ThriftyFun Recipes - January 4, 2006

I am looking for an easy and frugal bread recipe. Does anyone have any tips for helping it turn out? I dont have a bread machine and I have tried a few recipes and it always turns out a very heavy bread. I always proof my yeast and have just purchased all new ingrediants with the same results.

HELP! LOL
Shelly from Valparaiso, IN

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Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Has anyone ever heard of Chicken Pot Pie Soup before? I had it at a hall before, if anyone has the recipe please send.

Thanks in advance.
Liz from Westland, MI

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Today's Recipes

Crock-Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients

SAUCE:

1 lb. ground beef or Italian sausage well browned.
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 clove of garlic (I use the minced garlic in the jar)
2 - l lb cans of tomatoes
1 - 8 oz. tomato sauce
1 - 12 oz. tomato paste
1 cup of beef broth
2 Tbsp. parsley
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 bay leaves

Put all ingredients into crock pot and stir well.

MEATBALLS:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup of milk
3 Tbsp. of grated parmesan cheese
1 clove of garlic (once again, I use the minced garlic in the jar)

Directions

Mix all ingredients together well. Make any size meatballs you prefer.

Place the meatballs in the crock pot on top of the sauce.

DO NOT BROWN THE MEATBALLS! PLACE THEM IN THE SAUCE RAW!

Cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce temperature and cook on low for 8 hours.

Skim grease occasionally. Do not stir after adding the meatballs!

By Louise from Port Charlotte, FL

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Caramel Rice Krispie Bars

Ingredients

First Layer:

1/4 cup butter or margarine
4 cups mini marshmallows
4 cups rice crispies

Second Layer:

1 bag caramels
1 1/4 stick butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Third Layer:

1/4 cup butter or margarine
4 cups mini marshmallows
4 cups Rice Krispies

Directions

Melt butter and marshmallows; add Rice Krispies and spread in 15x10 pan or jelly roll pan. Melt altogether the 2nd layer ingredients and pour over 1st layer.

Refrigerate 40 minutes. Melt butter and marshmallows; add Rice Krispies and spread over 2nd layer. Keep refrigerated. Cut into bars.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients

1 package already prepared pie crusts
1 tsp. flour
Filling:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 squares unsweetened chocolate
- 3 cups milk
- 3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)
- 1 Tbsp. margarine or butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 bananas (sliced)
Topping:
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare pie crust as directed on package for unfilled 1 crust pie using 9 inch pie pan. Bake at 450 for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

In medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk and chocolate. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually stir 1/4 cup of hot mixture into egg yolks; return egg mixture to saucepan. Cook until mixture it bubbly, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat; stir in margarine and vanilla. Reserve 1/4 cup filling. Press plastic wrap onto top of hot filling in saucepan and reserved 1/4 cup filling. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Place bananas in bottom of cooled crust. Pour cooled filling over bananas. In small bowl, beat whipped cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread over filling.

Spoon reserved 1/4 cup filling by teaspoonfuls over whipping cream. With knife, swirl in circular pattern to marble. Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Store in refrigerator. Makes 8-10 servings.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Taffy Apple Pizza

Ingredients

1 package refrigerator sugar cookie dough
3 Tbsp. flour
1 8 oz. package cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 med. apples
1 cup lemon/lime soda, lemon juice or fruit fresh (directions on package)
1/3 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup nuts (chopped) (opt.)

Directions

Mix the flour in with the cookie dough and knead with hands. Pat or roll dough into a 14 inch circle on a large cookie sheet. Sprinkle with flour while shaping to prevent stickiness. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 or 20 minutes until lightly browned.

Let cool for 10 minutes, then loosen from pan and place on serving plate on tray. Blend cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla. Spread on cookie. Peel and slice apples. Dip them in the soda, juice or fruit fresh to prevent browning. Drizzle topping over apples then sprinkle with nuts. You can use fat-free cream cheese and fat-free caramel apple dip.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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White Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 20 squares)
1/4 cup toasted pecans (finely chopped)
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 cup margarine or butter (melted)
1 cup vanilla milk chips (melted)
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
2 - 8 oz.packages cream cheese (softened)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups fruit or berries (cut up)

Directions

Move oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease springform pan, 8x3 inches; remove bottom. Mix cracker crumbs, pecans 2 Tbsp. sugar and the margarine. Press about 3/4 cup of the crumb mixture evenly on bottom of pan. Place on cookie sheet.

Bake 6-8 minutes or until golden brown; cool. Assemble bottom and side of pan; secure side. Press remaining crumb mixture 2 inches up side of pan. Cut 11 inch circle of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place pan on foil circle; press foil up side of pan to prevent dripping in oven during baking. Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees F.

