ThriftyFun Recipes - December 22, 2008

We are currently getting caught up on sending out newsletters from December, this issue was scheduled for December 22nd. We have one additional recipe newsletter to send out and then we will be caught up and ready to start a new year of publishing.

Thank you soyzick, Raymonde, Robin, Celia, MCW, Sarah Ann, Wendy, Sandy and Lisa for today's tips and recipes.

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Recipe Requests:

• Easy, Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe
• Melting Butterscotch Morsels
• Reheating a Baked Potato
• Storing Sweet Potatoes
• Freezing Shepard's Pie Made With Previously Frozen Potatoes

Today's Food Tips:

• Thaw Frozen Veggies When Draining Pasta
• Craft: Create Your Personal Food Tags
• Instant Potatoes for Souper Soups

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Rest A-Lot Stew
• Ginger Orange Nut Balls
• Black Bean And Sweet Potato Stew (Vegan)
• Baklava
• Chocolate Mint Cookies
• Baked Turkey Casserole
• Oyster Corn Chowder

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Cheesy Hash Browns with Sour Cream
• Italian Chicken
• Peanut Butter Candy Balls
• Jello Ribbon
• Turkey Broccoli Casserole

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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Easy, Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe

Does anyone have an easy, soft sugar cookie recipe?

Nicole

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Melting Butterscotch Morsels

I am trying to melt butterscotch morsels in a microwave using a double boiler. They will not melt like semi chocolate chips. What do I need to do?

V.S.

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Reheating a Baked Potato

How do you warm up a baked potato?

Onesummer

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Storing Sweet Potatoes

How do I store sweet potatoes?

GayLynn from Texas

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Freezing Shepard's Pie Made With Previously Frozen Potatoes

Can I freeze mashed potatoes, thaw them, and re-mash them to make Shepard's Pie? Can I then freeze the Shepard's Pie? Will the twice frozen mashed potatoes taste O.K.?


Beverlyc from Natick

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Thaw Frozen Veggies When Draining Pasta

When I'm making pasta salad or a hot dish with pasta and frozen veggies, I cut out a step this way. I pour the frozen veggies (or even fresh broccoli cut small, fresh peas or shredded carrots) into the strainer first, and then drain the pasta right on top of them. A few minutes under the hot pasta will thaw them right out and when I rinse the pasta with cold water, it stops both the pasta and the veggies from turning to mush. Then I just have to mix it all together and I'm done!

By Celia from North Jersey

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Craft: Create Your Personal Food Tags

My husband's a life-time member of VVA-Vietnam Veterans of America. So this year I offered to donate items for their basket auction in January which will be held after the spaghetti dinner. The son-in-law of one of our members lost his life in Afghanistan and the chapter has named a scholarship in his memory. There have been many area high school students who applied and have won the scholarship to help pay part of their college tuition.

So I've been very busy trying to get every thing done before their annual dinner.

I've made 6 large and 3 small jars of Hot Cocoa, Hot Chocolate Mocha and Hot Cappucchino Mixes. And also several sugar-free mixes.

I just baked 2 lbs. of Classic Sugar Cookies, made a product tag and will attach it to the cookie tin. I took a picture of the cookies and created a tag using a Microsoft Document. I printed the tag on an adhesive mailing label attached it to a piece of thin cardboard, and cut it out using pinking shears.

By MCW from Lewiston, NY

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Instant Potatoes for Souper Soups

My mother shared her secret with me. She adds instant potatoes to her soups instead of corn starch or flour. Works great with Cream of Broccoli and Potato. I never knew why hers tasted better than mine! She also cooks up a batch of regular instant potatoes and then adds one or two potatoes with the skin for a nice "smashed" dish. Microwave makes the potatoes in a hurry.

By Wendy S from Coopersburg, PA

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Rest A-Lot Stew

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. stew meat (cubed)
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 cup thick potato cubes
• small onion quartered
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup water

Directions

Brown meat. When browned place meat and all ingredients in a casserole dish with a tight lid. Bake at 275 degrees F for 4-5 hours.

By Sandy from Graettinger, IA

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Ginger Orange Nut Balls

Delicious for Christmas Time

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz.) package of ginger snap cookies, finely crushed (about 4 cups)
• 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened condensed Milk
• 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
• 1 cup finely chopped nuts (walnuts or peanuts)
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1 Tbsp. grated orange rind
• Additional grated orange rind and flaked coconut

Directions

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except additional coconut and orange rind. Chill at least 1 hour. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in additional coconut mixed with rind. Store tightly covered in refrigerator.

Very tasty and I just love them.

Source: Eagle brand recipe

By Raymonde from North Bay, Ontario

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Black Bean And Sweet Potato Stew (Vegan)

This will easily serve 4-6 people and costs less than $5 to make and has TONS of vitamins!

Ingredients

• 1 onion (diced)
• 1-2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 green pepper (diced)
• 1 medium sweet potato (peeled & diced)
• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes (I use herb)
• 1 15 oz. can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. coriander
• 1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Fry onion, garlic and green pepper with a little bit of oil in a large saucepan for about 3 minutes. Add chopped sweet potato and 1 cup of water & simmer till potatoes are cooked (5-6 minutes). Add the rest of the ingredients, stir and cook on med-low heat for about 15-20 minutes.

