3-4pd. pork roast, add 1 medium sliced onion,1qt.jar of homemade sauerkraut (or 2cans of sauerkraut),caraway seed, pepper&salt,1/2 stick butter or margarine,add water to the roast alittle less than half the crockpot.Mix up your dumplings using bisquick mix or homemade dumplings, put on top of roast and kraut,by the tablespoons, cover and enjoy later.
This post was submitted by ridgerunner.
1 lb frozen french cut green beans
1 can cream of celery soup or 10 oz of the homemade equivelant.
1 cup slivered toasted almonds
Mix green beans with 1/2 cup almonds and the cream of celery soup and place in a greased casserole dish. Top with remaining almonds and bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes.
This post was submitted by Carly Anne St.Clair.
Suggested ingredients and amounts (all are adjustable to your taste)
3-4 cups cooked rice
1 cup broccoli florets or peas
2-3 scrambled eggs
1-2 cooked and cubed chicken breasts (optional)
1 bottle sweet and sour sauce
Put all ingredients in a bowl while they’re hot, add sauce, and mix.
This post was submitted by Terri.
4 small oranges
2 cups sugar (or sugar substitute)
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup chopped unpeeled apple
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Cut oranges in half and scoop out orange segment with sharp teaspoon or grapefruit spoon. In 3-quart saucepsn, combine all the ingredients. Heat to boiling and simmer until the cranberries start to pop and are cooked. Do not overcook; remove from heat when about 1/4 have popped.
When cool, spoon chutney into jars and refrigerate. Good with turkey, ham and/or chicken.
This post was submitted by Kaye Brown.
November 18th 2009
Editorial
I bought my turkey yesterday and am slowly but surely getting ready for Thanksgiving. How about you? Are you cooking for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year? If so, take a look at the holiday planning guides my friend Christine from Menu Planning Central has put together. I love the tips she shares in her guides as well as the to-do lists. She even shares complete menus and shopping lists for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’ve been using her to-do lists and a modified version of her shopping list for a couple of years now and it really helps keep me organized.
You can buy the holiday guide for $20 here:
http://www.menuplanningcentral.com/holiday.html
or you can join Menu Planning Central and receive the guides as part of your membership.
http://www.menuplanningcentral.com/main.html
And since we’re getting so close to Thanksgiving, I thought I’d share last year’s special Thanksgiving Edition of the Hillbillly Housewife Newsletter with you. You can read it here:
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/blog/?page_id=553
A big THANK YOU goes out to everyone that submitted a holiday recipe. The Holiday Recipe Section is still growing nicely and all the old recipes have been added to it.
Of course there’s still time to submit your own favorite recipes. Just click on the link below and fill out the form to share your family’s favorite Holiday recipes with all of us here at HillbillyHousewife.com.
That’s it for this week. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. Feel free to email me at susanne@hillbillyhousewife.com
Warm Regards,
Susanne - The Hillbilly Housewife
Inspirational Quote
Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them - every day begin the task anew. - Saint Francis de Sales, 1567-1622
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Order the Menu Planning Central Holiday Planning Guide here for $20
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News From The HBHW Club
This is a new section of the newsletter. Each week I’m going to share some tidbits of what’s going on at the HBHW Club with you. I hope you enjoy these extra tips, recipes and ideas and of course would love to have you join the club.
As a HBHW newsletter subscriber, you can join for only $10 per month here: http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
And to make it even easier, I’ll let you try it out for just a dollar for the first 7 days.
Here’s one of the recipes that were submitted this past week.
Orange Date Bread
* 2 Tblsp. butter
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 egg, beaten with fork
* 1 large orange, juiced
* boiling water, enough to make 1 cup with juice from orange
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1 cup dates – chopped
* 1 orange rind – chopped
* 2 cups flour
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup chopped nuts (your choice)
Cream butter and sugar with mixer, then add beaten egg and mix together well.
Put juice from orange into separate bowl, add boiling water until you have 1 cup total, stir in baking soda.
Put chopped dates and orange rind in food processor or blender and pulse until chopped fine but not mushy.
Pour the orange juice mixture over the dates and orange rind.
Add this mixture to the butter/sugar mixture, then stir in the flour and salt. Stir in vanilla, then add nuts and mix together well.
Put in greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour in 300 degree oven.
And here are some of the other recipes that have been added in the past few days.
All in all, we have over 230 new recipes in the member area already.
What else has been going on at the HBHW Club? We’ve been talking about planning Thanksgiving meals and sharing some of our favorite recipes, holiday gift ideas and finding inexpensive yarn for us knitting addicts out there. I’m sure you have a lot to contribute to the conversation. Ready to join us? Try The HBHW Club for only $1. We’d love to have you! http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Featured Article
Today I’d like to share an article on Once a Month Cooking with you by Peg Baron. OMC just didn’t work for either one of us, but we’ve both come up with ways to make homemade freezer meals work for us. I hope you’ll enjoy reading about and more importantly trying some of the cooking tips she’s sharing in this article.
Once a Month Cooking Just Didn’t Work For Us
Frugal Tips
Grocery List
I make a grocery list with the following heading: Meats, Produce, Dairy, Can Goods, Frozen, & Misc: No Eat.
In doing this I can get in and out of the grocery store without back tracking through t …
Frugal Vegetable Soup Mix
I keep leftover vegetables in a gallon bag in the freezer. When the bag is full, it’s simple to add hamburger or other meat and make a great soup or stew since the vegetables are already seasone …
Do you have a tip to share? Fill out the submit a frugal tip form and I’ll be glad to add it to the site and share your tip in an upcoming edition of the newsletter.
Recipes
Here are some of the most recent recipes that have been added to the HBHW site. Enjoy!
A Different Green Bean Casserole
1 lb frozen french cut green beans
1 can cream of celery soup or 10 oz of the homemade equivelant.
1 cup slivered toasted almonds
Mix green beans with 1/2 cup almonds and the cream of celery soup and …
Sweet and Sour Chicken and Rice
Suggested ingredients and amounts (all are adjustable to your taste)
3-4 cups cooked rice
1 cup broccoli florets or peas
2-3 scrambled eggs
1-2 cooked and cubed chicken breasts (optional)
1 bottle swe …
Cranberry Chutney
4 small oranges
2 cups sugar (or sugar substitute)
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup chopped unpeeled apple
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginge …
Delicious Beans and Potatoes
Make mashed potatoes. While they are cooking take cooked pinto beans, drained, cooked kidney beans, drained, or a mix, or leftover bean soup or leftover beans that kidney or pinto beans are in them, …
Do you have a recipe you would like to share? Click here to send it to me and I’ll be happy to add it to the website.
I’m Looking For:
This section is going to be all about you. If you are looking for a particular recipe or a tip on how to do something, submit it here and I will post it in an upcoming newsletter. I’ll give you my input and other readers of the newsletter will have the opportunity to share their recipes and tips as well. So take a moment to post your questions and of course if you have a tip or idea for any question posted in this section feel free to leave a comment under the appropriate post.
I’m Looking For Requests
In search of gluten-free lemon bars
Lemon bars are an economical sweet and have always been my favourite but now I must cook gluten-free meals (no wheat or wheat byproducts, read flour, etc., etc., - everything, especially prepared food …
Closet Damp Absorber
Hi
Just wondering in any readers have any ideas on how to make your own closet damp absorber, you know the sort that collects the humid water in linen closets etc.
Gayle
This post was submitted by gay …
Egg Nog Recipes
I am looking for a variety of egg nog recipes out there. If you have a great traditional recipe, or one with a different twist or flavor to it, I’d love to hear about it.
This post was submitted …
Homemade Johnson’s No More Bedhead spray
I have boys with thick hair that needs quick taming in the morning. Plain water isn’t controlling it. I sometimes use No More Bedhead or No More Tangles, but it’s too costly anymore. I won …
Cooking Turkey
Last year there was a post on how to use your oven as a slow cooker and cook a turkey overnight. My turkey turned out fantastic!! But, I lost my directions. Please help!
This post was submitted by …
Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Homemade
looking for homemade chicken and dumplings made the old- fashioned way.thank you.
From Susanne - Here’s my chicken and dumplings recipe. My biggest trick is to start the day before by cooking th …
Sweet Potatoe Cassarole
I am looking for a sweat potatoe cassarole that has the marshmellowes on top and has a thick like syrup and fruit cocktail in it. my aunt used to make it but she passed away and no one remembered to b …
Pie Shell Cake
I’m looking for a recipe for a cake that was baked in a pie shell. It may have had chocolate syrup on the bottom. It was great and my kids loved it. Now I would like to make it for the grandk …
Removing Rocks in Beans
Does anyone have a method for removing all the pebbles from pinto & other dried beans?
This post was submitted by Nancy.
I’m Looking For Responses
Below you will find some of the recent responses to the “I’m Looking For” Requests. You may also want to go directly to this section and browse through all the recent submissions and replies. To do so, click on “I’m Looking for” here, and start looking through them.
Comment on Apron Evangelism by Debie
Just wanted to say thanks for reminding me why I wear my apron!! Actually my daughter thought I wasn’t feeling well the other day when I didn’t put it on in the morning. Amazing how one gets in a ha …
Comment on Low Cal recipes by Nancy R.
If you search Diabetic recipes, and weight watchers recipes they are all low calorie. I did weight watchers for 2 years now, 1 year in meetings and 1 year on my own and am 10 lbs from my goal weight. …
Comment on Crockpot Cranberry Pork by ridgerunner
Comment for Joni… your recipe is so darn good!!! Fried Potato’s and onion’s on the side and hope to eat it all for yourself. I love to cook with pork, for that matter. The aroma this time of year is …
Comment on Indian Pudding Recipe by DE
Nadine - notice this site is titled “hillbillyhousewife”…probably not a place to spread enlightenment.
Comment on Closet Damp Absorber by brande
baking soda
Comment on Quick Sugar Cookies by Angela
These cookies are so good and easy to make. I did use real unsalted butter instead of margarine and increased the milk by 1/2 to 1 tsp. They turned out perfect. I will make these again, (as the fir …
Comment on Haitian Spaghetti Sauce by Nick
Try this recipe. It’s worked for me.
http://i-jat.blogspot.com/2008/10/haitian-spaghetti.html
Comment on Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Homemade by kitty wilson
I have always made mine by boiling the fryer with onion, celery and poltery seasoning as well as salt and pepper.
I also completely cover the chicken and save some of the broth to freeze to use for …
Comment on In search of gluten-free lemon bars by veronica
i would try a almond crust and a lemon custard topping made with egg yolks and cornstarch. Depending on which side of the fence you are on, you could use oatmeal. Many people beleve that oats are gl …
Inspirational Story
THE SHIPWRECK
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky.
The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. “God, how could you do this to me!” he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. “How did you know I was here?” asked the weary man of his rescuers. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied.
It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly. But we shouldn’t lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground–it just may be a smoke signal that summons The Grace of God.
Final Thought
That’s it for this edition of the Hillbilly Housewife Newsletter. I hope you’ve had as much fun reading it as I had creating it for you. I also hope that you have found the information helpful and useful. And by all means feel free to forward the newsletter to family and friends or even better, encourage them to subscribe to it.
Do you have a question, a tip, a recipe or a story you’d like to share with us? Email it to me and I’ll include it in a future issue. Can’t wait to see what you have to say.
Warm Wishes,
Susanne - The Hillbilly Housewife
Since Thanksgiving in the US is just a few days away, I thought I’d share some of my favorite frugal Thanksgiving decorating tips.
Make mashed potatoes. While they are cooking take cooked pinto beans, drained, cooked kidney beans, drained, or a mix, or leftover bean soup or leftover beans that kidney or pinto beans are in them, and put them in a processor until relatively smooth. May add salt, spices, especially chili powder &/or cumin. Heat, then turn off burner and add grated mozzerella cheese. Serve beans over mashed potatoes. I enjoy serving this with stir-fried veggies, and add them to the beans and potatoes.
