ThriftyFun Recipes - April 2, 2008

Thank you Robin, Connie, Esther, Carrie, Cynthia and Cajun62234 for today's recipes!

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Today's Food Tips:

• Using Almond Extract
• Let Butter Reach Room Temperature Before Using

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Curried Pumpkin Soup
• My Son's Cheesecake
• Homemade Puff Pastry
• Mom's Chicken Salad
• Apple Coffee Cake

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Heart Healthy Macaroni and Cheese
• Creole Meat Loaf
• Strawberries Over Molded Devonshire Cream
• Savory Carrots
• Three Bean Salad

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Using Almond Extract

Description:

Almond extract is made from bitter almond oil and ethyl alcohol, it is strong and sweet used in many baked goods.

Uses:

Almond extract adds a sweet nutty flavor to food. This is concentrated so only a small amount is needed to get the flavor and smell. Often used in Cookies, Bars, marzipan, muffins, cake, pie, waffles, French toast, and for flavoring coffee. It is also found in mild curries and middle eastern stews.

Storage:

Will store indefinitely in an airtight container.

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Let Butter Reach Room Temperature Before Using

Butter at room temperature retains 90% of it's flavor; refrigerated (cold) butter loses 90% of it's flavor. ALWAYS let butter reach room temperature before using!

By Cajun62234 from Collinsville, IL

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Curried Pumpkin Soup

The spices can be adjusted to your individual tastes.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 tsp. minced garlic (or to taste)
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1 cup pureed pumpkin (or about 1/2 can of pumpkin)
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. sugar
• 1 Bay leaf
• 2 cups Veggie broth (or chicken broth)
• 1-1/2 cups milk (2% ok)
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp. heavy cream (optional)
• Chopped chives (as decoration and optional)

Directions

In large pan cook onion, garlic, and curry in the butter or margarine for a few minutes until onion is tender. Add pumpkin, nutmeg, sugar and the bay leaf. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Take out the bay leaf. Stir in 1 cup of the milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes.

In another bowl, stir together the remaining milk and the cornstarch until dissolved, then add it to the pan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook a couple more minutes.

Serves: 4-6

To Serve: Swirl the cream on top, and garnish with chives. This can also be frozen after it cools. It will be good up to 3 months frozen.

By Connie from Cotter, AR

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My Son's Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 3 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Graham Cracker crust or crust made from melted butter and crushed cookies of your choice

Topping:

• 1 8 oz sour cream
• 3/4 cup sugar

By Cynthia from Portland, OR

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Homemade Puff Pastry

You can save a lot of money by making your own puff pastry. Storebought puff pastry is pretty expensive, especially if one is buying a lot. Many people do not even know that one can actually make puff pastry and save a lot of money. This recipe uses hardly any ingredients. This pastry actually puffs up when baked.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups flour, plus extra for dusting
• a little less than 1/2 tsp. salt
• 5 Tbsp. ( 1/3 cup ) margarine or butter
• 6 Tbsp. margarine or butter

Directions

Rinse hands in cold water and dry them. Prepare a cup of ice water. In a bowl, mix flour and salt. Spoon the 5 Tbsp. of butter or margarine into the flour mixture and blend with fingers (not warm hands) until the mixture is uniformly coarse. Continue to toss, as you add 3 Tbsp. of ice water (more if needed). Press the dough into a ball and chill. Divide the 6 Tbsp. of margarine or butter into thirds. Roll out the chilled dough into a rectangle roughly 5 by 15 and 1/8 inch thick. Trim 1/2 inch off a short side to use for patching any punctures that might occur in the dough (the pastry won't be puffy if hot air escapes.) Take a third of the margarine of butter in your fingers, knead it a bit to soften, and pinch off small pieces. Cover the rectangle of dough with these dots, except around the edges. fold the short ends of the dough toward the center, overlapping them like a business letter. Press gently and fold pastry in half the other way. If the pastry has broken anywhere, patch it with the reserve dough by wetting the surfaces to be joined. Roll out the rectangle again, and repeat the buttering and folding process. Chill dough again before repeating the process a third and last time.

Your pastry is now ready to use!

By Esther from Baltimore

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Mom's Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (baked)
• 4 Hard boiled eggs
• Mayonnaise
• Sweet Relish

Directions

Cut up cooked chicken breasts into small pieces. Cut up and add eggs. Add about 1/4 of a jar of sweet relish, be sure to drain the juice before adding. Add mayo to taste. I have found, by trial and error, that if you add too much mayo, you can add more eggs and chicken to thicken it up. Easy to double recipe if you want lots of leftovers, and in my case, I can never get enough of my mom's chicken salad.

By Carrie from Milan, IL

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Apple Coffee Cake

Ingredients

• 5 cups tart apples, cored, peeled, chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup dark raisins
• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 13x9x2 inch baking pan. In large mixing bowl, combine apples with sugar, raisins, and nuts. Mix well and let stand for 30 minutes.

Stir in oil, vanilla and egg. Sift together flour, soda and cinnamon, and stir into apple mixture about a third at a time, just enough to moisten dry ingredients. Turn batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool cake slightly before serving.

Note: Apple and raisins keep this cake moist, which means less oil used.

By Connie from Cotter, AR

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Heart Healthy Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni (uncooked)
• 3 Tbsp. tub margarine
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups cubed lowfat cheese
• paprika

Directions

Cook macaroni in boiling water until tender; drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt margarine in saucepan. Blend in flour, salt, pepper, and mustard. Gradually stir in milk; cook until thick and bubbly. Add onion and cheese, stirring until cheese is melted. Stir in cooked macaroni. Pour into a casserole, lightly greased with margarine or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake 35-40 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Creole Meat Loaf

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. ground round
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• parsley (for garnish)

• 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 3 Tbsp. chopped onion
• 1 can sliced mushrooms with liquid
• 1 1/2 cup tomato juice
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
• 2 Tbsp. water

Directions

Combine all ingredients for meat loaf. Shape into a loaf and place in an 8 1/2x4 1/2 inch lightly greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare sauce by melting butter in a small saucepan. Add green pepper and onion. Saute' 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add mushrooms with liquid and tomato juice. Mix cornstarch, salt, and thyme with water; stir into pepper and onion mixture. Return pan to heat. Bring to boiling. Boil, stirring for 1 minute or until sauce clears and thickens. Slice meat loaf into 3/4 inch pieces. Spoon hot Creole Sauce over slices.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Strawberries Over Molded Devonshire Cream

Ingredients

• 1 env. unflavored gelatin (1 Tbsp.)
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 1 cup sour cream (room temperature)
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 pt. fresh strawberries, sliced

Directions

In saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over water, then dissolve over low heat. Stir into sour cream; set aside. In mixing bowl, beat cream, gradually adding sugar until soft peaks form. Stir in vanilla and sour cream-gelatin mixture. pour into 1 qt. mold, rinsed first with cold water. Chill until firm. Unmold on serving plate and surround with sweetened strawberries. Slice mold to serve and top each with berries. Serves 8.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Savory Carrots

Ingredients

• 2 lb. carrots, cooked
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Simmer. Add hot, drained carrots. Mix. Add onions, green peppers or red peppers, finely chopped; refrigerate.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Three Bean Salad

Ingredients

• 1 can cut green beans
• 1 can cut wax beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1/2 cup cut up green pepper
• 1/2 cup cut up green onion
• 1 small jar pimento, drained

• 1/2 cup salad oil
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. pepper

Directions

Drain beans (rinse kidney beans). Put all into glass bowl. Mix dressing ingredients and pour over. Mix thoroughly and let stand overnight in refrigerator.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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