Creating a Valentine’s Dinner That Doesn’t Cost a Fortune
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and if you are like me, you just really want to steer clear of the hustle and bustle of restaurants — not to mention the high price of the meal you are going to be served.
For the last few years, I have created a fabulous Valentine Dinner for me and my husband using the recipes here on the Hillbilly Housewife website. You can do it and not spend a fortune on ingredients and still create a restaurant quality meal.
For Starters
How to Plan a Fantastic New Year’s Eve Party
New Year’s Eve is the party of the year for many people. It is a time for attending parties and celebrations with family, friends, and loved ones. Attending a New Year’s Eve party is always fun, but how much more fun could you have if you hosted a New Year’s Eve Party in your own home? Planning the party does take a lot of work but using the below tips will help you plan a fantastic New Year’s Eve Party.
10 Ways to Use Up Leftover Ham
If you have tons of leftover ham floating around, there are many ways that you can transform the ham into something new and delicious. Here are 10 ways to use up leftover ham.
Gift Ideas for the Hard to Buy For Person on Your List
It seems like the same gift giving dilemma happens every year when the holidays loom closer. There are always a few people that seem extremely difficult to buy gifts for on your holiday shopping list. They either don’t want anything for Christmas, or they already have everything in the world a person could want!
Well, what do you do? Ideas that come to mind are consumable items. But just how many meat and cheese boxes can someone receive? Yes, they are good, but perhaps a bit overdone. In search of some new ideas, I have come up with the following list of gift ideas for the hard to buy for person on your list.
Gifts In A Jar – Thoughtful And Tasty Treats For The Holidays
Gifts in a Jar recipes with gorgeous layered ingredients are a thoughtful and economical way to treat friends, coworkers, neighbors, or teachers, to the flavors of the season. And making them is easy and fun – especially if you get the kids involved.
Jar recipes for everything from cookies to soups to hot drink mixes can be found on the internet and they now even have cookbooks dedicated to just that! In most jar recipes, you’ll simply measure dry ingredients into a standard one-quart canning jar, and then tie a card with the cooking instructions to the lid.
Special Christmas Breads That Carry Well to Get Togethers
The holidays bring with them an excuse to bake up a storm. We love to cook on Thanksgiving, but baking traditions belong to Christmas. Here are some ideas for bread ideas to showcase during the holidays.
Super Easy No Bake Christmas Desserts
We love to bake at Christmastime. It is a part of the tradition of family that surrounds the occasion. But, it can seem as if we are spending more time in the kitchen preparing for family than we actually get to spend with them. Change up your program with a few Christmas desserts that don’t require any baking.
How to Make the Perfect Christmas Cake
Who doesn’t love cake? They are popular for birthdays, weddings, and the holidays. We eat cake for all types of occasions but there are some cakes that are made at Christmas more than any other time. Here are a few ideas for adding delicious holiday cakes to your repertoire.
What Christmas Desserts Should You Serve at Your Party?
It’s time for the annual Christmas party. Who will be throwing it? What kind of foods should be served? Who will be invited? This year, let it be your turn to throw the neighborhood Christmas party. Send out invitations early so that people have time to R.S.V.P. We want the party to be a success. The more people you invite, the more you can stay in the kitchen and cook until party time.
Parties are mostly finger foods surrounded by people standing around. Food should complement the party – not be the main attraction. I’m not saying to skimp on the goodies, but let the food, especially the dessert be the final end to a perfect day.
Figgy Pudding and other Christmas Type Puddings
Figgy pudding is a big draw in America but other countries have traditions involving pudding that go back many generations. But, if you are curious about puddings here are some ideas about these Christmas delicacies. Begin this year and start a new tradition.
What is figgy pudding? You hear about it in Christmas songs and “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. It sounds like something you might have to eat with your eyes closed and your nose pinched but that’s not actually the case.
Hosting a Christmas Cookie Swap
The holidays are full of time for family and friends. Just thinking about making new memories fills people with the Christmas spirit. This Christmas, gather a few of your best girlfriends and host a cookie swap party.
What is a cookie swap? It can be done at any time of the year, but there are so many rich, delectable cookie recipes associated with Christmas, that it is hard to pass up having a get together that centers on the sweet round treat. Keep the list of participants short or you will be baking cookies until your oven gives out.
Sweet Treats To Nibble on at Christmas
Doctors will tell you that candy will rot your teeth. But, we all know that everything is not as bad as it first seems when eaten in moderation. This includes candy. Here are some ideas for Christmas candies to dazzle the family.
