Archive for the ‘* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving’ Category
Longanisa II (Filipino Sweet Sausage)
November 10, 2018 Lee
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Longanisa II (Filipino Sweet Sausage)

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Sounds excellent and on my too cook and taste list. I have enjoyed this in the Philippines some 20 years ago or so, I really need to make this. I will determine the number of links after I make this.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 0

Equipment

  • Meat Grinder if grinding the pork yourself.

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo pork butt or shoulder, (2 lb)
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • sausage casings, natural hog or collegan

Instructions
 

Grinding Yourself

  • Cut the meat into 1 inch cubes, place in a large mixing bowl, add all remaining ingredients except the casings, mix well.
  • Assemble your meat grinder with the medium plate (3/16 inch holes), run the meat mixture through the grinder. Once everything is run through, mix again with your hands to make sure the mixture is really mixed. Now ready to stuff.

For Purchased Ground Pork

  • In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients except the casings.
  • Mix with your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture really well. Now ready to stuff.

Stuff the Casings

  • Use casings of your choice, natural hog or collagen casings and follow the providers instructions to prepare the casings.
  • Stuff the sausage with your preferred method, tie off the links, ready to cook now or freeze for later use.

To Cook

  • A sort of poach and fry is preferred.
  • Add sausage to a large pan in a single layer, add water to cover the sausages by halfway. Bring to a simmer and cook, turning the sausage occasionally, until most of the water is cooked off.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and cook the sausages, turning them as needed to make nice and golden brown sausages.
  • Serve as a breakfast side, or as I will do, as a dinner side with some sunny side up eggs and fresh hash browns.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: FILIPINO,Pork - Sausage
Chicken Liver Bistek
November 10, 2018 Lee
2 Comments

Chicken Liver Bistek

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This is delicious! Bistek is a Filipino style of marinade/sauce made with citrus and soy sauce, and plenty of garlic. I made this on 3 Dec 2018 and it was well liked even by the Thai family.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo chicken livers, (2 lb)
  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ cup corn starch
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • cooking oil
  • ½ cup lemon or lime juice
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced and seperated into rings
  • 1 head garlic, peeled and minced

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the livers, cut each in half crosswise, then dry with paper towels.
  • In a bowl, add the lemon juice, water, and soy sauce and whisk to combine, set this aside.
  • In another bowl, add the the flour, corn starch, salt and pepper, feel free to go heavy handed with the pepper as desired.
  • Roll the livers in the flour mixture to completely coat each one.
  • Heat about ¾ inch of cooking oil in a large pan or pot, you want the oil hot but not smoking. When the oil is hot, add the livers in batches, don't over crowd the pan. Cook the livers until golden brown on each side. Be gentle moving the livers to check for brownness, and carefully turn them, the less you move liver, the less likely it will fall apart. As livers are cooked, remove to paper towels to drain. Continue until all livers are cooked.
  • Pour out the oil from the pan and wipe clean. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and put on medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the onions and cook for about 1 minute, stirring often, goal is to only cook the onions to half done. When they are ready, remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl and cover to keep them warm.
  • Same pan, now add the garlic, cook, stirring often until lightly browning and fragrant.
  • Give that lemon juice mixture a quick whisk then pour that into the pan with the garlic and bring to a boil.
  • Return the livers to the pan and very gently mix with the sauce, cook for another 2-3 minutes until the livers are heated through and the sauce slightly thickened.
  • Spoon out the livers and sauce to a serving dish and garnish with the previously half cooked onions.
  • Serve over rice, pasta, or even mashed potatoes.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: FILIPINO,Chicken - Giblets
Irish Sausage
November 8, 2018 Lee
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Irish Sausage

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Sounds good, I have never had Irish sausage so I look forward to making this. On my to make and taste list. Regular ground pork works well for this, and if you are going to grind yourself, use pork butt and the regular plate (3/16"). Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Irish
Servings 2 Irish sausage

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo ground pork, or ground pork butt, (2 lbs)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup bread crumbs, (Shortcut)
  • ¾ cup cold water
  • 1¼ teaspoons salt
  • 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and finely minced
  • sausage casings, natural hog or collagen, your choice

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl, except the casings.
  • Use your hands and mix together well.
  • Stuff into casings of your choice.
  • Tie into links, place in the fridge overnight, then they are ready for the grill or frying or even place in the freezer for enjoyment later.

