Archive for the ‘* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving’ Category
Paprika Chicken Stroganoff
July 19, 2016 Lee
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Chicken Paprika Stroganoff

Chicken and mushrooms, my favorites, in thick sauce, sounds really good, serve over hot pasta of your choice.
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams chicken breasts, OR thighs or a combination of both
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, OR regular paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, and more as needed
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 300 grams mushrooms, sliced, King Oyster or Shiitake would be good
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 3/4 cup chicken stock, fresh or from the powder
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup plain yogurt, OR sour cream
  • 500 grams pasta, cooked, your choice
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Cut the chicken into bite size pieces, feel free to use boneless skinless breasts or boneless skinless thighs or a combination of both. In a medium bowl or shallow pie plate, toss the cubed chicken with the paprika, flour, salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until golden brown on each side, tossing occasionally, about 5 minutes. The chicken will finish cooking fully a bit later so it doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through. Put the chicken on a plate and set aside.
  • Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan, if needed, and stir in the onions and mushrooms. Saute the mixture, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits from the chicken, until the onion is translucent and the onions and mushrooms are browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
  • Pour in about 1/4 cup of the chicken broth and deglaze the pan by scraping up any bits from the bottom. Stir in the tomato paste, whisking to combine. Add the rest of the chicken broth and the bay leaf, stirring well.
  • Add the chicken back into the skillet and simmer the mixture over medium-low to medium heat, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the yogurt (or sour cream) and cook for about 2-3 minutes longer.
  • If you would like the sauce to be a bit thicker, make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering mixture in the skillet, whisking quickly to combine.
  • Let the mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
  • Serve over hot pasta and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

Notes

Chicken will cost about 38 Baht/500 grams, everything else is either on hand or minimal cost, for 4 servings, this is well under $1 per meal.
Provided by The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and the link to this recipe is here.
Singapore.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CHICKEN & TURKEY
Sour Cream & Onion Potatoes
July 18, 2016 Lee
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Sour Cream & Onion Potatoes

I got this from a good friend, a mix between fried potatoes and scalloped. No serving size or times are given, this is a make as you need recipe. Measurements are approximate. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Course Side
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • potatotoes, sliced, go with 1 large potato per serving
  • onion, sliced, go with 1 small onion per potato
  • sour cream, OR make from a shortcut
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Slice your potato or potatoes and fry in a nonstick pan with a splash of olive oil. You are looking for nice and golden brown and tender. Once cooked, drain off any oil.
  • Add the sour cream, the amount is up to you for your preference. Add the sliced onions, mix up a bit then cook on a low simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until the onion is tender. Serve as a side with a rib eye steak as my friend did.

Notes

Shortcut: Sour Cream.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Miguel Morris.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,SIDES
Creamy Chicken and Potatoes
July 10, 2016 Lee
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Creamy Chicken and Potatoes

Sounds really good and easy, and cooked in a slow cooker, even better.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams potatoes, red potatoes if you find them, quartered
  • 2 cups carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 1 onion, chopped in large pieces
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped
  • 1 chicken, cut up, takes just a few minutes
  • 1 cup chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 3 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
  • 1/2 cup cream, heavy or whipping

Instructions
 

  • In your slow cooker, combine carrots, potatoes, onion, and garlic. Place chicken pieces on top of vegetables. In 2-cup measuring cup, mix chicken broth, cornstarch, thyme, salt and pepper to taste; pour mixture over chicken and vegetables. Cover slow cooker and cook on Low setting 8 hours or on High setting 4 hours.
  • With tongs or slotted spoon (slotted spoon recommended), transfer chicken pieces to warm deep platter. With slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to platter with chicken pieces. Cover platter to keep warm. Stir peas and cream into cooking liquid; heat through. Spoon sauce over chicken and vegetables on platter and serve.

