Semi Homemade Squash Soup

Semi Homemade Squash Soup

It will take a long time for a squash to be fully cooked (well, at least 20~30min, depending on the age of the squash and the size of the squash pieces), I will be passed out on the couch from hunger by the time when the squash is cooked...

The most efficient way for a lazy person like me and still want the squash soup is to go to the grocery store, the canned food section and grab a bottle of 16oz SQUASH SOUP!!! Let me show you how to make the yummy Squash stock… Yummier…!

Ingredients:

* 2 tablespoon of olive oil

* 1 16oz squash soup

* 1/3 onion; finely chopped

* 2 cloves of garlic; minced

* salt (to taste)

* pepper (to taste)

Directions:

* heat oil in medium stockpot; medium heat.

* add onion & garlic until aromatic.

* pour the stock over the mixture & stir; cook soup until heated through.

* add salt & pepper to taste. 

* I was too hungry.., forgot to wipe off the squash soup on the edge of the bowl... 

my cost…
Squash stock	$            2.79
onion	$           0.11	($0.99 a bag, total 3 onions, only used 1/3)
garlic	$            0.04	(5 bulbs of garlic each bag, about 10 glove; 99cents a bag, used 2 cloves)
Total:	$           2.94

Tomato Basil Soup

Tomato Basil Soup

There’s a SMALL area in our backyard that we turned it into a vegetable garden. Our tomatoes are turning red, the herb-ish scent of the basil is spreading in the air… perfect combination to make the Tomato Basil Soup from SCRATCH by using the fresh produce!!! 

To give it a little sweetness to the soup, I've added 1 packet of "ketchup" I got from the fast food restaurant... hahaha! not my fault, sometimes they just gave out too much ketchup for one small bag of french fries. So now you know, do not throw away the precious free ingredients~


my free ketchup...

Soup Ingredients:

* 5 ripe tomatoes; chopped

* 1/3 medium onion; chopped

* 1/5 cup of basil; chopped

* 3 cloves of garlic; minced

* 3 cup of water (or vegetable/chicken stock)

* 2 tablespoons of olive oil, or cooking oil

* 1 packet of ketchup

* black pepper; to taste

* salt; taste

Garnish Ingredients:

* 1 slice of bread

* butter

Soup Directions:

* saute onion, garlic & basil (only need half of the basil for now) until aromatic in a stockpot, medium heat; add the tomatoes.

* saute all the mixtures together, and use your spatula to squeeze out the juice from tomatoes.

* add water to the mixtures; bring to boil.

* add in the ketchup + remaining basil; simmer uncovered for 20 minutes; stir occasionally.

* season the soup with black pepper & salt. 
* to blend the soup is optional; I only blended half of my soup because I like a little texture from my soup. 

Garnish Directions:

* use the cookie cutter to cut the bread into a shape.

* butter the bread and bake until golden brown. 

my cost….
Basil	Free	(from my backyrad)
Tomatoes	Free	(from my backyrad)
Garlic	$0.06	(5 bulbs of garlic each bag, about 10 glove; 99cents a bag, used 3cloves)
Onion	$0.11	($0.99 a bag, total 3 onions, only used 1/3)
Bread	$0.15	($2.99 a loaf, about 20 pieces a loaf, only used 1)
total	$0.32		*cost is not including the seasonings.

if you like what you see and what you eat~ please follow me @ my facebook page....!!! 

https://www.facebook.com/SuperHungryChick

Sriracha Lemon Mango

Sriracha Lemon Mango

I LOVE the Mexican Chili Lemon Mango from the street vendors, but to drive 40min from my house to DTLA just to get the chili lemon mango is not a very "economical" thing to do... but NOTHING is going to stop me from eating my yummy chili lemon mango!!

It's Mango season right now, mangoes are super cheap to get during this time of the year, eat as much mango as you can (well, if you are crazy about mango like me) while the "supplies last"!! 

I don't have Chili powder at home, and I really do not want to spend "unnecessary $$$" on a bottle of chili powder which I might only use it... for..  once..? so, I substituted the chili powder with SRIRACHA!! Some of the main ingredients for sriracha are jalapeno peppers, salt, sugar & vinegar... it's spicy, sweet & sour-all-in-one!!! (sounds like a package deal... hahaha!)

Ingredients:

* 1 mango; cubed

* 1/4 cup of lime/lemon juice

* sriracha (to taste)

Directions

* combine all the ingredients into a medium bowl... then... mix ... mix... mix... till every corner of the mango is evenly covered with the yummy sauce!!!

 

my cost…
Mango	$    0.79
Lemon	free!!	from my backyard
Total:	$    0.79	*cost is not including seasonings

Tomato Tofu Egg Flower Soup

Tomato Tofu Egg Flower Soup 

I don't like to throw away food, and the Chicken Stock (the stock from my chicken wings) was one of the awesome ingredients that should never be thrown away. The chicken broth will give my tomato, tofu and egg soup a richer flavor~!

