Hello , Hi there and welcome to the next edition of the HBHW newsletter. We've had a pretty uneventful week so far. There's been a lot of rain the past few days, which is nice for the plants in the garden, but also giving me a bit of Cabin Fever. I'm ready to get out of the house or a bit.
We
have a new grocery store opening in town today. It's a Publix, a rather high-end store that I don't see myself shopping very often. They have some great coupons and opening week specials though and I'm heading over there as soon as I get this newsletter out to you.
In this week's issue we're talking
about cooking for a crowd, cleaning your toilet with just two pantry ingredients and of course I have a yummy recipe to share.
April Fool's Day is coming up soon and I love to "trick" my family with a breakfast or dinner dish that isn't what it seems to
be. I share a lot of my favorite recipes in the April Fools Day Kindle book along with some other funny but harmless prank ideas. It's a free download today and I think you'll enjoy it. Grab your copy here:
Susanne
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"Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems."
- Rainer Maria Rilke
Featured Recipe of the Week |
- 3 3/4 cups ziti mostaccioli (about 12
oz.)
- 1 48-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning dried crushed
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded (about 2 cups)
- 1 egg
- 1 16-ounce container ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon parsley dried, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded (about 1 cup)
This recipe makes 6 servings.
Lightly grease a 3-quart
oblong baking dish. Cook ziti or mostaccioli in salted water according to package directions, cooking for the minimum suggested time; drain.
In a medium bowl or in the jar, stir together spaghetti sauce and herb seasoning. Remove 2 cups and set aside. Stir remaining mixture into pasta. Place half of the pasta mixture in baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese on top.
In a medium bowl, beat egg. Stir in ricotta. Parmesan, parsley and
salt until blended. Spread in dish over mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining pasta. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Spread remaining spaghetti sauce evenly to edges of dish, coating all pasta. Cover loosely and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
Bake casserole, uncovered, in a preheated 350° oven for 55 minutes or until very hot in center and edges are bubbly. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 3 to 5 minutes longer or until cheese
melts.
You're welcome to share the recipe on Pinterest, Facebook etc. I'm also sharing a lot of recipes on the HBHW Facebook page. Click on through to check it out. As always, likes, comments and shares are much appreciated. :) |
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April Fool’s Day is a great time to let your inner jokester out. And while you were probably taught to never play with your food, you can make an exception today ;-) Here are some safe, fun food tricks to fool your family and friends.
Here are the fun and quirky recipes you'll find inside (none of these are what they sound like) :
- Believe It Or Not Breakfast
Plate
- Fluff Fried Egg
- Fried Egg Snack
- Is It Crispy Bacon
- Melty Mallow Fried Egg
- Bottoms Up Glass of Jell-o
- Candy Hamburgers
- Goofy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- Cake Con Carne
- Celebration Mini Meal Surprise
- Butter Cream Potato Frosting
- Silly Strawberry Whipped Potato Frosting
- Fish-Sticks And Sweet Peas Dinner
- Chicken Chuckles Pot Pies
- Mom's Meatloaf Plate
Order the Book on Amazon
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Wouldn't it be great to have access to a magazine, that’s packed full of hands-on advice, delicious recipes for things your family will actually eat and plenty of support from moms and homemakers just like you? http://www.HomemakersHutch.com It's a digital magazine we are putting together each month full of fun recipes, crafts and helpful tips and ideas. The January issue is packed full of over 100 pages of tips, ideas, recipes and articles to help us make 2015 the best year
ever. Here's what's you'll find in the
March issue:
- Creating More with Less: A Decluttering Challenge.
- Clearing Out, Cleaning Up & Cozying Your Surroundings with Stuff You Already Have
- 10 Tips to Wake Up Refreshed and Raring to Go Every Day.
- Decluttering for Charity.
- Boost Your Bedtime Routine – Things To Do Just For You
- 30 Days to an Organized
Home.
- Day 1- The “Spot”
- Day 2- Front Closet
- Day 3 – Formal Living Room.
- Day 4 – The Family Room.
- Day 5 – Keeping It Organized.
- Day 6- The Junk Drawer
- Day 7 – Mud Room/Laundry Room.
- Day 8 – Home Office.
- Day 9 – Home Office.
- Day 10 – Create a Home Management Binder
- Day 12 – Your Refrigerator
- Day 13 – Kitchen..
- Day 14 – Preserving Memories.
- Day 15 – Master Bedroom..
- Day 16 –
Master Closet
- Day 17 – Master Bath..
- Day 18 – Closets.
- Day 19 – Bathrooms.
- Day 20 – Your Computer
- Day 21 – Important Documents.
- Day 22 – Kids’ Rooms.
- Day 23 – The “House” Book.
- Day 24 – The “Odd” Rooms.
- Day 25 – Garage: Day 1.
- Day 26 – Garage: Day 2.
- Day 27 – Create a Disaster Kit
- Day 28 – Protect Your Valuables: Part 1.
- Day 29 – Protect Your Valuables: Part 2.
- Day 30 – Finishing
Up
- No Recipe No Worry – Cook One Pot Meals From The Pantry.
- Quick Beef Vegetable Stew Pot
- Beer Braised Beef Roast Dinner In A Pot
- Asian Inspired Beef Pot
- Easy Corned Beef Cabbage Pot
- Spring Into Better Health With Raw Honey
- Easy Dish Cloth Pattern
- What’s Coming Next Month?
Ready to give it a try? Subscribe to Homemaker's Hutch for $7 a month. |
We're having a lot of fun talking about all things frugal and homemaking on Facebook. Join in the discussion at the Hillbilly Housewife Facebook page.
Be sure to like the page so you don't miss a thing. Here's just one of this week's topics. |
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Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner
I used to clean my toilet with plenty of harsh chemicals and bleach. If it didn’t smell toxic while scrubbing, I didn’t think it would get things clean. Then I stumbled across a simple and natural toilet bowl cleaner you can make yourself from two ingredients that are probably sitting in your kitchen pantry right now. All you need is some white vinegar and some baking soda. It gets the toilet bowls sparkly clean and doesn’t smell nearly as
bad.
Best of all, it’s cheap and super simple to do.
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Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- 1 cup Baking Soda
- 1 cup White Vinegar
Sprinkle the baking soda into your toilet bowl , doing your best to cover the entire inside. Pour the vinegar over the baking soda. It will start to bubble and fizz. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Take a toilet brush and give everything a good scrub. Flush the toilet and you’re done.
It couldn’t be easier.
This is now my favorite frugal toilet cleaner.
For the outside of the bowl, I make a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar and spray it over the outside of the toilet, then wipe clean with a wet rag. I use the same water and vinegar spray to clean my counters, sink and shower.
Featured Article of the Week |
Cooking for a Crowd on a Tight Budget
A couple of days ago, I received a private Facebook message from a Hillbilly Housewife reader. She asked me for some suggestions on what she could cook for her church youth group on a tight budget. I gave her a few ideas, but knew that the HBHW community would come up with some things I hadn’t even thought of… sure enough, they didn’t disappoint.
Make It A Potluck
You can
approach this idea in two different ways. You can take care of the main dish or entree and ask everyone to bring complimenting dishes (assign them if you’d like by asking a few people to bring sides that will go well with your main entree, a salad, a dessert etc.). The second option is to ask everyone what they would be willing to make and bring and just make what you feel is missing.
There are a couple of reasons why I love the potluck ideas. Obviously it is the most
frugal option, but also saves you a lot of time in the kitchen. I also like the fact that you end up with a greater variety of food, making it more likely that everyone finds something they like.
But it goes further than that. By allowing people to contribute and bring their favorite dishes, you make them part of the celebration. If you’re feeling a bit embarrassed about “having to ask for help” (which it really isn’t), think back to some times when you’ve been asked if
you could bring your famous macaroni salad or apple pie. Did you mind? Did you think the person asking was being cheap or lazy? Nope… You probably felt proud and honored to be asked to contribute to the meal.
Great Frugal Dishes To Cook For A Crowd
Start with some filling but inexpensive appetizers. A platter of deviled eggs is always a crowd pleaser, as are chips and dips. Buy a bag or two of store brand potato chips
and make a batch of homemade ranch dip.
Homemade Ranch Mix
- 1/4 cup dried parsley leaf
- 1 tbsp. dried dill leaf
- 1/2 tsp. dried basil leaf
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. onion
powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined. Store in an airtight container.
For homemade ranch dip, stir 1 tbsp (or to taste) into a 16 oz container of sour cream. Keep in the fridge for at least one hour or until you’re ready to serve it.
Main Dish Ideas
My biggest piece of advice here is to use meat as a flavoring instead of
main ingredient. Instead focus on some starchy main ingredients like pasta, rice or even tortillas and beans.
Side Dishes
With all-in one meal ideas like above, you won’t need much when it comes to sides. I suggest sticking with some garlic bread and a side salad if you feel the need to add some side dishes. Read the rest of the article, comment, share and
bookmark. |
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Please don't forget to "Pin" these articles and posts when you head to the Hillbilly Housewife website to read more. It helps get the word out about the site and the newsletter. Thank you! |
A Little Something Inspirational...
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That's it from me for this week. Last week I shared my love of Lady of the Valley flowers. This week I thought they'd make a beautiful background for our inspirational quote. I hope you enjoy! |
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