www.hillbillyhousewife.com


I don't know if I'll ever be a housewife, but I really like this website!

picadillo

slow cooker delight

2lbs/ hamburger, or ground meat of your choice( turkey, chicken, lamb)
2 medium onions
3 garlic cloves
2 medium apples
2 cups raisins
16oz. diced green chilis( 2 cans)
20 oz. diced tomatoes( two cans)
1/2 tsp. cumin
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 c. slivered almonds( smoked almonds would be great in this)
cilantro
lemons
First cook the meat and onions in a skillet until browned. transfer to slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients.put on low heat for 3-4 hours, covered, until most of the liquid is gone. if you like it runnier, you can add apple juice or cider, or even broth or stock.
Serve with adding beans in for the last 30 minutes, serve over rice, noodles, spaghetti squash( it's what i did, delicious), inside of tacos, enchildas, with eggs, endless possibilities( it's a mexican hash)
Before serving stir in chopped cilantro and garnish with lemon wedges, slivered almonds, and sprigs of cilantro. ENJOY!!!

You know what rocks?

HICKORY DOES!!

Just sayin ;)

Cat Food

Cat food is deceptively tricky. It seems like a conglomeration of foods that our kitties love to eat, but we have to make sure that we provide all the nutrition that they actually need. I have consulted 2 other websites before creating this recipe for my babies: http://www.catinfo.org/makingcatfood.htm
http://artsycatsy.blogspot.com/2007/01/healthy-cat-food-recipe-from.html

**This recipe is not a complete diet, more like a tasty treat/special meal for our little buddies.

Ingredients:

14.75 oz can of pink salmon
10 oz can baby clams
3.75 oz can sardines in oil
2 chicken breasts, boiled and cut into small chunks
1 hard boiled egg
1 cup mixed veggies (peas/corn/green beans/carrots)

Directions:

1. Boil the chicken
2. When the chicken is about half done, add the egg and the veggies to cook in the water
3. Add all canned seafood to a large mixing bowl, including the liquid it was packed in, mash slightly with a potato masher
4. Remove the chicken and egg and allow them to cool
5. Drain the veggies and rinse in cold water
6. Puree veggies in a blender or food processor and add to the bowl
7. Peel and chop the egg and add to the bowl
8. Chop the chicken and add to the bowl
9. Refrigerate for no more than a week
10. Freeze the rest

I would have liked to add about a quarter cup of ground beef heart but I couldn't find any. Among the other ingredients that are ok are chicken thighs, chicken skin, rabbit, a little bit of beef liver, vitamin E, flax oil, fish oil, quail, Cornish hen, turkey, zucchini, and chicken baby food.

Coffee Granita

Ok, this is so easy a trained monkey could do it!

We all love coffee, but when it's hot outside, we don't particularly want to slurp down a piping cup o' Joe. And let's face it, those iced coffees are delicious, but uber expensive, and last time I checked, none of us are really that rich. So I bring you a Food Network goody today, a little bit of heaven from Alton Brown... the Coffee Granita; a classic Italian refresher!

Ingredients:

2 cups of strong black coffee
1/3 cup sugar
whipped cream

Directions:

1. Mix coffee and sugar until sugar is dissolved
2. Pour into a large baking pan so the liquid is no more than 2 inches deep
3. Freeze for 1/2 hour-45 minutes
4. Stir it around with a fork
5. Freeze for 15 minutes
6. Stir it around with a fork
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until it reaches a uniform, icy consistency
8. Serve in a fancy cocktail glass
9. Top with a dollop of whipped cream

starwberry lemonade

2 quarts iced tea( brew it fresh and let it really cool down before you add anything)
1 can of lemonade concentrate
fresh cut berries, i used starwberry in one and black and red berries in another
1/2 c. sugar, this is optional, depends on if you think you need more sweetner( you can make a simple syrup or use agave nectar, which dissolves in cool liquids very well)
Just mix these up and let blend over nite!

i took this camping last weekend, i drank the whole thing to myself, so yummy. and of course adding liquor is a must, i used berry vodka, but rum would work too or gin or... well you get it. just drink it!

Chicken Pot Pie

Thank You Food Network, for showing me the way to work with puff pastry. I owe this one to you...

