Hanging with Heidi

Hanging with Heidi A page to vent, hang loose, share ideas, have fun, cook etc., live…

🎉 I earned the emerging talent badge this week, recognizing me for creating engaging content that sparks an interest amo...
08/27/2026

🎉 I earned the emerging talent badge this week, recognizing me for creating engaging content that sparks an interest among my fans!

It’s the little things in life. I love this and I love being a part of Hanging with Heidi. Thank you to all of you, who hang with me!

08/27/2026

Chicken Stew
Everything goes in the crockpot and you walk away. Chicken thighs, potatoes, carrots, celery, and peas in a thyme broth, and if you want it thicker at the end there is an easy way to do that. This is the kind of dinner that takes five minutes in the morning and takes care of you at the end of the day.
What you need:
• 1½ lbs skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut up
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 1 lb baby potatoes, cut up
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Minced garlic to taste
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tsp dried thyme, or the chicken seasoning of your choice
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
For thicker gravy, optional:
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water
Put everything in the crockpot except the cornstarch and water. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8, whichever fits your day.
If you want it thicker at the end, mix the cornstarch and water together into a slurry and stir it in. Give it a few minutes to thicken up.
Pull out the bay leaves before you serve, and make sure the chicken has cooked all the way through.
Chicken stew or beef stew, which one does your family ask for? I go back and forth depending on the weather.

08/23/2026

Shelby’s Fudge Pie
A rich, dense fudge pie that comes together in one bowl and bakes up somewhere between a brownie and a pie. It is the kind of dessert that does not need a thing on top, though a scoop of vanilla ice cream never hurt anybody.
What you need:
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• 1 unbaked pie crust (I use the frozen kind from the store)
Preheat the oven to 350.
Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 6 minutes.
Add the beaten eggs and the vanilla and mix in.
Then stir in the cocoa powder, salt, and flour by hand until combined.
Pour it into the unbaked pie crust and bake 30 to 40 minutes. Keep an eye on it toward the end so it does not burn.
Let it cool before serving.
Who is the person whose name is attached to a recipe in your family? Every family has one, the pie or the casserole that will always be called by the name of the person who made it first.

08/21/2026

Healthy Pumpkin Dog Treats
You will need :
1/2 can of pumpkin,
2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened, not liquefied,
4 tablespoons of water plus a little more if needed, it is a feel, if two dry add a little bit more water, but be careful.
2 cups whole wheat, flour,
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda,
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder,
One egg

Preheat your oven to 350

Mixed pumpkin, coconut oil, and water in a bowl

Mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder in a separate bowl

Incorporate the two mixture slowly, then stirring in your egg stir to well combined. It will be slightly sticky ball.

Roll out to 1/4 inch thick use a cookie cutter. I use a dog bone shaped lay them on parchment paper on a cookie tray.

Bake 30 minutes until harden to let cool

Treat should be stored in the refrigerator

My grand dogs love these treats!

08/20/2026

Broccoli Salad
This is the sweet raw version, the one a lot of people grew up on, with grapes, craisins, and sunflower seeds in a tangy yogurt dressing. I posted my boiled version a while back and this one is a completely different animal. It gets better the longer it sits, so make it ahead if you can.
For the salad:
• 5 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cups red grapes, halved (or in thirds if they are large)
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and cut bite size
• ½ cup craisins
• ½ cup sunflower seed kernels
• ½ bag shredded cheddar cheese
For the dressing:
• ½ cup mayo
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
Mix the dressing ingredients together and refrigerate for one hour while you prepare everything else. You might want to double the dressing.
Once the hour has passed and everything is prepped, mix it all together and refrigerate for another hour before eating.
The longer it sets, the better it is.
I have now made broccoli salad two completely different ways on this page, boiled and savory, and raw and sweet. Which camp are you in, and did your family have a version that was different from both?

08/18/2026

Homemade Fabric Refresher Spray
Store bought fabric spray adds up fast. This one takes three ingredients and about five minutes, and you can pick whatever scent you actually love instead of settling for what is on the shelf.
What you need:
• ½ cup laundry scent booster beads, any scent (I love the Moonstruck or Lavender by Gain, and the Downy brand works too)
• 1 tsp rubbing alcohol
• 16 oz water
• A 16 oz glass spray bottle (I order mine on Amazon in a six pack, amber or clear is up to you)
Put the scent beads in the bottle with warm water and shake until they dissolve. It takes two or three minutes. Do not use water that is too hot or you will just have to wait for it to cool. Once the beads have melted, add the rubbing alcohol and it is ready to use.
I keep a travel size bottle too and refill it from the big one.
I use this on clothing, in the car, on carpets and cushions, anywhere that needs freshening up. Just do not spray too close.
A quick note: test a small hidden spot first on anything delicate, light colored, or dry clean only, since fabrics can react differently.
What is your favorite money saving swap for something you used to buy? I am always looking for the next one.