This post was submitted by Janet Ellis.
looking for a from scratch recipe for cornbread that tastes like the Jiffy brand. I’ve tried adding sugar to some recipes, but they still don’t taste similar. My son prefers this to southern style and there are times when I just don’t want to run out to the store.
thanks!
This post was submitted by Cheryl.
Lemon bars are an economical sweet and have always been my favourite but now I must cook gluten-free meals (no wheat or wheat byproducts, read flour, etc., etc., - everything, especially prepared foods of all sorts seems to have wheat as an ingredient!). I can ‘jerry rig’ a pastry bottom for the bars using rice flour and other non-wheat flours but I wondered if I needed to re-invent the wheel. Anyone out there preparing low-cost gluten-free foods?
This post was submitted by Lesley Prince.
Hi
Just wondering in any readers have any ideas on how to make your own closet damp absorber, you know the sort that collects the humid water in linen closets etc.
Gayle
This post was submitted by gayle.
I am looking for a variety of egg nog recipes out there. If you have a great traditional recipe, or one with a different twist or flavor to it, I’d love to hear about it.
This post was submitted by Marie Adams.
I have boys with thick hair that needs quick taming in the morning. Plain water isn’t controlling it. I sometimes use No More Bedhead or No More Tangles, but it’s too costly anymore. I wondered if anyone had a recipe for something I can spray on their hair that won’t gunk it down too much. I tried adding a little conditioner to the water, but it makes their hair dirty very quickly, and getting them in the bath every other day is challenge enough! Thank you!
This post was submitted by Terra Darnall.
Last year there was a post on how to use your oven as a slow cooker and cook a turkey overnight. My turkey turned out fantastic!! But, I lost my directions. Please help!
This post was submitted by Stephanie Erquiaga.
looking for homemade chicken and dumplings made the old- fashioned way.thank you.
From Susanne - Here’s my chicken and dumplings recipe. My biggest trick is to start the day before by cooking the chicken then. That gives you time to let the chicken stock cool so you can skim all the fat of the top.
I’m sure there are plenty of other good recipes for this dish out there. I can’t wait to hear yours. Please share it in a comment below.
This post was submitted by rebecca.
I make a grocery list with the following heading: Meats, Produce, Dairy, Can Goods, Frozen, & Misc: No Eat.
In doing this I can get in and out of the grocery store without back tracking through the store several times.
I can then save time and money cause it will not put temptation in front of me several times.
This post was submitted by Connie Coodey.
I am looking for a sweat potatoe cassarole that has the marshmellowes on top and has a thick like syrup and fruit cocktail in it. my aunt used to make it but she passed away and no one remembered to bring any last year.
This post was submitted by Stacey.
I’m looking for a recipe for a cake that was baked in a pie shell. It may have had chocolate syrup on the bottom. It was great and my kids loved it. Now I would like to make it for the grandkids.
This post was submitted by Robbie Baumgartner.
I keep leftover vegetables in a gallon bag in the freezer. When the bag is full, it’s simple to add hamburger or other meat and make a great soup or stew since the vegetables are already seasoned and cooked. A great time-saver for busy evenings, and a delicious and frugal alternative to takeout.
This post was submitted by Ann Price.
If you’ve read my freezer cooking guide, you know that I tried Once a Month Cooking (OMC), but it just didn’t work for me. Instead I’ve developed a system of cooking and freezing meals on an ongoing basis and then pulling them out for dinner whenever we have an extra busy day (or I just don’t feel like doing much cooking).
I came across the article below and was glad to see that I wasn’t the only OMC drop out. I hope you’ll enjoy Peggy’s freezer cooking tips as much as I have.
Confessions of a Once-A-Month-Cooking Drop-Out
By Peg Baron
Okay, I admit it. I’m a Once-A-Month-Cooking drop-out. I tried to make a month’s worth of meals for the freezer, but I couldn’t come up with enough time or enough meals. Next I tried to make 2 weeks of meals for the freezer and stopped because I ran out of dishes, freezer bags, and patience. I had good intentions, but I’m just not that organized.
Even though I flunked OAMC, my freezer is not empty. I do have a few tricks up my sleeve that I’d like to share.
Buy hamburger in bulk. I usually get about 7-8 pounds at a time. Divide the hamburger out into 1 pound increments, wrap in foil, and store in the freezer for later use when hot-off-the grill hamburgers sound good. Brown the rest of the meat with some chopped onions, drain the grease, and wrap each pound in foil. These you defrost when you want tacos, spaghetti, sloppy joes, or some casserole that you’re making up as you go according to what you have leftover in your fridge. Just think, you’ve gotten your stove all greasy just once instead of 5 times. And did you know — frozen browned hamburger defrosts a lot quicker than frozen raw hamburger which is a plus when you have several starving children that want to eat NOW.
Pick up some boneless, skinless chicken breasts in bulk too. Grill these with a minimum of seasonings, cool, and chop into bite-size pieces. Toss them in freezer bags and toss those bags in the freezer. Got a chicken pasta, or chicken salad, or chicken noodle soup to make? Reach in the freezer and grab yourself a handful of chicken that’s ready to go. This works great with bacon too. Add your cooked, crumbled, and frozen bacon to salads, beans, or scrambled eggs.
When you make soup, or a casserole, or any meal that can be frozen, double the recipe. We all know how time consuming and messy (well, for me it’s messy) it is to make lasagna, why not make two and only clean your kitchen once? Sometimes I just make 2 smaller ones without doubling the recipe. Soup is easy to make a large amount of. You can divide soup into any smaller amounts you want, usually depending on what size containers you have available. Save on freezer space by using zipper freezer bags. Just be sure to double the bags.
Here’s a chance to really use your food processor before you have to break it down and wash all the parts. Chop up onions, green peppers, carrots, or whatever else you can think of that freeze well (not potatoes) and that you like to add to a casserole, soup, or dish. Put them in small baggies inside a bigger freezer bag.
Soak your dry beans overnight, rinse, and put them in serving size freezer bags. Next time you want to make beans or bean soup, you’ve already got the first step out of the way. The beans won’t take as long to cook either. If you want to take it one step further you can cook the beans before you put them in the freezer.
A big tip is to always label your freezer bags or storage containers. Trust me, you will not remember what is in the bag and the food won’t look exactly like it did when you put it in the bag.
These tips won’t give you complete meals to pull out of your freezer every day for a month; they’re more like guidelines to shortening your steps to a quickly prepared meal. The benefits are fewer trips down fast food alley, fewer dollars spent on food, and more nutritious meals for your family.
Peggy Baron cooks with her kids in Colorado, and runs http://www.cookinkids.com which is a website devoted to helping other parents and kids have fun together in the kitchen. Peggy is the editor of the popular Cookin’ Kids Newsletter. Each bi-monthly newsletter has fun facts, recipes, jokes, games, cooking safety, and cooking terms wrapped around a different theme.
Ready to get started freezer cooking yourself? Get a copy of my Freezer Cooking Made Simple guide and get started today.
Here’s another one of my crockpot dressing recipes. My husband prefers this cornbread version. I usually make the cornbread the night before and leave it sitting on the kitchen counter covered with a clean tea cloth.
Grease slow cooker. Crumble cornbread into a large mixing bowl. Add all ingredients except the butter. Pour dressing mixture into the slow cooker and dot with butter. Cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4 hours.
Ready to learn more about crockpot cooking? Get my Crockpot Cooking Made Simple ebook today and find out how you can work this into your meal plan, how to choose a good crockpot and most importantly how to convert your favorite recipes to work in a slow cooker.
My biggest challenge on Thanksgiving has always been getting my stuffing or dressing done before the turkey got cold. I don’t like to cook it in the bird, but cooking it in the oven takes quite some time and since I have only one, it’s always been a bit tough to time things right. For the past few years, I’ve been making it in the crockpot instead. Here’s the recipe.
Melt butter in a skillet and saute onion and celery until they are tender. The onion will start to turn translucent. Add the parsley and pour the mixture over the bread cubes. I put the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl first. Add the seasonings and stirr well. Add the broth and eggs and mix until everything is well combined. Scoop it into the crockpot and cook on high for 50 minutes, then turn to low and cook 4 hours.
Ready to learn more about crockpot cooking? Get my Crockpot Cooking Made Simple ebook today and find out how you can work this into your meal plan, how to choose a good crockpot and most importantly how to convert your favorite recipes to work in a slow cooker.
1 cup dried red beans
4 cups water, (or more if needed)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco pepper sauce
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (or 1/4 cup onion flakes)
1 finely chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves chopped garlic (or a good dash of garlic powder)
1/2 pound spicy smoked sausage, sliced
2 cups diced ham
salt and pepper to taste
Sort through your beans and add them to your crock pot along with the water. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or until the beans are tender. If you prefer, you can also cook the beans on low overnight. Just increase the water to 5 cups.
Add the seasonings, vegetables and meat. Cook on low for another 4 hours or on high for 2 hours. You may need to add a little more water if the mixture gets to thick.
Serve with cooked white rice.
Ready to learn more about crockpot cooking? Get my Crockpot Cooking Made Simple ebook today and find out how you can work this into your meal plan, how to choose a good crockpot and most importantly how to convert your favorite recipes to work in a slow cooker.
3 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
3 Tbl. butter
8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 ¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Start by cooking the pasta in boiling, salted water for 5 minutes. Drain it well and add the macaroni to your crock pot.
Put everything else in and stir. Cook on high for about 3 hours, stiring your mac and cheese every 30 minutes.
This crock pot marcaroni and cheese dish is perfect for potlucks or big holiday meals.
Ready to learn more about crockpot cooking? Get my Crockpot Cooking Made Simple ebook today and find out how you can work this into your meal plan, how to choose a good crockpot and most importantly how to convert your favorite recipes to work in a slow cooker.
When I was a little girl, goulash and noodles was one of my favorite meals. I remember my mom simmering this dish on the stove all afternoon. I don’t always have the time to stand by the stove for hours to stir the pot. I modified my mom’s recipe a bit and cook it in the crockpot instead. Our whole family loves this and it makes a great weekday meal. Just add a vegetable, a salad or some cut up fruit and sit down and enjoy a big plate of goulash and noodles.
Add the meat, onion and garlic to your crockpot.Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together the water, tomato paste and paprika and pour it over the meat mixture. Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.
Get out a small bowl and whisk together the flour, water and sour cream. Stir it into your cooked beef mixture and cook it uncovered on high for 15 to 20 minutes. You’ll notice that the sauce will start to thicken. Serve the goulash over the noodles.
Ready to learn more about crockpot cooking? Get my Crockpot Cooking Made Simple ebook today and find out how you can work this into your meal plan, how to choose a good crockpot and most importantly how to convert your favorite recipes to work in a slow cooker.
I don’t like Pumpkin Pie as I got sick on it when I was a kid, however I always felt cheated at Thanksgiving time when everyone else was eating their Pumpkin Pie. Not anymore tho do I feel cheated since I have this recipe. Try it , it’s DELICIOUS!!! B. J. S.
PUMPKIN CRISP
1-15 oz. Can of Pumpkin
1 Cup Evaporated Milk
1 Cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 Cup Chopped Pecans
1 Cup Melted Butter (1 stick)
Stir together the first 5 ingredients (Pumpkin,milk,sugar,vanilla,& cinnamon)
and pour into a lightly greased pan 13″x9″ pan
Spread Cake Powder evenly over Pumpkin mixture,
then sprinkle Chopped Pecans over top of the cake powder
Then Drizzle Melted Butter over top and BAKE at 350 for 35-45 min. or until Golden Brown
Let Stand 10 Minutes
Serve Warm with a Glob of Cool Whip ____________________________________________________________
This post was submitted by Betty J. Smith.
There is nothing better on a cold day than a cup of homemade beef stew and a big hunk of homemade bread or a biscuit. My favorite way to cook my beef stew is in the crockpot. It can slowly simmer away all day while I go about my busy day. At dinner time the veggies are tender and the stew meat just melts in your mouth. Yum!