Notes

A whole chicken will cost 200 Baht, you need to remove the head, neck, feet, giblet pack before cutting into pieces. This is 98 cents per serving for 6 servings.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Old Fashioned Ham Salad
July 10, 2016 Lee
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Old Fashioned Ham Salad

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This is an excellent ham salad and is very easy to prepare. Serve as a snack or appetizer on crackers, or in a sandwich for a lunch or dinner.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Course Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups ham, fat removed, minced, (about 325 g / 11-12 oz ham)
  • 1 tablespoon onion, finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish, or minced sweet pickle and a bit of juice
  • mayo, as needed

Instructions
 

  • Use a meat grinder, or a cleaver and a chopping block, and mince the ham, add the onion, mustard, and pickle. Mix together. I used diced sweet gherkins.
  • Add and mix in mayo, a heaping tablespoon at a time, until you have achieved a creamy consistency. Serve on crackers, crackers and cheese, or use as a filling for sandwiches. Enjoy.

Notes

Nice ham slices can be bought at Makro if you do not have ham on hand. If using sliced ham from Makro, the type that comes 6 slices in a package of 1 kilo, use 2 slices. 
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,APPETIZERS / SNACKS
Cheesy Tuna-Vegetable Chowder
July 10, 2016 Lee
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Cheesy Tuna-Vegetable Chowder

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Sounds really good! Use fresh tuna and vegetables for additional savings. On my to cook list. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • ÂĽ cup butter
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • ÂĽ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard
  • â…› teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 2 cups fresh vegetables, peas, carrot, corn, beans, frozen
  • ÂĽ teaspoon dried marjoram, or Âľ tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup fresh tuna, or use 2 cans of tuna (185 g / 7 oz each), Shortcut

Instructions
 

  • In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Reduce heat to low. Stir in flour, mustard and pepper; cook and stir until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
  • Gradually stir in milk and broth. Stir in vegetables and marjoram. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
  • Add cheese and tuna; heat, stirring gently, until cheese is melted.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Add cooked shrimp, squid, or oysters or a combination.
Shortcut: Tuna.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,FISH - ALL,Fish - Tuna,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Tuna Bake
July 9, 2016 Lee
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Tuna Bake

I like tuna and I use fresh caught local fish. This recipe sounds very good. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup fresh tuna, cooked, OR use 2 cans of tuna in brine, drained
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, OR fresh
  • 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons dill pickle, chopped, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup Bisquick Mix, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1/3 cup cold water
  • paprika, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat your oven to 200 C. Lightly grease a baking dish with butter.
  • In medium size saucepan, stir frozen vegetables, tuna, soup, milk, pickle, and lemon juice until well mixed. Heat over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are thawed and mixture is hot and starts to bubble. Pour into baking dish.
  • In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix and cold water with a fork until soft dough forms; beat vigorously 30 seconds. Drop dough by 4 spoonfuls onto tuna mixture; sprinkle with paprika if desired.
  • Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes until biscuits are golden brown. Serve.

Notes

Using fresh tuna and the shortcut for the soup this is under 60 cents per serving for 4 servings. If using canned tuna and canned soup, this is just a bit over $1 per serving for 4 servings. Use local caught fish and use the shortcuts and fresh veggies when you can.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Bisquick Mix, Dill Pickles, Tuna.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CASSEROLES
Slow Cooker Chicken & Mushrooms
July 8, 2016 Lee
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Slow Cooker Chicken & Mushrooms

Need to feed a lot of people, this may work! This recipe was originally called Herbed Chicken and Mushrooms, why? I have no idea! I changed it to Chicken & Mushroom for obvious reasons. This is a 2 step process here. This sounds really good!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 kilos chicken thighs, and legs if you want, quarters would be perfect!
  • 5 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced, think King Oyster, Shiitake, and Straw
  • 1 onion, cut into wedges
  • 1/2 cup carrot, shredded
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme, (should be increased to 1 tablespoon)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, (should be increased to 1 tablespoon)
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Remove the skins from the thighs and or legs.
  • in a large skillet brown, not cook, the chicken pieces in hot oil until well browned, set chicken aside. In your slow cooker add the mushrooms, onion, carrot, garlic, and bell pepper, stir to combine. Pour broth over mushroom mixture in cooker. Sprinkle with thyme, basil, and season with sale and pepper to your liking. Add chicken pieces to the slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on Low setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. Serve chicken and vegetables over hot cooked pasta; drizzle with cooking juices.

