The "I'm poor as hell recipe collection"

this recipe I like to make on a cold winters day, stick to your ribs, hearty goodness. It has no name as it is one of my own toss together creations.

1 cup cubed pork (i just cut up 2 pork chops)
1 cup frozen mixed veggies
1 beef bullion cube (or any variety i like the beef)
half an onion diced
1 tsp butter/margarine
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups pearl barley
S&P to taste

in a 5 quart pan saute onions till fragrant but not coloured, add pork and brown on all sides, add water and bullion cube bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer, add the barley and cook till tender (most of the water will be absorbed into the barley) add the frozen veggies and contiune cooking till heated through. you can add any spice/herbs you want to give it some extra flavour.

This is my version of a thick almost porridge type of pottage that was a staple during the medieval time period, although most of the time it was made with strictly vegetables.

a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

Love the beans and cornbread. I always add the cheapo box of mac and cheese.

You should give ground pork a shot. Once seasoned, you may not notice any flavor difference.

So, I am going through Mom's recipes AGAIN...AND watching the freezing cold Seattle and Vikings game...AND we woke up to our first snowfall (albeit just a dusting) of 2016...LOL
I found one from, I'm guessing, Dad's side because it is attributed to the PA Dutch...
This one is for hamburger soup. Sounded inexpensive enough so I thought I'd drop it here...

I am going to substitute the ground beef using venison that we get every year from our hunter friends...LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!

(Pay no mind to my dirty sink!)

I am going to get it ready tonight and put the crockpot on low tomorrow before I leave for work.
Anyway, the recipe goes like this (I have changed and added some things).

Brown the meat with some sweet onion, just until no longer red/pink. (don't overcook it, it isn't necessary as it is going into a crock pot to cook all day).
Salt and pepper and whatever seasonings strike your fancy...
Right before you take it off of the heat add some chopped garlic.
Right now frozen whole kernel corn is selling for about $1 for a 12 ounce bag. If you prefer you could add two cans of corn, they are about $.50/can. The original recipe calls for cream corn...I am not a fan so I am using whole kernel.
Chop some celery put that in.
Peel and chop about 5 potatoes or so (I figure on one good size per person + for leftovers so I may peel 6-8 depending on size.
Add a bag of petite carrots.
Add two cans or one large container of beef stock.
Add water to cover all ingredients.
Cover and cook on low about 6+hours...

So, into the crock pot goes
Browned drained meat with onion and garlic (Cost is = maybe $1.00 as the meat is free)
Bag of frozen corn (Cost for me = $1.00-if you froze or canned your own, free)
Bunch of celery (Cost = $1.00 for a bunch)
Potatoes (Cost = $1.50/I paid $3.99 for a 10 pound bag)
Carrots (Cost = $1.00/on sale right now at my grocer for $.99)
Beef stock (Cost 2 cans = $1.00 or large container = $1.50)
Seasonings (Cost = nominal, use whatever you have)

Total ingredients cost=$6.50
You could certainly add/subtract anything from this recipe as it is basically a "stew" base recipe...

I think I may add some heavy cream (1/4 cup) to the finished product (right in the crock pot) right before serving...
I think the addition of tomatoes would be wonderful!
I have developed this odd "allergy" to tomatoes so, there won't be any going in THIS time...

Like I said...just dropping it...maybe someone would like to try it, also, someday!

a reply to: TNMockingbird

my ex and my daughter have a tomato allergy that causes blisters inside their noses, if you ever feel the urge for a pizza use a pesto or a creamy garlic sauce they work great. we also omit putting sauce on completely, tastes great and the toppings don't slide off.

originally posted by: ChuckNasty
a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

Love the beans and cornbread. I always add the cheapo box of mac and cheese.

You should give ground pork a shot. Once seasoned, you may not notice any flavor difference.

Oh, e eat a bit of pork! Not usually for beef, but in some recipes, it can be quite similar, I agree!

Beans and cornbread are good, solid comfort food!

I am adding this here because our venison is free...

I tried, tonight, to fry the tenderloin with Panko as a breading instead of the usual.

It turned out sooooo good!

I want to kiss my/the old man's hunter friends....

The kids set off to eat their dinner...unusual here unless you cook certain things...teenageers....

So, basically, you take the tenderloin and dip in egg wash, dredge in Panko, then fry in hot oil....
Briefly...if you go too far, you won't enjoy it...shoe leather comes to mind....

There is just something about eating meat from the wild as opposed to the grocery store stuff...

I tried to take a pic of the meat before cooking and my phone takes crappy pics. It looked like a big blob of liver, which I will NOT eat! No matter how many bribes the "old man" comes up with....

a reply to: TNMockingbird

It sounds similar to chicken fried steak.

a reply to: TNMockingbird

venison tends to look like liver anyway. Can't do much about it.

But that sounds like a chicken fry. whichs i give

Did you make a country gravy? Chicken fry needs cream/country gravy, some mashed taters, and maybe some fried corn.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

I just had dinner and now you made me hungry again.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

NO, BUT, if you fry it just enough...
nothing else is required, however, we did discuss some sort of dipping sauce...

Like for other fried foods you would eat in a pub...

I can't think of anything "quite right".

