FB savin' pages

Today, I am gonna share with all of you the FB pages that I have "liked" that are leading me to all of these savings that I am rakin' in.

*The Coupon Wizards
*Shopping Tips & Tricks
*MoJo Savings
*Hip2Save
*The Coupon Diva
*The Krazy Coupon Lady
*Sister Save-A-Lot
*Super Coupon Lady
*Catchin' Freebies
*We Use Coupons
*All You Magazine (free samples daily)
*Printable Coupons and Deals

It's as simple as going to these pages, pressing the "like" button and start receiving their posts about getting the most out of your money. I LOVE these pages as they do all of the work for you! All you have to do is go & cash in on the deals.

Happy couponing!

Savin' & Snackin'

Good morning!  I hope everyone is enjoying Cassie's great posts about saving money...I know I am!  She's inspired me to dedicate one day a week to couponing...I do this on the same say I do my menu planning, that way I can coordinate coupons with what I have on my list.  On average, this method has saved me about $10-15 a week at the store.  Someday I hope to be one of those ladies who gets $100 of goodies for just $10 :)  I have a few other money savers that I'd like to share with you this morning....

Cassie herself turned me onto this next item...be sure to run right out and get it by Saturday!  If you use honey, you know how very expensive it is.  This week at Walgreen's, you can get a 32 oz. bottle of honey, normally priced 7.99, for just 3.99!!!  That is one heck of a deal!  You'll need the coupon that is printed inside the Walgreen's flier...these are normally right inside the store's front door.  With the coupon, you can get 3 bottles!  Stock up!!  You'll need the honey for today's yummy recipe, Chewy Granola Bars. 

Another great money saver is the Meijer M-Perks plan.  If you have a Meijer in your area, be sure to sign up for this at the Meijer website.  The program allows you to clip coupons online, then simply enter your cell phone number on the keypad at the checkout stand.  No carrying coupons, just enter the cell number and the coupons come off your total.  I love this plan!  Occasionally, they'll send you a text alerting you to some fantastic coupons to clip.  Most often, they'll offer a coupon for $2 off your total order, or 10% off any general merchandise purchase.  Check it out...you won't be disappointed!

Speaking of saving some cash, have you priced snack food items lately?  It's crazy, especially with 2 hungry kiddos in the house.  My sis shared this AMAZING recipe for Chewy Granola Bars with me recently, and they are delicious...you won't want to buy granola bars again.  The greatest thing about this recipe is that you can customize the bars to fit your tastes.  You can add chocolate chips, dried fruit, coconut, you name it...whatever strikes your fancy, add it!  When I made these, I used chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.  They tasted like a cookie, and the kids, even Miss Picky Lexi, LOVED them.  Try them, and I think you'll agree that they are easy, delish, and a huge money saver.  Go to Walgreens and get your honey and make a batch this weekend :)  Happy saving and snacking my friends!

Chewy Granola Bars

4 1/2 cups rolled oats (I used Kroger quick cooking oats...worked great!)
1 c. flour, you can use all purpose or whole wheat
1 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla
2/3 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. honey
1/3 c. brown sugar, packed well
1 c. mini chocolate chips, or any add-in of your choice...be creative!
1/2 c. peanut butter, optional
1/4 t. cinnamon, optional...I don't care for the cinnamon with the chocolate

Preheat oven to 325.  Mix all ingredient together and press into a lightly greased 9X13 pan.  Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Enjoy!!

Today's deals & thoughts on saving $$$

Ok peeps! Here's my Wal-mart deals of the day....Strawberries....$1.25 pkg., BC boxed potatoes...2/$2 -$.50(coupon attached to box)=$.75 ea., LARGE box of Lucky Charms...$3.78-$.55 coupon=$3.23(same price as the small box), Texas Toast croutons...$1.36-$.55=$.81, Snack pack puddings/jellos...$.72 ea., Dean's French Onion dip...$1.32 ea. Buy 2 use $1 off Q=$.82 ea., Helluva chip dip...$1.25-$.75=$.50, Trial size Secret Clinical Strength...$2.47-$2 Q=$.47(great for your purse with the warm weather coming soon).