If you like it spicy, add some Tabasco sauce. I use a Korean chili sauce or some red pepper flakes. Serve with bread rolls.

Source: Adapted from a website called http://www.theppk.com/.

By Lisa from Halifax, NS

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Baklava

My partner and I don't really celebrate Christmas, so we're usually quite bored on the 25th of December as we have no friends or family around. A few years ago we started making this on Christmas Day and has become a tradition for us. We would serve it to friends for New Years or colleagues when going back to work. So good!

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz.) package phyllo dough
• 1 lb. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 tsp, ground cinnamon
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.

Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.

Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.

Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

Source: This is a recipe from allrecipes.com

By Lisa from Halifax, NS

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Chocolate Mint Cookies

I have seen several recipes for Faux Girl Scout Cookies made with Ritz crackers dipped in mint chocolate. I did mine a bit differently.

Ingredients

• Ritz Crackers (whole wheat)
• Milk Chocolate Morsels
• Parafin Wax

• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup butter (softened) (not margarine)
• 1/3 cup light Karo syrup
• Peppermint Extract (to taste)

Directions

Combine Fondant ingredients together to form a soft ball. Put in air tight container.

Melt the chocolate and wax.

Put some Fondant in the middle of a Ritz Cracker and press and form with fingers on top to the edge. When chocolate is melted, use a knife and spread the chocolate over the top and down the edges of the cracker and set on wax paper to dry.

You may prefer to dip the whole cracker. I also have ground up candy canes and sprinkled on top of the wet chocolate. These also freeze well.

By Sarah Ann from Shelton, WA

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Baked Turkey Casserole

This is the quick 40 minute casserole dish I served to my kids last night.

Ingredients

• leftover turkey, cut up
• 1-2 box of BC au gratin potato mix*
• Parmesan cheese
• green veggies, like chopped up broccoli
• pepper
• garlic powder

Directions

Layer like a lasagna: turkey on bottom of greased casserole dish, cheese on turkey, veggies. Season with pepper and garlic powder then pour au gratin potatoes (after following directions on box) over as top layer. Sprinkle some more cheese as top layer. Bake at 450 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, depending how brown you want the top.

By soyzick from Chinatown, HI

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Oyster Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 2 cans (8 ounces) each whole oysters, undrained
• 1 can (14 3/4 ounces) cream-style corn
• 1 cup half and half cream
• 2 cans (4 oz.) each mushroom stems and pieces, drained
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 tsp. pepper (black)

Directions

In a large skillet, combine together all the ingredients. Cook uncovered on medium heat until heated through (do not boil) stirring occasionally.

Source: A friend, Andrea

By Raymonde from North Bay, Ontario

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Cheesy Hash Browns with Sour Cream

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 package frozen plain hash browns (1lb. 4oz.)
• 1/2 cup onion, minced
• 1 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper ( to taste)
• paprika (to taste)

Directions

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and 2 cups of the cheddar cheese. Stir constantly for about 1 minute and remove from heat. In a large bowl, combine the hash browns, onions, and sour cream. Mix this in with the cheese mixture and season with paprika and salt & pepper. Pour into a 9 inch pan sprayed with oil. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, until bubbly. Serves 8-10. (Can double the recipe. Use a 9x13 inch pan.)

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Italian Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 large chicken breast, boneless and skinless, cut in 2" pieces
• 1 can mushroom pieces, drained (opt.)
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 cups marinara or spaghetti sauce
• 2 cups cooked pasta
• Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Place the chicken breast pieces, single layer, in an 8 inch baking dish. Stir the mushrooms and Italian seasoning into the sauce. spoon the sauce on top of the chicken. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. To serve, place the chicken on top of the pasta. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese. Serves 4

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Peanut Butter Candy Balls

Ingredients

• 2 cups peanut butter
• 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 stick margarine, melted
• 3 1/2 cups Rice Krispies

• 1 bar paraffin wax
• 6 oz. chocolate chips
• 1 Hershey bar (8oz.)

Directions

Mix the peanut butter, powdered sugar and margarine together. Add the Rice Krispies and mix together. (May have to mix with hands.)

In a double boiler, melt the paraffin wax, chocolate chips and Hershey bar. Form the peanut butter mixture into balls and dip them into the chocolate mixture. Place on waxed paper. (Can dip in chocolate twice, if desired.)

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Jello Ribbon

Ingredients

• 2 packages (3 oz. each) orange, lemon, lime and cherry
• 2 cans condensed milk

Directions

Grease lightly an oblong pan. Make 1 package orange with 3/4 cup boiling water and 3/4 cup cold water. Pour in pan and set 30 minutes or until firm. Make second package of orange with 3/4 cup hot water and 3/4 cup condensed milk (cold). Pour on first layer and set 15-20 minutes. Proceed with each color in same manner.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Turkey Broccoli Casserole

A fine way to use turkey leftover.

Ingredients

• 2 cups turkey, cut in small pieces
• 1 kg. bag frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrots
• 1 cup white sauce, seasoned to taste
• 1/2 cup buttered crumbs

• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 cup milk

Directions

In a greased casserole, mix turkey and vegetables. Season.

Melt butter. Stir in flour and seasonings. Add milk. Stir until thick. Pour over turkey and vegetables. Top with buttered white bread crumbs. Bake 45 minutes in a 375 degree F oven.

Source: United Church Cookbook

By Raymonde from North Bay, Ontario

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