ThriftyFun Recipes - November 12, 2009

Thank you to MKYMLP, Virginia, Deeli, laniegirl, Cricket and Janie for today's tips and recipes. We also have a number of requests today. Please take a look and see if you have any advice to offer.

Keep sending in your Thanksgiving tips and recipes. We give out a prize for both of these categories once a week, so your advice could win you $25.00!

Submit Your Favorite Recipe!

Submit a Food tip!

Looking for a recipe? Submit a request

Thanks for reading,

The ThriftyFun Team

• 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.

Recipe Requests:

• Uses for Sour Tangerines
• Mom's Cherry Salad
• Making Soup
• Pork Chop Recipes
• Greek Smooth Tomato Gravy

Today's Food Tips:

• Freeze Cupcakes Without Frosting
• Freeze Extra Taco Meat

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Crispy Marinated Mozzarella Strips
• Chocolate Crinkles
• Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
• Instant Pasta
• Bailey's Irish Cream (Copycat)

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Peanut Salad
• Applesauce Fruit Cake
• Beets in Orange Sauce
• "More" Casserole
• Mom's Rocky Road Bars

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

Uses for Sour Tangerines

I purchased a bag of tangerines that are just awful. They are sour and full of seeds and just not edible at all. Any ideas of what I can do with them besides juicing them? There is so much pith that I don't even think they will juice very well. I really hate to throw them away.

By Kathy from Sylvania, OH

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf93479172.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: |

Mom's Cherry Salad

My mother used to make what we all called Cherry Salad. Unfortunately it is one of those things I never learned to make and now she's gone. I'm wondering if someone out there might have a recipe for Cherry Salad like it was made many years ago. There was no Jello at all, this was a salad and as near as I can recall, the ingredients included: cherries (of course), little marshmallows, maybe some chopped up celery, some type of sweet thick sauce, and perhaps some walnuts.

By Pat from Palm Bay, FL

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf63918152.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: |

Making Soup

I need help. I was grocery shopping the other day and found, in the produce section, a 28-oz package of soup mix. The package contains items to use in making soup. Here are the ingredients in package:2 carrots, 2 celery, 2 leeks, and 3 red boiling potatoes.

My question: Does any one have a soup recipe to make with these ingredients? Do I add chicken broth, vegetable broth, and/or water? I tried Google with no help. Thank you for any answers.

By Rachelle from Denver, CO

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf17300069.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: |

Pork Chop Recipes

I am looking for different ways to fix pork chops.

By Bill from Clinton, MO

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf13659514.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: |

Greek Smooth Tomato Gravy

I am looking for a recipe for Greek Smooth Tomato gravy. I had one years ago.
Thanks.

By Patty from Lizton, IN

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf30028330.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: |

• Tip Contest
  Submit a Tip or Recipe!

• Photo Contest
  Submit a tip with photo!

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!

• My Frugal Life
  Submit a My Frugal Life Essay!

Freeze Cupcakes Without Frosting

Make cupcakes and freeze without frosting. Put in individual plastic bags when freezing. Add to lunches; they will thaw out in time for lunch.

By MKYMLP from NE PA

Contest Contender!

This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it:

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf15123215.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print |

Freeze Extra Taco Meat

I always cook extra when making taco flavored meat and freeze the extra in meal sized portions.

One of my favorite ways of fixing it is to make what my nieces and nephews call "taco balls" and they eat them without complaint.

Simply take some canned biscuits (or home made if you have the time), and roll or flatten them to fit your muffin tin (jumbo biscuits for the larger tins).

Sprinkle some shredded cheddar and/or jack cheese over the dough and fit into the muffin tin with extra dough hanging over. Fill with taco meat and a little salsa if you like it and pull the sides up and pinch closed but leave a small space for steam to escape.

Cook according to the biscuit directions and when browned, tip out of the muffin tins and serve. Most kids seem to like these with catsup for dipping, but adults might prefer some guacamole and sour cream for dipping them in.

These are great for quick lunches or dinners and even go to picnics quite well if you keep them warm, great "finger" food.

The variations are endless: once you make them the first time you start thinking of other things you can make the same way, leftover chicken, broken up hamburger patties, turkey, stuff the family won't usually eat (because it's leftovers) goes fast made in this way!

Source: Been doing it for years!

By Virginia from Brownsville, OR

Contest Contender!

This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it:

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf97939027.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print |

Crispy Marinated Mozzarella Strips

Yum, yum ;-)

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp. dried basil
• pinch of salt
• 8 mozzarella cheese strips, cut 1/4 inch thick
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup tempura batter mix
• 1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
• oil for frying

Directions:

Place mozzarella strips on a large plate. Combine the olive oil, garlic, basil and salt and pour mixture over mozzarella. Turn to coat both sides and refrigerate, covered, for 2 to 3 hours.

Place flour in one bowl. Egg in one bowl and tempura mix and bread crumbs, stirred together, in a third bowl. Heat an inch of oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Dredge each piece of mozzarella in the flour, then in to the egg and then in to the tempura and crumb mix.

Fry the mozzarella for about 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown, turning once.

By Deeli from Richland, WA

Contest Contender!

