Archive for the ‘* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving’ Category
Homemade Chocolate Cake
This uses the Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix here on this site. This will make two 8 inch round cakes, for a layered cake or one 9x13 flat cake. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 cake mix, (Shortcut)
- 1 cup milk, room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Grease and flour two 8 inch round cake pans. You really want the pans prepped and ready to go as well as the heated oven.
- Add the dry cake mix to a mixing bowl and whisk it well to ensure you have no lumps or use a sifter if you have one. Lump free dry mix is important for a nice cake.
- In another large mixing bowl, add the milk, eggs, vegetable oil, water, and vanilla extract. Whisk together well and even slightly frothy is ok.
- Add the dry mix to the wet mix and whisk to just combined, do not over mix as that may result in less light and fluffy cake, and no one likes that.
- Divide the batter equally between the two prepared pans, place in the oven immediately.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, the cake should be puffed up a bit and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place the place the pans on a rack and let cool for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, turn out the cakes, right side up on a rack to cool completely.
- Once the cakes are completely cooled, decorate as you desire.
Notes
Low cost. In Thailand it pays to make a cake from scratch as box mixes are imports and carry a hefty price tag.
Shortcut: Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix.
Variant: 1. Replace the 1 cup of water with 1 cup of plain coffee.
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
- Earthquake Cake, made it, GO-TO recipe.
Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix
This is the homemade version of a boxed chocolate cake mix. This will make either two 8 inch round cakes or one 9x13 cake.
Ingredients
- 220 grams all purpose flour, 1 3/4 cups if no scale
- 2 cups sugar
- 90 grams cocoa powder, 3/4 cup if no scale
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together, store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
- Use in any recipe calling for a box of chocolate cake mix.
Notes
Low cost.
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
- Homemade Chocolate Cake, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Dream Cake, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Earthquake Cake, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Any Flavor Cake, made it, GO-TO recipe.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Dump Cake, made it, GO-TO recipe.
Pakistani Style Roast Chicken Thighs
I am going to assume from the name, this might be Pakistani in nature, but who knows, just kidding, it certainly has the correct spices for Indian/Pakistani. Anyway, it sounds delicious and is on my to make and taste list. Plan ahead with this, marinate time is minimum 4 hours to overnight. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
- 3 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garam masala, Shortcut
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- butter or olive oil, for greasing baking dish
Instructions
- A note about the chicken thighs. In Thailand, buying quarters will give you larger thighs, just separate yourself and you will have legs for use in another recipe.
- Add the chicken thighs to a large mixing bowl.
- In a small mixing bowl, add remaining ingredients except the butter or olive oil.
- Pour this over the chicken and get your hands in there to rub this into all the pieces and even under the skin until all is coated. Cover and place in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, overnight will provide more flavor.
- When you are ready to cook, preheat your oven to 200° C (400° F) and grease the bottom of a baking dish with butter, or if you have a mister, mist with olive oil. Place the chicken thighs on the dish, spaced apart, skin side up.
- Bake for about 45 minutes until done and juices run clear.
- Serve with sides of your choice. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcut: Garam Masala.
One Pot Chickpeas & Pasta (Pasta e Ceci)
This sounds easy and delicious. There is several shortcuts to use less canned products that taste much better as well. Read the Variants listed in the Recipes Notes section for some great sound alternatives to change this up or to make your own signature dish. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- salt and black pepper, as desired, to taste
- 1 can chickpeas, 15 oz can, drained, rinsed or 2 cups cooked, Shortcut
- ½ cup dry small pasta, shells, diatlini, etc.
- 2 cups hot water, or chicken broth, stock, or bean broth, Shortcut
Instructions
- Add the oil to a medium sized pot and put over medium heat, when hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring often until it is fragrant and lightly browned.
- Add the tomato paste, season with salt and pepper as desired to taste, and stir that in for 30 seconds.
- Add the chickpeas, pasta, and hot water, stir together then lower the heat and let this simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has been mostly absorbed by the pasta. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcuts: Chicken Broth (Pressure Cooker), Chicken Stock (Pressure Cooker), Chickpeas (Pressure Cooker), Great Northern Beans (Pressure Cooker).
Variants: 1. Use chicken broth, chicken stock, or bean broth from either chickpeas or Great Northern beans in place of water. 2. Use Great Northern beans (cooked or canned) in place of chickpeas.
Chicken Ritz Casserole
This is an old time classic comfort food that stretched the dollars by using the crackers as a filler, and it is delicious and filling! Now for folks in Thailand and probably all of Southeast Asia, Ritz crackers are here but imported and come with a higher cost, so use made in Thailand products such as Magic or Rosi, which are just butter crackers and taste exactly like Ritz, and cost less. The prep time will vary depending on if you are cooking the chicken for this now or using leftover cooked chicken. This casserole is wide open to modifications. There is several shortcuts for cost savings as well. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Notes section.
