Posted on 03/23/2008 11:36:40 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Can you point me to a post on how to harvest and consume prickly pear?
You should be able to get them at Walmart or even grocery stores, both are very old products.
Check in the laundry/cleaning sections, the soap might turn up near shampoo, or with the bars of soap.
I have been reading these soap recipes 10 years or longer and the people who use them, like them.
As I understand it, start with about a quarter or even less of what you are using now.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=1890#1890
Welcome to the thread.
Posts 1890-91-92 have a lot of the information and links to more.
There will be other posts through out the thread, as I found them.
An important food to know about.
I have tried to singe off the stickers on a camp fire and did not like the results.
As I understand the best way would be to use a very porous
common rock to rub them off.
I do know the porous rock works to pull the stickers from my hands, LOL, don’t ask why, maybe God wanted us to respect the ugly rocks too.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2007132/posts?page=2#2
Weekly Gardening Thread
My pea brain | April 25, 2008 | Gabz
Posted on Friday, April 25, 2008 4:55:55 PM by Gabz
I have had a week from Hades and will be perfectly honest with you all.........I completely and totally FORGOT about this thread yesterday. And so you all have my heartfelt apologies.
My brain is pretty much just mush at the moment and so I am just going to share some of my favorite links.
Edible Landscaping
You Grow Girl
National Home Gardening Club
[Don’t miss Gabz garden thread for this week, wonderful photos and garden info.....granny]
Thank you. I almost responded to the reference to storing grain with bay leaves. We stored some with success using both bay leaves and diatomaceous earth.
We stored some with success using both bay leaves and diatomaceous earth.<<<
The d. earth is a good product.
Bay leaves are timeless, who knows how many years they have been used?
Do join in, this thread is not meant to be ‘my’ opinion, but rather it is to be a collection of as many ideas as we can gather up, to help with the survival era we are entering.
Don’t ask me how to find the many subjects again, they are a jumbled mess, so one wins a jackpot, if they find the one they want.
What you need to know, may be something that will not help me at all, so I am collecting what look like good idea’s.
LOL, keep reading.
T O D A Y ‘ S Q U O T E
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As one grows older one should grow more expert
at finding beauty in unexpected places, in deserts
and even in towns, in ordinary human faces and
among wild weeds. ~C.C.Vyvyan
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
T O D A Y ‘ S T I P S
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
WEEKEND RECIPES: DESSERTS
These desserts are nice for spring luncheons, teas
or coffee.
Twisted Crullers
Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted shortening
2 cups unsifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon mace
Beat egg and sugar until light. Stir in milk and melted
shortening. Sift dry ingredients together and add all at
once into egg mixture. Stir together with fork until
thoroughly mixed. Turn onto lightly floured board. Divide
the dough into 18 pieces. Flour your hands and roll each
piece of dough into a “rope” approximately 12 inches long.
Fold in half around index finger; twist dough two or three
times. Pinch ends firmly together. Fry in hot shortening
at 370 degrees until golden brown on both sides. Drain on
paper towels quickly and dust with confectioner’s sugar while
still warm. Notes: You can also use 1/2 cup sugar mixed with
2 teaspoons of cinnamon to roll your crullers.
Lavender Tea Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain fat-free or lowfat yogurt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lavender leaves
Glaze:
1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat granulated sugar, butter,
and vanilla at medium speed until well-blended. Add egg and
egg white, one at a time, beat well after each addition. Sift flour
and carefully measure.Combine the flour with the baking powder,
baking soda, and salt, stir well. (I often sift again) Add flour the
mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning
and ending with flour mixture. Stir in lavender. Pour the batter
into an 8-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350
degrees for about 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the
center comes out clean. To prepare glaze, combine powdered
sugar and remaining ingredients. Spread on the warm cake.
Cool in pan 20 minutes on a wire rack before removing from
the pan. To serve slice thinly and present on a pretty platter.
Fresh Strawberry Muffins
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 tsp. almond extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 stick margarine, melted
1 cup chopped strawberries
cinnamon/sugar mixture for topping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking
soda. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, extract,
buttermilk and margarine. Add berries and buttermilk
mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix until just moistened.
Fill greased or sprayed muffin tins 2/3 full. Top with a
cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake 15 minutes or until the
toothpick comes out clean when inserted the middle.
Best Ever Pound Cake
Ingredients:
2 sticks butter or margarine
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups all -purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream the margarine and
shortening. Add the sugar and continue creaming until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well
after each egg. Sift together flour, baking powder and
salt. Add alternately the dry ingredients and milk to the
creamed mixture. Blend thoroughly. Add vanilla. Scrape
the sides of the bowl and beat for one minute. Pour the
batter into a greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake
at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until cake is
golden brown and cooks away from the sides of the pan.
MORE: A menu for a lovely spring tea party—
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/springtea.html
Foaming Vanilla Honey Bath
By National Honey Board
Ingredients:
* 1 cup sweet almond oil, light olive or sesame oil may be substituted
* 1/2 cup honey
* 1/2 cup liquid soap
* 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Measure the oil into a medium bowl, then carefully stir in remaining
ingredients until mixture is fully blended. Pour into a clean plastic
bottle
with a tight-fitting stopper or lid. Shake gently before using. Enough
for
four large luxurious baths.
Swirl desired amount into the bathtub under running water - then step
in and
descend into a warm, silky escape.
Tips:
Banish the winter blahs and dissolve away the harshness of the day by
relaxing in a soothing bath. Honey is nature’s silky moisturizer and
guaranteed to sweeten your mood!
Note: Honey should not be fed to infants under one year of age. Honey
is a
safe and wholesome food for children and adults.
Recipe & photo provided courtesy of the National Honey Board.
http://www.honey.htt
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695270386,00.html
Deseret News
101 ways to stretch your food dollars
By Valerie Phillips
Deseret News
Published: April 16, 2008
Food prices are going up. But here are lots of ways — 101 of them — to shave off pennies, dimes and dollars from your food costs.
Not every tip fits every situation. A vat-size container of salad dressing is cheaper per ounce, but not if it sits in a single person’s fridge for months on end. Remember, the most expensive food you can buy is the food that goes to waste.
