[HBHW News] Broth, Hollandaise Sauce and Testing Baking Powder

Published: Wed, 01/13/16

Editorial

Hello ,
 
Hi there and welcome to the next edition of the HBHW newsletter. Winter is finally here. I love being snuggled up under a blanket on the couch working, reading, knitting or playing games. Good thing our daughter got a few new board games for Christmas. 

When it's sunny out, I love going for a walk in the cold and then coming in to warm up with a cup of coffee or  bowl of homemade soup. What's your favorite thing to do during cold winter days?

This week is going to be busy. There's lot of work to do, our daughter has exams and a week filled with after-school activities and to top it all off our Internet went out last night. After 2 hours of troubleshooting with technical support over the phone, we got it to kind of work. I'm wrapping this up quickly early in the morning before the tech comes out. Fingers crossed that we can get it working again. Gotta love technology issues... 

Now, let's move on to the actual newsletter issue. Today I have a yummy but simple sauce recipe for you. My apologies if your resolution this year is to lose weight. If so, just skip the recipe this week. 

Today's tip is something quick and easy you can do to test if your baking soda and baking powder are still fresh and working. If you're every in doubt, do these simple tests before you start baking or head out to buy a fresh pack. 

The featured article of the week is about bone broth. If you haven't tried making your own broth to help you get over a cold or make some delicious soups and stews, you don't want to miss this one. We've had a pot of bone broth going once a week since Christmas. 

There's also a  "I"m Looking for Request" take a look and see if you can help out a fellow HBHW readers. 

If you have a recipe you're looking for, email me at susanne@hillbillyhousewife.com and I'd be glad to feature it and give you my own input. HBHW readers are an amazing resource when it comes to lost recipes as well. 

Enjoy! 

Susanne 

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P.S.: Do you remember my friend Christine - The Menu Mom? She's a good friend of mine and I shared some of her recipes and resources here in the past. You may remember that her husband is a pastor. He's recently been called to a new Church in Oregon and the whole family is of 7 is in the process of moving. They packed up and started driving from Illinois to Oregon. 

On the long trip to the new home and church they have encountered many trials. First they had to replace the motor in their vehicle just 3 hours into the trip. Four days and 7000.00 later they were on the road again. Approximately 6 hours later they were involved in an accident with their suburban and the camper which they were pulling behind. Both the vehicle and the camper rolled over. Everyone is ok but this godly trip has incurred a bunch of extra expense for them. 

A friend of theirs set up a Go Fund Me page to help cover some of the expenses. If you can donate a few dollars, it would be much appreciated. And if you are someone who prays, prayers for the family would be much appreciated. 

 
Cake Mix Chocolate Mint Cookies

I'm Looking For



My Mom used to make a chocolate mint cookie that I think she made from a cake mix. They were soft and kind of moist. She would also dust them with powdered sugar. Can you help me find a recipe?

– Marie B.


Please click through to the post here and share your suggestions, ideas and recipes.

 
Inspirational Quote
"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home."

-Edith Sitwell

 
Featured Recipe of the Week

Blender Hollandaise Sauce


  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 cup melted margarine

Separate the eggs and save the whites in the fridge for your next omelet. Place the yolks in a blender. Measure in the lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper. Place the lid on the blender and Whiz it for about 30 seconds, or until everything is well mixed.

Now remove the blender cap and, with the blender still running, s l o w l y drizzle in the melted margarine in a narrow stream. The sauce will thicken up as you add the margarine, sort of like mayonnaise only yellower.

After all of the margarine has been added continue blending for a full minute to be sure everything is nice and thick and smooth. Serve immediately or allow to sit for a little while before serving. Leftovers should be refrigerated.

 
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. :)Barbecue Chicken

    Homemade Sauce Hollandaise
     
    Homemade Mixes

    Kindle News 

    Making your own mix from scratch rather than buying it in the store not only saves you money but also saves you from all the additives and preservatives that are put in the foods we buy. 

    A couple more great things about making your own mixes is they are simple to make, and usually economical. Scale to make a batch as large or small as you like. 

    I love creating great recipes from scratch that nourishes my family’s bodies and making my own mixes fits right into my plan. If you really want to create good, healthy food for your family as well, make foods with real ingredients. 

