ThriftyFun Recipes - January 26, 2009

Vol. 8, Num. 17, January 26, 2009 (Read It Online) Thank you Kathleen, Raymonde, Robin, Marilyn, Melmarr, Marilyn and Nancy for today's tips and recipes! Submit Your Favorite Recipe! Need a recipe? Submit a request Thanks for reading, The ThriftyFun Team Send to a Friend! Edit Your Subscriptions: To edit your ThriftyFun subscriptions, click the Update Profile/Email Address link at the bottom of this newsletter. Today's newsletter contains: Recipe Requests: Recommendations for Bread Machines Kenny Roger's Rotisserie Chicken Recipe for Canning Sauerkraut Cheesecake Factory's Pasta DaVici Recipe Uses for Leftover Sugar Cookies Today's Food Tips: Reuse Salad Dressing Inserts Growing: Stevia Butter vs. Margarine: You Decide Today's Contest Recipes: Cajun Burgers With Bayou Sauce Quick and Fresh Salsa Fantastic Slow Cooked Roast Beef Cornbread Creamy Coconut-Apple Crunch Robins's Recipe Corner: Lemon Squares Family Meatloaf Celery Casserole Old-Fashioned Coconut Pie Salad Supreme Sunday Dinner Corn Today's Sponsor: 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. More Information: Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml Recipe Requests: Recommendations for Bread Machines I want to buy a bread machine. I have done some research online, but wanted to know if anyone had any recommendations? Teri from IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf52705306.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Kenny Roger's Rotisserie Chicken Does anyone have the recipe for Kenny Roger's rotisserie chicken. They are no longer around here. Rae from NY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf42845079.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Recipe for Canning Sauerkraut I need a recipe for canning sauerkraut. Margaret from Ontario, Canada Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf90502032.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Cheesecake Factory's Pasta DaVici Recipe Does anyone have a recipe for Pasta DaVinci from the Cheesecake Factory? Maria from Lakeville, MN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf15566096.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Uses for Leftover Sugar Cookies I over did it on sugar cookies this year and I have so many left. I hate to throw them away, so does anyone have any suggestions on how to use them in other recipes. Thanks! Kim from Jopp, MD Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf76467208.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Contests: Tip Contest Submit a Tip or Recipe! Photo Contest Submit a tip with photo! The above contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners, 2 photo winners (1 photo and 1 pet photo) and 1 recipe winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25! My Frugal Life Submit a My Frugal Life Essay! Today's Food Tips: Reuse Salad Dressing Inserts I save money on salad dressing by reusing the little inserts that are in the tops of some brands of salad dressings. These inserts have a hole in the top to limit the amount of dressing poured onto the salad. I just pop them out of the empty bottles with a fork tine, wash them, and push them into dressing bottles that don't have these handy little items. They come in two sizes. They are particularly helpful when pouring an oil/vinegar dressing, allowing blending of the two ingredients rather than getting an overabundance of one, and not enough of the other. And no more salad swimming in an over-pouring of dressing! I'm sure I gain about 1/8 of the dressing, and the salad tastes much better with less "goop". By Marilyn from Waukesha, WI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf76122116.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Growing: Stevia By Ellen Brown Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana "Bertoni") is an all natural sweetener that you can grow in your garden. Native to South America (Paraguay), stevia has zero calories, zero carbohydrates and a zero glycemic index. It makes a wonderful substitute for sugar in your coffee or tea, and you can also use it for cooking and baking. Here's how to grow it. Stevia seeds are notoriously difficult to germinate, so start with transplants from a reliable nursery or garden center. Plants grown from seed vary in their level of sweetness, so if possible, try to acquire plants that have been propagated by vegetative means. Take cuttings in late summer to carry over plants for the next year. In cooler climates, pot up the rooted cuttings and move them indoors before fall frosts arrive. Keep plants in a sunny location through the winter, and plant them outside again (or move the pot outdoors) the following spring. Botanical Name: Stevia rebaudiana "Bertoni" Life Cycle: Annual in cold zones, tender perennial in warm zones. Planting Time: Plant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. After planting, cover lightly with organic mulch to hold down weeds and