Before you go
1. For a week, track what your family actually spends on food. Don’t forget to include work lunches, restaurant meals, vending-machine snacks and convenience store stops. These add up quickly.
2. Have a plan. Jot down simple dinner menus for the week, using the weekly grocery store ads so you can take advantage of what’s on sale that week. Having a plan ends the 5 p.m. “what’s for dinner?” plight.
3. Make a shopping list from your menu. Having the ingredients you need for the week eliminates extra trips to the supermarket, where more incidental items can end up in your grocery cart.
4. To save time, compile a basic shopping list of things you usually buy on a weekly basis, such as milk, lettuce, etc. Organize the list by the store layout and make lots of copies. Then each week it’s just a matter of penciling in the extra ingredients from your menu.
5. Get out of the dinner rut. Check out cookbooks or magazines from the library or attend local cooking classes for new ideas.
6. For low-cost, nutritious recipe ideas, check the Food Stamp Nutrition Connection at recipefinder.nal.usda.gov. The recipes have cost-per-serving and nutrition data.
7. Consider making from scratch many of the things you usually buy in prepared form, such as brownies or salad dressing.
8. Time is a valuable resource. It’s usually not worth the time (or gasoline) to hopscotch from store to store to save a few dollars.
9. Consider the advantages when you choose where to shop. Some stores offer credit cards with rebates, discounts on gasoline, special coupons and so on.
10. Club warehouses can save money, but be judicious. Can you use 18 cartons of yogurt at a time? Often you can find similar good buys and a better selection at a regular grocery store
11. Sometimes you’re lured into buying things that lose their appeal and end up sitting on the shelf. To cure yourself of impulse shopping, every so often force yourself to make a meal out of those items in the cupboard.
12. Consider group strategies. A neighborhood group or extended family might save by buying in bulk directly from wholesalers and farmers.
Shopping
13. Try shopping with cash, taking only an allotted amount to the store.
14. Statistics indicate that people buy more when they are hungry or accompanied by others, especially children. (However, grocery shopping can be a good learning experience for kids; let them find all the coupon foods and comparison shop with you.)
15. Don’t dawdle. The longer you’re wandering through the store, the more chance of impulse buys.
16. Avoid convenience stores. They have higher prices and very few specials.
17. Guard against nonfood impulse buys that could end up in your cart, such as the latest DVD, perfumes or toiletries. Do you really need them?
18. Limit trips to the store. Multiple trips usually mean more incidental items added to the cart.
19. Try “catch-and-release” shopping with high-end items. Put that bottle of name-brand, extra-virgin olive oil in the cart, and while you finish the rest of your purchases, ask if it’s something you can live without. Then before you check out, put it back on the shelf. After all, dreaming is free. (However, if you end up convincing yourself to buy these things, or you forget to put them back, this method isn’t for you!)
Coupons
20. Use the coupon inserts in your Sunday newspaper ads.
21. To maximize coupon savings, use resources such as Pinchingyourpennies.com, the Grocery Guru at www.gurusdeals.com, or Couponsense.com, which help you to coordinate coupons with sales at local grocery stores. By using the coupon with the sale price, you can get items for a fraction of the cost.
22. Multiply the savings. Some people take multiple Sunday newspaper subscriptions for the coupons, and you can also ask your neighbors or relatives for the coupons from their paper.
23. Check other sources for coupons: the “blinkies” in the red boxes on grocery store shelves, home mailers, “peelies” that are peeled off the product itself and printables off Web sites.
24. Be wise about coupons. Sometimes a brand name with a coupon is still more expensive than a generic brand. And resist buying things you may not use just because you have a coupon.
25. Some grocery stores match competitor coupons if you have the advertisement with you.
26. Organize your coupons so you can use them efficiently. Bonnie Childress of Ogden uses a three-ring binder with clear photo pages or baseball card pockets. Others use a filing box and take out the coupons they will be using and clip them to their shopping list on their way to the grocery store.
27. Send in rebates. Teri Radmall of Eden puts all the money she receives from rebates in a separate account, and she’s now up to $200.
Cereals & baked goods
28. One reason people avoid buying cheaper bagged cereals is because they’re hard to store and pour. Store them in a plastic pitcher with a pour spout.
29. Consider how much you can save by cooking whole grains for breakfast instead of cold breakfast cereal. Homer Cook of Layton said as a welfare volunteer, he helped a single mother of three cut her breakfast costs from $1,000 per year to $58 per year by cooking cracked wheat (based on Honeyville Grain prices).
30. Buy whole-grain cereals and breads. They’re more filling, so you are satisfied with less. And they’re better for you.
31. Go ‘90s retro and pull out your old bread machine. Besides bread, it can be used for rolls and pizza dough.
32. Make croutons or bread crumbs from day-old bread or hotdog buns. The crumbs can be seasoned and used as a “shake-and-bake” chicken coating.
33. Seek out day-old bread “thrift” stores. But be wary of the temptation to overbuy empty calorie items such as cupcakes, potato chips and doughnuts.
34. Bake a batch of muffins from scratch for on-the-go breakfasts. Even if you use a mix, you’ll still save over bakery prices.
Produce
35. Buy fruits and vegetables in season when they’re cheaper and taste fresher. When compared to the price per pound of meat, cheese, chocolate, etc., they’re a nutritional bargain.
36. If you’re preparing a commercial meal kit (such as Hamburger Helper or a frozen pasta dinner), toss in a few more vegetables. Chopped bell peppers or celery, and frozen broccoli or peas add color, flavor and nutrition to what is usually a lot of starch, sauce and salt. They can also stretch the meal into more servings.
37. Ready-prepped veggies cost more but may be worth it if you actually use those peeled carrots or sliced mushrooms. A huge percentage of fresh produce goes to waste sitting in refrigerators.
38. A pound bag of chopped iceberg lettuce salad costs more (about $2) than a head of iceberg lettuce (approximately $1 per pound) that you clean and chop yourself. But if bagged salad greens keep you from buying restaurant salads, there’s still a savings.
39. If lettuce prices are up, vary your veggies. Consider cabbage, spinach, carrot or broccoli salads.
40. Grow your favorite herbs year-round in your kitchen window. It’s convenient to be able to cut a few sprigs as needed, and packets of fresh herbs can cost $1.50-$2 in grocery stores.
