ThriftyFun Recipes - May 18, 2009

Vol. 8, Num. 97, May 18, 2009 (Read It Online) There is still time to vote for last week's contest contenders. You can see the full list here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/contest.ldml?contest=13961 Thank you Sandy, Robin, pollylev, redskin, Becky, Darnie, mkymlp, Cyinda and Sandy for today's tips and recipes! Be sure to give a "thumbs up" to tips and recipes that you like. Submit Your Favorite Recipe! Need 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: Hangover Cake Recipe Lost Cake Recipe Wood Stove Recipes Today's Food Tips: Transfer Onions to Naval Orange Bags Garnish Wine With Frozen Grapes Cooking Bacon Today's Contest Recipes: Creamy Garden Carrots One Pan Pot Roast KFC Chicken Spices Vidalia Onion Pie Raspberry Yogurt Vegetable Soup Robins's Recipe Corner: Broccoli and Cauliflower Meat Loaf Creamed Eggs on Toast Low-Calorie Fruit Salad Rhubarb Crumble Pudding 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: Hangover Cake Recipe I have lost a recipe for Hangover cake. It is made with a yellow or white cake mix and Mandarin oranges. I believe that it also has pineapple in it. Thanks in advance. By warnerc95 from Hessel, MI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf37171999.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Lost Cake Recipe I need to find a cake recipe complete with icing. I got it from a friend who moved away and my recipe disappeared (no-she did not take it). The name of the cake is the name of an alcoholic drink although there is no alcohol in it. It is an easy cake to prepare and when you bake the cake you can spread the cream cheese icing right on it. At least I am 99% sure it is cream cheese. The taste is wonderful and I am waiting for someone to say "I've got it!". Please find it and thank you when you do. By Bev from Chilliwack, BC Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf97107414.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Wood Stove Recipes We have a cast iron wood stove for heat (not the kitchen wood cook stove). I was wondering if anyone has any recipes for cooking on the top of the wood stove? By kgmom from Avoca, NY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf50014688.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: Transfer Onions to Naval Orange Bags When I buy 3 pounds of onions, they come in a mesh kind of bag. But as time rolls along, the onions' skins come off, fall out of the bag and make a mess. I found that using a 8 pound naval orange mesh bag seems to keep the skins from going everywhere. I don't know if the holes are a different size but I no longer have the mess. Works great for me and I wanted to share. By Becky from Madison, OH Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf73536844.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Garnish Wine With Frozen Grapes Freeze grapes before they go bad. They make a wonderful garnish in wine and keep it cool! Place red grapes in white wine, and white grapes in red wine! You'll be the hit of the party. Enjoy By Darnie from Langley, BC Canada Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf66029414.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Cooking Bacon I bake a pound of bacon at 400 degrees F for about 10-12 minutes on two foil-lined jelly roll pans. The bacon will bake at different times due to the amount of fat. Remove bacon to a plate covered in paper towels to absorb excessive fat. Use paper towels in between the layers plus on top. I freeze whatever is leftover. No need to freeze pieces separately since the pieces do not freeze together. Another tip is to lightly flour the bacon slices before baking. Put some flour in a bag, I use the wax cereal liners that I save, add two slices of bacon at a time and shake to cover. It takes a little more time but is worth it since there is less shrinking and the bacon is very crisp. Depending on my baking menu for the day, and I may need greased jelly roll pans, I will drain the grease from the cooled pans and then wipe off excessive grease before it will solidify. I store them in the refrigerator and then reuse the pans, not for baked goods but meats and vegetables. The best is when I roast chicken wings in the oven. The bacon grease gives it a very good flavor. I do not do this often since it is definitely not a healthy way to cook. So this is usually a family treat. But whatever I bake in the pans is very tasty. By mkymlp from PA Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf465743.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Today's Contest Recipes: Creamy Garden Carrots Ingredients: 8 medium carrots (about 4 cups) 2 Tbsp. butter (or margarine) 1 cup half and half (or light cream) 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese Directions: Peel and slice carrots. In medium sauce pan melt the butter. Add carrots, half and half, salt, and pepper. Heat just to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 6 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender. Uncover and bring to gentle boil. Gently boil for 6-8 minutes more or until sauce is slightly thickened and carrots are tender. Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with cheese. Serves 8. Source: Friend By Sandy A. from Graettinger, IA Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf56973276.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | One Pan Pot Roast Ingredients 1 chuck roast (any weight will do) 2 packets of Lipton Onion Soup Mix 2 cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup 2 cups HOT water 1 Tbsp. of "Gravy Master" or "Kitchen Bouquet" Your favorite veggies* * For veggies, I use: 3 or 4 medium sized onions, quartered 3 lbs. unpeeled potatoes, cut into halves or quarters depending upon the size 1 lb. chunked up, peeled carrots (just cut them into 2 inch lengths) 1/2 to 1 lb. of raw mushrooms, sliced Directions Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix the soups, Gravy Master and water together in the bottom of a large, roasting pan (I use a foil pan and put it on a cookie sheet, so it doesn't bend when you try to put it in the oven). Add the roast. Then add the potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and onions by scattering them all around the roast in the gravy mix. Cover the pan with heavy-duty foil, crimping it around the edges of the pan to seal it completely. If it's not sealed two things may happen. The steam will get out, which will dry out the meat, or the steam will stay in just fine, but the gravy will bubble up and make a mess in the oven. Stick it in the oven for 4 or 5 hours. Remove it from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Don't open the cover until the end of the 10 minutes. The steam will burn you! Then take out the roast, carve it, but let the vegetables stay in the gravy. It's ready to serve right from the pan. So easy, and everyone will delight in it! Back when I was making this on Saturday nights, at Christmas time, my friends would present me with oddly shaped, wrapped gifts, with the admonishment of "Don't put this under the tree, put it in the freezer!" Of course, it was meat, so we could all continue to enjoy the sharing of a wonderful meal and great conversation. Making memories is the best dessert ever. By pollylev from Cedar Springs, MI Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf83629939.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | KFC Chicken Spices I just found this, but haven't tried this yet. I'm just passing this on for anybody who wants to try it. A little bit more than the 11 spices and herbs. LOL. Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. rosemary 1 Tbsp. oregano leaves 1 Tbsp. powdered sage 1 tsp. powdered ginger 1 tsp. marjoram 1 1/2 tsp. thyme 3 Tbsp. packed brown sugar 3 Tbsp. dry minced parsley 1 tsp. pepper 1 Tbsp. paprika 2 Tbsp. garlic salt 2 Tbsp. onion salt 2 Tbsp. chicken bouillon powder (or 4 cubes, mashed) 1 package Lipton tomato Cup-a-Soup mix Directions: Place all ingredients in blender and pulse for 3 - 4 minutes to pulverize or rub through a fine strainer. Store in an airtight container so the spices don't lose their potency. This will make about 3/4 cup. To Coat Chicken just add one ounce of this mixture to every one cup of flour for coating chicken. Source: Recipe Goldmine By redskin from Brockville, Ontario, Canada Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf32293547.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Vidalia Onion Pie The Vidalia onions we love here in the South are going to be plentiful soon. This is quite a take on a "pie", but it is delicious and different from the usual vegetable dishes. Ingredients: 1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs 1/2 stick of butter, melted 2 cups of Vidalia onions, sliced thin 2 Tbsp. butter 2 eggs, beaten 3/4 cup milk 3/4 tsp. salt Dash of pepper 1/4 cup (or more, if you wish) of grated sharp cheddar cheese Paprika Parsley for garnish Directions: Mix cracker crumbs and the 1/2 stick of melted butter. Press into an 8 inch pie pan. Saute onions in 2 Tbsp. butter until they are translucent. Put the onions on the "crust" in the pie pan. Mix eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture over the onions. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top and sprinkle with paprika to taste. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until firm. Remove from the oven and top with chopped, fresh parsley. Cut into slices to serve. Servings: 8 Time: 10-15 Minutes Preparation Time 30 Minutes Cooking Time Source: Passed on to me by a dear friend who loves fresh vegetables as much as I do. By Sandy B. from Elon, NC Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf90440169.