Equipment
- Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
- Oven
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked chicken breasts, shredded, Shortcut
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, or creamy chicken mushroom soup, Shortcut
- 1 cup sour cream, Shortcut
- 2 sleeves Ritz crackers, about 70, crushed
- ½ cup butter, melted, (½ standard block / 1 stick)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter or oil spray. Melt the ½ cup butter in a small sauce pan or microwave, then set that aside.
- For the chicken, you can use boiled, roasted, leftover chicken, or even rotisserie. Cook the chicken or use you preferred type. If using bone in, remove all the meat from the bones, discarding the bones and any skin and gristle. Shred and set aside. I used 3 chicken breasts that I pressure cooked, but feel free to use thighs, legs, or breasts or any combination.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the soup and sour cream.
- Mix in the cooked and shredded chicken, and any vegetables if you are using. I added frozen peas.
- Pour the chicken mixture into the baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Sprinkle the cracker crumbs over the casserole, then drizzle the crumbs with the melted butter.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crumbs are starting to turn golden brown and the casserole is hot and bubbly.
- Serve with a vegetable for a nice complete meal. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving using 3 chicken breasts.Â
Shortcuts: Chicken (Pressure Cooker) (this is a 2 for 1 recipe, you get cooked chicken for the recipe, and broth for use in another recipe, Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Sour Cream.
Variants: 1. Use a combination of breast and thigh meat. 2. Add some cooked egg noodles, say 250 grams (8 oz) but you will need to double the soup and sour cream. 3. Add 1 cup of peas or mixed vegetables to the meat mixture. 4. Add 1 cup sautéed mushrooms to the meat mixture.Â
Updated on 4 December 2023.
Cheater Mushroom Gravy
I call this 'cheater' because I use Lobo brand (Thai) gravy packets, there is western brand gravy packets here but those are about $2 each, the Thai brand I use, and it is good quality, is about 50 cents a packet. I like gravy and mashed potatoes, and I love a gravy with a lot of fresh mushrooms. This recipe is not rocket science or my creation, I am simply adding this for my own reference later.
Ingredients
- 2 packets beef gravy
- 225 grams fresh mushrooms, button, cremini, or Shiitake would be perfect, (8 oz)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt and pepper, as desired, to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the mushrooms (and for Shiitake also remove the stems) and slice them. Heat a non stick pan on medium heat with the butter, add the mushrooms and season as desired with salt and pepper. Saute, stirring and turn them often until all the water released from them has just evaporated. Remove the pan from heat and set aside.
- In a small sauce pan, prepare the gravy per the packet instructions, normally whisk in 1 cup of water for each packet and heat to boiling while whisking or stirring constantly until thickened.
- When the gravy has thickened, remove that from heat and put the pan with the mushrooms back on the heat. Pour in the gravy and stir to mix, Heat until nice and hot, season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve over mashed potatoes.
Notes
Low cost.
Basic Fried Cabbage
When it comes to side dishes, I like easy and quick to prepare, and this dish fits right in. Four ingredients and 15 minutes or so of your time. Cabbage is readily available here as it is a common side dish, uncooked with many Thai dishes. Frying it interested by brother in law. A common ingredient, prepared a different way.
Ingredients
- 1 head green cabbage
- black pepper, as desired
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon bacon fat
Instructions
- Trim off the stem end just slightly, then quarter the head top down through the core, slice off each core piece, slice the 4 pieces into 1/2 inch slices.
- Heat a non stick pan on medium heat and add the butter and bacon fat, when hot, add the cabbage.
- Fry the cabbage, turning occasionally, until tender and just starting to brown. Done, perfect and simple side dish.
Notes
Low cost.
Just a stripped down version of fried cabbage without any extras.
Tom Yum Teen Gai
One of the most popular soups in Thailand is Tom Yum, and the most popular with tourists is Tom Yum Goong, goong is shrimp in Thai. This is a spicy and sour soup, the name comes from 'tom' meaning the boiling of the soup, and 'yum' meaning the spicy sour aspect of it. This recipe is for Tom Yum Teen Gai, 'teen' meaning feet, and 'gai' meaning chicken. No set amounts with this, which is typical in Thai cooking, but taste and adjust seasonings as you go. This is NOT a soup for those with acid reflux. There is many ways to season this, this is how my brother in law prepared it, and he is an excellent cook. Some families do not share their 'secret ingredients' to anyone, even in their own family.
Ingredients
- 500-1000 grams chicken feet, scrubbed and trimmed, (about 1 to 2 lbs)
- 3-4 stalks lemongrass
- 6-8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 3-5 shallots, peeled and quartered
- handful fresh kaffir lime leaves, young leaves are best
- 20-30 Bird's Eye Chilies, pounded in a mortar
- 10-15 cherry tomatoes, whole, or 3-4 plum tomatoes quartered
- 1-2 handfuls fresh mushrooms, straw, oyster, or white crab works well
- 10-15 small limes, halved, you will juice these later
- salt, as needed to taste
- MSG, as needed to taste, totally optional
- fish sauce, as needed to taste
- sugar, as needed to taste
- water, as needed
Instructions
- Place the cleaned and rinsed chicken feet in a pot and add water to cover by about 2 inches. Pound the bundle of lemongrass with a pestle or the flat side of a meat tenderizer, tie the bundle into an overhand knot, add to the pot. Add the garlic, shallots, and lime leaves to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a low boil. The Tom part of the name is the boiling process, as this soup is on a low boil the entire time while cooking. Let the feet cook for about 20-30 minutes.
