3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil $3.29
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs $6.99
1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch dice $2.99
1 onion, chopped into 1/2 inch dice $0.99
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated $1.19
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped $1.09
1 tablespoon hot sauce $3.00
2 tablespoons tamari $3.73
1/4 cup hoisin sauce $3.29
1/4 cup orange marmalade $3.15
1/2 cup chicken stock $1.09
1/2 cup regular or honey-roasted cashews $3.15
4 scallions, thinly sliced on a bias $2.49
Total: $36.44
Order of Orange Cashew Chicken for Take Out: $7.50
$36 ain't bad for a family of four. However, compared to a take out order of orange cashew chicken, it can seem like a lot. This is especially true if you are cooking for a family of two (or one, in my case). Although it is difficult to cut the grocery bill down to the price of Chinese take out, I have a feeling that a couple of these ingredients can be taken off of the list.
The Finished Product!
I decided to remove hoisin, tamari, and hot sauce from my grocery list to start. To me, those aren't everyday ingredients. Therefore, they didn't seem worth it to buy. Instead of using those in my cooking, I through in a tablespoon of soy sauce instead. I also am not a huge fan of orange marmalade ... and it's price. So, I opted for a can of mandarin oranges. I reduced the juices inside the can with a tiny bit of sugar to allow it to try and thicken up and begin to vaguely resemble a marmalade. Finally, I tossed the scallions and opted for a cheaper bag of frozen broccoli that will go a longer way. After all is said and done, my ingredient edits saved me $11.00. Although it doesn't look as fancy as Rachel's, I'm happy with it. However, I do fear that by removing the hoisin, marmalade, and tamari, I'm carving out some of the core flavor. Something to keep in mind for the next meal.
Edited Ingredient List:
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil $3.29
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs $6.99
1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch dice $2.99
1 onion, chopped into 1/2 inch dice $0.99
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated $1.19
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped $1.09
1 tablespoon soy sauce $1.85
1/2 cup mandarin oranges $0.89
1/2 cup chicken stock $1.09
1/2 cup regular or honey-roasted cashews $3.15
1 bag of frozen broccoli $1.25
New Total: $24.77
The original recipe can be found here
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil $3.29
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs $6.99
1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch dice $2.99
1 onion, chopped into 1/2 inch dice $0.99
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated $1.19
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped $1.09
1 tablespoon soy sauce $1.85
1/2 cup mandarin oranges $0.89
1/2 cup chicken stock $1.09
1/2 cup regular or honey-roasted cashews $3.15
1 bag of frozen broccoli $1.25
New Total: $24.77
The original recipe can be found here
2 comments:
This is a great start to your blog. I'm looking forward to reading more. My favorite budget trick to buy whole chickens and use every part. All you need is a good knife.
This looks awesome! Even though it's a little more pricey than takeout, you're not getting all the mystery ingredients and unhealthy stuff they throw in - to me that's worth every penny!
- Maggie
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