Archive for the ‘* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving’ Category
Slow Cooker Cuban Pork
This sounds really good and is a must try for me.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 7 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 onion, sliced thin
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 kilo pork shoulder, (3 lbs)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, juices, salt, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, pepper, and garlic.
- Make slits in the pork with a knife and place the pork in the juice mixture and rub liberally all over with the oil mixture.
- Place pork in the slow cooker, along with the onion and bay leaf. Poor the remaining juices from the bowl over the pork.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, if the meat shreds easily, it is down, if not done, cook another hour and test again. Using two forks, shred into thick chunks in the pot then use a large slotted spoon to serve it with.
- Serve with mashed potatoes with some of the juice spooned over the top.
- Serve in a tortilla with Cheddar cheese.
- Serve with cilantro lime rice and black beans.
Notes
Pork shoulder runs about 100 Baht/kilo, for this recipe this would be 150 Baht for 1 1/2 kilo. For 6 servings, this is about 75 cents per serving, great value.
Variants: 1. Use pork loin in place of the pork shoulder. 2. Use a pork roast in place of the pork shoulder.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States. Variant 1 tested by Tina Nolan, with excellent results.
United States.
United States. Variant 1 tested by Tina Nolan, with excellent results.
United States.
Poor Man's Stew
Sounds good and tasty. On my to cook list.
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground beef, browned and drained
- 750 grams potatoes, diced large
- 2-3 carrots, sliced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 can tomato paste, 170 gram can
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Add the cooked ground beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic to a large slow cooker.
- In a small bowl whisk together the tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, and oregano. Pour this mixture over everything in the slow cooker. Stir.
- Cover and cook on Low setting for 6-7 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time. Serve with buttered bread.
Notes
The beef will run about 100 Baht/500 grams. For 4 servings, this is about 75 cents per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Green Olive Coleslaw
This is a basic slaw recipe that has green olives and spring onions added. I do not buy anything precut like salad in a bag, so this is made with 3 fresh vegetables, jarred olives, and a homemade sauce, and it is delicious! Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 head cabbage, see Step 1
- 1/2 carrot, shredded
- 4 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts
- handful green olives with pimento, sliced
- 1 bowl coleslaw dressing, shortcut is listed below
Instructions
- Cabbage in Thailand is much smaller than what I remember in the US, I bought two, weighed them each was about 450 grams, about a pound, where as cabbage in the states is about 2 pounds per head. I only used one head as this is only for my wife and I.
- To prepare the cabbage, peel off the outer leaves and cut the bottom of the core off, this gives you a clean cabbage before you chop it. Leaves and bottom of the core on the left, nice clean head of cabbage on the right.
- Cut the cabbage in half from top to bottom, then cut each piece in half again so you have four pieces. Take each piece and cut the core out at an angle, then lay a piece down and cut in 1/4 inch slices, then cut the pile cross ways 2 or 3 times, do this for all four pieces and you have shredded cabbage. Place in a large bowl.
- Shred 1/2 the carrot with a box shredder and place that in the large bowl. Slice the spring onion and the olives and place those in the large bowl.
- Prepare the dressing from the shortcut for the coleslaw, shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
- Pour the dressing into the large bowl and mix to coat everything. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to blend the flavors.
- Serve as a side with any main dish.
Notes
Corn, Beef and Biscuit Casserole
Sounds good, I will say the use of green olives is interesting. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups Bisquick Mix, OR make from a shortcut
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons green olives with pimento, sliced
- 500 grams ground beef
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained, chopped
- 1 can cream style corn
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 C. In large bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk and olives until soft dough forms.
- In a large skillet, cook beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until beef is thoroughly cooked, then drain off the fat. Stir in tomatoes, corn, and chili powder. Heat to boiling then pour in ungreased 11x7 inch glass baking dish. Drop biscuit dough by tablespoonfuls over mixture.
- Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over biscuits; bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until biscuits are lightly browned and cheese is melted.
Notes
The beef will run about 100 Baht/500 grams. For 6 servings, this is about 50 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Bisquick Mix.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
United States.
Sloppy Joes I
Sounds nice and sloppy, which would make a great Sloppy Joe, the sauce sounds excellent.
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground beef
- 1 medium onion
- 1/3 cup celery, chopped
- 1/3 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Worcherstershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
- 6 buns, split and toasted
Instructions
- Cook beef and onion in a skillet over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown, then drain well. Stir in remaining ingredients except buns.
- Cover and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or just until vegetables are tender. Fill buns with mixture and enjoy.
Notes
The beef will run about 100 Baht/500 grams. For 6 servings, this is about 50 cents per serving.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
United States.
Potato Collops
This is a traditional Irish dish and sounds like a great side dish. A collop is small portion of any food or a slice of meat. I am planning to make this with small 1 serving baking dishes I have my eye on.