It is a bad day when the candy jar on the coffee table is empty. Candy is the ice breaker when visitors come to your home. While they think of something witty to say, a candy helps them think. At Christmas, an empty candy jar is plain sacrilegious. Here are some tips to help you make your own candy, but be careful the jar might empty faster when you fill it up with homemade treats.
The Best Chocolate Holiday Desserts
Desserts are the favorite part of any family gathering. Throw in the fact that it is Christmas and you’ve got a party going on. Chocolate desserts are not just for kids but everyone enjoys them, mostly because they are thought to be bad for us, but it is still fun to eat them.
To the surprise of many, chocolate is back in the good graces of the public. According to scientists, chocolate, specifically dark chocolate contains antioxidant substances called flavonoids. One type of flavonoids, called flavanols, are active in fighting the effects of aging, cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses that strike the body. So, now you see that chocolate is good to have not just at Christmas but all year round.
Create Gifts From The Heart This Year – Gifts In A Jar
Christmas is just around the corner, and if you’re still looking for inexpensive gifts for your family, friends, and co-workers, or others on your holiday shopping list, Gifts in a Jar are the perfect solution.
Gifts in a Jar are easy to make and there is a wide variety of recipes available. I have been known to make cookie mixes, coffees, soup bases and even bath and body products. They’re great for quick, last-minute gifts, as well as for those hard-to-buy-for people. You’re sure to find something for everyone on your gift list.
The best thing about Gifts in a Jar is that they aren’t just for Christmas. You can give them at any time of the year and for any occasion such as birthdays, get well or even just “thinking of you.” I even give them to new mothers in a basket of goodies just for her. What new mother wouldn’t want a mostly prepared meal in a jar?
You don’t have to be the creative type of person to make Gifts in a Jar either. If you can measure out a few ingredients, you can make them quickly and easily. To make them look beautiful and festive, just add ribbon, gingham fabric, and gift tags!
Making Gifts in a Jar also keep you from having to leave home to shop, fight traffic and holiday crowds, and you can make them when you have the time. They come together quickly and your friends and family will love such a thoughtful gift! Gifts in a Jar will warm their hearts.
So this holiday season, give unique Christmas gifts made especially for them. Gifts in a Jar will please just about every person this holiday season.
p.s. You can see more about making Gifts in a Jar, including several recipes, by clicking on this link:
Homemade Gifts In A Jar
Baking Your Favorite Christmas Pie
The best part of the holidays is walking into a house that smells like the occupants have been baking all day. The sweet aroma of spice, apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cookie dough wafts around the house like a new type of air freshener. The main reason is that something is baking in the oven – a holiday pie.
Hands down, the most popular pie might be apple, but at holiday time, the favored fruit has stiff competition. There are traditional pies that rival apple for the top spot. Depending on where your ancestry lies, someone in your family may make a pie recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation. Some of the better known holiday pies include pumpkin, pecan and sweet potato.
Simple Tips to Organizing Christmas
I am sure you are like me and have already started your countdown to Christmas. We have around 26 days left until the BIG DAY will be here. Are you ready? I have developed some no fuss ways to get organized for Christmas. My motto is simplicity and leave nothing until the last minute!
One thing that will help is planning! Sit down with pen and paper and make a short and simple plan. Being prepared is essential and writing down the date for shopping, cleaning, organizing and baking will let you distribute your Christmas workload a little more evenly.
Here are 5 tips that might help you organize your Christmas holiday as well.
1. Complete one task a week between now and Christmas! If you do this, then you will only be left with enu planning and grocery shopping to do. If you are pressed for time to do this, try making your lists in the evening while you watch tv.
2. A Master gift list will cut the confusion! Start with your family, then friends and colleagues and add people who help during the year. Start your shopping early and add a few extra gifts for emergencies. I shop year round for Christmas–whenever I find a bargain that I know I won’t get anywhere else.
3. Purchase your wrapping paper, ribbons, and name cards the year before during the After Christmas sales. Create a place for all your gift wrapping items so that they can easily be found. As you purchase your gifts, wrap them and place them in the closet until you are ready to put them under the tree. This will ensure that there are no late nights frantically wrapping and putting presents together.
4. Make a Christmas card list in November and add people you want to telephone and e-mail. Write down contact information and schedule when you will do it preferably the first week in December.
5. Clean your home entirely before the beginning of December. This will include a clean up of the whole house as well as decluttering before the new gifts roll in. Declutter and re-organize your pantry and do the same with your freezer so you can make room for those Christmas supplies long before you need them.
By implementing these tips, you will be well on your way to organizing your home for Christmas.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5429273
Want even more great ways to organize your holidays so you can have more fun with less stress?
In this comprehensive guide 30 Days to Stress-Free Holidays my friend Tracy Roberts from MomsInABlog.com lays out a day-by-day plan that takes you through the holiday preparations leading right up to the big day.
The plan is easy to follow, simple to do, and is meant for REAL homemakers, not super-moms! By having each task assigned to a specific day, the overall job becomes more manageable – and less stressful.
This guide alone is invaluable for the busy homemaker trying to prepare for the holidays. But, Tracy wanted to make sure you had even more ways to enjoy your holidays with less stress. So, when you order you’ll also receive these fun bonuses absolutely FREE:
- 15 page Thanksgiving Planner
- 35 page Christmas Planner
- Creative Ways to Eliminate Holiday Debt – Courtesy of HillbillyHousewife.com
- The ABC’s of Christmas Gift Giving – Courtesy of HillbillyHousewife.com
- Creating Cherished Christmas Memories ebook
Click on this link to check out 30 Days to Stress-Free Holidays and order your copy today!
Black Friday Super Sale
Today is the last day to take advantage of my HUGE Thanksgiving Thank You Special. This collection includes several of my best selling ebooks, including Crockpot Cooking Made Simple and Freezer Cooking Made Simple, and lots more!
I am offering this Thanksgiving Thank You Special from now through Black Friday, November 25th for 66% off the normal price. These ebooks sell for a combined price of over $100 BUT from now thru November 25th you can order the entire collection for ONLY $34!
This is one of the ways I can say “Thank You for being a part of my community here at Hillbilly Housewife.” I understand that you are living a frugal lifestyle. So, if I can package up some of my best tools to help you achieve your goals AND offer the entire package at super savings, that’s what I’ll do.
Take advantage of this great offer Today – Click Here To Get Your Complete Ebook Collection for ONLY $34!
Here’s what you’ll get:
- Freezer Cooking Made Simple Plus Recipe Collections
- Crockpot Cooking Made Simple Plus Recipe Collections
- Homemade Convenience Foods
- Canning Made Simple
- Casseroles Made Simple
- Craigslist Yardsale
- How To Get Out Of Debt for Good
PLUS these bonuses worth over $125 absolutely FREE:
- Bonus 1: Quick and Easy Breakfasts
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- Bonus 6: Eliminate Holiday Debt
- Bonus 7: The ABC’s of Christmas – Cute and Frugal Holiday Gift Ideas
This also makes a great gift idea. When you place your order, you have your download immediately available. But hurry! This offer only lasts through Black Friday, November 25th, so click on this link and order your copy of this collection today!
And, again, Thank You for sharing your time with me here at Hillbilly Housewife.
Tips to a Stress Free Thanksgiving
Every year it seems more and more things are added to our to do list around the holidays and Thanksgiving isn’t any different. From making the celebration dinner to making sure all your family is happy it seems chores around Thanksgiving are never done. This is the time of year that stress can really creep up on us, but there are several things we can do to make it as stress free as possible.
Plan, plan, plan: This should be the first thing you do surrounding every holiday. Many times people fail to plan and this is the downfall of many. Without a plan in place, things can get chaotic quickly and then stress can creep into your Thanksgiving plans very early and often. Sit down and make a list of what needs to be done. Stick to your list and don’t veer off because you thought of something last minute. If it needs to be done, add it to the list. Stick to the plan and you should have a lot fewer hassles than if you don’t follow a set plan.
Thanksgiving Giveaway – Comment For A Chance To Win
UPDATE: I’ve extended this Thanksgiving Giveaway through Thanksgiving Day, November 24th. I didn’t want the fun to end so quickly and I wanted to give you more time to comment. I would also like to spread the word about a second chance to win! My friend Patti Winker over at RemarkableWrinklies.com is also offering a chance to “comment to win” this same collection. So be sure and stop over and share your favorite Thanksgiving memories or recipes with Patti as well.
While I was putting away the groceries for our big Thanksgiving meal, I got to thinking about how thankful I am for all I have. That’s one of the reasons I put together a Thanksgiving Thank You Sale, but I decided I didn’t go far enough.
I want you, my readers, to know how much I appreciate the time you take to stop by HBHW. Most importantly, I want you to know how much I value your comments, the recipes you share, and all the frugal tips.
So, to say THANK YOU to all my readers, I am offering a chance to WIN this collection of ebooks. All you have to do for a chance to win is answer this question in the comment section below before midnight November 24:
“What is your favorite Thanksgiving food or recipe?”
Scroll down to the comments section of this post and just share a specific food you enjoy or even post the entire recipe if you wish. You can even share a food or recipe that was a real failure! I will then randomly pick a winner from the comments posted and that person will receive my Thanksgiving Thank Your Collection of ebooks.
It’s that simple. Comment for a chance to win by midnight, November 24. Be sure to include your email address so I have a way to let you know if you win.
Have fun sharing your Thanksgiving recipes or stories about food. Good luck to you all and, again, Thank You for spending your valuable time with me!
Warm regards,
Susanne
The Hillbilly Housewife
p.s. Congratulations, Alice Lawrence! Your comment was randomly chosen and you have won the Thanksgiving Thank You collection. I appreciate the story you shared about the Super Sage dressing your dear husband so kindly made. Those are the memories that keep our dear ones close to our heart forever. Thank you!
And thank you everyone for sharing your fun, touching, and delicious (and sometimes not so delicious!) memories of the food and the moments spent over the years during the Thanksgiving holidays. I am thankful for each and every one of you!
Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes
Thanksgiving is just a few short days away. My turkey is sitting in the freezer and most of the rest of the ingredients I need for the big feast are sitting on a shelf in my pantry. It’s been a nice and quiet Saturday morning, so I grabbed an extra cup of coffee and sat down to put some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes together for you – complete with pictures.
You’ll find a yummy recipe for cranberry sauce from scratch, a super simple but delicious stuffing recipe, tips for brining and roasting a turkey and of course my recipe for turkey gravy (my daughter’s favorite … she’s been asking for it all week).
Thanksgiving Favorites (PDF)
Enjoy!
Susanne – The Hillbilly Housewife
P.S. Don’t forget about the Thanksgiving Special. It’s only good through Friday, November 25th, Black Friday.
Why Brining a Turkey is Important
Brining a turkey makes it moist. Why are brined turkeys so juicy? The salt that is used causes the meat tissues to absorb water and flavorings. It also breaks down the proteins, resulting in a more tender turkey. This means that regardless of how much moisture is lost during the actual cooking time, you still end up with a juicy bird. This is why brining a turkey is important.
But how do you brine a turkey?
Start Your Holiday Planning NOW!
There is nothing like waiting until the last minute to plan any kind of holiday get togethers, etc. To make sure that everything goes off without a hitch, you need to Start early, plan well, and take care of yourself. Use the following tips to start planning your holiday now!
Do You Call It Dressing or Do You Call It Stuffing?
Every year, there is this huge battle at my holiday table about what to call the breading that is served with the turkey. Some call it stuffing and then others demand that it is dressing. So , what do you call it? Dressing or stuffing?
The correct terminology is this–
How to Cook The Perfect Roasted Holiday Turkey
Nothing says holidays like a perfectly cooked turkey! If you are not careful when cooking it, you can dry it out. Here is my recipe for the perfect roasted holiday turkey.
Avoiding Holiday Stress
It seems that no matter how hard we try, we can’t avoid the holiday stress. It is invitable. It is going to come. However, if we can identify it before it happens, then we can handle it in a more positive attitude. Here are a few tips on how to avoid stress during the holidays.
Don’t wear yourself out! – Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will the holiday. By scheduling one to two tasks per day you will be less stressed. Take your time and enjoy the season. Decorating your home is fun so don’t try to decorate your entire home in one day. Don’t try to make your home look like the elaborate homes in those DIY magazines! Nothing will wear you out quicker than trying to do more than you are capable of. After all, many of the displays seen in the magazines were put together by teams of individuals not two people.
Planning Holiday Fun And Festivities With Less Stress
This is a Frugal Tip posted by a Hillbilly Housewife reader. I always value tips shared by our readers. Sometimes those tips are so detailed they need a little extra attention, and this is one of those times. I have posted this tip in the article section as well as the Frugal Tips section so it would become a more permanent part of this site. Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful ideas for planning festivities for a less stressful holiday season.
Please continue reading and enjoy!
Susanne – The Hillbilly Housewife
Holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, but they can also be the most stressful. Spending quality time together is the most important part of the celebration.
Here are a couple tips for organizing:
- I schedule various activities for my family and each person decides if they want to go with the group or to do something else.
