PLAYPENS & PICKLING

Well a big HI there and hello this Tuesday morning! How are you doing today? I'm good... a bit tired but once I shake the cobwebs out, it will be ok LOL. I have lots of things planned today so I have to get motivated somewhat quick like LOL! I got a couple of freecycles to pick up this morning and some errands to run and of course there is my sewing, etc. Now to my mother and her comment yesterday... I don't know how I come up with the themes... its just whatever hits me at the moment I guess. Like this weeks theme... you know how I love peppers and when I went to the store last, I found these ginormous beautiful jalapenos and thought of all the different things I do with them and how it might be fun for everyone else. So basically they just normally start with something I like, or see, or think about. And I won't lie, there have been a couple that came to me that I immediately 86'ed cause once I sat and thought about it, it didn't excite me. So there ya'll go... the method behind my madness LMAO!



I want to tell everyone this... which you already know but I will say anyways LOL... I LOVE SECOND-HAND STORES! OMG... so you know how I am watching my DN now right and have been looking for baby stuff to make it easier to care for him. Well yesterday, we went out and was looking for bigger things like playpens, strollers, etc. cause we plan to have him overnight quite a bit very soon. Well we went to this one store specifically for kids called Small Changes Kids in League City and they had some really great stuff. BUT you know what makes them an even BETTER store?? I was able to rpint off a $5 coupon off their website!!!!!! TOO COOL! Resale AND Coupons?? OMG I am so going back for more things whenever I need them LOL! If you are in my area and have little ones, be SURE to visit the site and then go to the store and check them out! You won't be disappointed... I wasn't! We found a like new Graco Pack 'N Play for less than half the normal selling price!

Alright, time to stretch your brain a bit! I was reading an article on Yahoo finance about how the rich rule the economy basically (DUH) and then I was following some links and stumbled across a page showing yahoo's top 5 questions and answers. One of them particularly caught my eye... and I want to show you... shoot ASK you the same thing! It really makes you think about life and what is important to you.

OP was ID of "sandhaw" asked: What could I buy today that would greatly enhance my life if the dollar became worthless?

Best Answer by "kricket" said: Not exactly sure what you mean by "greatly enhance my life", but Ill try to help. Seeds for edible plants. MRE's or other preserved food. Possibly a book or two on edible plants that grow in the area where you live. Bow and arrows. Water purification kit. In my opinion, if you can eat and have water to drink, you should consider your life as being "greatly enhanced". Hope this helps

I think its an extraordinary question actually... can you answer it? First off, how would you want to "enhance your life"? Are you the kind of person who wants the "name brands"... BMW's and big houses, etc. or do you want middle class luxuries or what? I think to answer this question, one must do alot of soul searching and maybe find out what is really important to them if they don't already know. Did the author maybe mean to "sustain" his life? In that event, you have to think about the bare necessities to survive. Changes outlooks and answers completely! Either way, I wanted to bring this little thought provoking gem to the table this morning. Come on folks, exercising the brain is good for you! So gnaw on this one for a while!



OMG while exercising my brain LOL and thinking about some crafts to do, I just realized how close homecoming is and that I need to get started on mums for the girls! Wow, I have about a month and I still haven't even looked to see what I need, etc... man I am seriously far behind LOL! Guess maybe I should add that to my list of challenges? LOL! Homecoming for us is September 24th I believe... and each year at MINIMUM I have to make 2-3 full-size mums... I am talking ribbons, mums, trinkets, trappings, bells and whistles, etc.! Crazy I know, but the BFF's are so happy to have matching mums... and as the "cool mom" I can't let them down LOL!

Ok now for your crafty visions today, I found this idea at Allfrecrafts.com and thought OMG that is too cute! Then I can see them for locker magnets for school which starts soon YAY! LOL... and I am always recycling old jeans and such, so why not? So I bring it to you today!



Craft Idea of the Day: Denim Pocket Magnets

Supplies:

denim jean pockets cut from old jeans

fabric paint

lace trim

ribbon flowers (optional)

fridge magnet

hot glue or craft glue

Instructions:

1. Carefully cut the pockets from the jeans.

2. Beginning and ending at the back, glue lace trim around the top of the pocket.

3. If desired, glue a small ribbon rose to each top corner.

4. Write "Coupons" or "Notes" or whatever you wish on the front in fabric paint, following the manufacturer's directions.

