ThriftyFun Recipes - June 10, 2008

Thank you Robin, Connie, JoAnne, melody_yesterday, Zoompad, April, Esther and Nancy for today's tips and recipes!

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Today's Food Tips:

• FDA Warns Consumers Nationwide Not to Eat Certain Types of Raw Red Tomatoes
• Healthy and Frugal Meatloaf "Burgers"
• Test Your Canner Gauge Every Year
• Blended Fruit

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Two Knorr Soup Recipes
• Fried Cabbage and Noodles
• Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies
• Connie's Barbecue Sauce

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Frozen Strawberry Salad
• Funny Eggs
• Sinful Potatoes
• Mozzarella Meat Loaf
• Turkey Rice Bake
• Sour Cherry Jam

Crafting for Fun and Money!

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FDA Warns Consumers Nationwide Not to Eat Certain Types of Raw Red Tomatoes

The Food and Drug Administration is expanding its warning to consumers nationwide that a salmonellosis outbreak has been linked to consumption of certain raw red plum, red Roma, and red round tomatoes, and products containing these raw, red tomatoes.

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Healthy and Frugal Meatloaf "Burgers"

Try sneaking vegetables to your picky eaters in the form of meatloaf burgers. Add leftover vegetables like peas or mashed potatoes and unbuttered corn to the ground meat and mix well as you would meatloaf to blend. Cooked rice or unsweetened cereals and even uncooked oats are fine too. Add an egg (or 2) if you plan to grill this for stability. Prepare the burger patty as you normally would. Thumb press an indent in the center for more even cooking. Don't press the burger after it begins cooking to flatten it or squeeze out the fluids. In addition to getting your picky eater that essential vitamin through the hidden veggies, you are also then extending the amount of meat!

By melody_yesterday from Sedalia, MO

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Test Your Canner Gauge Every Year

Before you start canning this summer, call your local extension office and see what days they will be testing canner gauges. They should be tested annually for accuracy. Most check for free, some charge up to $2.

By April from NW Missouri

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Blended Fruit

For a really delicious and healthy treat, take two oranges and squeeze them into a blender. Then, whatever fruit you have available, for example, pineapple, peeled and cored apple, strawberries, blueberries, whatever you like. Blend, and then add a banana, blend again and serve. Delicious!

By Zoompad from Staffordshire

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Two Knorr Soup Recipes

I made these recipes up. One time when my son was a baby, I had a Knorr's baby soup or something with a petrified carrot in it, and so wrote them. They mailed me a year's supply of soup; and voila, those two recipes were born!

Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• Package of Knorr's Leek Soup or Vegetable (cheapest at Winco, maybe Costco)
• Lentils
• onion
• potato (1)
• carrots
• chopped tomatos/tomato paste, your choice
• celery
• Chicken broth (optional)
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Lemon juice (optional)

Directions

Saute the carrots and celery and onion (Someone's grandmother did this in Ukraine), set aside.

Cover lentils with water, put in package soup; one envelope. Peel potato, cut and put in soup. Put in sauteed veggies. Cover, cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. When potato is soft, I add some Balsamic vinegar and, if I want, lemon juice. Cook for another 20 minutes.

Meaty Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• Ground Turkey
• Ground Meat - Hamburger/Beef
• Knorr's Leek soup mix
• 1 small can evap milk
• onion
• tomatoes
• oatmeal
• any kind of tomatoes
• bread

I think these are both relatively heart healthy as that's my concern and not overall pricey.

By Esther from Pasadena, CA

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Fried Cabbage and Noodles

Chop a head of cabbage and fry in a large skillet using olive oil or margarine. Boil noodles or pasta (I use shell noodles) Drain the noodles when done and mix the fried cabbage with it. Add salt and pepper. There are many variations to this inexpensive dish. You may add chopped onions to the fried cabbage, or bacon bits, sausage, etc. You may also use different kinds of pasta or seasonings like garlic powder. You can experiment but, just the cabbage and noodles themselves are a great combination.

Source: This dish is from my childhood. My grandma made it, my mother made it, I make it and now my kids make it. Don't know the amounts of the ingredients but it sure fills you up!

By Nancy from Greeneville, Tn.

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Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg

Directions

Mix all together, drop by spoonfuls and bake in a 350 degree F oven for around 6-7 minutes.

Enjoy!

Source: This recipe came from my women's group while we were discussing easy recipes.

By JoAnne from Bushnell, Florida

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Connie's Barbecue Sauce

I make this easy barbecue sauce that is great for summer cookouts. It works good on chicken and pork, especially ribs, and can even use it on steaks. Use the cheapest brands for all the ingredients. It tastes better than any store-bought brand.

Ingredients

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup mustard
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• a liberal dash of hot pepper sauce
• 2 cups water

Directions

Mix and cook all the ingredients about 1 hour over low heat. The BBQ sauce will be thin, not thick, and can be brushed over grilling meats. Store in refrigerator in a container. Should last about 1 month.

OR, you can parboil ribs, chicken, etc. in the sauce, then use the remainder to brush on the cooking meat. However, if you par-cook any meat in the sauce, use it all up immediately on whatever you are cooking. Once it is used with meat, do not save it.

By Connie from Cotter, AR

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Frozen Strawberry Salad

Ingredients

• 1 small container Cool Whip
• 1 pint frozen strawberries, partially thawed
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup mini marshmallows

Directions

Combine all ingredients in bowl, mixing well. Pour into 8x12 inch pan. Freeze until firm. Cut into squares.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Funny Eggs

No, this is not a typo. This recipe has a weirdo name!

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 can refrigerator biscuits
• 1 can apricots, drained (1lb.)
• 1/2 cup apricot liquid
• paprika

Directions

Melt butter in round layer pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Dip biscuits in butter mixture to coat both sides and arrange in pan. Make apricot-sized indentation in each biscuit and fill with apricot. Pour apricot liquid over top. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Sinful Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 lb. frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1/2 cup melted margarine
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups grated cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups sour cream
• unseasoned bread crumbs

Directions

Combine all ingredients except bread crumbs in large bowl, mixing well. Spread in 9x13 inch baking pan. Top with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Mozzarella Meat Loaf

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 tsp. instant minced onion
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1 can tomato sauce (15 oz.)
• 1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 can mushrooms (opt.)

Directions

Combine first 6 ingredients with 3/4 cup tomato sauce in bowl, mixing well. Pat meat mixture in to 9x13 inch rectangle on waxed paper. Sprinkle with cheese and mushrooms. Roll as for jelly roll, sealing edge and ends. Place seam side down in 8x12 inch baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Pour off drippings. Spoon remaining tomato sauce over loaf. Bake for 30 minutes longer.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Turkey Rice Bake

Ingredients

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 3 Tbsp. margarine
• 1 can onion soup
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 Tbsp. chopped pimento
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced cooked turkey
• 1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 4 slices process cheese, halved diagonally

Directions

Brown rice in margarine in skillet, stirring constantly. Place in casserole. Add next 6 ingredients and 1 1/3 cups water, mixing well. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until rice is cooked. Arrange cheese slices in pinwheel on casserole. Bake, uncovered, until cheese melts.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Sour Cherry Jam

Ingredients

• 5 cups fresh sour cherries, pitted
• 5 cups sugar
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Directions

Heat cherries slowly in covered saucepan until skins soften slightly. Add sugar and lemon juice, mixing well. Cook briskly for 15 minutes or to 218 degrees F on thermometer. Chill in refrigerator overnight. Bring jam to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Pour into hot sterilized jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace; seal. Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Makes 4-5 8 oz. jars.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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