ThriftyFun Recipes - October 3, 2009

I'm sorry about the delay in Tuesday's newsletter, I simply forgot to send it out after it was ready. It is a good issue too, with great posts and an article about Savory Muffins from Debra. Thank you to mkymip, twilightgift, Dorty, irisbird, Shawna, Deeli and Raymonde for today's tips and recipes.

It is time to start planning Thanksgiving here in the US, and holiday preparations for Christmas everywhere else. If you have any tips for shopping and preparing for large family meals like Thanksgiving, please send them in. We also would love any favorite autumn recipes or easy weeknight meals.

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Recipe Requests:

• Making Your Own Electrolyte Drink
• Buttermilk Pie Crust Recipe
• Butternut Squash Muffins
• Substitute for Chocolate Chips in Recipes
• Amish Friendship Sweet Bread in a Day

Today's Food Tips:

• Line Brownie Pan With Aluminum Foil
• Anything Tomato Sauce
• Savory Muffins

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Chicken Breyani with Pineapple
• Fruit Cobbler
• Grits and Greens Casserole
• Roasted Garbanzo Beans
• Cream of Broccoli and Avocado Soup

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Apple Chip Nut Bread
• Football Stew
• Hamburger Casserole
• Mom's Favorite Quick Cake
• Cranberry Fluff

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Making Your Own Electrolyte Drink

I believe on the Dr. Oz show today he said to make this drink use: Agave Nectar - 1 tbsp., sea salt - 1/2 tsp., a bit of baking soda - 1/4 tsp., and good water - 4 cups. Is this correct? What portions ?

By Charlotte from Calgary, AB CANADA

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Buttermilk Pie Crust Recipe

I lost my prized buttermilk pie crust recipe. Just the crust recipe, not the pie. It had about 4 ingredients, buttermilk (1 cup?), flour (?), shortening (?), and salt. I need the amounts to use.
Thank you for any help.

By Jan from Yakima,WA

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Butternut Squash Muffins

I want to make muffins, but using Butternut squash instead of pumpkin. Has anyone done this and how did it turn out?

By Joan from Girard, PA

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Substitute for Chocolate Chips in Recipes

Could anyone give me some suggestions please? I see so many recipes using chocolate chips and I get so frustrated, because I would love to try them out. However, I can't because where I live chocolate chips or drops are, for some obscure reason, horribly expensive.

Would anyone know if there is a substitute that I can use instead? I've tried smashing up a chocolate bar and the bits are too big, running it through a food processor just makes one big gunky mess. Help, please?

By Cettina from Malta, Europe

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Amish Friendship Sweet Bread in a Day

Does anyone have a recipe for the Amish friendship sweet bread where you don't have to wait the ten days, you can just make the bread in 1 day?

By Heather from Port Clinton, OH

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Line Brownie Pan With Aluminum Foil

Whenever you bake brownies or other baked items, line the pan you are using with heavy duty aluminum foil. When completely cool, carefully lift out; then pull foil away from sides. This makes it easy to cut and to lift out the pieces.

By mkymlp from NE PA

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Anything Tomato Sauce

Make "anything spaghetti sauce" with a blender. Throw in whatever leftovers you may have from other meals, with some tomato paste and seasonings. You get a very cheap marinara sauce, by pureeing the ingredients in a blender they can be added together to make a sauce.

I usually use about a ratio of 1/2 bottled marinara sauce and add the other ingredients, adding water as necessary to get the right consistency. Add whatever seasonings you like.

It works with virtually everything, thus using up leftovers while saving money on jarred sauce. I've used everything from chicken soup to mashed potatoes, to homemade gravy, and veggies. You name it.

By Twilightgift from Forks, WA

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Savory Muffins
By Debra Frick

Now we all love warm sweet muffins, but there are a group of muffins that never get any recognition. They are called savory muffins because they are not sweet. They can be a herb muffin or one with vegetables instead of fruit. These muffins are great to go with soup or a main course meal. They are just as easy to make as sweet muffins. This can be a great introduction for kids to baking.

General Information

Muffins are intended to be a fast bread and so they don't bake a long time. The most important thing to remember about muffins is you don't want to mix them to much or they will become tough. 10-15 strokes is all that is needed. Your batter will be lumpy with traces of flour but that is exactly how you want it. An easy trick you can use to fill your cupcake pan is to use a ice cream scoop so that you only fill the cupcake pan 1/2 to 2/3 full.

If using a dark colored cupcake pan, you will want to reduce your temperature on the oven by 25 degrees. Dark colored pans conduct more heat and your muffins will bake faster so by reducing the heat they will bake all the way through. Bake in the center of a preheated oven. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Sausage and Cheese Muffins

• 1 lb. bulk hot pork sausage
• 1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tsp. rubbed sage
• 3 cups biscuit/baking mix

Bacon and Cheddar Muffins

• 6 thick slices bacon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. white sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 4 tsp. dried chives
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Cheese and Spinach Muffins

• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp. green onions, chopped
• 2 cups biscuit baking mix

Zucchini Ricotta Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. dill weed
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated zucchini

Onion-Beer Muffins

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. crushed dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 (12-oz.) can beer, allowed to go flat and at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 small onion, very finely chopped
• 1 large egg white
• 1 Tbsp. water

Chili Corn Muffins

• 1 (8 1/2 oz.) package corn muffin mix
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 cup sweet corn
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

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Chicken Breyani with Pineapple

Spicy breyani and the pineapple gives a lovely taste.

