Archive for the ‘* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving’ Category
Anastasia’s Best-ever Baked Beans
March 3, 2020 Lee
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Anastasia's Best-ever Baked Beans

This sounds really good, on my to make and taste list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 5 cans pork and beans, (15 oz / 425 g cans), Shortcut
  • 2 medium onions, diced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed, use less for less sweetness
  • 6-8 slices bacon

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 160 C (325 F). Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
  • Heat the butter in a non stick pan on medium heat, when hot, add the onion and saute until soft and translucent.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the beans, cooked onion, ketchup, mustard, molasses, and brown sugar. Stir to mix everything together.
  • Pour beans into the prepared baking pan.
  • Take the bacon slices and cut them in half or thirds, place the bacon pieces in a single layer on top of the beans.
  • Bake for 2 hours. If the top is caramelized the beans are ready, if not, continue baking and check at 2 1/2 hours or 3 hours.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving in Thailand if using canned baked beans and even lower cost if making your baked beans, this would be fair to high cost per serving if using pork and beans (imported).
Shortcut: Slow Cooker Baked Beans.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,SIDES
Rich Chocolate Cake
March 2, 2020 Lee
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Rich Chocolate Cake

For Christmas 2019 my Mom gave me a cookbook, specifically 'the chocolate cookbook' and that is where this recipe comes from. I made this on 15 Mar 2020, excellent cake as is and makes an excellent Chocolate Cake Milkshake! This recipe is also used in the Chocolate Cake Milkshake recipe, and has a link in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box devil's food cake mix
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 containers chocolate frosting, (1 lb / 500 g each)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Grease two 9 inch cake pans with butter.
  • Add the cake mix, water, mayo, and eggs to a large mixing bowl.
  • Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds to combine the ingredients, then 2 minutes on medium speed.
  • Pour batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool in pans on a rack. When completely cool, remove from the pans.
  • Place first cake out upside down on a serving plate, frost the middle, be generous.
  • Place the second cake on top, right side up, frost the sides then top.
  • Serve and enjoy, or use as directed in the Chocolate Cake Milkshake recipe.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Used in Recipe Listed on this Site:
 
Adapted from a recipe listed in 'the chocolate cookbook', page 124.
# Buster Approved,#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,DESSERTS
Extra-chocolaty Brownie Cookies
March 2, 2020 Lee
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Extra-chocolaty Brownie Cookies

For Christmas 2019 my Mom gave me a cookbook, specifically 'the chocolate cookbook' and that is where this recipe comes from. I made these on 6 Mar 2020, as written but used chocolate chips instead of chunks. These are excellent cookies, well liked by the family.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4 dozen

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, softened, (1 block / 2 sticks)
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 package semisweet chocolate chunks, or chips, 11-12 oz / 312-340 g)
  • 2 cups walnuts, or pecans, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), line baking sheets with foil, for easy clean up.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix together well.
  • In another larger mixing bowl, add the butter, brown sugar, and sugar, beat with an electric until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat until well mixed.
  • Add the flour mixture and mix with a large sturdy spoon until fully blended.
  • Mix in the chocolate chunks and walnuts.
  • Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets, flatten each slightly.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set. Remove from oven, cool on sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Adapted from a recipe listed in 'the chocolate cookbook', page 32.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,DESSERTS
Chocolate Malted Cookies
March 2, 2020 Lee
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Chocolate Malted Cookies

For Christmas 2019 my Mom gave me a cookbook, specifically 'the chocolate cookbook' and that is where this recipe comes from. Great tasting cookie, not heavy on the malt flavor but a very good cookie. I made 27 cookies.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 34 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 2 dozen

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened, (1/2 block / 1 stick)
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup malted milk powder, divided
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, shortening, vanilla extract, and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
  • To the mixing bowl, add the eggs, flour, 1/2 cup malted milk powder, and cocoa powder. Beat until well blended.
  • Cover and place the bowl in the fridge for at least 2 hours or even overnight.
  • When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Line 2 cookie sheets with foil (for easy clean up).
  • Shape slightly rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, place 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
  • Bake for 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes.
  • While the cookies are cooling, mix together 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1/2 cup of malted milk powder in a medium mixing bowl. Roll warm cookies in mixture to coat, place cookies on rack to cool completely.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Adapted from a recipe listed in 'the chocolate cookbook', page 44.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,DESSERTS
Tart Cherry Cottage Cheese Salad
March 1, 2020 Lee
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Tart Cherry Cottage Cheese Salad

