ThriftyFun Recipes - March 19, 2010

I hope everyone has a nice weekend planned. I'm doing some spring cleaning and reorganizing my pantry. Along the way, I may wind up baking something from the ingredients that I've forgotten about. If you are looking for kitchen organization tips, please check out our posts on ThriftyFun:

ThriftyFun: Kitchen Organizing

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Recipe Requests:

• Eat'n Park Seafood Bake Recipe

Today's Food Tips:

• Make Pesto From Different Herbs
• Product Review: Salton Yogurt Maker
• Clearing Cloudy Soup Stock

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Toasty Halibut Tortillas
• Baked Pineapple
• Angel Hair with Feta and Sun Dried Tomatoes
• Sweet and Sour Chicken
• Spring Chex Mix

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Italian Roast Beef
• Herbed Potato Fluff
• Tomato Soup
• Banana Split Dessert

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Eat'n Park Seafood Bake Recipe

What is the recipe for Eat'n Park's seafood bake? They are only found in PA, but it has to be the best seafood dish I have ever eaten at a restaurant.

By Samantha from Hagerstown, MD

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Make Pesto From Different Herbs

I know pesto is traditionally basil, thyme, etc. mixed with olive oil. But the other week I had some parsley and cilantro that I knew was going to go bad by the end of the week.

So I finely chopped the parsley and cilantro. Add salt to taste. Add in enough olive oil (or canola oil) to cover the mixture. Stir. Put it in a mason jar with a lid (I did not can it, just for storing purposes).

Now I just use a spoonful or so in whatever recipe I need.

I am unsure of how long this keeps; however if you were to add a tablespoon of vinegar or so I don't think it would harm the flavor much and would help preserve it longer. At having it in the fridge for 3 weeks, it still tastes and seems fine.

By Strawberryparfait from Charlotte, NC

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Product Review: Salton Yogurt Maker

Product: Salton Yogurt Maker

Cost: 25.00

My husband bought it for me for Valentine's Day knowing I love yogurt. It is so simple to use and the container that it incubates in stays a constant temperature. It is only a one quart container so if you want more yogurt than that at a time then it isn't for you. I just add my fruit or vegetables after it cools and yum!

By bettsnbob from Darlington, SC

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Clearing Cloudy Soup Stock

If you make your own consomme out of meat stock, boil egg shells in the finished stock for half an hour, and then strain. The shells clear the cloudiness wonderfully leaving you with beautiful, translucent liquid consomme.

Source: This is a tip from an Edwardian cookbook

By Lucy L. from England, UK

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Toasty Halibut Tortillas

This recipe is quick, easy, and healthy! You can thrift it up by stretching the halibut (or other white fish) across four tortillas if you'd like; just double all the other ingredients. I make this in my trusty toaster oven to save on energy costs, but if making four tortillas, a regular oven is faster.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1/2 lb halibut (or other white fish) fillet (boneless and skinless)
• 2 whole wheat tortillas (10 inch)
• 2/3 cup broccoli (I'm lazy and just thaw some of the frozen stuff)
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 green onions
• 2 Tbsp. soft cream cheese
• 4 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
• lemon pepper or Penzey's pizza seasoning
• 4-6 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce (I use Mae Ploy)
• 1/2 a medium carrot, coarsely shredded

Directions:

Place halibut in foil-lined pan and spread with mayonnaise. Bake at 425 degrees F until slightly underdone, about nine minutes per inch thickness of fillet.

Remove cooked halibut from oven and fold foil over to keep warm and to let fish finish cooking.

Put tortillas on a non-stick or lightly greased baking sheet and bake for three minutes or until toasty light brown at the edges. Remove from oven.

Spread tortillas with soft (must be very soft to not wreck tortillas) cream cheese. I usually use my fingers and make a giant mess.

Place all remaining ingredients except halibut, carrot, and sweet chili sauce on tortillas, making sure to space everything out nicely.

Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake loaded tortillas for five minutes.