Notes

Chicken will run 56 Baht/kilo when buying quarters. Cut the quarters yourself, pull off the skin, trim excess fat. Easily under $1 per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Easy Chicken Tetrazzini I
July 8, 2016 Lee
1 Comment

Easy Chicken Tetrazzini I

Sounds good, lot of possibilities. This recipe when I found it used canned mushrooms and jarred sauce, this is a rewrite to fresh mushrooms and home made sauce.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced, think King Oyster, Shiitake, or Straw
  • 1 1/2 packages Cream cheese, 250 grams per package
  • 1/2 cup butter, this is 1/2 block of butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 300 grams pasta, of your choice, spaghetti, spirals, fettuccine, etc
  • 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 3/4 cup spring onions, thinly sliced
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • First thing, you need to make the Alfredo sauce, this is easy. Melt the Cream cheese and butter in a saucepan, stir in the milk, season with salt and pepper. See, that was easy.
  • Add the sauce you just made to the slow cooker, then add the mushrooms, chicken stock, nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper as desired, mix.
  • Add the chicken to the slow cooker and stir to coat. Cook on Low setting for 5-6 hours.
  • Just before the chicken is done, cook your pasta and drain, splash a bit of olive oil on the pasta to prevent sticking and set aside.
  • When the chicken is done, stir the Parmesan cheese into the slow cooker, serve over hot pasta, sprinkle each serving with sliced spring onion.

Notes

Chicken will cost about 100 Baht/kilo. Cream cheese will cost about 120 Baht. Easily under $1 per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs, Tex-Mex Style
July 8, 2016 Lee
1 Comment

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs, Tex-Mex Style

I cannot vouch for the name but these do sound good. This recipe screams of shortcuts and that means saving on cost. When I found this recipe 5 of the 7 ingredients were either canned or packaged, this is a rewrite. This would take some time but also would provide ingredients for other recipes. Lots of information in the steps. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500-750 grams chicken thighs, see Step 1
  • 1 3/4 cups sweet corn, cooked, see Step 2
  • 1 3/4 cups black beans, cooked, see Step 3
  • 1/4 cup green chilis, chopped
  • 1 cup salsa, OR make from a shortcut on this site
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix, OR make from a shortcut on this site
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • You can buy individual thighs, but these are normally small. Buy quarters and cut the thighs from the legs and you have much larger thighs. Pull the skin off and use the edge of the knife to remove the excess fat.
  • Sweet corn, fresh is preferred and this would be about 3 ears worth of corn, next choice would be frozen. If you want to use canned corn, look for a can from 12 to 15 ounces and drain the corn as well.
  • Black beans, cook these from dry beans for cost savings. If you want to use canned beans, look for a 15 oz can, and drain this as well.
  • Add the corn, beans, chilis, salsa, taco seasoning in the slow cooker and mix well.
  • Salt and pepper the thighs on both sides and add to the slow cooker, stir a bit to coat the chicken.
  • Cover and cook on Low setting for 5 to 7 hours or until the chicken is cooked through. If in doubt, use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temp of 74 C. Serve over hot rice and a salad on the side.

Notes

Chicken thighs will cost about 66 Baht/kilo, quarters cost 56 Baht/kilo. Buy a kilo of quarters and separate yourself. You will have more than 500 grams of thighs, and you get legs for use in another recipe. Use fresh sweet corn, dry beans, and use the shortcut for the taco seasoning. This meal would be well under $1 per serving.
Shortcuts: Salsa, Taco Seasoning Mix.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Pasta Shells with Chicken and Brussels Sprouts
July 7, 2016 Lee
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Pasta Shells with Chicken and Brussels Sprouts

Sounds really good, on my to cook list!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
  • 400 grams fresh brussel sprouts, OR frozen, they would work also, thawed
  • 1 cup chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 red onion, diced, or just go with a small yellow onion
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 250 grams medium pasta shells, OR just go with Penne pasta
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and diced

Instructions
 

  • Cut the brussel sprouts into quarters from the top to the step, set aside.
  • In a large nonstick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon each butter and a splash of olive oil over moderate heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and just done, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut into small pieces.
  • In the same pan, heat the a splash of olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, Brussels sprouts, stock, and red-pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook covered, until the Brussels sprouts are just done, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, lemon juice, parsley, Parmesan, and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, season with salt and pepper to your liking. Remove from the heat.
  • In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain and toss with the sauce. Serve.

Notes

Chicken would cost about 40 Baht, everything else is low cost or on hand, easily well under $1 per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,PASTA