5. Glue a magnet to the back of each denim pocket and stick the fridge. Enjoy!

Ok so for today's choice for HOPPIN JALAPENO WEEK, I am going to preserve these royal lovelies! I must savor them all year long and there is no better ways to have a taste of summer abundance than canning and pickling and jellies! Jalapeno pepper plants put forth a high yield over a long growing season and can in all but the worst years easily produce more peppers than a single person or family can use as they come. Many hot peppers-cayenne, ancho, and pasilla, to name a few-can simply be dried, but the thick flesh of the jalapeno limits its usefulness as a dried pepper.

Pickling is a common alternative, and known as "jalapenos en escabeche" it is traditional. Pickled jalapenos are a common condiment-the jalapeno pepper rings often served with ballpark nachos are pickled-and can be used in place of fresh jalapenos to add heat and pepper flavor to a dish as long as the recipe is adjusted to account for the vinegar.

The simplest way to prepare pickled jalapenos is in the refrigerator, but for long keeping, pickled jalapenos can also be canned in a hot water bath. One refrigerator pickle recipe and two canned pickle recipes (based on current USDA guidelines) follow:



REFRIGERATOR JALAPENO PICKLES

Ingredients:

Jalapeno peppers
garlic (optional)
onion (optional)
vinegar
sea salt or canning salt

Method:

1. Peppers can be either left whole, cut into rings with the slicing disk of a food processor, or have their tops removed. If leaving whole, cut slits into the pepper lengthwise to allow vinegar to enter.

2. Pack the peppers into a Mason jar or swingtop jar, layering with garlic cloves and chopped onion if desired.

3. Mix one teaspoon of salt with each cup of vinegar being used. The total amount will depend on the size of the jar and how tight the peppers are packed. Heat salt-vinegar solution to a simmer and pour over peppers. Close the jar and store in the refrigerator.

CANNED WHOLE PICKLED JALAPENOS

The USDA recipe, but with jalapenos only, and with an extra teaspoon of salt in place of the sugar. Scale it downward in size by keeping the brine proportions the same. This can also be turned into a mixed-pickle recipe by adding garlic, onion, carrot, and bell pepper; a hot carrots mix is especially good if seasoned with a bit of cilantro.

Ingredients:

7 lbs jalapeno peppers
5 cups vinegar (5% acidity)
1 cup water
5 tsp canning, sea, or kosher salt

Procedure:

(1) Either cut the jalapenos in half, remove their tops, or slit them deeply, three or four times per pepper, so vinegar can penetrate to the inside of the fruit.
(2) Pack the peppers into pint jars. Add garlic or other seasonings if you like.
(3) Mix the vinegar, water, and salt and heat to a boil.
(4) Pour the brine over the peppers



Jalapeno Jelly

Ingredients

1 large green bell pepper
12 jalapeno peppers
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 pinch salt
4 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 ounces liquid pectin
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
A few drops of green food coloring (optional)

Directions

Combine the green bell pepper and 12 jalapeno peppers in the container of a food processor or blender. Process until finely chopped. This can be done in batches, if the peppers do not fit.

Transfer the peppers to a large saucepan, and stir in the cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the mixture through at least 2 layers of cheesecloth, and discard pulp. You should have about 1 cup of liquid.

Return the liquid to the saucepan, and stir in the salt and sugar until dissolved.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture comes to a rolling boil (one that cannot be stirred down), boil for one minute, then stir in the liquid pectin.

Stir in the food coloring and remaining jalapeno peppers, and ladle into sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Seal jars in a hot water bath. Refrigerate jelly after seal is broken.

(**NOTE the more seeds you leave in, the hotter your jelly will be!**)

Well everyone, that's it... a little bit of spice in your life courtesy of the jalapeno! I hope you have enjoyed today's visit and will come back tomorrow for more crazy fun and adventures. As for me today? Time to take it easy... I have GOT to get my back working right again so its resting and easy crafts and such. I might even put the back brace on today LOL! I'm off "Aunt Duty" so I am gonna use this time to catch up on household things... unless of course something better comes up (anything is better than cleaning LMAO!). SO be safe in wherever life takes you today and everyday and until next time... HUGS!

FANTASTIC FLEA MARKET FINDS

Good day to you all! How are you doing this fine Sunday morning? I am surprisingly well. I have some seriously sore legs but some very exciting things to share with you today. Are you ready for a Flea Market adventure?