Ingredients:

• 500 ml rice
• 125 ml lentil
• 125 ml gram dhall
• few strand of saffron
• 2 kg. chicken cut into pieces and dry
• 30 ml ginger and garlic paste
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder or masala
• 3 Tbsp. yogurt
• 1 small can pineapple
• 1 large tomato chopped
• 125 ml sunflower oil and ghee
• 50 gram butter
• 3 medium onion cut in rings
• 8 small potatoes
• 3 carrots sliced
• extra spices
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 4 peppercorn
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 green chili
• 2 whole garlic peeled and sliced
• coriander leaves and curry leaves to garnish

Directions:

Boil rice with saffron, dhall and lentils separately and drain and set aside. Marinate chicken with ginger and garlic paste, chill powder, tomato and yogurt for 1/2 an hour. Heat oil and fry the potatoes and remove. Fry carrots and remove. Fry onions and remove.

Heat oil and ghee and stir in the chicken and cook till the oil separates. Use a large pot and layer the rice, lentils, gram dhall, carrot, potatoes and chicken and pineapple.

Fry the extra spices till lightly brown and sprinkle on the rice mixture. Dot with butter. Cover and cook on low heat or in the oven at 355 degrees F. (180 degrees C) in the oven. Add a little water if you need the rice to cook to your satisfaction.

Garnish with fried onion, coriander and curry leaves when done.

Source: Homemade

By Dorty from SA

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Fruit Cobbler

This quick and easy recipe was given to me by my daughter and I use it often.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup self rising flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 can fruit pie filling

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix flour, sugar and milk together with a mixer or a whisk. Pour into a round 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. Pour the entire can of pie filling in the center. Do not stir.

Bake uncovered for 50 minutes.

Source: My sweet daughter made this for me after I had surgery.

By irisbird from Lillington, NC

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Grits and Greens Casserole

This recipe is cheap and different! It is tasty for breakfast, or as side dish for any other meal. It freezes nicely and carries well to get togethers. I changed it up from much richer, more expensive versions that called for heavy whipping cream.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 cup "quick" grits
• 1 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 lb. greens (mustard, turnip, collard, spinach, chard, or any combo of these) or equivalent amount of frozen or canned greens
• 1 Tbsp. bacon drippings (or oil or butter)
• several slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In large heavy saucepan or pot heat the milk, water and bouillon cube to just below a boil. Slowly whisk in grits and cook for 5-10 minutes or until thickened, stirring often to prevent scorching.

When grits are thickened, stir in 1 and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and allow to melt (reserve 1/4 cup for top). Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, wash greens and heat bacon drippings in large skillet over high heat. Put greens in skillet while still a little wet from washing. Cook until thoroughly wilted, then drain. If using frozen greens, just heat and drain well; if canned, just drain well. Chop greens up very fine. Stir into grits mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour into casserole dish (I use 2 pie pans and freeze one of these for later). Top with crumbled bacon and remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F until bubbly, about 20-25 minutes. You want it to still be a little bit loose. It will thicken as it stands. Use broiler to brown top.

This freezes well. Just thaw beforehand and cook as above, adding another 10-15 minutes.

Source: Bought one at a bake sale, then searched for it on the web. Found several, but adjusted the recipe to make it cheaper!

By Shawna from Paris

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Roasted Garbanzo Beans

A simple, easy snack. Choices for your favorite powdered spice can range anywhere from cumin, cayenne, onion, garlic to cinnamon. Be creative!

Ingredients:

• 1 - 14.5 oz. can of garbanzo beans, drained and patted dry
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt plus extra for bean seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. pepper plus extra for bean seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. of your favorite powdered spice, if desired
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Very lightly season garbanzo beans with salt and pepper.

Shake together flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and powdered spice in a large plastic storage bag. Add garbanzo beans and toss to coat.

Remove garbanzo beans from flour mixture, gently dust off excess flour and single layer on a baking sheet. Lightly drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Bake for about 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown, shaking the baking sheet once or twice to roll the beans around.

Do not over bake!

By Deeli from Richland, WA

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Cream of Broccoli and Avocado Soup

Never tasted avocado in a soup before but it is delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
• 1 cup potatoes, cubed
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 2 avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into pieces
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander, chopped (cilantro) or 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup 15% cream

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions and celery. Add the potatoes, broccoli florets, avocados, chicken broth and coriander. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes over low heat.

Using either a food processor or an electric mixer, puree the mixture, then return it to the saucepan. Heat lightly and stir in the cream.

To give it an added touch, add smoked salmon and pine nuts. You can serve it cold also like vichyssoise.

Source: The Classic cooking book

By Raymonde from North Bay, Ontario

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Apple Chip Nut Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. butter flavoring
• 1/2 tsp. black walnut flavoring
• 3-4 cup coarsely chopped raw apples
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. soda
• 3 cup flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

Blend oil, sugar, eggs and flavorings in large mixer bowl. Add apples and nuts. Sift dry ingredients together and add. Pour into 2 well greased large bread pans or 4 small ones, and bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Football Stew

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. stew beef, cubed
• 1 lg. onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 4-5 quartered potatoes
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. Minute Tapioca
• 1 cup tomato juice

Directions:

Put stew beef in bottom of Dutch oven. Add onion, carrots, and celery. On top spread potatoes. Mix sugar, salt and tapioca. Sprinkle on top, then pour tomato juice over all. Cover and bake in 250 F. oven for 5 hours. Do not lift lid!

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Hamburger Casserole

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. hamburger
• 1 can peas, drained
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 can tomatoes (16oz.)
• 1 can sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups cooked, salted macaroni
• cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Mom's Favorite Quick Cake

Ingredients

• 2 layers yellow or white cake
• apple jelly
• red food coloring
• coconut

Directions

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Cranberry Fluff

Ingredients

• 1 lb. cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large carton Cool Whip
• 1 pkg. mini marshmallows
• 1 large can crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (opt.)

Directions

This makes a nice Thanksgiving dish as well as any other day!

By Robin from Washington, IA

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