41. If you’re not up to planting a garden, add a few strawberry or tomato plants to your flower beds. You have to weed and water them anyway. Or add a fruit tree to your back yard.
42. Yellow onions are often 40 cents to 50 cents less per pound than red (purple) onions.
43. When your favorite fresh vegetables are offseason, look for canned and frozen versions. Do the math and figure out which offers the best price per serving.
44. Beans are an inexpensive protein. Add them to tacos, casseroles, salads, etc., so you can use less meat.
45. Dried beans, per cooked serving, are often less than half the price of canned beans. But they take a lot of time to cook. Soak a batch overnight in your slow cooker on low heat, then portion and freeze for later use.
46. Vegetables frozen in butter sauce usually cost more than plain frozen vegetables, and they have more fat and calories.
47. Price fruits with an eye on the cost-per-edible serving. If you are buying by the pound, you are also paying for any inedible seeds and rinds.
48. When buying fresh greens by weight, be sure to shake off the excess water before you put them in your cart. Water hidden in between the leaves adds weight and raises the cost.
49. Serve a vegetable “medley” when you have small amounts of several different vegetables. Mix together and microwave, and top with a little cheese or a sprinkle of nuts.
Dairy
50. Unless you buy powdered milk in bulk for a price break, you won’t save money over fresh milk. On a recent shopping trip, the Deseret News found that a box of generic-brand powdered milk that yields 31 cups of milk was $6.49. If you can buy fresh milk at $3 a gallon, you can get 32 cups for $6.
51. Buy a large container of yogurt and divide it into portions yourself. A 32-ounce container, at $2.79, yields four 8-ounce portions at 34 cents a serving. The same brand in single-serve containers was 50 cents each.
52. Milk fat costs. You can often save about 10 cents to 20 cents per gallon by dropping from 2 percent to 1 percent or skim.
53. If you use margarine instead of butter to cut costs, don’t use anything less than 100 percent margarine for baking. The lower-fat spreads have water and fillers that bake up poorly (and when poured over popcorn turn it to mush). Real butter is approximately $4 per pound; 100 percent margarine (such as Nucoa) can be $1.50 to $2 per pound. Save the less-expensive spreads for your toast.
54. Consider home delivery of milk and bread. It costs more, but it might save on extra trips to the store.
55. There is no nutritional difference between brown and white eggs; it has more to do with the color of the hen. White eggs usually cost less.
56. Freeze butter to keep its fresh flavor. Grate it, frozen, over toast, baked potatoes, etc. for portion control.
57. Finely shred cheese when topping pizzas, grilled ham and cheese, etc. You’ll use less.
Meat
58. Unless they’re on special, breasts are the most expensive part of the chicken. Boneless, skinless thighs offer the same convenience for less, and dark meat is more moist and flavorful anyway.
59. Take a cue from restaurant chefs who can make a small portion of meat or chicken look plentiful. They slice it thinly and fan out the slices on top of a mound of rice or potatoes.
60. Tough cuts of meat are usually cheaper. Place a beef brisket in you slow cooker in the morning and by dinner time you’ll have tender beef (and a tantalizing aroma in your kitchen).
61. Don’t throw out your bacon drippings. Some suggestions from Every Day With Rachael Ray magazine: Stir it into grits, use in place of oil when popping popcorn, saute bread cubes in it for croutons, add to cornbread batter, add to barbecue sauce and brush on ribs or chicken while they’re cooking.
62. Compare meat costs by servings, not pounds. Bony meats are cheaper per pound, but they yield less edible meat per pound.
63. Likewise, a large store-cooked rotisserie chicken at $6 is cheaper than buying a raw, 5-pound whole raw chicken at $1.30 per pound and cooking it at home. As a bonus, you can use the carcass and bits of meat on the bones to make chicken broth.
64. Although the price of eggs has nearly doubled in the past year, a $2 carton of eggs can still supply a protein-rich meal for a family of six. Scramble them with leftovers such as chopped ham, crumbled bacon, chopped peppers, onions and so on.
65. Buy ground beef in bulk quantities to get a better price. When you get home, divide meal-size portions in zip-lock bags and freeze.
Canned goods
66. Big cans are often cheaper, but not always. Check the price per unit guide on the grocery shelf, which shows the cost per ounce. Also, consider how you use the product. If you buy a big can of tomato sauce, use a little and end up wasting the rest, you’re better off buying the small can in the first place.
67. What to do with the last of the jam or jelly jar: Pour in some milk, refrigerate for a little while to loosen the jam stuck to the jar sides, and shake into a flavored drink.
68. Generic brands can save money. But try one can first before you invest in a whole case to make sure it appeals to your family.
69. Stockpile pantry items you normally use, such as spaghetti sauce or pasta, when they’re on sale. Keep a list of quick-fix possibilities on the inside of your cupboard door, such as spaghetti, meatball sub sandwiches, baked tortellini, etc.
Snacks
70. Invest in a popcorn popper. You can make 10 times as much popcorn for the same price as microwave popcorn. A three-pack box of microwave popcorn yields about 10 1/2 cups of popcorn for $2 to $3, depending on the brand. A $1.99 bag of regular popcorn yields 113 cups. You’ll have to add you own butter and salt, but you have more control over the amounts.
71. When making s’mores, instead of buying chocolate bars and graham crackers, place the marshmallow between two chocolate-striped cookies. A package of Keebler Fudge Shoppe cookies is approximately $3 and makes 15 s’mores. You’d spend at least that much money on chocolate bars alone.
72. Break the soda pop habit. If you normally drink a can per day, at 50 cents per can, you could pocket more than $180 a year.
73. Every time you have a few leftover strawberries, peach slices, etc., store them in the same zip-lock bag in the freezer. Then every so often, whir them all together in the blender for a smoothie snack.
74. If you like the look of designer bottled water, buy it once and keep refilling with tap water, which is free. Many bottled waters cost more per gallon than gasoline.
75. Use food as a reward sparingly. Make treats more significant by using them only for special occasions. With obesity on the rise, most people don’t need them on a regular basis.
76. Nip nighttime snacks. Go to bed a half-hour early and keep yourself from wanting a handful of chips while watching David Letterman. Your waistline will thank you.