First off, let me just say that I am proud of the family (Including my self LOL) for not complaining about the heat even one time! I got sick a couple of times but nobody rained on the parade, sorta speak. We walked the whole entire market, which took about almost 4 hours. We saw a lot of great bargains, but we practiced restraint, as we were there on a mission. The mission was to find a nice dress for Madison’s Sweet 16 pictures (and hopefully something she could use in the future for other events). We set out with only $50 to use for the whole day… kinda bold and crazy huh? Think we could do it? Let’s find out…



After 3 hours of walking, and finding many dress shops, DH spotted a little hole in the wall boutique store and DD saw a dress hanging on the wall that she fell in love with. See DD is not a “fru-fru” type of girl… she doesn’t like frills, bows, or poof… and she wanted “Gator Blue” LOL! Well this one was Gator Blue, no poof, and super sleek and sexy! She tried it on… the sales woman thought it would be too big but because of the fact that she is “built” like her momma, it was almost a perfect fit! We are gonna take some very awesome dreesed up pictures of her in it this morning so I can go print them out and send them with the invitations. I will post the picture when I get them done so everyone can see how beautiful she is growing up to be! Grand total for the dress? $20 even… wonderful huh? You gotta love flea markets! And yes, the dress is brand new!

So then we were walking some more and we grabbed a huge snow cone and shared it all… not bad for $2 LOL! Walking some more and we found a little food vendor who was offering the roasted corn with all the fixings (mayo, cheese, chili powder, etc) for $3… GOTTA HAVE IT! YUM on a stick right there ladies and germs! LOL We shared that too… isn’t being frugal GREAT! Ok, so we keep walking… and my heart sank!



We came across a little Hispanic lady who had some animals caged up in the heat. They were panting and suffering and I got so angry! I had to help! (Thank my mother for her comment yesterday about saving a life and how she raised me to be a severe animal lover!) Well DH wanted to bring home the Peacock but we have absolutely no place for it LOL. They had tons of chickens (both chicks and hens) and I thought of my mom but she is not yet ready to accept them in her yard LOL. And back in this lonely little cage was this baby white ball of fluff! All alone and panting from the heat! I started tearing up. This woman had no water and no fans or anything on these poor animals! I asked how much for the rabbit and she said $30. I got mad… I said “Look, the way you have these animals I could report you and press charges for animal cruelty. Now I am going to rescue this rabbit for $15 INCLUDING the cage and walk away and you will stay out of jail. What do you say?” As you can see… I WON! I named her Rescue and I know I know… another animal in the house LOL. DH was just shaking his head at me but after holding her and realizing that a Netherland Dwarf bunny will not get any bigger than about 2 pounds, don’t make very much noise, and just had to be treated better than she was… well he didn’t say much more LOL! I think he has fallen in love with her… right after she nibbled on his chin LOL!



On the way out back to the car at the Flea Market, we found a little stand where a lady had some gorgeous watermelons for sale. The kids and DH picked out a HUGE one so I gave the lady the $5 and we were gone… I figured I would half the watermelon with my mom since she likes it too… (Look how this huge thing dwarfs my LARGE crock pot!). I got $5 left in my pocket and had a car with kids, bunnies, formal gowns, and monster fruit LOL! Quite a productive day, wouldn’t you agree? LOL. We were there for about 4 hours and everyone said they had a blast! DD fell asleep about 6pm, woke up briefly to eat and such, and was out like a light by 8:30pm LMAO! DS was out about 9pm. I wore everyone out… it was great! But we had a lot of fun… another successful summer outing! Once we got the bunny home, I went back out to Petsmart and picked up a few things with coupons for the cats and a few things for the bunny too.

Now… lets talk some crafts. I got a bit of the craft bug after seeing some of that stuff yesterday, but not much. I got some great party ideas though, as some of the stores focus was on Latin Quinceañeras and decorations, supplies, etc. I plan on replicating some of what I saw there. I also saw tons of baby things… and in the little vendors who had clothes and things were lots of baby bibs. Well, as the bag lady (as my mother tends to call me LOL) I thought I would bring you another cute way to make a purse out of those tons of bibs I saw! Check this out!



Craft Idea of the Day: Vinyl Bib Purse

Materials:

2 vinyl Baby Bibs
Ruler
Pencil
Scissors
A few yards of ball chain (you can cut it to your desired length)
4 medium grommets and grommet attachment tool
Sewing machine
Thread
Optional: Small square of Velcro for the closure
Glue gun/glue stick to attach the Velcro

Directions:

The first thing you're going to do is to cut off the portion of the bib with the neck closure. Use your ruler and pencil to draw a straight horizontal line and repeat the process on the second bib.

