ThriftyFun Recipes - May 27, 2008

Thank you to Susan, Teri, Evey, Leigh, Kevin, Karen, Mary, Connie and Robin for today's tips and recipes!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend! Here's the winner for last week's recipe contest...

Crispy Refried Black Bean Tostadas
By Wallace from Little Rock, AR
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Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Recipe Requests:

• Camping Food Ideas
• How to Remove Hard Sugar from A Cannister
• Saving Money on Celery

Today's Food Tips:

• Pack Baked Goods in Layers of Baggies
• Tips and Recipes For Imitation Crab
• Heath Risks When Reusing Food Cans

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Sausage Dip
• Weight Watchers Crockpot Chicken Casserole
• Macaroni and Cheese and Ham Salad
• Dandelion Blossoms
• Cream Cheese Danish

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Tuna Roll
• Blueberry Crunch
• American Chop Suey
• Cubed Steak Parmigiana
• Beef Broccoli Pie
• Chocolate Toll House Snack Cake

Crafting for Fun and Money!

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Camping Food Ideas

I would like to get recipes and storage ideas for camping and RV-ing.

Lynn T from Central Arkansas

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How to Remove Hard Sugar from A Cannister

How can I get hardened sugar out of a cannister?

Rena A

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Saving Money on Celery

Tips and advice for Saving Money on Celery. Post your ideas below.

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Pack Baked Goods in Layers of Baggies

My fingers find plastic wrap nearly impossible to handle. When I am giving a gift of brownies or fudge, I like to give it in an inexpensive container that can be used again. I have found that when taking a bag of these to people I owe a little kindness too or to those not feeling well, the one on the bottom tends to meld with the inside of the lid. To prevent this, I cut the zipper part off a ziploc baggy. Then I open the baggy, cut it in half, put one piece on the bottom and one on the top. This adds no flavoring nor moisture to the confection I made as often happens if you use an oil or spray and it is easily removed.

By Susan from WV

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Tips and Recipes For Imitation Crab

We like the taste of imitation crab. One of our local stores sells packages of it for $1.00 for a 12 oz. or so package. We buy several packages at a time and freeze them till ready to use. Sure makes for a cheap meal!

One dish that I make with it is Crab Salad (mayo, chopped celery, some seasoning: your choice, maybe some pickle relish, no certain amounts, just till it looks and tastes good). Don't overly mix or your imitation crab won't stay in chunks. Chill till ready to serve. I serve it with saltine crackers. You can put it over a bed of lettuce and serve with other salad fixin's.

I make another dish, that's ready in just a few minutes, it's one of my fastest meals (when in a hurry): I'll pull the imitation crab apart, toss in a heated non-stick skillet with a dab of butter and a lot of dried dill and lemon pepper. Heat quickly, toss till a little browned and serve (this one can be made and served in no time hardly at all.) Both these dishes are quick to make.

Source: The crab salad recipe I got from an ex-co-worker, whose brother worked in a restaurant (she just gave me a list of the ingredients, not the measurements). The last recipe, I thought up myself.

By Terri from NV

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Heath Risks When Reusing Food Cans

I would just like to have you post the following in response to the recipes I have seen here that call for using empty food cans that are on this site:

Please don't re-use empty cans to cook or heat anything in. Most cans nowadays have a toxic plastic material called Bisphenol A (BPA) inside them to keep the metal from affecting the taste of the food. Unfortunately the BPA is the same as has been used to make baby bottles and many other hard plastic water bottles. BPA has been linked to breast cancer and early puberty in women and when they tested very low doses on mice and rats they found the same plus diabetes, enlarged prostate and prostate cells prone to cancerous changes among the many health problems it can cause. The food that is in these cans is also contaminated by the BPA but then if you reuse the container by cooking or heating anything in them you release up to 50 times more of the BPA into the food.

