Make-it-Yourself Rice Mixes

Straight from the Hillbilly Housewife site, this woman has figured out how to make the most delicious (and inexpensive) rice mixes! Place ingredients in sealed baggie until needed. ( When I have spare time, I make quite a few and throw them in my pantry for when we need
them! ) These also make great gifts when put into small canning jars! White rice can be used instead of brown rice. Each rice packet yields 5-6 servings!

Chicken Rice

3/4 cup brown rice (white rice works, too)
1/4 cup broken uncooked spaghetti
1 T dried minced onion
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 T dry parsley
3 chicken bouillon cubes

Place 2 T margarine, the rice mix, and 2 1/2 cups water in sauce pot. Bring to boil. Cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer until done and fluffy.

Onion Rice

1 cup brown rice
1/4 cup broken uncooked spaghetti
1 tsp. onion powder
2 T dried minced onion
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 beef bouillon cubes

Place 2 T olive oil in sauce pot. Add 2 1/2 cups water. Add rice mix. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Cover. Simmer until done and fluffy.

Taco Rice

1 cup brown rice
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 T dry minced onion
cayenne pepper, to taste

Heat 1-2 T oil in sauce pot. Add packet. Cook rice a few minutes, stirring. Add 8 oz. can tomato sauce and 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil. Reduce to low. Cover. Simmer until done and fluffy.

--Delena
Kansas City, MO

Taco Meatballs

One of my husband's new favorites!

1-1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 1/2 cups corn tortilla crumbs (I put mine in food processor until fine and crumbly)
1/3 cup minced onion
1/3 cup milk
1/2 chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. Louisiana hot sauce
1 egg

Sauce:
1 can diced chiles (I've used a can of green enchilada sauce, too)
1 package taco seasoning
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 package cheddar cheese

Combine the first 8 ingredients in mixing bowl. Shape into small meatballs. Drop into boiling water, and cook until no longer pink. Remove and drain. In large skillet, add sauce ingredients. Add meatballs. Cook until melted and coated. Serve over taco rice!

--Delena
Kansas City, MO

Meat and Potatoes Casserole

On a budget? Here you go!

6 medium potatoes
1 cup grated cheese
1 lb. hamburger

Cook and mash potatoes, until creamy. Put in casserole dish and hollow out a hole in the center about the size of a saucer. Brown hamburger. Drain. Rinse. Fill hole with hamburger. Cover with cheese. Place in oven and bake at 450 degrees until cheese is completely melted.

--Delena
Kansas City, MO

All-day Apple Butter

5 1/2 pounds apples, peeled and finely chopped
4 cups sugar
2-3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt

Place apples in crock pot. Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Pour over apples and mix well. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 9-11 hours or until thick and dark brown, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook on low for 1 hour longer. Spoon into freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. If not freezing, cover and refrigerate.
Yield: 4 pints

--Delena
Kansas City, MO

Peanut Butter Fudge

Straight off of the Hillbilly Housewife site, here is an easy (and cheap!) recipe for peanut butter fudge for the holidays!

1 12 oz. jar peanut butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 bag chocolate (or peanut butter!) chips

Melt chips and peanut butter together over medium-high heat. After they are completely melted together, remove from heat and mix in milk. Pour into pan lined with wax paper and chill for an hour or two. Cut into squares and serve.

--Delena
Kansas City, MO

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Seriously, I wouldn't recommend this recipe to anyone watching their weight or on strict orders from the doctor not to eat anything horrible for them. For those that DON'T fall into that category, may I present to you the best, I think, comfort food EVER? I'm not a big fan of regular meatloaf, but this meatloaf is amazing.

1 pound ground chuck
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 (8-ounce) package sharp Cheddar, grated
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup bread crumbs, toasted
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 (3-ounce) can French fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck and next 8 ingredients, mixing well.
In a small bowl, combine the ketchup and mustard. Stir 1/4 cup ketchup mixture into meat mixture, reserving remaining ketchup mixture. Press meat mixture into a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan, or shape into a loaf and place on a rack in a broiler pan. Spread remaining ketchup mixture over loaf. Bake 40 minutes. Top with French fried onions; bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink.

--Delena
Kansas City, MO

Autumn Apples=Applesauce!

I have had the pleasure of joining a friend for the whole day and doing this. It's wonderful, and the applesauce tastes so much better than the stuff you get at the store. I have finally found a Food Mill for sale at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It's on my Christmas list. It is useful for the applesauce making, but wouldn't it be great to make homemade baby food, too?

The Cheese Ball:101

If you're looking for an appetizer to take to a holiday get-together or you want to give the hostess a small "thank you" for having you over, look no further. Couple of things about this video:
1.) If you can count how many times she says the word "paprika", you should win a prize.
2.) When it looks like she's getting a little crazy, keep watching. The finished product is quite impressive...well, at least I think it is.

Christmas holiday recipes and more!

This site was forwarded to me by a friend. What a great place to find fun activities and great recipes! Check out the North Pole!