Make sure that your line is in the same spot on both bibs. When you're confident that they line up perfectly, cut along the line and remove the neck closure portion and discard it.

You'll then have the front and back pieces of your purse. The top lip of the bag where you cut with the scissors will need to be folded over and sewn so that the top of your bag doesn't have a raw edge. So carefully fold the "good" side of the bag down about a half an inch and sew. Do not use pins as it will leave holes in the vinyl. Just do your best to hold it flat as you sew. Repeat the process with the other piece of the purse.

Then place the two pieces of the purse "good" sides together and sew along the outline of the purse. When you're done, carefully turn the bag inside out.

Almost done!

It's time to use your grommet installation tool to install two grommets on each side of the bag as shown in the photograph above.

Afterwards loop ball chain through the holes and close the ball chain with a ball chain connector.

If you would like to make a closure for the bag use a glue gun to attach a Velcro circle or square to each side of the inside of the bag.

Tips & hints: Ball chain is available really inexpensively at the hardware store. It's usually sold by the yard and the connectors are usually sold in prepackaged pouches nearby.

As far as finding bibs, I found these at a discount shop. If you can't find vinyl baby bibs you can also use vinyl children's art smocks in a small size for this project.

This project was contributed by Faith Sugarman from dollheads.com

To end your week of Russian delight, I’m serving you a complete totally Russian dinner… drinks included! What a way to celebrate the end of another fine food theme week. Did you enjoy it? Tell me what you would like to have as a theme next week… I am thinking some recipes around a specific ingredient or maybe some Latin recipes? I have tons of ideas to share, but I want to know what interests you. So to wrap up this week, let’s partake of a truly Russian buffet! Eat & Enjoy!



DRINK: Black Russian Classique

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz Vodka
3/4 oz Coffee flavored brandy

Method:

Pour over ice cubes in old-fashioned cocktail glass.



APPETIZERS: Gutap - Kazakh Deep-Fried Herb Fritters

Ingredients:

---FILLING---
3 tb Dill freshly chopped fine
3 tb Parsley freshly chopped fine
1 tb Garlic minced
9 tb Scallions chopped fine
1 tb Black pepper frshly ground
8 tb Butter
1 1/2 ts Salt

---DOUGH---
1 1/2 c All purpose flour
1/2 ts Salt
4 tb Butter, softened
2/3 c Luke warm water

---SAUCE---
1 ts Cider vinegar
1/4 c Sour cream
2 tb Butter
1/2 ts Flour
6 tb Finely minced onion
1/2 ts Salt
1 ts Black pepper frsshly ground
1 tb Lemon or lime juice frshly
- squeezed & strained

Method:

DOUGH: Place the flour into a deep mixing bowl. Make a hollow in the center. Add the water into the hollow, salt, & 2 T of the butter. Stir slowly untilk all of the ingredients are well mixed and the water is totally absorbed. Beat vigorously with a large spoon until a firm, stiff dough is formed. Gather the dough into a ball. on floured surface roll the dough ball out into a rectangle approx. 16" x 18". Brush the dough with the remaining butter, fold into quarters, then roll it out as thinly as possible. Cut into a 16" x 18" rectangle the cut that into 48 each 2" squares.

FILLING: Combine the salt, pepper, scallions, garlic, parsley, & dill. Cut the butter into tiny bits and chill until the dough is ready. Place a teaspoon of the filling mix into the center of each square, add a piece of the butter to each. Draw up the corners and pinch them together firmly thus closing the filling into the dough. Heat enough oil in a deep pot. Heat to 375 degrees F. and drop in 4-6 of the filled squares. Cook for 4 minutes, remove from the oil, drain, and serve warm.

SAUCE: Melt the butter, add the chopped onions, the salt, the pepper, & the vinegar. Cook for 4 minutes then add the remaining ingredients. Stir constantly until it thickens. Remove from the heat. Ad the lemon juice and serve over the fritters.