Beat melted chips, 3/4 cup sugar and the flour in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Beat in cream cheese and egg yolks until smooth. Continue beating, adding the eggs one at a time, then the sour cream until blended. Pour batter carefully into crust. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 20 minutes.

Remove foil; reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Bake 1 hour. (If cheesecake browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil during last 30 minutes of baking.) Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven 15 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on wire rack 15 minutes. Run metal spatula along side of cheesecake to loosen before and after refrigerating. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 5 days. Run metal spatula along side of cheesecake to loosen; remove side of pan. Place cheesecake on serving plate. Top with fruit. Refrigerate any remaining cheesecake. Makes 16 servings.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Simply Lasagna

Ingredients

1 container(15-16 oz) ricotta cheese or small curd cottage cheese
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
1 egg slightly beaten
1 jar (26 oz.) spagetti sauce
1 lb. hamburger, cooked and drained
1 cup water
12 lasagna noodles

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix ricotta (or cottage) cheese 1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan, parsley and egg until well blended. Pour spaghetti sauce into meat.

Pour water into empty jar. Cover and shake. Pour into spagetti sauce mixture.

Place 1 cup meat sauce on bottom of 9x13 pan, layer 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 cup ricotta (or cottage cheese) mixture and 1 cup meat sauce.

Repeat 2 more times

Top with remaining 3 noodles and sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese cover tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes or until thoroughly cooked remove foil and bake 15 more minutes until bubbly

Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting.

By imaqt1962 from Illinois

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Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

Ingredients: Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 stick margarine
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup sour milk
1 tsp. soda
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Ingredients: Icing

1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup cocoa
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. box powdered sugar (sifted)

Directions

In a large bowl, mix flour and sugar. Bring to a boil, the margarine, the shortening, cocoa and water. Pour hot mixture over flour and sugar. Mix until blended. Add sour milk, soda, eggs and vanilla. Pour into a greased 10x15 inch pan.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. For icing: Bring to a boil, the margarine, cocoa, milk. Add the vanilla, powdered sugar and can add nuts, if desired. Pour icing over warm cake.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Chinese Cabbage Salad

Ingredients

1 head Chinese cabbage, shredded
1 Tbsp. wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sugar or sweetener
1 tsp. sesame seed, optional
1/2 tsp. MSG or Accent seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

Refrigerate cabbage till salad is very crisp. Mix other ingredients and pour over cabbage. Mix and serve.

By Terri from NV

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Sauerkraut Salad

Ingredients

1 Qt. sauerkraut, drained
2 cups diced celery
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 (3-4 oz) jar chopped pimentos
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar or sweetener
1/2 cup vinegar

Directions

Combine all ingredients. Chill for 24 hrs. before serving.

By Terri from NV

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Yam Casserole

Ingredients

2 (16 ozs.) canned yams, drained and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 Medium ripe bananas, sliced horizontally
1/3 cup margarine
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup light corn syrup
2 Tbsp. orange juice
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Directions

Alternate layers of yams and banana slices in a 1 Qt. baking dish, ending with yams on top. Melt margarine. Stir in salt, syrup, and orange juice. Pour over yams and bananas. Cover and bake 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven. Carefully pour off some margarine mixture in a cup. Pour over yams and bananas to baste. Sprinkle with coconut. Bake uncovered, to toast coconut, for about 10 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 6.

By Terri from NV

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Date-Filled Pinwheel Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
4 cups flour (sifted)
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt

Filling:

1 lb. dates (cut)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup nuts (chopped)

Directions

Cream the butter or margarine, sugars and flavoring together. Add the eggs and continue beating well. Sift the dry ingredients together and add all at once. Chill while you prepare the date filling.

For Filling:

Stir the dates, sugar and water together in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until very thick. Add nutmeats; cool thoroughly. Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Spread with the date filling. Roll up in jelly roll fashion. Store in refrigerator until quite firm. Slice in thin slices on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Using Up Holiday Baking Supplies

After indulging in all of the rich baked goodies during the holiday, we are ready to return to plainer, less fattening fair. I usually have a lot of ingredients left over. Rather than save them for future baking projects I incorporate them into our everyday meals.

Baking apples:

Make apple pie filling and use it to add to yogurt, ice cream, puddings, and cereals

Ingredients

3 cups apple pieces
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
dash of salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon water

Directions

Microwave for 10 minutes. Freeze or store in the fridge.

Miniature marshmallows:

Add to canned fruit cocktail

Nuts:

add to yogurt
add to fruit salad
add to cereals
add to rice pilaf
use in quick breads

Cream cheese:

thin with mayonnaise
add nuts and chopped green olives for a sandwich spread
or thin with fruit juice
add to fruit salads

By SusannL from Florida

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