My Top 9 Recipes of 2018

As for year-end lists, my Top 9 Recipes of 2018 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 2018 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. Country Gravy with Sausage
Let's start with a Southern breakfast I had as a child, Country Gravy with Sausage. Rich creamy gravy studded with breakfast sausage over hot biscuits are a heavy lift, but oh so satisfying. I also add eggs over-easy to mine.



2. Cherry Pancakes
On the flip side fresh fruit for breakfast is my preferred start of the day. I can't wait for cherry season and when it comes I slice and pit fresh ones for Yogurt with Cherries and Cherry Pancakes.



3. Spinach and Cheese Omelet
It only takes an extra minute of sauteing spinach and you have the makings of a delicious Omelet. I take it a bit over the top with the addition of cheese.



4. Avocado Toast
Here in California avocados are everywhere, even drooping from neighborhood trees. And while Avocado Toast has been played to death on local menus, there is a reason...it's freaking good! Nothing to this recipe, the hard part is picking an avocado that will turn rich and creamy. Click on the recipe name for my avocado picking tips.



5. Mom's Shrimp and Rice
If you are a frequent visitor to my food blog, you know when Mom is in the kitchen the sparks will fly and a delicious homemade recipe is always the result. I grew up in a small town where my grandfather worked as a shrimp boat captain, so you know Mom's Shrimp and Rice is the real thing and deserves to be a Top 9 Recipe every year!



6. Chicken & Tuna Salads
This is a 2fer Top 9 Recipe using canned tuna or poached chicken to make mayo-creamy salads. I like my Loaded Tuna Salad with the addition of sliced green olives and a chopped boiled egg, I think you will too.



I enjoy a bit of crunch with my Chicken Salad. Fresh chopped celery is added along with typical mayo and mustard, pickle relish and chopped onion. And I like to serve it between a sliced toasted bagel -- soooo goooood!



7. Mushroom Cream Soup
Cold days and nights are perfect for my Mushroom Cream Soup. I use heavy cream for the recipe, but if you want a lighter vegan version just click here to see it. I'm not sure why, but all kinds of mushrooms have been showing up at my local 99c only Stores, including Shiitake, Portabella, and Oyster mushrooms. You can use any local shrooms you get on sale with my recipe, even plain white button mushrooms.



8. Lamb Curry with Vegetables
This Top 9 Recipe is not for the faint of palate. Pungent lamb is combined with a spicy curry sauce, but with my addition of fresh veggies, the strong flavors are softened. So I think anyone can enjoy the recipe.



9. Turkey Carnitas
Mexican Pork Carnitas are the norm, but lately, I've noticed a Turkey version at my local Latin Market, made with turkey thighs and legs, and I thought to make my own version. Carnitas are for tacos and burritos, and this recipe is a tasty take on my local taco truck favorite. If you have pork dietary restrictions, then this recipe is for you. Serve it at your next party and it will be a favorite for your guests, too.



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 !

Best Lamb Curry with Vegetables - Video Recipe

My latest recipe is loaded with veggies. Lamb Curry with Vegetables starts with a basic meat curry, and when that is ready, I add the veggies to finish - so my latest recipe is a twofer: Lamb Curry and Lamb Curry with Veggies.

Curry comes in all flavors depending on the region of origin, from India to Thailand. I am making a simple India-style curry. Even in India, curries vary from region to region.

I make a basic Cheap$kate Lamb Curry with spices, coconut milk, tomato sauce, onion and garlic. All I do is saute the meat and onion, spices, then add liquids, cover and simmer the Curry about 2 hours, or until the lamb is fall-off-the-bone tender.

And I build a basic curry powder from scratch, but if you have access to pre-made curry powder then it's okay to use it. The spices I use are mostly easy to get and include: ground cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and coriander.

It's okay to mix and match my curry ingredients. If you don't have coriander then leave it out. Spices can be expensive, but I'm lucky to have  99c only Stores to shop in.

The main curry powder ingredient is ground cumin, if that's all you can get, then use only that- all the other spices just make the curry powder more complex.

Click on any photo to see larger.

For a richer curry I add coconut milk or cream, and tomato sauce. This adds sweet and acidic layers of flavor. Okay to leave out coconut milk for a light curry sauce. I get both ingredients from my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree.

For meat, I sometimes splurge with pricy, pungent lamb. You can substitute with cheap chicken or pork.

 Depending on the meat, some cheap cuts of lamb, beef or pork can be very tough, so a 2 to 3 hour simmering time is needed. I leave fat and bone attached, for extra flavor. With long simmering times, some fat will liquefy and the bone will separate from the flesh. Any tough meat will tenderize. Cooking time varies depending on simmering temperature.

This is the kind of curry you can leave heating on the stovetop -- just check from time to time and add more water or broth as needed.

Click on any photo to see larger.

I fill out this Lamb Curry with a lot of cheap veggies that include: onion, bell pepper, carrot and potato.

You can add any fave veggies you like, such as: spinach, kale, cauliflower, squash, and green beans. My local Latin market has great deals on veggies.

After my basic Cheap$kate Lamb Curry is done, I add the veggies and cook another 45 minutes. You can adjust the cooking time if you like veggies crunchy or soft.

I don't make this recipe too often as lamb is a bit expensive, but sometimes I gotta have a Lamb Curry with Vegetables -- damn the price!

Best Lamb Curry with Vegetables - Video

Play it here. Video runs 4 minutes, 46 seconds.