Add the potato, carrots, onion and beef into the bottom of the crockpot. Mix the soy sauce, spices and flour. Add the broth and tomato sauce and whisk with a fork until everything is well combined. Pour it over the meat and vaggies and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. If you are in a hurry, you can cook it on high for about 4 hours.
Ready to learn more about crockpot cooking? Get my Crockpot Cooking Made Simple ebook today and find out how you can work this into your meal plan, how to choose a good crockpot and most importantly how to convert your favorite recipes to work in a slow cooker.
* 1 lb chicken, cut up into small chunks
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 1 can chicken broth
* 2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
* 2 tsp Cumin seed
* 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
* 3 -15oz cans white beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 or 2 chopped red, green or yellow bell peppers, or combination
* 1 small can jalapenos, chopped
Add the chicken, onions, broth and spices to your crockpot and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Add the drainded beans and peppers and cook for another hour.
Ready to learn more about crockpot cooking? Get my Crockpot Cooking Made Simple ebook today and find out how you can work this into your meal plan, how to choose a good crockpot and most importantly how to convert your favorite recipes to work in a slow cooker.
1/2 stick butter softened at room temp.
2 T chopped fresh sage
1/2 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
3 parsnips, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and cubed
2 leeks, chopped, white part only
Heat oven to 350.
put softened butter in a bowl and add chopped sage and salt if using.
Spray a roasting pan with vegetable spray. Add cut up squash, parsnips and carrots. Save leeks for later. Dab pats of sage butter on top of vegetables. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until almost tender. Add leeks and stir to coat with melted butter. Roast an additional 15 minutes.
This post was submitted by Molly.
Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. When butter has melted, add the onion and carrots and cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. De-glaze with the orange juice and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor or a blender. Puree the mixture until smooth, then return to pot over medium heat. To mixture, add the butternut squash puree and the chicken broth and stir to combine. Adjust the seasoning. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Grate some fresh nutmeg and stir to combine.
Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped thyme and orange zest.
This is a wonderful soup to fix anytime in the fall but for some reason I always fix it for Thanksgiving. I put it in the slow cooker after it is cooked and leave it on the counter so if anyone is hungry before dinner is ready they can have a tasty cup of soup to hold them over. I think it is much better than a lot of other appetizers and much better for them.
By HBHW reader CeCe
This quiche is a favorite at our house as a Saturday or Sunday breakfast / brunch dish. It also works well if you have a potluck dish you need to whip up quickly.
Beat one egg and add stuffing to it. Press this into the bottom of a deep pie dish or a quiche pan if you have one, it will serve as a mock-crust for your quiche. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the stuffing-crust. Layer in the turkey, onion, mushrooms in any order you wish. Beat remaining 4 eggs in a small bowl. Stir in the half and half. Season with salt and pepper to your tastes. Pour egg mixture evenly over the layers in the pan. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Let it stand and cool for about 15 minutes to firm up before cutting and serving.
It’s a few days after Thanksgiving, your family is tired of turkey sandwiches and there’s still plenty of leftovers. What do you do? Turn them into a pot pie of course.
Cook onion, sliced carrots and celery with a little bit of vegetable oil in the skillet under just tender. Stir in the spinach and pour it all into a shallow baking dish (at least 3 quarts or bigger). Spread the chopped turkey and ham cubes evenly over top of everything in the dish. Next, in a medium mixing bowl blend together undiluted soup, 1 cup of milk and ground pepper. Pour this evenly over top of everything in the dish. Now mix together the flour, grated cheese, butter (or margarine) and remaining milk until nice and smooth. Pour this over top of everything in the dish. Bake 45 minutes to one hour at 400 degrees F. The top will be golden brown when done.
I love this recipe because it is so versatile and these pot pies freeze well. Most of the ingredients listed above can easily be substituted with whatever you have in your cabinet. You can leave out the spinach, stick in a few chopped up cooked potatoes instead, use cream of celery soup instead of cream of chicken etc. Pot pie tastes great with just about anything in the filling.
Bring water to a boil and add your fresh vegetables and boil them for 5 minutes…drain.
In a bowl combine turkey, cooked vegetables, soup and sour cream…combine well. Put in a baking dish and top with leftover stuffing and bake at 350 about 20 to 25 minutes until bubbly.
This is always a favorite at potlucks, and when we have company. If you don’t want to use or don’t have turkey or chicken you don’t need to use any meat at all…it’s just as good as a side dish with just vegetables.
Submitted by HBHW reader Diane
I love this smoothie as a healthy breakfast the day after Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving morning while I’m busy cooking.
Add everything in blender and blend until smooth. Depending on how sweet your peaches are and how tart the cranberry sauce (and of course depending on your personal taste) you may want to add a little sugar or sweetener to your smoothie.
I always grab a few extra cans of cranberry sauce, just for this smoothie. Cranberries are full of antioxidants and I need all the help I can get after eating all turkey and stuffing.
Makes 6 servings
1. Heat all ingredients to boiling in 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes.
2. Strain cider mixture to remove cloves and cinnamon if desired. Serve hot.
Hot Buttered Rum Spiced Cider: Make as directed. For each serving, place 1 tablespoon butter (do not use margarine or vegetable oil spreads), 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons rum in mug. Fill with hot cider.
Submitted by HBHW reader Christine from Dine Without Whine
Boil all ingredients except corn and soda for 5 minutes, mixing well and stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and quickly stir in soda. Pour over corn, mix well. Put into two large pans then bake in 250 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring 2 or 3 times. Cool on waxed paper. Keeps for weeks in canister or Tupperware containers, but at our house it disappears quickly!
If you wish you can also add some peanuts to this to make it similar to Cracker Jack.
By HBHW reader Lori Niemi
Put sugar & syrup in a 2 qt glass microwaveable bowl, stir. Microwave on high 5 minutes.
Remove & stir in peanuts. Microwave on high for 1½ minutes, remove & stir.
Microwave for another 1½ minutes. Remove & add butter, vanilla & baking soda, stir
until foamy. Pure onto buttered cookie sheet and spread out the best you can. After
cooled, break into pieces, store in air tight container.
I use glass jars to put the brittle in, trim the top with fabric and secure a ribbon around the jar top.
By HBHW reader B. A. Z.
Cranberry sauce gives this moist cake its pretty swirled look. Serve slices for dessert after dinner or as coffee cake for brunch.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in extract. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Spoon a third of the batter into a greased and floured 10-in fluted tube pan. Top with a third of the cranberry sauce. Repeat layers twice. sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Combine icing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over warm cake. yields 12-16 servings.
By HBHW reader Barbara K, Richmond, VA
Every December the kids and I make a gingerbread house from scratch. It takes a few days, more because we have to wait for things to cool or wall joints to harden, but overall it is a pretty easy project. Just be sure to purchase LOTS of extra candies for decorating because half the fun of decorating the house is eating all of the “damaged” or “imperfect” candies. J We use our gingerbread house as a table decoration and then after Christmas dinner the kids get to bust it apart with a hammer (yes, it does make a huge mess) and eat it up.
Day 1 – Dough
(I use a stand mixer. This is a LARGE batch of dough.)
Cream the butter and sugars, then beat in the molasses and eggs. Combine all of the dry ingredients together in another large bowl. Then combine the mixtures and knead until smooth. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Day 2 – Pattern, Cutting, Baking
Pattern: I have the kids measure these out on construction paper (help with illustrations needed!!!)
Roof – 2 rectangles: 7” x 11”
Side walls – 2 rectangles: 5” x 8”
End walls – 2 of these (each piece will look as if you took a square and set a triangle on top)
Square part – 5” x 5”
Triangle (peak part) – find the center of the base (2.5”) and measure up 9” to make your peak
Cutting/ Baking:
Preheat oven to 325F. You will need several cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or foil that has been greased and floured. Bake 15-20 min or until slightly firm. Dry overnight (so they are firm enough for building).
Roll dough out on a well-floured surface until ¼” thick. Place a pattern piece on the dough and cut around the edges. (I use a pizza cutter for this part.) Gently lift with and put onto prepared cookie sheet (sometimes the dough gets a little misshapen – I have found that lifting the cutting board and sliding the dough onto the cookie sheet works well, but this will never have the perfect edges of a store bought kit).
Save the scraps of dough for gingerbread men or drop cookies (wonderful if you roll them in crystallized ginger and sugar first).
Day 3: Assembly
Base: I use two pieces of cardboard glued together and covered in foil. A scrap piece of plywood or even a cookie sheet turn upside down would work well too.
Royal Icing: this is the glue that holds it all together and it must be VERY stiff! You will need several batches to complete the decorating of the house, but only make one batch at a time. Seal well and refrigerate any that doesn’t get used. I use a piping bag to apply, but a Ziploc bag with the tip cut off work well too.
Beat egg whites until they begin to foam. Add the cream of tartar and beat until mixture forms peaks. Gradually beat in sugar until it is VERY stiff (might take more than 4+ cups).
Assembly:
Pipe two thick lines of icing onto the base at a 90degree angle – one for a sidewall and one for a peak wall. Pipe the side wall where the edges will meet. Place the walls on the base, touching each other. (We usually have the sidewall edges on the exterior and the peak wall edges on the interior.) Repeat. Let the structure dry for about 2 hours – you can use cans to prop it up if needed. Pipe a lot of icing on the top of the wall and stick on the roof. (There will be an “unsightly” seem along the top of the roof but that gets coved up with icing and candies, so don’t worry about it.) Again, use cans or whatever to help prop it up while the roof dries.
Day 4: Decorating!!!!
Let your imagination run wild. We use peppermint candies, gum drops, candy canes, cookies for the roof, licorice, red hots, and whatever else looks good. Make another batch of royal icing, give each child a small “piping bag”, and turn them loose.
To make “stained glass windows”: roll out gum drops on a sugared surface and attach to the house with icing.
I hope this starts a new tradition in other households too! Happy holidays!
~Karen Hoffman
Here are a few more pictures of this gorgeous gingerbread house.
Here is a fun dessert that celebrates Thanksgiving history. Don’t forget to use this opportunity to talk to your kids about the history Native Americans played in the first Thanksgiving while you make this pudding dessert with them.
Bring a quart of milk to its boiling point but do not go into rapid boil. Combine the cornmeal with 1/2 cup cold milk and add this to the hot milk stirring very well! In a baking dish blend together molasses, sugar, eggs, salt, cinnamon, ginger, butter and remaining 1/2 cup of milk. Add the cornmeal mixture to the baking dish spreading out evenly. Bake for 3 hours at 300 degrees F. Serve while hot and with ice cream on the side.
Light and fluffy, this Pumpkin Mousse makes for a great dessert.
In a large bowl whisk the milk and pudding mix until thickened. Next add the cinnamon, ginger, cloves and pumpkin and continue to whisk until blended.
Save 1/4 cup of the whipped topping for garnish and fold the rest into the pudding mixture.
Refrigerate for an hour or until the mousse is set. Top with remaining whipped topping for garnish.
This is a super simple peanut butter fudge recipe. It’s a lot of fun to make with the kids and also makes a nice frugal present. When I give these away as a gift, I allow them to completely cool, then package them in holiday themed plastic bags. Add a bow and you have a nice little gift that’s always welcome.
Melt chips and peanut butter together over medium high heat. After they are completely melted together, remove from heat and mix in milk. Pour into pan lined with wax paper and chill for an hour or two. Then cut into squares and serve.
Submitted by HBHW reader Priscilla
In a bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans; set aside 3/4 cup for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar. Beat in the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and allspice. Pour over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.
Submitted by HBHW reader Bonnie
This is a “must-have” on our Thanksgiving table. Fortunately for me, my husband has this recipe down and he makes two of these pies for us every year. It’s so nice to have something I don’t have to worry about fixing on Thanksgiving myself.
Mash together your cooked sweet potatoes with melted butter or margarine. Whip in eggs, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. When well mixed add in the milk and vanilla. Pour it all into your baked pie shell and heat in the oven for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees F. It’s done when the center is somewhat firmed up. Scatter chopped pecans over the top of the pie before serving (optional).