Notes

The pork will cost 114 to 142 Baht per kilo ($3.45 to $4.30 for 2 lbs) , depending ground pork or pork butt. When I make this I will determine the number of links and average weight of each. For now, certainly Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Bread Crumbs.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: IRISH,Pork - Sausage
Kielbasa Sausage
November 6, 2018 Lee
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Kielbasa Sausage

This sounds easy and tasty, and as a bonus, this sausage has only 8 ingredients, and that includes the casings. Regular ground pork will work ok for this, but if you can get pork butt, grind the pork yourself with the regular plate (3/16").
Print Recipe
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Polish
Servings 5 sausage links

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 kilos ground pork, or ground pork butt
  • 2 tablespoons salt, plus 1 teaspoon
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely minced
  • 1 cup water, very cold
  • casings, natural hog or collagen

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except the casings.
  • Mix thoroughly by hand.
  • Stuff into casings of your choice.
  • Tie into links, now they are ready for the grill or frying or even place in the freezer for enjoyment later. Enjoy.

Notes

The pork will cost 109 to 142 Baht per kilo, depending ground pork or pork butt. For 2 1/2 kilos (5 lbs), this is 273 to 355 Baht. For the sausage, this will cost between $8.27 and $10.76 for 2 1/2 kilos (5 lbs). When I make this I will determine the number of links and average weight of each. For now, certainly Low cost per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Pork - Sausage
English Bangers
November 4, 2018 Lee
1 Comment

English Bangers

Adapted from an internet recipe.
English Bangers are simply English pork sausages. The banger part comes from cooking them and they pop occasionally, hence the bang. The beauty of making your own sausage, you know exactly what is in it, not strange chemical names, no preservatives. These are the perfect addition to mashed potatoes and a side peas, aptly named, Bangers & Mash. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
5 from 1 vote
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine English
Servings 2 sausage links

Equipment

  • Sausage Stuffer

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo ground pork, (2 lbs)
  • 2¾ teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground sage
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground mace, or ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper powder
  • ¼ cup bread crumbs, Shortcut
  • ⅓ cup cold water
  • sausage casings, your choice or natural hog or collagen

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, all all ingredients except the casings.
  • Mix together with your hands.
  • If using natural hog casings, salted or dry, follow the instructions on the package to prep them. If using collagen casings, use them dry.
  • Stuff the casings with your preferred method, such as a sausage stuffer, a stuffer tube on a meat grinder, a hand held stuffer (my preference), or even a funnel.
  • I use 28 mm (1.10 inches) collagen casings. To prep them, I tie a knot on the end then pull it out to 7 1/2 inches and cut it off, use a pin or toothpick and poke a hole near the knotted end, this allows air to escape when you start filling, and repeat for 10 or so casings. The following are the procedure I use when I use my manual hand held stuffing device.
  • This is a common hand held manual sausage stuffer, disregard that handle, it is absolutely worthless as you need to hold the device by the tube end so you can release the casing as you stuff. First thing you do is is using the correct tube size for the casings you are using and add that to either end of the device with the retaining ring. Then spin the retaining ring on the plunger all the way to the front of the plunger (opposite end of the t-handle). Use a spoon and fill the hopper with the meat mixture, then screw on the plunger. Twist the t-handle until the tube is filled with meat. Remove the plunger, add a little more meat, about 1/2 inch from the top, then spin the retaining ring to the front again, then screw the plunger onto the device. This shows the stuffer is full and ready for use. If any meat comes out of the tube, just scrape that off with a spoon and return that the bowl with the meat.
  • Take a casing you prepared and open up the end and slide that onto the tube all the way.
  • Pick up the device and hold it with either hand by the end of the tube, you will release the casing as you screw the plunger in with your other hand. Now when you screw the plunger in, keep in mind, you are not blowing up a balloon, so don't over stuff the casing, you will get the feel for this after 1-2 tries, it is very easy.
  • Screw the plunger in and slowly let out some casing as the casing fills, important to keep the end of the tube in the meat mixture, this is to prevent you from making air bubbles. The tube here is about 1/4 inch into the meat.
  • Just keep turning the plunger in and letting casing out, when you get to about ¾ of an inch from the end of the casing, simply turn the plunger handle back 1 turn, the pinch off the meat at the end of the tube. Place the sausage on a plate. I can get two sausages from one filling of the stuffer. Repeat the steps of filling and stuffing until all the meat mixture is used.
  • Now this step requires two people. Pick up a sausage, pinch the open end down to the meat, get the air out, and twist two times, have another person tie with a string. Repeat for all of the links.
  • Trim off the excess string and casing, then use a toothpick or needle, and poke 3 holes in each sausage, one on each end, one in the middle, this reduces the possibility of it "banging" or popping during cooking. Sausages are now ready to be pan fried or frozen. Once cooked, simply snip off the strings before serving.
  • To serve, simply pan fry and pair with mashed potatoes and brown gravy.

