October 28th 2008

Editorial

The painting two weeks ago went well. Our bedroom looks beautiful and feels like a little sanctuary now. It’s a calm and quiet place I can relax in after a long and busy day.

I also wanted to say thank you for all the wonderful comments and emails about the new crockpot recipe section. I’m glad you are enjoying them, but I can’t take all the credit since most of the wonderful recipes came from HBHW readers, so thank you for sharing them.

In fact, I just tried one of those recipes this past weekend and it turned out great. Look at the featured recipe section to find out which one I’m talking about.

We’re getting ready for Halloween around here. I just got through painting a few paper plates orange for our girl scout meeting this afternoon. We’ll be turning them into pumpkin faces by drawing eyes and a mouth on in black marker or crayon and cutting stems from construction paper. I’m sure they’ll turn out cute. I’ll share a photo later this week on the blog.

If you enjoy making your child’s Halloween costume and you’re still looking for some fun and easy ideas, take a look at www.IloveHalloweenCostumes.com … This is an ebook I co-wrote with my good friend Nicole Dean two years ago and I think you’re going to enjoy it.

I’ve gotten a lot of great frugal tips from fellow HBHW newsletter readers this week, so be sure to check that section out.

The response to last issue’s recipe requests wasn’t too great and there are quite a few “I’m looking for” requests from the past issue that I haven’t gotten a response to. If you don’t mind, read through them as well as the new ones and help out a fellow HBHW reader if you can. I truly appreciate all your participation in this newsletter. It’s what makes it unique and of course a great read.

Thank you also for all the wonderful Holiday recipes you’ve been emailing me. I’m working on adding them to the site. If you have a great recipe that you haven’t sent in yet, feel free to email it to me at susanne@hillbillyhousewife.com with “Holiday Recipe” as the subject line.

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

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Grab yours at www.hillbillyhousewife.com/livingonadime.htm

You can now get the popular Dining on a Dime book as and ebook.

Inspirational Quote

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

- Leo Buscaglia

Reader Questions

I was wondering if you had a collection of all of your recipes together for easier printing purposes – possibly an ebook? I would even pay for it, but it doesn’t appear you do any sort of sales on your site. I would just be easier than opening each individual recipe and printing it. That would take a very long time and I JUST LOVED ALL OF THEM!! Thanks so much for your site.

Patti

Hi Patti, this is something I’ve actually been thinking about doing. Unfortunately there’s no simple way to do this (other than copying and pasting it all into an ebook), but if there’s some interest into an ebook like this, I’d be glad to work on it.

HBHW readers, is this a collection of HBHW recipes compiled as an ebook something you would be interested in? (this is going to be a lot of work and I’ll probably have to pay my assistant to help with this, so this is going to be a paid ebook.) If so, send me a quick email with “Recipe Ebook” in the subject line. If quite a few of you are interested in this, I’ll start working on this and give you an update in the next newsletter.

Featured Article

This week’s featured article is about how to save on your home heating bills this winter. With energy prices up and a cold winter ahead of us, I’m sure this topic is on the minds of a lot of you. I know it is on mine. I’m sharing some of my best tips on how to keep down those heating costs with you. Implementing just one or two of these can make a big difference in your bill each month.

You can read the article here: www.hillbillyhousewife.com/winterhomeheating.htm

I also added an article on second hand shopping that you might enjoy reading.

photo credit: qgil

I look forward to reading about your take on things.
Frugal Tip – Make A Price Book

I may have mentioned this before, but with grocery prices up and down quite a bit recently, I think it’s worth repeating. A price book is a little notebook that you use to record prices of some of the items you buy on a regular basis. After all, how can you tell if a sale is really a good deal, if you’re not sure how much you’re usually paying for the item. Some of the things I record in my price book are prices for paper towels, toilet paper, dishwashing and laundry detergent, milk, bread, eggs, different cuts of meats that we use quite a bit (including chicken thighs and beef stew meat). Obviously your list will be different from mine since all of us cook different types of meals, but you get the idea. Anything that you buy on a regular basis should be recorded in your price book.

Keep this little notebook with you when you go shopping so you can record price changes and also reference it when you see an item on sale. If it’s quite a bit cheaper than what you are usually paying, and you have the room in your pantry or freezer, go ahead and stock up for the coming weeks and months.

Frugal Tips From Our Readers

Just thought I would share this crockpot tip with you. When cooking sticky foods always spray inner pot with non stick cooking spray, makes cleaner up much faster. I love your site and look forward to your newsletters.

Gayle

Just thought I could pass on this idea, instead of using high priced air fresheners for your car, I buy one of those concentrated fabric softener in the plastic pouch and put it on the dashboard of my car. The heat of the car really brings out the fragrance. So my car always has a fresh smell and it last heaps longer. When fragrance dies out you can then use it in the laundry. It works out really cheap. Once again keep up the great work.

Gayle

I’ve found these two tips useful I hope others do you.
(1)When adjusting for high altitude in baking breads or cakes simply cut all levening in half (soda, baking powder). CUT BOTH if both are used in the same recipe. Mix and bake as the recipe calls for.

(2) To line a pan with foil, simply flip the pan over and press the foil over the pan. Then turn the pan right-side up and drop the foil shell in.Cover a finger with a folded napkin or paper towel (so that you won’t put a hole in the foil) and gently press the foil completely down in the pan.

Miss Kay in ABQ, NM

I have tip for those hard pears someone has. Let then ripen up and make pear sauce or apple/pear sauce. It is really good. The kids love it!!! Make it the way you usually make applesauce. Take care,

Paula S.

I have an inexpensive gift giving tip for those of you who are grandmothers.

Give stories from your life. Over the years I have given a book titled
When I was young at Christmastime. I did this children’s story book style all on my computer and had it spiral bound at the local print shop for just a few pennies. It was a hit with not only my children, but my brothers and sisters etc.

Since then I have wrote a book on Love stories from our family tree, telling how each of our ancestors met and fell in love.

This year I am putting together another book titled My Gramma’s grandmas. It tells what I remember about my grandmothers from a child’s perspective.

Other ideas that I have are a family recipe book, games Gramma used to play etc.

I am even thinking of making a memory game using family photos.

All of these can be made on the computer for just pennies and they are real keepsakes!!! I love making them and everyone who sees them loves them also.

Even just a letter to each grandchild would be appreciated.

Nancy F.

I look forward to reading about your take on things.

Featured Recipe

For this edition I picked another one of the crockpot recipes as the featured recipe. I tried this Crockpot Bean Soup over the weekend and it was just the perfect meal for the cold and dreary weather we’ve been having.

I made a batch of plain muffins to go with it and dinner was ready in no time at all. I’m sure the recipe for Brandy’s Dinner rolls (see reader recipe below) would have been yummy with this soup as well.

Reader Recipe

This week’s reader recipe was sent in by Brandy R. She writes:

I am a single mother of two (both under the age of 2) and am low income. So naturally I make a lot of things from scratch. I have a dinner roll recipe that was in my family cookbook that I thought would be good for this website. It makes 5 rolls per batch and is low cost. I have done all the calculations and it is approximately $0.35 per batch or approximately $0.07 per roll. I have also compared the price with store bought rolls.

Here’s the recipe for Brandy’s Dinner Rolls. You’ll also find the price comparison on that page. Enjoy!

Nicole L. also shared a wonderful no bake oatmeal cookie recipe. It sounds like a fun afternoon thing to do with the kids and I can’t wait to try it.

I look forward to reading about your take on things.

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, email it to me and I will post it in an upcoming newsletter. I’ll give you my input and will also post any suggestions other readers of the newsletter come up with. So take a moment to write me your questions and of course if you have a tip or idea for any question posted in this section feel free to send me that as well.

Here’s this week’s requests:

I am looking for a pie recipe that my mom used to make for me. It was a white pie and she called it angel food pie. It did not brown at all and it had a bit of vinegar in it I believe.
Lavonne

My husband and I grew our first garden this year. We tried pumpkins and were happy to find that we actually grew 8 of them! I was wondering how to cook pumpkins or how to make recipes with them. I have NO idea how to go about baking or making anything with them. I was hoping you or maybe one of the other readers could give me some ideas. Thank you so much!
Kathleen in MA.

It was something my aunt made when I was younger. She called it wagon wheel dip. It seems similar to pimento dip, but somehow different. I can remember that there were chunks of cream cheese in it. Totally fattening, but SO GOOD!!!
Anne

I’m looking for the “classic” hershey’s cocoa fudge recipe (I lost my recipe card) and any tips on how to make it stiffen here in Florida. (I always have to pour it over ice cream, it doesn’t harden).
Chris
Does anyone have a sour dough bread recipe that can be used in a bread maker?
Nancy F

We are also still looking for replies to the following:

I’m looking for an old salad recipe I’ve had many times. The woman who made it for me called it “Ma Cole’s salad” after her mother, but I am pretty sure she didn’t actually make it up, so if anyone recognizes it I’d be grateful! It’s a chopped salad that has lettuce, tomatoes, green olives, cauliflower and cheddar cheese. It might have some other things too. I think the dressing had pickle brine and parsley in it too, but again I’m not sure.

Megan

I had a recipe request for the newsletter. Ages ago I worked at a restaurant that had the best Cream of Chicken Soup. I know they started with Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup, but then added other ingredients to really doctor it up- and it was so good. I’ve made homemade soups trying to duplicate, but they just aren’t as creamy and good. Just curious if anyone makes their Creamy Chicken soup this way and would share the recipe. Thanks!