Storage
77. Keep an eye on your pantry inventory so you use up all the pancake mix or corn syrup before buying more.
78. Oil goes rancid fairly quickly. Unless you use it often, buy in small quantities or refrigerate after using.
79. Post a “must use” list on the fridge to remind yourself of the half-empty can of pineapple, three hot dogs, etc. that will go bad quickly.
80. Label leftovers with date and contents before putting them in the freezer. You’ll actually use these things instead of having mystery containers stuck in the back of the freezer.
81. Use and rotate your food storage. If you aren’t using it, it is basically a waste of space and money. Rule of thumb: Store what you use and use what you store.
In the kitchen
82. Use smaller plates. Studies show that when people are served on larger plates, they take larger servings, whether they’re really hungry or not.
83. One night a week have leftover night. Pull out all the leftovers from other meals — the half-cup of spaghetti sauce, the slices of ham or stray chicken breast, the chunk of cheese, the corn or peas. Bake some potatoes and let everyone pick the leftovers for toppings.
84. Pack a lunch for the next day from dinner leftovers instead of eating out.
85. Use meals to stretch your entertainment dollars. Go on a picnic in a park or get out the Dutch oven pots, have a hot dog roast or go fishing and then cook your catch.
86. When serving buffet-style, put the low-cost items, such as salad or rolls, at the beginning of the line and the most expensive item — meat — near the end.
87. Have meatless Monday meals.
88. Homemade soups are a good way to use leftover meat and vegetables. Their liquid content also makes them more satisfying.
89. Pasta or rice can also stretch small amounts of food into a meal. Throw in chopped pepper, ribbons of spinach or basil, chopped tomatoes or chicken or ham.
90. Instead of serving fruit punch or juice at meals, use a pitcher of ice water with a few lemon or lime slices floating on top.
91. Use small appliances, such as the microwave, slow-cooker and electric frying pan; they use less energy than a stovetop.
92. Use the dishwasher only when completely full. Washing dishes by hand can cost more than one load in the dishwasher. Let the dishes air-dry rather than using the “dry” cycle.
93. Don’t open the oven door to preview baking food. Each time you open it, the temperature drops by 25-50 degrees. It takes longer to cook your food and adds to your energy bill.
Dining out
94. Use your gift certificates soon after getting them. Many have expiration dates.
95. Use frequent-diners’ cards. Some restaurants offer punch cards — if you buy 10 meals, the next one is free. For a family of six, it takes only two visits to earn a free meal.
96. Go out to lunch when entree prices are often a dollar or two less than dinner.
97. If a full-course dinner comes with soup, salad, drink and dessert, it’s only a great buy if you really want (or need) all that. You may be satisfied ordering an a la carte entree without the extras. Ditto combo meals in fast-food restaurants.
98. Guard against up-sell, when you’re asked if you want guacamole with your taco or extra cheese for the fondue. If it costs extra, you might not want it that much.
99. At fast-food restaurants, order a kids’ meal for yourself (if there’s no age limit). Most of the time, you’re getting a more appropriate portion of food (and a toy to boot!).
100. Watch beverage costs. Alcoholic drinks can double your tab, but even soft drinks can add $10 to $15 to the bill for a family of six. Water is a healthier choice anyway. Be sure to specify “tap” water, some restaurants may bring you bottled water at $3 or $4 per bottle.
101. If you feel you can’t afford to tip, choose a fast-food or fast-casual eatery where tipping isn’t expected. In sit-down restaurants, servers’ salaries are less than minimum wage. Tips make up the difference.
E-mail: vphillips@desnews.com
© 2008 Deseret News Publishing Company | All rights reserved
Be sure to bookmark this link, for winter gardening ideas and for all container gardening info, has good ideas and photos of each step.
granny
http://ellabellagarden.blogspot.com/
About building your own earth planter:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-your-own-Earth-Box/
Self watering recycled planter/vase:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Self-watering-recycled-vase/
Nice container gardening site:
http://www.containergardeningtips.com/
Good source of information:
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07238.html
http://www.frugalcooking.com/Recipes/shoestring_recipes/baking/soft_pretzels.html
Soft Pretzels
*If you plan to freeze these do not put salt on them until after you pull them from the freezer
4 to 4 ½ cups flour
2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
1 ½ cups milk
¼ cups sugar
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons salt
2 quarts boiling water
1 slightly beaten egg white
Sesame seed or coarse salt
In mixer bowl combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast in saucepan heat milk, sugar, oil and 1 ½ teaspoons salt just till warm (115 –120) stir constantly.
Add to flour mixture. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for ½ minute,scraping bowl. Beat 3 minutes at himgh speed.
Stir in as much of he remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon.
Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic(6-8 minutes) Shape into a ball.Place in lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface.
Cove; let rise in warm place till double( about 1 1/2 hours)
Punch down; turn out onto lightly floured surface,cover let rest 10 minutes. Roll into a 12x8 inch retangle. Cut into 16 strips, each 12 inches long and ½ inch wide. Roll each into a rope 16 inches long.Shape into pretzels.
Let rise, uncovered, 20 minutes.
Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in the boiling water. Lower 3 or 4 pretzels at a time into boiling water; boil for 2 minutes,turning once. Remove with slotted spoon to paper toweling; let stand a few seconds then place ½ inch apart on well greased baking sheet.
Brush with mixture of egg white and 2 tablespoons water. Sprinkle lightly with sesame seed or coarse salt. Bake in 350 oven 25 to 30 minutes or till golden brown.
http://www.frugalcooking.com/Recipes/shoestring_recipes/baking/whole_wheat_bagels.html
Whole Wheat Bagels
3 Cups warm water
1 ½ T yeast
2 T Honey
2 tablespoons Gluten
½ tablet 500 mg vitamin C Crushed
6 – 8 cups whole wheat flour
1 T Salt
Mix the first 5 ingredients plus 3 cups of the flour. Let stand for 15 minutes. Added the salt, and add the flour a little bit at a time, kneading till the dough becomes smooth and elastic, or in a mixer, until it cleans the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5 -7 minutes total.
Place in a greased bowl, cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until double in size. Punch and knead briefly to remove all the air bubbles. Divide into 12 equal portions. Roll each into a ball, and pinch a hole in the center. Slowly and carefully pull on the dough, to form small bagel size rings. Place on a greased Cookie sheet, cover and let rise for 5 to 10 minutes.
