Top 9 Recipes of 2023

As year-end recipe lists go, my Top 9 Recipes of 2022 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 2022 blog post for tasty photos and my money-saving tips, and be sure to play any embedded videos below. The ranking order is random and not by delectability, so go ahead and dig in! 

1. Country Breakfast

Let's start with breakfast, a cheap$kate Country Breakfast with ingredients from the Dollar Tree. Click here to see bacon to biscuits that I scrounged up.

2. Quail Egg & Avocado Crostini

Ever had a quail egg? They are very small and speckled. A quail egg is harder to break as there is a thick membrane just underneath the shell. Use a knife to pierce it and the yolk comes right out. I didn't notice a real flavor difference from a chicken egg. They are just cool to cook with. Check out my Crostini with Quail Egg & Avocado.

3. Cauliflower Vegan Soup

I like a fresh vegan soup and mine can be served chilled or warm. I use a head of steamed cauliflower and almond milk as the main ingredients. My Cauliflower Vegan Soup is quick and easy to do.

4. Cassoulet - Beans, Sausage, and Chicken

I make this recipe the most during winter days. It's a one-pot dish loaded with white beans, veggies and meat. I boil the beans until tender then finish the dish topped with chicken and sausage roasted in the oven Make my version of the French dish Cassoulet, this recipe makes enough to last the next day.

5. Tuna Melt

A Tuna Melt is so satisfying. It may seem strange to grill a Tuna Salad Sandwich with Cheese, but it works deliciously. I use cheap canned tuna and American cheese of course. I make a simple Tuna Salad as the main ingredient. Try it out!

6. Mom's Sugar-Free Cupcakes

My Mom's brother has diabetes and every time she visits him she likes to bring a container of Sugar-Free Cupcakes. She uses a box mix and frosting that is labeled sugar-free, so anyone can make these, and they taste just like regular sugary Cupcakes. My Mom is 89 years old and does not cook anymore, so enjoy the last video I may make with her? 

7. Fried Baloney Sandwich

I never thought I would have a Fried Baloney Sandwich again. I guess you can call this a return to childhood recipes and how they hold up. And it was quite a tasty sandwich. Now you can get baloney with minimum preservatives and made with low-fat turkey. Check out my flashback recipe below, it ended up being my most popular YouTube video of the month.

8. Huevos Rancheros with Tortilla Chips

I make breakfast Huevos Rancheros the most. Beans, cheese, tortillas, salsa, and a fried egg, what's not to like? When I serve Salsa for a party I usually have tortilla chips left over. I usually make Huevos Rancheros with heated soft corn tortillas, but one time I ran out and had a partial bag of tortilla chips - Wow, what a great substitution tortilla chips make! The crunchy texture elevated the recipe. Anytime I have tortilla chips I make my Huevos Ranchos with them.

9. Shrimp, Jalapeño & Egg Tacos 

Tex-Mex cuisine is familiar to the 99 Cent Chef as I grew up with it in Texas. I lived in a seaside small fishing town called Port O'Connor where shrimp is king. Seafood and eggs go together, especially with a spicy jalapeño kick. Every time I return to Port O'Connor I get them from Josies Mexican Food and Cantina. Lucky you, just click on my recipe link for Shrimp, Jalapeño & Egg Tacos to make them right in your own kitchen.

Here are some Honorable Mention Recipes of 2023, just click on the recipe name to check it out: Bagel with Cream Cheese & Salmon Spread, Easy Coleslaw with Pineapple, Egg Salad, Kiwi Salsa, Persimmon Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs with Caramelized Onions, Easy Pineapple Cobbler, Pretzel Egg Sandwich, Blueberries and Yogurt, Shepherd's Pie, Cottage Pie, and Dirty Rice with Chicken Liver, 

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 !!

Cauliflower Vegan Soup

For a colorful soup use purple Cauliflower. It tastes the same as regular white Cauliflower. 

I used purple Cauliflower because it was at my local 99c only Store on sale. I used to get them for a buck, but now they are in the $1.49 range for a whole Cauliflower.

For my deliciously quick and easy Vegan Cauliflower Soup use any color of Cauliflower you find cheaply. 

I only ate Cauliflower a little, but when it showed up at my local 99c only Store I felt I had to do something with it.

I made my Cauliflower Soup two ways, with milk or cream, and another way with Almond Milk. I enjoyed both versions. What follows is my vegan version.

I basically steam Cauliflower florets in a pot with sauteed onion and garlic until tender. I allow the steamed and tender veggies to cool down some then blend it all. 

After blending I return the Cauliflower Soup to the pot and add Almond Milk, season it with salt and pepper, and heat it through. It really is a simple recipe. 

If you do not have a blender, mash the cooked veggies with a potato masher or a large fork. Hey, it's a rustic soup then. 

I like veggie soup and my Cauliflower Vegan Soup will satisfy your vegetarian and non-vegetarian diners.