Google BPA or check out Wikipedia's BPA page and it will make you not want to eat anything in cans anymore, period. Of course the chemical companies all say that the fears are unjustified just because a few rats and mice get sick doesn't mean anything. Sound like Big Tobacco some 20-30 years ago, huh? My sis-in-law who is a real pessimist says "Oh, well, these days everything is being found to give us cancer so why fight it?" I choose to fight it however and whenever I can, thank you very much.

Evey from Houston, TX

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Sausage Dip

Ingredients

• 1 lb. sausage
• 1 can rotel (mild or hot, whatever you like) with 1/2 juice drained off
• 2 packages cream cheese

Directions

Brown sausage in skillet. While sausage is browning, put rotel and cream cheese into crock pot on high. Drain grease off of sausage and add immediately to crock pot on top of cream cheese and rotel (no need to mix yet). Leave on high about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, go back and stir all ingredients together and turn crock pot down to low. Serve as a dip with tortilla chips. This is a great alternative to the same old cheese dip! If you are using a large crock pot (5-6 quart), you can double this recipe and still have room in pot.

By Leigh from Childersburg, AL

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Weight Watchers Crockpot Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

• 8 oz. noodles
• 3 cups boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup green pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 4 oz. mushrooms, canned and drained
• 1/2 cup nonfat chicken broth
• 1/2 cup fat-free Parmesan cheese
• 1 can cream of chicken soup, melted
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1 1/2 cups lowfat cottage cheese, small curd
• 2 1/2 cups water

Directions

Cook noodles according to package directions until barely tender; drain and rinse thoroughly. In large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients with the noodles, making sure the noodles are separated and coated with liquid. Pour mixture into a greased crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-10 hours. Can cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours.

Per serving: 467.3 cal, 11.7g (23.4%) fat, 1.7g fiber, 824mg sodium

6 Points Per Serving

Source: www.weightwatchers-recipes.net

By Kevin from Kansas City, MO

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Macaroni and Cheese and Ham Salad

Boil elbow mac. Cut honey ham lunch meat in chunks, open pack and cut the whole stack at once into cubes. (You may use turkey lunch meat or any you like.) Cut onions, green pepper, add spices like garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add shredded cheese, any (colby or cheddar work well). Pour ranch dressing and one scoop of Miracle Whip, mix together. If you get everything on sale, it is not too costly. Great for large parties to pass a dish.

By Karen from Michigan

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Dandelion Blossoms

Dandelion Blossoms can be batter-dipped and deep-fried. They taste a lot like mushrooms when prepared in this fashion and are a delightful treat.

Ingredients

• 30 dandelion blossoms (pick blossoms that are open but fairly young)
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 eggs
• Deep fryer half filled with vegetable oil

Directions

Combine flour and whole milk. Mix thoroughly. Whip eggs in a separate bowl and then stir into flour mixture. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly. Add a little more milk if batter is too thick.

Heat oil in deep fryer to 325 degrees F. Roll blossoms into batter and drop into deep fryer. Fry 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Blossoms will float to the surface when done. Place on a paper towel to drain. These taste best when eaten hot.

Source: Found in "Soul Food Recipes" by Willie Crawford

I haven't tried this. No dandelion blossoms here in FL, that I know about.

By Mary in FL from Cocoa, FL

Editor's Note: What a thrifty idea! Just be sure to harvest weeds from areas that have not been treated with herbicides or any other chemicals. Dandelion greens are also edible. Here is a recipe for cooking them:

• Dandelion Greens

• http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_contest.ldml

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Cream Cheese Danish

Ingredients

• 2 cans crescent rolls
• 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine, softened (not spread)
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with Pam. Layer bottom of dish with one can of crescent rolls. Pinch seams together. Mix 1 cup sugar and cream cheese until smooth and creamy; spread over crescent rolls. Place remaining can of crescent rolls on top of cream cheese mixture and pinch seams together. Mix remaining 1 cup sugar and 1 stick butter together (will be crumbly). Sprinkle over crescent rolls and then sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.

