Pulled Barbecue Chicken and Baked Potatoes

This is a recipe that I made off of something I had at a Barbecue restaurant with Amber when she lived out in Phoenix.  You can use any pulled/shredded meat, but I chose chicken.  It takes some time, but it's relatively simply.


Ingredients

• 1 pound
• 3 pounds for $6
• 6 or 8 oz .barbecue sauce
• $2.29 a for 28 oz
• Some baked potatoes
• $3 for 5 pounds

Dishes and utensils

• A baking sheet
• A large skillet
• A fork
• A spatula

Baking time: like an hour

People fed: 2 or 3

Cost: $3.48

Directions

Us the fork to poke holes in the potatoes, then put them in the oven on the cookie sheet for an hour at 350.  While those are cooking, take your thawed chicken out and get ready for lots of fun.  Jokes... it's not fun at all.  Take each piece of chicken and run the tines of your fork against it, ripping piece off that are very thin.  Or just ripping pieces off.  Just use whatever you get from it.  Once you have successfully done this with all of the chicken, put it in a skillet.  As the chicken starts to cook, put some barbecue sauce on it.  Like, coat the chicken.  Cook it some more.  If it seems as though there is not enough sauce... add some more.  You will be able to see that the meat is white through the barbecue sauce.  That means that it's done.  If your potatoes still have time, just turn the chicken on a low heat and let them simmer, stirring occasionally.

When your potatoes are done, take them out.  Cut each one open and put some of the chicken on top of it.  Enjoy!

Chicken Curry

Another recipe from my 30 minute dinners cook book.  Apparently I don't make much from here... because this is the last one that I remember making.  Oh well!  Chicken curry is a traditional Indian/South Asian meal.  It tends to be a bit on the spicy side, but this dish is not.  You could add more curry to get a bigger kick though.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups rice
• $1.20 for a bag of 7 or 8 cups
• .75 pounds chicken breasts
• $6 for 3 pounds
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 medium onion
• $.60
• 1 to 2 teaspoons curry powder
• around $1 for 1 ounce
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• $13 for 266 bouillon cubes
• 1 5.5-ounce can of tomato juice
• $.30
• 8 ounces of pineapple tidbits
• 20 ounce can is $.80

Dishes and utensils:

• Cutting board
• Knife
• Large skillet
• Bowl

People fed: 3-4

Total cost: $3

Cook time: 30 minutes

Directions:
 Cook rice as directed to do so on the bag.  While rice is cooking,  cut chicken into thin slices about an inch long.  In the skillet heat the oil on medium heat.  Add the chicken and cook until it is no longer pink (about 3 minutes).  Cut the onion while chicken is cooking.  Put the chicken in the bowl and add the onion and curry to the oil in the skillet.  Stir in the flour, chicken broth*, and tomato juice one at a time, complete stirring in each item before adding the next one.


* Chicken broth is made by placing a bouillon cube in 8 ounces of water and boiling it, either in the microwave or on the stove.


Return the chicken to the skillet.  Stir in the pineapple.  Cook until everything is hot.  Serve on the rice.


If you prefer your dishes extra spicy, simple add more curry.  A common way to counter-act curry that is too spicy is to use plain yogurt or some sort of plain yogurt based sauce.  I have never made this, but if I ever do I'll be sure to include the recipe!

Chicken and noodle skillet dinner

Another things in common with many of my dishes is that they generally involve either chicken or ground turkey.  Sometimes ham.  This dish (found in Better Homes and Gardens Big Book of 30 minute dinners) originally called for pork... but I used chicken.  It's cheaper.