- While the feet are cooking, add the chilies to a mortar and pound them to get them all crushed, not looking for a paste, just well crushed.
- This will give you the idea on how many chilies to use.
- When the feet are good and tender, add the tomatoes, mushrooms (white crab were used in this), chilies from the mortar, and squeeze in the juice from about 5 limes (squeeze into a cupped hand, juice will go into the soup, seeds stay in your hand). Pot is still on a low boil.
- Stir in a spoon of sugar and a couple of splashes of fish sauce. Still boiling.
- Taste and adjust salt, fish sauce, lime juice, and MSG if using, to your liking. Continue to gently boil the soup and taste again about 10 minutes later and adjust as needed. Goal is sour but with the distinct spiciness from the chilies. (Here it is finally turned off and a serving bowl ladled out.)
- Ladle into a serving bowl and serve family style just letting people spoon out what they want.
Notes
Low cost.
Prepared by my brother in law who is an excellent cook.
Thailand.
Thailand.
Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup
This is Vietnamese in nature and has pork ribs and glass (bean curd) noodles. Bitter melon is also known as bitter gourd. A similar dish is made in Thailand without the ribs or noodles but with mushrooms and carrot instead.
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 500 grams baby back pork ribs, the short ones, (1 lb)
- water, as directed
- ⅜ cup fish sauce
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt, as directed
- ½ onion, minced, other half to be used in melons
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 packages bean vermicelli, (glass noodles), about 40 grams per package
For the Stuffed Melon
- 2 bitter melon
- 250 grams ground pork, (8 oz)
- 1 dried medium wood ear mushroom, soaked in warm water, patted dry, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ onion, minced, other half was used in the soup
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- â…› teaspoon salt
- â…› teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions
For the Soup
- First thing is to 'clean' the ribs, and this is a common Chinese way to do this. Rinse the ribs and cut between each bone to make small pieces.
- Place the ribs in a pot and just cover with water, stir in a pinch of salt, and put on high heat. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat, you are not cooking the ribs, just 'cleaning' them. Drain the ribs and rinse and discard the water. Now we have 'cleaned' ribs.
- Same pot, add the ribs back, add 3 quarts (12 cups) of water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 45 minutes. This is doing two things, first, we are tenderizing the ribs (they will be fall off the bone tender, and two, we are making pork broth. Win win. While the ribs are simmering, go ahead and make the stuffed bitter melon listed below.
- When 45 minutes have passed, go ahead and taste for tenderness (Chef's treat, try a rib, just go with it), now add the onion, garlic, stir, then add the stuffed bitter melon. Let simmer for another 20 minutes.
- Then add the fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir and taste and adjust the salt as desired. Cook another 5 minutes.
- Now add the noodles, cook for another 3-5 minutes. This not only cooks the noodles, which cook very quickly, but also reduces the bitterness of the melon.
- Serve with a few ribs, some noodles, and 3 pieces of the bitter melon, and the broth. Enjoy.
For the Stuffed Bitter Melon
- You can prepare this while the soup is simmering. Take the two bitter melons, and trim off each end, then slice crosswise into 1½ inch sections. Take a paring knife and cut around the center and push that out, so you have a tube left over. Set these aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add the ground pork and the rest of the stuffing ingredients except of course, the bitter melon pieces. Mix together and let marinate for 15 minutes.
- Mix the meat mixture again then stuff the melon pieces with the meat mixture.
- Add the stuffed melon pieces to the soup at the 45 minute mark when cooking the soup then follow the rest of the soup instructions.
Notes
Pork ribs, ground pork, and bitter melon are inexpensive. This is a low cost meal per serving.
Sauteed Red Radish
I have never heard of this until yesterday, and I happen to have red radishes in the fridge. I made these on 10 Jan 2019, very nice flavor and a perfect side dish. Four ingredients and 10-15 minutes of your time.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 20 small red radishes
- salt and pepper, as desired, to taste
Instructions
- In Thailand, I have never seen small radishes, only large, tops are removed and they are sold 3-5 to a pack, they are large. Here I used a pack of 4 big ones, scrubbed and ends trimmed.
- For small radishes, simply slice in half from top to bottom. For large radishes, slice top to bottom into 3 to 5 pieces.
- Heat the butter on low heat, when hot, add the radishes cut down side for halved, and for the large ones, the two side pieces cut side down and the center pieces, just add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Stir and toss occasionally until the radishes are starting to brown and softened.
- Serve as a side dish with any meal.
Notes
Low cost, and virtually free if you have red radishes in your garden.
Adapted from an internet recipe.