My Top 9 Recipes of 2019

As for year-end lists, my Top 9 Recipes of 2019 is one you can really sink your teeth into. And all of my top picks are deliciously cheap to make. Just click on any recipe name to see the original 2019 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. Mango Pancakes
Let's start with breakfast. I love mangos and have a few recipes that feature them. One of my faves is to just slice out the soft and sweet flesh to add in a pancake batter. I add the slices directly on the griddle then pour on the pancake batter - the better to caramelize the sugary mango!



2. Mango Salsa
When I bring this to a party, along with tortilla chips, my Mango Salsa is the first pot luck dish to disappear. If you don't believe me try it when your next party invitation comes in!



3. Gazpacho - vegan soup
For chilled veggie soup on a hot summer day and all you need is a blender. Attention all you home gardeners and foragers of your local farmers market and roadside veggie stands -- this recipe is for you and it's vegan! Roughly chop bell pepper, onion, garlic, cucumber, and a whole lotta tomato. Add it to a blender and pour in olive oil (or any fragrant favorite veggie oil) and blend until smooth. Serve cold or at room temperature.



4. Mushrooms Sauteed in Coconut Oil
Keepin' it vegan, mushrooms sauteed in tasty oil is a simply luscious recipe. My local 99c only Store carried all kinds of mushroom this year including shiitake, oyster and even portabella. Of course, use any cheap ones you find like white or brown button mushrooms.



5. Easy Smoked Ribs
Going from vegan to meaty in a minute, I've finally gotten around this year to BBQ Ribs! Do check out the video below and watch my easy smoking version. The main trick is to bake ribs wrapped in foil until tender, then give them a quick hour smoke on the gas grill - that's how I do it. Hey, you can just bake them with your fave BBQ sauce and stop right there.



6. Black Pepper Chicken - Panda Express Ripoff Recipe
Boy, is this recipe cheap! Poultry is the least expensive meaty protein and the veggie accompaniment is cheap celery. This stir fry I ripped off from Panda Express, a local fast-food Chinese restaurant, does use more expensive purple onion, but it will taste just as good with budget yellow or white onion.



7. Mom's Cherry Pie
Pay attention to this recipe as I do not do desserts very often, but don't worry about my lack of baking prowess, as my Mom takes the reigns of this recipe. Mom makes a homemade crust, but you can buy a frozen one from your local grocery store. And she uses canned cherries, so anyone can make my Mom's delicious dessert.



8. Mom's Chili-Cheese Enchiladas
Mom's recipes are always on my Top 9 Recipes list and this one is a childhood favorite of mine. My highschool buddy Marvin would always "just show up" when Mom made a platter of gooey cheesy Enchiladas. And he makes a return visit to Mom's kitchen one more time in the video below. Check it out and see what my whacked-out flashback enchilada version of tasting a Madeline cookie in Proust's "Remembrance of Things Past" brings.



9. Deep-Fried Frog Legs - with the Swamp Chef
Let's wrap up the year-end rundown with my most outrageous recipe of the year! You probably won't cook one yourself, so at least watch how it's done. And believe it or not, but frog legs kinda taste like chicken! Allow my brother from another daddy, the Swamp Chef, to get the tasty cooking details from my Cajun nephew Chef Matt. And be sure to watch the video all the way to the end where green swamp croakers get their revenge!



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 !

Mushrooms Sauteed in Coconut Oil - Vegan Video Recipe

I like a recipe with just two ingredients and my Mushrooms Sauteed in Coconut Oil fits the bill.

I guess you could call this an anti-recipe video and it's a pretty recipe too, just check out the bright yellow mushrooms I picked up. And while there's nothing to it, you will still like the simple flavors of my latest Cheap$kate Recipe video.

I chose these mushrooms because they showed up at my local 99c only Store. Called Champignon Mushrooms, they have a mild flavor similar to white or brown button mushrooms. I was expecting a more pungent taste like shitake or oyster mushrooms. But that's okay, the more flavorful Coconut Oil shines strongly through.

Click on any photo to see larger.

Normally, I would saute mushrooms in a little butter, but I know my vegan visitors like a budget recipe too.  It's fun to mix it up with flavorful cooking oils.

The mushrooms I got came in a sealed package and as a large root segment. I split the mushrooms into smaller segments for easier sauteing. I used a tablespoon of oil. You only need to cook them until soft and tender - just a couple of minutes on each side.

If you like mushrooms caramelized, then saute on one side without moving them for about 3 minutes, and flip mushrooms once to finish for another minute.

For the last couple of years, Coconut Oil has been showing up at my local 99c only Store and even the Dollar Tree. Like the name says, Coconut Oil has a distinct flavor, so if you don't care for coconut then you can substitute any oil like Olive, Peanut, Walnut or even Avocado Oil. I've noticed Coconut Oil can be semi-solid like butter or it is liquid, I think it depends on the temperature.

I like sauteed mushrooms plain. I could have added them to a hot soup of 25 cents per package ramen with veggies and topped with a boiled egg; or add them to a medley of button mushrooms for an earthy Mushroom Soup (like I did in this recipe, here.) But they don't show up cheaply very often so I just wanted to enjoy them sauteed in Coconut Oil.

My Mushrooms Sauteed in Coconut Oil can be served right out of the frying pan, or add them warm on a fresh green salad or a fave protein. They can also go into your favorite pasta dish.

When you find mushrooms on sale then give them a quick saute in Coconut Oil for a tasty snack or add to a fave entree.

Mushrooms Sauteed in Coconut Oil  - VIDEO

Play it here, video runs 3 minutes 10 seconds

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

Ingredients (1 to 2 servings)

• Fresh mushrooms - about 4 to 5 ounces. I cooked with mushrooms I found on sale, called Champignon, but okay to use regular white and brown button mushrooms or any favorite you like.
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil - Okay to use any tasty veggie oil you like.
• Salt and pepper - optional. I did not season this recipe, but you can.

Directions
Prepare mushrooms. If there is dirt then brush or scrape off. Discard dried or old stems from any mushroom cap.

Slice or break apart mushrooms into bite sizes. You can leave whole for smaller button mushrooms. You can also break apart mushrooms after sauteing.

Over a medium-hot pan coconut oil, then add mushrooms.

Depending on the size of mushrooms you can saute each side for a couple minutes each, until soft and slightly browned. Saute about 3-5 minutes total. Time will depend on the temperature of the frying pan and the thickness of mushrooms.

A quick saute is what you want - best not to overcook mushrooms.

Serve warm is best.