Top 9 Recipes of 2025 - Video Recipes

As year-end recipe lists go, my Top 9 Recipes of 2024 is one you can really sink your incisors into. And all of my top picks are deliciously cheap to make. Just click on any recipe name to see the original 2024 blog post for tasty photos and my money-saving tips, and be sure to play any embedded videos below. The ranking order is random and not by delectability, so go ahead and dig in! 

1. Black-eyed Peas with Collard Greens, Cherry Tomatoes, and Okra.

My recipe is loaded - with veggies, that is. I used dried Black-eyed Peas, but you can use fresh. This is food for the soul.

2. Bagel, Cream Cheese, Onion & Tomato

I've learned there are many types of Bagels since I met my wife, Linda, as I've accompanied her many times to New York City, where there are Jewish Delis and Bagel shops in every neighborhood. Use any type for my simply delicious Bagel, Cream Cheese, Onion & Tomato recipe. 

3. Pizza with Anchovies & Capers

Nothing is fresh in this recipe. And I add Anchovies to a frozen Pizza, so this recipe may not be for everybody. If you can follow frozen Pizza directions, then my Pizza with Anchovies & Capers may be for you!

4. Chilaquiles & Eggs - Tortilla Chips, Salsa, Cheese, and Eggs

I like Tortilla Chips with Salsa. Now add this to your breakfast: Fried Eggs with cheese, and you have a spicy start to your day. I use a small can of green Salsa Verde, but you can use any favorite Salsa, fresh or from the jar, for my Chilaquiles & Eggs recipe.

5. Bagel Spread - Cream Cheese & Chopped Boiled Egg 

It is a quick and easy recipe to make. All you do is set out a block or container of Cream Cheese on the kitchen counter to soften while you boil an Egg. Mix the chopped boiled egg into the Cream Cheese and spread it on a hot, toasted Bagel. I make this Bagel Spread more than any other.

6. Turkey Salad

I always have leftover Turkey after Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday meals. I like to add chopped celery, onion, pickle relish, with mayo and mustard to my Turkey Salad. How about you?

7. Grilled Hatch Chile Sausages

When I see packages of Sausages on sale at my local grocery store, I'll give them a try, especially during the summer grilling season. Charred Grilled Hatch Chile Sausages only need a smear of mustard. 

8. Whole Roasted Chicken from Ralphs Grocers

If you have a grocer who sets out packages of Whole Roasted Chicken, then I have a slew of recipes for it. The hard part of cooking a Whole Chicken is taken care of. Check out my Panda Express ripoff recipe of Black Pepper Chicken below, and go right to the stir-frying part.

9. Grilled Eggplant

I like grilled veggies, and Eggplant is the latest tasty subject. I slice a whole Eggplant thickly as a steak and grill it until fork-tender. Grilled Eggplant is my latest favorite recipe. 

It has been a fruitfully abundant year of recipes here at the Cheap$kate Chateau. I did the heavy lifting for you, so now all you have to do is pick a recipe link and save yourself some hard-earned cash by trying out any of the above. And if you have a favorite recipe of mine, then leave a comment to share.

And make sure to keep checking in here from time to time. I create yummy-looking blog posts with a dollop of humor, and while my tastes are cheap, my recipe flavors are top-shelf !!

Black-Eyed Peas & Collard Greens for New Years Day - Video Recipes

Starting the New Year with Black-Eyed Peas and Greens is a Southern tradition signifying good luck and prosperity. I'm not superstitious, but what the heck, might as well just in case?

Peas represent coins, and Collards are the green color of money. And you are visiting the right place; this Internet Chef likes cooking for cheap, so you will save mucho dinero following my recipes. 

Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens have a lot of flavor the way I make them, so read on and see how much bang for the buck I deliver...free of charge!

I can honestly say I did not care for Black-Eyed Peas as a kid, as they were usually heated up right out of the can, but over time, I have grown to savor them, especially when they are homemade. 

 My Black-Eyed Peas video recipe below includes the addition of a leftover ham bone or ham hock. Ham is still cheaper than a buck a pound, but make sure to get it bone-in so you can add it to the Black-Eyed Peas. Smoked Ham Hock is more expensive, but you are buying all pork.

The main vegetable additions are onion, garlic, and celery. If you are vegan, it's easy enough to leave out the ham and add extra veggies like carrots and bell pepper. And for that smoky ham flavor, add a few drops of Liquid Smoke.  

