of store bought Thai brand bacon, and 4 slices of thick cut German smoked bacon.
  • Pour the bacon fat into a jar for use in later, like frying eggs, potatoes, etc but do not wipe out the pan, now add the veggies to the pan and cook those for 4-5 minutes or until starting to soften, then stir in the tomato paste, cook for another minute or two, then add this mixture to the slow cooker. Add the bay leaves and stir to mix everything together. Cover.
  • Continue to cook on High for a total of 3 hours, then switch to Low setting for 3 hours. Perfect consistency.
  • Remove the bay leaves, stir in some dried parsley and serve. Top with the reserved bacon for garnish if desired and sprinkle some dried parsley on as well.

Notes

Only item expensive here would be the smoked bacon, a good brand is TGM, this would be about 130 Baht/200 gram package, 2 packages would be 260 Baht. For 8 servings, this is about 95 cents per serving, good value!
Variants: 1. Prior to serving, add 2-3 chopped plum tomatoes and stir those in. 2. Add macaroni for a kind of pasta fagioli to get more meals from this.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Adding pasta inspired by good friend, Edward Coleman.
Philippines.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Soups, Stews, Chili - Slow Cooker
Baked Eggplant Parmesan
March 25, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

This is a wonderful dish! Step by step photos taken that show my now cluttered counter. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • olive oil, as needed
  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped well, retain juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • salt, as needed
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped plus for garnish
  • 1 large purple eggplant, slice into 1/2 slices
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs, OR make from a shortcut
  • 500 grams Mozzarella Cheese, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • cooked pasta, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 220 C (425 F).
  • Add a splash of olive oil and the garlic in a large skillet and place over medium heat. When the garlic sizzles and its edges start to brown, add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped basil.
  • Heat a large sheet pan in the oven for at least 10 minutes while you bread the eggplant. Line up 3 shallow dishes; fill one with the flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt. Dredge an eggplant slice in the flour (tapping off excess), then dip in the egg, and finally dredge it in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining eggplant. Set each slice aside on a foil sheet. This photo shows the three bowls after I coated all the slices.
  • When all the eggplant slices are breaded, carefully remove the heated sheet pan from the oven and brush it with a splash of olive oil. Place the eggplant on the sheet pan in a single layer. Bake until the undersides are crisp and browned, 8-10 minutes, then flip the slices and continue baking until they are golden on the second side, 8-10 minutes more.
  • Both sides baked, not very brown really but almost fork tender.
  • Top the baked eggplant with the tomato sauce, Mozzarella slices, and Parmesan.
  • Return the pan to the oven and bake, rotating halfway through, until the cheese melts and browns and the sauce is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Top with torn basil before serving.
  • Serve with pasta on the side.

Notes

Low cost.
Variant: Use pasta sauce or make from a shortcut using tomato paste as the base.
Shortcuts: Italian Breadcrumbs, Pasta Sauce.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Garland Davis, US Navy Cook (Ret).
United States.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,PASTA
Bacon Cheeseburger Mini Meatloaf Patties
March 25, 2017 Lee
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Bacon Cheeseburger Mini Meatloaf Patties

I like meatloaf, and I like to just have a thick burger patty along side simple mashed potatoes and gravy. These sound really good.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 750 grams ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, shredded
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
  • 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup ketchup, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon steak seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 2-3 drops liquid smoke

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 200 C.
  • Combine the beef, onion, bacon, cheese, and egg in a mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the ketchup and the remaining 6 ingredients, gently mix until completely mixed.
  • Divide into 6 patties and place on a roasting pan with a rack covered with aluminum foil and sprayed with olive oil spray. Using a basting brush, cover the meatloaf patties with the remaining ketchup.
  • Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the patties are done to you liking of doneness. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes, then serve.

Notes

The beef would cost around 150 Baht/750 grams. For 6 servings, this is about 75 cents per serving.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,BEEF
Bourbon Chicken
March 25, 2017 Lee
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Bourbon Chicken

Bourbon is not needed in this recipe. Sounds good and is a slow cooker meal as well.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams chicken, boneless, skinless
  • 1/2 cup Teriyaki sauce
  • 1/2 cup bourbon, OR chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons dry minced onion
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • cooked rice, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Spray your slow cooker with olive oil spray. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and place the chicken pieces in the slow cooker.
  • Mix together remaining ingredients, except for rice, until well blended, then pour over the chicken.
  • Cover and cook for 2 to 4 hours on Low setting. Serve over rice.

Notes

Figure about 50 Baht/500 grams of chicken. For 4 servings, this is about 37 cents per serving.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Unstuffed Bell Peppers
March 25, 2017 Lee
3 Comments

Unstuffed Bell Peppers

Stephen Connell, United States.
I love Stuffed Bell Peppers, and not only does this recipe sounds like a very good alternative, it is delicious as well. I made this on 1 July 2018, very well liked by the family. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • olive oil, as needed
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 bell peppers, any color, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 500 grams ground beef, or ground pork, (1 lb)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, or whole, chopped, with juice, 565 g can
  • 1¾ cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 1 cup tomato sauce, Shortcut
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 cup uncooked rice
  • 1 cup cheese, Cheddar, Edam, or Jack, shredded
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • spring onions, chopped for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Garlic, peppers, and onion prepped. Reserve some of the diced bell peppers to sprinkle on top for garnish if desired.
  • Saute peppers, onions, and garlic in a splash of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
  • Once the peppers and onions have started to soften, increase heat to medium high and add the ground beef to the pan, season with salt and pepper.
  • Once the ground beef is cooked through, drain off excess fat.
  • Then add the chicken broth, can of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and soy sauce. Stir together.
  • Bring the tomato mixture up to a simmer, then stir in one cup of uncooked rice. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Let mixture cook 20-30 minutes, or until rice is tender.
  • At the 20 minute mark, start stirring the pan occasionally so the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan. One rice is tender, sprinkle the cheese on top.
  • Cover the pan with the lid to let the cheese melt.
  • Spoon onto plates, garnish with fresh diced bell peppers and green onions if desired, serve.

Notes

The beef would cost about 100 Baht/500 grams. For 4 servings, this is about 75 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Tomato Sauce.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,BEEF,PORK