This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it:

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf44785713.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print |

Chocolate Crinkles

This is a fudgy type cookie (think brownies)I like it because it is low in fat and very chocolaty. One usually has these items in the pantry.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (you can substitute 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce for 1/2 the amount to cut down on fat even farther.
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar.

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, white sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, stir into the cocoa mixture. Cover dough and chill for at least 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Roll into 1 inch balls. Coat each ball in the confectioner's sugar before placing onto the prepared cookie sheets.

This recipe is easy to halve if you only want a few cookies.

Bake in a preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Source: From all recipes

By laniegirl from Iowa

Contest Contender!

This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it:

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf83809966.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print |

Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup

This soup can be served in any number of different ways other than simply a soup.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. stew beef
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 2 cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 container (32 oz) beef broth
• 2 envelopes stew beef mix
• 2 Tbsp. beef bouillon
• 1 large bag frozen mixed vegetables

Directions:

Dredge the beef in the flour and brown thoroughly.

In a 5.5 qt crock pot, put all the ingredients. Add beef, including any juice in pan. Stir well.

Cook on low for 8 hours.

Making it this way, it comes out very thick which adds to it's versatility.

This soup is versatile because it can be served in many variations:

• As a soup, if thinned to the desired consistency with water.

• As a stew, if thinned less

• You can add chopped, cooked potatoes, noodles of any kind, or rice

• You can not thin it down and serve it over rice or noodles.

It makes a very delicious and hearty winter meal. I scooped it into individual size servings and put it in the freezer. Will last for 2-3 months in the freezer and can't be beat on a cold winter's day! Combine it with a grilled cheese sandwich or crackers and you've got a great meal!

By Cricket from Parkton, NC

Contest Contender!

This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it:

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf49923799.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print |

Instant Pasta

Pasta ready in 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb box of pasta
• 16-24 oz. can of hearty vegetable soup

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Cook soup according to directions. Mix soup with pasta.

By Janie from Montgomery, AL

Contest Contender!

This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it:

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf49562038.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print |

Bailey's Irish Cream (Copycat)

I 'love' Bailey's Irish Cream but it's so expensive :-( Here's a pretty darn close tasting copycat recipe to make at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup light cream
• 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 2/3 cups Irish whiskey
• 1 tsp. instant coffee
• 2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender on high speed for about twenty seconds. Transfer to a clean bottle with a tight fitting lid.

Store, refrigerated, and shake well before using.

By Deeli from Richland, WA

Contest Contender!

This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it:

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95016890.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print |

Peanut Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. frozen peas (10oz.)
• 1 cup cashews, chopped
• 6 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. dill weed

Directions:

Combine all ingredients; chill.

By Robin from Washington, IA

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf80340091.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: |

Applesauce Fruit Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups pitted dates, sliced
• 2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup sliced candied cherries
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup sliced candied pineapple
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. allspice

Directions:

Grease 2 pans (8x4 inches) or 1 9 inch tube pan. Line with foil or brown paper and grease again. Combine applesauce, shortening, sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring now and again. Cool.

Mix fruit, nuts, in bowl, add sifted flour, soda, salt and spices. Mix and stir in cooled applesauce. Pour into pans. Bake in 275 degree oven for 1 hour and 40 minutes; tube pan for 2 hours.

Cool on rack in pan for 30 minutes. Remove and cool completely. Wrap and store tightly covered in container.

By Robin from Washington, IA

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf22503767.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: |

Beets in Orange Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/ cup seedless raisins
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. beet juice
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 can diced beets

Directions:

Combine orange juice with raisins; heat to boiling. Mix salt, sugar, cornstarch with 2 tablespoons beet juice and add to orange juice and raisins; cook until clear. Add lemon juice, butter and beets. Heat through and serve.

By Robin from Washington, Ia

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf30534077.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: |

"More" Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion
• 1 Tbsp. margarine
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 can tomatoes (16oz.)
• 1/2 lb. cheddar cheese, cubed (or American or Velveeta)
• 1/2 lb. noodles or macaroni
• 1 lg. pkg. mixed vegetables
• 1/2 cup ripe chopped olives, opt.
• 1 chopped pimento, opt.
• 1 can tomato sauce

Directions:

Brown onion, beef in margarine; add salt. Add tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes. Cook noodles or macaroni. Partially cook the vegetables. Combine all ingredients. Pour int casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours, not covered.

By Robin from Washington, IA

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf17026597.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: |

Mom's Rocky Road Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter flavored shortening
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 40 large marshmallows

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine and melt the shortening and cocoa. Add sugar and beat vigorously. Stir in eggs, flour and salt. Mix well and add nuts. Bake in greased 9x13 inch glass pan at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut marshmallows in half cross-wise. Immediately, when you remove the bars from the oven, lay the marshmallow halves all over the top (touching) with the cut side down. Cover lightly with a dish towel for about 10-15 minutes so marshmallows slightly melt together. Remove towel and allow bars to cool thoroughly. Frost with: 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, 3 Tbsp. butter flavored shortening, dash of salt and enough hot water to make a fluffy, spreading consistency. Beat with mixer, adding the hot water a little at a time. Spread on the cooled bars and sprinkle with more chopped nuts, if desired. Makes 30 bars.

By Robin from Washington, IA

Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf61977040.tip.html

Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: |

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

Coupon Swap!
Swap coupons with other ThriftyFun.com users.