And for the New Year's Day Celebration, my Black-Eyed Peas just need some rice to make the Southern traditional Hoppin' John. You can cook rice (about 20 minutes of simmering, covered) with the finished Black-Eyed Peas or steam the rice separately and add the Black-Eyed Peas when you are ready to celebrate.

Check out my easy-to-make Black-Eyed Peas video recipe below, and click here to see my original blog post's step-by-step directions with yummy photos and tasty text. 

As for Collard Greens, I never had them until I started High School in Louisiana. We'd get them sometimes in the cafeteria for lunch, and if you went to a local country-style restaurant or BBQ joint, they were on the menu somewhere, and they were always loaded with bacon or ham, of course.

My late wife Amy found a recipe she would make all the time, and I fell in love with it, too. What makes the recipe over the top is the addition of a bottle of beer, a tablespoon of molasses, and a small splash of vinegar.  Bacon is included, too, but you can substitute it with a few drops of liquid smoke and make this a vegan entree. 

I get Greens here for about a dollar per bunch -- that's still a good and cheap deal. So check out my recipe video below and click here to see my original blog post and all the yummy details. 

Simplest to serve Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens with white rice and a hotlink, or Mom's Jambalaya!

How about combining Black-Eyed Peas with Collard Greens? I came up with this tasty combo, and it works! This is a recipe for all my vegan visitors. I even throw in some okra for extra Southern Cuisine flavor. Check out my recipe video below for all the delicious details.

! HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Christmas Leftovers - Recipes

Hold on a sec, don't throw out that baked ham bone or turkey carcass yet! It's leftovers time at the Cheaps$kate Chateau, so read on for flavorful recipes I like to make that use up every tasty morsel of your holiday meal.

Click on any recipe name for the recipe.

If you are the Christmas Baked Ham type, soup is the best way to use up any ham pieces and the ham bone too. New Year's Day is right around the corner, so it's time for traditional Black-eyed Peas made my cheap$kate way using the leftover Christmas ham bone for extra flavor.

What I especially like about a pot of  Black-eyed Peas is that they cook in half the time of regular pinto, red, or white beans. So you can serve them in just a couple of hours.

Do check out my recipe video below to see how quick and easy you can make your own and ring in the New Year with a fragrant bowl of legumes, and don't forget to make some rice too, for a Hoppin' John version.



GreenSplit Pea Soup is next up, and it cooks quickly as well. I like to add a lot of extra veggies to my version, including carrots, celery, and onion. Cook Green Split Pea Soup with a few extra chunks of ham, and even your most picky kid will go for this recipe.

Other legume recipes you can ham bone-size are Pinto Beans, Cuban-style Black Beans, Mexican Charro Beans, and Texas-style Beans.

Adding a slab of ham is always a welcome addition to any sandwich. One of my favorites is called a Cuban Sandwich, which is comprised of ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, and a slice of pickle. And it's served pressed, hot off the grill, all melty and warm.

Cuban Sandwich

A French Ham Sandwich is simply made with ham slices, real butter, and crunchy French Bread. It's perfect for a picnic. I did one once, but cheaply, with margarine instead of butter. If you have the extra bucks, do use real butter, especially at a picnic party.

French Ham Sandwich

Ham with pasta? You bet, just try out my Ham, Peas, and Cream with Penne. And lately, I've been adding cubed ham, instead of sausage, to my Mom's Jambalaya recipe.

Mom's Jambalaya

I grew up with ham added to my plate of fried eggs with Breakfast Potatoes. Diced ham adds heft and flavor to a Cheese Omelet.

A McDonald's Egg McMuffin uses Canadian Bacon, which is very similar to ham. I am so cheap that I've come up with an inexpensive homemade one. Check out the video below to see what I mean.



When I'm on a roll, that is with dice, I head for the Vegas buffet table for a gambler's Eggs Benedict, made with poached eggs, ham, and creamy Hollandaise sauce over a toasted English muffin. You've hit the jackpot when you try my cheap$kate version.

Eggs Benedict

The easiest and quickest use of a Leftover Christmas Turkey is to just pile it between 2 slices of bread or a bread roll. I like mine with stuffing, cranberry sauce, warm gravy, and turkey.

Click on any photo to see larger.

But to kick the sandwich up to an Ultimate Turkey Sandwich, just crisp up in the frying pan some of that uneaten soggy turkey skin.

It is a decadent and tasty addition to a classic Turkey Sandwich. Check out my recipe video below for a little culinary decadence.

A most popular leftover for the coldest days of winter is a warm and soothing Turkey Soup. I hope you saved the poultry carcass?

