ThriftyFun Recipes - January 30, 2009

Thank you Raymonde, Kathleen, Sandy, Robin, Joyce, Lisa and Karen for today's tips and recipes.

The current economic climate is making people question their spending on everything, including how much they spend on food. Do you have any tips or strategies for spending less on groceries, but still eating healthy? Feel free to share them here:

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The ThriftyFun Team

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Recipe Requests:

• Substituting Tomato Paste for Tomato Sauce
• Recipe for Jello "Perfection Salad"
• Recipe for Veggie Pizza
• Recipe for Fruit Cocktail Chicken
• Ground Chicken Recipe
• Dessert Made by Reba McEntire
• Bread Machine Recipe Using Whole Wheat Flour

Today's Food Tips:

• Healthy Snacks to Avoid Dieting Mistakes
• Use a Photo Album for Recipes
• Ginger for Motion Sickness

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup
• Carrot and Apple Salad
• 5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake
• Southern Doughboys (Hush Puppies)
• Walnut Bars

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Bread Pudding
• Easy Peach Salad
• Italian Stuffed Meat Loaf
• Hamburger Hot Dish
• Breakfast Eggs
• Easy Fudge or Fudge Frosting

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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Substituting Tomato Paste for Tomato Sauce

How do I substitute tomato paste for tomato sauce?

Karen

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Recipe for Jello "Perfection Salad"

I am looking for a Jello salad recipe that we used to call Perfection Salad. It probably goes back to at least the 50's. This is made with lime Jell-O, carrots, celery and cabbage. There is some type of mayonnaise-based dressing that is served with it. All of the similar recipes I have found have either pineapple, cream cheese or green olives. My recipe did not have any of those.

Deb from Hilliard, OH

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Recipe for Veggie Pizza

I am trying to locate an old recipe for a "veggie pizza" that has a sour cream and horseradish sauce base, rather than the cream cheese and ranch dressing mix base. I used to make this in the '80's.

Deb from Hilliard, OH

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Recipe for Fruit Cocktail Chicken

I need a recipe for baked, fruited chicken. You use fruit cocktail. I made this about 20 years ago but I've lost the recipe.

Linda from Midvale, OH

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Ground Chicken Recipe

I need a ground chicken recipe?

Bettye from Washington, DC

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Dessert Made by Reba McEntire

Would anyone know on here about a dessert made by Reba McEntire? It was on the internet, not sure here or where. It was made with Ritz crackers, ice cream, and vanilla pudding. Please let me know if anyone knows this recipe. Thanks.

Donita

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Bread Machine Recipe Using Whole Wheat Flour

I'm looking for Bread machine recipes using whole wheat flour in particular.

Kathy from Traverse City, MI

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• Tip Contest
  Submit a Tip or Recipe!

• Photo Contest
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The above contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners, 2 photo winners (1 photo and 1 pet photo) and 1 recipe winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25!

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Healthy Snacks to Avoid Dieting Mistakes

When you are dieting, you find yourself STARVING and eating everything till your hunger diminishes. Take the time NOW to make a list of allowed foods on a 100 calorie or less snack list.

If you do this when you are NOT hungry, it is more helpful. Then use the list to go shopping with. If you can have shelf stable snacks you can grab or certain things in the fridge (yogurt, cheese stick, etc) you may find yourself not grabbing something high caloric and unfulfilling.

Personally, I keep a can of roasted and raw unsalted almonds. 7 of them are what is the count. Eat them slowly, really TASTE them, feel the texture with your tongue. Make eating an experience, not a just food to mouth thing you do. Eating unsalted nuts (your choice) will help by not craving more or a soda to go with them. That salt IS an enticer!

By Joyce from Benson MN

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Use a Photo Album for Recipes

I have a lot of recipes that I have printed from the internet and couldn't find a place to store them. I had some of the small photo albums lying around, so I use those to store my recipes. Works great.

By Karen from Clemmons, NC

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Ginger for Motion Sickness

For motion sickness when traveling, I suggest taking a small amount of ginger, about size of a small pea. I do this when I go shopping after a meal. If we go out to eat, I take some before we go, because I can get motion sickness in the car going back home.

By Kathleen from Dothan, AL

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Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup

This is so easy and yummy! I make it vegetarian using soy ground instead of the ground beef.

Ingredients

• 2 cans condensed tomato soup
• 3/4 to 1 cup red or green (or both) bell peppers, diced
• 1 cup white rice
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon basil

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• ground cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions

Prepare the rice using a rice cooker or on the stove top

Add the cans of soup with two cans of water along with the peppers, onions, garlic and basil into a pot and heat on medium-high.

Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through.

(Optional step, omit to make this dish vegetarian.) In a skillet, brown the ground beef and drain off the excess fat. Pour Worcestershire sauce over the ground beef and sprinkle with cayenne pepper and simmer until the liquid is cooked in, then add the meat to the pot.

