Archive for the ‘* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving’ Category
Angle’s Chicken Soup
July 7, 2016 Lee
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Neal's Chicken Soup

I received this recipe for soup from a good friend of mine in the states. Sounds good and very easy. Minimal and very common ingredients. No exact measurements are given, this is a make as you like to your taste.
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mixed
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken, Remove the head and feet and remove the giblets
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1-2 yellow squash, sliced
  • 3-4 whole tomatoes, see Step 3
  • 3-4 tomatoes, diced, see Step 3
  • 1-2 onions, chopped
  • 3-5 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • ground cumin, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Salt and pepper the chicken, inside and out, place chicken in a large pot add water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 90 minutes, or until chicken meat is falling off of the bone. Skim off any foam from time to time.
  • Remove the chicken from the pot and remove the skin and debone, return the meat back to the pot, add the squash, onion, garlic, and cumin to the pot.
  • Now for the tomatoes, use fresh or canned tomatoes. This is the brand I use for canned tomatoes, Brook (it is in English on the other side). There is about 4 small tomatoes in the can and it is packed with tomato juice. This a 565 gram can and cost is about 35 Baht. I would recommend using 2 cans, simply open the first can and pour into the pot, there is the whole tomatoes and about 1 cup of juice. Open the next can, drain the juice into a glass, chop the tomatoes while still in the can, very easy, drain more juice into the glass. Pour chopped tomatoes into the pot. (photo credit: Tesco Lotus Thailand)
  • Return the pot to a simmer to cook the vegetables. Drink and enjoy the tomato juice while the soup is simmering. Adjust salt, pepper, and cumin to taste as needed while the soup simmers, when the veggys are soft, serve.

Notes

A whole chicken at a market will cost about 200 Baht, 2 cans of tomatoes would cost 75 Baht. Fresh tomatoes (Sida aka Plum) costs about 50 Baht/kilo. Going with the chicken and canned tomatoes, this is right about $1 per serving, and the 8 servings is a rough estimate. Less if fresh tomatoes are used. A hard item to find would be yellow squash.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Angle Hightower.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Cheddar Bacon Chicken Ranch Pasta
June 30, 2016 Lee
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Cheddar Bacon Chicken Ranch Pasta

Sounds great! This is a must try and seems easily tailored to your liking. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams Penne pasta
  • 6 slices bacon, chopped
  • 2 chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix, OR make from a shortcut
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • spring onions, chopped, green and white parts, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water until done, drain, set aside.
  • Meanwhile, cook the the bacon in a large non stick pan until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. In the same pan, add the chicken, butter, and salt and pepper to your liking, cook until no pink remains.
  • Add the flour to the chicken and stir and cook for a few more minutes. Add the ranch dressing mix and the milk. Stir and cook for a few more minutes to make nice sauce. Remove from heat and add the bacon and stir to combine, then add the cheese stir to combine, then add the pasta and stir to combine. Plate and sprinkle with chopped spring onions for garnish. Serve.

Notes

Two chicken breasts is minimal, well under $1 per serving without even doing the math.
Variants: Include adding some yellow or red diced bell pepper, or even some fresh mushrooms, this dish screams of using sliced Shiitake mushrooms.
Shortcut: Dry Ranch Dressing Mix.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Mike Early.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,PASTA
Skillet Lemon Chicken Pasta I
June 29, 2016 Lee
1 Comment

Skillet Lemon Chicken Pasta I

This sounds very easy, one pan to wash, and sounds tasty, on my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 3 cups dry Penne pasta
  • 5 cloves garic, smashed and minced
  • 3 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 lemons, medium size, zested and juiced
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, more if you like cheese
  • 1/2 cup Ricotta cheese, OR Cottage cheese made from a shortcut
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil, loosely packed, sliced thinly
  • 1/2 cup spinach, loosely packed, sliced thinly
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 lemon, sliced, for garnish, optional
  • olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Heat a splash of olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Toss in chicken and saute until just browned. Stir in chicken broth, water, and uncooked pasta to pan. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low. Cover the pan and cook on low for about 12-15 minutes, stirring pasta with tongs often so it does not stick to bottom of pan. Remove cover when pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed and allow to simmer for 5 more minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, spinach, parsley, basil, Parmesan and Ricotta cheese. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed and garnish with lemon slices and additional Parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.

Notes

Chicken breasts will run about 35 Baht/500 grams. This is easily less than $1 per serving.
Shortcut: Cottage Cheese.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,PASTA
Shrimp & Asparagus Stir Fry
June 28, 2016 Lee
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Shrimp & Asparagus Stir Fry

Easy dish for a lunch or dinner. Serve with some rice on the side and you have a filling meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams shrimp, peeled with tail removed, and deveined if you choose
  • 500 grams fresh asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • olive oil, for cooking

Instructions
 

  • In a large frying pan, heat a splash of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp to the pan, then season with salt and red pepper flakes, cook until the shrimp is pink, remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
  • In the same pan, heat another splash of olive oil and add asparagus, add ginger and garlic, then season with salt. Stir frequently and cook until the asparagus is tender-crisp.
  • Return the shrimp to the pan, then add soy sauce. Stir until the ingredients are well combined and heated through, just before the dish is ready, add lemon juice, stir once more, then serve while hot. Serve with rice on the side would be excellent.

