ThriftyFun Recipes - January 16, 2009

Thank you Bobbie, Emily, Pat, Robin, Raymonde, Deb, Nikki and Katherine for today's tips and recipes!

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Recipe Requests:

• Recipes for Ron Popel Automatic Pasta Maker
• What Kind of Eggs Are These?
• Sunkist Raisin Bread Recipe

Today's Food Tips:

• Start Planning for Valentine's Day Now
• Stay Warm With Ginger Apple Cider
• Use Cream of Chicken Soup to Thicken Broth

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Faux Pho
• Tuna Broccoli Potatoes
• "House" Seasoning
• Peanut Butter Popcorn
• Turnip Puffs

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Hamburger Patties
• Frozen Jubilee Pie
• Cheese and Broccoli Soup
• Tater Tots and Hamburger Casserole
• Sweet and Sour Spinach
• Fudge

Crafting for Fun and Money!

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Recipes for Ron Popel Automatic Pasta Maker

I would appreciate recipes for the Ron Popei automatic pasta maker. Thank you ever so much.

Bonnie from Niagara Falls, Ont. Canada

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What Kind of Eggs Are These?

When I was in boarding school, they had the nicest breakfast. A large cookie sheet with a small rim would hold many almost fried eggs floating in water. We'd scoop out an egg and eat it with buttered toast. I'm calling them almost fried, because they looked like they were fried, but there was no evidence of pan frying. No crispy edges nor caramelization. Any ideas how there were made?

Holly from Richardson, TX

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Sunkist Raisin Bread Recipe

I am looking for a copycat recipe for Sunkist Raisin bread preferably one that has raisin concentrate in it. I would also like information on how to find and/or make raisin concentrate. Thank you.

Anna from Idaho

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Start Planning for Valentine's Day Now

Not too early to start saving on the Valentine date or dinner. Here are some tips I would like to share. You can prepare your own dinner by starting your shopping now and buying the meat and side dishes when you see them on sale.

Freeze and then thaw to prepare on the 14th. Also look for wonderful desserts reduced and freeze to thaw. I purchased a premium box of chocolates on sale for 75% off at the drugstore in the Christmas clearance. I froze them and will thaw the morning of the 14th.

If you want to go out, try to have your romantic dinner at lunch, this will save you $$$$$, also you will not have the long wait for a table at lunch time.

The early movie is a great way to save money if you can take in the afternoon showing. If you want to watch a romantic movie at home, start looking on eBay now and bid on your favorite movie, so you will have it for the 14th. Our local Walmart has a Redbox to rent movies from for a $1.00, Krogers also has a movie rental for a $1.00.

If you have cards to mail, shop at one of your local dollar stores for nice cards at 2 for a $1.00. We have a Dollar General and another dollar store close, if you buy early there is a good selection to pick from.

If you are having dinner at home and want flowers, the best prices can be found at the grocery store and Walmart on cut flowers. To save on a sexy nightie, again look now at the sales, Kohl's has some great sales on end of season nighties, bras, and panties not to mention other department stores that are also offering coupons for extra % off on clearance items.

Source: These are things I do each year to save. Hope this helps you, too.

By Bobbie from Rockwall

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Stay Warm With Ginger Apple Cider

Staying warm without cranking up the thermostat: I heat a mug of apple cider with a 1/2 tsp. of ground ginger in it. This definitely warms me from the inside! It's yummy too :D

Source: Just me trying not to be cold all the time!

By Emily from RI

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Use Cream of Chicken Soup to Thicken Broth

When making chicken and noodles, I use a can of cream of chicken soup to the broth. I also use cream of chicken soup in my dressing, chicken and dumplings, anything using the chicken broth. It make it have body and thickening. I used this very often and my family and friends want to know what my secret is.

Hope it will help.