By Connie from Cotter, AR

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Tuna Roll

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp. chopped parsley
• 1 can tuna, drained
• 1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews
• 1 package cream cheese, softened (8 oz.)

Directions

Mix 4 Tbsp. parsley and remaining ingredients in bowl. Shape into a roll and chill until firm. Roll in remaining 2 Tbsp. parsley. Serve with crackers.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Blueberry Crunch

Ingredients

• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 package cream cheese, softened (3 oz.
• 1 small carton Cool Whip
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cans blueberry pie filling

Directions

Combine first 4 ingredients in bowl, mixing well. Spread evenly in 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F until firm. Beat cream cheese, Cool Whip, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla together in bowl until smooth. Pour over cooled crust. Combine remaining 1 cup sugar with pie filling in bowl, mixing well. Pour over creamed mixture. Chill in refrigerator.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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American Chop Suey

Ingredients

• 1 package small macaroni (8 oz.)
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 3 stalks celery, finely sliced
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 can tomatoes (16 oz.)
• 1 can tomato sauce (8 oz.)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Cook macaroni in 3 cups boiling salted water in saucepan until tender. Set aside, covered, for 5 minutes; drain. Saute' onion, green pepper and celery in butter in skillet until golden; set aside. Brown ground beef with seasonings in skillet, stirring until crumbly. Pour off drippings. Add sauteed vegetables, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Simmer fr 5 minutes. Add macaroni and 3/4 cup cheese, mixing well. Pour into greased 2 qt. casserole. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake covered at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Cubed Steak Parmigiana

Ingredients

• 6 beef cubed steaks
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 10 crackers, finely crushed
• 1/2 tsp. basil
• grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 Tbsp. oil
• 1 can tomato sauce (15 oz.)
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. ground oregano
• 1 oz. Mozzarella cheese, sliced
• Leaf oregano

Directions

Coat steaks in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Combine cracker crumbs, basil and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese in small bowl. Mix egg with 2 Tbsp. water in bowl. Dip each steak evenly with crumb mixture. Heat oil in 9x13 inch baking pan in 375 degree oven for 5-10 minutes. Place steaks in baking pan. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Pour off drippings. Combine tomato sauce with sugar, garlic and ground oregano, pounding over steaks. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes longer. Top with mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of leaf oregano. Bake for 3-5 minutes longer.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Beef Broccoli Pie

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 t. garlic salt
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1 package cream cheese, softened) (3 oz.)
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 package frozen broccoli (10 oz.), chopped, cooked and drained
• 2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls (16 rolls)
• 4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese (sliced)

Directions

Cook beef and chopped onions, drain off grease. Add flour, salt and garlic salt. Stir. Now add milk and cream cheese. Cook mixture until thickens. Add a moderate amount of mixture from skillet to beaten egg. Mix, then return to skillet. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes. Chop drained broccoli and add to mixture. Unroll 1 package crescent rolls. Pinch cuts at perforations to seal and roll out to fit 9 inch pie plate. Trim plate, add mixture. Roll out second package crescent rolls and top pie plate. Pinch edges and cook at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Chocolate Toll House Snack Cake

Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter or margarine, softened
• 1 1/3 cups Quaker oats
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, (opt.)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 package Toll House semi-sweet chocolate morsels (12 oz.)

Directions

In large mixer bowl, combine butter or margarine, oats, flour, brown sugar, eggs, walnuts and vanilla. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed or until mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate morsels, spread batter in 8 inch square, microwave-safe baking dish; cover dish with waxed paper. Microwave on high power 4 minutes; rotate dish 1/4 turn. Microwave on high power 4-5 minutes longer or until top of cake appears dry and bottom of cake in an even color. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup chocolate morsels over top of warm cake. Let stand 10 minutes. Then spread chocolate evenly over cake. Cool directly on countertop. Cut into serving pieces.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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