Here is the Pumpkin Pie recipe that I use all year long. My family would NEVER stand for it if I only made it during the holidays!!! I have some friends that will come to our house anytime if they know I am baking these pies!
PIE CRUST
1 c. Shortening- like lard or Crisco
3 c. Flour
1 t. Salt
Cut shortening into flour and salt until well-blended.
Mix together:
1/4 c. Oil
1/4 c. Milk
1/4 c. Water
Add to the flour mixture. The more you mix, the better!
Makes about 4 crusts.
Don’t be deceived that the ingredients and directions are too simple for it to work. This crust gets me raves every time!
PUMPKIN PIE
2 c. Brown sugar
2 T. Flour
2 t. Pumpkin pie spice
2 c. Pumpkin
2 c. Evaporated milk
4 eggs
2 c. Milk
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into 2 pie crusts and bake at 450 for 10 minutes, then turn oven back to 350 for about 30 minutes.
Do not overbake!!! The center should be “jiggly” when you get the pies out of the oven. This will make a custard type pie, which is wonderful. I mix everything with a wire whip, and it works beautifully.
(This pie is the only reason I buy pumpkin pie spice, which some may look at as an extra expense. One bottle will last a LONG time.)
I hope this recipe can bring joy to others also this holiday season, like it does to us!
Submitted by HBHW reader Tryphena
Mix all ingredients (except pie crust) together in a medium saucepan & heat over medium heat until thick ..stirring constantly.
Pour thickened mixture into baked pie shell & cool completely.
Beat the egg whites with a little cream of tartar & a little sugar until mixture makes a stiff peak. Spread generously over the top of the cooled pie making peaks with the mixture. Turn on the broiler & brown the pie top…watch it so it won’t burn…
Submitted by HBHW reader Jalynn
Mix well and chill before serving. This is good with turkey or ham, even pork chops or grilled chicken.
Submitted by HBHW reader Susan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together & bake at for 1 hour in a greased & floured pan or a coffee can, makes great muffins too!
Submitted by HBHW reader Jalynn
Sift meal three times, dissolve in boiling water, mix until smooth and free of lumps. Add melted butter and salt. Thin with milk. Separate eggs; beat whites until light; add the yolks THEN the whites. Pour into greased (tall) baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes to 1 hour until “scoopable.” Serve warm in same dish.
Have you been tempted to cook with acorn squash (it just looks so pretty), but aren’t quite sure what to do with it? Same here until I came across this yummy recipe.
First cut the squash in half and clean out the seeds. Bake these halved squash in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. While those bake, get out a mixing bowl and mix all the remaining ingredients together for the filling. Fill the hot squash and return to oven to bake for another 30 minutes at 350 degrees F
Ta-da! A colorful, pretty and delicious filled squash.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 inch dish and set aside.
Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the dish. Sprinkle with black pepper and 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon. Next add 1/3 of the cheese and 2 tablespoons flour. Continue in this manner, adding 2 more layers.
Combine heavy create and remaining 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon in a bowl. Pour mixture over the potatoes and place in oven.
Bake for 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender or top is golden brown in color.
It always amazes me how many different crockpot recipes are out there. Last night we tried this chicken curry recipe and everyone loved it. I used a rather mild curry powder to make sure my 6-year-old would be able to eat it. I did use a store-bought leek and potato soup mix this go around, but will probably try to come up with a scratch version the next time I make this. As is, this recipe is perfect for any busy mom because it’s so simple to put together.
Add the chicken to your crockpot. Sprinkle with the soup mix and the curry powder. If you like things spicy, you may want to add a little more curry powder. The soup mix I used had plenty of salt in it, so I didn’t add any extra. If you’re not using a soup mix, you may want to add salt and pepper to your chicken at this point. Add just enough water to cover everything and cook on low for 6 hours. Add the lemon peel and green beans and cook for another hour.
I served this with cooked white rice.
Ready to learn more about crockpot cooking? Get my Crockpot Cooking Made Simple ebook today and find out how you can work this into your meal plan, how to choose a good crockpot and most importantly how to convert your favorite recipes to work in a slow cooker.
Combine all ingredients well and pour into a 9 inch square baking pan. Top w/ pats of butter. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Corn pudding has to be on the table at Thanksgiving at our house.
Submitted by HBHW reader Susan
Place carrot in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 1 minute or until tender. Drain.
Combine brown sugar and remaining ingredients except parsley in a large nonstick skillet over low heat; cook until butter melts, stirring frequently. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium; add carrots. Cook 3 minutes or until carrots are glazed and thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with chopped parsley; toss to combine.
Makes approximately 12 servings.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine cracker crumbs & cheese in a medium bowl & mix well. Drain the asparagus, reserving 1 cup liquid. Combine the reserved liquid & the soup in a large bowl & mix well.
Layer 1/3 of the cracker mixture, 1/2 of the asparagus & 1/2 the soup mixture in a greased 2 qt. casserole. Repeat the layers & top with remaining cracker mixture. Drizzle with margarine. Bake for 25 min. our until golden brown.
Submitted by HBHW reader Jalynn
Filling:
Topping:
Mash cooked sweet potatoes. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly; put in a casserole dish. In a separate bowl toss together topping ingredients. Sprinkle on top of mashed mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.
Crust:
1 box (2 layer size) yellow cake mix, reserve 1 cup
1 stick margarine/butter, softened
1 egg
Mix together and press into a 9 x 13 baking pan (this is where I warm it
so it smooths well)
Filling:
1 large can pumpkin the big one (30 oz.)
3 eggs
1 can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
Mix together and pour over crust
Topping:
1 cup of the reserved cake mix
½ cup sugar
½ stick margarine/butter, softened
1 cup chopped pecans (sprinkle on top at the end)
Combine cake mix, sugar and margarine together until it’s crumbly. Sprinkle
over filling. Sprinkle pecans on top last. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr 15
minutes. Serve warm w/whipped topping or ice cream.
This post was submitted by Kim Mansfield.
What I do with mashed potatoes during the holidays is 2.5 lbs of taters ready to mash 1 12oz of sour cream garlic and onion to taste and a 12oz grated cheese of choice. mix all togeather and you have my 200 lb taters in a flash.
This post was submitted by Cricket/sara.
1 pkg frozen broccoli
1 pkg frozen cauliflower
1 pkg frozen brussel sprouts
8 oz cheez whiz
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can of onion rings
Cook vegetables as directed on package and place in casserole dish. Mix cheez whiz and soup and heat slowly. Pour over vegetables and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with onion rings at the last 10 minutes of baking.
This post was submitted by Nadine Maracle.
As prices of canned refried beans have gone up, I looked for an alternative to paying $.80-$1/can and decided to make my own. It’s so simple and doesn’t take much time or effort.
1 bag pinto beans
water
bacon grease or veg shortening (optional)
salt to taste
Soak beans overnight. Cook over low heat 3-4 hours until tender. Drain. Mash with potato masher until they resemble refried beans. Add bacon grease/shortening & salt to taste. Use ice cream scoop to make large “scoops” onto cookie sheet. Freeze. Once frozen you can place them all into a large freezer bag for easy storage. To use for meals, take one or two out of freezer and thaw on medium power in the microwave for a couple of minutes. So simple and very economical.
This post was submitted by Jodi McAdams.
This recipe is SO easy! It makes the equivalent of 2 ‘cans’ purchased refrigerated crescent rolls; or use as crescent roll dough base (will cover the bottom of an 11×15x1 pan), I love using this recipe during the holidays. Recently, I encouraged a newly married friend who has never made rolls to try this recipe…..was she ever excited when she called to tell me “I can make rolls”.
2 tsp. dry yeast
½ c. lukewarm water
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
1 T. sugar
6 T. beaten egg (1 large + egg white or 2 smaller eggs)
¼ tsp. salt
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 to 1¼ c. unbleached flour
Mix yeast and water; set aside. In bowl: mix melted butter or margarine, sugar; add eggs and salt. Mix in whole wheat flour and yeast mixture. Stir in enough unbleached flour, until dough leaves side of bowl and is soft; do not knead. Cover; refrigerate overnight. Two hours before meal: remove dough from fridge, punch down. Turn out on floured surface. Divide evenly in half. Gently (do not press hard) roll each ball into a flat circle. Cut into 8 even wedges (a pizza cutter works). Roll up each wedge, starting at wide end. Place on greased baking sheet; can curve form crescent shape. Cover; raise about 1½ hours. Bake at 350° for 20 to 22 minutes, until golden.
Makes 16 rolls. Or just make one large flat circle and cut it into 12 wedges for a dozen bigger crescent rolls.
This post was submitted by Janet.
1 can WHOLE cranberry sauce
1/2 bag tiny marshmallows
small bag crushed pecans
8 oz container whip cream
Place all items into a bowl and fold together.
This is very yummy!
This post was submitted by Connie Coodey.
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
½ t. cinnamon, optional
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugars in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries, and cook until they start to pop (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl. Add cinnamon, if used. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools. Serves about 12.
What’s Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce ? ? ?
This post was submitted by Don.
Mix all but butter and place in a 8” square baking dish. Cut butter and evenly space it on top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes until center is even and knife comes out clean.
We love this. It is very similar in taste to pumpkin. Delicious hot out of the oven w/ whipped cream on top. We even have it for dessert some nights!
Submitted by HBHW reader Susan
Boil squash cubes until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Mash as you would for potatoes, then add remaining ingredients. Serve hot.
This is a yummy nutritious side dish! Serves about 4 depending on the size of the squash and the appetites!
Submitted by HBHW reader Sylvia
Does anyone have a method for removing all the pebbles from pinto & other dried beans?
This post was submitted by Nancy.
My former Grandmother-in-law made tomato preserves and they were SO good. Can’t find a recipe anywhere. Help if you can! Thanx,
This post was submitted by Kathy.
My DH does not tolerate tomatoes (actually his tummy is the culprit). Does anyone have any ideas for a substitution in recipes?
Thanks!
This post was submitted by Marla Gasser-Mog.
I adore mincemeat pies, cookies, etc. However, the cost is very prohibitive to be able to indulge. My grandmother used to make mincemeat with hamburger, I did not like that, but am looking for a mincemeat recipe that will not need to be aged for months before using, therefore, no booze in it.
Any suggestions? Please!
This post was submitted by Jackie Martin.
I lived in colorado for several years and there they make green chili and put it on every thing it is soooo good does anyone have a recipe they would share?
This post was submitted by Dana.
For over 30 years, my husband and I have used a Weber Kettle to cook our turkeys. (For those of you who may not know, a Weber Kettle is sort of a round type charcoal grill). We use regular charcoal, put on opposite sides of the grill rack with a drip pan in between. Clean turkey and tie up the wings with a thin wire to keep them close to the body (so not to get burned so much). We baste it about every 30-45 min with butter or margarine spiced with salt, pepper,crushed red pepper, garlic, onion, even some herbs. Just whatever your taste is. It cooks faster usually than in the oven, just follow the directions for the grill, and bring to proper temperature on a meat thermometer, and you will have the juiciest,most flavorful bird you have ever made! We have even cooked the turkey this way when the snow outside was GRILL DEEP-we had to dig it out first. Our neighbors thought we were nuts, until they got a bite of that bird! Oh, and you can make gravy from the drippings for a smokey tasting gravy. Just drain the drippings, and use a small amount (they are VERY rich)and proceed the normal way with your gravy. We have made turkeys all year long this way, no need for a special occasion 
This post was submitted by Tammy.
My mother in law used to make something she called “milk toast”, but it was far more than just heated mild over toast. She no longer remembers even making it, let alone how she did it. It was something like a white sauce with small squares or chunks of toast. It was very good, very filling and very inexpensive to make which was why she made it–almost as a last resort.
This post was submitted by Barb Wolf.
1 pkg unsalted saltine crackers
1/2 stick salted butter (MUST be butter!)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
lay entire package of saltines on cookie sheet, melt butter and pour over crackers; bake for 10-15 minutes until hot and starting to brown; sprinkle chocolate chips over buttered crackers and bake for 5 minutes or until chips start to get shiny; frost crackers with hot chocolate chips and let cool completely.
fast and oh so good! great for giving as a gift!