Bring about 3 inches of water to a slow simmering boil, add 2 tablespoons of honey. Dip each bagel into the water for 2 minutes on the first side, and 1 minute on the other side.
Place on a towel, to drain briefly, then transfer to a greased Cookie sheet. Brush with one egg white, mixed with a Tablespoon of water, and then place in a 425 oven for about 20 – 25 minutes till well browned.
If desired you can sprinkle Herbs, dehydrated onions, or Salt, on top of your bagels after you brush with the egg wash.
You can also add herbs, nuts, and dried fruits and spices to the bagels while you are kneading it.
Whole Wheat Bread
2 teaspoons yeast
½ cup warm water
6 cups whole wheat bread flour
2 ½ teaspoons salt
2 ¼ cups lukewarm water
2 tablespoons honey or other sweetener
2 tablespoons of oil or butter
Cooking Instructions:
Disolve the yeast in the ½ cup warm water. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl, stirring to make the flour fluffy; make a well in the mixture. Disovle the honey in the 2 ¼ cups water and add the oil if you choose to use it. Pour the liquids and the yeast mixture into the well in the flour.
Stirring from the center, first combine the ingredients to make a smooth batter; then fold in the remaining flour from the sides of the bowl, mixing them together into the well in the flour. Stirring from the center, first combine the ingredients to make a smooth batter; then fold in the remaining flour from the sides of the bowl, mixing them together into a soft dough.Since coarser flours take a while to absorb water, when using them allow a few minutes foe the complete absoption of the water before you evaluate the dough.Add water or flour if more are required. If you want really great bread-best flavor, best rise, best keeping quality – knead the dough for about 20 minutes, or 600 strokes without adding more flour.
The dough should remain soft, and should become elastic and smooth. Rest when-ever you want to , but aim for 600 strokes. If you have opted to use butter in this bread work it in after the gluten has really begun to develop,about halfway through kneading.The butter should not melt, but should be worked into the dough while still firm. The French way is to smear the butter in the tabletop and knead in bits of it at a time and if you are working by hand, this is easy and effective. As you continue to work the dough, toward the end of the kneading, it will become lustrous,utterly supple and elastic. It should actually be white, if you look closely, with brown bran flecks clearly visible against the pale gluten.
Form the dough into a smooth round ball and put it into a big clean bowl to rise. Protect the dough from drying out by covering it, and keep it in a warm draft free place to rise. At about 80 degrees this will take 1 ½ hours at 70 about 2 ½. Punch down and let rise a second time, the second rise will take about half as long as the first at the same temp. Punch down and form into two equal balls cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Shape into loaves place in two grease 8x4 loaf pans, and let rise once more.That should take 30 to 45 minutes for the final proof time.Preheat the oven to 425,place in hot oven and bake for 10 minutes turn temp down to 325 and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the bread test done.The loaves should leave the pans easily and be an even golden brown with no pinkish areas, and if you thump their bottoms with your fingertips, they should sound hollow.
Flour Tortillas
When making this recipe be sure to knead them well till smooth, don’t let them dry out, and do not use oil to cook them as possible the oil will make them crispy and stiff,rather than the soft you want them to be.
4 cups Flour
1 Tbls salt
pinch of baking powder
2 heaping Tbls shortening
1 1/2 cups hot water
Mix together well, knead until smooth. Divide into 2 inch diameter balls, and place in a covered greased bowl. Roll out thin(the thinner the better)on a floured table and cook on medium heat in an ungreased pan.
http://www.frugalcooking.com/Recipes/shoestring_recipes/breakfast/breakfast.html
Instant Oatmeal Mixes
This is a great substitue for costly packets of instant oatmeal. Make them up Ahead of time, for quick morning meals. My kids love them!!
3 cups Quick Cooking Oatmeal
8 plastic sandwich bags
Dash of salt
Take ONE cup of Oatmeal, and blend in blender till very coarse.
In each sandwich bag put:
1/4 cup quick cook oatmeal
2 tablespoons ground oatmeal
a scant dash of salt
Add one flavoring
Label bags and store in airtight container
To make a serving:
Empty packet into a bowl or large cup. Add 3/4 cup boiling water, stir and let stand for 2 minutes. For thicker oatmeal, use less water.
Special Flavorings:
Add any one of these additional flavorings to each bag to suit your taste.
Dried Fruit and Cream:
1 tablespoon dry milk (nonfat) or non dairy Creamer, and 2 tablespoons chopped dried fruit
Raisins and Brown Sugar:
1 teaspoon packed brown sugar and 1 tablespoon raisins
Spice Oatmeal:
1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and a scant 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Wheat Germ and Brown Sugar:
2 tablespoons wheat germ, and 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
Basic Granola
You may omit the wheat germ and flax meal, or you may substitute a multigrain cereal.
5 cups Oatmeal
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup honey
1 cup of nuts (your choice,sunflower,peanut, cashew, almonds or a mix of all the above.)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup flax meal
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon of salt
you may also add some of the variations from this page for a change of pace, or to use up your odds and ends in your cupboard.
Mix all ingredients in a very large bowl till well mixed. Spread on a cookie sheet and place in a 250 degree oven and bake for 2 1/2 hours. Allow to cool, then store in a ziploc baggie. This makes about enough to fill two gallon size ziplocs.
Sugar Free Granola
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 c. almonds
1/3 c. frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
3 T honey
1 T cinnamon
1 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c. dried fruit
1/2 c. raisins
Preheat oven to 300. Combine oats and almonds in bowl. Mix in juice concentrate. Add sugar and cinnamon and toss. Spread on cookie sheet. Bake 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in coconut and bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven; cool.
Add fruit and raisins to granola. Store in airtight container at room temperature.
Chewy Granola Bars
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
2 T. honey
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 c. flour
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 c. quick cooking oats
1 1/4 c. crisp rice cereal (rice krispies)
1 c. chopped nuts
1 c. raisins or chocolate chips, optional (I used the chocolate chips)
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add honey, vanilla and egg; mix well. Combine dry ingred; add to
creamed mixture. Stir in oats, cereal, and nuts. Add raisins or chocolate chips if desired. Press into a greased 13x9 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until top is slightly browned. Yield 2 dozen.