A sour cream based dipping sauce of some sort, I am thinking...

a reply to: TNMockingbird

I'd just do country gravy. Nothing makes good food better more than some creamy country gravy. if you fry it, its either ranch or gravy.

And ranch isn't right on fried meats.

But i bet its amazing without a sauce, you're right. Some good venison is probably the best meat on the planet.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Isn't venison a tad ' gamey ' (like rabbit and I guess sheep for that matter).

Here in Australia - some enjoy the lean meat of Kangaroo - could work in a similar vein, although I hear there is a new and improved ban on Kangaroo meat in the States.

a reply to: Timely

I love kangaroo, we have a few farms in ontario that sells the meat, it's expensive though and I only get some as a treat maybe once a year, yes venison can be gamey but there are ways of toning that down, like soaking it in milk.

here's a dish from Japan called Yakitori, wonderful flavour and quite economical because it uses chicken thighs instead of the more expensive breast meat. I love this dish and serve it with etra sauce and rice as a side.

10-12 5-inch bamboo skewers
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, at room temperature
9 scallions (aka green onions)
Vegetable oil (for greasing the broiler rack)

Yakitori Sauce (Tare)
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup mirin (japanese rice wine vinegar)
¼ cup sake (japanese rice wine)
¼ cup water
2 tsp. packed brown sugar

Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes.

In a small saucepan, add the mirin, soy sauce, sake, water, brown sugar, and the green part of 1 scallion, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, decrease the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by half. It will take about 30 minutes. The sauce will be thicker and glossy. Let it cool to room temperature before using. Reserve ⅓ of the sauce in a small bowl for final coating and extra dipping.
Cut the white and light green part of scallions into 1 inch pieces.
Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes.On a flat work surface, fold each slice of chicken in half, insert into chicken at 45 degrees angle, and press down on the skewer to pierce thorough the center.Alternate each chicken slice with a piece of scallion lined up perpendicular to the skewer. Each skewer will hold about 4 chicken slices and 3 scallion pieces.
Place the skewers on top of a greased broiler rack or oven safe cooling rack.
Set the broiler to high and wait until the heating elements are hot. Broil for 6 minutes.
After 6 minutes, brush the sauce on the meat on both sides and continue to broil for 3-4 minutes to caramelize the sauce.
remove from oven and place on a platter bush with extra sauce and enjoy!

a reply to: Daavin

Dude, Yakitori sauzz is mucho delicioso!

I like to add more vegetables but it still good, made me hungry AF!

Oh god ive an hour to go. WHY I DIAL HERE?

Here is a good recipe that's rather cheap to make using kidney beans for protein, you could make a large pot and have several meals.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (15.25 ounce) can kidney beans, drained with liquid reserved
1 cup uncooked white rice

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic. When onion is translucent add salt and tomato paste. Reduce heat to low and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the beans and rice.

Pour the liquid from the beans into a large measuring cup and add enough water to reach a volume of 2 1/2 cups; pour into beans. Cover and cook on low for 45 to 50 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked.

Add any fresh herbs you like at the end or if using dried add with liquid, you can also kick it up a notch with your favourite hot sauce or fresh peppers,or add some frozen veggies to the mix near the end--your imagination is endless, experiment have fun.

Made red beans and rice today, another cheap as hell meal.

Kidney beans $1
Chicken stock $0
Smoked pork hock (We have a pig share, so I'm guessing.) $2
Onion $.10
Celery $.25
Bell pepper (Frozen from the garden) $.10
Rice $.75
Spices, bay leaf, pork dripping for frying $.10

Bam, $4.40 for a meal that will end up to about 10 servings. Even if you don't have a garden or meat share, you can easily make this meal for under $10!

a reply to: Timely

Hey Timely!
In my experience an older Doe is not that good, for eating purposes...
It also depends on what they eat...near corn and soybeans...the best!

In the case of hunting wild animals, IMO, it is better to discriminate somewhat.

Also I see folks riding around town with a kill in the bed of the truck or tied on the hood (obviously been out of the woods a while)...I instantly think, "That's gonna taste like crap!". Kill it, dress it out (get the organs out), get it on ice!...then purge it, then don't cook it to death.
It's already dead! LOL

I've had deer in Florida that was bland as heck. Tender, just bland.
Deer from above GA/AL, IMO is just tastier...

Chicken Thighs.

As many as you want. Skin them. Discard nasty skin.
Coat in oil. I just rub it on with my fingers.
Sprinkle it with seasoned salt to your liking.
Sprinkle a tiny bit of flour over it all. Not much flour, just a sprinkle.
Bake until done on an oiled cooking sheet.
(SKIN THEM, ok? It's a pain, but they are much better this way.)

These are surprisingly good when hot out of the oven. ( For some reason, the next day they are not at all good.)

Cheap and hot. Make a pot of rice or potatoes or something. Done.

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eta: While I'm here, does anybody have a particular BRAND of chili powder you can recommend? I'm just talking off the shelf at the market.
I need something better than what I'm using which is something I got out of a sale buggy in the aisle. Need something better. Recommendations welcome and appreciated.

a reply to: ladyinwaiting

i love leaving the skins on, and cooking until crispy. I'd fist fight your grandpa for his chicken thigh skin.