Korean fried chicken: $2.12/serving

Fried chicken can be expensive. Not only is there the cost of the chicken itself, there’s also the copious amount of oil used to fry it in. But did you know you can re-use fryer oil several times, even if it was used to cook meat? Just strain it when you’re done and store it in the fridge or freezer. This way $4 worth of oil (provided you’re already buying it inexpensively in bulk) becomes $2 or even $1 worth. Also, while it’s cheapest to just buy a whole chicken and cut it up yourself, it’s often possible to find packages of drumsticks on markdown—not a lot of people seem to buy them, especially the big packages of 16 or more, so be on the lookout. When you see them, take them home, package them into manageable portions, and freeze them. This particular version of fried chicken was born of just that: a package of drumsticks on major markdown, plus a bounty of garlic harvested from my neighbor’s yard. (The pineapple was not on sale, but I’m going to invoke the pregnancy pass for that one.)

Roasted kimchi-marinated pork and apples: $1.68/serving

This concludes my week-long attempt to use up two jars of kimchi that were languishing in the pantry. In my imagination, everywhere but Portland (and the storm-ravaged Midwest) is awash in sunny grilling weather right now, so if that is indeed you, by all means break out the grill for this dish. I had to resort to the broiler. The spiciness of the pork and contrast with the apples will depend on how spicy your kimchi is, but even if it’s mild, this is a highly flavorful and quick (after letting the pork marinate overnight) weeknight meal.

Bibim naeng myun (spicy Korean noodle salad): $1.38/serving

This is another dish that’s a little more summer than it is spring or late winter (both because it’s chilled and it calls for cucumber, which is usually too expensive to buy this time of year), but it’s super-tasty and easy enough to throw together on a weeknight, especially if you have a mandoline that juliennes. (Cuts vegetables into matchstick shapes so you don’t have to do it yourself.) Usually bibim naeng myun includes meat or hard-boiled egg, which you’re more than welcome to include, but I prefer the clean flavors and easy prep of this vegan version.

Beef bulgogi lettuce wraps: 53 cents each

Full disclosure: I know real bulgogi is usually grilled. This version is not. If you saw the weather outside right now (gale-force winds and a pelting snow/rain mix), you would understand and forgive me. That said, this is a version anyone can make at any time, provided they have kimchi on hand. I’ve made this before without the kimchi, so I can say with some authority that it really makes the dish. I know it’s tempting to want to just cook the meat up plain and serve it over some rice, but it’s not going to knock your socks off without the spicy tang of kimchi for balance. You have been warned.

Kimchi fried rice: 72 cents/serving

As evidenced by this and the Thai version I made back in November, I’m a big fan of fried rice. I tend to be a bit overzealous when it comes to estimating how much rice we’re going to need for certain dishes—in this case, kimchi jjigae—and fried rice is the perfect way to turn something otherwise inedible (cold, dried-out refrigerated rice) into something amazing, whether it’s one serving’s worth or eight. Obviously there are no substitutions for kimchi, but you can use any meat for this; I used pork, but it would work fine with chicken, beef, or even pre-fried tofu cubes.

Kimchi jjigae (pork and kimchi stew): 88 cents/serving

This is not the first time I’ve made kimchi jjigae. In fact, it’s kind of become my go-to “use up the last of the kimchi” recipe, because it seems that the older the kimchi gets, the better this stew tastes. It’s not exactly something you can whip up after a trip to Safeway—unless your Safeway happens to have a Korean section—but next time you find yourself near an Asian grocery, be on the lookout for gochugaru (Korean pepper powder) and gochujang (Korean fermented pepper paste). They’re both quite inexpensive and versatile—I’ve even used gochujang to make hummus—and once you have them, this stew is a great, quick weeknight vehicle for whatever meat or vegetables you happen to have on hand.