One thing I have learned is the smallest quantity is NOT always the cheapest in the long run. An example would be the Lucky Charms cereal. I got 2x the amount of cereal for the same price as the small box. :) My kids devour cereal these days! Also, I'm learning not to be so picky about brands. I may care but the kids don't! So when it comes to buying peanut butter, buy what is on sale or what you have a coupon for. This may not be everyone's choice but this is what I'm doing to save $$. Even if you don't need it & it's on sale this week, buy it & put it up for another week. This is called "stockpiling". My husband built shelving downstairs where I put all of my "extras" for future use. The idea to saving is to "stockpile" items when they are on sale & you have coupons for those items. Buy extras at that time so you don't have to pay FULL PRICE in a few weeks when it's NOT ON SALE! Hence the reasoning for my buying coupon inserts from http://coupon-wizards.com so I can get many copies of one coupon. This service is cheaper than buying all of those Sunday papers and having to deal with all of that paper plus I'm guaranteed my coupons every week. :) I'm hoping to find my coupons in the mailbox today so I can get started with my organizing. Happy Couponing to you! May you save lots of $$ today!

Good Afternoon! No savings tidbits today but I will be posting soon all of my favorite FB pages that I use to "catch wind" of the good deals of the week at our local stores like Wally World, Meijer, Walgreens & Rite-Aid. For those of you that have a Kroger close by, they also post Kroger deals. I absolutely love these pages as they do all the work for you...all you have to do is drive to the stores & cash in on the deals. Yesterday, thanks to one of these pages, I was able to get a JUMBO pack of Huggies(to use as a baby shower gift) & 2 packs of Orbit gum for a whopping $.97 + tax. I was SO happy!
Monday or Tuesday, I should receive my coupon inserts in the mail & I'll let you know what I think of them. I will share with you that I am getting 10 copies of each insert in the Sunday papers for less than actually going out & buying 10 papers. More Savings! :)
This morning, I made 4 batches of Michelle's Homemade Laundry Soap. If you have NOT tried this yet, I highly recommend that you give it a try. Easy to make & cheap plus it lasts a long time! Another cost-cutter!

Hello!

I'm the one Michelle warned you about...LOL! Let me introduce myself to those of you who don't know me. I have known Michelle since we were kids in grade school. YIKES! Michelle, does that make us old? Nope! You're only as old as ya feel! :)
I left my chiropractic assistant job to be a stay-at-home mom/daycare provider 10 years ago. The stress of the daycare dilemmas got to be too much for this momma so after 5 years, I gave up changing diapers & wiping snotty noses and just became a mommy to my 2 kiddos. My daughter, who just turned 12, is a split image of her father, who I owe much gratitude to for allowing me to live my dream of being home with my kids. My son, who is 9 yrs old, is a mini-me. He's a typical boy involved in all sorts of sports & loves to spend time with his dad doing whatever boys do. When my son started kindergarten, I got involved with volunteering in his class, which I loved dearly. This year, when he entered 3rd grade, my volunteering ended as it was now time for the kids to be more independent. (tears) This left me at home, lonely & bored, but soon that would change! In September, my dear friend had a baby & asked me to watch over her daughter so that brings me to today. I truly cherish all of my days that I get to spend with her. The 1st few months were rough ones but she's a happy lil' 6 mo. old who brings a smile to my heart everyday.
Now, on to my couponing adventures. One of my new year's resolutions was to cut debt & save more money. Who doesn't want that? I will let you all know of any good deals that are out there so you, too, can save $$ at the grocery store. Less $$ in their bank account & more in yours! :) Here's to happy couponing!

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Salad and other HOT news!!