    Order the Book on Amazon


     
     

    Frugal Fun on Facebook

    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. 

    What's For Dinner?
     
    Frugal Tip

    Is My Baking Powder Or Baking Soda Still Good?



    We all end up having baking soda and baking powder sitting in the pantry. And sometimes you’re not sure exactly how long that box or canister has been around. Before you start baking with it, test it to make sure it’s still good and will do the job.

    You don’t want to spend a lot of time and ingredients on a cake, a bread or whatever you’re baking and not have it rise. Testing your baking soda and baking powder to see if they are still good is quick and easy to do. Here’s how:



    Is My Baking Powder Or Baking Soda Still Good?

    Testing Baking Powder 

    Get a glass of hot water and drop a little of the baking powder in the water. If it starts to bubble up, it’ll work just fine in your baking.

    Testing Baking Soda 

    For baking soda, we need an acid to confirm it’s working. As a side note, baking soda will not do much in your baked goods unless there’s also an acid like buttermilk present.

    For the is test, pour some vinegar into a small glass, bowl or cup. Spoon a little baking soda in. If the mixture starts forming bubbles, your baking soda is still active.

    Hope this helps you determine if your baking soda or baking powder are still good. While expiration dates on containers are helpful, I  prefer to do these little tests if I’m not sure the powder or soda are up to the job of making my baked goods rise.

     
    Homemade Convenience Foods

    HBHW Recommends 

    Homemade Convenience Foods 


    Make even more convenience foods right at home! You'll save money, control ingredients, and avoid expensive "fast foods" when you start making your own favorite convenience foods. 


    Click on here to find out about our informative resource Homemade Convenience Foods - and dig into over 200 recipes for handy convenience foods you can make at home.


    Eliminate those prepackaged foods from your pantry, eat healthier and cheaper while still cooking fast. Order your copy today!


     
    Featured Article of the Week

    How To Make Bone Broth


    Bone broth is the liquid you get from boiling bones in water for several hours. It has a lot of nutritional value, is full of minerals and is said to help boost your immune system. It’s also very tasty and makes a wonderful base for all sorts of soups and stews.

    The easiest way to make your first batch of bone broth is to start with a cooked chicken. Roast it yourself or head to your local grocery store and pick up a rotisserie chicken. Pull the cooked meat of the chicken and serve it for dinner. Store any leftover meat in the fridge to use later on to make chicken and noodle or chicken and rice soup with the bone broth you’re about to make.

    Put everything that’s left – all the bones and any remaining bits and pieces of meat – into a large pot that has a lid. Fill it with plenty of cold water. The more water you add, the more broth you’ll get in the end. Don’t fill it all the way to the top or you risk the liquid bubbling over.

    Next, add a good splash of apple cider vinegar to the pot. This step is optional. If you don’t have the vinegar in your pantry don’t fret it. You can add a splash of red wine or white vinegar if you’d like. The vinegar helps get all the minerals out of the bones and into the broth. But again, don’t worry if you don’t have it. Your broth will be just as tasty and almost as good for you without it.

    Cover the pot with the lid and crank up the heat until everything comes to a full boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook your bone broth for a minimum of 12 hours 48 to 72 hours is better. Of course you don’t want to simmer the broth while you’re out of the house or sleeping.
     
    Start the broth in the morning on a day when you know you’ll be home. Simmer it all day until you’re ready to go to bed. Turn off the burner for the night, but keep the broth sitting on the stove. In the morning, bring the liquid back to a boil and continue simmering.

    The broth will be tasty after a few hours of simmering but will get better with time. After it has cooked for 12 hours you can start to use it. Just replace the liquid you’re taking out with more water to keep stretch the broth.

    Pour some of the finished bone broth into a smaller pot, add the shredded chicken along with some rice or noodles and leftover veggies to make some soup. Or just drink the broth. It’s delicious.



    How To Make Bone Broth
    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...

     

    Double Your Money
     

    Final Thought

    That's it from me for this week. I'm still doing well going for walks every day. We had a couple of rainy days but thankfully there were breaks from the downpour when I could work in a walk. 

    How about you? How are you doing with your New Year's resolutions?