This post was submitted by Daun.
I’m trying to add blackstrap molasses to my diet because it is high in iron, and supposedly a complete iron - like red meat iron - without the red meat. I am not a vegetarian, but eat very little red meat. The red cross keeps rejecting me because of my low iron 
Anyway, I’ve tried using it as a substitute for honey in a few things without much success. So I’m looking for recipes using molasses (NOT cookies, “real food” recipes - main dishes or side dishes) Preferably blackstrap molasses, which is darker and a little less sweet than regular molasses.
Thanks!
This post was submitted by Denise.
I’m looking for a receipt for fudge that uses artifical sugar. Thanks for your help.
This post was submitted by nan.
I’m looking for a fluffy cake frosting. Does anyone have a good recipe?
This post was submitted by Betty.
1 10oz box of Spinach thawed
5 garlic cloves
Oil
6 eggs
1 handful of Grated Parm Cheese
1 cup of shredded cheese
Salt and Pepper
1 Deep Dish Pie Shell. (OK when they are on sale I buy the frozen. I can get 2 for like 1.50).
Saute Spinach with oil and garlic. Set aside. Beat eggs in a bowl. Add Cheeses and the cooled Spinach. Pour into Pie shell that is unbaked. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 45 min. It should be golden brown and set. MMMMMMMMM So YUMMY! You can add broccoli instead. And use Mozz cheese or chedder or mixed.
This post was submitted by Andrea.
mix backing soda with shampoo and work into very wet hair, rinse and repeat, as many times as it takes. Make sure you then condition. I like biolage conditioning balm. yes I’m a hairdresser, have been for 30 years, it works and it want damage your hair, if you condition! Have a great hair day! bye bye come again!
This post was submitted by aletha mobley.
this recipe was made 40 years ago and served at a little restaurant called Cambridge Junction Inn. The lady who made this lebchuken type bar never would give out her recipe to “we Kids” but I have never found a bar that tasted like this.. it had the almond placement on the top of each bar. was soft like a old fashioned gingerbread cookie, and I am sure had molasses in it.. The only thing that I think might have had some influence in it was the fat, lard, or bacon drippings that kept it soft. Can anyone help me? The cook was Ruth Mays or Maes from Brooklyn, Michigan
This post was submitted by Barbara Trent.
Hi My broad beans plants are flourishing and now i have loads of broad beans but i don’t know how to cook them.Any suggestions??I am an Indian so would like few Indian recipes too.
This post was submitted by imrose.
I lost my old recipe that is my family’s favorite pumpkin pie.
This post was submitted by Fran Crain.
I have tried making homemade laundry detergent in the past. And, though I like the economical piece of it, I have not found it very effective in whitening the laundry. I prefer not to use bleach. Does any one have any suggestions??
This post was submitted by Beth.
November 11th 2009
Editorial
Happy Veteran’s Day!
I’m about to head to my daughter’s school for their annual Veteran’s Day Salute, but wanted to get the newsletter out to you first. You’ll notice a bit of a patriotic theme in today’s inspirational quote and story.
A big THANK YOU goes out to everyone that submitted a holiday recipe. The Holiday Recipe Section is growing nicely and I’m in the process of moving all the recipes that were submitted by readers two years ago to this section as well. I’m hoping to be done with that sometime tomorrow.
Of course there’s still time to submit your own favorite recipes. Just click on the link below and fill out the form to share your family’s favorite Holiday recipes with all of us here at HillbillyHousewife.com.
That’s it for this week. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. Feel free to email me at susanne@hillbillyhousewife.com
Warm Regards,
Susanne - The Hillbilly Housewife
Inspirational Quote
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” - John F. Kennedy
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News From The HBHW Club
This is a new section of the newsletter. Each week I’m going to share some tidbits of what’s going on at the HBHW Club with you. I hope you enjoy these extra tips, recipes and ideas and of course would love to have you join the club.
As a HBHW newsletter subscriber, you can join for only $10 per month here: http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
And to make it even easier, I’ll let you try it out for just a dollar for the first 7 days.
Here’s one of the recipes that were submitted this past week.
Sausage & Egg Crescent Casserole
* 1 (8 oz) pkg refrigerated crescent rolls
* 1 (8 oz) pkg breakfast sausage links, thawed and cut into little pieces
* 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
* 4 eggs
* 3/4 cup milk
* 2 Tbsp chopped green bell pepper
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/8 tsp black pepper
* 1/4 tsp oregano
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Pop open the crescent rolls and roll out. Place in 9×13 inch baking pan, laying evenly over the bottom and inching the dough up onto the sides, about 1/2 inch, in order to form a crust. Pinch the perforations closed and press the dough firmly down in the pan.
Place the sausage pieces over the crust and sprinkle the cheese on top. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over the cheese.
Bake in 425 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until top becomes golden brown.
This is good for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. You might want to serve it alongside a green salad for dinner.
And here are some of the other recipes that have been added in the past few days.
All in all, we have over 230 new recipes in the member area already.
What else has been going on at the HBHW Club? We’ve been talking about meal planning, using craigslist to sell stuff instead of holding a yard sale and our favorite Thanksgiving dishes. I’m sure you have a lot to contribute to the conversation. Ready to join us? Try The HBHW Club for only $1. We’d love to have you! http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Featured Article
Just two more weeks until Thanksgiving here in the US. Have you bought your turkey yet? I’m still shopping around for the best deal. Today’s article is all about saving time and money when hosting this year’s Thanksgiving dinner.
Frugal Thanksgiving Feast - Tips For Saving Time and Money
Frugal Tips
Grocery List
I make a grocery list with the following heading: Meats, Produce, Dairy, Can Goods, Frozen, & Misc: No Eat.
In doing this I can get in and out of the grocery store without back tracking through t …
Frugal Vegetable Soup Mix
I keep leftover vegetables in a gallon bag in the freezer. When the bag is full, it’s simple to add hamburger or other meat and make a great soup or stew since the vegetables are already seasone …
Do you have a tip to share? Fill out the submit a frugal tip form and I’ll be glad to add it to the site and share your tip in an upcoming edition of the newsletter.
Recipes
Here are some of the most recent recipes that have been added to the HBHW site. Enjoy!
A Different Green Bean Casserole
1 lb frozen french cut green beans
1 can cream of celery soup or 10 oz of the homemade equivelant.
1 cup slivered toasted almonds
Mix green beans with 1/2 cup almonds and the cream of celery soup and …
Sweet and Sour Chicken and Rice
Suggested ingredients and amounts (all are adjustable to your taste)
3-4 cups cooked rice
1 cup broccoli florets or peas
2-3 scrambled eggs
1-2 cooked and cubed chicken breasts (optional)
1 bottle swe …
Cranberry Chutney
4 small oranges
2 cups sugar (or sugar substitute)
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup chopped unpeeled apple
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginge …
Delicious Beans and Potatoes
Make mashed potatoes. While they are cooking take cooked pinto beans, drained, cooked kidney beans, drained, or a mix, or leftover bean soup or leftover beans that kidney or pinto beans are in them, …
Do you have a recipe you would like to share? Click here to send it to me and I’ll be happy to add it to the website.
I’m Looking For:
This section is going to be all about you. If you are looking for a particular recipe or a tip on how to do something, submit it here and I will post it in an upcoming newsletter. I’ll give you my input and other readers of the newsletter will have the opportunity to share their recipes and tips as well. So take a moment to post your questions and of course if you have a tip or idea for any question posted in this section feel free to leave a comment under the appropriate post.
I’m Looking For Requests
In search of gluten-free lemon bars
Lemon bars are an economical sweet and have always been my favourite but now I must cook gluten-free meals (no wheat or wheat byproducts, read flour, etc., etc., - everything, especially prepared food …
Closet Damp Absorber
Hi
Just wondering in any readers have any ideas on how to make your own closet damp absorber, you know the sort that collects the humid water in linen closets etc.
Gayle
This post was submitted by gay …
Egg Nog Recipes
I am looking for a variety of egg nog recipes out there. If you have a great traditional recipe, or one with a different twist or flavor to it, I’d love to hear about it.
This post was submitted …
Homemade Johnson’s No More Bedhead spray
I have boys with thick hair that needs quick taming in the morning. Plain water isn’t controlling it. I sometimes use No More Bedhead or No More Tangles, but it’s too costly anymore. I won …
Cooking Turkey
Last year there was a post on how to use your oven as a slow cooker and cook a turkey overnight. My turkey turned out fantastic!! But, I lost my directions. Please help!
This post was submitted by …
Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Homemade
looking for homemade chicken and dumplings made the old- fashioned way.thank you.
From Susanne - Here’s my chicken and dumplings recipe. My biggest trick is to start the day before by cooking th …
Sweet Potatoe Cassarole
I am looking for a sweat potatoe cassarole that has the marshmellowes on top and has a thick like syrup and fruit cocktail in it. my aunt used to make it but she passed away and no one remembered to b …
Pie Shell Cake
I’m looking for a recipe for a cake that was baked in a pie shell. It may have had chocolate syrup on the bottom. It was great and my kids loved it. Now I would like to make it for the grandk …
Removing Rocks in Beans
Does anyone have a method for removing all the pebbles from pinto & other dried beans?
This post was submitted by Nancy.
I’m Looking For Responses
Below you will find some of the recent responses to the “I’m Looking For” Requests. You may also want to go directly to this section and browse through all the recent submissions and replies. To do so, click on “I’m Looking for” here, and start looking through them.
Comment on Apron Evangelism by Debie
Just wanted to say thanks for reminding me why I wear my apron!! Actually my daughter thought I wasn’t feeling well the other day when I didn’t put it on in the morning. Amazing how one gets in a ha …
Comment on Low Cal recipes by Nancy R.
If you search Diabetic recipes, and weight watchers recipes they are all low calorie. I did weight watchers for 2 years now, 1 year in meetings and 1 year on my own and am 10 lbs from my goal weight. …
Comment on Crockpot Cranberry Pork by ridgerunner
Comment for Joni… your recipe is so darn good!!! Fried Potato’s and onion’s on the side and hope to eat it all for yourself. I love to cook with pork, for that matter. The aroma this time of year is …
Comment on Indian Pudding Recipe by DE
Nadine - notice this site is titled “hillbillyhousewife”…probably not a place to spread enlightenment.
Comment on Closet Damp Absorber by brande
baking soda
Comment on Quick Sugar Cookies by Angela
These cookies are so good and easy to make. I did use real unsalted butter instead of margarine and increased the milk by 1/2 to 1 tsp. They turned out perfect. I will make these again, (as the fir …
Comment on Haitian Spaghetti Sauce by Nick
Try this recipe. It’s worked for me.
http://i-jat.blogspot.com/2008/10/haitian-spaghetti.html
Comment on Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Homemade by kitty wilson
I have always made mine by boiling the fryer with onion, celery and poltery seasoning as well as salt and pepper.
I also completely cover the chicken and save some of the broth to freeze to use for …
Comment on In search of gluten-free lemon bars by veronica
i would try a almond crust and a lemon custard topping made with egg yolks and cornstarch. Depending on which side of the fence you are on, you could use oatmeal. Many people beleve that oats are gl …
Inspirational Story
RAGGED OLD FLAG
By Johnny Cash
I walked through a county courthouse square,
On a park bench an old man was sitting there.
I said, “Your old courthouse is kinda run down.”
He said, “Naw, it’ll do for our little town.”
I said, “Your flagpole has leaned a little bit,
And that’s a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it.
He said, “Have a seat”, and I sat down.
“Is this the first time you’ve been to our little town?”
I said, “I think it is.” He said, “I don’t like to brag,
But we’re kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag.”
“You see, we got a little hole in that flag there
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writing _Oh Say Can You See_.
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin’ at its seams.”
“And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on through.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag.”
“On Flanders Field in World War I
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun.