conserve moisture. Height: 23 to 31 inches; Growth habit tends to be tall and lanky. Grow several plants together for a more full appearance. Exposure: Full sun. In the warmest zones, stevia appreciates afternoon shade. Soil: Loamy, well-drained soil. Bloom Time: summer (or 60-90 days after transplanting) Flower: small white flowers, similar in appearance to heather Foliage: green serrated leaves Propagation: Seeds (very difficult to germinate), tip cuttings in summer, root division in spring. Suggested Use: Use stevia as an all natural alternative to sugar. It doesn't dissolve like sugar, and you cannot make it into a true syrup, but it's super sweet-as much as 10-600 times sweeter than sugar. Home-grown stevia will not be as potent as commercially prepared stevia extract, but it still makes a wonderful sweet ìflavoring.î Some people find it leaves a licorice type of aftertaste, while other do not. Growing Hints: Stevia can be slow and seemingly difficult to get started. Even under ideal conditions, the plant may suddenly lose its leaves in apparent collapse. Don't worry though, as long as the roots remain alive it may come back-even a year or two later. Stevia likes regular watering during warm periods, but does not tolerate over-watering or excess salts. Leaf growth slows after flowering so nip the flower buds off as soon as they appear to encourage further growth. Harvest the leaves and stems for drying in the fall. The cooler temperatures and shorter days intensify the sweetness in the leaves. Cut stems from the plant; strip the leaves and dry them on a screen in a sunny spot with good ventilation. When they are dry, powder them for use. Cooking with Stevia: One tablespoon of stevia is the equivalent in sweetness to about 1 cup of sugar. Make a liquid sweetener by pouring 4 cups of boiling water over 1 tablespoon of dried leaves and leaving it to steep. If using fresh leaves, use 5X as much stevia. Once cooled, strain off the leaves and refrigerate (for up to 3 days) or freeze for later use. Make an extract by combining 1 cup of vodka with æ cup fresh stevia leaves in a glass jar. Leave it to infuse for two weeks, shaking the jar once daily. After two weeks, strain the liquid through a coffee filter and store in a sealed jar. Use an eye dropper to add to beverages. When cooking and baking with stevia, for every 1 cup of sugar that is replaced by stevia there should be 1/3 cup of a liquid or other "bulk" added to create the bulk affect that the sugar normally would. A few liquid substitutions include: Yogurt Apple sauce Apple butter 100% Fruit juice: apple, pineapple, grape etc. Fruit puree Egg whites Water Any liquid that pertains to the recipe will work just fine, for example, use extra banana puree for the liquid in a banana bread recipe. Approximately 6 large leaves (finely chopped) will substitute for 1/2 cup of sugar in baking or cooked recipes. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf66688994.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Butter vs. Margarine: You Decide By Debra Frick Well, I am getting up there in years and my husband and I both are a little over weight. Seeking advice from our doctor we were told that we like thousands of other Americans, we needed to start eating more heart healthy food and switch our fat intakes. Less fried food, more fresh salads and to buy natural products where we could. I asked my doctor about "Butter vs. Margarine" and was told that, believe it or not, butter being a natural product was probably better for our bodies. Like any thing else if you over do it and put butter on everything, it will not be good for your body. Margarine, unlike Butter, is a chemical product is sometimes worse for your body than butter because of the processes that it goes through to be made. Heck, I don't care about all that. Every other day, there are reports about which is better. To my way of thinking, with the beef industry trying very hard to go back to not flooding the bodies of our steaks with hormones and antibiotics, this is also making our butter and milk safer to eat, or drink for that matter. For years, people have been using margarine and have stopped using butter. I thought it would be a great idea for those of you who would like the option of returning to a natural product, some of the cooking facts we have all forgotten about butter. Now I am not advocating for people to eat butter like on the commercial that shows the family eating baked potatoes with a stick of butter stuck in them. I am saying everything in moderation. Olive oil still is the best option for browning meats and general cooking purposes. Butter Storage Butter unlike its margarine counterpart really should not be left for days on a counter it really needs to be refrigerated or frozen. So here is the scoop unopened butter keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks and opened butter should be kept in a butter keeper in your refrigerator. Freezing butter is a simple matter of