Some Tightwad Recipes

I came across some potentially useful recipes in the Tightwad Gazette and thought I'd share. I haven't tried them yet, but probably will eventually. Let me know if you end up trying any of them and how they turn out.

Tightwad Hot Cocoa Mix
Mix 1/3 cup of dry milk with 1 teaspoon cocoa and 1 teaspoon sugar. Add 1 cup of hot water, or mix with cold water and heat in microwave.

Worcestershire Sauce
Put in a large pot:
1 onion, chopped (or 3 teaspoons onion powder)
3 teaspoons ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Add:
2 cups vinegar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 Tablespoons lemon juice

Mix together and add to pot:
3 Tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup water

Bring to a boil and simmer 1/2 hour. While spices are boiling, caramelize 1/2 cup sugar in a heavy skillet and stirring over high heat. Move sugar back and forth as it starts to melt and brown. Lower heat. Move sugar continuously and keep chopping at it, breaking the lumps until it is almost black and soupy, but not burned. Add carmelized sugar to other pot. Cook another 1/2 hour. Store in refrigerator. Flavor will improve with age.

Homemade Crackers
These are supposed to taste similar to Wheat Thins.

3 cups uncooked oatmeal
2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup wheat germ
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup oil
1 cup water

Mix ingredients and roll out onto two cookie sheets (use a plastic tumbler for this). Sprinkle with salt and lightly roll again to press the salt in. Cut into squares or diamonds (a pizza cutter works well). Bake at 350 degrees. After 20 minutes, begin checking. The outer ones are usually ready first. Remove crackers as they turn golden brown and hard.

Whipped Topping
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 teaspoons cold water
3 Tablespoons boiling water
1/2 cup ice water
1/2 cup dry milk powder
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons oil

Chill a small bowl. Soften gelatin in the cold water, then add the boiling water, stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Cool until tepid. Place the ice water and milk powder in the chilled bowl. Beat at high speed until it forms peaks. While still beating, add the sugar, then the oil and the gelatin. Place in the freezer for about 15 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator. Stir before using. Makes 2 cups for about 27 cents.

Remedy to Vanquish Fruit Tree Bugs
2 liter plastic bottle
string
1 banana peel
1 cup sugar
1 cup strong vinegar

Slice banana peel into strips and insert them into the plastic bottle. In a separate container, combine sugar and vinegar. Pour this mixture into the bottle, then fill it to within 2 inches of the neck with water. Tie the string around the neck of the bottle. Then tie the other end around the lower branches of the tree. Fruit and black flies, yellowjackets, and other insects find the fermenting banana, sugar and vinegar more appealing than the fruit on the tree. Once they fly in, they get caught in the sticky mixture and drown. This reportedly works so well that it can make spraying fruit trees unnecessary.

Seasoned Salt
8 Tablespoons salt
3 Tablespoons pepper
2 Tablespoons paprika
1/2 Tablespoon onion powder
1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Taco Seasoning Mix
6 teaspoons chili powder
4 1/2 teaspoons cumin
5 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons onion powder
2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients. Store in an airtight container. The homemade mix is twice as strong as the store-bought one, so add only half as much.