08/18/2026

Homemade Glass Cleaner
Two ingredients and a few drops of essential oil, and you have glass cleaner that works just as well as the blue stuff for a fraction of the cost. Your mirrors and windows come out streak free and the whole room smells fresh.
What you need:
• A 16 oz glass spray bottle (I order mine on Amazon in a six pack, clear or amber is your choice)
• Rubbing alcohol, half the bottle
• Distilled water, half the bottle
• 10 to 20 drops essential oil of your choice (I use spearmint and do the full 20)
Fill the bottle halfway with rubbing alcohol, then fill the rest with distilled water, leaving room at the top. Add your essential oil drops and shake it up.
That is it. Peppermint and lemon are great too, but spearmint is the freshest to me.
Use glass bottles rather than plastic, since rubbing alcohol and essential oils can break plastic down over time.
Are you a homemade cleaner person or do you stick with what is on the shelf? I have been slowly swapping mine out one at a time.

08/16/2026

Bacon Heaven
Sweet, spicy, candied bacon that disappears the second you set it out. The brown sugar melts into the bacon while it bakes and the seasoning gives it just enough heat to keep people coming back. Fair warning, you will want to make a double batch.
What you need:
• 1 lb thick cut bacon
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp steak seasoning of your choice
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp paprika
In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar with all the seasoning and set it aside.
Lay the bacon out on a cooling rack set inside a shallow cookie sheet. I put foil down on the pan first to save myself the cleanup. Sprinkle and spread the sugar mixture over the top of the bacon, covering all of it.
Bake at 375 for 25 to 35 minutes, checking it at the 20 minute mark so it does not go too far.
Take the bacon off the rack right away so it does not stick as it cools. Let it cool slightly before serving. I cut my strips into thirds, it is just easier for people to grab.
Where does this land for you, breakfast spread, party tray, or sneaking it straight off the pan? No wrong answers, I have done all three.

08/16/2026

Daily Shower Spray
To be clear up front, this is not a shower cleaner. It is a protectant. You clean your shower really well first, then spray this after you shower to keep mold, soap scum, and residue from building up on the walls and door. It stretches out how long you can go between deep scrubs, and when you do finally clean, everything comes right off. It does not make the floor slippery, and it leaves the whole shower smelling fresh.
What you need:
• A 16 oz glass spray bottle (I order mine on Amazon in a six pack and add a little silicone bottom cup, which usually comes in a two pack)
• Rubbing alcohol, ⅓ of the bottle
• White vinegar, ⅓ of the bottle
• 1 tsp blue Dawn
• 1 tsp dishwasher rinse aid
• 20 drops essential oil of your choice (spearmint is my favorite)
• Water to fill
Add the rubbing alcohol and white vinegar to the bottle first, then the Dawn, rinse aid, and essential oil drops. Fill the rest of the way with water and give it a good shake.
Spray it on your shower walls and door after you shower.
A couple of safety notes worth knowing: never mix vinegar with bleach or any bleach based cleaner, since that combination creates toxic fumes, so make sure your shower is fully rinsed of any bleach product before you use this. And skip this one if you have natural stone like marble or travertine in your shower, because vinegar can etch it. Tile, glass, and acrylic are all fine.
What is the cleaning task you would most love to do less often? Mine is absolutely the shower, which is exactly why I started making this.

08/15/2026

All Purpose House Cleaner
Two ingredients, and it handles just about everything. I use this on my kitchen counters, all through the bathrooms, spills, you name it. The only thing I do not use it for is mopping. It costs pennies compared to what is on the shelf and it works better than most of it.
What you need:
• A 16 oz glass spray bottle (I get mine on Amazon in a six pack, and I put one of the silicone caps on the bottom so it does not clank on my counters or break)
• ¾ cup white vinegar
• ¼ cup blue Dawn
Pour both into the bottle and give it a gentle shake to combine.
That is the whole thing.
A couple of notes so it works its best. Never mix vinegar with bleach or any bleach based cleaner, since that combination creates toxic fumes. And keep it off natural stone like granite, marble, and travertine, because vinegar can etch those surfaces over time. It is great on tile, glass, sealed laminate, porcelain, and stainless.
Which store bought product are you most ready to stop buying? I have swapped out most of mine at this point and I am not going back.

Address

Burleson, TX

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Hanging with Heidi posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share