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp and low by the time it was through.
She was in Korea and Vietnam.
She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam.”
“She waved from our ships upon the briny foam,
And now they’ve about quit waving her back here at home.
In her own good land she’s been abused –
She’s been burned, dishonored, denied and refused.”
“And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land.
And she’s getting threadbare and wearing thin,
But she’s in good shape for the shape she’s in.
‘Cause she’s been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more.”
“So we raise her up every morning,
Take her down every night.
We don’t let her touch the ground
And we fold her up right.
On second thought I DO like to brag,
‘Cause I’m mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag.”
Final Thought
That’s it for this edition of the Hillbilly Housewife Newsletter. I hope you’ve had as much fun reading it as I had creating it for you. I also hope that you have found the information helpful and useful. And by all means feel free to forward the newsletter to family and friends or even better, encourage them to subscribe to it.
Do you have a question, a tip, a recipe or a story you’d like to share with us? Email it to me and I’ll include it in a future issue. Can’t wait to see what you have to say.
Warm Wishes,
Susanne - The Hillbilly Housewife
I don’t know about you, but when I’m in charge of hosting our family Thanksgiving dinner, I tend to become a bit of a control freak and end up trying to cook every single dish. Thankfully I have some wonderful women in my family who won’t let me and we end up having Thanksgiving “pot luck style” where each of them brings a few dishes to share. It works out beautifully.
I came across this article earlier today and it really struck home. I hope you will find the ideas and tips helpful as well.
Organizing a Thanksgiving Feast When Time & Money Are Short
Even if money and time are tight, you can have a wonderfully rich and full Thanksgiving. All it takes is a little organization and some willingness to let go of the need to do everything.
Sarah on “Never Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth”
“My mom is an incredible entertainer. She can cook like Julia Child, dress a table like Martha Stewart, and get people to dish like they’re on Oprah - all after a full day’s work at the hospital. It’s pretty impressive. Her Thanksgiving dinners are legendary. But for the life of her, she will not accept a bit of help, even if that means she’s up to all hours stressing and cooking in the days before the big event and running around like a chicken with her head cut off as friends and family arrive. Because she’s my mom, I just stopped asking her if she wanted help and started bringing a side dish and a dessert to her house the day before Thanksgiving. It feels great to be able to contribute, and it means that there are a few less things for her to do, which means we’ll get to see more of her on the big day. If you’re hosting the big Turkey Day this year and have a tendency to do everything yourself, give your stress meter and wallet a break by letting others help by bringing a dish, some wine, or a dessert. Not only will it save you time and money, but more importantly, it gives them an opportunity to truly share in the day.”
Alicia on “Relax Those Perfectionist Tendencies”
“The purpose of Thanksgiving is to celebrate all of those things in our lives for which we are truly grateful. It’s not a contest to see how many fancy dishes you can cook or how perfectly you can decorate the table. Before you start on the preparations for this year’s dinner, take a beat to think about the true spirit of Thanksgiving. Then relax. It’s much easier to make decisions about what to serve and how to pull it all together when you’re not putting pressure on yourself to pull off a ‘perfect’ event. You can have a wonderful celebration eating less expensive chicken instead of turkey and using paper plates instead of fancy dishes.”
Here are a few more tips for pulling off a Thanksgiving feast that doesn’t gobble up your wallet or too much of your time:
1. Make A Little Less. Do you really need 10 side dishes? And do you really need to make enough to feed 24 people when only 10 are coming? No. Sure, it’s nice to have leftovers, but the more you make, the more likely you are to end up throwing things away down the line. This year, make one or two fewer dishes and make just enough for the group you have coming over.
2. Take 2 Minutes and Download Some Coupons. It has never been easier to use coupons. Before you hit the store, take five minutes and go to coupons.com and your local grocery store website and print out coupons for the items you know you will need to buy. No clipping from circulars, no fumbling for coupons at checkout only to find the ones you want to use have expired. Just point, click, print and bring to the store.
3. Use All Natural Decorations. Rather than heading to a fancy store to load up on Thanksgiving decorations, just head outside. Pine cones, colorful leaves and things like dried hydrangeas are free and make a wonderful decorative statement. Take a sharpie and write each guest’s name on a leaf and use it as a place setting card. Gather a handful of pine cones and stack them loosely in the center of the table as an autumnal centerpiece. Clip some dried hydrangea leaves and flowers, tie them with some ribbon and put in a vase or two around the room.
Buttoned Up is dedicated to helping stretched & stressed women get organized. Co-founders Alicia Rockmore & Sarah Welch team up with a group of Gurus to give you tips & products for all your messy, stressed needs & introduce “imperfect organization.”
Not only does this make a very tasty side dish, it’s also a beautiful centerpiece for your holiday table.
Cut the top off the pumpkin like you would to make a Halloween pumpkin. Leave the stem on. If the stem is too long, cut it down to a manageable size– but so you could still pick it up with the lid.
Core the apples and cut them into chunks. Mix the apples, walnuts, raisins and spice mixture in a large bowl. Put a little of this mixture in the pumpkin.
Add some butter/margarine
More mix
More butter/margarine
Keep going until the pumpkin is full.
Cover the pumpkin WELL with foil. Leaving the top open to check for doneness. Cover the lid separately with different foil. Place lid on top of pumpkin (you want to be able to lift up the lid and check the insides.)
Place in a 9 x 13 pan
350 degrees for 1 hour - 1 hour 20 minutes or until done
Remove foil to serve
* Get your pumpkin free if you go to a pumpkin patch after Halloween and ask for one. Under $2 if you decide to purchase
Submitted by HBHW reader Dana
Saute the celery, carrots and onion in a skillet until the onions are translucent. Cook sausage. Combine the cornbread, veggies and sausage in a 9 X 13 pan. Pour broth over entire thing, dot with butter or margarine and put in refrigerator so flavors can meld a bit. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
When I am feeling wealthy I might use 1 pound of sausage and add pecans which is yummy but ups the price.
Submitted by HBHW reader Kathryn
Turkey Gravy is a must have on the Thanksgiving table. Here’s a quick and simple version.
In large skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for one minute. Now add the ground turkey and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until it is very browned and dry.
Move the turkey mixture to a large saucepan. Add in the poultry season and broth; let simmer for 30 minutes over medium heat. Pour the mixture into a strainer and throw away the cooked turkey.
In a small bowl combine the flour and water until smooth: add the mixture to broth and cook over medium low heat,stirring occasionally for about 30 to 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare turkey for roasting being sure to remove any packets from cavity. Place turkey in a shallow roasting pan and add water to pan. Brush turkey with oil and cover loosely with tin foil. Roast for 1-1/4 hours, remove the foil and roast for another hour.
In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the maple syrup, chili powder, orange juice, salt and pepper. Brush or poor the glaze over the turkey. Roast for 35 to 45 more minutes until turkey is golden brown and temperature has reached 170 degrees. Remove from oven and cover with tin foil, let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Place turkey on platter and then skim the fat from the roasting pan. Place the pan on stovetop and pour in 3/4 cup chicken broth. Release the browned bits on the bottom of the pan by using a spoon. In a small bowl, combine the flour and remaining 1/4 cups chicken broth. Pour into roasting pan and cook over low heat stirring constantly until it is slightly thickened. If gravy becomes too sick add more water or broth.
Dissolve salt in 2 gallons of cold water in large stockpot or clean bucket. Add turkey and refrigerate or set in very cool (40° F. or less) spot for 4 to 6 hours.
Remove turkey from salt water and rinse both cavities and skin under cool running water for several minutes until all traces of salt are gone. Pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Place turkey on meat rack set over rimmed sheet pan. Place turkey in refrigerator, uncovered, and air-dry for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position, and heat oven to 400° F. Toss one-third of onion, carrot, celery, and thyme with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and place this mixture in body cavity. Bring turkey legs together and perform a simple truss.
Scatter remaining vegetables and thyme over a shallow roasting pan. Pour 1 cup water over vegetables. Set V-rack in pan. Brush entire breast side of turkey with half of remaining butter, then place turkey, breast side down, on V-rack. Brush entire backside of turkey with remaining butter.
Roast for 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven (close oven door); baste with juices from pan. With wad of paper toweling in each hand, turn turkey, leg/thigh side up. If liquid in pan has totally evaporated, add another 1/2 cup water. Return turkey to oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove turkey from oven again, baste, and again use paper toweling to turn other leg/thigh side up; roast for another 15 minutes. Remove turkey from oven for final time, baste, and turn it breast side up; roast until breast registers about 165° F. and thigh registers 170 to 175° F. on an instant-read thermometer, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove turkey from pan and let rest until ready to carve. Serve with gravy.
Source: americastestkitchen.com
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Place in a small casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 can of onion rings over mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve on crackers or Frito’s Scoops! Enjoy!
Submitted by HBHW reader Tara
What a festive way to start your Holiday meal with a cup of this delicious soup made from corn.
In a large saucepan add butter and oil. Sauté the sweet red pepper and onion until tender but not browned. Stir in the flour and continue to cook over very low head for 2-3 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk stirring continuously to prevent any lumps from forming. Place 1 cup of corn, cream and the tamari (or soy sauce) in a blender on medium speed until smooth. Next add the corn mixture to the soup as well as the remaining corn. Continue to cook until heated through. If desired sprinkle a little parsley or nutmeg on top for garnish.
In a large saucepan melt butter and saute onion, green pepper, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf until tender but not browned. Next add the pumpkin, water, tomatoes and bouillon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionaly. Combine milk and flour in a small mixing bowl then stir into the soup. Add the salt and pepper and cook soup over medium heat stirring often until it comes to a boil.
It is easier to mix if your cream cheese is room temperature. Mix all ingredients together. Serve with crackers.
Submitted by HBHW reader Kelly
Combine all together. Form into a ball or log. Roll in nuts or parsley.
Notes: Now, that’s just the basics. You can make a variety of flavors by changing up the cheese you use. use your imagination and your taste to guide you, but some favorites of mine are: Swiss Almond (using shredded Swiss and rolling in sliced almonds.) Hot Pepper (using hot or super hot pepper cheese, adding a dash of hot pepper sauce and 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper) Smoked Cheddar (using smoked cheddar, or medium cheddar and a drop or two of liquid smoke)
Submitted by HBHW Reader Tanya
I take the bread ends or the last few pieces of bread and put them in an ongoing large freezer bag..when it is full I make homemade stuffing or bread pudding, bread crumbs, or croutons.
Also, I take butter wrappers that have a fair amount of butter residue, put them in ongoing freezer bag, when I need to grease a pan for baking, I pull 1 or 2 out and they work great! Hope this helps someone.
Laura (having to be frugal)
This post was submitted by laura.
I make my own grease cutting, non streaking, smells good general cleaner that I use on my windshield, my film tinted truck windows, my stove top, my bathroom mirrors, my sliding glass door, etc. I also spray a small amount on a damp towel and wipe the inside of my microwave.
The recipe is as follows:
2 Tablespoons of Johnson’s Baby Shampoo. (some off brands don’t work as well so should use the brand shown)
Mix this with one quart of tap water.
You’re all set. I have a spray bottle of this in every room for all of my glass and mirror needs. I also clean my crystal with this and it is safe to use on window film.
This post was submitted by L Johnson.
I love bath powder, but the ones that match my expensive cologne are way too expensive. So I fill my container with corn starch and spray or drizzle a little cologne into the powder, stir and replace the cover.Voila!!Bath powder to match my cologne
This post was submitted by Maxine Cenker.
This recipe came from having a bare cupboard. I threw it together and it tastes amazing and makes a lot of food for 7 people.
4 pork chops diced into 1/4″ pieces $1.79
2 cans french -style green beans $.98
3 cups rice (yields about 6 cups)$1.00
3-6 eggs scrambled $.59
Soy sauce to taste $.25
Cook rice as directed while browning pork with a few tablespoons of Soy sauce. Add green beans to pork to heat through. Combine rice, pork, green beans and scrambled eggs, adding more soy sauce to taste as needed. Total cost $4.61 to feed my family of 7!