Notes

For the pork, ground pork at Tesco is 109 Baht/kilo or $3.30 for 2 lbs. I made 10 links using 28 mm (1.10 inches) casings. I sampled 6 of 10 sausages, average is 103 grams (3.6 ounces) per sausage. Figuring 2 sausages per serving is 66 cents per serving. Excellent value compared to store bought.
Shortcut: Bread Crumbs.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: ENGLISH,Pork - Sausage
Chickpea Noodle Soup
November 3, 2018 Lee
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Chickpea Noodle Soup

Don't let the name fool you, although this is written as a vegetable soup, lots of variants so you can tailor this to be your signature soup. Link to the Shortcut is 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

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 2 medium onions, diced
  • 2-3 medium carrots, sliced thin
  • 4 stalks celery, sliced thin
  • 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme, or 2 tablespoons dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 quarts vegetable broth, (8 cups)
  • 250 grams dry spiral pasta, (8 oz)
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained, (Shortcut)
  • salt and pepper, as desired
  • chopped parsley, for garnish, if desired
  • saltine crackers, for serving, if desired
  • celery tops, chopped, optional

Instructions
 

  • Prep all the veggies. Since I do not like waste, I also chop the celery tops and add those in at the end.
  • Heat the oil in a pot on medium heat, when hot add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring often until the onion is softened but not browned.
  • Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
  • Add the pasta and chickpeas, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the pasta is tender, about 10-20 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
  • If using the celery tops, go ahead and stir those in and simmer for 2-3 minutes to wilt them.
  • Ladle into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley if desired, serve with saltine crackers or bread if desired and a main dish of your choice. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcut: Chickpeas (Pressure Cooker).
Variants: 1. Use chicken, mushroom, or bean broth (from chickpeas). 2. Use any bite size pasta, or even egg noodles. 3. Add cooked chopped chicken. 4. Add mushrooms.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Ellen’s Beef Manhattans
October 29, 2018 Lee
4 Comments

Ellen's Beef Manhattans

This comes from a friend and is an old fashioned dish and was common in school cafeterias. Years ago, utilizing leftovers an another meal was very common as well as adding some items to extend the leftovers further. The beauty of this recipe, is the leftovers. I have written this to use leftovers. If you need to make mashed potatoes I have a shortcut in the Recipe Notes section or make mashed potatoes your preferred way. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups leftover roast beef, shredded
  • 1 cup leftover mashed potatoes, warmed, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 1/2 cups beef gravy, homemade or from packets
  • 4 slices bread
  • salt and pepper, as desired

