ThriftyFun Recipes - August 21, 2009

Thank you MsWeed, Carolyn, Eveh, Gapotter, joynchocolate, Notwrong, Jennifer and Robin for today's tips and recipes!

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Recipe Requests:

• Scallop Recipes
• Grape Juice Recipe
• Pickling Okra

Today's Food Tips:

• Freeze Bell Peppers
• Substitute Cheezits for Ritz Crackers in Casserole
• Quick Sides for Hot Weather

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Low Fat Potato Chip Dip
• Homemade Pierogies
• Blueberry Cobbler
• Kalua Pig
• Jazzed Up Meatloaf Topping

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Gooey Butter Cake
• Apple Snicker Salad
• Hamburger Soup
• Broccoli Casserole

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Scallop Recipes

I am looking for an easy recipe using scallops. Any suggestions?

By barrsbits from Council, NC

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Grape Juice Recipe

I have a glut of black grapes. I would like to know how to make grape juice. What ingredients do I need? The grapes are quite sharp. I don't want to waste them and I'm not really into wine making. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

By withaney from Slesey, UK

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Pickling Okra

I tried the recipe that was posted earlier this month on freezer pickled veggies. Most of them turned out great, but my okra got slimy. Any ideas on how to prevent this?

By cybeeb from Mt Pleasant, TN

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Freeze Bell Peppers

When sweet peppers are on sale, I buy different colored ones, chop them up and freeze them on a cookie sheet. When frozen, I put them in a freezer container.

To thaw, I put what I need in cold water. The water might freeze as well but I let it thaw at room temperature. Drain pat dry. They are still quite crispy and good for salads. I do this with celery and radish as well. No blanching.

By MsWeed from Ontario Canada

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Substitute Cheezits for Ritz Crackers in Casserole

I was going to make squash casserole for my Sunday dinner and discovered I was out of Ritz crackers needed, but I did have a box of Cheezits. They not only added the consistency I need but an added cheesy taste. My family loved it and I have been using them ever since.

By Carolyn from Springville, AL

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Quick Sides for Hot Weather

I just wanted to share a couple of my favorite quick side dishes for a hot day. I buy peach halves in the can and put a half on a small serving dish, I add a TBS of cottage cheese to the center and top with a cherry. It looks cheerful, taste good and is quick.

My second favorite is to take a pear half, add a dab of mayo to the hole and top that with some grated cheddar cheese. Both of these are simple but very popular when we have grilled food.

By Eveh from Gulf Coast

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Low Fat Potato Chip Dip

I tweaked a family favorite for potato chip dip, making it a little less fatty. Using it as a baked potato topping is an extra added bonus! :-)

Ingredients

• 1-8 oz. package Neufchatel cheese (find it with the cream cheese)
• 1-8 oz. container sour cream
• 3-4 Tbsp. dried chives

Directions

Beat first two ingredients until smooth. Fold in chives. Refrigerate 1 hour. (Overnight for best possible flavor).

Source: My great-grandmother Ada made a dip using cream cheese and chives; this one is just as good as hers!

By Gapotter from Raleigh, NC

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Homemade Pierogies

This is the pierogi recipe I use and I hope you enjoy them! So much better and cheaper than the store brand. Great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

Dough:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• salt and pepper
• water to form dough

• 2 cups prepared mashed potatoes
• 1/2 cup cheese, shredded (I use cheddar)

Directions

Mix dough ingredients adding water until dough is manageable, but not sticky. Roll out dough on floured surface about 1/4 inch or so thick. Cut in circles with biscuit cutter or floured glass. Mix filling ingredients and place a tsp. of filling in center of each circle. Fold pierogi in half like a half moon and press edges with a fork to seal. Meanwhile boil a large pot of water. Drop pierogies in water until they rise to the top, then drain. Pan fry in butter until golden, if desired.

Note: you can also saute shredded cabbage with a little onion and a dash of sugar until golden and use that as a filling. Yummy!

Source: a long line of Polish foodies :)

By joynchocolate

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Blueberry Cobbler

A sweet gentleman from my sister's church in Louisiana made huckleberry tarts for my mother, sister, niece and me when we visited his home. He made them in the short time it took us to admire his beautiful home, out of berries he had picked that morning in his front yard. They tasted fabulous.