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

Ingredients (about 2-3 servings)

• 1 to 2 pounds of lamb  - slice into bite sizes. Okay to substitute any meat, including chicken, turkey, beef and pork.) The balance of meat to veggies is up to you.
• 1 tablespoon cumin powder - okay to substitute cumin with a favorite curry powder  (if you use a pre-mix curry powder, then leave out the other spices that follow.)
• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger - or fresh chopped ginger.
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon - okay to use a cinnamon stick.
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 13.5 ounces coconut milk or cream - one regular size can.
• 8 ounces tomato sauce - one small can.
• 1 onion chopped - white, yellow or red onion.
• 1 tablespoon garlic - chopped (jar or fresh.) Okay to use garlic powder.
• 1 bell pepper - chopped
• 1 carrot - chopped
• 1 potato - chopped. I used a large russet potato.
• 1 tablespoon oil - to saute lamb.
•  1 cup of water or broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

*Other curry spices - garam masala, chili powder and turmeric. About a teaspoon each. Okay to mix and match what you like to make a curry powder, but always start with a tablespoon of cumin.

Directions
Slice lamb into bite-sized pieces. Okay to trim off some fat and remove bone. I like to keep most of the fat and leave bone in for extra flavor.

Add a tablespoon of oil to a medium heated pan. Add lamb and brown one side about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how hot the pan is.

As meat browns, roughly chop one onion. Once meat is brown on one side then add the chopped onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add curry spices, including: cumin, ginger, cumin, cinnamon and coriander. Okay to use a favorite pre-mixed curry powder.

click on any photo to see larger

Salt and pepper to taste, then add chopped fresh garlic or garlic powder. Mix well and saute dried spices and garlic for a minute or so.

Add one can of coconut milk or cream, a small can of tomato sauce, and a cup of water or broth. Mix well and bring up to a low simmer.

Cover and cook until lamb is tender, about 2 hours. Other types of meat may cook quicker. Chicken takes about an hour. Check from time to time, making sure liquid does not cook out. Add a little water or broth if needed.

This is a basic Lamb Curry. You can stop here if you like, I sometimes do.

The idea is to make a simple Lamb Curry with onion and spices, and cook it until tender. Then you add rest of veggies and cook them just enough to slightly soften.

 If you added all the veggies at once, in the beginning, they would cook until way too mushy for my taste.

While Lamb Curry cooks, chop the rest of veggies. After the lamb is tender, add chopped bell pepper, carrot and potato. You can add any favorite veggies you like including: cauliflower, green beans, squash and spinach.

Bring to a low simmer. Cover and cook veggies until they reach desired tenderness, about half hour to 45 minutes.

I like to serve my Lamb Curry and Veggies over rice.

Jamaican Goat Curry

Chivo, or goat meat is on sale at my local Latin market through Tuesday (April 7th) for 99 cents a pound. Pungent and tasting of lamb, goat meat may be an aquired taste, but using the Chef's Jamaican-styled Goat Curry recipe may convince you to come over to the goat-side.

Along with onions, coconut milk and limes, the Latin market is carrying small one ounce packages of ready-to-use powdered curry; just the right amount for a large stewing pot of kid curry.

As for the goat meat, it is a packaged melange of cuts including, ribs, leg, chop and loin and according to the price sign, from Australia.

The Chef had the pleasure of attending the wedding of his brother-in-law Michael and his wife Pam in Jamaica, where I first tried Jamaican Goat Curry.

Having eaten tamer Indian curries made with vegetables or white meat chicken, I found that the local goat curry packed a spicy punch and intense gamey-mutton flavor; but sweet coconut milk helped tame the heat, along with a few local Red Stripe beers.

The addition of lime juice sets this curry apart from the India-style; citrus adds an extra level of complexity that cuts into the creamy flavor of coconut-flavored curry sauce.

One indigenous ingredient is left out in this recipe: Scotch bonnet peppers. Substitute habanero chiles instead; the 99 cent curry powder I picked up has red chile pepper included, so it's already hot enough - always taste premixed curry power for spiciness!

You can substitute any other meat or just go vegetarian* with The 99 Cent Chef's Jamaican Curry recipe.

 
Ingredients (serves 2-3)

• 2-3 lbs. of goat meat (or any meat, including chicken, beef, pork or lamb.)
• 3 tablespoons of curry powder - for an easy substitute, okay to use ground cumin.
• 13.5 ounce can of coconut milk (or cream - bought at 99c only Store.)
• 1 small container of plain yogurt (optional.) 
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 bell pepper (optional) chopped
• 1 tablespoon of powdered ginger - or fresh chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped habanaro chile (optional - add a little at a time and taste for heat tolerance.) 
• 2 tablespoon garlic chopped (jar or fresh)
• 2 tablespoon lime juice (or lemon)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 cups of water or broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Add a tablespoon of oil to a large deep pan or pot and brown goat meat about 15 minutes, and set aside.

Add chopped onion, bell pepper, garlic, ginger and curry powder over low/medium heat, and cook about 5 minutes until veggies soften and curry powder begins to toast. 

Return meat to pot with curry and pour in coconut milk, water, lime juice and yogurt. 

Mix well, cover and cook about 2-3 hours at a low simmer; check from time to time to stir, and add water as needed. After a couple of hours you can add a little chopped habanero chile, mix well and taste for heat tolerance. 

Uncover the last half hour so liquid reduces by half to get a thicker sauce (or mix in 1 tbsp. of flour dissolved in a 1/4 cup of water, if you are impatient). 

Some of the cuts of meat are fatty, so you may want to skim it off.
 
Serve Goat Curry over white or brown rice. 

*A couple of notes if you want to use chicken; you can reduce cooking time by half (beef, pork or lamb take the same amount of time as goat). For a Vegetable Curry, cook sauteed onion and bell pepper in curry sauce for a half hour, then add your favorite veggies including cauliflower, green beans, carrots and/or potato; and cook until tender. 

Warning, your kitchen and fingers will smell of curry for a couple of days!