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 pound chicken
• $3 pounds for $6
• 1 medium onion
• about $.50
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 3 cups of frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots
• $1
• 4 ounces dried noodles of your choice
• Usually around $.80 for 16 ounces
• 1 10.75-ounce can of cream of celery
• $.70
• 1 cup chicken broth (bouillon) (this is 1 bouillon cube)
•  $13 for 226 cubes
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Dishes and utensils:

• Cutting board
• Knife
• Large skillet

People fed: 3-4

Total Cost:  $3.25


Cook time: 30 minutes


Directions:


Defrost the chicken (or whatever meat you want to use) and cut it into thin "bite-sized" pieces.  Also chop up the onion.  In the skillet combine the oil, meat, and onion.  Cook until the chicken is no longer raw (or about 4 minutes on medium-high).  Add in the vegetables, uncooked noodles, soup, broth*, water and pepper.

*Separately (and beforehand), put a bouillon cube in 8 ounces of water and heat it to a boil, be it in the microwave or on the stove. Whichever is your preference.  This makes 1 cup of broth.

Keep stirring your nonsense until the soup is well mixed with everything else.  That should be a good indicator of how well everything is mixed together.  Bring this to a boil.  When it starts boiling, reduce the heat (to a low or medium-low) and cover.  Let it simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring on occasion.  Taste a noodle or vegetable to see if it's done.  If the noodle is cooked and/or the vegetable is hot, then it's done!

Stir fry

This is a classic recipe that I make quite frequently.  It's cheap, easy, and feeds a decent number of people.  This is something in common with most of my recipes.


Ingredients:

• 1 bag of frozen vegetables (or an equivalent amount of chopped fresh vegetables).  I usually use California medley or Stir-fry medley or something.
• $1
• 2 or 3 chicken breasts (depending on size and your preference)
• $6 for 3 lbs of chicken breasts
• 4-6 servings of white rice (1 - 1.5 cups of dry rice)
• $1.20 for a bag that's about 7 or so cups
• 4 - 6 eggs (depending on size and your preference)
• $1.25 for a dozen
• Probably some cooking oil
• Like $1 or $1.50 for a bottle of vegetable oil.  Or something.
• Soy sauce or Teriyaki sauce
• Either one is around $1.50
• Some spices
• I just pick one or two spices of whatever sounds good.  It's nice to have a collection of 8 to 10 spices on hand so you can mix and match.  This gives you 36 to 55 possible combinations of flavor.

Dishes and utensils needed:

• 1 small skillet and 1 large skillet
• 1 medium sauce pan (or small pot or whatever you want to call it)
• At least 1 wooden spatula, 1 wooden spoon, 1 fork
• A bowl
• The implication is that you need whatever measuring apparatuses I mentioned previously

Cook time: 45 minutes

People fed: about 4

Total cost: $3.25 (cost of oil, spices, and sauce not included)

Directions:

Start off by defrosting the chicken, using your preferred method.  When you've finished, cut the chicken up into bite-sized pieces and put them in the large skillet.  Use oil if you need to.  Cook the chicken on medium.  At the same time, start cooking the rice.  Keep an eye on it and stir it occasionally until it's done.

Go back to the chicken.  Put a moderate layer of spice on the chicken.  By this time the bottom should be starting to cook, so try to flip the pieces over.  Just make sure all sides of the pieces are getting cooked.  After you flip the pieces, add some more spice.

When the chicken looks about 3/4 cooked (still pink in parts) add the vegetables.  Do your best to get these well mixed in.  Turn the heat down a smidge and throw a lid on it.  Then mix your eggs in the bowl and put them in the small skillet.   Use salt and/or pepper at your preference.  Also, throw some more spice onto the vegetable/chicken mix.

Keep an eye on all the things.  This is generally a good time to put the rice on a lower heat and continuously stir the vegetables. If it looks like it needs more spice, then add some more.  When the eggs look cooked, add them to the vegetable mix.  Keep stirring everything until the chicken is cooked (which I'm sure it will be at this point) and the vegetables are hot.

Once everything is done, put a scoop or two of rice on your plate, the cover with a scoop or two of everything else.  Use sauce as desired.  Garnish with sesame seeds if you like.