- I have a dry erase calender where I write down each day’s activities and the time it starts.
- If someone needs time to go shopping, get their hair done or whatever, it goes on the schedule.
- I have a place for notes at the bottom of the calendar where I can write more details. I just erase the old notes at the end of the day and write down the new ones.
Here are some of the things we do:
1. Get Ready Night. It is easier to make most of the holiday preparations ahead of time, but it is important to have all of your family participate. We put up decorations and cook together, making cookies, doughnuts, and latkes. Your family could go cut down or buy a Christmas Tree, or set up the faux tree together. If your tree takes a long time to set up, you could put on the lights and most of the decorations, saving a few special decorations for each person to put on the tree. Sing carols together around the tree, or with a group of friends from house to house! This would also be a great time to read a holiday book aloud. This is a lovely pastime that is rarely enjoyed.
2. Museum Day/Parade or Festival Night. We have several museums in our area. Check to see if there are any Holiday Exhibits. We also have parades and tree lighting ceremonies that are free to attend. I like to go to pick out the most appealing exhibits for the group and go to the museum in the afternoon. You could bring a picnic dinner or go out to eat, and then go see the parade or celebration. Smaller children would not be able to do so much at one time. You could split the activities into 2 or more days.
3. Movie night. The right movies can get people in the mood to relax and have fun. Pick out a few movies that have seasonal themes for everyone to watch. I have popcorn, sodas, and candy for everyone to enjoy. I make my own popcorn. I either get the candy on sale or I buy it in bulk and put it in season plastic bags.
4. Card Night. My family had a Gin Rummy game that we played with on holidays. It was a lot of fun. You could play any type of card game. Spades, Hearts, Crazy Eights, or even Go Fish. The important thing is having all of your family and friends together. Some people may choose to sit on the sidelines and talk. That’s okay.
5. Board Game Night/Nights. Monopoly is our big family favorite. Trivial Pursuit is another great game, We usually have 3 or 4 game nights and play 1 game per night. Sometimes we have so many people playing that we have multiple games running simultaneously. I always plan a break after 2 hours for dessert and coffee.
6. Christmas Light Tour Night. I love to drive around and look at lights. We make or buy eggnog shakes and drive around to see the different yard decorations. If you check online, you may be able to find specific yards to go see. In my area, there is a lady who puts out a book with pictures, maps, addresses and yes, in some cases, phone numbers of the people with awesome yard decorations. Many of the stores and businesses put up special holiday windows that warrant having a night of their own. The large professional displays are fantastic, but I love the family displays best.
7. Old Traditional Games. By Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (during Hanukkah for my family) everyone is feeling very happy and relaxed. We have an early dinner that starts out with everyone pulling Christmas Crackers (Many manufacturers of crackers make styles for Hanukkah and other holidays.) The crackers “pop” when they are pulled and a paper party hat, a small toy and a motto or joke falls out. Everyone puts on their paper hat and becomes a child again. It is wonderful! We clear away the torn paper and serve dinner. After dinner, we exchange presents. Then it is time to play old fashioned games like Charades (my favourite), Blind Man’s Bluff, and Similes. I usually have an extra special dessert for the big night.
Remember, the schedule you make will change as you go. Use it as a guideline and keep track of what works for your family and what doesn’t. Christmas Light Tour Night is one of my favourite things that I look forward to all year. One of my friends doesn’t understand why anyone would drive around to look at lights. Her family is very serious about Game Day, however, and they play a lot of games; Monopoly, Risk, Yahtzee, Clue, and many more. The point is, they have fun together. I hope you and your family enjoy the holidays, too.
p.s. These are fabulous ideas. Thank you so much for sharing, Lael. I can really see putting many of these ideas to work in my family. Thanks again. Sincerely, Susanne
My friend Tracy Roberts from MomsInABlog.com has put together a day-by-day plan for the approaching holiday season called 30 Days to Stress-Free Holidays and is offering it for an incredibly low price.
The plan Tracy lays out for you is easy to follow and simple to do, and is meant for REAL homemakers, not super-moms!
And, when you order you’ll also receive these fun bonuses absolutely FREE:
- 15 page Thanksgiving Planner
- 35 page Christmas Planner
- Creative Ways to Eliminate Holiday Debt – Courtesy of HillbillyHousewife.com
- The ABC’s of Christmas Gift Giving – Courtesy of HillbillyHousewife.com
- Creating Cherished Christmas Memories ebook
Click on this link to check out 30 Days to Stress-Free Holidays and order your copy today!