By Pat from Harlem, GA

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Faux Pho

I recently came down with a killer cold and wanted chicken soup. However, I don't really care for traditional chicken noodle soup, especially the canned kinds. It was too late in the evening, and I felt too lousy to make a batch of homemade. What I really wanted was Pho - I adore it! But I didn't feel good enough to do the driving to the nearest restaurant, and the post-Christmas budget is tight.

So after taking stock of what I had on hand, and a quick trip to the grocery store, this is what I came up with. The kids pronounced it amazing, ate 2 bowls apiece (highly unusual), made me promise to add this to the foods we eat more regularly, and said it was even better the next day when we finished it off. We got about 10 regular sized soup bowls from this recipe. My chicken pho inspired, "I have a cold and I want chicken soup" recipe

Ingredients

• 1 grocery store rotisserie chicken (the pre-cooked ones)
• 2 - 49 1/2 oz. cans Swanson's chicken broth
• 2 tsp. Wyler's chicken bouillon powder
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 10 large green onions, chopped at least 1/4 inch thick (use greens), if onions are small, use 12
• 2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 6 smaller inside stalks of celery, with leaves, otherwise 3-4 large outside stalks, chopped at least 1/4" thick
• 1/2 onion, sliced in paper thin rounds
• 1/2 of an 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, halved (into half moon shape)
• 1- 14.5 oz. can bean sprouts
• 1/2 of an 8 oz. can bamboo shoots, sliced in half again lengthwise
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. Morton's Nature's Seasoning
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 jalapeno sliced thin, deseeded if you don't like the extra heat
• 1 lime cut in chunks
• 1 package rice vermicelli (I prefer Guilin brand for this as the noodles are thicker than some of the other rice vermicellis. Comes in a 400 gram package)

Directions

Remove the skin from the chicken, then remove all the meat from the bones. Coarsly shred or chop in 1/2 inch chunks.

Put the canned broth, powdered bouillon and water in a pot. Add chicken, green onions, celery, garlic, ginger, basil and seasoning salt.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add sliced onions and continue to simmer.

Begin cooking noodles according to package directions. When there is 5 minutes left of cooking time, add the water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and bean sprouts to the soup. Continue to simmer until noodles are ready.

To serve:

Place desired amount of noodles in a bowl, then ladle the soup and broth over. Stir in a jalapeno slice and squeeze of lime juice if desired. Add a few drops of sriracha sauce if desired.

Note: Any of our subscribers who may be Vietnamese, I hope I'm not offending anyone by this, calling it faux pho. I truly love your traditional soup, and while this is different, it was pho that served as my original inspiration and was all I could think of calling it.

By Deb from Minnesota

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Tuna Broccoli Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 large baking potatoes
• Vegetable oil
• 5 cups broccoli florets (1 bunch)
• 1 can (6.5 oz.) tuna drained
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Scrub potatoes and prick skins with fork; rub all over with oil. Bake in oven at 425 degrees F for 45 to 55 minutes or until potatoes yield to gentle pressure.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, cook broccoli, uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender crisp. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain well and chop coarsely. Place in a large bowl. Coarsely flake tuna; add to broccoli along with celery and onions. Stir together mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard; set aside.

Cut each potato in half lengthwise; carefully scoop out pulp leaving 1/4 inch thick shell. Brush skins with butter; place on baking sheet and keep warm.

In a bowl, mash potato pulp; mix in broccoli mixture and 3/4 cup of the mayonnaise mixture. Stir in cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Stuff into potato skins, mounding tops. Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes or until steaming hot. Serve with remaining mayonnaise mixture spooned over each potato.

Could be served with a green tossed salad as an inexpensive meal

Source: Canadian Living Magazine

By Raymonde from North Bay, Ontario

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"House" Seasoning

We use this on everything from chicken, burgers, steaks, pork and roasts to in our mashed potatoes. We love it and with budgets so tight this year I even made up huge batches and gave it away this year and everyone loves it. Here is the basic recipe, you can scale it up or down. I get spices in bulk pretty cheap at Sam's and I have a friend across the country that gets them online for good prices in bulk so it comes out pretty cheap.