Peggy

I am looking for 2 things:
1. A recipe from around 20 years ago that came in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It is for Cranberry Conserve. It contained fresh cranberries, chopped pears, sugar, and orange juice. You could can it in a water bath canner.

2. Any ideas for a windfall of hard, crisp cooking pears. These are not the fancy store bought (soft) kind. What would you do to preserve them?????

Thanks bunches!
Jan H., Georgia

My grandmother use to work for a hospital, where she cooked for the poeple. She use to make these ruben sandwiches that were so so good. I can still remember how they tasted. No one in my family seems to have the recipet that she used. I think she baked them but some in my family think she grilled them on the stove top. I just remember that she made a lot all at once and the were always on a big bakeing sheet when she brought them over. I have that baking sheet and now I need the recipet. Does any one happen to know of one. Thanks,

Tiffany

Many Many years ago, I visited a home in VT where the hostess made this spectacular crock pot recipe that included either sweet potatoes or butternut with apples. If I remember it also had honey and perhaps there was even sausage or some other meat in it. I have tried for years to reproduce this without success. I am hoping one of your readers, or even you could help me recreate this delicious dish.

Kerry C.

I once had a terrific mac and cheese recipe (handwritten by a friend and long lost) that included to beaten eggs and cheddar cheese. It made a light and delicious dish and I would love to find it again.
Thank you for helping with this.

Louise

And here are last week’s requests followed by the recipes and ideas submitted since then:

I cannot remember if you talked about this before in one of your newletters, but I couldn’t seem to find my answer. So I’m hoping that you or some of your reader can help me. I’m having fruit flies problems. How do I get rid of them without buying those traps? I have tomatoes sitting on my window sill ripening and I don’t want to throw them away (like my husband wants me to). Please help if you can.
God bless,

Jenn

We were having problems with fruit flies for awhile and this trick seemed to work wonders: put some vinegar in a bowl and mix dish liquid with it! Simple as that. The fruit flies are attracted to the smell of the vinegar, but get poisoned by the dish soap. Hope this helps!

Sarah

1. In a small bowl, combine about 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar and about 1/2 teaspoon dishwashing liquid.* Mix very gently to avoid creating lots of bubbles.

2. Set bowl in gnat-prone area, and watch them die!!

In fact, just a couple hours ago, I made one of these traps because I noticed a few gnats in the kitchen. About ten minutes later, I saw three fruit flies in my trap. This trap will seriously attract and kill every gnat in my kitchen. Joshua invented the recipe after ill-success using regular vinegar. Now we have this new-and-improved gnat trap recipe, and it sure works for us!

And, of course, if you really want to do away with fruit flies, it’s best to make sure you’re not leaving anything else around for them to eat. Wash every last dish, dump your garbage, and wipe down the counters really well, especially before bed. I like to store my bananas out on the enclosed porch if possible, since those seem to be one of the biggest attractions for bringing fruit flies into the house.

*I use a clear Dawn dishwashing liquid, but others will work also.

source: http://tammysrecipes.com/node/3044

Julie

There was a reader asking how to get rid of fruit flies. I use a washed yogurt cup and fill 1/2 way with cider vinegar and a couple drops of dish soap. Sit it near the fruit and the flies will be attracted to the vinegar and not the tomatoes. I use this all summer as I am constantly bringing in fresh fruit and veggies from my garden.

Beth

Inspirational Story

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL

Author Unknown

A weary mother returned from the store,
Lugging groceries through the kitchen door.
Awaiting her arrival was her 8 year old son,
Anxious to relate what his younger brother had done.

“While I was out playing and Dad was on a call,
T.J. took his crayons and wrote on the wall!
It’s on the new paper you just hung in the den.
I told him you’d be mad at having to do it again.”

She let out a moan and furrowed her brow,
“Where is your little brother right now?”
She emptied her arms and with a purposeful stride,
She marched to his closet where he had gone to hide.

She called his full name as she entered his room.
He trembled with fear–he knew that meant doom!
For the next ten minutes, she ranted and raved
About the expensive wallpaper and how she had saved.

Lamenting all the work it would take to repair,
She condemned his actions and total lack of care.
The more she scolded, the madder she got,
Then stomped from his room, totally distraught!

She headed for the den to confirm her fears.
When she saw the wall, her eyes flooded with tears.
The message she read pierced her soul with a dart.
It said, “I love Mommy,” surrounded by a heart.

Well, the wallpaper remained, just as she found it,
With an empty picture frame hung to surround it.
A reminder to her, and indeed to all,
Take time to read the handwriting on the wall.
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

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