I made this on a whim and it turned out better than expected. Highly recommended if you like tart cherries. The cottage cheese salads I have made always used crushed pineapple, so I decided to change it up. This recipe uses canned tart cherries, not sure if those are available in Thailand so I will look after I return and report back on that. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can tart cherries, in water, (15 oz / 425 g can)
  • 1 box black cherry gelatin, small box, 3 oz if using Jello brand
  • 1 tub Cool Whip whipped topping, (8 oz / 250 g)
  • 1 containter Cottage cheese, (1 lb / 500 g), Shortcut

Instructions
 

  • Open and drain the cherries, place on a cutting board and cut each cherry in half, then drain them again.
  • Place the cherries, cottage cheese, and gelatin powder in a mixing bowl.
  • Stir together until the color is uniform.
  • Fold in the whipped topping but do not over mix.
  • You can leave the salad in the mixing bowl, or do as I did and spoon into a serving dish, I used a 1 1/2 quart glass serving dish. Cover and place in the fridge to set for at least 1 hour.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Cottage Cheese.
My spin on a classic cottage cheese salad, Lee Thayer.
United States.
# Buster Approved,#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,Sides - Salads
Some Mores II
March 1, 2020 Lee
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Some Mores II

You may be familiar with the more popular version of this name, "S'mores" which is a contraction of the phrase "some more". "Graham Cracker Sandwich" was the term used when the recipe was published by the Campfire Marshmallow Company in the 1920's, then appeared as "Some More" when published in a cookbook for the Girl Scouts in 1927, and the term "S'mores" was used in 1938 in a cookbook aimed for summer camps, and was popular in both the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. In 1957, the recipe for "S'mores" appears in a Betty Crocker cookbook. A s'more is basically a graham cracker topped with a toasted marshmallow and some chocolate bar. This recipe is just marshmallow cream sandwiched between graham crackers and dipped in melted almond bark, easy and simple. Since no toasted marshmallows are used, these could also be called "Moon Pies" which were created in 1917. Regardless of any name you wish to use, they are easy and tasty. Measurements are approximate, this is a make what you want guide.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 15 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pack graham crackers, (3 packs in a box, use 1 of those packs)
  • 1 jar marshmallow cream, (7 oz / 198 g), you will use about 1/2 of that
  • 750 grams almond bark, (aka chocolate coating, 1 1/2 lbs)

Instructions
 

  • Setup a double boiler, place on low heat, and add the almond bark. Allow the bark to melt, and stir the coating once in a while as it melts.
  • As the chocolate is melting, open the pack of crackers, following the lines on the crackers, break each cracker in half, then break each half in half, resulting in 4 rectangular crackers from each large cracker. Place crackers on a plate and place in the fridge to chill. Line a baking sheet with foil.
  • When the bark is fully melted and smooth, remove the crackers from the fridge. Drop a cracker in the bark, turn it with a fork and coat all sides, lift the cracker out with the fork, scrape off the excess bark from the bottom of the fork and place the cookie back on the foil. Repeat until all crackers are coated. Place the sheet in the fridge to chill.
  • Once the crackers are chilled, about 30 minutes to an hour, simply spread marshmallow cream on a cracker then top with another cracker, place on a serving tray. Repeat until all the crackers are used.
  • Serve and enjoy. Refrigerate unused crackers.

Notes

Cost per serving would be based on location for these. Low cost per serving in the US, this would be costly in Thailand as 2 out of 3 items would have to be bought at high end western stores.
Just something I made on a whim, Lee Thayer.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,DESSERTS
Dilly Cheese Ball
February 29, 2020 Lee
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Dilly Cheese Ball

This sounds really good, I got this recipe from my Mom and she got it out of a magazine in 2016. I prepare this on 22 Mar 2020 and we the family, tasted it on 23 Mar, and this is really good, excellent flavor. Highly recommended.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 20 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 package Cream cheese, softened, (8 oz / 250 g)
  • 1 cup dill pickle relish, drained
  • 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
  • 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons mayo
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Instructions
 

