We all love our instant ramen, canned meats and porridges like jook and okayu — humble staples that many of us grew up eating and still eat today. Maybe even more so today, when inexpensive meals at home are becoming a necessity. The idea for #TrashyGourmet was born when Frolickers Jason Chin, Thomas Obungen and Gregg Hoshida started taking everyday foods, elevating them through fancy plating or the addition of higher end ingredients and posting their dishes on social media. They hashtag their posts #TrashyGourmet, and friends have jumped in with their own creations.

Have a #TrashyGourmet creation you want to share? Use the hashtag #TrashyGourmet and tag us on Instagram.

Pan-fried Vienna sausage with moromi miso and daikon kim chee

By Jason Chin

I know a bunch of you are hoarding Vienna sausage at home. I’m down to one can (someone help a brother out). Here’s a couple fun ways that I made things a little more interesting.

After bingeing a bunch of Maangchi videos on YouTube, I decided to make my own daikon kim chee. I also cleaned out the fridge and came across some moromi miso buried in the sea of condiments. Moromi with its slight sweetness to counteract miso's umami saltiness works with any kind of kim chee or pickle, which in turn cuts the fattiness of Vienna sausage. The combo packs a nice punch together.

Ingredients

1 can Vienna sausage

Moromi miso (or any condiment of your choosing)

Daikon kim chee

1 teaspoon cooking oil

Instructions

Heat a non-stick pan on medium high heat

Add a teaspoon of cooking oil to the hot pan

Add your sausages and let them sit for about 1 minute, then shake the pan so they roll around and brown on another side

Serve with the miso or other condiment and some kim chee

Pan-fried Vienna sausage with honey mustard reduction

I think the world of Vienna sausage eaters can be divided into two camps: those that love the juice, and those that don't. I happen to love it and spontaneously thought of a way to use it in a sauce. This is a good chance to use up those condiment packets you’ve been saving at home because they’re just about the right proportions for this recipe.

Ingredients

1 can Vienna sausage (save the juice)

1 Tablespoon brown mustard (any mustard will do)

1 Tablespoon honey

1 Tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon cooking oil

Instructions

Heat a non-stick pan on medium high heat

Add a teaspoon of cooking oil to the hot pan

Add your sausages to the pan and let them sit for about 1 minute, then shake the pan to roll them around to brown on another side

Remove the sausages from the heat and put them in a bowl or a plate. If it's a plate, choose one that can hold some sauce

Wipe down the pan with a paper towel, being careful not to burn your hands. You don’t want any burnt bits left behind

Heat your pan on medium high again. Pour the juice from the Vienna sausage can into the pan and stir in the honey and mustard

Let the mixture simmer and reduce by about 30%

Add in the butter and stir until incorporated

Spoon your sauce around the sides of the dish, being careful not to pour it over the Vienna sausage. You want an elegant puddle of sauce, not a lake

Tater tot waffle grilled cheese

By Gem Nishimura, Hawaii Mom Blog

I love tots, and I love a good grilled cheese. You can have both at the same time in a tater tot waffle grilled cheese sandwich. Note: You'll need a waffle maker for this dish.

Ingredients

Lamb Weston Crispy Potato Puffs, 28-oz. bag (note: How many tater tots you use depends on size of your waffle maker)

4 slices Kraft American cheese

Optional: Cooking spray on waffle iron to prevent sticking

Instructions

Pack thawed tater tots neatly into a waffle maker. If you don't pack them in, you risk the waffle falling apart

Cook until crispy, about 9-10 minutes

Make another tater tot waffle and cook until crispy

Place cheese on top of waffle, followed by the already-cooked tater tot waffle. Cut/tear cheese to fit

Close waffle maker and cook until your sandwich is golden brown, nice and crisp. Test out the texture with a spatula or fork. Make sure it feels strong enough to hold up when picking up with your hands

Cut waffle sandwich into quarters and serve

Macaroni and Spam

By Wilbur Wong

This comfort food is a localized version of a classic Hong Kong dish. Growing up, I thought it was just something that my mom threw together. But when I visited Hong Kong, I found that it's sold in a lot of quick-dining restaurants, though they use sliced ham.

Ingredients

16-oz box of elbow macaroni

2 14.5-oz cans of chicken broth

1/2 can of Spam

Leftover vegetables

Garlic chili oil (optional)

Instructions