For the tastiest soup, it's best to boil leftover roasted turkey bones and turkey bits in a pot of seasoned water. Once the water is simmering on low, just step away for an hour, and meanwhile, do a little veggie and leftover turkey chopping to add with strained turkey broth.

My Turkey Soup recipe link here is based on a typical Chicken Soup, so just substitute it with cooked leftover turkey.

My Chicken Soup recipe starts with uncooked chicken, so this Turkey Soup spin-off will be done in less time -- just simmer long enough to tenderize the chopped carrot, onion, and celery. This soup is easier with cooked turkey.

If you feel a bit more ambitious, then rustle up a Cajun classic, Leftover Turkey Gumbo.

My Mom lives in Louisiana, and she sure knows how to do a Gumbo. This is another cold-weather dish. Serve Mom's Turkey and Sausage Gumbo over rice. Again, you can reduce the prep time because the leftover turkey is already cooked. And another shortcut is using a pre-made Gumbo base called a roux, which is often stocked in regular grocery stores.

Check out my video below for all the tasty details.

A pot pie is the most soothing of winter meals, and my Turkey Pot Pie made with Christmas leftovers will have you returning for seconds and thirds!

For my simple recipe, I used a grocery store frozen pie crust that cover the leftovers. And all you do is load up a deep baking dish like you would a lasagna - layering mashed potatoes or yams, veggies, stuffing, turkey, and gravy.

My video below lays it on thick, that is, with plenty of delish leftovers.

I hope you had a great gathering of family and some friends for Christmas. And do check back for more 99-cent cheap$kate deliciousness.

Black-Eyed Peas & Collard Greens for New Years Day - Video Recipes

Starting the New Year with Black-Eyed Peas and Greens is a Southern tradition signifying good luck and prosperity. I'm not superstitious, but what the heck, might as well just in case?

Peas represent coins, and Collards are the green color of money. And you are visiting the right place, this Internet Chef likes cooking for cheap so you will save mucho dinero following my recipes. 

Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens have a lot of flavor the way I make them, so read on and see how much bang for the buck I deliver...free of charge!

I can honestly say I did not care for Black-Eyed Peas as a kid, as they were usually heated up right out of the can, but over time, I have grown to savor them, especially when they are homemade. 

 My Black-Eyed Peas video recipe below has the addition of a leftover hambone or ham hock. Ham is still cheaper than a buck a pound, but make sure to get it bone-in so you can add it to the Black-Eyed Peas. Smoked Ham Hock is more expensive, but you are buying all pork.

The main vegetable additions are onion, garlic, and celery. If you are vegan, it's easy enough to leave out the ham and add extra veggies like carrots and bell pepper. And for that smoky ham flavor, add a few drops of Liquid Smoke.  

And for the New Year's Day Celebration, my Black-Eyed Peas just need some rice to make the Southern traditional Hoppin' John. You can cook rice (about 20 minutes of simmering, covered) with the finished Black-Eyed Peas or steam the rice separately and add the Black-Eyed Peas when you are ready to celebrate.

Check out my easy-to-make Black-Eyed Peas video recipe below, and click here to see my original blog post's step-by-step directions with yummy photos and tasty text. 

As for Collard Greens, I never had them until I started High School in Louisiana. We'd get them sometimes in the cafeteria for lunch, and if you went to a local country-style restaurant or BBQ joint, they were on the menu somewhere, and they were always loaded with bacon or ham, of course.

My late wife Amy found a recipe she would make all the time, and I fell in love with it, too. What makes the recipe over the top is the addition of a bottle of beer, a tablespoon of molasses, and a small splash of vinegar.  Bacon is included, too, but you can substitute it with a few drops of liquid smoke and make this a vegan entree. 

I get Greens here for about a dollar per bunch -- that's still a good and cheap deal. So check out my recipe video below and click here to see my original blog post and all the yummy details. 

Simplest to serve Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens with white rice and a hotlink, or Mom's Jambalaya!

How about combining Black-Eyed Peas with Collard Greens? I came up with this tasty combo, and it works! This is a recipe for all my vegan visitors. I even throw in some okra for extra Southern Cuisine flavor. Check out my recipe video below for all the delicious details.

! HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Christmas Leftovers - Recipes

Hold on a sec, don't throw out that baked ham bone or turkey carcass yet! It's leftovers time at the Cheaps$kate Chateau, so read on for flavorful recipes I like to make that use up every tasty morsel of your holiday meal.

Click on any recipe name for the recipe.