  • To a mixing bowl, add all ingredients except the parsley.
  • Use an electric mixer and beat until smooth.
  • Shape mixture into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. I also wrapped this in foil to help keep the shape. Place in the fridge to chill and firm up for at least 2 hours or even overnight.
  • When ready to serve, unwrap and place on a serving tray or plate.
  • Sprinkle with the parsley and arrange crackers. For this I used regular and wheat butter crackers.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Adapted from a recipe in a magazine.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,APPETIZERS / SNACKS
Classic Cheese Ball
February 26, 2020 Lee
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Classic Cheese Ball

Cheese balls make a great appetizer, I look forward to making this and tasting it as well. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 16 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 packages Cream cheese, softened, (8 oz / 250 g each package)
  • 1/4 cup spring onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon dry ranch dressing mix, Shortcut
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients, except the pecans, to a mixing bowl.
  • Use an electric mixer and beat until the mixture is smooth.
  • Shape mixture into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour or longer, even overnight, allows the flavors to blend more.
  • When you are ready to serve, place the chopped pecans on a plate. Unwrap the cheese ball, roll in the pecans to fully coat.
  • Serve with assorted crackers, enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Ranch Dressing Mix.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,APPETIZERS / SNACKS
String Cheese Manicotti
February 25, 2020 Lee
2 Comments

String Cheese Manicotti

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This recipe uses, as the name says, string cheese to fill the manicotti tubes, which not only sounds like a brilliant idea, it is an excellent idea. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Baking Pan (9x13 inch)

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box manicotti shells, about 14 shells, (8 oz / 226 g)
  • 500 grams ground beef, (1 lb)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 jar marinara sauce, (26 oz jar, or 3¼ cups), Shortcut
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and as needed, Shortcut
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 28 pieces Mozzarella string cheese
  • 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish, as desired

Instructions
 

  • Heat a pot of salted water to a boil, add manicotti shells and cook until shells are not quite cooked through, about 2-3 minutes underdone, then drain and run under cold water.
  • Cooked and drained shells. OR you can use dry shells but you will need to increase the bake time.
  • While the pasta is cooking, heat a pot and cook the onion and ground beef, breaking the beef up with the spatula as it cooks. Cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain any fat and return the pot, with the beef, back to heat.
  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F). Get out a 9x13 inch baking pan.
  • To the pot, add the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder, stir together.
  • Spread half of the meat sauce in the baking pan.
  • Stuff each manicotti shell with 2 pieces of string cheese. Arrange all the shells in the pan in a single layer. If the string cheese is too much, pull one piece of cheese in half and stuff a shell with 1½ pieces of cheese. OR you can stuff the dry shells with 1½ pieces of cheese but the baking time will increase.
  • I stuffed the shells dry, arrange all the shells in the pan in a single layer.
  • Top the manicotti with the remaining sauce.
  • Top with Mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning as desired.
  • Bake for 30 minutes if using cooked pasta, or 50 minutes if using dry pasta, or until bubbly and starting to brown.
  • Garnish with parsley as desired, serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Marinara Sauce, Italian Seasoning.
Variants: 1. Use bulk Italian sausage in place of ground beef. 2. Add a layer of sliced Provolone on top of the Mozzarella. 3. Use canned beef or pork in place of fresh ground. 4. Cut smoked sausage into 4ths lengthwise and stuff shells with 1 piece of sausage and 1 piece of cheese.
# Buster Approved,#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Beef - Canned,PASTA,Pork - Canned
Broccoli Cheese Soup
February 25, 2020 Lee
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Broccoli Cheese Soup

Adapted from a recipe on a Pioneer brand country gravy packet.
This is from a Pioneer brand country gravy packet and it is easy and really good. For this recipe you can use the gravy packet stated or make the shortcut and use that. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 packet country gravy, Pioneer brand, or Shortcut
  • 1 package frozen chopped broccoli, cooked per instructions on package, (10-12 oz / 283-340 g)
  • 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, (8 oz / 226 g)
  • 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tablespoon onion, finely minced, optional

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the gravy packet per the instructions on the packet. Cook the broccoli per the instruction on the package, normally just steamed in the bag in the microwave then drained.
  • Stir in the cheese until mixed in. Stir in the onion if using that.
  • Stir in the cooked and drained broccoli. Heat the soup to warm the broccoli through. For a thinner soup, just stir in milk to your desired consistency.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Homemade Country Gravy Mix.
# Buster Approved,#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI