I am trying to find out how to substitute
powdered soy milk for regular powdered milk. If any one has any ideas it would be a really great help.
Powdered Soy Milk For Dry Milk Powder
Carrot Spam Spread
6 eggs boiled and chopped
3 medium carrots grated
1 can spam ground (or 1 pound ham)
1 small onion finely chopped
1 small green pepper finely chopped
salt and pepper
Miracle Whip or Mayo(add the amount you like or until spreadable.)
Mix all ingredients together and let set in refrigerator for at least one hour. This makes a lot of sandwiches or works great on crackers. I also have made this using left over roast pork.
My Aunt gave me this recipe years ago. I don’t know where she got it from. Hope you enjoy.
Time And Choices
By Ellen C. Brown from CreatingHours.com
Oftentimes, morning turns too midnight all too rapidly as we frantically attempt to squeeze chauffeuring three children to four different after-school-activities, grocery shopping, a stop at the bank, picking up the clothing at the dry cleaners, returning neglected library books, and a mad rush to ship a package before the Fed-Ex office closes. Simultaneously, we are fielding phone calls from seven or eight important people and an additional dozen callers of lesser degrees of prestige. Text messages and emails cause our Blackberries to beep nonstop as we juggle the lifestyle of a busy 21st-century parent.
Does it have to be this way? Does everything have to be rushed? When do we get a chance to slow down?
Despite the vast array of time-saving devices throughout our modern homes (I can count five perched on the kitchen counter alone), we find our time scarcer than ever before. Curiously enough, the very wealthy among us- even the housewives who do not work- find themselves even more pressed for time than average people.
It seems that the more choices we encounter and the more options we view as available, the less free time we have available.
The very wealthy, who have housekeepers and gardeners at their beck and call, have far more choices than average people: Shall we travel to Italy on Monday or Tuesday? Should we schedule a stopover in New York City on the way to California? Shall the new tiles around the pool be aqua or turquoise?
We in the 21st-century have options that our great-grandparents could not have fathomed in their wildest dreams: We can travel around the world, learn a new language or study for a new career in the comfort of our homes, and update all 427 Facebook friends of our status as each new item is accomplished.
Paradoxically, the more options we have in our lives, the more frantic the pace of life becomes, because we feel a virtually addictive need to do more, to see more, to learn more.
None of us can see all the sites in a metropolitan city in the US if we lived to be 200 years old, yet all of us feel the desire to see many of those sites, and experience an array of new adventures.
The fact remains that we are surrounded by a myriad of choices that beckon towards us intellectually, physically, and emotionally.
How can we slow down the frantic pace of our lives within the society in which we live? Is it possible to stop and smell the roses every single day- not just during vacations?
The secret lies in the ability to make choices.
Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families, states this concept as follows:
“The key to being proactive is remembering that between stimulus and response there is a space. That space represents our choice— how we will choose to respond to any given situation, person, thought or event. Imagine a pause button between stimulus and response—a button you can engage to pause and think about what is the principle-based response to your given situation.”
Every single one of the hundreds of choices that present themselves to us on a daily basis includes that special “pause” button where we can choose our responses.
In the past, if a friend were to call me and ask me to accompany her to an entertaining charity event on Sunday evening, I would have looked at my calendar. Upon finding that Sunday evening was blank, I would have acquiesced, and attended the event together with her.
Since discovering this secret to slowing down and enjoying a relaxed pace of life, I have a radically different mode of responding to my friend’s invitation. My first step is not to check my calendar, but rather to check my goals. What are the primary pursuits that I am attempting to accomplish at this phase of my life? Perhaps I have a self-determined deadline to finish writing my book, and I have decided that social encounters this month will be minimized to phone conversations, rather than lengthy in-person rendezvous. That being the case, I will turn down the invitation because it is not in line with my current goals.
Of the thousands of choices we encounter each year, it is impossible to choose all of them. Saying yes to one activity automatically means saying no to another activity that is taking place simultaneously.
An ancient proverb that states, “You can’t dance at all the weddings.”
Having a multitude of choices is a blessing of our times, yet the blessing can turn into a curse for those that attempt to choose every option on the table. Eating every delicacy at the buffet is a sure recipe for a stomach ache.
Equally important as choosing what we want to do, the goals we yearn to accomplish, is to choose which ones we are willing to leave by the wayside.
The lesson is: If you chase two rabbits, both will escape.
Money, cars, jewels and clothing can always be acquired. On the other hand, once time has passed, it can never be recouped.
We all have limited time, energy, and ability to focus.
Time is a blessing; it’s its compilation is our life.
It was a sad day when I told my 10-year-old son that he could not join a 5-week soccer league. Yet, it was an essential step in maintaining my family’s sense of balance and purpose. (He was already enrolled in hockey lessons, a baseball league, and enrichment studies at the time!)
Sometimes we put tremendous pressure upon ourselves only because the choice is available.
How many times did I used to chop up a huge salad because the vegetables would go bad soon? How often did I rush to the library and miss tucking my children into bed because I wanted to avoid a $1.25 fee?
Now, I wonder: Why?
Why did I feel so pressed to make a massive salad on a day that I already had a headache, two imminent carpools, and a business meeting? Why didn’t I choose to freeze the almost-rotting vegetables for a soup on another day? Was saving one dollar and twenty-five cents at the library really worth the hassle of bundling up all my children and driving across town to the library, on four empty stomachs?
I’ve learned to ask myself an all-important question as I’ve slowed the pace of my life and learned to relax despite my busy schedule.
The question is: What would happen if I did not do this?
In the evenings, as I stare at parts of my home which are in disarray, I ask myself, “What would happen if I did not clean up the living room?” And the answer, obviously, is that the books and toys will wait for me until tomorrow.
On the other hand, as I stare at the grimy kitchen and ask myself the very same question, the answer jumps out at me: Cockroaches and ants will invade my territory if I do not clean up the kitchen quickly!
Therefore, most evenings, I clean only the kitchen. The children can help me clean the rest of the house tomorrow- nothing else is nearly as important as keeping roaches out of my home!
I use this concept when I am invited to events or notice a sale on items I intend to purchase. Asking myself, “What would happen if I did not do this?” has diametrically improved the level of harmony in my home and tranquility in my mind. No longer do I fall asleep under the weight of yet another unfinished To-Do list.
Not only have I chosen the goals I’d like to achieve, I have made peace with the idea of choosing not to accomplish certain things. Time is an irreplaceable resource; I cannot squander it because elephants are on sale at the local fair for a quarter.
When I ask myself the question, “What would happen if I did not do this?” most of the answers look similar to this list below:
“I won’t save seventy-five cents on orange juice.”
“I won’t know what Joe Klein thinks about the war in Afghanistan.”
Just because the sale on juice is taking place around the corner, or Time Magazine arrived in my mailbox, does not make it mandatory for me to utilize my time in these areas!
It comes as liberation to many busy parents, to know that time belongs to us alone, and we are the sole determiners of its use.
You can find many new ideas to create an abundance of time for the people and things you value most in Creating Hours: Time Management Tips & Tricks for Busy Parents
12 Time Saving Tips For Parents
The following article of time saving tips for parents was written by my friend Ellen C. Brown from CreatingHours.com. She has written an excellent guide on finding more time in our busy days and I highly recommend it for any busy mom. You can order your copy here: http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/creatinghours
1. Trust yourself to make effective decisions: Clutter is symbolic of the inability to decide what ought to be trashed or where things belong. A consistently hurried pace of your life is symbolic of the inability to decide what can be overlooked or what can wait.
Reward: Less stuff impeding your steps, and more time to do the things you love.
2. Do all your reading with a pen and a pad of post-it notes, so that you never have to spend time thumbing through a magazine or book in order to find what you wanted. Keep a small square of post-its in your handbag, on your nightstand, in your magazine bin, and even in the bathroom!
Reward: You know exactly where that recipe, website, or product review is when you decide to check it out.
3. Declare gadget-free zones so that you can really enjoy your leisure time. (Isn’t that what voicemail was created for?!)
Reward: Family time is not spent dealing with clients, and business time is not spent chatting with friends and family. Create a space surrounded by things you love without any electronic communications devices. It can be as simple as a beanbag without a phone!
4. Go through your house, one room at a time, and get rid of anything that is not useful, beautiful, or joyful. Set the timer for 10 minutes per room. Do this quickly and put everything into boxes in the basement or other storage area. Give yourself a few months to decide if you want to trash, save, donate, or sell these items.
Reward: You’ll save time: Not having to wash, maintain, dust these things. These things won’t hinder your access to important things that you need in a hurry. (Imagine if the only things on your nightstand were your glasses and keys- nothing else! They’d never be lost or buried under useless stuff!)
5. LABEL all of your chargers with silver Sharpie markers, so you don’t wake up one morning with a dead cell phone as you’d plugged it into your son’s DS charger the prior evening, and it didn’t quite fit. (Based on my personal experience recently!)
Reward: A fully charged appliance when you expect it!
6. Each bedroom ought to have its own hamper. Laundry should be done one hamper at a time- avoid combing hampers in the washing machine.
Reward: This enables you to take a basket of clean clothes from the dryer and put it in the room in which it belongs and saves enormous time sorting and putting away the clean clothing. BONUS- if you dumped the clean laundry on the bed, the owner of the bed must deal with putting away the clothing if she wants to sleep in an empty bed that evening!
7. Why touch clothing twice- once to put it away in a drawer, and once to get it ready to be worn in the morning? Buy several hanging sweater organizers- and put away your clothing in groups- each shelf should contain pants, shirt, underwear, socks.
Reward: This way, when it’s time to get dressed, you grab one shelf instead of opening 5 drawers to find what you need. This tip is exceptionally helpful for children and people that think slowly in the morning, like myself!
8. Prepare dinner early in the day in a crock-pot. Or even get it ready the evening prior to a busy day; keep it in the refrigerator overnight and then place it on the heating element in the morning.
Reward: Quick preparation, no worries about burning dinner, stirring, mixing, etc. This is especially useful when you’ll be out of the house all day. Bonus- the house smells delicious when you walk inside after a long day!
9. Have lots of zip-lock bags handy. When you are unsure where something belongs (is that a charger for an appliance that we still own?) put it in a zip lock bag in the closet. If you decide you need it, you can find it easily during your search though the closet. If you keep seeing it in the closet, you’ll realize you don’t need it, and trash it.
Reward: No more clutter taking your space and time throughout the house. In the past, I used to have a pile in a corner of each room consisting of things that didn’t belong anywhere. Now, that’s history!
10. Prepare a master grocery list that corresponds to the aisles of your local supermarket. (Or ask an organized friend in your neighborhood to email hers to you! Or, put up a notice that you’re looking for this type of list on your grocery’s bulletin board- that is how I found mine!) Keep copies on the fridge, and circle the items you need for your next shopping expedition. Prepare menus for the week on the reverse side, so that everything you need to buy is on one sheet of paper.
Reward: No more last-minute trips to the grocery for things you forgot, and no need to sit and write out a shopping list each week!
11. Create a standard system for storing and remembering your passwords, so that you need not spend time requesting new passwords or digging through old emails or post-it notes each time you visit the site! My system looks something like this: The site’s first and last letter, my hometown and childhood phone number, the sites last and first letter. (Security experts advise changing passwords every 6 months and not using the same one for each site. In 6 months, instead of my hometown and phone number, I’ll use my college town and zip code, still using the site’s first and last letters.)
Reward: No more wasted time requesting and renewing passwords as you log into your favorite sites. This technique is especially useful when you switch computers!
12. Buy a timer on a chord to wear like a necklace when doing chores. You’ll hear the ding no matter where you are! Allow yourself 10 or 30 minutes to clean each room, and move on when you hear the ring- even if you’re not yet 100% done! This will encourage you to move faster, avoid getting lost in tiny details.
Reward: More focus means more is accomplished! That means more leisure time for you!
Find hundreds of more time-saving tips in the new book, Creating Hours: Time Management Tips and Tricks for Busy Parents!
Struggles Make Us Stronger, More Time, Frugal Gardening – HBHW Newsletter
April 28th, 2010
Editorial
I was reminded last weekend of both the devastation and the beauty of nature. The terrible tornadoes that ripped through the south causing death and destruction have left many of us feeling sad and helpless.
Even though I try to count my blessings every day, I know that far too often I am besieged by petty feelings of my own little day-to-day struggles. I looked for answers last Sunday for the terrible things that I and so many around me were feeling.
Then, as seemingly an answer to my prayers, on Sunday I received a lovely reminder of the beauty of nature and how, through our struggles, we grow stronger. I wanted to share this inspiration with you today.
The inspirational quote and story this week also follow the same theme of finding strength through struggles and adversity. Giving thanks is easy when it’s for something pleasant, but finding grace in difficult times, especially devastating times in our life… well, that is something most of us find almost impossible to do.
If you will, look at your own life today and see if you can find blessings in the most difficult times you’ve experienced.
Those are my thoughts 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
Adversity and Strength
Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.
~James Buckham~
Sponsor
Creating Hours – Time Management For Busy Parents
Today I thought I’d share a wonderful time management resource with you that my friend Ellen C. Brown has put together.
Could you use an extra hour a day? How about more than one? Ellen has written an excellent 75 page ebook on helping you become more efficient and effective. Just imagine what you could do with an extra hour a day!
I can highly recommend this guide for any busy parent. You can order it right here for $19.95
To learn more about the Creating Hours ebook and find out how to order visit:
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/creatinghours
News From The HBHW Club
What? You haven’t heard about the Hillbilly Housewife Club? It’s a members only forum packed full of great information, resources, and friendly chit chat about the things we are all interested in – fun, frugal living. Come Join Us And See What All The Chatter Is About!
We have a very valuable resource available to our Club members that you won’t want to miss.
What if you could plant a garden that produced food for your family without spending a fortune doing so?
Our FRUGAL GARDENING resource features an interview with my friend, gardening expert Tawra Kellam of LivingOnADime.com. This informative and fun resource explores the world of frugal gardening in simple detail so that even the novice gardener can get started on the right foot.
Frugal Gardening – An Interview With Tawra Kellam, is a resource you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned gardener, you’ll appreciate the neighborly “over the fence” chat format of this resource. You’ll hear simple techniques for getting the most out of your garden, no matter how small your garden is or how many years you’ve been gardening.
Tawra not only brings years of gardening experience to this resource, but she is educated in greenhouse management and landscape design. Tawra has down-to-earth suggestions for every garden size and type.
Even though this resource is filled with simple ideas, there’s plenty of detailed information to help you start planning your frugal garden, even if you’ve never gardened before.
This resource focuses on planting a garden that will pay you back for your efforts! The focus is on FRUGAL – which makes sense if you’re gardening to save money on vegetables!
You don’t want to miss this informative resource. Join the HBHW Club and grab your FREE resource today!
As a HBHW newsletter subscriber, you can join for only $10 per month. Click on this link for all the details: http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Not sure about joining the HBHW Club yet? To make joining us even easier, I’ll let you try it out for just a dollar for the first 7 days.
How will you benefit from joining the HBHW Club with this offer? As an example, for just that one dollar you’ll have 7 days of access to over 350 great frugal recipes that are tried and true, with a new recipe every day. You’ll also have 7 days to ask your most puzzling frugal homemaking questions – and even get answers!
Join us now and enjoy 7 days of frugal fun. Click on the link here and come aboard! http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Let’s just take a peek at what’s been going on at the HBHW Club Forum.
One of our most active topics lately has been our Walking Challenge. We have found that when we are accountable to someone for our exercise and diet programs, we are more successful in our efforts. Logging into the Club daily or weekly is a great way to get support for our personal fitness program. When we hit our goal, we cheer each other on, and when we slip a little, we still cheer each other on with a reminder that we have friends who are right behind us, celebrating our every effort. The Club has been a great motivator to me, and many other members, to keep up a fitness program.
We’ve met a few new members recently who share our commitment to live a frugal lifestyle – for many reasons. Frugal living often offers a healthier lifestyle; such as growing, or raising, one’s own food supply. Homesteading is indeed a very industrious undertaking, but one that is rewarding on many levels. I applaud our homesteading members!
Even if a home does not have enough room for a big garden, many of our members are anxiously awaiting warmer weather to plant a few small containers of herbs, tomatoes, or whatever will grow in small areas. We are sharing what we know about planting little gardens as well as big ones.
Saving money by living frugally sometimes isn’t enough to stay financially afloat. Making money at home has been a lively discussion at the Club. We have several members who have put their talents to work for them and are earning real money doing something they love at home. This is definitely a discussion that everyone can learn something from, and one in which we have an opportunity to spread the word about our work-at-home entrepreneurs.
How would you like to join the conversation? As a Club member, you’ll be able to share your opinions, frugal tips, and ideas on everything from raising chickens to making money by selling your crafts. Are you ready to join us at the HBHW Club?
Click the following link and try The HBHW Club for only $1. We’d love to have you come join us! http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Now that you’ve joined us at the HBHW Club, you’ll want to be sure to take a stroll through the resources available free to Club members only. Popular resources include:
- Pantry Cooking
- Freezer/Pantry Challenge & Meal Planning
- Setting Up A Family Budget
- Simple Summer Cooking
- Getting Out Of Debt For Good
- Utility Bill Savings
- Meal Planning Guide – Simple Step-by-Step Method
- Frugal Family Summer Fun
Let me know what you think of the resources and if there are any topics we should explore further. As a Club member, your opinion is highly valued because it’s YOUR Club!
Join The Hillbilly Housewife Club for Just a Dollar
I’d like to share one of the recipes that was submitted to the HBHW Club this past week.
Royal Chicken Divan
- 2 (10 oz) pkgs. frozen broccoli spears
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 Tblsp. sherry
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced into thin strips
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Put broccoli in sauce pan, fill half way with water, bring to a boil over high heat, let boil for 2 minutes, remove and drain. Set aside.
In saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Whisk in flour, stirring until combined and just starting to turn golden. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and bring to a slow boil – continue stirring and cooking until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in cream, sherry, salt, and pepper.
Arrange the cooked broccoli in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Pour half the cream sauce over the top of the broccoli. Arrange the sliced chicken on top of the broccoli.
In the cream sauce still in the sauce pan, add the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Pour this sauce over the chicken.
Put in oven and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until hot and bubbly and top starts to brown.
And here are a few more recipes that have recently been added to the member area.
- Freezer Ready Twice Baked Potatoes
- White Corn Meal Buttermilk Bread
- Southern Green Tomato Pie
- Cheddar Creamed Pea Casserole
All in all, we have over 381 new recipes in the member area already.
One of my favorite parts of the HBHW Club is the Member Forum. Here are just a few of the more recent posts.
Member Forum Posts
Why don’t you join us so you can get in on the conversation. I look forward to chatting with you in the member area.
http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Featured Articles
Today I have not one but two articles on saving time for you from Ellen C. Brown of CreatingHours.com . I have know Ellen for quite a few years now and recommend her new time saving ebook for any busy mom.
Click the link below and learn :
12 Time Saving Tips For Parents
These simple changes and tips will make your life easier and less stressful in addition to saving you quite a bit of time each week.
Find out how the choices you make effect your family life and your goals.
Healthy Hillbilly Housewife
Here’s what’s new on the healthy hillbilly housewife section. You can also go straight to http://www.healthy.hillbillyhousewife.com
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Frugal Tips
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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!
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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 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
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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.
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Inspirational Story
Potatoes, Eggs and Coffee
Once upon a time, a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed.
Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot, and ground coffee beans in the third pot. He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter.
The daughter moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. After twenty minutes, he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup.
Turning to her, he asked, “Daughter, what do you see?”
“Potatoes, eggs, and coffee,” she hastily replied.
“Look closer,” he said, “and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were soft.
He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.
“Father, what does this mean?” she asked.
He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs, and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity, the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently.
The potato went in strong, hard and unrelenting, but in boiling water it became soft and weak. The egg was fragile with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard.
However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.
“Which are you?” he asked his daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you resopnd? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?”
In life, things happen around us and things happen to us, but the only thing that truly matters is what happens within us.
~author unknown
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
How To Feed Your Kids The RDA of Fruits and Vegetables
My kids are huge fans of mac n cheese. Getting them to eat vegetables isn’t easy. They will eat broccoli if I mix it into their macaroni and cheese.
There are fruit/vegetable juices on the market. “Dynamo” sold at Trader Joe’s goes over well in our household.
Remember that the Food Pyramid recommends fruits OR vegetables. If your children won’t eat the green beans you are serving as a side dish – give them a sliced apple or an orange instead.
Butterscotch Sauce
This butterscotch sauce is great on ice cream!
Butterscotch sauce:
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. corn syrup
2 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
In medium-size saucepan, heat all ingredients, except vanilla, to boiling, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 2-3 minutes; remove from heat and add vanilla.
This can be cooled and stored in the refrigerator up to one week.
Sand Box Cake
I’m looking for the recipe that is a lot like a wacky cake, but you mix it all in the pan you are going to cook it in. Thanks.
The Hillbilly Housewife Recommends: Secret Restaurant Recipes
Don’t spend a fortune going out to eat. Instead enjoy some of your favorite restaurant fare at home for a fraction of the cost.
These recipes are also perfect for dinner parties or a fun and special family dinner.
Get your copy today at:
The Rewards Of Hardship, Cookies Ready In The Freezer, Frugal Gardening Resource – HBHW Newsletter
April 21st, 2010
Editorial
Tax season has come and gone. Most households, mine included, are struggling trying to make their incomes stretch far enough to feed, clothe, and shelter their family. Even if the economy is said to be turning around, it will take some time for most of us to feel any relief.
With the growing season just beginning in our corner of the planet, my attentions have been focused primarily on planning and planting a successful, and frugal, garden this year. I am encouraged by my friend Tawra Kellam, who is featured in our resource, “FRUGAL GARDENING” available at the Hillbilly Housewife Club.
Gardening is a relaxing past time for many people. But, this year, I plan to approach my garden like a General going to battle. This garden is going to produce RESULTS! In other words, the real estate my garden is taking up is going to pay me back. I hope to, once again, enjoy the luxury of a nice ripe tomato without having to take out a second mortgage on the house. Stay tuned…
In our inspirational quote and story this week you’ll see a theme of hardship and the rewards and strengths that hardship can bring.
It’s a simple concept that many people know to be true, but struggle against anyway. Hard work and hard times bring some of our most valued rewards. Consider raising a family – are there hardships involved? Certainly. Are the rewards worth the hardship? Absolutely.
Please take a minute to reflect on this theme and give thanks for some of the difficult times in your life that have given way to some of your most wonderful blessings.
Those are my thoughts 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
The Rewards Of Hardship
“God educates men by casting them upon their own resources. Man learns to swim by being tossed into life’s maelstrom and left to make his way ashore. No youth can learn to sail his life-craft in a lake sequestered and sheltered from all storms, where other vessels never come. Skill comes through sailing one’s craft amidst rocks and bars and opposing fleets, amidst storms and whirls and counter-currents. Responsibility alone drives man to toil and brings out his best gifts.”
~ Newell Dwight Hillis ~
Project or Sponsor
How To Get Out of Debt For Good
Today I thought I’d share one of the most popular resources from the HBHW Club with you. It’s how to get out of debt for good and has a step by step action plan that will help you get out of any and all consumer debt faster than you thought possible.
You can get your hands on this powerful report two different ways. You can either order it right here for $9.95, or you can join the HBHW Club for $10 per month and get access to this report and others along with all the other club goodies as part of your membership.
To learn more about the report and find out how to order visit:
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ebooks/debtfree.html
News From The HBHW Club
What? You haven’t heard about the Hillbilly Housewife Club? It’s a members only forum packed full of great information, resources, and friendly chit chat about the things we are all interested in – fun, frugal living. Come Join Us And See What All The Chatter Is About!
We have a very valuable resource available to our Club members that you won’t want to miss.
How would you like to finally produce the kind of garden that you’ve only dreamed about before? And, what if you could produce this garden without spending a fortune?
I don’t have a green thumb, but I am determined to make my garden the best it can be – and do it frugally!
Our FRUGAL GARDENING resource features an interview with my friend, gardening expert Tawra Kellam of LivingOnADime.com. This informative and fun resource explores the world of frugal gardening in simple detail so that even the novice gardener can get started on the right foot.
Frugal Gardening – An Interview With Tawra Kellam, is a resource you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned gardener, you’ll find plenty of information in this resource to give you at least a few “ah ha” moments.
The interview format of this resource is sort of an “over the fence” neighborly chat. You’ll hear simple techniques for getting the most out of your garden, no matter how small your garden is or how many years you’ve been gardening.
Tawra not only brings years of gardening experience to this resource, but she is educated in greenhouse management and landscape design. Tawra has down-to-earth suggestions for every garden size and type.
Simple suggestions such as “plant produce you like to eat” and “plant produce that’s expensive to buy” will have you smiling to yourself thinking; “Do people really plant things they don’t like to eat?” and “Why wouldn’t I save my garden space for expensive-to-buy foods?” Yes, believe it or not, even seasoned gardeners fall into the trap of “This is the way we’ve always done it.”
I’m sure you’ll enjoy this no-nonsense gardening resource. But, even though it’s filled with simple ideas, there’s plenty of detailed information to help you start planning your frugal garden, even if you’ve never gardened before.
Most gardening books today give you some very fine information, but I’ve found one thing missing – the frugal aspect. This resource focuses on planting a garden that will pay you back for your efforts! The focus is on FRUGAL – which makes sense if you’re gardening to save money on vegetables!
You don’t want to miss this informative resource. Join the HBHW Club and grab your FREE resource today!
As a HBHW newsletter subscriber, you can join for only $10 per month. Click on this link for all the details: http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Not sure about joining the HBHW Club yet? To make joining us even easier, I’ll let you try it out for just a dollar for the first 7 days.
How will you benefit from joining the HBHW Club with this offer? As an example, for just that one dollar you’ll have 7 days of access to over 350 great frugal recipes that are tried and true, with a new recipe every day. You’ll also have 7 days to ask your most puzzling frugal homemaking questions – and even get answers!
Join us now and enjoy 7 days of frugal fun. Click on the link here and come aboard! http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Let’s just take a peek at what’s been going on at the HBHW Club forum.
Hillybilly Housewife Club is 1 year old! I can’t believe it’s been a year already! Thanks to our Club members, we have created a comfortable, fun, and informative place to share ideas, tips, and support for all we do in a day. Beyond the forum, we have created valuable resources, a mountain of recipes, and some very useful frugal living strategies. I hope you’ll come join us as we celebrate our first great year together!
A few topics we’ve been discussing have to do with meal time and saving money. Several of our members are trying to find healthy alternatives for meat at meal times. We have shared a few meatless dinner ideas which include using beans, lentils, peanut butter, eggs, and other proteins. It’s a challenge to cook without meat if that’s what you’ve been used to for years. But, with just a few suggestions from our Club members, I know we can make delicious meatless meals at least several times a week.
Our members have also been discussing how we can stick to our diet and exercise programs. It seems getting into a good HABIT of exercise and being accountable in writing about what we are eating are two good ways to stay on track.
How would you like to join the conversation? As a Club member, you’ll be able to share your opinions, frugal tips, and ideas on everything from what to do with leftover chocolate Easter bunnies to homeschooling. Are you ready to join us at the HBHW Club?
Click the following link and try The HBHW Club for only $1. We’d love to have you come join us! http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Now that you’ve joined us at the HBHW Club, you’ll want to be sure to take a stroll through the resources available free to Club members only. Popular resources include:
- Pantry Cooking
- Freezer/Pantry Challenge & Meal Planning
- Setting Up A Family Budget
- Simple Summer Cooking
- Getting Out Of Debt For Good
- Utility Bill Savings
- Meal Planning Guide – Simple Step-by-Step Method
- Frugal Family Summer Fun
Let me know what you think of the resources and if there are any topics we should explore further. As a Club member, your opinion is highly valued because it’s YOUR Club!
Join The Hillbilly Housewife Club for Just a Dollar
I’d like to share one of the recipes that was submitted to the HBHW Club this past week.
Easiest 6 Layer Magic Bars Ever
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine
- 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (6 oz) pkg. chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
- 1 cup chopped nuts (your choice, but peanuts are good)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Get out a 9 x 13 pan. Put butter in and put in your preheated oven. When the butter melts, remove the pan. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the butter evenly. Then pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crumbs. Sprinkle the chips on next, then the coconut, and finally the nuts. Press down gently with your hands.
Return the pan to the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until you see the edges just beginning to brown. Remove and let cool before cutting into bars.
And here are a few more recipes that have recently been added to the member area.
- Fancy Frosted Pineapple Jello Salad
- Tuna Bake With Biscuit Topping
- Savory Carrot Salad
- Homemade Butterscotch Topping
All in all, we have over 375 new recipes in the member area already.
One of my favorite parts of the HBHW Club is the Member Forum. Here are just a few of the more recent posts.
Member Forum Posts
- Exercise and weight loss starts with “do all things in moderation”
- Substitute instant potatoes for regular in chowder?
- Peace in gardening
Why don’t you join us so you can get in on the conversation. I look forward to chatting with you in the member area.
http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Featured Article
It may seem a bit early to discuss holiday cookie baking, but having a freezer full of cookies, baked or unbaked, is a good idea for any time of the year.
Have you ever been caught by surprise with a last-minute request for treats? Perhaps your youngster forgot to mention that the school is hosting a cookie exchange – tomorrow! Maybe you find yourself the fill-in troop leader this week.
These little last-minute events can happen to the most organized person. A freezer full of cookies can take the frustration away and make everything turn out perfectly as planned. This article gives you the information you need to prepare and store delicious cookies for your freezer, as well as several of our favorite cookie recipes.
Click the link below and get started filling your freezer with great cookie treats ready in minutes – for the holidays or any day!
Freezer Cookie Recipes And Tips For Freezing Cookies and Cookie Dough
Healthy Hillbilly Housewife
Here’s what’s new on the healthy hillbilly housewife section. You can also go straight to http://www.healthy.hillbillyhousewife.com
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Frugal Tips
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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!
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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 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
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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.
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Inspirational Story
The Old Mule
~author unknown~
Once upon a time a farmer owned an old mule who tripped and fell into the farmer’s well.
The farmer heard the mule braying and was unable to figure out how to bring up the old animal. It grieved him that he could not pull the animal out. He’d been a good worker around the farm.
Although the farmer sympathized with the mule, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened. He had them help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and quietly put him out of his misery.
At first, the old mule was puzzled, but as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, he had a thought: he ought to shake off the dirt and step up. And he did just that.
“Shake it off and step up…shake it off and step up…shake it off and step up.” Even though he took painful blows of dirt and fought panic, he just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!
It wasn’t long before the old mule stepped up and over the lip of that well. What could have buried him actually blessed him…all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.
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
Looking For Ideas To Reuse Large Glasses From Used Candles
I burn a lot of candles. I prefer to buy the large size (I think they’re more economical and I buy them on sale for 1/2 price at Bath & Body Shop). Once the candle burns down, what can I do with the leftover glass container? The medium size ones I use in the bathroom for Q-tips and cotton balls, and the little ones I reuse for leftover candle wax. But I’m stumped what to do with the large size. Does anyone have any suggestions?
College Loans And Parent’s Responsibility
Looking for anyone with college loan experience. Yesterday my daughter got her college loan papers telling her how much she got on the FAFSA etc. It also listed the different grants and loans she can take out for her first year at college and the breakdown. The last item was called Parent loan and it was for 18,000.00. They expect the parent to sign/cosign for the student loan. She’s not going to an online university. I went to a 2 year college to avoid student loans and want to start paying off bills and saving for retirement. I had no plans for signing any college loan with her. Does anyone out there have any prior experience on this subject? I am desperate!!!
Courage And Determination, Frugal Living Team Work, Frugal Gardening Resource – HBHW Newsletter
April 14th, 2010
Editorial
Two things happen at the same time around my house – gardening and taxes. Yes, it’s ironic that while I’m sitting down planning out my garden space I’m also sitting down and finalizing my income tax return. Frugality is on my mind more than ever around April 15th.
Tax season and growing season coming around the same time each year may just be a coincidence, but it sure has me calculating my fingers to the bone! That’s why the very idea of FRUGAL GARDENING is so important.
I have had my day of just plopping seeds and plants into the dirt and letting the chips fall where they may. The results? A lot of wasted seeds and plants… and time.
I have also had my day of buying many of the “gardening gadgets” during my gardening days. The results? A lot of wasted money.
So, with the reminder from our income tax return that every penny must be squeezed tightly again this year, I’m taking my garden and myself to task. I am following the advice of my friend Tawra Kellam in our new FRUGAL GARDENING resource in the Hillbilly Housewife Club and I am planning and planting my garden wisely – and frugally. This year, my garden’s going to earn its keep. Stay tuned to see how this turns out.
In our inspirational quote and story this week you’ll see a theme of courage and determination. These two qualities in a person often go hand in hand. When we are determined to achieve something, we often face obstacles that call upon our courage. And, when we call upon our courage to pull us through a difficult situation, we also are often filled with a fierce determination to see our task completed.
Dig deep within yourself today to do one courageous thing. Find the determination to finish that task and achieve at least one goal. At the end of the day, you’ll then be able to lay your head down and rest very, very well.
Those are my thoughts 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
Courage And Achievement
“Come to the edge.”
“We can’t. We’re afraid.”
“Come to the edge.”
“We can’t. We will fall!”
“Come to the edge.”
And they came.
And he pushed them.
And they flew.
Project or Sponsor
How To Get Out of Debt For Good
Today I thought I’d share one of the most popular resources from the HBHW Club with you. It’s how to get out of debt for good and has a step by step action plan that will help you get out of any and all consumer debt faster than you thought possible.
You can get your hands on this powerful report two different ways. You can either order it right here for $9.95, or you can join the HBHW Club for $10 per month and get access to this report and others along with all the other club goodies as part of your membership.
To learn more about the report and find out how to order visit:
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ebooks/debtfree.html
News From The HBHW Club
What? You haven’t heard about the Hillbilly Housewife Club? It’s a members only forum packed full of great information, resources, and friendly chit chat about the things we are all interested in – fun, frugal living. Come Join Us And See What All The Chatter Is About!
We have a brand new resource available to our Club members. Both our “Pantry – Freezer Challenge/ Meal Planning” resource and our “Pantry Cooking” resource were so popular, we’ve decided to give you yet another way to stock your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. How about with your very own produce from your frugal garden!
This resource features an interview with my friend, frugal gardening expert Tawra Kellam of LivingOnADime.com. This informative and fun resource explores the world of gardening… FRUGAL GARDENING to be precise.
The new resource, Frugal Gardening – An Interview With Tawra Kellam, is one you won’t want to miss. If you’ve ever considered starting a garden, or if you are even an experienced gardener, this interview is for you. It’s packed with information to get started on the right foot, and to keep your garden producing throughout the growing season.
The interview format of this new resource is informal and filled with “over the fence” neighborly tips. You’ll hear simple techniques for getting the most out of your garden, no matter how small your garden is or how many years you’ve been gardening.
Tawra not only brings years and years of tried-and-true gardening expertise to this resource, but she is also schooled in greenhouse management and landscape design. She has down-to-earth knowledge and offers suggestions for every garden size and type.
Even experienced gardeners will have a few “ah ha” moments. My favorites are “plant produce you like to eat” – people do sometimes plant produce that they will not eat - and “plant produce that’s expensive to buy” – if potatoes are dirt cheap save the garden space for herbs and other expensive produce.
This tiny glimpse into the new FRUGAL GARDENING resource should give you an idea of how down-to-earth this resource is. But, don’t let those simple tips fool you! This resource is also filled with great detail about how and why we should all be planting our own frugal garden – something that is missing from most gardening books available. The focus is on FRUGAL – without which gardening doesn’t make much sense in most households today.
You don’t want to miss this informative resource. Join the HBHW Club and grab your FREE resource today!
As a HBHW newsletter subscriber, you can join for only $10 per month. Click on this link for all the details: http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Not sure about joining the HBHW Club yet? To make joining us even easier, I’ll let you try it out for just a dollar for the first 7 days.
How will you benefit from joining the HBHW Club with this offer? As an example, for just that one dollar you’ll have 7 days of access to over 350 great frugal recipes that are tried and true, with a new recipe every day. You’ll also have 7 days to ask your most puzzling frugal homemaking questions – and even get answers!
Join us now and enjoy 7 days of frugal fun. Click on the link here and come aboard! http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Let’s just take a peek at what’s been going on at the HBHW Club forum.
Happy Birthday Hillybilly Housewife Club! I can’t believe it’s been a year already! Thanks to our Club members, we have created a comfortable, fun, and informative place to share ideas, tips, and support for all we do in a day. Beyond the forum, we have created valuable resources, a mountain of recipes, and some very useful frugal living strategies. I hope you’ll come join us as we celebrate our first great year together!
One of the funny topics we’ve covered is what to do with all those half-eaten chocolate Easter bunnies! If you’ve got a couple sitting around missing the ears, well, you are not alone. Very fun, but also informative, topic indeed!
On somewhat of a more troubling topic, we have been discussing home schooling issues. All home school programs are not alike and should not be considered appropriate for every family. I know we all would like to expand on this topic and get more feedback from everyone.
As a Club member, you’ll be able to join us and share your opinions and throw out some of your own frugal tips and ideas. Are you ready to join us at the HBHW Club?
Click the link here and try The HBHW Club for only $1. We’d love to have you come join us! http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Now that you’ve joined us at the HBHW Club, you’ll want to be sure to take a stroll through the resources available free to Club members only. Popular resources include:
- Pantry Cooking
- Freezer/Pantry Challenge & Meal Planning
- Setting Up A Family Budget
- Simple Summer Cooking
- Getting Out Of Debt For Good
Let me know what you think of the resources and if there are any topics we should explore further. As a Club member, your opinion is highly valued because it’s YOUR Club!
Join The Hillbilly Housewife Club for Just a Dollar
I’d like to share one of the recipes that was submitted to the HBHW Club this past week.
No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 Tblsp. cocoa
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (Quaker Oats)
In a large saucepan, mix the first 4 ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often, then remove from heat.
Add the peanut butter and oatmeal and stir together until completely incorporated.
Take a teaspoonful of cookie dough and drop onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or waxed paper. Put in a cool area, but not the refrigerator.
And here are a few more recipes that have recently been added to the member area.
- 1 2 3 Cheesecake
- Double Sweet BBQ Beans
- Granny Smith’s Cabbage
- 1000 Island Dressing
All in all, we have over 375 new recipes in the member area already.
One of my favorite part of the HBHW Club is the Member Forum. Here are just a few of the most recent posts.
Member Forum Posts
Why don’t you join us so you can get in on the conversation. I look forward to chatting with you in the member area.
http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Featured Article
It takes more than Mom to get a household financially stable. There are reasons why even the best frugal budget sometimes fails. If the whole family isn’t on board, frugal living will be very difficult at best.
Outside of getting your family on the “frugal train” you’ll need to gather support in your community of friends, as well. Don’t reinvent the wheel! There are many groups of like-minded frugal living people who are willing, no, anxious, to share their expertise.
Click the link below to learn how to be successful with your frugal living plan:
Healthy Hillbilly Housewife
Here’s what’s new on the healthy hillbilly housewife section. You can also go straight to http://www.healthy.hillbillyhousewife.com
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Frugal Tips
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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!
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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 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
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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.
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Inspirational Story
A Determined Spirit
Author Unknown
Once upon a time, a small bird named Tasoo lived in a vast jungle.
One hot summer day, a terrible wildfire erupted and the flames devoured many trees and animals living in the jungle. Other birds flew high into the sky and far away to safety, but Tasoo couldn’t bear to leave her precious jungle home to burn.
Day and night, she flew with all her might back and forth to the river, filling her tiny beak with water to drop on the raging fires.
Tasoo’s rare heart of courage and unshakable determination moved the heavenly gods to shed tears, and a great rain poured down upon the jungle, extinguishing the flames.
And so it is that even the smallest actions of a determined spirit can change the world.
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
Pantry Space In Odd Places
Just a thought for the reader who has little pantry storage. My grandpa built narrow shelves for canned goods on the wall going down to their cellar above and below the handrail. I’ve seen NYC apartment dwellers put up shelves over doorways or around the perimeter of a room for storage. Then there’s the old faithful underbed thing on wheels intended for shoes, that can be used as a “pantry”. A couple years ago I remember a website or article dedicated to unusual space use, perhaps a search online would pull something up. I believe the guy had drawings of his ideas. Narrow shelving might be a good use for free pallet wood.
Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama
Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.
Get your copy today at:
www.HillbillyHousewife.com/penny
Grown Up Grilled Cheese
We all know how great tomato soup & grilled cheese go together. I like to make a little different grilled cheese sandwich for the grown ups. I use Pepper Jack cheese and cracked wheat sourdough bread(bought at Trader Joe’s), and cook in the traditional way in a frying pan with butter.
Homemade Onion Rings
Cut onions into rings. Dip in prepared pancake batter. Fry in a deep fryer until they float.
Inexpensive Pancake Syrup
I like to make this syrup because it has few ingredients, easy to make, and tastes great. It is thinner than commercial syrup but at least I can read the entire ingredient list and know what is in it.
You will need:
1 1/2 C. brown sugar
1 1/2 C. water
1/2 C. white sugar
3/4 C. light corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. maple flavoring (optional)
Combine sugars, water, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for approximately 7-9 minutes to thicken slightly.
Remove from heat and stir in salt, vanilla, and maple flavoring if using. Cool completely before pouring into bottle or jar. Does not need to be refrigerated.
*Note* I have never used the maple flavoring in this syrup and it still tastes “maple” enough for my family.
Frugal Living is Team Work
A couple of days ago my daughter’s school sent home their monthly newsletter. It always has some interesting facts and ideas in it and in this particular edition, it had a little article about team work. It included the T.E.A.M acronym. I have seen this before, but thought I’d share it with you today and talk a little bit about how frugal living is team work as well.
Let’s start with what T.E.A.M stands for…
T – Together
E – Everyone
A – Accomplishes
M – More
There are several teams you’ll be working with throughout your frugal live. Your first stop should always be your own family, but your core family (parents and their children) as well as your extended family. How so?
The Frugal Family
Your first “frugal team” as I mentioned will be your family. You don’t live alone and your spending decisions will directly affect your immediate family. Your spouse and kids will be a lot more cooperative as you are starting to make changes to become more frugal if they are involved as well.
Start by telling them what you are planning to do and also explaining why being more frugal is important right now. Then as you start to become accustomed to a frugal lifestyle, keep pointing out what you can do because you are frugal most of the year. This could mean a bigger house, a vacation once a year and even the peace of mind that having no consumer debt and an emergency fund gives you.
Don’t forget to involve your family actively as well. Ask for their input on things you could do without or have them find coupons, deals or just save up for anything extra they want. My family has always enjoyed the challenge of finding the best deal for just about anything.
Not only will your children be less likely to complain about your frugal lifestyle, you are also teaching them valuable life skills about financial responsibility and managing money and other resources wisely.
You may also be interested in this article I wrote a while back – Frugal Living Is A Family Affair.
Let’s move on to our next frugal team. This will be a network of friends who share your views and values.
A Local Network Of Frugal Friends
Having some friends and acquaintances who are frugal as well is beneficial on so many different levels. You can share ideas, tips and places where great deals can be found. I also trade toys and clothes with other frugal friends who have children who are older or younger than mine. You can trade books, go in on larger purchases (my dad has been sharing a lawn mower with a friend who is also a neighbor for years), or just share coupons etc. that the other families do not need.
Another big advantage of having a network of frugal friends is the support they can provide. Living frugally isn’t always easy and there are times where you just don’t feel like saving or finding the best deal. It’s good to have some friends you can talk to that share your values.
With that said, let’s move to the next team – the online frugal community.
A Frugal Online Community
Last but not least, don’t forget about frugal online communities. They are a wealth of information and participants there (both men and women) are always ready to help and be there for encouragement and support.
You will find both free and paid frugal communities online and both of them certainly have their own pros and cons. The biggest pro with a free community is that you have access to a whole bunch of like-minded folks. At the same time, the information you can in free forums isn’t always the most accurate and you will often be presented with many contradicting ideas. You also need to be aware that since signup is free, many people there aren’t very dedicated to living frugally. My best advice is to take all advice you receive in free online forums and communities with a grain of salt.
p.s. Getting out of debt is, for many families, the first step to living frugally. My step-by-step guide will help you do just that! Order your copy today and take the first step to financial security – How To Get Out Of Debt For Good
Dill Pickles – made into sweet pickles
I’m looking for a recipe that takes sliced dill pickles, adds sugar and jalapanos . . . and comes up with a sweet/hot pickle. Can you help me?
Graduation Party Food Ideas
My only daughter is graduating in June. I am throwing her a big party at our house. We are living on 1 income right now and things are very tight. I have so much expense with everything I have to buy and rent for this event that I am looking for some good cost effective ideas for food. We are planning on having chicken and cabbage rolls and meat and cheese trays along with all of the other goodies, etc. Does anyone have any good food or party ideas that work well? I only have 2 months left. Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks.
Southern Potato Salad
this is a huge hit at any party. I have made it numerous times and i still get requests for it.
6-7 russett potatoes, peeled diced and cooked til not quite mushy.
6 boiled eggs, peeled and diced
1 small can olives, finely chopped
2-3 pickles finely chopped
1 package bacon, cooked and chopped… for this it is much easier to cut it before cooking.
1 cup mayonaisse
2-3 tblsp. mustard
1 tsp. paprika
salt, pepper to taste.
While getting everything perpared throw items in a large bowl.
Mix in the mayo and mustard and stir well til it looks yummy.
put in fridge to cool off.
What Are You Waiting For To Be Happy, Frugal Living Without A Big Pantry, Frugal Gardening Resource – HBHW Newsletter
April 7th, 2010
Editorial
The first robin and the smell of earth are my signs that spring is here to stay. Alright, we may get some cold nights and the planting of the garden may still be off a few weeks, but I’m getting a little help this year.
My good friend Tawra Kellam has joined me in an interview resource this month to get all our gardeners out there up and planting in no time. This resource is available to Club members and I’m very excited to be able to provide this information to our gardeners.
As always, quite a few yummy new recipes have been added by myself and HBHW Club readers this past week. The Southern Potato Salad in particular caught my eye. I can’t wait to give this recipe a try. I haven’t made potato salad with olives, but it sure sounds yummy.
Our inspirational quote and story are all about living life today – not waiting for something else to happen to start living. The Easter season got me thinking about new beginnings and it’s appropriate at this time to begin anew ourselves. What are we waiting for to be happy? Why not begin today?
Those are my thoughts 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
“If we are not happy and joyous at this season, for what other season shall we wait and for what other time shall we look?
Time For Some Spring Cleaning…
Spring is here and it’s time for a little spring cleaning. Let me help you make it easier (and faster) with my Spring Cleaning Guide.
This eBook is filled with all the information necessary to help you organize and spring clean major rooms in your home. With information such as how to get started, what items you need, how to organize your cleaning to save you both time and money this eBook tells it all. This handy guide even includes a cleaning supply list, a room by room checklist and much more.
Order your copy here:
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ebooks/springcleaning.htm
News From The HBHW Club
What? You haven’t heard about the Hillbilly Housewife Club? It’s a members only forum packed full of great information, resources, and friendly chit chat about the things we are all interested in – fun, frugal living. Come Join Us And See What All The Chatter Is About!
We have a brand new resource available to our Club members. With the success of the interview format for our resource “Pantry/Freezer Challenge and Meal Planning,” we decided to interview another expert, my good friend Tawra Kellam of LivingOnADime.com. This time we are delving into the world of gardening… FRUGAL GARDENING to be precise.
The new resource, Frugal Gardening – An Interview With Tawra Kellam, is one you won’t want to miss. If you’ve ever considered starting a small garden, a big garden, or if you are even a seasoned gardener, this interview is packed full of information, even including a few “ah ha” moments!
Simple strategies that gardeners may overlook are presented in a fun, comfortable style. The interview format is informal and filled with neighborly little over-the-fence kind of tips.
Tawra not only brings years and years of tried-and-true gardening expertise to this resource, but she is also schooled in greenhouse management and landscape design. She has down-to-earth knowledge fand suggestions for every garden size and type.
Simple “ah ha” moments include planting what you’ll actually eat (yes, people sometimes plant things they don’t like and won’t eat), and planting vegetables that are more expensive in your area. For instance, if potatoes are dirt cheap where you live, and you can get any variety you want, don’t waste your garden space on them. This is just a glimpse into some of those simple tips that make the difference between a successful, frugal garden and a waste of time.
You don’t want to miss this fabulous resource. Join the HBHW Club and grab your FREE resource today!
As a HBHW newsletter subscriber, you can join for only $10 per month. Click on this link for all the details: http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Not sure about joining the HBHW Club yet? To make joining us even easier, I’ll let you try it out for just a dollar for the first 7 days.
How will you benefit from joining the HBHW Club with this offer? As an example, for just that one dollar you’ll have 7 days of access to over 350 great frugal recipes that are tried and true, with a new recipe every day. You’ll also have 7 days to ask your most puzzling frugal homemaking questions – and even get answers!
Join us now and enjoy 7 days of frugal fun. Click on the link here and come aboard! http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Let’s just take a peek at what’s been going on at the HBHW Club forum.
One of our new members introduced herself to us this week. She is living a frugal lifestyle, like many of us, because she has some challenges in her life. Going from a two income family to a no income family is only one of those struggles in her life. But, somehow she manages to have a great attitude and is finding ways to make money crafting baby dolls and is saving money grinding her own flour and making bread.
As a Club member, you’ll be able to join us and share your opinions and throw out some of your own frugal tips and ideas. Are you ready to join us at the HBHW Club?
Click the link here and try The HBHW Club for only $1. We’d love to have you come join us! http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Now that you’ve joined us at the HBHW Club, you’ll want to be sure to take a stroll through the resources available free to Club members only. Popular resources include:
- Pantry Cooking Resource
- Freezer/Pantry Challenge & Meal Planning
- Setting Up A Family Budget
- Simple Summer Cooking
- Getting Out Of Debt For Good
Let me know what you think of the resources and if there are any topics we should explore further. As a Club member, your opinion is highly valued because it’s YOUR Club!
Join The Hillbilly Housewife Club for Just a Dollar
I’d like to share one of the recipes that was submitted to the HBHW Club this past week.
Denver Swiss Bake
- 2 Tblsp. cooking oil
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
- 3 Tblsp. flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 Tblsp. dry sherry or dry white wine
- 2 cups cooked turkey or chicken, diced
- 1 cup cooked ham, diced
- 4 or 5 slices Swiss cheese (enough to cover casserole dish)
- 1 cup fine bread crumbs
- 2 Tblsp. butter
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onion and green pepper until tender. Sprinkle in the flour, salt, and black pepper, stirring until combined well. Add the cream and sherry or wine, stirring until mixture is hot and thickens.
Stir in the meats until combined, then spoon mixture into a casserole dish. Arrange the Swiss cheese slices on top.
In a separate small saucepan, melt the butter, add the bread crumbs and stir until just combined.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture around the edges of the casserole leaving the Swiss cheese mostly exposed.
Bake uncovered in preheated 375 degree oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and slightly browned and edges are brown.
And here are a few more recipes that have recently been added to the member area.
- Club Chicken Casserole
- Cabbage Swiss Bake
- Overnight Layered Breakfast Bake
- Mediterranean Beef & Noodle Bake
All in all, we have over 369 new recipes in the member area already.
One of my favorite part of the HBHW Club is the Member Forum. Here’s a sampling of a few of our member discussions:
Member Forum Posts
Why don’t you join us so you can get in on the conversation. I look forward to chatting with you in the member area.
http://www.hillbillyhousewifeclub.com/special.html
Featured Article
We’ve had a great discussion lately through our resources and in our forum about cooking from your pantry. We’ve also covered information about what you should stock in your pantry and freezer to ensure you can cook up a storm without leaving your kitchen.
The problem is, not everyone has a big pantry or freezer. When several of our readers asked about that problem, I thought I’d better put together some suggestions. Please read our article by clicking on the title below and see if you can squeeze together a well stocked pantry in your house.
Frugal Living Without A Big Pantry
Healthy Hillbilly Housewife
Here’s what’s new on the healthy hillbilly housewife section. You can also go straight to http://www.healthy.hillbillyhousewife.com
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Frugal Tips
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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!
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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 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
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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.
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Inspirational Story
Stop Waiting
Author Unknown
We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren’t old enough and we’ll be more content when they are. After that we’re frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.
The truth is, there’s no better time to be happy than right now.
Your life will always be filled with challenges. It’s best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D Souza. He said, “For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.”
This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have.
Stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you’ve had a drink, until you’ve sobered up, until you die, until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.
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
Turning 2 Liters Of Lemonade Into 4 Liters
When I buy a 2 liter(more or less), I cut the first few cups I pour with water, it’s plenty sweet. Once about half is gone fromt he bottle, I just fill it back up with water. I’ve gotten about twice the amount that I paid for and the kids enjoy it just the same.
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Frugal Casseroles For Two
I am looking for frugal casseroles for just 2 people. any help appreciated
Microwave Biscuit Dessert
I’m looking for a biscuit recipe I had back in the 80′s in Wisconsin. It uses biscuits, brown sugar and butter. I remember you use a glass pie plate and put a small drinking glass in the center, so the finished caramel doesn’t get in there. You cook in the microwave but I don’t remember much else. I was 17 years old so I didn’t pay attention. Thank you in advance.
Sweet Gravy
My grandmother always made a sweet sauce to serve with plain pound cake. She called it LumptyFudd. I know it had butter, milk, vanilla & sugar. Does anyone have that recipe. I need measurements.