Chunky Granola (no oil added)
8 c Rolled oats
1 c Nuts (more if desired,
— up to double this amount)
1/2 c Sunflower seeds
1/2 c Whole millet
-OR- whole buckwheat groats
3 c Whole wheat flour (or more)
-OR- part cornmeal,
- rice flour,
- or other whole-grain flour
1 t Salt (or more, as desired)
1/2 c Honey (or more,
— up to double this amount)
1 c -Hot water, or up to:
2 c -Hot water *
1 t Vanilla
* Note: More water makes the granola chunkier, less makes it crumbly.
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl or pot, combine oats, nuts, seeds,
millet, flour, and salt. Mix together honey, water, and vanilla, and stir
into dry ingredients. Spread on a lightly oiled baking sheet and squeeze
mixture together to form small chunks, but don’t crowd; the chunks need to
bake clear through. Roast until golden brown, about 10 to 20 minutes.
(With the larger amount of water, reduce heat and bake longer.) As it
bakes the granola may need stirring to brown evenly. Cool thoroughly
before storing.
Variations: Replace part of the water with the freshly squeezed juice of 2
oranges (and add the grated rinds if the oranges were not sprayed with
pesticides), or use 2 teaspoons orange oil.
For “gingerbread” granola, use half molasses (for half honey) and add 2
teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger and 1/4 teaspoon cloves.
For a nice change, substitute maple syrup for honey.
http://www.frugalcooking.com/Recipes/shoestring_recipes/breakfast/breakfast_burritoes.html
Breakfast Burritoes
Breakfast Burritoes is another quick meal that is Frugal and can be made ahead of time, frozen and reheated in the microwave. Buy eggs,and breakfast meat on sale, and make your own tortillas for a super cheap but healthy breakfast.
12 Tortilla shells
1 dozen Eggs
2 potatoes cube into small squares
Breakfast Meat (package of bacon, sausage, 1/2 pound of ham cubed,canadian baconetc)
2 Green Peppers Diced
1 onion diced
2 Cups Shredded cheese ( a cheddar, Mojack mix is great for this)
Scramble the eggs, cook the potatoes,and the breakfast meat seperately. you may saute the onions and green peppers with the potatoes. place all the ingredients except cheese and tortillas in a large mixing bowl, and mix together, OR you can simply add a bit of each one to the tortilla shell. Add the cheese on top, then wrap the shell up burrito style. Wrap each one in plastic wrap then place them all in an airtight container, or ziploc baggie and freeze. To reheat loosen the plastic wrap around the burrito, just enough so that it can get air, but leave the burrito wrapped, microwave for approximately 3 minutes, remove plastic wrap and serve with mild salsa.
http://www.frugalcooking.com/Recipes/snacks/frugal_snacks.html
Graham Crackers
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 3/4 cup whole wheat flour or graham flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. cinnamon or to taste
1/2 cup water
Cream butter and sugar. Add combined dry ingredients alternately with water. Work it into thick paste. Let stand covered for 30 minutes.
Roll out one quarter of the dough at a time, on a floured surface, to 1/8 inch thick. Cut with a pizza cutter if desired.
Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet until the edges begin to brown, appx. 12 minutes at 350’
Corn Chips
1/2 c buttermilk
3 tbs oil
1/2 c toasted cornmeal
1/2 c whole-wheat flour
1/2 c yellow cornmeal
1/4 tsp soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt or paprika
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine buttermilk and oil. In mixing bowl, thoroughly stir together dry ingredients. Add milk mixture and stir until dough forms a ball. Knead on floured board about 5 minutes.
Divide dough in half. Roll each into a 12-inch square. Cut into 1-inch squares. Sprinkle with salt.
Bake on lightly oiled baking sheet for 15 minutes. Cool slightly before taking off baking sheet, finish cooling on rack.
Store in loosely covered container. 8-10 dozen chips
No-Fry Tortilla Chips
1 package (14 ounce size) tortillas (corn or 10-inch size flour)
Salt (optional)
Directions:
Immerse tortillas one at a time in water. Let drain briefly, then lay flat.
If desired, sprinkle tops lightly with salt.
Cut each tortilla into 6 to 8 wedges.
Cover a nonstick baking sheet with a single layer of tortilla wedges, salt side up. Place close together but do not overlap.
Bake in a 500 F oven for 4 minutes. Turn with a spatula; then continue to bake until golden brown and crisp, an additional 3 minutes for corn tortillas and 1 minute for flour tortillas. (Store in an airtight bag until ready to serve.)
Baked Potato Chips
2 large russet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
2 T. olive oil
1 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. coarse salt
Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine potatoes, oil and thyme in large bowl. Toss to coat with oil.
Arrange potatoes in single layer on 2 nonstick baking sheets. Bake until potatoes begin to brown on bottom, about 15 minutes.
Turn potatoes over, continue to bake until brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with salt.
Serves 4.
http://www.frugalcooking.com/Articles/wonderful_holiday_recipe_ideas.htm
Back of the Box Recipes
http://www.backofthebox.com
Wonderful Holiday Recipe Ideas
By Dawn Connors
The Holiday Season is upon us and soon we will be
frantically searching for yummy recipes to serve
our family and friends. Many of the leading food
manufacturers have spent 1000’s of hours testing
and perfecting recipes for you to enjoy.
The recipes below are a few of my favorites and
may become yours too!
**********
Basic Bread Stuffing
1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
12 cups bread cubes, white and whole-wheat bread
2 tbsp. McCormick® Parsley Flakes
1 tbsp. McCormick® Bon Appetit Seasoning
1 1/2 tsp. McCormick® Poultry Seasoning
1/2 tsp. McCormick® Ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
1. Melt butter in large skillet or Dutch oven, add
onion and celery, and sauté until onion is transparent.
2. Place bread cubes, parsley, Bon Appétit, poultry
seasoning, and pepper in large bowl and toss to combine.
Add to onion mixture and chicken broth and toss to coat
bread cubes lightly.
3. Stuff loosely into neck and breast cavities of bird
and truss bird. As an alternative, place stuffing in
casserole, cover, and bake with turkey or chicken during
last 45 minutes of cooking.