Instructions
 

  • In a non stick pan, melt the butter on low heat, when hot, add the onion and saute until tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Stir the shredded beef into the onion and let this simmer for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
  • Now stir in the gravy and let this simmer. Heat up the leftover mashed potatoes, or mash your fresh cooked potatoes, if making mashed, flavor them up with splash of milk, butter, and some black pepper.
  • To serve, place a slice of bread on a plate, spoon some beef and gravy over the bread, top with another slice of bread, add some mashed potatoes to the bread, spoon some more beef and gravy over the top, season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcut: Mashed Potatoes (Pressure Cooker).
Recipe provided by Ellen Bales and her recipe is here.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,BEEF,LEFTOVERS,POTATOES
Peppery Chicken Curry
October 24, 2018 Lee
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Peppery Chicken Curry

Absolutely delicious as written! I did change some of the steps to make it easier to prepare, but the intent of the recipe is valid and tasty!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 400 grams chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces, (14 oz)
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, minced, or 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 5-6 saffron threads, (I cringe when I use this)
  • 2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 onion, grated
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions
 

  • In a shallow bowl, add the chicken, garlic, ginger, salt, rice vinegar, turmeric, saffron (and I cringe when using that), and only 1 teaspoon of the black pepper.
  • Mix to coat the chicken pieces. Set aside to marinate as you continue on.
  • Slice one onion and set that aside. Grate the other onion and set this aside. You can also use a food processor to grate the onion, I use a box grater.
  • In a large non stick pan, heat the oil on medium heat, when hot, add the sliced onion and the remaining 1 teaspoon of black pepper.
  • Cook for about 6-10 minutes or until nearly all is golden brown, stirring often.
  • Reduce heat on the pan to low, add the grated onion and cook that until it is golden brown, about 5 minutes or so.
  • Add the chicken and the marinade, stir the chicken to coat with the onion and spices, cook to just brown the meat.
  • Add the water, stir, and bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
  • Serve over rice or pasta of your choice.

Notes

Low cost.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CHICKEN & TURKEY
Split Pea Soup (Pressure Cooker)
October 24, 2018 Lee
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Split Pea Soup (Pressure Cooker)

Ryan Guo, Thailand.
This recipe was suggested to me by a good friend in Bangkok, who has in fact made this, with excellent results. He made this using a 9 liter (9½ quart) stove top pressure cooker. Follow the safety precautions at all times for your model of pressure cooker.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Pressure Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams dry green split peas, rinsed and drained, (1 lb)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, sliced
  • 3 ribs celery, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ tablespoon paprika, smoked paprika if you have that
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 6 cups vegetable broth, fresh or from powder
  • black pepper, as desired

Instructions
 

  • Add everything to your pressure, season with black pepper as desired.
  • Add the lid and lock, add the weight (jiggler) and place on high heat until the jiggler begins to move and venting pressure, indicating full pressure. Set your time for 5 minutes, and reduce the heat to low or medium low to just keep the jiggle moving and venting pressure.
  • When 5 minutes have passed, turn off the heat and move the cooker to an unused burner and allow to release pressure naturally, meaning just let the pot sit until you have indications of zero pressure inside the vessel, about 15-20 minutes.
  • When zero pressure is inside the vessel, pull off the weight and remove the lid. Stir the soup, taste, and adjust with salt and pepper as desired.
  • Serve with thick bread. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,Soups, Stews, Chili - Pressure Cooker
Cowboy Soup
October 24, 2018 Lee
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Cowboy Soup

This recipe comes from a good friend in Northern Thailand, and it sounds delicious. On my to make list. This can be make with canned items or from what I call shortcuts. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can Pinto beans, drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked if made from a Shortcut
  • 1 can tomato sauce, or 1 1/2 cups if made from a Shortcut
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, or 1 can whole peeled then chopped
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • fresh parsley, chopped, as desired

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a saucepan and heat on medium heat, stir occasionally, until piping hot.
  • Serve with cornbread if desired. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcuts: Pinto Beans (Pressure Cooker), Tomato Sauce.
Recipe provided by good friend, Kurt Hammerschmidt. Thailand.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI