Archive for the ‘* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving’ Category
Fried Red Tomatoes
Fried red tomatoes are common with Full English Breakfasts and are a great addition. These make an excellent side dish with any meal.
Ingredients
- 2-3 ripe red tomatoes
- dried basil, as desired
- dried thyme, as desired
- extra light olive oil, as needed
Instructions
- Cut out the stem core on the tomatoes, then slice thick, between 1/4 and 1/2 inch.
- Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a non stick pan, when the pan is hot, add the tomato slices in a single layer, work in batches if needed. Sprinkle with basil and thyme as desired.
- Cook for about 4-5 minutes, turn slices over when the tomato is softened and cook the other side.
- Place cooked slices on a plate.
- Serve as side dish, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Common way to cook red tomatoes.
Jalapeno Honey Butter Bath Corn
This sounds very good! On my to make list.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened, (1/2 block / 1 stick)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup milk
- 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced, seeds removed
- 6-8 cobs fresh corn, shucked
Instructions
- The amount of corn is really up to how much you want to cook and how much your pot can hold.
- Add water to a large pot about half way, and bring to a boil.
- Add the butter, milk, and honey, stir until the butter is melted and the honey mixed in.
- Carefully add the corn and jalapenos, and turn the heat down to low. Let cook for 5-8 minutes or until the corn is tender.
- Remove corn to a serving tray for serving, or if at like a potluck, just turn off the heat and cover the pot, letting people just serve themselves.
- Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving but I will need to source the fresh jalapeno peppers in Thailand to determine their cost.
Recipe provided by Love my Lab.
United States.
United States.
Mackerel Patties
This is a basic recipe for mackerel patties using canned mackerel in brine, and basic certainly is best, these are excellent tasting patties.
Ingredients
- 1 can mackerel, in brine, (15 oz / 425 g)
- 1 sleeve saltine crackers, crushed
- 2 eggs
- black pepper, as desired
- vegetable oil, for frying, as needed
Instructions
- This is the can of mackerel I tested, Kroger brand, $2.29 per can. This is a product of Thailand.
- Open and drain the mackerel, add to a mixing bowl and break up with a fork.
- Add the crushed saltines and eggs to the bowl.
- Season with black pepper as desired, mix together.
- Shape into 4 patties. Heat a non stick pan with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, when hot, add the patties.
- Turn patties over when browned turn over and repeat for the other side, seasoning pepper as desired.
- Transfer the cooked patties to a serving plate.
- Serve with sides of your choice and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost in the US, about 67 cents per serving for 4 servings from 1 can. In Thailand however, I have never seen mackerel in cans like this, always the small cans and in tomato sauce. So I will come up with a way to make 'canned' mackerel, probably just boil some. Then I will come back with a report on that.
Marshmallow Sandwich Cookies
For Christmas 2019 my Mom gave me a cookbook, specifically 'the chocolate cookbook' and that is where this recipe comes from.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 24 large marshmallows
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together.
- In a larger mixing bowl, add the butter and 1 1/4 cups of sugar and beat with an electric mixer at medium high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, corn syrup, and vanilla, beat until well mixed.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, use a heavy spoon and mix together. The dough comes together quickly. Cover and place in the fridge for 15 minutes or until the dough is firm enough to shape into balls.
- When you place the dough in the fridge, preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), get out a couple of baking sheets, use them as is ungreased, or line with parchment for easy cleanup.
- When the dough is ready, place the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 1 inch balls, roll in sugar, and place 3 inches apart on baking sheet. (This was my 2nd sheet before going into the oven, I missed the photo from the first sheet.)
- Bake 10-11 minutes or until set. Cool on the sheets for 3 minutes. (This is the 1st sheet that went into the oven, I missed taking the before photo with this sheet and took that photo with the second sheet.)
- Then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Place 1 cookie upside down on a microwave safe plate. Place the flat end of a marshmallow on top.
- Microwave on high for about 8-10 seconds or until the marshmallow is softened, it will expand when it is hot and soft, remove from microwave and quickly place another cookie on top, bottom side down, press down to make a sandwich cookie. Set aside to cool.
- Repeat with remaining cookies and marshmallows.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
A note about the marshmallows. I bought large roaster marshmallows, not the regulation marshmallow. On my first test, I used a pair of scissors and cut a marshmallow in half, cutting across the round side so you have two short cylinders. Using 1/2 marshmallow was too large, so next test was cut a marshmallow into thirds, cutting across the round side so you have three short cylinders. Using 1/3 marshmallow per cooking was perfect. So if all you have is the really large roaster marshmallows, cut them into thirds and they will work perfect.
Adapted from a recipe listed in 'the chocolate cookbook', page 48.
Turkey Meatballs with Summer Squash
I found this recipe on a bag of Kroger Turkey Meatballs. This is a basic recipe for an easy dinner, and is wide open to changes you want to make, such as roasting the vegetables instead of frying, changing the gravy, etc. Summer squash can mean several types of squash, for this, I am using yellow crookneck and zucchini. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 package turkey meatballs, I used Kroger brand, (26 oz / 737 g), Shortcut
- 1 large zucchini
- 1 large summer
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 packet turkey gravy, or chicken gravy, Shortcut
- salt and pepper, as desired, to taste
- extra light olive oil, as needed
Instructions
- Rinse the zucchini and summer squash, if the squash you find are small, just use several of them. For large squash, slice in half lengthwise, then slice each part into 1/4 inch or less half moons. For smaller squash, just slice into 1/4 inch or less rounds.
- Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non stick pan. When hot, add the squash and garlic. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Cook the squash, turning often, until softened and tender.
- While the squash is cooking, heat the meatballs by spreading them out on a microwave proof plate, cover, and microwave for 2 minutes, turn them, and microwave for another 2 minutes.
- Prepare the gravy according to the packet instructions when the squash is looking almost done.
- When the squash is cooked, the gravy is cooked, go ahead and microwave the meatballs for 1 minute.
- Set all the items on the table and let everyone help themselves, spoon gravy over the meatballs, enjoy.
Notes
This is low cost in the US (I used Kroger turkey meatballs that I bought when they were on sale), but any kind of meatball would work well. Back in Thailand I will be making this often but will use homemade chicken meatballs.
Shortcut: All Purpose Chicken Meatballs, Gravy Mix.
Variants: 1. Use chicken or beef meatballs / gravy. 2. Roast the squash instead of frying.
Adapted from a recipe on the package of meatballs.
Easiest Pineapple Cake
This sounds like an excellent cake, on my to make and taste list soon. And only 5 ingredients!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1 can crushed pineapple, with juice, (20 oz / 567 g can)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Grease a 9x13 pan with butter.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, and baking soda. Mix together.
- Add eggs and pineapple, mix together until well combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Start checking at 28 minutes, as you do not want to overcook this cake.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- Top with your favorite cream cheese frosting or whipped topping in a pinch.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Inspired by Spend With Pennies and the link to this recipe is here.
United States.
United States.
Easy Ham Soup
This is adapted from a recipe which comes from a food magazine from about the 1990s, and it sounds easy, and good. On my to make and taste list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fresh potatoes, diced
- 1 cup fresh carrots, sliced
- 1 cup fresh long beans, chopped
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, Shortcut
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups cooked ham, or cooked chicken, diced
- salt and pepper, as desired
Instructions
- Add the potatoes, carrot, and long beans to a saucepan and cover with about 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender. Drain.
- Same saucepan, add the milk and soup, stir together until mixed.
- Add the ham and drained vegetables. Place on heat and bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Simmer for 10 minutes to heat everything through.
- Serve with oyster or saltine crackers, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Adapted to use fresh ingredients instead of all canned ingredients.
Hearty Soup
I found this soup mix in a Mennonite store in Tennessee. This uses the Hearty Soup Dry Mix which is listed in the Recipe Notes section. This is the soup instructions using the dry mix. This is on my to make and taste list, soon. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Hearty Soup Dry Mix, Shortcut
- 8 cups water, see Step 1.
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 cups cabbage, shredded
- 1 quart tomatoes, diced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 500 grams ground beef, cooked, drained, (1 lb)
Instructions
- For the 8 cups water, you can use all water or all broth, or half water and half broth. For broth, chicken or vegetable would be ideal, and I think bean broth would work really well in this soup also. I will post results with the various broths I use.
- To a large pot, add the dry soup mix and water and or broth, simmer for 60 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients and simmer another 30 minutes, making sure the carrot is tender.
- Ladle into bowls, serve with oyster or saltine crackers, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Hearty Soup Dry Mix. Chicken Broth (Pressure Cooker.
Variant: 1. Use cooked ground pork in place of beef.
Adapted from a recipe on the package of the soup dry mix.
Hearty Soup Dry Mix
I found this soup mix at a Mennonite store in Tennessee, and it does sound good. So in order to prepare this in Thailand, I bought a package of this and separated all the items and weighed them. Here is the recipe for the dry mix, soup recipe is listed in the Recipe Notes section. This makes about 1 1/2 cups of soup mix, which is the amount to prepare the soup. If you like the soup after making this, just make again and double or triple the recipe and you have the soup mix on hand anytime you want to make this soup. Measurements are given in grams for accuracy.
Ingredients
- 53 grams dry brown or green lentils
- 57 grams dry pearl barley
- 86 grams dry green split peas
- 83 grams dry yellow split peas
- 33 grams dry alphabet pasta
- 58 grams dry brown rice
Instructions
- Weigh each item, place in a zip lock bag, label, use as directed in a recipe to make Hearty Soup. This makes about 1 1/2 cups or 1 batch of dry soup mix.
Notes
These are common items in Thailand, except the alphabet pasta, which I will bring from the US with me. You could certainly use orzo, rings, or ditalini pasta. Overall, this is low cost per mix.
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
 Determined from sorting and weighing the contents of a package of dry soup mix.
 Determined from sorting and weighing the contents of a package of dry soup mix.
Harvest Soup
I found this soup mix in a Mennonite store in Tennessee. This uses the Harvest Soup Dry Mix which is listed in the Recipe Notes section. This is the soup instructions using the dry mix. I made this in 18 Jun 2020 using the dry mix from the Mennonite store. This is a hearty soup and is very delicious. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Harvest Soup Dry Mix, Shortcut
- 7 cups water, divided
- 1 cup fresh carrot, chopped
- 1 cup fresh celery, stalk and leaves, diced
- 1 cup fresh cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chicken broth powder
- 250 grams chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cubed, (8 oz)
Instructions
- To a large pot, add the dry soup mix and 4 cups of water, simmer for 60 minutes.
- Stir often while it is simmering, and after 1 hour it will look similar to this.
- Add remaining 3 cups of water and all other ingredients and simmer another 40-60 minutes. (I used smoked sausage instead of chicken and I took this photo just before I added the water.)
- Simmer for another 40-60 minutes to soften the carrot and celery.
- Ladle into bowls, serve with oyster or saltine crackers, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Harvest Soup Dry Mix.
Variants: 1. Use cooked ground beef or pork in place of chicken. 2. Use smoked sausage in place of chicken. 3. Substitute 1 cup chopped cabbage for the tomatoes and add 1 cup of peeled and chopped apple.
Adapted from a recipe on the package of the soup dry mix.
