Top 9 Recipes of 2021

 As for year-end lists, my Top 9 Recipes of 2021 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 2020 blogpost for tasty photos and my money-saving tips, and be sure to play any embedded video below. The ranking order is random and not by delectability, so go ahead and dig in! 

1. Blackberry Pancakes

This fruity breakfast series is ongoing and past posts have featured Mangos, Strawberries, and Cherries. Now I can add tangy Blackberries. My Blackberry Pancakes are easy to do like my video below shows.

2. Swamp Chef Nachos

I can bet you've not had Nachos like these before! When I visit Louisiana to see Mom and my kin, the Swamp Chef comes out of the bayou to hang out. Check out the Cajun gooey hot mess he came up with, Swamp Chef Nachos.

3. Southern Fried Fish

What makes Fried Fish Southern is the cornmeal coating. And the fish of choice is usually tender fillets of catfish. So get out the hot sauce and a cold brew and check out my easy and tasty Southern Fried Fish recipe.

4. Chicken, Cabbage & Carrot Stir Fry

The Cheapest Chef has reached a new low. You can't squeeze more pennies out of a recipe that uses the cheapest protein and even cheaper veggies and it all comes together quickly as a delicious Chicken, Cabbage & Carrot Stir Fry.

5. Vegetarian White Beans

To make these Vegetarian White Beans extra-scrumptious I add plenty of flavorful chopped carrot, celery, and onion. If you have a fave veggie then go ahead and make this recipe your own,

6. Yuca & Mojo Sauce with Onion

Yuca or Cassava is unappetizing in appearance but tender and tasty when boiled like a potato. I first had Yuca at my local Cuban restaurant served with Black Beans, White Rice, and Roast Pork. It was made with a tangy Mojo Sauce that is just sauteed onion and garlic with lime juice. If you can boil a potato then you can make my Yuca & Mojo Sauce with Onion.

7. Swamp Chef's BBQ Sausage Po'boy

It's always a party when the Swamp Chef is cooking. Check out the Swamp Chef's BBQ Sausage Po'boy recipe and use the sausage of your choice.

8. Meatloaf with Spinach & Mushrooms

This is a comfort food recipe at its most satisfying. Everybody likes Meatloaf and I had to kick it up a delicious notch with the addition of sauteed spinach and mushrooms. Meatloaf may be boring, but give my Meatloaf with Spinach & Mushrooms a try, and the family will ask for seconds and thirds!

9. Easy Corned Beef

Come St. Patrick's Day holiday week, I always stock up on packages of Corned Beef to freeze. It is super cheap that week. The packages hold raw but brined hunks of beef brisket that only need three hours of boiling to tenderize for sandwiches or a main course served with boiled potatoes and cabbage. See below for my Easy Corned Beef 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 !

Blackberry Pancakes - Video Recipe

Are Blackberries the most intense berry? They are comprised of mini-bubbles of juice and seeds that burst like Pop Rocks. They go from super-sweet to slightly tart all in one bite. But give a bit of grilling time in my Blackberry Pancakes and they smooth out perfectly.

In the South, we have a similar berry called Dewberry. They look and taste almost the same. Growing up that's the berry I was familiar with. 

These days in Los Angeles I can get a 6-ounce plastic pack of fresh Blackberries in my local 99c only Store quite often. You could use frozen berries, but they will be mushy. Frozen are yummy in smoothies.

No special tricks to this recipe, I just add fresh Blackberries to a lightly oiled heating pan and pour on pancake batter. 

For the pancake batter, I use a commercial brand. If you have a homemade recipe then use it. I can get a large box of dry pancake batter at my local 99c only Store or Dollar Tree. Regular grocery stores sell it cheap enough, too.

My recipe is the easiest and quickest thing to make and starting the day with fresh fruit is a big tasty plus.

Check out how I make a cheap$kate breakfast of Blackberry Pancakes.

Blackberry Pancakes - Video

Play it here, video runs 1 minute, 41 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients (2 servings, using a pancake mix)

• 1 cup pancake mix - any favorite
• 3/4 cup water - okay to use milk for a richer pancake batter.
•  Blackberries - a handful. Depending on size, I use whole blackberries but sometimes will slice them in two. Okay to substitute with any fresh seasonal fruit like: blueberry, peach, apricot, strawberry, and even sliced banana or canned fruit like pineapple.
• 1 tablespoon of cooking oil - to grease skillet. Add more when needed, depending on how many pancakes you make.
• Butter and favorite pancake syrup as toppings - add as much as you like.

Directions
Prepare pancake batter according to package directions. My pancake mix calls for 1 cup of flour and 3/4 cup of water.

Mix pancake ingredients in a bowl. When mixed it will be like thick country gravy. Start to heat the pan over medium/low heat.

I like to place fruit down on pan first so it is in direct contact with the skillet for a little caramelization. You want to pour batter against the Blackberries so they stick to the pancake when you flip it.

Follow the Pancake mixing and cooking directions. The box directions below mention cooking time to brown each side as 1.5 minutes each....hmmm, they must be using a super hot pan!

My pancakes are larger and cook longer than these directions - of course, cook them your way.

If you want a dark brown pancake presentation, then just cook one side to get the right amount of brown, then cook the other side for a minute, to finish. Serve browned side up, on the plate.

It is easier to just mix berries into the batter, but I like the look I get laying down the berries first and pouring on the batter.

I serve hot with melted butter and my favorite pancake syrup.