Hello , Hi there and welcome to the next edition of the HBHW newsletter. These last few weeks before summer break always seem extra busy, don't they? There are plenty of school functions, a musical to practice for, and all sorts of other fun stuff.
Last night we went to a local 4-H
meeting. It was a lot of fun and our daughter is ready to join. We're looking forward to all kinds of fun outdoor, crafty and community service activities with the group.
Our gardening efforts are going well. Things slowed down when temperatures dropped but after a few warm days, the plants are starting to take off again. We should have our first radishes next week and one of our tomato plants has three tiny little tomatoes growing. I can't wait for fresh produce straight from the
garden.
Let's get into this week's newsletter. I'm slowly but surely working my way through the "I'm looking or requests. Here's this weeks
request.
We also got some great responses for last
week's request. Take a look:
You'll find a new request for this week below. There's also a fun recipe for breakfast on Mother's day, some ideas for the kids on what they can do on Sunday
and some fun tips for making homemade candy.
Enjoy!
Susanne
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The recipe I am looking for was a chocolate gravy my grandmother used to make in a skillet on top of the stove. I know it had cocoa and sugar in it and it tasted like warm chocolate pudding. It was made kind of like a milk gravy.
Thank you, Mary
Please click through to the post here and share your suggestions,
ideas and recipes with Mary
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“Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs... since the payment is pure love."
- Mildred B. Vermont
Featured Recipe of the Week |
Happy Mother’s Day Strawberry French Toast
- 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered
sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 8 slices bread, white or whole wheat
- 3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 2 Tablespoon milk
- 4 Tablespoon butter, optional
- 2 Tablespoon powdered sugar
Mix the cream cheese, ½ cup powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until you have a smooth mixture. Spread some of this on one side of the bread. Top with sliced strawberries, covering the
spread completely.
Spread more of the mixture on another piece of bread and place on top. Press sandwich together gently to enclose strawberries inside. Repeat for all remaining slices of bread.
Mix eggs and milk together and set aside. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place in oven. Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter in a skillet.
Take sandwiches and place in egg and milk mixture covering both sides. Lay sandwich in the skillet and cook
until the first side is lightly brown. Flip sandwich and cook the other side.
Once both sides have browned, place it on the baking sheet in warm oven. Before serving, top French toast with remaining strawberries and powdered sugar. Drizzle with maple syrup or Strawberry topping.
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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Coming up with desserts for week nights is not always easy. When you get home from work it’s hard enough to get dinner on the table without having to worry about dessert too. Don’t worry, I’ve got your back.
The recipes in this book will help you whip up desserts your family will love and make you look good doing it!
Of course they aren’t just perfect for family dessert. You’ll find things
in here that are perfect for bake sales, potlucks and more.
Here are the recipes you'll find inside:
- Apple and Cheese Oatmeal Cookies
- Apple Caramel Cupcakes
- Apple Pie
- Apricot Sundaes
- Banana Boats
- Chocolate Mousse
- Churros
- Cinnamon Figs
- Cinnamon Sugar Tortillas
- Cookies and Cream.
Order the Book on Amazon
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Homemaker's Hutch Magazine
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.
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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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How To Make Candy On A Dime
I love baking and making sweet treats, especially around the holidays (including Mother's Day). They make great inexpensive gifts and candy making is actually a lot of fun. If you haven’t tried it, here are some great frugal tips from my friends Tawra and Jill at LivingonaDime.com. The tips can also be found (along with all sorts of other frugal tips and recipes) in their Dining On A Dime cookbook.
Candy Tips
- Use the leftover syrup from the candied orange peels on your pancakes, waffles or French toast for a gourmet taste.
- If you over cook chocolate, it becomes dull looking. To save it, put the pan on low heat and
beat in 1 teaspoon shortening or oil at a time until you have restored the shiny, smooth consistency.
- When you are melting chocolate, make sure that all utensils are completely dry. Even a little bit of water will make chocolate grainy and lumpy.
- Buy fortune cookies in large bags from Chinese restaurants. They cost about five cents each when purchased in bulk. They also make great treats for lunch boxes.
- When making candies like peanut brittle or
truffles, you can set them outside on the patio table to cool if you’ve run out of room in the refrigerator. Remember, for most of the country there are no bugs this time of year!
- Save chocolate bunnies and chocolates from Halloween to use for making Christmas candy or buy it on clearance after Halloween.
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Candy cooking tests to use if you don’t have a candy
thermometer: When placed in a cold cup of water, candy will:
- Soft Ball 234°-240° - form a soft ball that can be flattened
- Firm Ball 242°-248° - form a firm ball that holds its shape until pressed
- Hard Ball 250°-268° - form a ball that is pliable and holds its shape
- Soft Crack 270°-290° - separates into hard but not brittle threads
- Hard Crack 300°-310° - cracks easily
- Caramel 320°-350°
- mixture coats metal spoon and forms light caramel colored mass when poured onto a plate
For High Altitude lower candy temperature 2° for each 1,000 feet of elevation.
Featured Article of the Week |
Mother’s Day Fun Ideas For Kids To Plan
In this article, I’m actually going to address the kids directly. Many kids are not sure what to do for Mother’s Day. They may think planning for Mother’s Day is going to be too hard, so they just let the grownups take charge. However, with a little help, kids can easily give their mother a gift of their choosing and a day that they will be proud of. From a kid’s viewpoint, they want something they can
plan easily and accomplish all by themselves (or at least almost all by themselves.)
Of course, most plans require the help of a grownup, but kids really like the idea of choosing their own surprise. So, kids, take a look at the easy ideas below, choose one or two, and make this Mother’s Day unforgettable. When you’ve chosen something special to do for your mother, show a grownup and make your plan. Here are some
ideas:
Breakfast In Bed
If your mom is like most, then I bet she is usually up early every morning to get everyone ready for the day. Why not let her sleep in this year and then serve her breakfast in bed?
To keep things simple, plan your surprise the night before. You could serve mom her favorite muffins, fresh fruit and beverage. Make sure to include a nice flower, a card, and maybe even a poem written
by you especially for the occasion.
A Day To Herself
Your mom loves you very much. That’s why she is always ready to help you out anytime you need anything. Imagine the look on your mom’s face when you present her with a coupon for a full day to do whatever SHE would like to do.
All you need to do is get a pretty piece of paper and create your own gift certificate entitling your mother to one day of peace
and quiet. Decorate it with markers, crayons or stickers. Anything you think your mom would like.
When she wakes up Mother’s Day morning, present her your gift certificate filled with love. If you want to really impress her, ask a grownup to buy a book you know she’s been wanting to read. You could even present the book and coupon with a pretty cup or mug so she can enjoy her favorite beverage while she’s reading quietly. As for the “quiet” part – ask the grownup helping
you to make sure you are kept busy as well as supervised so that mom doesn’t have to worry about anything the whole day long.
Family Time
If you think your mom would prefer spending time with the family instead of a quiet day alone, plan something fun your mom enjoys doing. She spends a lot of time making sure you are entertained and often will not do something she enjoys. Why not repay that kindness by planning a day of fun
family activities that you might not ordinarily do, but that you know your mom would probably love. Need some suggestions of what mom might like to do? Here are a few:
- If your mom likes art, you could take her to the local museum. Many museums have a place where you can enjoy lunch together.
- If mom likes the outdoors, pack a picnic lunch and head to the park or trails.
- Does mom like music? Take her to a concert with music. Buy tickets for the whole
family and go enjoy.
- Is mom a movie lover? Going to the movies to see a movie she wants to see is a great idea, but can be expensive. Why not rent a few of her favorite movies, pop some popcorn and spend the day watching at home?
The possibilities of things to do with your mother this Mother’s Day are endless. You just need to use your imagination. Ask your dad, her friends, or your family and neighbors to help where necessary. She’ll enjoy her day no matter
what you do for her, but when you take the time to do something especially for her, you’ll give her the one thing she wants more than anything – your appreciation.
Happy Mother’s Day and good luck with your special planning!
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A Little Something Inspirational...
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That's it from me for this week.We had a fun weekend with my cousin. We spend most of Saturday out and about showing him the area. We all had a great time and I actually got some sun. The weather couldn't have been better. Sunny and warm, we even got to sit outside for lunch.
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