ThriftyFun Recipes - November 18, 2009

Vol. 8, Num. 226, November 18, 2009 (Read It Online) I hope that you all are having a nice week. Currently, I am trying to eat through the foods in my fridge and freezer in order to make room for the Thanksgiving shopping trip. And the inevitable leftovers next Thursday night. How are you preparing for Thanksgiving? There is still time to share your advice with the rest of the community. Post a tip today. Thanks today go to cajun62234, Deeli, Debbie, Virginia, freya1970, Jason W. and Angelia for today's tips and recipes. Be sure to vote for your favorites, they could win $25 in our weekly contest. 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. Today's newsletter contains: Recipe Requests: Can I Freeze Potatoes? Homemade Flavored Powdered Coffee Creamer Using Basil Cranberry Jelly English Toffee Recipes Using Pumpkin Puree and Cream Cheese Making Dip from Cheese Spread Making Vegetarian Gravy What is Corn Flour? Today's Food Tips: Keep Your Freezer Full To Save On Electricity Recycle Envelopes As Shopping Lists Halloween: Decorated Cake Today's Contest Recipes: Banana Peanut Butter Boats Wine Jelly Ambrose Family Stew Extra Cheesy Spiced-up Lasagna Pecan Pie Bars Robins's Recipe Corner: Orange Roughy Hot Broccoli Dip Tortilla Soup Macaroni Salad Mississippi Mud Cake 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 Recipe Requests: Can I Freeze Potatoes? I would like to know how to freeze potatoes and whether or not it can be done? By Marilyn from Cambridge, Ontario, Canada Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf17924759.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Homemade Flavored Powdered Coffee Creamer I'm in need of some homemade flavored dry coffee creamer recipes. By Deb from Kellogg, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf19388227.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Using Basil Please advise me of ideas on using fresh basil. Thank you. By Barbara Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf77029682.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Cranberry Jelly Does anyone have a recipe for easy cranberry jelly? By Judy from San Angelo, TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf69622182.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | English Toffee I am looking for a recipe for English toffee. By Denver Bob from CO Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf41520291.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Recipes Using Pumpkin Puree and Cream Cheese I normally make pumpkin roll for Thanksgiving, but I would like to make something different this year. Yes, I've searched the internet, but now I would like your tried and true recipes to made with pumpkin puree and cream cheese. Thanks. By Maryeileen from Brooklyn, OH Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf24393314.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Making Dip from Cheese Spread I have a tub of Alouette garlic cheese spread and would like to take some of it and make it into a dip and/or salad dressing. Should I add sour cream and/or milk to make it creamy? By Maryeileen from Brooklyn, OH Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf63772610.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Making Vegetarian Gravy I am a vegetarian and now that Thanksgiving is coming along, I suddenly thought, "Wait a second, what should I do about gravy this year?" I haven't had gravy ever since I've become a vegetarian. I guess I just want some gravy that doesn't contain any animal products. So if you have a really yummy vegetarian or vegan recipe for Thanksgiving, please share. Thank you. By Cara from Farefield Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf27462114.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | What is Corn Flour? What is corn flour? Is it corn starch? By Terri from Douglasville, GA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf87323765.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | 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, 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! Today's Food Tips: Keep Your Freezer Full To Save On Electricity Don't let your freezer get partially empty, that costs you money. If the empty spaces are large enough to accommodate large plastic bottles (2-liter or milk), fill the bottles 3/4 with water and place in the freezer. This will provide additional cold and prevent frequent cycling of the compressor. By cajun62234 from Collinsville Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf45552668.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Recycle Envelopes As Shopping Lists I don't get junk postal mail anymore but I do receive bills that always have return payment envelopes. I pay my bills by phone or online now and just hate the idea of throwing those envelopes away. I have started using them as shopping lists and place the appropriate coupons inside. Not only is the envelope being used for something but I also don't forget to hand over the coupons at the point of sale anymore. In case you're wondering why I don't just get my statements online, well, I believe in having a paper trail to be on the safe side. Being on a fixed disability income, I have to be careful about using up printing paper and ink. Oh, and there's always the possibility of losing saved data on computers and backup disks too ;-) 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/tf10088037.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Halloween: Decorated Cake My 13 year old daughter is learning to cake decorate, this was the cake she made for our Halloween party. I think she did an awesome job, don't you? By Debbie from Maine Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf67529016.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Today's Contest Recipes: Banana Peanut Butter Boats A quick lunch for kids. I use flour tortillas or the hot dog "boats" that are a roll with an open top, not 2 halves. Just smear with peanut butter and add a banana, drizzle a little honey or jam on top. Roll if it's the tortilla, the hot dog boats are ready to go. Easy lunch for little kids. If your kids are adventurous, you can add some alfalfa sprouts to them both and pretend they are banana leaves. 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/tf77729276.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Wine Jelly Every year I look for new crafts or recipes to make for holiday gifts. I came across a recipe for wine jelly but I wanted to make it more exciting than a regular wine jelly so I picked a local blueberry wine to use. I hear that sweeter wines produce a nicer jelly. You can use other red fruit wines such as blackberry as well. Some jellies are made with herbs but I wanted a simple easy recipe and found one on allrecipes.com. I hear this is good on top of crackers and cheese and also toast! Ingredients 3 1/2 cups wine (any red wine but I used blueberry) 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (I used bottled) 1 (2 oz.) package dry pectin 4 1/2 cups white sugar Directions Combine wine, lemon juice, and pectin in a large saucepot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam off top, if necessary. Ladle hot jelly into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Tighten 2 piece lids. Process for 5 minutes in boiling water bath. Source: allrecipes.com By freya1970 Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf27297280.