Ingredients:
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can of milk
1 and 1/2 cups of precooked chicken chunks (I use chicken strips from the grocery store deli)
1 potato, nuked for 8-10 minutes, then peeled and chopped
10 baby carrots sliced into coins
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 slice of onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, pressed or minced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1T fresh parsley, chopped (or 1t dried)
1t salt
1t black pepper
1t chicken grill seasoning (other herbs to try include thyme, basil and marjoram)
1 pkg puff pastry (frozen)
1 egg (plus a little water)

Directions:
1. Unwrap and set puff pastry out to thaw
2. Heat soup and milk in a large saucepan on the stove over medium heat
3. Add chicken chunks, veggies, and herbs and cook for 10-15 minutes adding more milk if necessary, but do not let it get too thin and runny
4. Preheat oven to the temperature indicated on the puff pastry package
5. Pour chicken soup mixture into a large baking dish or 9x13 pan
6. Place a single layer of puff pastry across the top of the soup mixture to cover it completely. You may have to cut it to fit properly
7. Whisk the egg and a little water in a bowl and brush it on the puff pastry- this is essential, do not skip this step
8. Bake 30-40 minutes or until the puff pastry has risen and is golden brown

This recipe is easy and delicious! You can even substitute a frozen veggie mix if you want. Or substitute the soup for Cream of Mushroom and delete the meat completely, or switch it to turkey or pork or... whatever! It's really versatile and is a great dish for using up the contents of your fridge.

Fajitas!

I don't know about you, but I love Mexican food. And of all the delicious Mexican food out there, steak fajitas is the king of them all. Now, we all know that if you order them from a restaurant it's going to cost about 10 bucks for an order of sizzling hot deliciousness. So, I devised a way for me to have fajitas any time I wish right in the comfort of my own home... I cook them myself! I know, right? Here is my recipe for you to try out the next time you get a hankerin' for fajitas:

INGREDIENTS:
1+1/2 pounds of sirloin steak

1/4 C Worcestershire sauce (or A1 steak sauce)

1/4 C Italian or Vinaigrette salad dressing

the juice of 1 lime

2 T fresh cilantro (or 1/2 T dried)
1 T steak seasoning

2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed or diced

1/2 green pepper cut into strips
1/4-1/2 yellow onion cut into half rings
1 large tomato cut into half-moon shaped slices
2 jalapenos, 1 cut into rings and 1 cored, seeded and diced
2 T cooking oil (I like olive oil)
1 pkg flour tortillas
1 can refried beans
1 pkg shredded cheese (I like quesadilla cheese)
1 pkg sour cream
1 lemon, cut into wedges

DIRECTIONS:
1. Freeze the steak, then partially defrost it in the microwave, then it will be much easier to remove the fat and cut it into strips
2. Place steak strips in a large mixing bowl
3. Add Worcestershire sauce, salad dressing, lime juice, cilantro, steak seasoning and garlic. Stir to combine and coat the steak.
4. Add the green peppers, onion, tomatoes and jalapenos. Stir again to combine and coat the veggies.
5. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour
6. Heat oil in a huge skillet or in a big pan of some sort.
7. Add the steak and veggie mixture, including all of the delicious juices
8. Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally
9. While the fajitas cook, nuke the refried beans and warm up the tortillas
10. When the meat is done, build your fajitas. I like to put the beans, cheese and sour cream in the tortilla, then top it with the meat and then a big squeeze of lemon juice to finish.

People- this recipe is perfection. It makes about 8-10 fajitas, so if you want to really impress your friends, fix this the next time you have them over for dinner. You won't be disappointed. And if you are disappointed, you are just a fun hater who doesn't know a good thing when you see one. Amen.

pre made omlette breakfast, with energy for early mornings. YAY!!

WOW, I almost forgot about this blog!!

K...so I have to get up every Friday morning at 6am to go to work, may not be hard for some, but to me, it so is!! I usually get to sleep in another hour and 30min. typically, so I found a breakfast that I make the night before to take with me, as I'm lucky to work in a home where they freely let me use their cooking things, although I only use the microwave and toaster. It gives me tons of energy and I'm focused, which rules cuz I totally am working with someone who could freak out on me at any time, and I have to just handle that...so yea...anyways..

