HO, HO, HO,and aMerry Cheap$kate Christmas. Light a log in the fireplace, grab a cup of Joe, and check out my holiday humor. The video is short and sweet...literally.
There is nothing worse than running out of coffee in the morning. But don't despair as I have a solution!
So keep checking back here for a sleigh-full of food-themed blog posts and budget recipes that even minimum wage-earning elves can afford.
Check back for a weekly dose of Christmas recipes all this month - it's a digital happy hour at the Cheap$kate Chateau!
Store-bought Eggnog is too sweet and rich for The 99 Cent Chef, so I came up with a delicious recipe that uses 2% milk and a minimum amount of sugar.
This recipe is a simple and festive start-up to your holiday.
Grocery stores start selling Eggnog during Thanksgiving and finish during Christmas. So you can start practicing now so you will have the recipe down when it's time to trim the Christmas tree!
However be careful and do not get carried away -- those small airline bottles of booze mixed into an Eggnog carry a kick, as the second half of the Chef's Christmas-themed video will attest.
The airline bottles of Lauder's Scotch in the video were $1.29 a bottle when I shot the video a decade ago. And dried spices are always for sale at local dollar stores and markets.
Lately, I've been buying vegetarian Eggnog, while not 99 cents, it's not outrageously expensive. They are not as sweet but still taste similar to regular Eggnog and arecreamy, too.
But for the real thing check out my recipe for a tasty and lighter version of Eggnog. So pour yourself a 99 cent Homemade Eggnog and enjoy the Chef's new value-added two videos in one.
Eggnog Recipe and A Tipsy Tree Trimming - Video
Play it here. The video runs 5 minutes 19 seconds.
HappyHolidays!
Click hereto view or embed the video on YouTube. *One ornament was broken and two fuses were blown in the making of this video.
Ingredients (2 servings)
3 cups of milk - or 2 cups of milk and 1 cup of half and half cream for a richer nog. Okay to use 2% milk or plant-based milk for a lighter version.
4 egg yolks - OK to reduce this amount to 2 yolks for an even lighter version.*
1 tablespoon of sugar - or a sugar substitute.
1/4 teaspoon each of nutmeg, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
1 airline bottle of Rum, Scotch, or Brandy - about 2 ounces.
Directions
Heat 3 cups of milk over low/medium heat (do not boil) until it begins a low simmer - about 3-5 minutes.
While the milk heats up, separate egg yolks in a bowl, add sugar and whisk together for a minute to mix well.
Add one cup of the heated milk to the yolk mixture a little at a time while whisking.
After milk/egg is incorporated, return milk and egg to the heating pot of milk and continue cooking.
Make sure egg nog does not boil and keep lightly whisking. The Eggnog will thicken slightly after about 10 minutes. The longer you simmer the Eggnog the thicker it will get, as it reduces.
Turn off the heat and set aside. If you can enjoy the Eggnog warm - or you can refrigerate it for later. The egg nog mixture will finish thickening as it cools down to a milkshake consistency.
Add as much or as little of an airline bottle of booze as suits your taste - my Homemade Eggnog is good with or without alcohol.
Add as much or as little of an airline bottle of booze as suits your taste - my Homemade Eggnog is good with or without alcohol.
Check back for a weekly dose of Christmas recipes all this month - it's a digital all-you-can-eat holiday brunch at the Cheap$kate Chateau!
Here's a perfect side dishfor your Christmas Day feast. Fresh steamed green beans with crunchy almonds pair perfectly, and garlic gives it all a finishing flavor kick. My Green Beans with Almonds travel well, so bring a casserole dish full if you are a guest. Your host will surely place it between the centerpiece roasted turkey and sweet potatoes with marshmallows.
The green beans are steamed for a couple of minutes while some almonds are sauteed with garlic in a frying pan. Finally, spoon out the cooked green beans mix them all together, and serve. I used fresh green beans, but for easy and cheap substitution, it's okay to use fresh frozen green beans.
Green beans are a little more expensive than dried beans but they frequently come on sale at my local Latin grocery store, especially during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Frozen green beans even show up at my localDollar Tree .
Nuts have been in the news lately touting their health benefits and as a diet aid to your appetite. Read about it by clicking here. You only need a 2.5-ounce package of almonds (a handful.) I used unsalted ones, but it's easy enough to rinse off typical oversalted ones.