After returning home to Ohio, I took his basic recipe and created this cobbler. Since I don't have huckleberries growing in my yard, I use blueberries from the grocery, which I have been getting at an insanely good price lately. It is quick, easy and delicious. I often put the fruit on to cook slowly as I'm beginning dinner. By the time we're done eating, we have a hot and sweet finish to the meal. We usually have dessert only on Sabbath, but since I've started making this, we have dessert more often. I've eaten more blueberries in the four months since my visit than I had in the previous 35 years, quite literally.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups blueberries (or huckleberries)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 medium apple, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 Tbs cornstarch mixed with 4 Tbs cold water
• 3 tubes of packaged crescent rolls

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. In a saucepan, cook together the fruit and sugar. You may need to add a small amount of water (no more than 1/4 cup).

While the berries are cooking, open two tubes of crescent rolls and layer them, without taking them apart, in the pan. This covers the entire bottom as well as the sides of the pan.

When berries have burst and are jam-like and the apple is well cooked, bring the mixture to a low boil and add the cornstarch slurry while stirring constantly. When mixture thickens, remove from heat. Pour fruit into the pan. Open the last tube of crescents and place on top, either as a solid floating crust or in triangles. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the crust is golden.

It is excellent by itself, with whipped cream, ice cream or even some milk poured over it. The filling is rather runny, which I suppose you could correct by adding more cornstarch. So far, it hasn't bothered us much, because it just tastes so good! I didn't have an actual recipe to start with, just what he told us he did, which he himself didn't have a recipe for! This is why I unfortunately do not have a cook time for the fruit. I just cook it until it looks right.

By Heather from Clarksburg, OH

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Kalua Pig

I had this at a family get together and loved it. I got the recipe and have been making it ever since. I like this on a sandwich or on top of a loaded baked potato. Or serve it by itself.

Ingredients:

• 1 Boston butt pork roast
• 2 cups water
• liquid smoke to taste ( I use 4-5 Tbsp.)
• 3 Tbsp. sea salt

Directions:

Put the butt roast in a crockpot, fatty side up. Add the water and liquid smoke. Sprinkle the top with the sea salt and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Remove the meat from the crockpot and pull the meat (throwing the fat away). Put the meat back into the crockpot and let it simmer for about an hour.

Serve!

Source: family recipe

By Jennifer from Mt Pleasant TN

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Jazzed Up Meatloaf Topping

A good way to add fruit to my diet.

Ingredients:

• brown sugar,
• 1/2 tsp of lemon juice,
• 1 can of whole cranberries or the canned cranberry gel used at Thanksgiving

Directions:

Form meatloaf as usual and bake. When almost done, mix the ingredients together and spoon over and bake until the meatloaf is done.

By notwrong

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Gooey Butter Cake

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. yellow cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 1 stick melted butter or margarine
• 1 cream cheese (8oz.)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 1 box powdered sugar (reserve 1/2 cup)
• chopped pecans

Directions

Mix and spread first 3 ingredients in a greased 9x13 inch pan. Mix cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, and powdered sugar; spread on first layer. Sprinkle on chopped pecans. Bake 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees F. When cool (20 minutes), sprinkle with remaining sugar.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Apple Snicker Salad

Ingredients

• 1 instant vanilla pudding (4oz.)
• 1 cup cold milk
• 1 carton whipped topping (8oz.)
• 5 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into small pieces
• 6 Snicker candy bars, cut into small bite sizes

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the pudding and milk. Fold in the whipped topping, apples and candy bars. Mix together and refrigerate until chilled.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Hamburger Soup

Ingredients

• 2 lb. ground beef
• 5 3/4 cups tomato juice
• 1 cup stewed tomatoes
• 2 tsp. basil
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 2 Tbsp. dried onion flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 2 cups French-style green beans
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Brown ground beef in soup pot. Drain pan drippings. Add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Cover and bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 2 hours.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 can mushrooms
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 env. dry onion soup mix
• 2 pkg. frozen broccoli, cooked, drained
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated cheese

Directions

Saute' mushrooms and water chestnuts in butter and soup mix in skillet. Combine with broccoli in casserole. Top with bread crumbs and cheese. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

By Robin from Washington, Ia

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