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.
And I owe it all to her, at least where I get my cooking chops (and any good sense I have.) Just check out our cooking videos to see what I mean.
She grew up in Texas on the Gulf Coast in a small shrimping town called Port O'Connor. There, I learned to love seafood.
Port O'Connor Slideshow
Her father was a shrimp boat captain. So, while we couldn't afford steak, we had all the fresh-caught seafood Big Daddy would bring home, including shrimp that fell off the big boat's conveyor belt while unloading his catch.
Big Daddy & Big Mama
Mom had movie-star looks (like a young Elizabeth Taylor) smarts, and a scholarship to college if she wanted it, but had no extra help from her parents.
So after high school graduation, she was soon married and I arrived on the scene, followed by my brother and sister.
Billy, Berry, and Brenda
My Dad was in the military so we moved around. Mom and us kids eventually settled back in Port O'Connor, after a divorce.
Dad was quite a character and the life of the party, but he was also a little too profligate in the alcohol consumption department.
Billy Doyle Robinson
Mom went back to work as a waitress, so I learned how to literally pinch pennies when she poured handfuls of customer tips on the kitchen table for us kids to separate and count.
Mom got back on her feet and found love again with this shuffleboard-playing fellow below, Ken.
We moved to neighboring Louisiana the year I enrolled in Junior High School. There she picked up a whole other way of cooking, Cajun-style.
My high school daze were spent in Gonzales, Louisiana, the self-professed Jambalaya Capital of the World. So you know this town is serious about chow. Click here to see a culinary video tour of some local Cajun cuisine at the weekend Flea Market, including Crawfish Pie, Boudin Balls and, of course, Jambalaya.
And, here's our first video we made together in my Los Angeles kitchen - and even my dear late wife Amy makes an appearance at the very end of the video. You'll get a kick out of Mom rockin' the cast-iron kettle. I make her Cajun Jambalaya more than any other recipe - it's simply delicious!
Here is a link to her Jambalaya recipe with text and yummy photos.
And our latest video together is a gut-bomb Breakfast Taco with Curly Fries! Her cooking is always incorporating ingredients suggested by the family, this time from her grandkids Zak & Matt (I first had frozen fries, but not Curly Fries, in an egg taco cooked by Zak.)
Mom was always popular with my high school buddies...especially during lunch or dinner time. She brought herTex-Mex Enchiladas to Cajun Country, and my Louisiana friend Marvin ate them up!
Me, Marvin & Dennis
On a recent visit to Louisiana, I had him over when I filmed Mom makingTex-Mex Enchilidas. Marvin liked the Enchiladas so much that he had a flashback to our high school daze.
Make sure to watch my wacky recipe video to the end, that's when our flashback hijinx really gets to smoking (wink, nudge.)
It's a traditional Southern dish and it's cheap, too. Just chicken, sausage, and the Cajun veggie trinity of bell pepper, celery, and onion. What gives Gumbo its unique taste is a dark brown roux, which is flour cooked in oil until chocolate brown.
Just check out the video below - Mom will take you through the steps. And, as an added bonus, my oldest sister Brenda makes a nagging appearance a few minutes in.
Click here to read all about making Mom's homemade Gumbo, from roux to rice!
My Mom'sCajun Potato Saladis the perfect side to her Gumbo and Jambalaya. When she visited me in Los Angeles I got her to do it on camera. I couldn't help but give her a hard time with the recipe. I called it Cajun Mashed Potatoes and she called itCajun Potato Salad - well, I guess you'll have to watch the video below to see who wins that argument!
I satiate my sweet tooth during visits with Mom. And the best of her pastry delights areMini-Pecan Pies. If I couldn't make it for the Christmas holiday, then she would send a shoe-boxed size package with a dozen of these tasty pies.
In the video below, Mom attracts a kitchen full of hungry relatives when these pies come hot out of the oven. And it's a miracle they were done right because this Chef de Shutterbug was shoving a camera in her face (and a hot oven) during the whole procedure. We butted heads a few times, but fortunately, it all turned out fine.
I even came up with a way to dodge the high prices for pecans - so check out the video below to learn my budget secrets.
Now, Mom is no angel -- hey, who is? Recently my brother from another daddy, the Swamp Chef, made an appearance with his Spanish moss and all.
When I asked Mom: "Who's the Swamp Chef's daddy?" Her reply was: "That's a very good question!" I guess Mom will spill the beans one day, until then, check out the video below for a dessert good enough to cajole the Swamp Chefout of the bayou!
Cherry Pie - Recipe Video
In Louisiana, there are fast food drive-thru's serving slushy Daiquiris. I don't know how the heck they get away with it. Every time I go back to visit my Mom and Sis, I am reminded about this quirky Cajun roadside icy, thirst-quenching to-go cup.
Now, there are rules to this. Louisiana has an open container liquor law. So, when you get your Daiquiri, as both Mom and Sis reminded me several times: "Do not put the straw in!" That is a DUI violation if you are stopped. However parched you are, resist plunging the straw through the drink top -- until you get home. Fortunately, Mom's house was less than 5 minutes away.
Check out my last video below, and ride along with my sister Brenda and Mom for a cool beverage on a hot Louisiana summer day.
