ThriftyFun Recipes - June 15, 2009.

Thank you Deeli, djxn, Charles, Robin, pollylev, Becky and Scott for today's tips and recipes!

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Recipe Requests:

• Recipe Ideas for a Wedding Reception
• Buying Arborio Rice
• Putting Fruit on a Pewter Tray
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• Honey Lime Fruit Dip Recipe
• Baking in a Small Oven

Today's Food Tips:

• Low-Fat French Fries
• Make Ice Cubes from Coffee or Tea

Today's Contest Recipes:

• Cinnamon Oat Pancakes
• Fruit Roll-ups
• Chocolate Truffle Cookies
• Crusty Cheese Hotpot

Robins's Recipe Corner:

• Banana Punch
• Meatballs With Spanish Sauce
• Slaw
• Oatmeal Cookies

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Recipe Ideas for a Wedding Reception

I am cooking for my sister's wedding reception and I need food ideas. There will be about 125 people.

By Sandy from Saint Louis, MO

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Buying Arborio Rice

Where can I find arborio rice in Omaha, Nebraska?

By Charles Cogar from Omaha, NE

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Putting Fruit on a Pewter Tray

Can we put fruits on a pewter tray?

By Madeleine from Ontario, Canada

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Honey Lime Fruit Dip Recipe

I am looking for a honey lime fruit dip recipe. With fresh fruit on the way, it would be a welcome addition to a summertime meal. I tried to make one with low-fat yogurt, honey and fresh lime juice/zest. Although it tasted great, it came out way too runny, almost like a sauce. Hope you can help!

By Susanne from OH

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Baking in a Small Oven

My oven is small and the largest diameter of baking pan or cookie sheet is 12 inches. What do I do when recipes call for 13X9 pan? I do use bundt cake pans, but some recipes need the 13X9 pan. Also where can a person find larger baking pans, in a 12 inch diameter? Help please.

By Sonja Smith from Hemphill, TX

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Low-Fat French Fries

I think I'd heard about this before, but last night I tried it for myself. I love french fries, but only indulge rarely. When I made them at home, rather than using a frying pan, I'd put about 1/4 cup of veggie oil in a plastic bag, add the cut up potatoes, coat them thoroughly and then put them on a baking sheet in the oven. Not any more!

I cut them up as usual, put them on the "release" kind of Reynolds Wrap, and sprayed them lightly with Pam Olive Oil spray. Not a lot. Only a couple of seconds total. Then I turned them over and sprayed the other side.

I cooked them at about 375 degrees F. (my oven thermometer is a little cockeyed) for 20 minutes, pulled them out and flipped them over and finished cooking them for about 15 minutes. Take them out when they're crispy enough or brown enough for your own taste. They're great! No guilt, no cleanup because they're on the foil, and they can be tucked away in the refrigerator if you make extras and will reheat nicely in the toaster oven for about 5 minutes.

Imagine, low-free fries! Just wanted to pass it along. Much better than potato or macaroni salad, because there's no mayo.

By Polly Levesque

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Make Ice Cubes from Coffee or Tea

I freeze left-over coffee in an ice tray to use for iced coffee. when you make fresh coffee to pour over the coffee isn't diluted. It makes coffee beverages easier in your blender as well. Add the flavored coffee creamers and sweetener to make your own inexpensive coffee beverages. No more $8 coffees at the local coffee shops.

Source: Been doing it for years.

By Becky from Addison, AL

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Cinnamon Oat Pancakes

These are great when fresh and just as good popped out of the freezer, reheated for a quick breakfast. I add some cooked bacon (not cooked crisp, it crushes in the vacuumed bag) or a slab of ham to the frozen pancakes (handi-vac bags - no air = no freezer burn). While the pancakes are in the toaster, pop the ham or bacon in the microwave to heat on a paper towel, to absorb the grease. You could fry an egg to make it a country breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 cups milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for skillet

Directions:

In a food processor combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and 1 cup oats and pulse a few times to coarsely grind oats. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and oil. Add dry ingredients and 1 cup oats and whisk just until moistened.

Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast iron) or griddle over medium. Lightly oil skillet. Using 2 to 3 tablespoons for each pancake, drop batter into skillet and cook until a few bubbles have burst, about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until browned on undersides, 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat with more oil and batter.

To Freeze: Cool pancakes on a rack, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze until firm, then place in plastic freezer bags. Then can be stored up to 3 months.