sealing in a freezer bag or using one of those new food savers. Butter can be frozen for up to 9 months. Butter Equivalents 1 pound of butter equals 4 sticks or 2 cups or 32 tablespoons 1/2 pound of butter equals 2 sticks or 1 cup or 16 tablespoons 1/4 pound of butter equals 1 stick or 1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons 1/8 pound equals 1/2 stick of butter or 1/4 of a cup or 4 tablespoons. Butter Varieties Lightly salted butter can be used as a table spread and is generally best for cooking. If you like to make flavored butters for that special occasion, Lightly salted butter is best for savory spreads using wine or herbs. Unsalted butter, better know as sweet butter, is best used for baking and when making sweet flavor butters such as honey butter. It is common practice for chefs to use unsalted butter for seafood and baking for it's delicate flavor. Whipped butter contains more air and moisture than regular butter. It is almost exclusively used as a table spread. It is not used in cooking at all as it weights less than that of regular butter and should not be used as a substitute. Cultured butter is made with cream that has had active cultures added to it. This produces a tangy butter but with a shorter shelf life. Have a Happy and Healthy diet! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf48492782.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Today's Contest Recipes: Cajun Burgers With Bayou Sauce Ingredients 1 lb. lean ground beef 1/2 sweet green pepper minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp. each cumin and dried oregano 1/2 tsp. each dried thyme, grated lemon rind and hot pepper sauce 1/4 tsp. salt 4 kaiser buns, split Leaf lettuce Bayou Sauce 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 tbsp. chili sauce 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce Preparation: In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, chili sauce and hot pepper sauce. Cover and refrigerate until serving time or up to 3 days. In a large bowl, mix together beef, green pepper. garlic, cumin, oregano, thyme. lemon rind, hot pepper sauce and salt, and shape into 4 patties. Cover and refrigerate for a least l hour or up to 8 hours. Place patties on greased grill over medium-hot coals or on medium high setting; grill for about 5 minutes per side or until well done and no longer pink inside. Meanwhile, toast buns on grill. Spread bottom halves with sauce. Top with patty, lettuce and remaining bun. Source: Canadian Living Magazine By Raymonde from North Bay, Ontario Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf69446682.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Quick and Fresh Salsa Ingredients 1 can of diced tomatoes or 2 fresh tomatoes 1/2 green pepper (lightly blanched) 1/4 onion or 1/2 cup chopped chives or green onions hot sauce or cayenne (whatever your taste or hotness) Cilantro to taste (fresh or dry) Tortillas chips for dipping Directions Mix them all together. That's it! Even with canned tomatoes, this is the freshest tasting salsa you've ever eaten. You probably won't buy a jar from the store again. By Melmarr from Michigan Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf32353164.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Fantastic Slow Cooked Roast Beef Thanks to those that answered my request overnight for slow cooked roast beef. They were good but I found my recipe which is fantastic. Here goes. I buy the cheapest round roast. Take 4 carrots peeled, cut into 2 inch pieces (I use baby carrots due to laziness), 4 ribs of celery cut into 2 inch pieces, 1-2 large onions (I always use sweet) quartered, an entire head of garlic with just the top cut off. I put the garlic in center and lay vegetables over the bottom of the rest of the pan (I use a 9x13 inch roast pan). Using a 4-6 pound roast, figure 2 1/2 hours per pound. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Dry roast well, salt and pepper roast then brown all sides in large fry pan. Then place roast fat side up on top of veggies and place in oven and turn oven down to 170 degrees F. Do not cook roast beyond 135 degrees, using a meat thermometer. This temp makes med rare roast. Take out of oven and tent roast loosely, resting for 20 minutes. Remove fat and slice thinly across the grain. Can be done in advance and left alone tented until ready to eat. Reheat at meal time without veggies at 170 degrees F, not long so as meat does not over cook. It is so tender! The gravy with the recipe was awful. Maybe if you added chunked potatoes to the veggies, you would have roasted veggies for the side. You can use the roasted garlic as a spread on bread. The recipe gravy called for 1 cup red wine, 1 cup beef stock adding the roasted garlic and cook down. I'd rather make gravy with a roue and stock and juices. Enjoy! Source: Delaware News Journal By Nancy from Wilmington, DE Editor's Note: If you would like to see the request that Nancy posted, along with the other slow cook recipes, here is the tip: Roasting Meat Overnight in the Oven Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf94638269.