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Raspberry Yogurt Vegetable Soup This fast and easy soup is quite tasty! For those of you who love raspberry vinaigrette on your salad or fresh veggies, you'll love this soup! The yogurt is a healthy substitute for sour cream. Ingredients: 1 large can of V-8 juice (for broth) 2 bags frozen stir-fry veggies (different types) 1/2 cup frozen corn (optional) 1 can stewed tomatoes 1 can kidney beans (optional) garlic (or garlic powder) to taste onion (or onion powder) to taste bullion cubes or powder (beef or chicken)* seasoning salt (to taste) sugar or honey (to taste - about 2 Tbsp.) 1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning, crushed (optional) water 8 oz. plain yogurt (substitute sour cream) 1 bag frozen raspberries *Vegetarians substitute soy sauce for bullion. Directions: Put all ingredients in large stock pan, and add about 3 cups of water. Cook on med-high until veggies are done. Lastly add the bag of frozen raspberries and cook until they are hot. Then add the yogurt and stir. If your family isn't game for something a bit unusual like this, just make the plain veggie soup for the picky eaters, then in a separate bowl add about a tablespoon of plain yogurt and a tablespoon or so of raspberries to your bowl, then microwave until it's hot again. For a quick meal later on, I like to scoop the soup into zip-lock baggies using a coffee cup. I then freeze these individual portions by laying the baggies flat and stacking them. Be sure to push all the air out of the zip-locks! Later on, I'll thaw out the soup if I have time or if I'm in a hurry, I'll put baggie with the frozen soup into microwave and cook it for about 1 minute (to partially thaw), then it will be easy to remove the frozen soup from the baggie and squeeze it into a bowl to microwave. Servings: about 10 Time: 10 Minutes Preparation Time 20 Minutes Cooking Time Source: This is my own special recipe. I love it! My boyfriend, not so much. (He thinks adding yogurt and raspberries to soup is just plain weird!) By Cyinda from near Seattle Contest Contender! This post is a contest contender! Read it and then Rate it: Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf12784491.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Robin's Recipe Corner: Broccoli and Cauliflower Ingredients 2 Tbsp. flour 4 Tbsp. butter (plus more for buttering the casserole) 1 1/2 cups milk 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2-1 cup shredded cheese 1 cup crushed crackers 1 large bag frozen broccoli and cauliflower mix Directions Butter a casserole dish. Pour the broccoli and cauliflower mix. In a sauce pan, blend 2 Tbsp. flour with 2 Tbsp. butter. Add milk and salt. Cook and stir until smooth, then add 1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheese and stir until melted. Pour cheese sauce over the broccoli and cauliflower. Mix cracker crumbs with 2 Tbsp. melted butter with fork. Sprinkle crushed cracker crumbs over the rest of the ingredients in casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes in 350 degree F oven. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf39105759.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Meat Loaf Ingredients 1 1/2-2 lbs. ground beef 1 can Cream Of Mushroom soup 1 pkg. dry onion soup mix Shape ground beef in a loaf. Wrap in foil and freeze. When ready to use, open foil, add Cream of Mushroom soup. Sprinkle dry onion soup mix over soup. Seal; place on flat pan and bake at 325 degrees F for 1 1/2-2 hours. A good gravy will be around meat. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf58855829.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Creamed Eggs on Toast Ingredients 2 cups White Sauce* 6 hard boiled eggs *White Sauce: 4 Tbsp. butter 4 Tbsp. flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 2 cups milk Directions Peel eggs. Dice egg whites and grate egg yolks; set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan. Blend in flour, salt and pepper; add milk. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Add diced egg whites to white sauce. Serve on toast with grated egg yolks, sprinkled on top. Makes 6-8 servings. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf49776785.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Low-Calorie Fruit Salad Ingredients 1 envelope raspberry sugar-free gelatin 1 can crushed pineapple (in juice) 1 small carton cottage cheese 1 envelope Dream Whip Directions Bring pineapple to a boil and stir in gelatin. Cool, then add cottage cheese and Dream Whip, prepared according to directions on package. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf256619.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Print | Rate It: | Rhubarb Crumble Pudding Ingredients 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/3 cup butter or margarine 4 cups fresh rhubarb (1 inch pieces) 1 tsp. lemon flavoring Directions Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle 1/2 of flour mixture in an 8 inch square pan and press down firmly. Mix rhubarb and lemon flavoring and 1 cup sugar. Spread over flour mixture in pan and sprinkle remaining flour mixture over rhubarb. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45-50 minutes. Serve with ice cream. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf40540530.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.