ThriftyFun Recipes - June 26, 2008

Thank you Carol, Betsy, Rebecca, Connie, Robin and Mary for today's tips and recipes?

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Recipe Requests:

• Am I Getting a Good Deal at My Farmer's Market?
• Seasoning a Cast Iron Pot

Today's Food Tips:

• Keep Your Kitchen Shears From Getting Sticky
• Camping Food Safety

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Charlotte's Sloppy Joes
• Apple Salad
• Peanut Butter And Jelly Cookies
• Au Gratin Stuffed Tomatoes

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Blue Ribbon Creamy Cheesecake
• Chili Manana
• Herb Sticks
• Meatball Dinner
• Basic Apple Pie
• Macaroni Salad

Crafting for Fun and Money!

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Am I Getting a Good Deal at My Farmer's Market?

I am just wondering how I can know if I am getting a good deal at my Farmer's Market? We only have one available near me from the first Saturday in May until the last Saturday in October. Saturdays from 9am-2pm.

Anyway, sometimes I find things that aren't in my local store and I wonder if they are a good deal or not. Like green beans today for $2/lb. I haven't seen any in my local stores for a long time. The farmer said originally that they were half price but I doubt that it was. I am just getting into canning and I don't want to end up spending more for canning stuff that I could get in the store - you know? But then again everything is going up in the stores as well... can you tell that I am confused?

Thank you so much for your help!

Nikkiev from Piqua, OH

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Seasoning a Cast Iron Pot

I have a new cast iron pan that I would like to oil or season before using it? What is the best way?

Rita from Manitoba, Canada

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Keep Your Kitchen Shears From Getting Sticky

Whenever a recipe calls for cutting up marshmallows, (or anything sticky and sweet, such as dates, dried apricots, etc.), dip your kitchen shears in confectioners sugar between cuttings to keep them from sticking to the blades.

By Carol from Landisville, PA

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Camping Food Safety
By Brandi M. Seals

There are a few basic cardinal rules when it comes to food safety - especially when conditions are not ideal -such as while camping, hiking, boating, or even tailgating. These rules will keep you and your family on the right track and help avoid a trip to the emergency room for food poisoning.

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Charlotte's Sloppy Joes

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 cups ketchup
• 2 Tbsp. mustard
• 1/2 - 1 cup sugar (I use generic splenda)
• 1 tsp. garlic salt or garlic powder (more or less to taste)

Directions

Cook and drain ground beef (I use regular ground beef, drain and rinse very well, this will make it as lean as the 93% lean beef), stir in ketchup, sugar (or splenda), mustard, and garlic salt/powder. Simmer on low for 10 - 15 minutes.

This can be made ahead and froze. It can also be kept warm on low in a crockpot.

Source: This is my mother in law Charlotte's recipe. I NEVER buy store bought sauce anymore. This is easy and tasty!

By Betsy from Hernando, MS

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Apple Salad

This is a quick snack.

Ingredients

• 4-6 apples
• 1/2 block cream cheese
• 3/4 cup confection sugar
• 1/4 -1/2 trail mix

Directions

Mix 1/2 block cream cheese to 3/4 cup (to taste) confection sugar, mix well. Chop apples into small bites (I prefer to leave the skins on). Mix apples with cream cheese mixture, add trail mix and toss.

Other add ins:

• shredded carrots
• finely chopped celery

If you don't have trail mix, raisins and pecans or walnuts work just as well.

By Rebecca from Gadsden, Alabama

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Peanut Butter And Jelly Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter softened
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup strawberry preserves or jam

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Beat in the peanut butter, egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in the flour and salt. Form the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll them about 2 inches apart on a large cookie sheet. Bake the cookies for 5 minutes. Using a small melon baller or your thumb (but being careful not to burn yourself), make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie so that it will flatten slightly. With the melon baller, spoon about 1 teaspoon of the preserves into each cookie; do not overfill. Bake for about 15 minutes longer, until the cookies are golden and cracked. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. (The cookies can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container.)

Yields: 2-1/2 dozen cookies

Source: Taken from the Florida Market bulletin

By Mary from Cocoa, FL

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Au Gratin Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 2 large tomatoes, halved and seeded
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
• 1 can (6 ounces) lump crabmeat, drained and flaked
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs

Directions

Using a small spoon, scoop out centers of each tomato half. Place tomato halves in a medium shallow baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Stir in milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in macaroni, crabmeat, cheddar, cayenne pepper, and salt. Spoon crabmeat mixture evenly into prepared tomato halves. Sprinkle tops evenly with bread crumbs. Bake until tomatoes are tender and tops are golden, about 25 minutes.

Note: I have used shrimp or tuna in place of crab.

By Connie from Cotter, AR

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Blue Ribbon Creamy Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 12-14 graham crackers, crushed
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 4 packages cream cheese, softened (3 oz. each)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• sugar
• 3 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions

Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter, mixing well. Press into pie pan to form crust. Combine cream cheese, eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tsp. vanilla and lemon juice in bowl, mixing well. Pour into prepared crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Mix sour cream, 3 1/2 Tbsp. sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla in bowl. Spread evenly over top. Bake for 10 minutes longer. Chill for 5 hours.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Chili Manana

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 can green chilies
• 1 can chili (10oz.)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup white cornmeal
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

Brown ground beef in skillet, stirring until crumbly. Pour off drippings. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and chili powder. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add next 4 ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients except cheese in bowl, stirring well. Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into hot 6 inch skillet, tilting to coat bottom. Cook until slightly browned and turn. Cook other side for several seconds. Repeat until all batter is used, stirring batter frequently. Layer tortillas, meat mixture and cheese in 3 qt. casserole, ending with cheese. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Bake, uncovered, until cheese starts to brown.

Note: May be made ahead, refrigerated and baked, covered, for 45 minutes and uncovered until cheese browns.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Herb Sticks

Ingredients

• 4 hot dog buns, split
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp. dried savory
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. celery seed
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

Cut bun halves into 4 long strips each. Combine remaining ingredients in bowl, letting stand for several hours. Brush butter mixture on all sides of bread. Place on cookie sheet. Bake at 275 degrees F for 45-60 minutes or until lightly browned. Store in airtight container.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Meatball Dinner

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 Tbsp. chopped onion
• 2 Tbsp. chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 6 carrots, halved
• 6 small onions
• 3-4 potatoes, peeled, quartered
• 1 can tomato soup

Directions

Combine first 9 ingredients in bowl, mixing well. Shape into small meatballs. Place in baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Layer meatballs and veggies in baking dish. Pour soup over top. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Basic Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 1 2 crust pie pastry
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind
• 6 apples, peeled, cored, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. margarine

Directions

Line 9 inch pie plate with half the pastry, allowing 1 inch overhang. Combine next 5 ingredients in bowl. Add apples, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Turn into pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with margarine. Cover with remaining pastry, sealing and fluting edges. Make several slits in top crust. Bake at 425 degrees F for 50 minutes or until crust is brown.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked macaroni
• 1 diced green pepper
• 6 sweet pickles, chopped
• 1 diced onion
• 4-5 chopped, hard-cooked eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped pimento
• 1 tsp. salt
• dash pepper
• enough mayonnaise to moisten

Directions

Mix together and refrigerate.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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