Oh fun..the battle of the bulge marches on.  The closer I get to the big 4-0, it seems things are "bulging" where I don't think they should..  For about a month now, I've been training using the Couch to 5K program.  It's great for people like me who really hate to run, and to be honest, I am really starting to enjoy it, crave it, and understand what people mean when they say they get a "runner's high" from a workout.  It's weird...but I love it. 

When it comes to willpower, well...I have none.  Zero, zip, zilch.  Our pantry, freezer and fridge have looked like Mother Hubbard's cupboards for the past month.  If it has sugar, chocolate, fat or just anything naughty in it, I'm not buying it right now.  Fruits, veggies, whole grains, sugar free drinks...it's in there, and it's my only saving grace.  The kids and Curt are none to happy, but I assured them that they won't keel over from lack of cookies, cakes or processed junk. 

In an effort to come up with something healthy and yummy for my own lunches, I decided that a good old chicken salad would be a smart choice.  And thus, Sweet & Spicy Chicken Salad was born.  You can add or delete ingredients to suit your tastes.  I adore the sweetness of the grapes combined with the spicy heat of the cayenne pepper.  It's great all by itself, or it makes a mean chicken salad sandwich or try it on a whole grain wrap...yummmm!!  The best part is that it's filling, delicious and guilt free.  Try it and let me know what you think!

And now, onto the other HOT news I promised....my dear friend Cassie has agreed to become a contributor to my modest little blog.  She is a Coupon Diva!!  She's been researching and saving tons of money each week through couponing services online and I asked her to share her tips and deals with all of you.  Can't wait to see what she has in store for us!  Welcome aboard my Diva friend!!  :)

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Salad

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked & shredded or diced finely
1/2 cup mayo or plain yogurt (can combine the two)
1/2 cup low fat mozzarella cheese
1 cup red grapes cut in half
1/3 cup crushed pineapple
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use more or less, depending on your tolerance for heat)
diced green onions
cashews or toasted almonds

Mix first 6 ingredients together and chill.  When ready to serve, top with diced green onions and nuts if desired.  Enjoy, guilt free :)

Chocolate Mint Dreams!

I ADORE chocolate and mint together....you name it, if it has these 2 together, I'm gonna love it!  I just made these Chocolate Mint Dreams for Jack's St. Patty's Day party tomorrow, and the whole family is loving them.  They literally melt in your mouth!!....Make a batch for your favorite leprechauns, and maybe they'll leave you some gold ;) 

Chocolate Mint Dreams

3/4 c butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 squares, 1 oz. each, of semi sweet baker's chocolate, melted and cooled
1/4 t. peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips

ICING
2 T. butter, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 T. milk
1/4 t. peppermint extract
green food coloring

DRIZZLE
1/2 c semi sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and powdered sugar together.  Beat in chocolate and mint extract.  Gradually add flour.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by tablespoon full onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes.  Remove to wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile, combine icing ingredients and spread over cooled cookies.  Let set.  In microwave, melt chocolate chips for drizzle.  Place in a quart size freezer bag, snip off the end and drizzle over cookies.  Yield:  about 4 dozen.  YUM!!!

Company is Coming for Dinner!

Is there a dinner party in your plans?  Do you ever wonder what to make to "wow" your guests?  If so, I have the easiest, yummiest recipe for you to try.  This is one of Curt's all time faves, he just loves it, and I love to make it because (1) it's SUPER easy, (2) it never fails to get rave reviews and (3) you can make it ahead of time!  What's not to love?  Trust me on this, try  my Chicken Cordon Bleu tonight and you'll be the star chef at your house :)

Another recipe that I fall back on quite often, especially in the summer months, is Grilled Greek Potatoes.  This another fantastic, easy and CHEAP recipe that has never failed to get rave reviews.  I love to slice up the potatoes and onions earlier in the day, store them in a large bowl of water, then throw it all together when dinner time comes.  If you don't use your grill during the colder weather, these are excellent baked in the oven too.  Serve both recipes to your guest and they will think you're a rock star :) 

