ThriftyFun Recipes - October 29, 2008

Thank you Sandra, Linda, Sherry, Kathy, southeastgeorgiapeach, Robin, Laura, April and melody_yesterday for today's tips and recipes.

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Recipe Requests:

• Freezing Scalloped Potatoes
• Olive Garden Style Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
• Lasagna Polenta Recipe

Today's Food Tips:

• Wrap Lunch Meat in Paper Towels to Absorb Moisture
• Keep Your Freezer Full To Save On Electricity
• Links: Making And Using Acorn Flour

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Cauliflower Cheese Soup
• Crock Pot Ribs
• Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
• Halloween Punch Recipe
• Perfect Cookie Icing

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Asparagus with Orange Sauce
• English Toffee Ice Box Dessert
• Three Fruit Slaw
• Haystacks
• Tomato Chicken Rice Casserole
• Soft Gingerbread

Crafting for Fun and Money!

If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish.

More Information:
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Freezing Scalloped Potatoes

I would like to know if you can freeze scalloped potatoes. I do make mine low fat; I use non fat milk, butter buds and sometimes I use unflavored soy milk or unflavored rice milk. You can't even tell the difference.

This is funny though - If my husband knows I'm cooking this way he complains! But if I don't tell him I use this type of recipe, he says "Now this is the way I want you to cook all year round! See how much better food tastes when you use real butter and real milk?!"

I think it's a scream! He's diabetic and has heart disease so I have to try to cut back where I can because he won't follow his doctor's advice about what to eat (or what not to eat).

Thank you!

Smoochie

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Olive Garden Style Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe

My family ate at Olive Garden the other night. Does anyone have a recipe for the Chicken Gnocchi Soup? It was wonderful!

JoAnne from Florida

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Lasagna Polenta Recipe

I noticed info regarding the Lasagna Polenta. I searched the website looking for the recipe - but did not locate it. Did I miss it in one of the newsletters?

Thank you,
Cg

Editor's Note: We don't appear to have a Lasagna Polenta recipe on our website yet, does anyone have one to share?

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Wrap Lunch Meat in Paper Towels to Absorb Moisture

Most lunch meats get watery or kinda slimy, when in the fridge a while. After opening, wrap in paper towels. You can put it back in the bag it came in or a zip lock baggie. Change towels when they feel damp. No more slimy or soggy bread either.

Source: I came up with this one a few years ago.

By Laura from Spartanburg, S.C.

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Keep Your Freezer Full To Save On Electricity

Being single, I don't have my freezer full of food all the time. Keeping your freezer full saves money on your electric bill. I now keep empty spaces full by filling milk jugs with water. I also have clean fresh water on hand at all times in case of an emergency.

By April from Buffalo, Ny

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Links: Making And Using Acorn Flour

I learned of this several years back and always wanted to make my own and use it in a recipe!

How To Make It:

• http://www.selfsufficientish.com/acorns.htm

• http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1T4GGIK_enUS276US276&q=acorn+recipes+

• http://www.nativetech.org/recipes/recipe.php?recipeid=245

By melody_yesterday from Sedalia, MO

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Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 small head, separated into flowerets and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 Tbsp. margarine
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup pasteurized process cheese spread
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 tsp. instant chicken bouillon
• Dash each of nutmeg and allspice
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 small green pepper, finely chopped
• paprika

Directions

Cook and stir cauliflower in butter in a 3 qt. saucepan, over low heat until crisp tender, about 6 minutes.

Stir in water, cheese, half and half, bouillon, nutmeg and allspice. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, heat about 2 minutes. Sprinkle pepper and paprika over soup.

Source: Betty Crocker Cool Cooking Cards

Note: this soup is so good, especially with bread and salad. I am not a big fan of Velveta, so if you want to try it with shredded cojack, you would probably be fine.

By Sandra from Salem OR

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Crock Pot Ribs

These ribs are lip smacking good. A lot of the measurements in this recipe depend on the amount of ribs you are using. Use your best judgment and your preference of sticky messy ribs.

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz. bottle of Pepsi/7-up
• 1 small bottle of ketchup (8oz.)
• 1 large green pepper sliced in strips
• 1 large onion sliced in strips
• 6-8 Ribs
• 1/2 bottle of barbecue sauce*(

Directions

Add ribs and all ingredients to crock pot. Slow cook about 7-8 hours with lid tilted. For an extra use of this recipe, pour the sauce over egg noodles if the ribs aren't too fatty.