This post was submitted by Lisa Shultz.
1 package of frozen fries (can use any type of frozen potatoes, tater tots, hashbrowns)
1 10 oz. package thawed and drained frozen broccoli but any vegetable will work
1 1/2 cups diced fully cooked ham
1 can condensed cream of broccoli soup (any cream soup works)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (any cheese will do)
In 3 qt. baking dish layer the first 3 ingredients in the same order. Combine the soup, milk and mayonnaise until smooth. Pour over ham. Cover and bake at 350* for 20 min. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese and cook 20-25 min longer.
This post was submitted by Marion McNeill.
My boys LOVE these pizzas for an after school snack. They also take them in their lunch…just pull one out of the freezer and throw it in the lunchbox…how easy is that?
1 package of bagels (regular or mini)
1 15 oz. can pizza sauce
1 8 0z. package of shredded mozzarella
1 package of pepperoni ( or ham or whatever else you like)
Bake @375 for about 7-10 minutes. Cool on wire racks and when they are completely cool store in individual zip top baggies.
To reheat just toss in the microwave for about 1 min.
I also like to use whole wheat or regular english muffins. I buy tons of the bagels and muffins at the bread outlet and then make up a bunch of these.
This post was submitted by Rana Mikula.
November 4th 2009
Editorial
I hope everyone had a good weekend and beginning of the week. It poured down rain Halloween night - much to my daughter’s dismay because it cut her “trick-or-treating” short. Since then it has been beautiful and sunny and we were able to enjoy spending some time outside.
Stores are already busy displaying all their holiday fare and has gotten me thinking about the two big holidays (here in the US) that are coming up - Thanksgiving and Christmas. With that in mind, let’s share some of our favorite holiday recipes. I set up a new category or section on the site for holiday recipes and have set up a page that will allow you to submit them. Here it is:
Which reminds me… I wanted to address the frugal tip, recipe and “I’m looking for” submissions. Most readers are using them exactly as intended, but a few still seem to be confused. Here are a few tips to use them as well as a refresher on what to do and what not to do.
The “I’m Looking For Requests” and most recipes and frugal tips will be published right before the next issue of the newsletter comes out.
That’s it for this week. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. Feel free to email me at susanne@hillbillyhousewife.com
Warm Regards,
Susanne - The Hillbilly Housewife
Inspirational Quote
“Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Shared by Ellie Mae, one of our members in the Hillbilly Housewife Club
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News From The HBHW Club
This is a new section of the newsletter. Each week I’m going to share some tidbits of what’s going on at the HBHW Club with you. I hope you enjoy these extra tips, recipes and ideas and of course would love to have you join the club.
As a HBHW newsletter subscriber, you can join for only $10 per month here: http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
And to make it even easier, I’ll let you try it out for just a dollar for the first 7 days.
Here’s one of the recipes that were submitted this past week.
Golden Curried Split Pea Soup
* 2 cups dry yellow split peas
* 3 cups fresh cold water
* 6 cups chicken stock
* 2 small yellow onions, diced
* 1/2 tsp curry powder
* 1/8 to 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
* 1 tsp salt
* pinch black pepper
Put split peas and water in big soup pot, bring up to almost a boil, and immediately turn heat down to a slow simmer. Cover and simmer about 1 hour, or until the peas are soft but not mushy. Stir often.
Scoop out 1 cup of peas when they are cooked and blend in blender or food processor until smooth like a puree, then return to the soup pot and stir until combined.
Add the remaining ingredients to the soup pot, stir gently, and bring up to almost a boil, and again turn the heat down to a slow simmer. Cover and simmer together slowly for about 30 minutes. Be sure to stir once or twice.
And here are some of the other recipes that have been added in the past few days.
All in all, we have over 230 new recipes in the member area already.
What else has been going on at the HBHW Club? We’ve been talking about meal planning, using craigslist to sell stuff instead of holding a yard sale and our favorite Thanksgiving dishes. I’m sure you have a lot to contribute to the conversation. Ready to join us? Try The HBHW Club for only $1. We’d love to have you! http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Featured Article
Now that the leaves are turning and it’s getting cold even down here in the south, I’m getting a little more serious about my Christmas planning. If you’re like me, you have quite a few frugal minded women that you want to get a little something special for. That’s what today’s featured article is all about. Enjoy!
Frugal Gift Ideas For Frugal Housewifes
Frugal Tips
Grocery List
I make a grocery list with the following heading: Meats, Produce, Dairy, Can Goods, Frozen, & Misc: No Eat.
In doing this I can get in and out of the grocery store without back tracking through t …
Frugal Vegetable Soup Mix
I keep leftover vegetables in a gallon bag in the freezer. When the bag is full, it’s simple to add hamburger or other meat and make a great soup or stew since the vegetables are already seasone …
Do you have a tip to share? Fill out the submit a frugal tip form and I’ll be glad to add it to the site and share your tip in an upcoming edition of the newsletter.
Recipes
Here are some of the most recent recipes that have been added to the HBHW site. Enjoy!
A Different Green Bean Casserole
1 lb frozen french cut green beans
1 can cream of celery soup or 10 oz of the homemade equivelant.
1 cup slivered toasted almonds
Mix green beans with 1/2 cup almonds and the cream of celery soup and …
Sweet and Sour Chicken and Rice
Suggested ingredients and amounts (all are adjustable to your taste)
3-4 cups cooked rice
1 cup broccoli florets or peas
2-3 scrambled eggs
1-2 cooked and cubed chicken breasts (optional)
1 bottle swe …
Cranberry Chutney
4 small oranges
2 cups sugar (or sugar substitute)
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup chopped unpeeled apple
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginge …
Delicious Beans and Potatoes
Make mashed potatoes. While they are cooking take cooked pinto beans, drained, cooked kidney beans, drained, or a mix, or leftover bean soup or leftover beans that kidney or pinto beans are in them, …
Do you have a recipe you would like to share? Click here to send it to me and I’ll be happy to add it to the website.
I’m Looking For:
This section is going to be all about you. If you are looking for a particular recipe or a tip on how to do something, submit it here and I will post it in an upcoming newsletter. I’ll give you my input and other readers of the newsletter will have the opportunity to share their recipes and tips as well. So take a moment to post your questions and of course if you have a tip or idea for any question posted in this section feel free to leave a comment under the appropriate post.
I’m Looking For Requests
In search of gluten-free lemon bars
Lemon bars are an economical sweet and have always been my favourite but now I must cook gluten-free meals (no wheat or wheat byproducts, read flour, etc., etc., - everything, especially prepared food …
Closet Damp Absorber
Hi
Just wondering in any readers have any ideas on how to make your own closet damp absorber, you know the sort that collects the humid water in linen closets etc.
Gayle
This post was submitted by gay …
Egg Nog Recipes
I am looking for a variety of egg nog recipes out there. If you have a great traditional recipe, or one with a different twist or flavor to it, I’d love to hear about it.
This post was submitted …
Homemade Johnson’s No More Bedhead spray
I have boys with thick hair that needs quick taming in the morning. Plain water isn’t controlling it. I sometimes use No More Bedhead or No More Tangles, but it’s too costly anymore. I won …
Cooking Turkey
Last year there was a post on how to use your oven as a slow cooker and cook a turkey overnight. My turkey turned out fantastic!! But, I lost my directions. Please help!
This post was submitted by …
Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Homemade
looking for homemade chicken and dumplings made the old- fashioned way.thank you.
From Susanne - Here’s my chicken and dumplings recipe. My biggest trick is to start the day before by cooking th …
Sweet Potatoe Cassarole
I am looking for a sweat potatoe cassarole that has the marshmellowes on top and has a thick like syrup and fruit cocktail in it. my aunt used to make it but she passed away and no one remembered to b …
Pie Shell Cake
I’m looking for a recipe for a cake that was baked in a pie shell. It may have had chocolate syrup on the bottom. It was great and my kids loved it. Now I would like to make it for the grandk …
Removing Rocks in Beans
Does anyone have a method for removing all the pebbles from pinto & other dried beans?
This post was submitted by Nancy.
I’m Looking For Responses
Below you will find some of the recent responses to the “I’m Looking For” Requests. You may also want to go directly to this section and browse through all the recent submissions and replies. To do so, click on “I’m Looking for” here, and start looking through them.
Comment on Apron Evangelism by Debie
Just wanted to say thanks for reminding me why I wear my apron!! Actually my daughter thought I wasn’t feeling well the other day when I didn’t put it on in the morning. Amazing how one gets in a ha …
Comment on Low Cal recipes by Nancy R.
If you search Diabetic recipes, and weight watchers recipes they are all low calorie. I did weight watchers for 2 years now, 1 year in meetings and 1 year on my own and am 10 lbs from my goal weight. …
Comment on Crockpot Cranberry Pork by ridgerunner
Comment for Joni… your recipe is so darn good!!! Fried Potato’s and onion’s on the side and hope to eat it all for yourself. I love to cook with pork, for that matter. The aroma this time of year is …
Comment on Indian Pudding Recipe by DE
Nadine - notice this site is titled “hillbillyhousewife”…probably not a place to spread enlightenment.
Comment on Closet Damp Absorber by brande
baking soda
Comment on Quick Sugar Cookies by Angela
These cookies are so good and easy to make. I did use real unsalted butter instead of margarine and increased the milk by 1/2 to 1 tsp. They turned out perfect. I will make these again, (as the fir …
Comment on Haitian Spaghetti Sauce by Nick
Try this recipe. It’s worked for me.
http://i-jat.blogspot.com/2008/10/haitian-spaghetti.html
Comment on Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Homemade by kitty wilson
I have always made mine by boiling the fryer with onion, celery and poltery seasoning as well as salt and pepper.
I also completely cover the chicken and save some of the broth to freeze to use for …
Comment on In search of gluten-free lemon bars by veronica
i would try a almond crust and a lemon custard topping made with egg yolks and cornstarch. Depending on which side of the fence you are on, you could use oatmeal. Many people beleve that oats are gl …
Inspirational Story
THE NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES
By Francis William Bourdillon
The night has a thousand eyes,
And the day but one;
Yet the light of a bright world dies
When day is done.
The mind has a thousand eyes,
And the heart but one;
Yet the light of a whole life dies
When love is done.
Final Thought
That’s it for this edition of the Hillbilly Housewife Newsletter. I hope you’ve had as much fun reading it as I had creating it for you. I also hope that you have found the information helpful and useful. And by all means feel free to forward the newsletter to family and friends or even better, encourage them to subscribe to it.
Do you have a question, a tip, a recipe or a story you’d like to share with us? Email it to me and I’ll include it in a future issue. Can’t wait to see what you have to say.
Warm Wishes,
Susanne - The Hillbilly Housewife
I’ve started using Febreeze as perfume! It’s much less expensive and some of the scents are great. I always have a can at home and one in the car so it’s easy. I always get compliments.
This post was submitted by writertee.
I save and reuse my bath poufs when they start falling apart. They work great for scrubbing the shower, sinks, and tub.
My husband confiscates ours to scrub the windshield on the car. They are apparently great for scrubbing bugs off - Susanne
This post was submitted by Rana Mikula.
I was in Haiti last summer and had some wonderful haitian spaghetti and was wondering if anyone would have a recipe for such a sauce.
This post was submitted by MICHAEL CAMPBELL.
In my community there is a fruit market that sells to the public and to local restaurants. I found that if I buy an entire bushel, or large bag, etc. I can buy produce for close to half the cost per pound as when I buy the produce by the pound. For instance, three-pound bags of onions cost $1.49, or about 50 cents a pound. When I bought the 48 pound bag, I paid $15, or 31 cents a pound. I had to ask if they would sell in large quantities for a discount - they didn’t advertise their bulk pricing. If the produce isn’t the type to store well, then consider freezing or canning it.
This post was submitted by Rosemary Johnson.
When I was little, my brother used to make a peanut butter fudge that was really good. I found it again years ago and it was surprisingly easy to make, but I lost it. Does anyone have one to share?