Flake the halibut and add to tortilla toppings. Sprinkle on the grated carrots. Drizzle sweet chili sauce over the whole thing. Devour.

Source: Me! I invented this!

By Stephanie from Anchorage, Alaska

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Baked Pineapple

Ingredients:

• 5 slices of bread
• 1/4 lb. margarine
• 1 (No 2) can pineapple
• 2 eggs
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 1 cup sugar

Directions:

Cut bread into squares. Melt margarine. Brown bread until crisp. Combine remaining ingredients and pour into dish. Top with bread cubes. Bake in 350 degree F oven for 30-40 minutes or until firm.

By Sandy from Graettinger, IA

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Angel Hair with Feta and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Since I absolutely love all these ingredients of course I couldn't resist trying this recipe and I definitely was not disappointed! :-)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 (16 oz.) package angel hair pasta
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1-1/2 oz. sun-dried tomatoes, softened and chopped
• 1/2 (8 oz.) package tomato basil feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water until done; drain. Return pasta to the pot.

Mix in olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, feta, and Parmesan cheese. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Source: Allrecipes

By Deeli from Richland, WA

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Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup canned cranberry sauce
• 1/2 cup French dressing
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 4 chicken breasts

Directions:

Combine the cranberry sauce, French dressing, and barbecue sauce. Place chicken breast in baking pan. Cover with sauce and foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Turn over the breasts and continue baking for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 minutes more. Serves 4.

Source: friend

By Sandy from Graettinger, IA

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Spring Chex Mix

There's nothing like sweet and salty together.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Corn Chex
• 2 cups Rice Chex
• 2 cups Wheat Chex
• 3/4 cup salted mixed nuts
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. season salt
• 4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 package Easter M&Ms

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Heat butter in large shallow baking pan in oven until melted. Remove, stir in season salt and Worcestershire sauce. Add Chex and nuts. Mix until all are coated. Heat in oven 45 minutes.

Stir every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely on absorbent paper or your M and Ms will melt. After the mix is cooled, add M and M's and stir. Makes around 8 cups.

Source: My own addition to an old family tradition.

By latrtatr from Loup City, NE

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Italian Roast Beef

Ingredients:

• 6 lbs. rump or sirloin roast beef
• 3 lg. onions, sliced
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
• 6 carrots, cut in 1 inch pieces

Directions:

Place meat in roasting pan and fill half full with water. Sprinkle seasonings, onions and carrots on top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 3 1/2 hours. Cool. Cut the meat into 1/4 inch slices. Put back in roaster with broth and refrigerate overnight. Heat the next day and garnish with carrots.

Note: Makes excellent roast beef sandwiches.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Herbed Potato Fluff

Ingredients:

• pkg. instant mashed potatoes, enough for 4 servings
• 1 cup small curd cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp. snipped chives
• 1/2 tsp. celery salt
• 3 egg whites
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
• 2 Tbsp. butter

Directions:

Prepare potatoes according to package directions. Beat in cheese, sour cream, yolks, chives and celery salt. Beat whites until stiff peaks form; fold whites and parsley into potatoes.

Turn into a 2 qt. casserole and dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees F until lightly browned, about 1 hour. Makes 6-8 servings.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 qt. tomato juice
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 cup uncooked instant rice
• 1 cup water

Directions:

In a skillet fry bacon crisp. Crumble bacon and reserve. Save 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in skillet. Add onion, celery, peppers and water; cook until tender.

Heat tomato juice. Add tender veggies from skillet, garlic salt and bacon; let simmer on low for about 30 minutes.

Ten minutes before serving, add rice and let stand, covered. Serves 12 with a cup of soup, less if bowls are used as main course.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Banana Split Dessert

Ingredients

• 2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
• 1 stick melted butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 small can crushed pineapple
• 4-5 bananas, sliced
• 1 carton Cool Whip (8oz.)
• chopped nuts
• Maraschino cherries, sliced

Directions

By Robin from Washington, IA

Editor's Note: This recipes does contain uncooked eggs.

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