Ingredients:
* 1 small tomato; diced
* 1 scallion; chopped
* 1 egg; scrambled
* 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
* salt & pepper; to taste

Direction:
* Heat cooking oil in a small skillet and add in the tomato over medium heat, until aromatic.
* place the chicken stock in a medium pot over high heat, add the tofu into the pot and bring to boil.
* slowly pour the egg into the pot, stir the soup in one direction until egg starts to float on top; remove from heat.
* garnish with scallion + salt & pepper to taste. 

my cost…
scallion	$            0.04	($0.20/bundle, total 5 scallion, only used 1)
tomato	free	(from my backyard)
Tofu	$            0.25	($0.99 each, only used 1/4)
Egg	$            0.16	($1.99 a dozen)
Total:	$            0.45

Soy Sauce Chicken

Soy Sauce Chicken 

So... I was craving for chicken wings, but I don't have a frier at home, I could fry them in a skillet but I didn't want the whole house to smell like fried chicken wings, and... ok ok.. call me a lazy a$$, because I don't want to clean up the kitchen... hahaha then I came up with this recipe for soy sauce chicken wings... this recipe is super easy to follow!!

Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup of soy sauce

* garlic (as much as you like); chopped

* 2 teaspoons of honey

* 7 pieces of chicken wings

* water (just enough to cover the chicken wings)

Directions:

* put the water into a small size pan; high heat and let the water to boil.

* once the water is boiled, put all the chicken wings into water and cook the chicken wings for about 5 mins (do not dump away the water!!! i will show you how to make a quick soup by using the CHICKEN WINGS stock!).

* put the chicken wings into a bowl and combine the soy sauce, garlic, 2 teaspoon of honey all together; mix the chicken wings with the sauce and make sure every corner of the chicken wing is covered with the sauce.

* lay all the chicken wings on the oven tray, bake the chicken wings each side in the oven for 350 degrees, 15 mins (each side).

see!! I told ya, it's super easy right?!

my cost…
Chicken Drumette	$    4.07
Garlic	$    0.02	(5 bulbs of garlic each bag, about 10 gloves each bulk)
Total:	$    4.09	*cost is not including seasonings

Tilapia Porridge

Tilapia Porridge

Oh no!!! Don’t let your leftover rice go to waste!!! Economy is bad, tossing the food away = tossing your $$ away. Went out to eat with my sis’ family yesterday, I didn’t mean to be ECONOMICAL, but I TOGO the leftover rice that was included with our entrees.  Here’s an easy recipe to turn your plain leftover rice into an awesome new meal!!!

Ingredients:

* 1 cup of leftover rice

* 3 cups of water (or if you like thinner soup style, use 4 cups of water)

* ¼ cup of ginger; julienne

* 2 tablespoons of sesame oil

* 1 piece of tilapia fillet; cut into bite size

* 1 scallion (optional); chopped

Direction

* Heat sesame oil in a small skillet and add in the ginger over medium heat, until aromatic.

* place the rice and water in a medium pot over high heat and bring to boil; add in the ginger.

* reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

* add the tilapia fillet into the rice mixture; cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. 

my cost…
Leftover Rice	free
Tilapia	$1.00
Scallion	$0.04	($0.20/bundle, total 5 scallion, only used 1)
Ginger	$0.10	($0.99/lb, only bought 0.32lbs & only used 1/3 of the ginger)
		*cost is not including seasonings
total:	$1.14

Scrambled Eggs with Onion

Scrambled Eggs with Onion

The egg itself is already very nutritional & yummy; eggs are the one of the most-have items that I must have in my refrigerator. You could do SO much with the eggs, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, sunny-side-up eggs, eggs in the soup, eggs in the instant noodle… I can not live without EGGS…!

How to spice up your scrambled eggs without using the yummy buttery butter but still YUMMY?? My version of scrambled eggs is super easy, and it’s good for breakfast, lunch and dinner!!!

Ingredients:

* 2 large eggs

* 1 scallion; chopped

* half of onion (medium size); chopped

* 2 tablespoons of cooking oil

* salt & pepper (to taste)

Directions:

* in a medium size bowl; beat eggs, scallion and salt/pepper until fluffy.

* heat up the NONSTICK frying pan, add in the cooking oil; add onion into the pan when the oil is hot and stir fry them until aromatic.

* add in the eggs mixture over medium heat; do not stir right away, because you want to make sure the mixture will be combined together with the onion.

* turn to low heat and begin stirring once the eggs are 70% cooked.

* then keep stirring until it reaches to your desired consistency. 

my cost…
Onion	$    0.16	($0.99 a bag, total 3 onions, only used half)
Eggs	$    0.32	($1.99 a dozen)
Scallion	$    0.04	($0.20/bundle, total 5 scallion, only used 1)
Total:	$    0.52	*cost is not including seasonings