If you are the Christmas Baked Ham type, soup is the best way to use up any ham pieces and the ham bone too. New Year's Day is right around the corner, so it's time for traditional Black-eyed Peas made my cheap$kate way using the leftover Christmas ham bone for extra flavor.

What I especially like about a pot of  Black-eyed Peas is that they cook in half the time of regular pinto, red, or white beans. So you can serve them in just a couple of hours.

Do check out my recipe video below to see how quick and easy you can make your own and ring in the New Year with a fragrant bowl of legumes, and don't forget to make some rice too, for a Hoppin' John version.



GreenSplit Pea Soup is next up, and it cooks quickly as well. I like to add a lot of extra veggies to my version, including carrots, celery, and onion. Cook Green Split Pea Soup with a few extra chunks of ham, and even your most picky kid will go for this recipe.

Other legume recipes you can ham bone-size are Pinto Beans, Cuban-style Black Beans, Mexican Charro Beans, and Texas-style Beans.

Adding a slab of ham is always a welcome addition to any sandwich. One of my favorites is called a Cuban Sandwich, which is comprised of ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, and a slice of pickle. And it's served pressed, hot off the grill, all melty and warm.

Cuban Sandwich

A French Ham Sandwich is simply made with ham slices, real butter, and crunchy French Bread. It's perfect for a picnic. I did one once, but cheaply, with margarine instead of butter. If you have the extra bucks, do use real butter, especially at a picnic party.

French Ham Sandwich

Ham with pasta? You bet, just try out my Ham, Peas, and Cream with Penne. And lately, I've been adding cubed ham, instead of sausage, to my Mom's Jambalaya recipe.

Mom's Jambalaya

I grew up with ham added to my plate of fried eggs with Breakfast Potatoes. Diced ham adds heft and flavor to a Cheese Omelet.

A McDonald's Egg McMuffin uses Canadian Bacon, which is very similar to ham. I am so cheap that I've come up with an inexpensive homemade one. Check out the video below to see what I mean.



When I'm on a roll, that is with dice, I head for the Vegas buffet table for a gambler's Eggs Benedict, made with poached eggs, ham, and creamy Hollandaise sauce over a toasted English muffin. You've hit the jackpot when you try my cheap$kate version.

Eggs Benedict

The easiest and quickest use of a Leftover Christmas Turkey is to just pile it between 2 slices of bread or a bread roll. I like mine with stuffing, cranberry sauce, warm gravy, and turkey.

Click on any photo to see larger.

But to kick the sandwich up to an Ultimate Turkey Sandwich, just crisp up in the frying pan some of that uneaten soggy turkey skin.

It is a decadent and tasty addition to a classic Turkey Sandwich. Check out my recipe video below for a little culinary decadence.

A most popular leftover for the coldest days of winter is a warm and soothing Turkey Soup. I hope you saved the poultry carcass?

For the tastiest soup, it's best to boil leftover roasted turkey bones and turkey bits in a pot of seasoned water. Once the water is simmering on low, just step away for an hour, and meanwhile, do a little veggie and leftover turkey chopping to add with strained turkey broth.

My Turkey Soup recipe link here is based on a typical Chicken Soup, so just substitute it with cooked leftover turkey.

My Chicken Soup recipe starts with uncooked chicken, so this Turkey Soup spin-off will be done in less time -- just simmer long enough to tenderize the chopped carrot, onion, and celery. This soup is easier with cooked turkey.

If you feel a bit more ambitious, then rustle up a Cajun classic, Leftover Turkey Gumbo.

My Mom lives in Louisiana, and she sure knows how to do a Gumbo. This is another cold-weather dish. Serve Mom's Turkey and Sausage Gumbo over rice. Again, you can reduce the prep time because the leftover turkey is already cooked. And another shortcut is using a pre-made Gumbo base called a roux, which is often stocked in regular grocery stores.

Check out my video below for all the tasty details.

A pot pie is the most soothing of winter meals, and my Turkey Pot Pie made with Christmas leftovers will have you returning for seconds and thirds!

For my simple recipe, I used a grocery store frozen pie crust that cover the leftovers. And all you do is load up a deep baking dish like you would a lasagna - layering mashed potatoes or yams, veggies, stuffing, turkey, and gravy.

My video below lays it on thick, that is, with plenty of delish leftovers.

I hope you had a great gathering of family and some friends for Christmas. And do check back for more 99-cent cheap$kate deliciousness.

Christmas Leftovers - Recipes

 Hold on a sec, don't throw out that baked ham bone or turkey carcass yet! It's leftovers time at the Cheaps$kate Chateau so read on for flavorful recipes I like to make that use up every tasty morsel of your holiday meal.