This post was submitted by Jenny.
I am looking for a recipe for a Fudge Pie that has a fudgy consistency rather than a pudding consistency. Can anyone help?
This post was submitted by Kim.
PowerHouse Brand Foaming Bathroom Cleaner that comes in a pressurized can works great to clean food, and burnt on food from your glass top stove.
One Dollar per can is a frugal choice!
This post was submitted by Carly Anne St.Clair.
If any of your favorite products have a website (most do these days), sign up for their mailing lists or newsletters. They usually send coupons, tips, and sometimes samples of their products to subscribers. If you don’t like putting your information online, you can call the 800 number on package (most things have a number for comments or complaints) and ask to be put on the mailing list.
This post was submitted by Davette.
2 Pounds of Hamburger (as lean as you like)
1 Medium Onion chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 quart milk
5 pounds potatoes
Brown your hamburger and onion in large skillet till cooked. Drain off any fat and put into bowl to hold. In large skillet melt butter then add flour with salt and pepper added in. It will clump up and look not right, its OK, cook with faith! Add the quart of milk all at once and begin to stir. It will take quite a little while (like 10 min or so) till the white gravy begins to thicken, but it will. After it is thickened add your hamburger and onions that have drained. Of course serve over your mashed potatoes. We love to throw a few (about 2-3 garlic toes) into the pot of potatoes to be boiled to cook with the potatoes. Mash the garlic toes in with your potatoes. Serve the hamburg gravy over your garlic mashed potatoes. Very economical and very filling.
This post was submitted by Linda Bookamer.
I was just recently given a pressure cooker. I’ve heard great things about them, but I need some recipes or tips on how to use it.
Thanks in advance!
This post was submitted by Darcy.
Some (almost all!) of my favorite holiday treats are chocolate covered: puppy chow, chocolate covered pretzels, haystacks, etc. However, using wax paper to allow them to dry can take up a lot of my money. Instead, I save the plastic bags (inside the box) that cereal comes in, cut them open, wipe them down and use them in place of wax paper. I don’t ever put them in the oven, but it works great for allowing treats to dry and harden while repurposing something that would have been thrown away!
This post was submitted by Molly.
Many grocery retailers plus Target will credit you 5 cents for each bag used for your purchases. This often saves at least 50 cent or more per trip to the store. This adds up over time, and is a great step for the environment.
This post was submitted by Cari Webster.
My mom used to make a crust-less buttermilk pie that I loved. She said there used to be lots of pies (dinner and dessert) that make their own crust. If you have some meat-free dinner and dessert crust-less pie recipes, please share!
This post was submitted by Laura.
I have been trying to eat healthier and go vegetarian but I think I’m gluten intolerant, so I am looking for recipes that fit both of these criteria. Thank you for your help!
This post was submitted by Teresa from WV.
For those busy days when you want pie, but not all the mess.
Put directly into a 9″ pie plate & mix with a fork:
1 1/2c. flour, 1 1/2 tsp white sugar, 1/4 tsp salt.
Combine slightly less than 1/2 c. veg. oil & 3 Tbsp cold milk in a cup. Beat with a fork until creamy. Pour all at once over dry ingredients & mix with fork until it is dough. Push dough with your fingers to line bottom & side of pie plate evenly. Continue with your favorite pie filling recipe or bake @ 425 for 10 minutes for a baked shell.
This post was submitted by Alison Jackson.
I have discovered that 1 can of frozen orange juice can make a whole gallon of if I add a cup of sugar and dilute it with a gallon of water! It’s the cheapest thing I could find for my four growing boys to drink.
This post was submitted by Michele Upton.
I’m looking for simple cookie recipes made without baking powder. I am allergic to corn starch which is the filler in baking powder. I also can’t eat my own biscuits and white cake anymore
This post was submitted by Blanche.
Soak feet for 20 min in white vinegar and warm water–50/50. Callouses will rub right off using dry bath towel. Especially nice for men. No more expensive foot cream. Leaves feet soft.
This post was submitted by Vicki Glasscock.
I am looking for a recipe for pintobean fudge and pie.
This post was submitted by gloria metzner.
instead of not using the heal of the loaf of bread, flip it over and put mayo. or whatever on it for a sandwich and no one can tell the diffrence.
This post was submitted by nan.
there was a recipe for Tomato Gravy on this site and it is gone. Does anyone have a copy?
It’s still there. Here’s the Tomato Gravy recipe. - Susanne
This post was submitted by carol franks.
To keep a turkey very moist and juicy simply bag it. I use 2 large brown paper bags that have been coated in shortening on the inside. I slide the stuffed turkey on its’ rack into the first bag then slide the other bag over the other end of the bird. If using a thermometer stick it in the bird now so you can read it. Then I place the bird in the roasting pan and roast it as usual. You never have to open the oven to baste the bird. Lots of juices remain for gravy
This post was submitted by deborah williams.
It’s getting closer to Christmas and I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to seriously look for gifts for loved ones. Most of the women in my family, as well as my close girl friends are frugal (just like me) and I like to give them gifts they will appreciate. When I came across the article below, I knew I had to share it with ya’ll. I love the gift ideas she has come up with. And I feels sure we can come up with quite a few of our own.
Frugal Gifts for Frugal Gals
By Cheryl Johnson
A frugal gift is measured first by it’s usefulness. Speaking from my own experience, I would say that my most appreciated gifts are those that I not only find useful, but that I would have had to purchase myself at some point. With that in mind, the frugal mind that is, the gift actually serves two practical purposes; It is useful and saves me money.
If you are a frugal gal, this task will be much easier for you. If great minds think alike, the same is true of frugal minds. Simply look within yourself. The frugal gal can get excited about the most ordinary of items. For the rest of you, here’s a little help.
Although you may question some items on the list, remember, the frugal gal enjoys frugal things! She looks to get the best value for her money and this IS what makes her happy! It just makes sense that providing a practical frugal gift that may also save money, will make her happy. Isn’t that what great gifts should do? So here’s to happiness and the pursuit of the frugal lifestyle! Happy holidays, happy birthdays, happy Mother’s day, etc. etc. etc….
FRUGAL GIFT BASKET IDEAS
Some of these unique gift baskets might seem odd or unusual to the average person. If you’re a frugal gal, you’ll completely understand. The rest of you will just have to trust me.
This is the gal who has a laundry basket held together with duct tape, tied together with string or rope, or repaired several times with other various ingenious methods.
Probability is, she may not even have a laundry basket. I have several produce boxes (they are extremely strong, especially banana boxes) that make wonderful laundry carriers! And, they are free.
Fill a sturdy laundry basket with one or two boxes each:
I say “sturdy” basket because it will inevitably be put to the test by a frugal gal! If your frugal gal doesn’t need a new laundry basket, you can give these gifts in an appropriate size traditional gift basket or just gift bag ‘em.
This is a great gift for anyone who doesn’t mind saving money. And, I don’t know anyone who minds! I would mix up one batch and put in a tightly sealed container. (You can make a decorative container yourself i.e. - a quart mason jar and some decorative fabric banded over the top. Tie with pretty ribbon.) Place with the laundry detergent ingredients to get them to try it and started down the right path. Include the following Laundry Detergent Recipe with the Laundry Basket Gift.
Powdered Laundry Detergent
1 Cup Grated Fels Naptha Soap
1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax
For light load, use 1 tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 tablespoons.
Options:
1. If budget allows, throw in some cloth napkins, utility towels, bath towels, hand towels, or washcloths.
2. Make a little book with a variety of laundry tips, tricks, and homemade recipes. This is great for a new bride.
Top with a personalized cleaning shirt or apron or any other little cleaning gadgets you think your frugal gal might find handy. Throw in a coupon for a coffee break date, with you, at your home, her home, or a local coffee shop! Your treat of course.
1. Baker’s Basket: Fill a large mixing bowl or basket [she'll probably get more use out of the bowl ;-)] with baking tools and/or supplies as much as will suit your budget. i.e. - Wire whisks of various sizes, wooden spoons, measuring spoons and cups, a sifter, cookie cutters, rubber spatulas (you know, those things you use to scrape every last bit of batter out of the bowl. My husband and I still argue about what these are called), a bag of bulk yeast, can of baking powder, various spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, etc.), vanilla extract, or anything else you know your frugal gal or cook will use or needs.
Top it all off with a personalized apron. Make or buy an apron and write the person’s name or a personal message, poem, or saying on it, using a fabric paint pen or paints. Other contents might include a cookbook, some of your own favorite recipes printed neatly on a recipe card or made into a mini cookbook, a recipe file, cookbook stand, well I could go on and on.
2. Cook’s Basket: Fill a large stock pot or basket with a variety of cooking utensils or supplies. i.e. - Most of the above items could be considered as well as, ladles, cutlery, small strainer/s, tongs, special seasonings, cooking spices (Italian seasoning, cumin, onion powder, garlic, oregano, thyme, etc) and again, top it off with a pretty apron! Throw in a cookbook if your budget allows and/or toss in some homemade recipes for taco seasoning, chicken bake coating, stuffing, whatever you can find to replace higher priced store bought mixes.
A good idea might be to actually make the mixes and give them already mixed in a tightly sealed container or jar along with the recipe. How to save money on groceries tips or book.
2. Treat Gift Basket: Now this one is great to give the frugal gal food items that her budget, or frugal mind, just won’t allow. Even frugal gals have favorite gourmet items that they love but rarely treat themselves to. For instance, I love Macadamia nuts. But they are very expensive, making them cost prohibitive for my financial goals right now.
If you don’t already know, ask a spouse or close relative what items the recipient enjoys. Fill a basket or other creative container with those foods and other various specialty foods, snacks, nuts, and/or cheeses. Remember to take into consideration any diet restrictions and select your contents accordingly.
3. Coffee or Tea Gift Basket: I’m a true coffee lover. But, as a frugal gal, I know that a common brand will get me through the day just as well as a gourmet brand. That doesn’t change the fact that I enjoy a good cup of gourmet or specialty coffee once in a while. But, with my current financial goals, the treat comes few and far between.
The coffee basket will definitely be appreciated by the frugal gal who loves a good cup of joe! Pack that basket with several different brands of gourmet or specialty coffee or a lot of the one brand you know she loves. Include a permanent coffee filter to fit the brand of coffeemaker she uses to show you haven’t forgotten her practical side! You can easily adapt the contents to fit the tea lover instead. Top it off with a nice coffee cup.
Now don’t worry frugal gals, I’ve got your back! 
I wouldn’t want your friends and family to think you will be offended if they give you a non-frugal gift. So here’s my last thought……
Although the frugal gal will love and appreciate the practical, useful, gift like no one else can, she is indeed a woman. So, if the notion strikes, you may certainly reward her with a luxury gift. The frugal gal will enjoy a luxurious treat that she would not normally consider for herself. For example, a trip to the salon for a professional manicure, pedicure, or hair style.
If you know your frugal gal has had her eye on an outfit, or other item, that she’s convinced she doesn’t need but secretly admires and wants, of course (if your budget allows) Get It For Her! Odds are she won’t buy it for herself and she will surely be happy to receive it as a gift. She’ll get to have something she wants but doesn’t actually need, and still remain faithful to her lifestyle or financial commitments.
I hope these ideas help you create beautiful gifts for anyone in your life. Choosing a basket theme to suit the recipients interests or needs is always a winning gift. Personalized gifts are more appreciated and keep on giving. Each time the recipient uses the item/s they are reminded of the thoughtfulness of the giver.
Cheryl Johnson is a mother of four helping herself and others become and remain debt free. Publisher of Simple Debt Free Living at http://www.simpledebtfreeliving.com - a self-help plan, ideas, and resources for a simple proven debt elimination strategy, household budget planning, frugal living, and practical home business ideas . Money saving tips for monthly bills, home decorating, gifts, weddings, groceries, clothing and much more save money every day.
Got some great gift ideas? I’m sure you’ve put some wonderful gifts together for your frugal friends. Share them as a comment below.
