ThriftyFun Recipes - October 26, 2007

Thank you all41and14all, Robin and Connie for today's recipes!

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Recipe Requests:

• Fixing Over Spiced Spaghetti Sauce
• Recipe For Chicken Lo Mein
• Recipe For 5 Layer Dessert
• Freezing Alfredo Sauce

Today's Recipes:

• Chewy Pralines
• Greek Spinach Pie
• Hot Water Cornbread
• Aunt Nellie's Slaw
• Fresh Cranberry Relish
• Fast Pumpkin Cake
• Mama's Hot Cakes and Apple Syrup
• Hoppin' John
• French Strawberry Pudding
• Big Bend Texas-Style Chili

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Fixing Over Spiced Spaghetti Sauce

Is there a way to remedy too much oregano / Italian seasoning in an already cooked spaghetti sauce or meatloaf? I don't know why I do it , but I DO.

I added sugar to my spaghetti & it seemed to tone down the Italian spice a bit. The meatloaf, I made gravy that (luckily) toned down the Italian spice taste somewhat.

Is there any other fix or remedy to absorb the overly spicy flavor, other than not being so heavy-handed with the spice bottle?

luvvy from Virginia

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Recipe For Chicken Lo Mein

I would like a recipe or chicken lo mein.

Pat from Bowling Green, KY

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Recipe For 5 Layer Dessert

I once had a recipe for a dessert called 5 layer. I do remember the 1st layer was a dough with walnuts, baked then I had 4 more layers to do. Seems like I had chocolate pudding, coolwhip, then can't remember the rest. Hope someone has this. It is my sons favorite dessert and some how I have misplaced it. He just bought his 1st home so I wanted to make him one for his special occasion. Thanks in advance for your insight.

Angela from Hickory, N.C.

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Freezing Alfredo Sauce

Can you freeze Alfredo sauce? Can you freeze cooked pasta (without sauce), and if so, how would you go about defrosting it? Thanks

Amy K. from Austin, TX

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Chewy Pralines

Ingredients

• 4 cups sugar
• 2 cups half and half
• 3 cups white Karo syrup
• 2 cups butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 qts. pecans

Directions

Grease sides and bottom of large saucepan. Add sugar, cream, Karo syrup, and butter. Cook, stirring constantly, to soft ball stage or 238 degrees F on candy thermometer. Remove from heat and add pecans. Return to heat and cook to hard ball stage or 250 degrees F, about 1 hour total cooking time. Add vanilla. Let cool slightly and drop on greased cooked sheet, but not on waxed paper! When cold, wrap in squares of plastic wrap.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Greek Spinach Pie

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds spinach, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 8 sheets phyllo dough
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (175 C) Lightly oil a 9 x 9-inch square baking pan. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta cheeses. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with the olive oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

5 servings

By Connie from Cotter, AR

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Hot Water Cornbread

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup white corn meal
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 cups boiling water

Directions

Melt butter and pour into corn meal and salt. Add boiling water and mix well. Add more water if needed to make a thin batter. Spoon by tablespoons on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Aunt Nellie's Slaw

Ingredients

• 1 medium head of cabbage, shredded
• 1 large red onion, sliced thin and pulled into rings
• salt
• 1 cup sugar

Dressing

• 1 cup vinegar
• 3/4 cup oil
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. dry mustard

Directions

In large bowl, place a layer of cabbage and a layer of onions. Repeat layering, salting between layers. Sprinkle sugar on top and let stand 30 minutes. Pour dressing over cabbage and put in refrigerator immediately. This will remain crisp for a week or more in placed in a jar with a tight lid.

For Dressing: Combine all ingredients and boil until the sugar is dissolved.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Fresh Cranberry Relish

Ingredients

• 1 qt. ground cranberries
• 1 whole orange, ground or chopped fine, remove seeds and lining of peel
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups raw apple, ground or chopped fine

Directions

Mix above ingredients together. Let set at least 2 hours, overnight if possible. This is great at Thanksgiving and Christmas!

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Fast Pumpkin Cake

Cake

Ingredients

• 1 box cake mix (I usually use a spice cake)
• 1 can or 2 cups pumpkin

Directions

(This recipe works great with 2 cups of anything thick and moist. Be creative: applesauce, pumpkin, leftover squash, mashed potatoes, zucchini*, bananas**, or peaches)

* add a bit of water if using raw
** may add nuts and raisins

Frost with:

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup powder sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tbsp. milk, if needed

Directions

By all41and14all from Minnesota

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Mama's Hot Cakes and Apple Syrup

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 egg, unbeaten
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2/3 cup melted butter

Apple Syrup

• 1 cup apple juice
• 2 sticks cinnamon, broken in pieces
• 12 whole cloves
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. light Karo syrup

Directions

Mix flour, salt, baking powder, egg and sugar; add milk at once. Add butter and cook on hot griddle. This batter will keep a long time in the refrigerator.

For Apple Syrup: Combine juice, cinnamon and cloves; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Strain. This should yield about 3/4 cup juice. Combine with sugar and Karo syrup, bring to a boil; boil briskly 4-6 minutes. Serve warm on pancakes.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Hoppin' John

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. shortening
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 can tomatoes (16oz.)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 can black-eyed peas
• 2 cups coarsely chopped ham
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheese

Directions

Melt shortening in 2 qt. saucepan. Add onions and celery and cook until tender. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Simmer about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Drain black-eyed peas. Combine ham, peas, rice and tomato mixture in a 2 qt. covered casserole. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove top, cover with cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted. Note: This is an excellent way to use the remains of a large ham.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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French Strawberry Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 box vanilla wafers, crushed fine (12 oz.)
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 packages frozen strawberries, thawed (10 oz.)
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Put half of the vanilla wafer crumbs in bottom of 9x13 inch pan. Whip butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs until light and creamy. Spread over crumbs in pan. Whip cream and spread over butter mixture. Chill. Pour strawberries over whipped cream. Mix pecans and remaining vanilla wafer crumbs. Sprinkle over strawberries. Chill overnight or until firm.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Big Bend Texas-Style Chili

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 onions, diced
• 1-1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. red chili powder
• 4 Roma tomatoes; blanched, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1 cup dark beer
• 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. minced oregano
• 1/4 cup minced parsley
• 1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, drained
• 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese, for garnish

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and onions and saute over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add the beef and saute for 7 to 8 minutes longer, stirring frequently, until all the beef is browned. Drain. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the chili powder, and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock, beer, vinegar, cumin, oregano and parsley and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer, turn down the heat, and cook, covered, for 45 minutes. Add the beans and cook for 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Ladle into serving bowls and sprinkle the goat cheese over chili.

By Connie from Cotter, AR

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