Click on any recipe name for the recipe.

If you are the Christmas Baked Ham type, soup is the best way to use up any ham pieces and the ham bone too. New Year's Day is right around the corner so it's time for traditional Black-eyed Peas made my cheap$kate way using the leftover Christmas ham bone for extra flavor.

What I especially like about a pot of  Black-eyed Peas is they cook in half the time of regular pinto, red or white beans. So you can serve them in just a couple of hours.

Do check out my recipe video below to see how quick and easy you can make your own and ring in the New Year with a fragrant bowl of legumes, and don't forget to make some rice too, for a Hoppin' John version.



GreenSplit Pea Soup is next up, and it cooks quickly as well. I like to add a lot of extra veggies to my version including carrots, celery, and onion. Cook Green Split Pea Soup with a few extra chunks of ham and even your most picky kid will go for this recipe.

Other legume recipes you can ham bone-size are Pinto Beans, Cuban-style Black Beans, Mexican Charro Beans, and Texas-style Beans.

Adding a slab of ham is always a welcome addition to any sandwich. One of my favorites is called a Cuban Sandwich which is comprised of ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, and a slice of pickle. And it's served pressed, hot off the grill, all melty and warm.

Cuban Sandwich

A French Ham Sandwich is simply made with ham slices, real butter, and crunchy French Bread. It's perfect for a picnic. I did one once, but cheaply, with margarine instead of butter. If you have the extra bucks do use real butter, especially at a picnic party.

French Ham Sandwich

Ham with pasta? You bet, just try out my Ham, Peas, and Cream with Penne. And lately, I've been adding cubed ham, instead of sausage, to my Mom's Jambalaya recipe.

Mom's Jambalaya

I grew up with ham added to my plate of fried eggs with Breakfast Potatoes. Diced ham adds heft and flavor to a Cheese Omelet.

A McDonald's Egg McMuffin uses Canadian Bacon, which is very similar to ham. I am so cheap that I've come up with an inexpensive homemade one. Check out the video below to see what I mean.



When I'm on a roll, that is with dice, I head for the Vegas buffet table for a gambler's Eggs Benedict, made with poached eggs, ham, and creamy Hollandaise sauce over a toasted English muffin. You've hit the jackpot when you try my cheap$kate version.

Eggs Benedict

The easiest and quickest use of a Leftover Christmas Turkey is to just pile them between 2 slices of bread or bread roll. I like mine with stuffing, cranberry sauce, warm gravy, and turkey.

Click on any photo to see larger.

But to kick the sandwich up to an Ultimate Turkey Sandwich, just crisp up in the frying pan some of that uneaten soggy turkey skin.

It is a decadent and tasty addition to a classic Turkey Sandwich. Check out my recipe video below for a little culinary decadence.

A most popular leftover for the coldest days of winter is a warm and soothing Turkey Soup. I hope you saved the poultry carcass?

For the tastiest soup, it's best to boil leftover roasted turkey bones and turkey bits in a pot of seasoned water. Once the water is simmering on low, just step away for an hour, and meanwhile, do a little veggie and leftover turkey chopping to add with strained turkey broth.

My Turkey Soup recipe link here is based on a typical Chicken Soup, so just substitute it with cooked leftover turkey.

My Chicken Soup recipe starts with uncooked chicken, so this Turkey Soup spin-off will be done in less time -- just simmer long enough to tenderize the chopped carrot, onion, and celery. This soup is easier with cooked turkey.

If you feel a bit more ambitious, then rustle up a Cajun classic Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, but with leftover turkey instead of chicken. And, again, since the turkey is cooked add it towards the end to heat through.

My Mom lives in Louisiana and she sure knows how to do a Gumbo. This is another cold-weather dish. Serve Mom's Turkey and Sausage Gumbo over rice. Again you can reduce the prep time because the leftover turkey is already cooked. And another shortcut is using a pre-made Gumbo base called a roux, which is often stocked in regular grocery stores.

Check out my video below for all the tasty details.

A pot pie is the most soothing of winter meals, and my Turkey Pot Pie made with Christmas leftovers will have you returning for seconds and thirds!

For my simple recipe, I used a grocery store frozen pie crust that covers the leftovers. And all you do is load up a deep baking dish like you would a lasagna - layering mashed potatoes or yams, veggies, stuffing, turkey, and gravy.

My video below lays it on thick, that is, with plenty of delish leftovers.

I hope you had a great gathering of family and some friends for Christmas. And do check back for more 99 cent cheap$kate deliciousness.