ThriftyFun Recipes - April 2, 2008

Vol. 7, Num. 65, April 2, 2008 (Read It Online) Thank you Robin, Connie, Esther, Carrie, Cynthia and Cajun62234 for today's recipes! Do you have a food tip or recipe to share? Submit Your Favorite Recipe! Need a recipe? Submit a request Thanks for reading, Susan Send to a Friend! Edit Your Subscriptions: To edit your ThriftyFun subscriptions, click the Update Profile/Email Address link at the bottom of this newsletter. Today's newsletter contains: 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 Today's Sponsor: 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: Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml Contests: Tip Contest Submit a Tip or Recipe! Photo Contest Submit a tip with photo! The above contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25! My Frugal Life Submit a My Frugal Life Essay! Today's Food Tips: 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. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf78337084.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print 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 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf31799784.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Today's Contest Recipes: 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 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf44728812.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print 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 Cream together cream cheese and sugar. Add beaten eggs, one at a time. Using mixer on high, mix for a minimum of 4 minutes. Pour into shell and bake in 350 degree F oven until done. Stir topping ingredients until well mixed. Cool cheesecake slightly then pour on topping and bake for additional 10 minutes. By Cynthia from Portland, OR Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf71226873.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print 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 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf21217342.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print 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 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf59951306.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print 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 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf47113679.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Robin's Recipe Corner: 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 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf35634949.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print 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) Creole Sauce: 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 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf44252646.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print 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 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf81345693.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print 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 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf17786181.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print 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 Salad dressing: 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 Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf56854411.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Today's Sponsor: 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. 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