ThriftyFun Recipes - August 13, 2008

Thank you LRP, Esther, Ruth, Raymonde, Connie, Beverly, Emmy and Robin for today's tips and recipes.

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Recipe Requests:

• Tips For Using Freezer Chest
• Substitutions For Fennel In Recipes
• Recipes For Someone On Dialysis

Today's Food Tips:

• Good Power Foods
• Get Two Uses From Your Celery
• Buy Frozen Spinach To Keep Your Groceries Cold

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Black Bean and Corn Salsa
• Hush Puppies
• Homemade Yogurt In Your Oven
• Chicken Salad Dip

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Exotic Green Beans
• Round Steak and Vegetable Casserole
• Apple-Nut Pudding
• Favorite Stuffing
• Never-Fail Popovers

Crafting for Fun and Money!

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Tips For Using Freezer Chest

I just bought a Kenmore 5.0 freezer chest. It is the first one I have ever owned and I am just looking for tips. I want freeze as much as I can for reusing. I guess I should ask what not to freeze too?

Joyce from Danvers, MA

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Substitutions For Fennel In Recipes

I have several recipes that call for fennel. Since I dislike the licorice taste of fennel, I am wondering what is a suitable substitute in cooking. Celery? Celeriac? I would appreciate any help anyone can give me.

Nicki from Amarillo, Texas

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Recipes For Someone On Dialysis

My father-in-law, to whom I am primary caregiver, has started dialysis. It seems that I am serving him the same meals over and over. Can anyone help me with some recipes that contain no tomatoes, artichokes, dried beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, greens, lentils, lima beans, mushrooms, parsnips, winter squash, coconut, nuts/seeds as these are all high in potassium and we have to really limit that and salt. Potatoes are also high in potassium but he can have those if we dialyze them first. Thanks in advance for any and all help!

Cindy from Breaux Bridge, LA

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Good Power Foods

These foods will give you strength and energy

Grains:

• whole wheat cereal
• oatmeal
• whole wheat bread, pita, bagel, pasta
• brown rice
• deli rye
• pure bran muffins
• cream of wheat
• raisin bread

• oranges
• berries (especially blueberries)
• cantaloupe
• watermelon
• apples
• avocado
• chili peppers
• spinach
• sweet potatoes
• tomatoes

• low fat or skim milk
• low fat yogurt
• salmon
• tuna
• chicken
• almonds
• peanuts
• walnuts and hazelnuts
• beans
• eggs

• http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/main.asp

By LRP from LWL, MA

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Get Two Uses From Your Celery

When purchasing celery, I try to get one that is quite fresh with a good solid base. At home, cut off about 2-3 inches of base of celery. Place this in a bowl with water up about an inch, set on windowsill. Keep the water refreshed every couple of days and soon root sprouts will start to show. When enough for planting put into soil or plant outdoors in garden if summer. This way you get at least two uses from the same purchase, your taking advantage of a recyclable item, and if you want you can let it grow till the size required for kitchen needs or just leave it as it makes for a nice plant.

One interesting thing I have found in doing this is the difference of purchasing celery that is just regular or organic. Interestingly the stem that was organic its water stayed cleaner and fresher whereas the regular insecticides does get brownish and will spoil quickly if not refreshed soon enough. I found this very interesting and certainly answered a lot of my questions concerning the stuff that they spray on our foods and put into our livestock!

Source: I started doing this about 30 years ago when life was at best frugal. Even then though I started teaching my children the benefits of organic gardening and preserving and reusing wherever possible.

By Esther from Yellowknife, NT, Canada

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Buy Frozen Spinach To Keep Your Groceries Cold

I stopped at the grocery store on my way home from work and bought a package of pork chops for that night's dinner. I was concerned about keeping them safely cold in my hot car because I had other stops to make before I got home about two hours later.

My solution was to purchase 2 boxes of frozen chopped spinach also. I placed them on top of the meat package and wrapped it tightly in the grocery store bags and put a blanket (which I carry in my car at all times) around that package to further insulate it from the heat. When I got home the spinach was still frozen solid and the meat was still cold.

The added bonus is two packages of frozen chopped spinach in my freezer and someday I'll have them on hand for a dip recipe or soup, etc. Spinach is not an expensive item to purchase, and we all know how many hours it takes to defrost one of those packages.

Source: From my own experience.

By Ruth from Louisville, OH

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Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 can (19 oz.) black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 can (12 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 cup quartered grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. chopped jalapino peppers (opt.)

Directions

In a medium bowl, blend mayonnaise, lime juice and cumin. Stir in remaining ingredients. Serve chilled.

Extremely delicious. Happy tasting

Source: my sister in law

By Raymonde from North Bay, Ontario

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Hush Puppies

Ingredients

• Peanut oil for frying
• 1-1/2 cups yellow corn meal
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 green onions, finely minced

Directions

Pour peanut oil into a deep fryer. Heat to 375 degrees F. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and sugar in medium size bowl. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well.

Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into hot oil. Fry a few hush puppies at a time for 5 to 6 minutes, or until deeply golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately.

6 to 8 servings

By Connie from Cotter, AR

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Homemade Yogurt In Your Oven

Take a 1 qt. wide mouth mason jar. Put in 3/4 milk in your jar and shove it into the microwave and heat until just under boiling (however, if it boils a little bit then it's ok!). Sit it on your cabinet or stove top and let it cool to lukewarm (until you can put your finger in it and it doesn't burn).

Then take 1/2 cup of store bought PLAIN yogurt (it HAS to say "with live culture" on the side) and put it in your cooled milk. Stir it good to make sure that the yogurt is mixed in the milk good. Then sit it in your oven. For an electric oven, you will use the light in the oven to keep it warm. For a gas oven you will use the pilot light to keep it warm. Leave it there for 6 or 8 hours. Any more time than that will NOT make it get more thick, just more tart flavored. After the time is up then put it in the refrigerator to get cold. When it's cold, take it out of the fridge and put 3/4th a jar in a blender.

To make a smoothie, you just put in about a handful of fruit (I use strawberries) whether it's fruit cocktail or fresh, 1/3 cup sugar or to your taste, Blend really good. and pour in a glass and drink. If you don't want fruit, you can make a vanilla by just adding 1-2 tsp of vanilla to your yogurt. Eat 2- 6 oz cupfuls a day and you'll also get your energy back if you've lost it! People who have never liked yogurt will like this.

BEWARE! IF you share with a friend, they may hog all of it from you! It is also VERY cheap and don't have all the junk and preservatives in it like store bought. IF you are a diabetic, you can switch out the sugar for Stevia, Equal or other sweetener that you use.

Source: This is from my research on different methods of how to make yogurt and what to mix with it. Thanks

By Beverly from Havana, Arkansas

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Chicken Salad Dip

Ingredients

• one large can of white meat chicken in water
• about 1/4 cup of mayo
• 1 Tbsp. of mustard
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Texture should be creamy but thick enough to scoop with Wheat Thins. You may need to add a little more mustard or mayo depending on the texture.

By Emmy from Elsmere, KY

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Exotic Green Beans

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. fresh green beans
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 small green chilies, minced
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes
• 1 tsp. cider vinegar
• salt and pepper

Directions

Saute' beans in oil on high heat for about two minutes. Add onion, garlic, chilies and fry 4-5 minutes. Peel, core and cut in wedges the tomatoes. Add tomato, vinegar and salt and pepper to mixture. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Round Steak and Vegetable Casserole

Ingredients

• 2-3 lb. round steak, cut into serving pieces
• garlic, to taste
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 lb. green beans, cut up
• 3 large tomatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup uncooked regular rice
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. sweet basil
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 cup cheddar type cheese, shredded

Directions

Brown meat and garlic in oil. Arrange 1/3 of the sliced vegetables in a 4 qt. casserole. Place half of meat pieces over these vegetables and sprinkle with 1/3 of the rice and seasonings. Add another 1/3 of the vegetables, the remaining meat, 1/3 of the seasonings and all the remaining rice. Top with remaining sliced vegetables and seasonings. Cover and bake at 375 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Remove cover; sprinkle cheese over vegetables and return to oven to melt the cheese.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Apple-Nut Pudding

Ingredients

• 2 sticks margarine, softened
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 tsp. vanilla
• flour
• 2 tsp. soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• salt
• 4 apples, diced
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

Cream 1 stick margarine, 2 cups sugar, eggs and 2 tsp. vanilla together in bowl. Sift 2 cups flour, soda, cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. salt together. Add with 1 Tbsp. water to creamed mixture. Beat for 2 minutes. Add apples and nuts, mixing well. Pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. Bring 1 cup water and remaining 1 stick margarine to a boil in saucepan. Sift 2 Tbsp. flour, 1/8 tsp. salt and remaining 1 cup sugar together in bowl. Add to margarine mixture. Cook over low heat until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Add remaining 2 tsp. vanilla. Serve over cooled cake.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Favorite Stuffing

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped celery
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup butter
• 1 large can oysters, chopped
• 5 cups dry bread cubes
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chopped giblets
• 1 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley (opt.)
• 1/4 tsp. sage
• 1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can mushrooms, chopped

Directions

Saute' celery and onion in 3/4 cup butter in large skillet until tender. Drain oysters, reserving broth. Combine remaining 1/4 cup butter, oysters, and next 7 ingredients in large bowl, tossing lightly. Mix reserved oyster broth with soup in bowl. Fold into bread mixture, mixing thoroughly. Add mushrooms and enough water for desired moistness. Pour into baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 40 minutes.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Never-Fail Popovers

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup flour
• dash salt

Directions

Combine all ingredients in bowl, mixing well. Spoon into well-greased muffin cups. Place in cold oven set at 425 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes. Yield: 1/2 dozen

By Robin from Washington, IA

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