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Cornbread Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup cornmeal 4 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk 2 eggs 1/4 cup shortening Directions In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add the milk, eggs and shortening; beat for 1 minute. Pour into a greased 9-inch square baking pan. Bake at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until bread is golden brown and tests done. By Kathleen from Dothan, AL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf82494581.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Creamy Coconut-Apple Crunch Ingredients 1/2 cup milk 1 4-ounce package coconut cream pudding and pie filling mix 3 cups sliced cooking apples 1/2 cup melted margarine 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 egg 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans) Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine milk and 1/2 of the pie filling mix in large mixer bowl, and beat well. Add apples, and mix well. Pour into 8-inch square baking pan. Combine margarine, flour, sugar, remaining pie filling mix, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, vanilla and egg in bowl, and mix well. Fold in pecans. Spread over apple mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is light golden brown. Source: A friend Velma. By Raymonde from North Bay, Ontario Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf87194890.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Robin's Recipe Corner: Lemon Squares Ingredients 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 stick margarine Filling: 2 eggs, beaten well 1 cup brown sugar 1 1/4 cup coconut 1/2 cup chopped pecans (opt.) 2 Tbsp. flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. vanilla Glaze: 1 Tbsp. melted butter 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 cup powdered sugar Directions Mix flour, sugar and margarine. Pour into 9x13 inch pan. Bake 10 minutes at 275 degrees F. Pour filling over baked pastry. Return to oven and bake an additional 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove from oven and glaze while hot. Serves 24. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf82002466.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Family Meatloaf Ingredients 2/3 cup dry bread crumbs 1 cup milk 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. sage 1/4 cup grated onion 1 Tbsp. tapioca 1/8 tsp. pepper Topping: 3 Tbsp. ketchup 1 tsp. dry mustard 1/4 tsp. nutmeg Directions Mix main ingredients well. Form into loaf. Combine topping ingredients and spread on meat. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F. (2 hours in slow cooker) By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf48650080.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Celery Casserole Ingredients 4 cups celery, cut up and cooked 1 can cream of celery soup 2 Tbsp. butter 2 Tbsp. milk 2 Tbsp. pimentos (opt.) cheese crackers, crushed fine Directions Mix ingredients and put into casserole dish. Sprinkle top with cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serves 6. Note: A bit of chopped onion and grated cheese is also good added to the mixture. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf84920488.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Old-Fashioned Coconut Pie Ingredients 1 cup coconut 1 cup milk 1 pinch flour 3 eggs, beaten 1 cup sugar pinch of salt 1/2 stick butter, browned Directions Mix ingredients and pour into uncooked pie shell. Dust nutmeg over the top if desired. Bake at 350 degrees F until set, about 30 minutes. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf54292485.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Salad Supreme Ingredients 1 carton cottage cheese (2lb.) 1 box orange gelatin (6oz.) 1 can mandarin oranges (11oz.) 1 can pineapple chunks (20oz.) 1 carton Cool Whip (10oz.) Directions Dissolve orange gelatin right from box into cottage cheese and add drained fruit. Fold whipped topping into mixture and refrigerate several hours. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16177499.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Sunday Dinner Corn Ingredients 1 pint corn 2 Tbsp. flour 1 Tbsp. sugar 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 tsp. salt 2 Tbsp. melted butter 1 cup milk Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine and pour into small, buttered casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. By Robin from Washington, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf26294678.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Today's Sponsor: 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. More Information: Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml More Stuff: Coupon Swap! Swap coupons with other ThriftyFun.com users.