Variations:
Herb Stuffing: Add 1 of following to bread cubes: 2
teaspoons Rubbed Sage, 2 teaspoons Ground Thyme, or
2 teaspoons Ground Marjoram.
Chestnut Stuffing: Wash 1/2 pound chestnuts and cut
slits on both sides of shells. Bake in 500 degree F
oven 15 minutes. Cool. Remove shells and skin from
nuts and place nuts in salted water. Cover and boil
20 minutes. Drain and finely chop. If preferred, use
canned chestnuts, drained and chopped. Toss with bread
cubes.
Oyster Stuffing: Cook 1/2 to 1 pint small or medium-
size oysters in oyster liquor until the edges of oysters
curl. Drain and chop or leave whole as preferred. Toss
with bread cubes.
Makes 8 cups
This recipe courtesy of McCormick, Inc.
**********
Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Prep: 5 mins - Ready In: 17 mins
1/2 cup maple-flavored syrup
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 can (40 oz.) sweet potatoes, drained
BRING syrup and butter just to boil in large skillet
on medium heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer about 2
minutes.
ADD sweet potatoes. Cook on low heat 10 minutes, gently
turning sweet potatoes frequently to glaze. Garnish with
pecan halves, if desired.
Makes 6 servings
This recipe courtesy of Kraft Foods.
**********
Granny Shaffer`s Black Walnut Fudge Pie
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup cocoa
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups Hammons Black Walnuts
10-inch unbaked pie shell
Beat eggs slightly; add sugar, syrup, cocoa, melted butter
and vanilla. Whisk until thoroughly mixed. Measure black
walnuts into unbaked pie shell; cover with chocolate mixture.
Bake one hour at 350 degrees. Cool to room temperature.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Makes one 10-inch pie - 8 servings
This recipe courtesy of Hammons Black Walnuts.
**********
Spiced Holiday Coffee
Prep: 5 mins - Ready In: 5 mins
1/3 cup MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee, any variety
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 cup orange marmalade
3 cups cold water
PLACE coffee, cinnamon and cloves in filter in brew basket
of coffee maker. Place marmalade in empty pot of coffee maker.
PREPARE coffee with cold water. When brewing is complete, stir
until well mixed. Pour into large cups or mugs.
Serve with sugar, if desired.
Makes 6 servings
This recipe courtesy of Kraft Foods.
**********
Dawn Connors owns and operates Back of the Box Recipes
web site where you will find hundreds of brand name
recipes from leading manufacturers and producers.
For more recipe ideas visit her web site at:
http://www.backofthebox.com
http://www.healthychinesefood.com
With our busy lifestyles, it’s very easy to become
disenchanted with the prospect of having to prepare the evening
meal for yourself or your family, night after night. The
challenge is often more about what to cook, rather than the act
of cooking itself. Of course, after a busy day at work (or at
home), cooking a complicated meal is the last thing we feel
like doing.
Many of us love chinese food, but may not realise that it is
entirely feasible to prepare quick and simple healthy chinese
food at home using fresh and readily available ingredients.
Often, chinese food is presented as being rather complicated,
fussy and exotic; not the kind of food we might prepare at home
after a busy day. In fact, this is far from the truth, as there
are many recipes for healthy chinese food that are quick,
simple and easy to prepare.
The tremendous diversity of ingredients and cooking methods
means that it is also possible to cook meals that are delicious
and nutritious, as well as being quick and simple. Chinese food
can engender a feeling of health, vitality and wellbeing if
prepared correctly.
The following is an example of a dish that is delicious
comforting and easy to prepare and cook:
Lions head meatballs
Serves 4
Ingredients:
750 g / 26 oz minced pork
1 chopped red onion
4 chopped garlic cloves
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 can water chestnuts chopped
2 tbsps mushroom soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 cups chicken stock
Flour to bind pork balls
Peanut or vegetable oil to cook
4 whole bok choy
Directions:
Combine the pork, onion, garlic, ginger and chopped water
chestnuts together in a mixing bowl. Add the soy and sesame oil
and mix.
Make into small balls about the size of a golf ball. Roll in a
little flour to hold the meat balls together.
Stir fry the balls in a wok with a little peanut or vegetable
oil until brown (not completely cooked).
Heat the chicken stock in a separate saucepan and bring to a
simmer. Add browned pork balls to the stock and simmer on low
for 1 hour (or until the pork is cooked). Add washed and cut
bok choy after 30 minutes.
Serve with steamed rice with some light soy and sesame oil to
season.
This dish is the perfect comfort food, especially for a cooler
day. Preparing the pork mixture into balls is very easy using
your hands or two spoons. It needen’t cook for an hour if you
don’t have enough time, just as long as the pork is cooked
through. The stock will develop with a rich and intense
flavour, and the dish is ideal served on top of steamed rice.
For those of you who are gluten intolerant, use riceflour
instead of normal flour, and a gluten free soy sauce, such as
the wheat free Tamari soy products from San-J, and Eden brands
(and others).
Healthy chinese food offers flavour, colour, aroma, texture and
variety, and if the right recipes are used, is quick, simple
and easy to cook at home.
Try some more of our recipes and learn more about healthy chinese
food at www.healthychinesefood.com.
© James Ling 2005
www.healthychinesefood.com
Recipes, tips and info for quick and simple, easy and delicious
healthy chinese food for busy people.
3 Barbecue Chicken Recipes for Crockpots
By: Kara Kelso
Barbecue chicken is a popular dish, and there are probably millions of crockpot recipes out there. The purpose of this article is to only give you three crockpot recipes tat are only for barbecue chicken.
Scan through each one and decide which one sounds the best to you. Or, you can try all three out at different times to see which your family likes the best!
Recipe #1
1 Chicken, cut up and skin removed
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Place chicken in crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook 4 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low. Delicious!
Recipe #2
4-6 pieces chicken (I use boneless breasts)
1 bottle BBQ sauce
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. mesquite seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2-1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Mix BBQ sauce with all ingredients listed under it. Place chicken in crockpot. Pour sauce over all.
Cook slowly on low in crockpot about 4-6 hours. Serve with baked beans, potato salad and coleslaw.