Notes

Shrimp would run about 100 Baht/500 grams, this comes out to about 75 cents per serving for 4 servings. Excellent value and nutritious.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,SEAFOOD - ALL,Seafood - Shrimp/Prawn
Slow Cooker Golden Chicken
June 26, 2016 Lee
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Slow Cooker Golden Chicken

This sounds really good, serve over pasta of your choice. On my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 8 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into 2-3 pieces
  • 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish, OR Spring onions
  • pasta, of your choice, cooked, to serve

Instructions
 

  • Stir the soup, water, lemon juice, mustard, garlic powder, and carrots in a slow cooker. Add the chicken and turn to coat.
  • Cover and cook on Low setting for 6 hours or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve over noodles or pastawith the noodles. Sprinkle with the parsley.

Notes

Chicken will cost about 72 Baht/Kilo, the canned condensed soup will be 120+ Baht/2 cans, make yourself for 45 Baht. Figuring the chicken and that you make the soup yourself (it only takes 5 minutes per "can"), this comes out to about 44 cents per serving for 8 servings.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Chicken - Slow Cooker
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Casserole
June 26, 2016 Lee
1 Comment

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Casserole

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Show of hands, who likes Chicken Noodle Soup? Yep, that is what I thought, most people do. Well here is a casserole recipe I found and it sounds wonderful. There is 2 cooking steps but I agree on why. On my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, or legs and thighs skin on bone in, (1 lb)
  • 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, (10½ oz / 298 g), Shortcut
  • 3½ cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • ½ cup celery, chopped
  • ½ cup carrot, chopped
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 400 grams egg noodles, (14 oz)

Instructions
 

  • First, I cannot stress the need to make the condensed soup yourself. It is not a only a cost saver, you know what is in it. It is so easy and I have a shortcut recipe for this on the site that I have made many times. Also, use the chicken stock powder instead of canned stock or make fresh stock yourself from a chicken carcass or from a previous chicken recipe.
  • Pour the undiluted condensed soup and the stock into the slow cooker and add the bay leaf and chopped celery, stir to combine then add the chicken into the broth mixture, cover and cook on High setting for 3 hours or Low setting for 5-6 hours.
  • Remove the chicken, if using just breasts, shred with two forks into bite size pieces and return to the slow cooker, and if using thighs, using two forks, remove skin and bone and set aside (great treat for your dog), then shred with the forks into bite size pieces and return to the slow cooker. Or feel free to use a combination of the two. Remove the bay leaf.
  • About 20 minutes before the chicken is done (either on High or Low setting), boil a pot of water and cook your egg noodles or Fettuccine (which is what I will use) and the chopped carrot together. Drain and set aside. The reason for cooking the noodles, or pasta, separate is to prevent them from becoming mush.
  • After the chicken is shredded and returned to the slow cooker, stir in the egg noodles or fettuccine pasta and carrots and heat for another 30 minutes, stirring once in a while as well, until heated through. Serve.

Notes

Chicken breast will cost about 35 Baht/500 grams. The soup canned will run about 55 Baht, make yourself for 22 Baht, and the stock will only cost a few Baht if made from the powder. For 8 servings, well under $1 per serving.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Casseroles - Slow Cooker
Mom’s Oyster Stew
June 25, 2016 Lee
1 Comment

Mom's Oyster Stew

Adapted from an internet recipe.
No, this is not my Mom's stew, just happens to be the name of the recipe I found, but it is very easy to prepare, and very good! Keep in mind these are the small, already shucked and packaged oysters. I am going to go with 3 small containers from Tesco for a pint of oysters. I made this on 6 June 2018 and used fresh oyster meat from a local fisherman, 1 pint was 45 Baht, much less than Tesco. Excellent soup as well.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish, Side
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pint oyster meat, shucked and drained, (2 cups)
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed and finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • 1½ cups evaporated milk
  • ½ cup milk

Instructions
 

  • In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, salt and pepper; cook and stir until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the evaporated milk and milk and reduce to a simmer.
  • When the milk is hot add the oysters and cook just until the oysters start to curl and turn opaque. Taste and season with more salt and white pepper if needed.
  • Serve with saltine or oyster crackers on the side. (Not much to look at, but tasty!)