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Ambrose Family Stew This is a hearty stew with great taste. Not only does it taste good but it's a family tradition. Ingredients: 2-3 lbs meat (beef, pork, chicken, etc.) chopped into 1 inch cubes 2 cups flour Seasonings 4 large potatoes 1 lb carrots 1 package celery 1 large onion 4 cloves garlic 1 can tomato sauce salt and pepper to taste corn starch Directions: Batter meat in flour/pepper/Lawry's seasoning salt. Fry in small amount of oil till browned. Place in large (20 Qt) stock pot and cover with water and 1 can tomato sauce. Add other seasoning as desired (I add Cajun seasoning) Place on lowest heat possible for 3 hours. Add chopped onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, celery/salt and pepper to taste. Let cook for 1 to 2 hours more depending on how soft you want your vegetables. Remove 2 cups of broth and add 1/4 cup corn starch. Mix thoroughly and return to pot. Redo corn starch if necessary to attain desired consistency (basically instead of having roast potatoes and carrots with gravy, we had gravy with roast potatoes and carrots, etc.) Serve topped with Parmesan cheese. Feel free to add any additional vegetables and/or seasonings you want. Servings: 16 Time: 30 Minutes Preparation Time 4-5 Hours Cooking Time Source: My wife's grandfather By Jason W. from Edmond, OK Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf19638507.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Extra Cheesy Spiced-up Lasagna If you like meatless lasagna with lots of cheese, then you'll love this ;-) Ingredients: 9 to 12 uncooked lasagna noodles, depending on how much pasta you like in your lasagna 1 29 oz. can of tomato sauce 16 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded 16 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (fresh or bottled) 1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes, or more to taste Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook lasagna noodles al dente according to directions and drain. Meanwhile, mix red pepper flakes with tomato sauce. Spoon a portion of the sauce in to the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Place three of the cooked noodles over the sauce and sprinkle a portion of the mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan over the noodles. Repeat layering of sauce, noodles and cheese according to the amount of noodles chosen. Be sure to finish with a cheese layer. Bake in oven for 30 to 45 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden. 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/tf58138472.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Pecan Pie Bars A very delicious blondie packed full of roasted pecans. Ingredients: 4 eggs 1 lb brown sugar 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 lb, or 2 sticks butter 1 1/2 cups grated super fine roasted pecans 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. vanilla extract pecan halves Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Take chopped pecans, or pecan halves, and pulse in food processor until they are very fine. Spread them out on a cookie sheet and roast for 8-10 minutes, just until they are fragrant. In a large mixing bowl, add sugar, butter, and salt. Whisk to combine. Whisk in eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add flour, and whisk until just combined. Add vanilla and pecans, mix until incorporated. Place mixture in a greased 9x13 inch pan. Place pecan halves on top of each 2x2 inch square. Bake at 350 degrees F until bars pass the toothpick test. Source: http://www.southerngracegourmet.com By Angelia McGowan, author of Southern Grace Gourmet from Orlando, FL Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf36529883.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Robin's Recipe Corner: Orange Roughy Ingredients: 1/4 cup margarine, melted 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 1/4 tsp. pepper 1/4 tsp. paprika 1/4 tsp. basil 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1 lb. orange roughy fillets 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs 2 Tbsp. oil Directions: Combine margarine, lemon juice and herbs. Dredge fish in flour mixture; roll in bread crumbs. Pour oil into shallow baking pan; arrange fish in a pan in one layer. Pour margarine mixture over fish. Bake at 475 degrees F for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf88754152.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Hot Broccoli Dip Ingredients: 2 rolls garlic cheese (6oz size) 2 packages frozen chopped broccoli, lightly cooked, well drained (10 oz. size) 1 medium onion, chopped and sauteed in butter 1 can cream of mushroom soup 10-12 shakes of red pepper Directions: Melt cheese over low heat. Add other ingredients. Serve hot in a casserole with corn chips. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf36159150.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Tortilla Soup Ingredients: 1 med. onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbsp. olive oil 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded 1 lg. can chopped tomatoes, not drained 4 cup chicken broth 1 Tbsp. oregano 2 Tbsp. chili powder 3 tsp. cumin salt, pepper to taste white flour tortillas, cut into 1/4 x2 in. strips mozzarella cheese Directions: Fry onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is tender. Place in Dutch oven. Puree jalapenos and tomatoes in blender. Add to Dutch oven. Add broth and spices. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1/2 hour. In the meantime, deep-fat fry or fry tortilla strips in vegetable oil until strips are crunchy. Put a handful of tortilla strips in soup bowl. Ladle soup over. Top with mozzarella and run under broiler until cheese is melted. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf68087293.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Macaroni Salad A personal favorite! Ingredients: 3 cups cooked macaroni 4-6 hard-boiled eggs 2 carrots, grated 1 cup chopped celery Dressing: 3 Tbsp. mustard 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 cup salad dressing 1 tsp. salt 1/4 cup vinegar Directions: Mix in order given. Refrigerate. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf78267949.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Mississippi Mud Cake Ingredients 4 eggs 2 cups sugar 1/3 cup cocoa 1 cup margarine 1 1/2 cup flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans 1 tsp. vanilla 1 jar marshmallow cream Icing: Ingredients 1/2 cup margarine 1 lb. package powdered sugar 1/3 cup milk 1/3 cup cocoa 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1/4 tsp. salt Directions Beat eggs and sugar well. Melt cocoa and margarine and add to creamed mixture. Add remaining ingredients and mix until well blended. Bake in 9x13 greased and floured pan at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. After cake is cool, spread with marshmallow cream, then ice with the following icing. For Icing: Beat well and spread on top of marshmallow cream. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf444848.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | 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 More Stuff: Coupon Swap! Swap coupons with other ThriftyFun.com users.