And for your table setting convenience, take a look at the diagram above.  It amazes me how many people don't know how to set a proper place setting.  I know the days of being taught things like this in ancient classes like Home-Ec are long gone, so print it out and keep it on hand if you ever wonder where a fancy schmancy butter spreader goes or where the white wine glass goes versus the red wine glass...LOL!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 lb. of thinly sliced deli ham
1 package sliced Havarti or Swiss cheese


Place chicken breasts in a 9X13 baking dish.  Lay ham slices on top of chicken, then top with cheese.  In a bowl, mix up soups and pour over chicken.  Bake at 350 for approx. 1 hour, or until bubbly and lightly browned on top.  *Note....the ham slices may make the chicken breasts turn pink while cooking...do not be alarmed...the chicken is done :)

Grilled Greek Potatoes

1-2 lbs. red potatoes, skin on
1 large sweet onion
1/2 stick of butter
Cavender's Greek Seasoning (I found mine at Wal-Mart in the spice aisle)

Thinly slice the potatoes and onion.  Place a layer of potatoes in the bottom of a foil pan, top with a layer of onions.  Cut butter into small pats, and place randomly on top of potato/onion layer.  Sprinkle with Greek Seasoning, repeat layers until dish is full.  Cover with foil and grill on medium-low for approximately 35-45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  Check often to prevent burning.  If baking, place ingredients in a 9X13 dish in layers, cover with foil and bake at 400 for approx. 1 hour. 

2 pies shells = Dinner + Dessert!

Ever have those nights were you're pressed for time, but want to serve something yummy and maybe a little something special for dessert?  Well, here's your solution, using frozen pies crusts!  They are sold 2 to a package, so use one for the  Cheesy Ham Quiche and one for our all time fave, Peanut Butter Pie.  This couldn't be easier, or yummier.  When I serve this, I also serve cinnamon rolls and fresh fruit on the side.  My family LOVES breakfast for dinner, and this has become a keeper at our house. Try it and be sure to let me know what you think!  The pie is, well.....heavenly.  It's been requested by Curt so many times, I know it by heart.  If you live around here, you'll recognize the taste if you have ever eaten at Essenhaus.  It is pretty darn close to the peanut butter pie they serve. If you're really feeling domestic, you could make homemade vanilla custard for the filling, but trust me when I say it's out of this world good with a box mix!  Take it to the next potluck you have, and you'll be a star!

Cheesy Ham Quiche

1 frozen deep dish pie shell
1 cup diced cooked ham (I used Louis Rich Carving Board deli ham)
3 eggs, beaten
1 green onion, diced
3 T. mayo
3/4 c milk
1 cup sharp shredded cheddar
salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2 T. flour

Preheat oven to 400.  Remove pie shell from freezer 10 minutes before baking.  Prick sides and bottom of pie shell with fork and bake the shell for 10 minutes.  Next, place ham, green onion and cheese in pie shell.  Beat the eggs with the mayo, flour, milk and  s&p.  Cover with foil and bake at 400 for about 40 minutes, or until egg mixture is set.  Slice and serve with a dollop of sour cream if desired. 

Peanut Butter Pie

1 deep dish frozen pie shell
1 large box of instant french vanilla pudding
milk
creamy or crunchy peanut butter, your choice
powdered sugar
Cool Whip

Bake the pie shell according to directions, let cool.  Prepare the vanilla pudding according to box directions for pie filling, set in fridge to set up.  Next, place about 1/4-1/3 cup peanut butter in large mixing bowl.  Add about 1 cup powdered sugar and mix with a fork until crumbly.  You may need to add more powdered sugar to make it crumbly.  Place half of the peanut butter mixture on the bottom of the cooled pie shell.  Add pudding, top with generous amount of Cool Whip, then sprinkle with the remaining peanut butter mixture.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Serves 8.