Cauliflower Soup - Video              Play it here. Video runs 4 minutes, 12 seconds.

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

Ingredients (about 2-3 servings)

• Cauliflower - 1 head of cauliflower. Broken apart in smaller florets. It's okay to use any color including white, yellow, and purple.
• 1/2 Onion - chopped.
• Garlic - 1 teaspoon chopped.
• Vegetable Oil - 1 tablespoon.
• Water - 1 cup.
• Milk Substitute - 1 cup. Use any favorite like almond, soy, oat, hemp, coconut, etc.
• Salt and Pepper - about half a teaspoon or to taste.

Directions

Add one tablespoon of oil to a pot over medium heat. Saute chopped onion for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Add chopped garlic and saute for a minute.

Pour in a cup of water. Add Cauliflower florets to the pot with garlic, onion, and water. 

Bring water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until Cauliflower florets are tender and easily pierced with a fork or knife.

After the Cauliflower is tender turn off the heat and allow the veggies and liquid to cool down for a few minutes. 

Add cooked, cooled veggies and liquid to a blender. Cover and blend until smooth, for about 1 minute. Make sure veggies and liquid are not hot when blending - things can get too hot to handle. 

It's okay to mash Cauliflower, onions, and garlic with a potato masher and even a large fork. You can mash ingredients roughly or finely.

Add one cup of milk substitute to a pot over medium heat. Add blended Cauliflower.

Finally salt and pepper to your taste. Heat Vegan Cauliflower Soup to a low simmer. 

Serve when warm or hot. It's okay to serve cooled and at room temperature. 

Gazpacho - Veggie Soup Recipe Video

 This recipe is for all you home gardeners! And my Gazpacho video is just in time for the end of summer vegetable harvest.

Even if you don't have a summer garden, all the veggies in this recipe are easily had from local farmer's markets and roadside fruit and vegetable stands. I get my ingredients from a local Latin grocery store, too. All are for less than a buck per pound.

Click on any photo to see larger.

Tomatoes are the most expensive veggie, but they often come on sale somewhere. Cucumber and bell pepper are cheap, and onions are the cheapest veggie by far. I sometimes use garlic from the jar, but I also like a fresh chopped extra-pungent clove.

The other main ingredients are olive oil and vinegar. I get extra virgin olive oil in small bottles from my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree. While not the best quality, hey it's good enough for me. And you can use any expensive olive oil, flavorful oil like avocado, or a nut-based one.

Gazpacho is a cold vegetable soup originally from Spain. They use Sherry Wine - use that if you can find it, but I find  Red Wine Vinegar is an easy substitution. It's okay to use any vinegar you have on hand like apple cider or white vinegar.

There is no cooking involved, all you do is roughly chop all the veggies to fit in a blender or food processor - you can use a hand blender. Pour in a half a cup of olive oil and a couple tablespoons of vinegar, then blend it all together for a minute or so, until smooth and creamy.

I like to serve Gazpacho chilled and topped with a sliced fresh herb like basil. I add a sprinkling of fine-chopped tomato and cucumber for extra color, and crunch.

The veggie balance is up to you. Some recipes call to peel and remove seeds from the cucumber. The cucumbers I've gotten lately are almost seedless, or the seeds are very small and soft. If you peel the cucumber the Gazpacho will be a brighter red color.

I used green bell pepper, but any color on sale will do. Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are a bit sweeter but more expensive.

Tomatoes are the main ingredient. So let them fully ripen on your kitchen counter or windowsill. I use a couple pounds of tomatoes, and you can use as much as you like with an extra-large crop to harvest. Adjust the veggie amounts to suit your tastes.

My patio garden tomatoes.

So get to chopping and blend my summer fresh Gazpacho Soup for a cool and refreshing appetizer or light lunch.

Gazpacho - Video

Play it here, video runs 2 minutes, 48 seconds.

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

Ingredients

• 2 pounds tomato - roughly chopped, about 3 to 4 cups. I used 4 regular sized tomatoes.
• 1/2 onion - roughly chopped
• 1 bell pepper - remove seeds and white membrane.
• 1 cucumber - Some recipes just throw in a chopped and unpeeled cucumber with seeds. Okay to peel and remove seeds for a more colorful soup.
• 1 clove garlic - 1 teaspoon chopped. Fresh or from a jar.
• 2 tablespoons wine vinegar - usually sherry vinegar is used, but any type of vinegar will do.
• 1/2 cup olive oil - okay to use any favorite flavorful oil.

Directions
 Chop veggies to fit in a blender or food processor. The veggies don't need to be finely chopped, just a quick couple of slices will do. If you have a hand blender then put chopped veggies in a large bowl.

Remove seed and white membrane in the bell pepper. Some recipes say to remove cucumber skin and seed. The type I get recently have little to no seeds. If you peel the cucumber the Gazpacho will be brighter orange or red.

