Homemade Salisbury Steak Dinner
You can get or make low sodium mixes. The soup has less than 900 milligrams per can. Divided by 4 it is not that much. I make my own low sodium gravy mixes all the time.
Potato Pancakes
Using an apple for one of the potatoes works well. If you are not into crunch, microwave the shredded apples for a couple of min.
Unclogging a Bathroom Sink?
I use a large pot of boiling water with a good shot of dish soup. Pour in sink and let set for a min. and take a toilet plunger and push the water down the drain. You may have to do it more than once. No need for chemicals.
Slow Cooker Roast Beef Recipe?
I brown the meat that has been cut into bite sized pieces. Deglaze the pan after each batch and dump the liquid in to the slow cooker. When all the meat is in the slow cooker use enough water to cover the meat. Add a teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper...
Older Cat Not Accepting New Kitten?
The older cat is very is not excepting the younger. They may be both female. If they are not of the same family there is the term cat fight. Pay more attention to the older cat since she sees the younger as a rival. I have raised cats for 50 years. Bringing...
Cheesecake Split Across Center?
You may have over baked or baked it to fast or cooled to fast. Invest in a oven thermometer. My oven is 20 degrees hotter than what I set it to. When I cool a cheesecake I put a dish towel over it as it cools. I dont want it to cool to fast. I run a knife around...
Easy Chicken and Potatoes Recipe?
The slow cooker is like a steam bath. The meat and potatoes have a lot of water in them and you wouldnt need to add more. I make something like it with tarragon. No liquid needed.
Animal Chewing Trash Can Lid?
Dampen the lid and sprinkle with hot pepper powder or sauce. The only animals I know that cant taste heat are birds. It wont kill anything but they will think of your trash is evil. Worked for me when I lived along a lake as the raccons worked at night. If...
Onion Slicer?
Buy a mandolin instead. Trying to cut a whole onion at one time is going to take a lot of pressure. When the blades get a little dull it will be almost impossible to do it. You can get a good mandolin for 20-30 bucks and will be able to slice a lot of things...
Oatmeal Snacks for Nursing Home Patients?
This site has a great oatmeal cookie that I use to send to the troops at the front. I would send care packages once a month and these were a favorite. I would use chopped up raisins or cranraisins instead of chips (they dont do well in warm weather). They were...
Speedy Stovetop Lasagna
I have made this many times. It is good with Italian sausage too. I like to fry the ground beef with some Italian seasoning to season the meat. Italian blend shredded cheese works well.
Cooking Beef That Has Been Frozen for a Long Time?
If it looks good and smells goo and has no freezer burn it should be fine. I have cooked meat that has been in the freeze for over 2 years. I would cook a small piece and if it smells ok, it should be fine. Onion, bay leaf and thyme go well with beef. As does...
Egg Custard Pie
With the butter and flour you dont need a pie crust. I have made this a lot. I like to add firm fruit or some chopped dried fruit after the first 20-25 min. The fruit will sink but not to the bottom. The bottom is set. But it is a nice suprise when it is cut...
Freezing Sweet Potatoes?
Freezing them will bust the cell walls just like a raw potato uncooked. So there will be a lot of liquid when they are thawed out. Feed the liquid too, it will have a lot of good stuff. Personally I would cook them first then freeze in a bag. They will discolor...
Lifetime Cookware Salad Recipe?
You could email the company and see if they could send it to you. customerservice@regalware.com
Product Review: Bear Creek Cheddar Broccoli Soup Mix
The ones in the stores here are 8 cup versions and cost 3-4 bucks. I got turned on to the smaller bags at the Hostess outlet store 15 years ago. I have had all the cream based soups and find them to be top notch. When sweet corn is in season, I like to add...
Swimming Goggles for Cutting Onions
I keep some onions in a freezer bag in the vegtable crisper. When I need to chop some onions if they are cold they dont bother my eyes.
No More Onion Tears
Putting them in fridge for a few hours before cutting them up makes most of the tears away.
Green Pepper Wonton Poppers
I have made this with chopped clams, shrimp, crab (if using seafood I like to add a teaspoon of lemon juice), cooked spinach. I have even made them as a desert with just cream cheese and the last few min., sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar on top of them. No...
Ice Sticks in Ice Cube Trays?
I used to get hard water build up when we lived where there was well water. After a few months the cubes would stick. I would fill the tray with a 1/2 and 1/2 mixture of water and vinegar. I would let it set over night and wash it with soap and water. Plastic...
Homemade Liqueurs?
This if from growingagreenerworld.com. I make something like this but these notes are much better than mine. You can used dried fruit. The apricot brandy and peach brandy from dried fruit came out very well. I use the used fruit in sweet breads and cookies...
Cleaning Polo Shirt Collars?
A girl friend was a waiter and had to ware a white shirt and bow tie. This was the only way she could get the body oil and makeup out of the collars. Take the cheapest shampoo you can find and mix it 1 to 1 with water and spray the affected area and give it...
Using Onion Soup Mix When Cooking a Roast in Crockpot?