I make an omlette the night before, like I'd actually get up to cook a breakfast before I have to get up anyways...sheesh, in the omlette I put chunky salsa and shredded cheese. Put in the fridge in a container with some bread in a baggie separately. I also pack fresh fruit, along with some green tea and a to go cup of juice. That's it, I heat the egg up in the microwave, surprisingly it stays good and not all spongy and weird! I toast the bread, add some avacado...mmm...I don't know I like it, and then I totally eat it!!!

Sounds weird a little weird after I wrote it down, but it's good, and gets me through the long early morning until lunch.

7 Up Cake

Ingredients:

3 sticks margarine
1 stick butter
3 cups sugar
3 cups flour
6 eggs
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
8 oz. 7Up soda
2 tsp. Lemon juice (opt).

Directions:

Cream butter, margarine, sugars together until smooth. Add flour, 1 cup at a time until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Add salt, vanilla. Add 7UP, and the batter will fizz a little. Beat at a high speed until smooth.

Put in a greased and floured bundt cake pan and cook for 1 1/2 – 2 hours at 300 degrees. Let cool completely. Glaze with a powdered sugar glaze.

Glaze Options:

1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. butter
3 to 4 tbsp. milk or light cream

You may add the following ingredients for variations.

Chocolate Glaze: Add 2 ounce unsweetened chocolate

Coffee Glaze: Substitute hot water for milk. Dissolve 1 teaspoon instant coffee in hot water.

Lemon or Orange: Substitute 2 tablespoons juice and 1 teaspoon grated peel for the milk.

Maple Glaze: Add 1/2 teaspoon maple extract.

Green bean ala noodles

So i was trying to sound fancy, never the less. it's a great, easy and super healthy recipe.

1 can of french style green beans( or any you have, fresh is the best, though)
1 c. of chopped mushrooms, variety of fresh or canned
5 sundred tomatoes, choppped
white winte
canola oil
garlic-2 cloves
shallots,or red onion-1/4 cup
red pepper flakes
feta cheese, or any kind of goat cheese you have on hand will do
whole wheat pasta

Saute the garlic and shallot until translucent, then add the green beans and mushrooms, and tomatoes.continue to saute until tender. Then add 1/4 c. white wine, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, add the cooked noodles and feta cheese. Serve immediately. enjoy with chicken or fish, it's yummy!

Lean turkey spaghetti

This a healthier version of spaghetti! It is still thick and filling and you won't even miss all the greasy, sugar sauces of the past.

1 eggplant
1 red onion
2 gloves of garlic
2 tomoatoes
2 peppers
olive oil
salt and pepper
1lbs. lean ground turkey
red chili pepper flakes
dried oregano
dried basil
dried rosemary

chop up all the vegetables into bite size pieces, place a baking sheet with enough olive oil to coat and salt and pepper, roast at 400 degress for 30 minutes
cook turkey meat in 1 tsp. olive oil, chili flakes, dried herbs, salt and pepper.
Once the vegetables are done roasting blend up with 2 cans stewed tomatoes, 1/4 c. broth, 1/4 c. water. put in with meat and bring to a boil, turn down the heat cover and simmer for 30 minutes. serve with your favorite whole wheat pasta, salad and cottage cheese, no need for bread, trust me on this one! enjoy!

Red cabbage

For those of you who love the taste of basted red cabbage so sweet and delicious, i eat mine with perogies and sausage and picles. It's like one of my favorite meals and a little mustard and apples... okay so i could go on. I used to buy this in a jar, but i couldn't find it so I made my first batch.

1 head of medium red cabbage
4 pieces of bacon chopped
1 medium onion
1 medium apple
2-3 cups of chicken broth, i added a little apple cider to make it sweeter
1/2 c. white sugar
4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 c. red wine vinegar( it keeps the cabbage more vibrant in color)
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves

Chop up all the ingredients: cook the bacon till crisp, add the onions 1 tsp. of the salt., cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves. cook until onions are tender. Add the cabbage, cook until wilted, then add the apple, vinegar, sugar, vinegar, broth/ cider, pepper. cook for 1 hour, stirring occassionally( you will want to stir occassionally throughout the process) after this is done. turn the heat up and bring the dish to boil, cook until it is at a sauce like consistency. Put into your prettiest dish or just right in your mouth. This will be sweeter than sauerkraut, so just make sure people know this if they aren't used to it. enjoy!!!