ThriftyFun Recipes - March 15, 2010

We are all back from Hawaii now and getting back in the swing of a normal work week. Thanks for your patience with the newsletters and the site in general. Later this week, I will try to post some Hawaiian recipes that I collected in Oahu. It would be fun to recreate an authentic luau, maybe in the summer. Here is a link to the update on our adventures:

ThriftyFun: Aloha From Hawai'i

Thank you to Robin for another Weekly Deals article. Thank you also goes to Deb, Frazzled Leslie, Sandy, bailegirl, Lucy L, and Deeli for today's tips and recipes. I'm still looking for unusual Easter recipes and traditions, send them in today!

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Jess and the ThriftyFun Team

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Recipe Requests:

• Substitute For Buttermilk
• Easy to Prepare Soups and Casseroles That Can Be Frozen
• Recipes for a Whole Chicken
• Recipe for Irish Soda Bread
• Freeze Extra Buttermilk
• Determining if Milk is Safe to Drink

Today's Food Tips:

• Stretching Butter With Oil
• Using Oven to Cook Hamburgers
• Robin's Thrifty Tips: Weekly Grocery Deals

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Golden Chicken Soup
• Baked Cabbage
• Coronation Chicken
• Fruit Cocktail Dessert
• Tomato Vinaigrette

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Baked Eggs
• Avocado And Bean Salad
• Beef Noodle Bake
• Banana Split Cake

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Substitute For Buttermilk

It is difficult to buy buttermilk where I live. What can I use as a substitute?

By Barbara from Calpe, Spain

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Easy to Prepare Soups and Casseroles That Can Be Frozen

I have a target goal of trying to spend no more than 300 dollars a month for groceries for me and my fiance. My spending for food usually is not very frugal. I have this impulsive urge to buy take out when I don't want to cook. I forget to pack lunches and snacks with me when I go out and end up buying take out.

Cooking meals like casseroles and soups is something I would like to do more. I just don't know where to really start. Any sites that suggest how to make easy simple soups and casseroles, that can be frozen? Or does someone want to share any ideas of your own?

By ChildGoddess from Kenora, Ontario

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Recipes for a Whole Chicken

Any ideas on cooking a whole frozen chicken, about 4-5 lbs.? I thought about starting a soup with it and a bunch of veggies. I was wondering if there were any other ideas out there.

Thanks.

By PAshell from Bradford, PA

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Recipe for Irish Soda Bread

Does anyone have any good, easy recipes for Irish Soda Bread as I can't find mine.

Thanks

By Betty from Slate Hill, NY

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Freeze Extra Buttermilk

I bought some low-fat buttermilk on sale and it doesn't taste like buttermilk. It has almost no taste. I bought it for drinking, but since I don't like the taste, can I freeze it for later cooking? Any other ideas? Thanks.

Pat

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Determining if Milk is Safe to Drink

We bought some milk it doesn't expire until March 18th. It was frozen in our refrigerator since the 3rd of March. It tastes like vanilla, it's 2% milk. Is it safe? I'm 33 weeks pregnant, so I want to be safe.

By Katherine

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Stretching Butter With Oil

Stretch your butter budget and make it a little healthier. Save money on buying butter spreads. Make your own and know what those ingredients are that are in it!

Cut back on saturated fat and use much less butter on your toast and muffins by softening 2 sticks of butter to room temperature. Then put the whisk attachment on your stand mixer (I use a Kitchen Aid).

Start whipping those two sticks of butter while you slowly drizzle one cup of vegetable, olive, or canola oil into it. (Your choice of oil). I like the canola because olive oil adds it's own taste to the butter. Canola oil leaves the butter tasting like butter.

Scrape up the sides now and then to incorporate all the butter into the oil. Whip until light and fluffy. It might look like a light cake batter when it's done. Pour it into individual containers with lids and refrigerate until needed.

Use for frying eggs or sauteing vegetables because the oil raises the burning point of the butter and it won't burn as easily. It's delicious on toast, English muffins or crackers. It stays soft right out of the refrigerator. Try grilled cheese sandwiches. The butter just glides across the bread.

I hope you try this. My nutritionist was thrilled when I told her about this.

By Deb from Williamstown, New Jersey

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Using Oven to Cook Hamburgers

I just didn't have time to fry hamburgers one day. I decided to make hamburgers in a hurry. I mixed ground beef, chopped onions, some seasonings, yellow mustard and ketchup. I put in a chicken roaster making sure it was flat and the thickness of a hamburger patty. I baked it at 325 degree F for 30 minutes. When it was done I simply cut it into squares to fit the buns and added the mayonnaise. Voila, instant hamburgers.

Since we like our hamburgers greasy, we used the cheap ground meat, letting it drain for a bit on the pancake turner before we put it on the bun. If you prefer, you could use leaner meat or buffalo.

Source: A rushed day

By Frazzled Leslie from New Orleans, LA

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Robin's Thrifty Tips: Weekly Grocery Deals

This week, our Fareway grocery store has really got it going on! They have quite a few items I will be going after. They have fresh head cabbage for .10/lb. We absolutely LOVE roast with carrots, potatoes and cabbage cooked in with it, so this really appeals to me.

Fareway also has Old Orchard brand frozen orange juice concentrate in the 12oz. size for .88 each. Another good deal is Starkist tuna which is on sale 2/$1. We are trying to eat healthier so this will be a great time to stock up on some tuna. Plus, my husband loves tuna melt sandwiches.

If you're into frozen dinners, they have Banquet brand frozen TV dinners for .79 each and they have Pepsi 2 liter products that are 10/$10. Totino's brand frozen pizzas are also 10/$10. We will occasionally buy these for a quick lunch item.