I used to get small packages of Almonds from the late great Los Angeles 99c only Stores.
Now I get tiny package of nuts from my local Dollar Tree. You can use almost any nuts on sale, including cashews, walnuts, peanuts, and pecans would take this side dish in a Southern Cuisine direction.
Add my Green Beans with Almonds to your Christmas dinner menu, I'm sure the bottom of the bowl will be scrapped by hungry diners looking for seconds.
Ingredients (about 3 servings)
1 pound green beans - stringy stems removed. Okay to use frozen green beans. Canned green beans may be too mushy for this recipe.
1 small package of almonds - I used a 2.5-ounce package. They were unsalted and whole. I chopped each almond in half. If you get salted almonds then do a quick rinse and drain. Okay to use any nuts on sale including walnuts, cashews, pecans, or peanuts.
1 teaspoon garlic - I used chopped garlic from a jar.
1 teaspoon oil - I used olive oil.
Salt and pepper to taste - optional. For salted almonds or nuts leave out the salt in this recipe.
Directions Rinse off fresh green beans. Cut off stems and any brown, discolored parts. If green beans are very long, it's okay to chop them in half.
You can stem the green beans in a couple cups of water or put them on a steam rack with water. Steam covered for 2 to 4 minutes to desired tenderness. I like them a little crunchy.
If you are using frozen green beans then follow package directions to heat them up - usually, just steam in a 1/4 cup of water for about 3-5 minutes until defrosted and warm. Drain green beans when done.
While green beans are steaming, chop each almond in half (or most of them.) You could buy slivered (pre-cut) almonds, but they are much more expensive.
In a large frying pan add a teaspoon of oil over medium/low heat. Add chopped almonds; stir and lightly toast them for about 2 minutes. You are just heating them through until just starting to brown - you will keep sauteing them with garlic and steamed green beans.
When the almonds are done turn down the heat to low and add a teaspoon of garlic. Stir as you add the garlic so it doesn't splatter out of the hot pan. Saute for about one minute.
Green beans should be done by now, so add them (without the water) to the frying pan with the garlic and almonds. Mix well.
Ready to serve when green beans and almonds are mixed together and warmed through.
Hindsight
If you don't have access to almonds, almost any type of nuts will do. Just remember to rinse off salted nuts. If you use peanuts just call the dish Southern-Style Green Beans with Peanuts, or Chinese Stir-Fry Green Beans with Peanuts -- it'll taste delish with any name.
Nothing is fresh in my latest cheapie recipe, and I'm proud of it! Yeah, that's right, The 99 Cent Chef's latest dish is 1960's Betty Crocker Cookbook can opener cuisine.
And this recipe involves the same amount of cooking skill as defrosting a Swanson Frozen TV Dinner. This is classic casserole comfort food that will fit perfectly on your Norman Rockwell Christmas table -- an heirloom recipe to continue handing down.
You can read about the creation of this recipe from the Campbell's Soup archives, just click here.
All you need is a warm oven and a baking dish. And it's so easy to make you could do it blindfolded while nursing a martini.
Serve my French Fried Onions & Green Bean Casserole flanked by sliced turkey with stuffing and cool cranberry sauce. This creamy soul-soothing veggie side is over the top in tastiness.
And all the ingredients are on sale for the holidays at any grocery store. French fried onions are a decadent topping -- while canned green beans are boring until you mix in a can of Campbell's Mushroom Soup.
For a 21st-century version, use fresh green beans that are on sale for a dollar per pound from now until Christmas.
I look forward to a French Fried Onions & Green Bean Casserole every November and December. I first had it at my in-law's Christmas table, and, now my mother-in-law, Annette, is generous enough to share her recipe (from a brittle, yellowing magazine clip). I hand it over to you, my special holiday visitors, for safekeeping. Enjoy.
2 cans of green beans, drained - I used "French Cut", any type will do.
1 can of mushroom soup - or any "cream" soup you like, including vegan.
1/2 "soup can" of water - Directions call for a full can of water, but I found it gets too watery.
1 package of French Fried Onions - or from a can.
Pepper to taste - I find there is plenty of salt in the packaged ingredients.