Notes

For a main dish, 2 servings with a salad on the side, and as a side dish, 3-4 servings. For pricing, a small container of oyster meat from Tesco is 45 Baht each, I am thinking 2-3 containers for a pint, I have to verify this still. I buy fresh oyster meat by the pint from the local fishermen at a cost of 45 Baht. For 2 servings 70 cents. Tesco bought oysters would be twice this.
Variants: 1. Add diced celery at the beginning and soften that up with the butter, then proceed with the recipe. 2. Double the amount of oysters.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,SEAFOOD - ALL,Seafood - Oysters,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Scalloped Oysters I
June 24, 2016 Lee
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Scalloped Oysters I

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Now this sounds really good! I cannot wait to make this. This would be the small oysters already shucked and in the small containers at say Tesco or even available from vendors in villages. The recipe calls for 1 pint of oysters, I am going to go with 3 small containers from Tesco for this, after I make, I will report with photos.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Baking Pan (8x8 inch)

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pint oyster meat, shucked and drained, (2 cups)
  • 1½ cups saltine cracker crumbs
  • ½ cup butter, melted, (1 stick / ½ standard block)
  • ¼ cup oyster liquid
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Get out a 8x8 inch baking pan.
  • Combine crumbs with the melted butter. Put a thin layer of crumbs in the bottom of a baking dish. Alternate layers of oysters and crumb mixture, sprinkling each layer with seasoning of your choice. Do not use more than 2 layers of oysters.
  • Mix the milk and the oyster liquid together and pour over the last layer of oysters, then top with crumb mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, let rest 5 minutes, serve as a main with several sides or as a side dish (to get more portions from it).

Notes

Once I make this I will report on the number of servings, photos, etc. Right now, a small container of oyster meat from Tesco is 45 Baht each, I am thinking 3 containers for a cost of 135 Baht. If you serve this as a side, say 6 servings, this is about 67 cents per serving. More to follow when I make this.
Variant: 1. Use green mussel meat, but you would need to remove any grass first.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,SEAFOOD - ALL,Seafood - Oysters
Cottage Pie
June 24, 2016 Lee
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Cottage Pie

This is a casserole that is filling, made with ground beef (made with minced pork when I make it), and the variant is Shepherds Pie which is made from lamb. There is loads of recipes like this, all have little changes, this is the basic version that sounds really good. Feel free to use fresh or frozen vegetables. This is a cook everything then prepare casserole. On my to cook list.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine European
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

Potato Topping

  • 5 large potatoes, diced, peel them if you like but not required
  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 cup fresh carrot, diced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/8 cup milk

Beef Mixture

  • 750 grams ground beef, OR minced pork
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced, this would be imported celery
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups beef stock, make from the powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 2 tablespoons Worcherstershire sauce
  • oil for cooking, oil of your choice

Vegetable Filling

  • 1 cup fresh corn, OR frozen
  • 1 cup fresh peas, OR frozen

Instructions
 

Potato Topping

  • Cook the potatoes, carrots, and garlic cloves in a big saucepan with enough water to cover, simmering until tender. Drain and add to a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, a few tablespoon of butter, and about 1/8 cup of milk. The potatoes should be a thicker consistency than if you were eating them as is. Mash to potatoes until the potatoes are smooth, lumps of carrots are ok. Taste and season again if needed.

Beef Mixture

  • While the potatoes are cooking brown the ground meat in a large skillet. Drain fat. Remove from pan and set aside. In enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet saute onion and celery until tender. Add two tablespoons butter, flour, and mustard, stir for a minute. Slowly add in stock and stir or whisk until smooth. Add ground beef and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer for 3-4 minutes. Taste and season further if needed.

Vegetable Filling

  • Steam the peas and corn, if you are using a pea, corn, carrot, and bean frozen mix, no worries, use those.

Assemble

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a deep-sided 8×8 in light greased with butter casserole pan, spread the meat mixture evenly across the bottom, the sprinkle the pea and corn mixture over top. Dollop the potatoes over top of the vegetables and spread out, roughing up the top with fork. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown on top and bubbly. Put a baking sheet on the rack underneath to catch any drips. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. A salad on the side would be a perfect meal.

Notes

Ground beef will run about 150 Baht/750 grams. Pork will run about 100 Baht/750 grams. For 6 servings, this is about 75 cents per serving. Very reasonable.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CASSEROLES
Cottage Cheese Meatloaf
June 24, 2016 Lee
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Cottage Cheese Meatloaf

This is a more traditional meatloaf but with Cottage cheese added. You can make this from beef or pork. This sounds really good and is on my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams ground beef, OR minced pork
  • 1 cup Cottage cheese, OR you can make from a shortcut listed on this site
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons onion, minced, or just go with 1 small onion minced
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 tablespoon Worcherstershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C and get out a shallow baking dish, like an 8x8 square pan. You can use a loaf pan but will need to increase the time due to the increased thickness.
  • Combine all ingredients except the cheese in a bowl until well mixed. Press this into the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle cheese over the top and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes then cut into squares and serve with sides of your choice.

Notes

Ground beef will run about 100 Baht for 500 grams, minced pork will run about 70 Baht for 500 grams. To minimize the beef cost, buy a large piece of beef and mince it yourself. This comes out to about (figuring 100 Baht for the beef) 50 cents per serving for 6 servings.
Shortcut: Cottage Cheese.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,BEEF