Ingredients

• 1 cup salt
• 1/2 cup pepper
• 1/2 cup garlic powder
• 1/2 cup onion powder
• 1/2 cup dry parsley (optional - I leave out if I don't have any)

Directions

Mix it up in a container and put it in a shaker and enjoy. Lots cheaper than the store bought mixes.

Source: Just messing around with my own spices when I didn't want to pay for the $8 a pop garlic and herb spice mix my mother in law bought me at Sam's.

By Nikki from Piqua, OH

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Peanut Butter Popcorn

Ingredients

• 4 quarts popped corn
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup melted margarine or butter
• 3/4 cup peanut butter

Directions

Add sugar and syrup to melted butter and bring to a boil while stirring. Simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat; add vanilla and peanut butter. Blend. Pour over popcorn and mix well. Can be made into balls.

Tastes SO much better than it sounds and it is economical. I give it away from Christmas treats and everyone wants the recipe.

By Katherine from Wenatchee, WA

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Turnip Puffs

Ingredients

• 6 cups of turnips
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 eggs beaten
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup of fine dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. melted butter

Directions

Cook turnip, drain well and mash. Add butter and beaten eggs. MIx all dry ingredients (except the breadcrumbs), add to mashed turnip. Top with breadcrumbs and melted butter. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes.

You may make ahead and bake it later.

Source: A old family recipe. We all love turnip.

By Raymonde from North Bay, Ontario

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Hamburger Patties

Ingredients

• 1 lb. hamburger
• 1 cup cornflakes or Rice Krispies
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• salt and pepper
• 1 can cream of mushroom our celery soup
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water

Directions

Mix meat, flakes, milk and eggs and seasonings. Form patties. Flour patties and brown. Pour soup, water and milk mixture over them and simmer for 1 hour or less. Put them in the oven. Bake until brown. About 1 hour.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Frozen Jubilee Pie

Ingredients

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 qt. softened vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1 graham cracker or vanilla wafer crust

Directions

Cream sugar and margarine. Add chocolate and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add egg yolks and beat well. Fold in 3 beaten egg whites. Spread on crust and chill. top mixture with ice cream. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Freeze. Cut in serving pieces and top with hot fudge sauce, if desired.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Cheese and Broccoli Soup

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1 pint milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pint half and half
• 1 1/2 tsp. herb salt
• 2 packages frozen broccoli
• 6 Tbsp. flour
• 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
• 1 small jar Cheez Whiz

Directions

Blend butter and flour in saucepan until smooth. Add milk and half and half gradually, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat until thick. Dissolve cubes in small amount of water. Add with the remaining ingredients except broccoli to creamed mixture. Cook until smooth, stirring constantly. Stir in broccoli. Heat through.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Tater Tots and Hamburger Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 lb. hamburger
• 1 can golden mushroom soup
• 12 slices Velveeta cheese
• 1 small can French-fried onions

Directions

Brown hamburger and drain. Put in bottom of 9x9 inch pan. Spread mushroom soup over hamburger layer with cheese, cover with the dried onions. Layer tater tots over entire casserole. Bake at 350 degrees F until tater tots are golden brown and cheese is melted, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Sweet and Sour Spinach

Ingredients

• 1 bunch spinach, torn in pieces (10 oz)
• 1 can bean sprouts, drained (16 oz.)
• 1 can water chestnuts, drained and sliced (8 oz.)
• several strips bacon, crumbled
• 4 hard boiled eggs, sliced

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup dark vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 medium onion
• 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Combine dressing ingredients and toss all together. Keep refrigerated.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Fudge

Ingredients

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 envelope plain gelatin (Knox)
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup (scant) light corn syrup
• 3 sq. chocolate, unsweetened
• 1 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup nuts

Directions

Mix sugar and gelatin; add milk, syrup, chocolate and butter. Cook to soft ball stage. Add vanilla. Pour into large bowl; let stand 15 minutes. Beat; add nuts.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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