You can add or subtract the amount of garlic, onion, bell pepper, and cucumber. Just make sure to add plenty of tomatoes! I do remove the stem part, but I keep the seeds.

Add veggies to a blender or food processor. Pour in a half cup of olive oil or favorite flavored oil. It's okay to add more or less olive oil, to suit your tastes.

Finally, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar. I use Red Wine Vinegar, but it's okay to use any you have on hand including balsamic vinegar. Add as much or as little as you like.

Some recipes call for adding a slice or two of bread to the blender for a thicker soup. I leave it out for this recipe.

Cover and blend it all together until smooth and creamy, about one minute.

Chill Gazpacho until ready to serve. I like to top my Gazpacho with a fresh sliced herb and a small amount of chopped veggies like tomato and cucumber, for added crunch and color.

Gazpacho - Veggie Soup Recipe Video

 This recipe is for all you home gardeners! And my Gazpacho video is just in time for the end of summer vegetable harvest.

Even if you don't have a summer garden, all the veggies in this recipe are easily had from local farmer's markets and roadside fruit and vegetable stands. I get my ingredients from a local Latin grocery store, too. All are for less than a buck per pound.

Click on any photo to see larger.

Tomatoes are the most expensive veggie, but they often come on sale somewhere. Cucumbers and bell peppers are cheap, and onions are the cheapest veggie by far. I sometimes use garlic from the jar, but I also like a freshly chopped extra-pungent clove.

The other main ingredients are olive oil and vinegar. I get extra virgin olive oil in small bottles from my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree. While not the best quality, hey it's good enough for me. And you can use any expensive olive oil, flavorful oil like avocado, or a nut-based one.

Gazpacho is a cold vegetable soup originally from Spain. They use Sherry Wine - use that if you can find it, but I find  Red Wine Vinegar is an easy substitution. It's okay to use any vinegar you have on hand like apple cider or white vinegar.

There is no cooking involved, all you do is roughly chop all the veggies to fit in a blender or food processor - you can use a hand blender. Pour in half a cup of olive oil and a couple tablespoons of vinegar, then blend it all together for a minute or so, until smooth and creamy.

I like to serve Gazpacho chilled and topped with a sliced fresh herb like basil. I add a sprinkling of fine-chopped tomato and cucumber for extra color and crunch.

The veggie balance is up to you. Some recipes call to peel and remove seeds from the cucumber. The cucumbers I've gotten lately are almost seedless, or the seeds are very small and soft. If you peel the cucumber the Gazpacho will be a brighter red color.

I used green bell pepper, but any color on sale will do. Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are a bit sweeter but more expensive.

Tomatoes are the main ingredient. So let them fully ripen on your kitchen counter or windowsill. I use a couple pounds of tomatoes, and you can use as much as you like with an extra-large crop to harvest. Adjust the veggie amounts to suit your tastes.

My patio garden tomatoes.

So get to chopping and blend my summer fresh Gazpacho Soup for a cool and refreshing appetizer or light lunch.

Gazpacho - Video

Play it here, video runs 2 minutes, 48 seconds.

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

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Tomato - roughly chopped, about 3 to 4 cups. I used 4 regular-sized tomatoes.
• 1/2 Onion - roughly chopped
• 1 Bell Pepper - remove seeds and white membrane.
• 1 Cucumber - In some recipes just throw in a chopped and unpeeled cucumber with seeds. Okay to peel and remove seeds for a more colorful soup.
• Garlic - 1 teaspoon chopped. Fresh or from a jar.
• 2 tablespoons Wine Vinegar - usually sherry vinegar is used, but any type of vinegar will do.
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil - okay to use any favorite flavorful oil.

Directions
 Chop veggies to fit in a blender or food processor. The veggies don't need to be finely chopped, just a quick couple of slices will do. If you have a hand blender then put chopped veggies in a large bowl.

Remove the seeds and white membrane in the bell pepper. Some recipes say to remove cucumber skin and seed.  If you peel the cucumber the Gazpacho will be brighter orange or red.

You can add or subtract the amount of garlic, onion, bell pepper, and cucumber. Just make sure to add plenty of tomatoes! I do remove the stem, but I keep the seeds.

Add veggies to a blender or food processor. Pour in a half cup of olive oil or your favorite flavored oil. It's okay to add more or less olive oil, to suit your tastes.

Finally, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar. I use Red Wine Vinegar, but it's okay to use any you have on hand including white, apple, and balsamic vinegar. Add as much or as little as you like.

Some recipes call for adding a slice or two of bread to the blender for a thicker soup. I leave it out for this recipe.

Cover and blend it all together until smooth and creamy, about one minute.

Chill Gazpacho until ready to serve. I like to top my Gazpacho with a fresh sliced herb and a small amount of chopped veggies like tomato and cucumber, for added crunch and a colorful presentation.