Gala apples are on sale for .99/lb. These aren't my husband's favorite brand of apple, but he will eat them if they are on sale cheap enough. .99/lb for the off season is really a good price around here. Fareway also has fresh from the meat counter, ground pork on sale for $1.49/lb. and a coupon for Betty Crocker Angel Food cake mix for .99 a box.

Hy-Vee has quite a few good deals this week as well. They have one of my personal favorite brands of laundry detergent, Era, on sale this week for $2.97 for a 32 load bottle. Anymore, that's a pretty decent price for around our area. Del Monte canned fruits are .99 a can. Rice-A-Roni or Pasta Roni is 5/$5. We like to add a can of chicken to a box of that stuff.Yummy! Pillsbury Moist Supreme cake mixes are .88, and Creamette pastas are 10/$10 for the 12 or 16oz. box.

Those are some of the deals of the week for our area. What's going on in your neck of the woods this week? Any extra good deals to report?

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Golden Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cup milk
• 4 cup chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 oz diced American cheese

Directions:

Saute the chopped vegetables in butter. Add flour and salt. Stir well until flour is lightly cooked. Add chicken broth and milk. Bring to boil. Turn down the heat to low and stir until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add cheese stirring until well dissolved. Serves 4. (I often add 1 cup of thinly cut up chicken.)

By Sandy from Graettinger, IA

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Baked Cabbage

This is a super easy, but super good way to fix cabbage. My husband thinks it's better than fried cabbage; I don't know about that, but it is delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cabbage
• olive oil, butter or margarine
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Wash and dry 1 head of cabbage. Cut off enough of stem end so that cabbage will sit flat. Cut cabbage into quarters, but don't cut quite all the way through. Put Olive Oil and/or margarine in the center and season with salt and pepper. Wrap cabbage tightly in foil and place in a baking dish.

Bake in a 375 degree F oven until a knife inserted into the cabbage head goes through easily, (approx. 2 hours, depending on the size of the head of cabbage). Remove from oven, unwrap and serve. May be cut into smaller pieces if desired, or served in the wedges as is.

Source: My Sister in Law

By bailegirl

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Coronation Chicken

Classic English favourite

Ingredients:

• 1 large chicken
• 5 sticks celery, sliced
• 1 large apple, peeled and sliced or a cup of grapes, halved
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 cups heavy cream or full-fat yoghurt
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. apricot jam (optional)
• flaked almonds, lightly toasted

Directions:

Poach the chicken and when it is cooked, skin it and cut it up into bits, taking the meat off the bones.

Mix together cream, mayonnaise, curry powder and apricot jam until fully incorporated.

Put chicken pieces in dish with apple/grapes and celery and cover with mayonnaise mixture, top with toasted almonds.

Put in fridge till ready for use.

By Lucy L.

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Fruit Cocktail Dessert

Ingredients:

• 1 stick margarine
• 1 (16 oz) fruit cocktail with juice
• 1 cup pineapple tidbits with juice
• 1 box yellow cake mix

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 cup coconut

Directions:

Butter 9x13 inch pan. Pour fruits with juices in pan. Sprinkle cake mix over fruits. Melt margarine and dribble over top. Next mix together all topping ingredients and sprinkle over top. Bake in 350 degree F oven for 30-35 minutes.

By Sandy from Graettinger, IA

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Tomato Vinaigrette

This is a great way to use up extra cherry tomatoes :-)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole cherry tomatoes
• 1 /4 cup red wine or balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Combine cherry tomatoes, vinegar, garlic and Dijon mustard in a food processor and process until well blended.

With food processor is still on, slowly pour in olive oil until mixture is blended. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a serving vessel.

By Deeli from Richland, WA

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Baked Eggs

Ingredients:

• 8 slices bread
• 2 cup grated American cheese
• 1 1/2 lbs. ham or link sausage, chopped and cooked
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 1/2 cup milk
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put bread in bottom of 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle with meat and cheese. Beat eggs, 2 cups milk, mustard and slat until fluffy and pour over meat and bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Top with the soup mixed with the remaining 1/2 cup of milk.

Bake, uncovered, for up to 1 1/2 hour until set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Avocado And Bean Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 cans kidney beans, drained
• 3 cans green beans, drained
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
• 3 ripe avocados, peeled and sliced
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. dried basil leaves, crushed

Directions:

Toss beans, onion and avocados. Shake remaining ingredients in tightly covered jar. Pour dressing over salad; toss. Refrigerate, covered, at least 3 hours. Just before serving, toss and drain.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Beef Noodle Bake

Ingredients:

• lb. ground beef
• 1 can chopped mushrooms, drained
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 can tomato sauce (15oz.)
• 4 oz. noodles, uncooked
• 4 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 cup sour cream, plain or with chives
• 1 pkg. cream cheese (8oz.)
• 1/2 cup grated cheese

Directions:

Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain off any grease. Add mushrooms, salt, pepper, sugar and tomato sauce. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.

Combine onions, using some of the green tops, with cream cheese and sour cream; blend well. In a greased 2 qt. casserole, spread 1/4 of the noodles, then 1/4 of the ground beef mixture, then spread with 1/4 sour cream mixture on top. Repeat 3 times. Top with cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees F until it bubbles in the center, about 50 minutes if chilled and 35 minutes if unchilled. Makes 6-8 servings.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Banana Split Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup margarine, softened
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 large can crushed pineapple, drained well
• 3 large bananas, sliced lengthwise
• 1 large carton Cool Whip
• chopped nuts
• chopped cherries

Directions

By Robin from Washington, IA

Editor's Note: This recipe does use raw egg whites.

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