By Linda from Eustis, FL

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Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

• Seeds from 2 medium pumpkins
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. celery salt
• 1 tsp. ground cumin

Directions

Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Remove the seeds from the pumpkins. Discard the pulp.

Spread the seeds (no need to rinse them) evenly on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until dried, about 1 hour.

Toss the seeds, olive oil, celery salt, and cumin in a large skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, until the seeds are lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Source: From a friend

By Sherry from Poulsbo WA

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Halloween Punch Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 envelope orange Kool-Aid mix
• 2 envelopes grape Kool-Aid mix
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 large can pineapple juice (at least 32 ounces)
• 1 two-liter bottle of ginger ale
• Assorted colored gummy worms

Directions:

Mix all the envelopes of Kool-Aid with just 2 quarts of water and use the 1-1/2 cups of sugar. Add pineapple juice. Mix thoroughly and chill. When ready to serve, pour into punch bowl and add chilled ginger ale. Garnish cups/punch bowl with gummy worms. Can be served over iced or just chilled.

I have made this punch many times. Warning! The finished punch looks like swamp water! No kidding! I found that children LOVE this but adults actually turn up their noses at the punch just because of the COLOR. It is really good punch but some adults just won't drink it. I, being the fun loving person I am, think it's a HOOT that some adults are so finicky! Anyway, give it a try, at least once. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!

Source: Either from Woman's Day or Family Circle magazine at least 10 years ago.

By southeastgeorgiapeach from Jesup, GA

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Perfect Cookie Icing

Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp. milk
• 2 tsp. corn syrup

Directions

In a small bowl, blend powdered sugar with milk. Add corn syrup and blend until perfectly smooth. Add desired liquid or paste food coloring and blend.

The syrup adds a glossy sheen to the cookies. Allow the cookie icing to dry completely on the cookies before stacking finished cookies in layers between wax paper.

By Kathy from Western PA

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Asparagus with Orange Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1 Tbsp. grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Directions

Blanch the asparagus by placing it in a saucepan and covering it with water. Cook until crisp-tender and drain off water.

In a saucepan, combine the orange juice, orange zest, butter and salt until thickened. Pour over asparagus and serve.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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English Toffee Ice Box Dessert

Ingredients

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup nuts (coarsely chopped)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup crushed vanilla wafers

Directions

Sift the powdered sugar, cocoa and salt together. Add butter and cream with sugar and cocoa. Add egg yolks, one at a time. Beat well. Add nuts and vanilla. Beat egg whites stiff but not dry and fold into other mixture. Spread 2/3 of vanilla wafer crumbs in bottom of buttered 8x8 inch pan. Pour in mixture. Put rest of crumbs on top. Put in refrigerator to set. Keeps well. Serves 6.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Three Fruit Slaw

Ingredients

• 1 small cabbage, shredded
• 1 small carrot, shredded
• 1 package pineapple tidbits, drained (8oz.)
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup flaked coconut
• 1/3-1/2 cup mayonnaise

Directions

In large bowl, combine all ingredients except mayonnaise. Cover and chill. Just before serving, stir in mayonnaise.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Haystacks

Ingredients

• 1 package butterscotch chips (12 oz.)
• 1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)
• 1 package Chinese chow mein noodles (12 oz.)

Directions

In large saucepan over low heat, melt the butterscotch and chocolate chips. Add chow mein noodles, coating well. Spoon onto waxed paper and chill until firm.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Tomato Chicken Rice Casserole

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. corn oil
• 1 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup sliced onion
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 cup chicken stock
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• hot cooked rice

Directions

In a skillet, heat the oil and add the peppers and onions. Cover and cook over low heat until tender but not brown. Blend the cornstarch with a little bit of chicken stock. Add remaining stock and soy sauce. Gently stir the shredded chicken and stock mixture into vegetables. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is clear and thickened. Add tomatoes and heat through. Serve over hot rice.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Soft Gingerbread

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup lard
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp. ginger
• 1 1/2 cups molasses or sorghum

Directions

Beat egg yolks and lard. Dissolve soda in milk. Add to yolks and lard. Sift flour and ginger, then add. Add molasses. Beat egg whites until stiff and add last. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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