Directions In a casserole dish combine, green beans*, mushroom soup, 1/2 can of water, and half a package of French fried onions. Don't fill the dish all the way to the top, as it may bubble over when hot. Mix well, cover, and place in a 350-degree oven.
Bake for 20 - 30 minutes; since everything is already cooked you are just heating it all up. Uncover and top with the rest of the French fried onions, and bake another 10-15 minutes.
This is a great dish to bring to any Thanksgiving gathering (best to bring a half package of crunchy fried onions to add at the last minute -- it will be too soggy otherwise).
Hindsight * Okay to use a package of fresh frozen green beans. Allow to defrost and drain extra liquid, then add to baking dish with other ingredients.
For a fresh green bean version (about a pound), remove any stem pieces. Chop green beans in half if they are too long. Blanch beans in boiling water for about 5 minutes (or to the desired tenderness).
Remove beans and add to the casserole dish. In this case, you can salt to taste, then follow the rest of my directions.
This Deal of the Day is the anti-Norman Rockwell holiday dinner. I've had my share of sad Thanksgiving. This can happen when you are single, or after first moving into a new city, maybe you are out of town on business, or just plain busted, penniless, and, on some holidays everyone you know may be visiting relatives.
While one does feel self-conscious eating alone during the holidays, there is something to be said about being out of the holiday family drama loop. And this Turkey Dinner by Banquet is a meal you do not want to share -- nor could you do so, with its small serving size.
This blog post was originally made in 2011. I haven't tried a Banquet Turkey Dinner in quite a while. I used to find them at the grocery store and at my local 99c only Store from time to time for a buck These days they are in the $2 range from regular grocery stores.
The package cover actually matches the real meal, this time around.
I actually like this frozen meal -- occasionally. While the turkey has the texture of baloney and the stuffing amount is minuscule. If you close your eyes you would think you are having the real deal as all the holiday flavors are there.
There's an ample amount of gravy to swab about the mashed potatoes, and the green peas are firm and tasty. The gravy has a deep turkey broth flavor, although, it overpowers and drowns the stuffing.
The real weakness is the powdery instant potatoes. They dissolve once the gravy is mixed in. I don't know why the Banquet food scientists haven't figured out how to do it right -- after all these decades of frozen entree development. Their potato formula needs bulking up. And, a touch of butter (flavoring) wouldn't hurt.
The two turkey loaf slices appear to be white and dark meat. I couldn't tell any difference in taste. The mechanically separated turkey loaf doesn't compare to a fresh slice of steaming turkey breast, but for a buck, it will do.
The peas, of all the ingredients, are the real winner on the black plastic plate. They taste flash-frozen and are firm, not a typically mushy canned style. They're as good as any name-brand frozen peas.
So if you are alone and broke this Thanksgiving, I would recommend Banquets Turkey Dinner. On a scale of 1 to 9, 9 being best, I give it a 5. You would not be to far off to think the Grinch left this small entree under your tree -- and, you would need to consume 2 or 3 of these minuscule meals to get that second-serving bloated afterglow.
Now, don't worry that The 99 Cent Chef is unhappy this holiday as there is a lot to be thankful for including a sweet lady.
But I do keep a frozen Turkey Dinner in the freezer just in case.....
Thanksgiving is right around the corner so you have time to make my Mom's Pumpkin Pie. I was back in Gonzales, Louisiana a few years ago around Thanksgiving, and got her to cook it on camera. Boy, was it good -- so good that a lot of my Cajun cousins swung by. It was a fun and noisy day, as you will see, where everyone lined up for a slice after the pies cool down.
Mom made a wheat crust from scratch, but for the filling, she went with the convenience of canned pumpkin. I know you are disappointed that we didn't find a free pumpkin in the wild like we did for Mom's last dessert recipe of Mini Pecan Pies -- where we went pecan picking out in a field of pecan trees (click here for that video).
Even with canned pumpkin, Mom's extra ingredients of spices, eggs, and evaporated milk, make a luscious filling with a creamy flavored kick of cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, and clove.
The rest of the pie filling was made with cheap ingredients. This week I went searching for a cheap can of pumpkin and found out how expensive it is. Almost $3 a can!
Now, for this recipe, I am following Mom's lead, and would not have her change a family recipe handed down to her, but I can offer a 99.99 cent substitution: canned sweet yams. They are almost the same color, and by the time you add sugar and all the spices to Mom's pumpkin filling, it almost tastes the same.