To Heat From Frozen: For a single serving, warm pancakes in toaster - for a large batch warm in oven.

Source: My grandmother

By scott E. from Chicago

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Fruit Roll-ups

I love fruit roll up snacks but can't afford the price at the grocery store. This recipe is so quick and easy and no preservatives ;-) My next experiment will be to see if one freezes well and if it does, I will make multiple batches ;-)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh fruit of your choice (sliced and seeded if need be)
• 1 Tbsp. honey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (140 degrees C) degrees. Lightly grease baking sheet with vegetable oil. Puree fruit and honey in blender. Evenly pour puree in to baking sheet. Bake in oven until the sheet of puree will easily peel away from baking sheet. The time will depend on your sheet and oven.

Allow to slightly cool. Cut to preferred roll-up size. Place on plastic wrap and roll up. Keep covered in container in refrigerator.

By Deeli from Richland, WA

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Chocolate Truffle Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups softened butter
• 2 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1/3 cup baking cocoa
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup chocolate sprinkles

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream butter,sugar and cocoa until light and fluffy, beat in sour cream and vanilla add flour, mix well stir in chocolate chips. Refrigerate for 1 hour, roll into 1 inch balls dip into choc sprinkles place sprinkled side up, 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet, Bake at 325 degrees F for 10 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: My mother found it in a magazine.

By Denise from Colfax, CA

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Crusty Cheese Hotpot

A great dish for family on those cold nights. Easy to prepare and cheap.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. (500g) minced meat
• 4 medium carrots, sliced
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 chicken stock cubes
• 1 French bread stick
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• flour for thickening gravy

Directions:

Mix the egg, mince, chopped onion, breadcrumbs and Dijon Mustard all together in a bowl. Once mixed, roll into approximately 16 meatballs. Add water to a medium pot and fill about 3/4 full. Put on stove, add meatballs and start to simmer.

While simmering add carrots, peas and chicken cubes and stir until nearly cooked. Add flour and thicken mixture to your consistency or liking. When finished pour all ingredients into a large casserole and then Cut the French bread into slices and lay over top of mixture until covered.

Sprinkle grated cheese over the Bread sticks to cover and then place in an oven at 180 degrees C (350 degrees F) for about half and hour or until cheese is melted and has a nice brown crust on top. Enjoy, you don't need anything else with this meal and great the next day too.

Source: This recipe is my mother's and my own. No books or magazines involved, just great home Scottish cooking.

By Charles A. from Injune, Queensland

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Banana Punch

Great summer drink!

Ingredients:

• 6 cups water
• 4 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 can pineapple juice (46oz.)
• 1 small can frozen orange juice
• 4 small cans cans water
• 1 small can frozen lemonade
• 1 can apricot nectar
• 5-6 bananas
• 2-3 large lemon-lime sodas (32oz.)

Directions:

Boil water, sugar and salt and set aside to cool. Add pineapple juice, orange juice, water, lemonade, and nectar. Blend 5-6 bananas with some liquid. Put in 1 gallon container or 2 (1/2 gallon) containers. Freeze. Take out 1 1/2 hours before serving. Add 2 large lemon-lime sodas to 1/2 gallon or 3 to 1 gallon.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Meatballs With Spanish Sauce

These are kind of unusual, but maybe that's why I like them? Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1 cup fine bread crumbs
• 1 can tomato sauce (8 oz.)
• 1 can mushroom stems and pieces, liquid also
• 3 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic salt

Sauce:

• 3 cans tomato sauce (8oz. size)
• 1 can taco sauce (5oz.)
• 3 shakes Tabasco sauce
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and gently roll into walnut-size balls. Makes 7-8 dozen. Place in a lightly greased pan and bake in 425 degree F oven for 15 minutes. Remove and turn meatballs; return to oven for another 10 minutes. Spoon off grease and add sauce. Reheat and serve.

For sauce: Mix ingredients thoroughly and spoon over cooked meatballs.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Slaw

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp. celery seed
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 Tbsp. pimento
• 1/2 tsp. grated onion
• 3 Tbsp. oil
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 3 cups chopped or grated cabbage

Directions

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Chill thoroughly.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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Oatmeal Cookies

An every day favorite!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 1/2 cup walnuts

Directions:

Cream margarine and brown sugar in bowl. Beat in eggs. Sift dry ingredients together. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients and mixing well after each addition. Stir in oats, raisins, dates and walnuts. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until brown.

By Robin from Washington, IA

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