Ingredients
- 2-3 potatoes, washed, thinly sliced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 100 grams bacon, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup milk, scalded
- 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C. Lightly grease a small baking dish with butter.
- Place a layer of potatoes and onions in the baking dish, vegetables on a greased baking dish, sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper, and some diced bacon.
- Repeat with more layers until all are in the dish. Sprinkle cheese over the top, then pour the hot scalded milk over the cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and continue baking until the potatoes are cooked through and the top is nicely browned. Serve as a side.
Notes
Low cost.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
United States.
Pork Ragout with Fettuccine Pasta
A good meaty stew is always a hit here at the house, this is a must try for me.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- salt, to taste
- 500 grams pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 carrot, thinly sliced
- 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup red wine, OR beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme, OR 1 teaspoon dried
- pinch crushed red pepper, OR cayenne
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, drained, chopped, juice reserved
- 250 grams dry Fettuccine pasta
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped and packed
- handful fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
- Parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, salt both sides of each rib, then add to the pot and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onion, bell pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stir to combine and then partially cover with a lid. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, about 6 minutes. Add the wine, bay leaves, thyme, crushed red pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until most of the wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Nestle in the browned ribs (and any accumulated juices), then add the crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup tomato juice from the can. Bring to a high simmer, then adjust to a low simmer and cover the pot partially with the lid. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and falling apart and the sauce has reduced, about 2 hours.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook according to the package instructions, drain, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.
- Stir the parsley into the sauce and adjust the seasoning to taste with salt. Thin out with a little of the reserved pasta water and stir some of the basil.
- Divide the cooked pasta among bowls and top each with some ragout. Drizzle each bowl with a little olive oil, top with a generous amount of Parmesan and garnish with a few basil leaves.
Notes
Overall, the only costly item here is the pork shoulder but that is 50 Baht/500 grams, so for 4 servings, this is about 37 cents per serving. Excellent value.
Provided courtesy of good friends, Garland Davis, US Navy Cook (Ret).
United States.
United States.
Basic Fried Rice
Fried rice was started as a way to use up cooked rice and leftovers, so the possibilities are endless with vegetables and meats. The only requirement is that vegetables are diced and meats cut into bite size pieces. This sounds like a a good recipe to start with and make it your own.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 250 grams meat, of your choice, see Step 1
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
Instructions
- For the meat, can be chicken, pork, beef, or even shrimp, squid, or fish, or what is called seafood fried rice which is shrimp, squid, and fish together. Main thing to keep in mind, what ever you use, needs to be cooked first, then cut into bite size pieces.
- Heat sesame oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add onion, garlic, peas, and carrots. Stir fry until tender. Crack eggs one at a time into a bowl, adding each one after being cracked, to the pan and scramble, mixing throughout vegetables.
- Add rice, meat of your choice and soy sauce to the pan. Stir to combine all ingredients and remove from heat. Serve as a main dish or a side dish.
Notes
Low cost.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
United States.
Chicken Kiev I
I have always heard of this dish, never had it, so here is a recipe, and I will try it, sounds good! There is a number of steps involved in this but it sounds worth it. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 standard block of butter
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- vegetable oil, as needed for frying
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C.
- In a medium bowl or mixer, beat together butter, parsley, garlic, and lemon juice, and season generously with salt and pepper. Roll butter into a log, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
- Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and pound them until they’re 1/4-inch thick. Using the chilled butter, place a cube of butter in the center of each flattened chicken breast, then fold in the sides so there’s no open space where butter could escape. (Optional: use a toothpick or three to seal.)
- Heat 2-3 inches vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat until water sizzles when water droplets are sprinkled on it.
- While the oil is heating, set up an assembly line by your stove with flour in one shallow bowl, beaten eggs in a second, and panko and Parmesan mixed together in a third shallow bowl.
- Dredge each chicken pocket in flour, shake off excess, then dip completely in egg wash. Shake off excess and press chicken firmly (on all sides) in panko cheese mixture. Transfer coated chicken carefully to hot oil and cook on all sides until coating is golden brown. Then remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts, then transfer them all to a baking dish.
- Place the baking dish in your oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetable of your choice.
Notes
Chicken breasts run about 60 Baht/kilo, boneless, you have to pull the skin off and trim some fat, but that is easy. I will say 100 Baht for 6 good size breasts. For 6 servings, this is about 49 cents per serving.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
United States.
Fried Cabbage with Bacon, Onion, and Garlic
Sounds like a great side dish for sure! Minimal ingredients that would normally be on hand.
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 head cabbage, cored and sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Place the bacon in a large stockpot and cook over medium high heat until crispy, about 10 minutes. Add the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion caramelizes; about 10 minutes. Immediately stir in the cabbage and continue to cook and stir another 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes more. Serve.
Notes
Low cost.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Stephen Connell.
United States.
United States.