I've had Sweet Potato Pie (probably made with canned yams or sweet potatoes) at my local Soul Food restaurant and it's dang good. The consistency is similar to pumpkin and the flavor is sweeter. Usually, canned yams are cooked chunks floating in liquid. So if you want to make a cheaper pie using yams, you should drain the can and mash the cooked yam flesh. And, I would use half the sugar that Mom uses for her Pumpkin Pie.
The best substitution would be to fork mash the orange flesh of fresh baked and peeled sweet potatoes -- they are almost as cheap as russet potatoes. See, dear reader, I am always thinking of you, and how to make a cheaper, but still tasty twist on a typical expensive dessert!
For the heck of it, I priced premade pumpkin pies at my local grocery chain store and found them on sale for $6.99 each. That's way too One Percent for The 99 Percenter Chef!
You could also buy an inexpensive pre-made pie crust -- but if you have time, do give Mom's homemade version a try. The whole pie came together quickly and easily. It's a two-for-one recipe. The video recipe is for 2 pies. Of course, it's easy to cut the ingredient amounts in half to bake one pie.
I have to give a big 99 thanks to all my Cajun relatives -- I didn't have to twist their arms to give Mom's Pumpkin Pie a try -- and an extra 99 thanks to Mom for sharing her recipe with all my readers. And Happy Holidays to all!
Directions for Pie Crusts Add flour and salt to a large bowl for mixing. Scoop in a cup of shortening. Mix in with a fork until flour becomes pea-sized lumps. Pour in a cup of cold water. Now you have to get your hands dirty. Mix the dough by hand for about 3 minutes until it all comes together. Sprinkle flour over a work surface. Plop dough on it and form it into a ball. Divide the ball in half.
With a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball until it is large enough to fit over your baking pie pan. Press dough into the pan and press together any cracks that split during the transfer. You can pinch dough ridges around the top if you want to.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie Filling
2 cups of canned pumpkin - okay to use cheaper canned sweet potatoes or yams (drain then mash with a fork or potato masher to smooth.
1 cup of sugar - use half a cup if you are using sweet potatoes or yams. Of course, best to use baked and peeled fresh orange-colored yams - about 2-4, depending on the size.
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ground cloves
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
4 eggs
2 cups of evaporated milk
Directions for Pumpkin Pie Filling In a large bowl mix in dry ingredients and spices including sugar, salt, ground cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.
In another small bowl, add 4 eggs and lightly whisk the egg yolks and whites together for a minute. Pour blended eggs into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix it all together for a minute.
Spoon in 2 cups of canned pumpkin into the spices and egg mixture. Next, pour in 2 cups of evaporated milk. Whisk it all together for a minute or two until well blended.
Okay to substitute cheaper sweet potatoes or yams, but first, drain and mash with a fork or potato masher. They're usually canned in liquid with large pieces.
Now it all comes together. Just pour the pie filling into both pie shells until the pie shells are almost full.
Add pies to a 425-degree heated oven for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and finish baking for 40 minutes.
Mom uses a toothpick test to see if a pie is cooked through. She inserts a toothpick into the center of the pie, then removes the pick to see if it's wet. If it comes out clean, it's ready. If it is still wet, she puts it back in the oven for another 5 - 10 minutes. I think if the toothpick is slightly damp, you can just leave the pie out to cool, as it will continue cooking anyway.
Pie is ready to serve when it reaches room temperature (after an hour of cooling on the counter.)
Of course, you could easily half all the ingredients to make just one pie.
You can also speed up the cooling by putting the pies in the refrigerator. Since the pie plates are hot, you must first allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Then place potholders, or a kitchen towel, on the refrigerator surface and place the pies on it. Pies are stored well in the refrigerator, so you can make them a couple of days beforehand -- just cover them with plastic wrap after they cool down.
Pie slices are delicious on their own, but you may want to top them with whipped cream.
Hindsight Of course, you can just buy a premade crust at the market for cheap. I thought it fun to show how Mom makes hers. As mentioned earlier, it is easy to cut the ingredients in half to make one pie. You could shave off 10 minutes of baking or so for a creamier pudding-like filling, that's still enough time to cook the crust.