They use it for the beefy flavor it has. The onions sort of melt down and you really dont taste them and they give it some depth. If you dont want to use the onions then shake the dry mix in a strainer and discard the onion bits and you still get the beefy...
Uses for Outdated Beer?
I use out of date beer in cooking. I use it as the liquid when making yeast bread and it gives it a hint of hops, people taste it a little but dont know what it is, they do when they toast it. I use it in marinades for all sorts of meat. It works well in beer...
Cooking for Large Group?
Pasta is alway a good way to feed a group. It is cheap and filling. Pre cook the pasta so all you have to do is dip it in hot water to re heat. Pasta sauce is cheap on sale. Or bake the pasta with a sauce. Some garlic bread and a salad
EZ Bow Maker Instruction Manual?
http://www.ezcraft.com/PDF/ez_bow_maker_instruction.pdf (b)Editors Note:(/b) This site no longer loads and the company appears to have changed names or gone out of business.
Getting Rid of Ants in the Garden Naturally?
A friend of mine uses a tea made with hot peppers. She takes the hottest peppers she can find and choppers them very finely with the seeds and adds them to a pot of boiling water, lets them steep over night. She reheats the pot with a couple of tablespoons...
Surplus Potatoes?
I have never had good luck freezing a cooked potato. The water forms ice crystals in the cell of the potato and busts the cell wall. When you defrost you get a lot of water and a lump of starch. Even mashed potatoes loose a lot of water when thawed and the...
Nut Roll Cookies
You can use a package of yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons of loose yeast dissolved in a tablespoon of warm water. The milk and egg yolks also add extra fat. My grandmother made these when I was growing up. I loved the yeast taste. She also made the same thing with...
Budget Overnight Casserole
A question Robin. Do you leave the hard boiled eggs whole or slice them or dice them.
Roasted Cauliflower Blossom
I do this but use an egg wash instead of olive oil. I like to add a little lemon juice to the water, it seems to bring out more flavor of the Cauliflower. Just about any herb will work. See what herb will work with the meal you are making. I have steamed the...
Summer Sausage Crisps
I have been making these for a long time. I like to bake them on a couple of layers of paper towel and press a paper towel on them once they turn dark to get the top grease off the top. I call them meat chips. I like to flavor some sour cream to dip those chips...
Cheap Prepared Food Ideas for a Large Group?
For that large a group I think you need to get a caterer. They need to keep the food hot and cold. If you do it, it will take a lot of man power to keep the temps. Shop it around to several places and let them know you are shopping around. You should get the...
White Lasagna
Bev, Sorry I should have said Italian blend cheese, but I thought it was implied since it was 1/2 pound. Italian blend cheese is normally a blend of Provolone, Mozzarella, Romano and Parmesan. Most supermarkets will have it in the cheese case. As for the extra...
Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream Dressing
I make this a lot but I cut the cucumbers and onions the day before and add twice the salt. Let is sit in the fridge over night. I wash and drain the cucumbers and onions. I make a large batch since we like them. I only add the dressing just before serving...
Graham Bread From Long Ago
This bread would not work with 4 cups of yeast water but would work with 2 cups. Yeast water is just made with dried fruit or fresh fruit skins and non chlorinated water. Drop a good had full of them in a clean quart jar and fill with water and loosely cover...
Shelf-Life Guidelines for Spices
I have cloves and bay leaves that are more than 15 years old and they are almost as good as the day I bought them. Whole spices I keep untill they are gone.
Seasoning Cast Iron Skillets?
If the patina is not all gone (chunks missing), you need to remove it with steal wool and reseason. If it is just not shiny you can just reseason it. Rub the inside of the pan with lard (corn oil will work but lard works better). Place in a 300 f. oven for...
Buying Wild Game Meat?
You can buy it online for about 30 bucks a pound. I had it twice in my 20s and it tasted like beef. I would tell your friend to take a look at some other wild game.
Recipe For Cabbage Bread Rolls?
This won the recipe contest when it was posted: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf77284006.tip.html
Cassata
It does sound good. If you are troubled by the raw eggs, use pasteurized eggs. Conquistador Cortés is credited with introducing both vanilla and chocolate to Europe in the 1520s
Recipe for Al's Italian Beef Sandwich?
Try this. http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/italian_beef.html
Can I Use Higher Watt Bulbs Than That Recommended on a Lamp?
The wattage is for incandescent lights. They give off tons of heat. CFLs give almost no heat. It is the heat that is a concern not the watts. I have a lamp that has a 40 watt limit that I have CFLs with 100 watt equivalent for the last few years with no problems...
Inexpensive Wedding Hall in Chicago?
Have you thought about renting a office or retail space for a week. With all the empty spaces out there Im sure the owners would like to get a weeks rent rather than have nothing. A friend of mine rented an empty house for a month and put up a tent in the back...
Having Dental Work Done in Mexico?
Consider a dental school before going to Mexico. There service are free are a fraction of the price. I had two fillings replaced for 0. I had a crown replace for under 200 bucks. They need the practice and are watched over by doctor.
Deviled Eggs With Crab Meat?
