ThriftyFun Recipes - Vol. 7, Num. 131, July 8, 2008

I hope all our US readers had a wonderful holiday weekend!

Do the holiday, we are running low on recipes. Do you have a fovorite summer recipe or potluck recipe to share with ThriftyFun readers? Feel free to post it here:

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Thank you sbb1, Anne, Diana, Connie, Sandra and Robin for today's recipes and tips!

Submit Your Favorite Recipe!

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Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Recipe Requests:

• Where Can I Buy Thai Mangosteens in CA?
• Recipe for Dry Garlic Spareribs
• What to do with Leftover Yellow Cake

Today's Food Tips:

• Uses for an Empty Plastic Wrap Roll
• Frozen Grapes for a Sweet Treat
• Making Frozen French Fries

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Sea Glass Candy
• French Salad Dressing

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Lemon Tea Bread
• Large Ham and Cheese Quiche
• Pumpkin Pie Squares
• Tuna Jackstraws
• No-Roll Cherry Pie

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.

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Where Can I Buy Thai Mangosteens in CA?

Where can I buy mangosteens from Thailand in South Bay California?

M Barbao from Santa Clara, CA

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Recipe for Dry Garlic Spareribs

Does anyone have a good recipe for "Dry Garlic Spareribs"?

Barbara from B.C.

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What to do with Leftover Yellow Cake

I have left-over yellow cake, no icing on it and was wondering what I could use it for?

Debbie from Crawfordsville, Indiana

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Uses for an Empty Plastic Wrap Roll

Don't throw out your plastic wrap cylinder just yet. I've discovered that if it has a small amount of plastic wrap left on its roll, it makes for an excellent rolling pin. That's right! I stumbled upon this idea a while ago when after I moved I realized that I didn't have a rolling pin on hand. So I used the plastic wrap roll and it works actually better than the rolling pin I had.

I forgot to share this many times and as I was just rolling out my pie crust with one, I stopped and came right to the PC to share while it's fresh on my mind. Try this and let me know how it works for you guys.

Extra tip: I reseal the plastic to the roll that may curl from rolling by rolling it a couple of times across the outside of my heated oven door.

By sbb1 from Umm al Quain, UAE

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Frozen Grapes for a Sweet Treat

A healthful summer treat for little ones on a hot day: Give them frozen grapes! Simply freeze in a single layer in a cake pan and, when frozen, store in freezer bags. Or thread, alternating red, purple and green grapes, onto wooden skewers and freeze till needed. They taste surprisingly good and are a better choice than popsicles which are loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients.

By Anne from Green Bay, WI

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Making Frozen French Fries

You can make frozen French fried potatoes at home. The mealy type potato is best. Use mature potatoes you have stored for at least 30 days. Potatoes with a higher sugar content will brown excessively and will be less attractive.

To make frozen French fries, pare and cut potatoes lengthwise into 3/8 inch strips. Rinse in cold water to remove surface starch. Dry thoroughly on a towel.

Fry strips in deep fat or oil at 360 degrees about 4 minutes or until cooked, but not browned. Remove from fat and drain on absorbent paper. Do not overload the French fry basket. If you do, the fat temperature will drop and the potatoes will absorb more fat. Use just enough potatoes to cover the bottom of the basket.

Cool French fried strips to room temperature and pack in cartons or other airtight containers. Seal, freeze and store at 0 degrees or lower. Homemade French fries have a short storage life, so use them within 2 to 3 months.

When you use them, fry in deep fat without thawing. For skillet crisping, brown the French fries in one tablespoon of oil. A 475 F oven may be used to finish cooking and browning.

For hashed browned potatoes, prepare as you would to serve. Brown only to the brown-and-serve stage, cool and package for freezing. Store frozen for one to 2 months. When you want to use them, finish cooking and browning as for regular preparation.

Source: Source: NDSU Extension Service Nutrition Specialists

By Diana from Prospect, KY

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Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• 4 cups sweet potato, cubed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 Tbsp. butter, softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbap. butter, softened
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.

In another large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth.

Transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix the sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned.

By Connie from Cotter, AR

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Sea Glass Candy

Lightly grease cookie sheet, set on wire rack.

In pot, dissolve 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup light corn syrup, and 3/4 cup butter.

WITHOUT STIRRING, boil to 300-310 degrees on your candy thermometer. Remove and wait two minutes. With WOODEN SPOON, stir in paste food coloring, using 1/2 to 1 tsp. oil flavor (and color) per batch. Pour at once into sheet, letting cool 20-30 minutes.

Lightly dust both sides with confectioner sugar and break into pieces. It's very pretty and good tasting. Excellent for holiday giving!

Source: I got this out of a Womans Day about 10 years ago. If you love saving paper like I do, you can go to their website at www.womansday.com and sign up for digital magazines now. It's half the money and they email you your magazines every month. Check it out!

By Sandra from Salem OR

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French Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 can cream of tomato soup
• 1 cup salad oil
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced

By Robin from Washington, IA

French Salad Dressing IV

I want to share a recipe for French dressing that I just found online. It is the best I've ever tasted and its easy to make, and are sure to always have the ingredients on hand.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 small onion (minced)
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

Add ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend well. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. Please share your results and Enjoy.

Source: allrecipes.com

By sbb1 from Umm al Quain, UAE

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Lemon Tea Bread

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup margarine, melted
• 1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 3 Tbsp. lemon juice

Directions:

Combine first 4 ingredients with 1 cup sugar in bowl, mixing well. Add dry ingredients, beating until smooth. Stir in nuts. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until loaf tests done.

Combine lemon juice with 1/4 cup sugar in bowl, blending well. Drizzle over hot loaf. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Large Ham and Cheese Quiche

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cheese croutons
• 3-4 cups chopped ham
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 1/2 tsp. onion salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:

Line bottom of buttered 9x13 inch pan with croutons. Sprinkle with ham and cheese. Beat eggs, milk and spices together in bowl. Pour over meat and cheese. Refrigerate for several hours. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Pumpkin Pie Squares

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup butter

• 2 cups pumpkin
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1 can evaporated milk

• 1/2-3/4 cup chopped nuts
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions

Crust: Combine till crumbly and press into a lightly buttered 9x13 inch pan. Bake this for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Filling: Beat well and pour over baked crust. Bake 20-25 minutes till set.

Topping: Combine and spread over baked pumpkin layer. Bake 15 minutes additional. Cool and cut into squares. Keep refrigerated or frozen. Top with whipped cream or ice cream.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Tuna Jackstraws

Ingredients:

• 1 can tuna, drained
• 1 can mushroom soup
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1 lg. can shoestring potatoes
• 1/2 cup peas (opt.)
• 2 Tbsp. pimento (opt.)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in bowl, mixing well. Spoon into casserole. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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No-Roll Cherry Pie

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• sugar
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk

Directions:

Melt butter with 1 Tbsp. sugar in saucepan. Add 1 cup flour and stir until mixture forms a ball. Press into bottom and side of 9 inch pie plate, forming an edge. Pour in filling. Combine egg and milk with remaining 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup sugar in small bowl, mixing well. Spoon over filling. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes until brown.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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