Recipe #3
1 frying chicken cut up or quartered
1 can condensed tomato soup
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup vinegar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sweet basil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine all other ingredients and pour over chicken. Cover tightly and cook at “low” for 6-8 hours. Makes 4 servings.
Good luck with finding your favorite!
Article by:
About the Author: Kara Kelso is the mother of two, and owner of www.Idea-Queen.com . For more quick and easy recipes, visit: www.idea-queen.com/recipes-for-mom.html
http://www.allthingsfrugal.com/r.frugalcook.htm
18 Tips for the Frugal Cook
by Cyndi Roberts
1. When you make mashed potatoes, make an extra big batch and freeze leftovers in muffin cups. Once they are frozen transfer to a zipper bag. Just get out as many as you need and heat up in the microwave.
2. Use leftover beef stew to make beef potpie. Just put it into a shallow baking dish and place a pastry crust on top.
4. If you use applesauce to replace oil in baking, you can buy the large size jar. Pour leftover applesauce into a freezer container and freeze until the next baking day.
5. If your recipe says use an 11 x 7 x 2 inch pan and you don’t have one, you can use your 9-inch square baking pan instead and you won’t even have to adjust the baking time.
6. When you find chicken on sale, before you put it in the freezer, go ahead and coat it with seasoning mix. Then it’s so easy to just remove as many pieces as you need to thaw and bake.
7. Check the prices at your grocery store: it may be cheaper to use squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate than chocolate chips, when your recipe calls for melted chips.
8. An easy way to drain browned ground beef is to brown it in the microwave oven in a microwave-safe colander, so the fat drains into another bowl underneath.
9. When making carrot cake or muffins, try using baby food carrots instead of regular grated carrots, to save time.
10. For a thrifty dip for fresh fruit, add a little brown sugar and some cinnamon to vanilla yogurt.
11. Write your grocery list on the back of a used envelope. Your coupons go inside the envelope and everything’s handy!
12. Save your bacon grease to make a treat for your feathered friends this winter. Mix some birdseed in and put it in a shallow dish, maybe a leftover plastic meat tray, and place it in a handy place (for the birds) outside.
13. Adding a few grains of rice to your salt shaker will absorb moisture and reduce those clumps.
14. If you have school-age children, keep cupcakes in your freezer. When your child needs a treat for the next day, take them out and frost. You can even frost them while they’re still frozen.
15. If your chocolate chip cookies spread out when you bake them, chill the dough for an hour or so before baking.
16. Buy your fresh fruits and vegetables when they are in season and they will be cheaper.
17. Use frozen bread to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunches. Spread peanut butter on one slice and jelly on the other. The sandwich will be thawed by lunchtime and the jelly won’t soak in.
18. Do you need chunks of pineapple for a recipe and all you have is a can of pineapple slices? An easy way to make chunks is: take the top off the can and use a sharp knife to just cut through all the slices at once at several intervals.
Cyndi Roberts is the editor of the “1 Frugal Friend 2 Another” bi-weekly newsletter, featuring creative ideas and tips to help you “live the good life...on a budget!” Visit http://www.cynroberts.com to download a free “Recipe Sampler”. Subscribe to the newsletter and receive the free e-course “Taming the Monster Grocery Bill.
http://www.allthingsfrugal.com/r.microwave.htm
Frugal Microwave Cooking
by Cyndi Roberts
Microwave cooking can save you time and energy all year long. But it is especially nice in summer because it enables you to cook hot meals without heating up your home.
Microwave heat is produced only within the food, so the microwave oven stays cool and your house does, too, saving you money on your air conditioning bill!
In general, the microwave oven uses only one- fourth of the energy used by a conventional oven.
In order to get the most from using your microwave oven, remember these tips:
1. Covering most foods will speed up cooking.
2. Use round or oval dishes, instead of square or rectangle, for more even cooking.
3. If you are cooking two foods at the same time, choose foods that take about the same amount of time to cook.
4. Heating continues after food is removed from the microwave oven, so allow time for this additional cooking.
5. Arrange chicken pieces so that the thicker, meatier portions are toward the outside of the dish and the thin, bony parts are toward the center.
6. Foods containing sugar and fats cook faster.
Many of your family’s favorite recipes can be converted to a microwave recipe.
To figure microwave cooking time, start with one- fourth of the conventional time.
Always undercook—if more time is needed, you can always add another minute or two.
Use less liquid because there is not as much evaporation.
It may help to find a recipe that is similar to yours that is written especially for microwave ovens and use it as a guide.
Swiss Steak
3 tbsp. flour
1 lb. beef round steak, 3/4 inch thick
3 tbsp. dry onion soup mix - shake mix before measuring
1 tbsp. brown sugar
3 tbsp. water
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
Sprinkle half of flour on one side of meat; pound in with rolling pin or meat mallet. Turn meat and sprinkle with remaining flour; pound with rolling pin. Cut into 4 serving size pieces. Arrange in 8 inch round microwave baking dish.
In small bowl, combine all remaining ingredients, b lend well. Pour over meat. Cover tightly with microwave safe plastic wrap. Microwave on medium for 12 to 17 minutes or until meat is almost tender. Let stand tightly covered for 10 minutes. Serves 4.
Steamed Veggies
Vegetable (green beans, carrots, broccoli, whatever)
Small amount of water (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup)
Put veggies and water in a microwave-safe container and cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap loosely, so steam can escape.
Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute at time, until done to desired tenderness.
Microwave Raspberry Cake
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves
1/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream butter and sugar in large bowl. Mix in preserves. Blend well. Add sour cream and eggs. Beat well. Blend together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add gradually to first mixture, beating well.
Pour batter into greased 8-inch round microwave-safe dish. Microwave on full power for 4 to 5 minutes or until top springs back when pressed with finger.
Cool. Frost with Raspberry Frosting.
Raspberry Frosting
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups powdered sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves
Combine butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, vanilla extract and preserves. Blend well. Add remaining 1 cup powdered sugar and stir until smooth. Spread on cake.
Cyndi Roberts is the editor of the bi-weekly newsletter “1 Frugal Friend 2 Another”, bringing you practical, money-saving tips, recipes and ideas. Visit her online at http://www.cynroberts.com to subscribe and receive the Free e-course, “Taming the Monster Grocery Bill.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.