It really doesnt mater. Everything is cooked and will be kept cold. I would mix the yoke mixture the night before to let the flavors mingle. Then fill the eggs the next morning.
German Runzas
A picture is here. http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf77284006.tip.html Im from Nebraska and grew up with these. I make a big batch and freeze lots. They reheat well. They are just as good on buns (German slopppy joes) if you dont want to make them in the bread. The...
Amish White Bread
This is my basic go to bread recipe. A few things, if you live in a city that chlorinated the water boil it first or use milk or beer. The chlorine tends to inhibit yeast growth. If you want more flavor, put it in the fridge over night or up to 3 days for more...
Seasoning Mix for Hamburger Patties?
I grew up an a cattle farm. We just used salt and pepper, but the meat was dry aged. It had a great flavor on its own. There are not many places that will kill and age meat any more. I use the dry onion mix with bland stuff I buy at the store today with a few...
Chickens Eating Tomato Plant Leaves?
Domestic birds will eat anything green or any color. Given time they will eat the stems too. I grew up on a farm, we had chickens, the fence was a good deterrent to keep them out. If they would fly in they would eat the grass in an area down to the ground. If...
Tips for Freezing Leftovers?
I use a little thing called Handi-Vac by Reynolds (it is where the food bags are). I freeze the food in a cheep 1 quart bag then slip it into a Handi-Vac bag and use the Handi-Vac device to remove the air. No air no freezer burn. Since no food touches the Handi...
Substitute for Consomme?
There is really no substitute for consomme. It is made with roasted bones that give it that deep flavor and velvety taste.
Softer Homemade Bread?
Oils will give it a softer crumb (lard when I grew up). I use sour cream from time to time (fat and milk together). Cooked oatmeal helps retain moisture as does a potato (or potato starch or potato flakes, I use butter milk some times, I like the flavor). Steam...
Shrimp Cakes
It would be fine unflavored bread crumbs. If you make your own out of fresh bread, dry them out in the oven. You will want them to soak up the shrimp juice.
Summer Sausage Recipe without Preservatives?
Here is one. I have not tried it but it is in my todo pile. Summer Sausage 3/4 Cup Water 1 tea. Garlic Salt 2 Tbsp. Salt 1 1/2 Tbsp. Mustard Seed 1 Tbsp. Liquid Smoke 1 teas. Pepper 1 Tbsp. Onion Flakes 2 Lbs Ground Chuck (do not use lean meat, the fat will...
Shelf Life of Baking Chocolate?
Nestle has a use best date on the package, Hersheys has a best used by date code on the package. There is single digit number on it and a letter after it, the number is the year and the letter is the month (jan=A, feb.=B, etc.)
Stuffed Baked Tomatoes
This supose to be thrifty, so dont through out the pulp and tops with all that juice. Put it in a strainer and mash the juice out, toss the seeds, they can be bitter. Use it in something, juice for the kids or freeze it.
Cook Cheaper Cuts of Meat in Soda Pop
Be carefull of sweetner the pop uses. Here is a link from the University of Idaho. http://info.ag.uidaho.edu/magazine/winter2002/sweetener.html I use a can of beer or non diet pop.
Dangerous Chocolate Mug Cake
I make this but call it a True Cup Cake. To make it a softer cake cook it under 3 min. or use cake flour. I some times push a chunk of chocolate to the bottom of the mug for a little extra chocolate on the top.
Does My Water Heater Need To Be Replaced?
For 2K you are being ripped off. New water heaters are much more efficient than a 25 year old one, so you dont need to upgrade the electrical and you dont need a permit to just replace a water heater (I checked on Dallas web site). You can get a 50 gallon hot...
Tips For Using Freezer Chest?
Mine is used to freeze meat and other things that are on sale. When frozen vegetables are on sale I buy a lot. When chicken is on sale I buy what I can and freeze them. The only thing that I can tell you is that air is bad when freezing. I add water to meats...
Recipe For Barbecued, Slow Roasted Beef?
Im not from Kansas but from Nebraska. You are describing something we called buried beef. It was made with whole rounds (the rump of the cow), Cosco and Sams sells them. Here is the rub we used: 1 parts salt 2 parts brown Sugar 1 parts ground cumin 1 parts...
Advice for Making Apple Pie?
Here is a nice chart to apples. http://www.theapplebarn.com/apple-types.shtml
Cooking Thrifty Meals For Two?
I second the Reynolds Handi Vac. It was under 10 bucks and the bags are reasonable. Raw meat and cooked meals freeze well with the handi vac. If you want freeze something with some liquid and dont want to squeeze the air out with a regular bag, freeze it in...
Pizza Dough Freezer Recipe?
Any yeast dough will freeze well. Keep it as air tight as possible to prevent freezer burn. A pre maid pizza is a little harder. I have done it with freezing the pre made pizza and a handi-vac with large bags. As for making whole wheat pizza dough I would recommend...
Marinated Frozen Chicken Breasts
I do the same thing, but I jab the chicken with a fork a few times to get the marinad to the thick part of the chicken.