Add the cooked rice into the soup.

Source: http://www.epicurious.com/

By Lisa from Halifax

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Carrot and Apple Salad

Ingredients

• 1 lb coconut
• 4 large carrots
• 1 apple
• juice of 1 orange
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp. of sweet and low (sweetener)
• 4 Tbsp. low fat yogurt
• Sprig of parsley

Directions

Scrape and wash carrots. Peel and quarter the apple. Coarsely grate both the the carrot and apple. Mix together the orange juice, lemon juice and sweetener, until well blended. Then stir into the apple and carrot mixture.

Just before serving spoon over the yogurt and garnish with parsley.

Source: A friend Julie

By Raymonde from North Bay, Ontario

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5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp. flour
• 4 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp. milk
• 3 Tbsp. oil
• 2-3 Tbsp. milk chocolate chips (optional)
• A small splash of vanilla extract
• 1 large coffee mug

Directions

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil. Mix again well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT! This makes a generous serving for two. If you're a chocoholic, watch out! With this recipe you are only five minutes away from a deliciously, decadent dessert!

Note: I sprayed the mug with a little Baker's Joy to insure its coming out more easily. I also think I'll add chopped nuts next time. My grandson and I made one tonight and it was scrumptious with some vanilla ice cream on the side.

Source: This recipe was given to me by a dear friend who has raised five children. I'm sure she has to be very creative with her cooking!

By Sandy from Elon, NC

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Southern Doughboys (Hush Puppies)

Ingredients

• vegetable oil for deep-frying
• 2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix
• 3 tablespoons self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup diced onion or more
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or more
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions

In a deep fryer or heavy, deep skillet, heat 2 to 3 inches of oil over medium heat to 375 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, combine cornmeal mix, flour, and onion. Add milk and egg; mix well. Let stand for 5 minutes. Drop batter by tablespoons into hot oil. Fry until golden brown, turning several times. Drain on paper towels. Makes about 15 hush puppies.

By Kathleen from Dothan, AL

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Walnut Bars

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F.Beat egg slightly in a bowl. Add sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour, salt, soda and nuts. Spread into a greased 8 X 8 baking dish.

Bake for about 20 minutes. Cut into squares.

Source: A friend

By Raymonde from North Bay, Ontario

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Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 9 slices broke, dry bread (toasted)
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 cup sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins

Directions

Heat milk (don't boil) with raisins. Pour over bread cubes, and add remaining ingredients and mix. Pour into greased pan and bake until set at 350 degrees F for 30-45 minutes.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Easy Peach Salad

Ingredients

• 1 can peach pie filling
• 1 can mandarin oranges
• 1 can pineapple chunks
• 1 cup marshmallows
• 1 cup sliced bananas

Directions

Mix well and chill until served.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Italian Stuffed Meat Loaf

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lb. uncooked oats
• 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. pepper

• 1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/3 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Separate mixture into 2 equal parts. Shape each into a patty about 7 inches in diameter. Place stuffing on 1 patty to within 1/2 inch of edge. Top with other patty. Pinch sides together to enclose stuffing. Smooth edges into rounded loaf. Place in pan. Top with loaf with 1 cup spaghetti sauce and Mozzarella cheese. Garnish with olives. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Hamburger Hot Dish

Ingredients

• 1-2 lbs. hamburger
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 2 tsp. powdered sage
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1 can mushroom stem and pieces
• 1 cup dry spaghetti or macaroni, cooked
• grated cheese

Directions

In a large heavy skillet, or electric fry pan, cook hamburger, onion and celery until vegetables are firm and meat has lost it's red color. Stir frequently. Stir in sage, allspice, salt, and pepper. Add mushrooms and tomato soup and simmer 10-15 minutes. Add cooked and drained spaghetti or macaroni to other ingredients and simmer slowly another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top with grated cheese.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Breakfast Eggs

Ingredients

• 1 lb. bacon
• 1/2 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 lb. Swiss cheese, grated
• bread
• 6 eggs
• 3 c. milk
• 1/2 t. salt

Directions

Line bottom of greased 9x13 inch pan with bread free of crusts. Sprinkle 1 pound of fried, crumbled bacon over bread. Spread grated cheese over this. Mix eggs, milk and salt. Pour over dry mixture. Let set overnight in refrigerator. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Can also add ham, sausage, turkey and/or mushrooms.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Easy Fudge or Fudge Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 large chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups sugar
• milk

Directions

Put pudding mix in pan; add 2 cups sugar; mix. Add milk until stirable (1/3 cup approximately). Slow boil for 3-5 minutes until starts to thicken. Take off heat; add 2 tablespoons butter; stir. When warm spoon over cake. Will harden like fudge. Or put in buttered pan for fudge.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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