ENTRÉE: Beef stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is a dish consisting of strips of lean beef sauteed and served in a sour-cream sauce with onions and mushrooms. The recipe, which is of Russian origin, has been known since the eighteenth century, but its name appears to come from County Paul Stroganoff, a nineteeth-century Russian diplomat. Legend has it that when he was stationed in deepest Siberia, his chef discovered that the beef was frozen so solid that it could only be coped with by cutting it into very thin strips.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 lb beef (boneless)
4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp ketchup
5 oz sour cream
2 c broth
1 tbsp flour pounded with butter
1 ea onion
salt to taste
pepper

Method:

Chop the meat long wise fibers (fibres) and beat the pieces a little. After that cut the pieces into stripes 2 cm long and 1/2 cm wide. Season and roll them in flour. Fry chopped onion in the pan and when it is gold brown, put the stripes there. Fry on hot heat until the meat is light brown. Make a sauce: fry 1 tb flour pounded with butter for few minutes, add sour cream, ketchup, salt. Pour the sauce over meat and stew on a low heat during 15-20 minutes. Don't let sauce to boil, overwise the meat will be hard. Beef Stroganoff is served with fried potatoes.



DESSERT: Plum Sambouk

Sambouk is a kind of mousse but it is thicker and made from berries with egg whites.

Ingredients:

1 lb plums boneless
5 tbsp sugar
2 ea egg white
2 tbsp gelatin

Method:

Bake plums a little and grate them. Make plum-water from the rest of plums and bones, strain it and dissolve in gelatin. Add sugar and egg whites in plum puree. Put the bowl with plum puree in the pan with cold water or ice and whip with mixer until there is foam. Volume must increase 2-3 times. Pour in gelatin carefully while whipping. Pour mass into moulds quickly.

Well that’s it kids. I hope your trip to the Russian Republic this week has been a fun and exciting one! This meal was divine! I’m stuffed! LOL… so now its time to go relax with a nice heaping helping of American Couch-potato-ism! LOL… Actually I am about to start shooting the DD’s pictures so I can go make copies for the invites LOL. Then its off to visit with Mom while DH has daddy-housework duties LOL! Have a great day and I’ll see you back here tomorrow! HUGS!

TUESDAY TIDBITS

Well good morning there boys and girls! How are you doing today? I am doing alright today. Let me tell you, I was so lazy last night it wasn’t even funny! DD had marching practice to be at yesterday, so that put her home 3 hours later than normal. Then my last DWTS was on (tonight being the results show) so I had to watch that. And THEN as I flipped the channel I stumbled across an episode of Criminal Minds that I guess I missed because I didn’t remember ever seeing it. That spiraled into a lazy night of a few hours of CM mini marathon LOL! So, there are no crazy cool sewing pictures to share, etc. But its ok, cause I have plenty to talk about with you today!

I want to take this time to bring you an article that Yahoo featured yesterday. It deals with finding and getting good bargains. As the Frugal Mom, that’s what I do! Well, according to this article, there are some phony bargains to be aware of and I wanted to share this info with you.

8 Phony 'Bargains' and Better Alternatives
by Caroline E. Mayer
Thursday, May 20, 2010

Big discounts! Big sales! Big freebies! Enticing deals abound, but you need to distinguish those from the raw deals masquerading as bargains. Many of them come with so many strings attached that they could cost you plenty. (Those frequent-flier rewards cards, for example? They often cost you a bundle -- and the airline miles are often more restrictive and harder to use than what you'd get from a cash-back credit card.)

For consumers, a little homework goes a long way. Here are eight would-be deals to steer clear of, as well as our suggestions for better options.

1. Unlimited Long Distance
Many telephone plans bundle "free" unlimited long-distance service with local calling service. If you don't make a lot of long-distance calls -- or if you make a lot of them from your cell phone -- these plans may not be cost effective. A bundled plan typically costs about $20 more than a local plan, but the average American consumer makes fewer than two hours of long-distance phone calls a month, according to the Federal Communications Commission. That's about 17 cents per minute.

Better Deal: Skip the extra fees, and buy your long-distance service from a reseller such as ECG or Pioneer Telephone. These companies buy their long-distance service wholesale from the larger telecommunications firms but offer the same general quality for far lower prices, billing by the minute or fraction thereof. (ECG charges 2.5 cents a minute for interstate phone calls; Pioneer's price is 2.7 cents.)

Alternately, sign up for a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) plan from a carrier like Vonage, whose plans start at $15 a month (climbing to $26 after a six-month trial) for both local and long distance. Calls travel over the Internet, though, so you need a stable, active cable or DSL Internet connection for this to work.

2. Frequent-Flier Rewards Cards
Credit card rewards tied to airline miles or gift points were the earliest players in the sector, but it's time to dump them. For one thing, the benefits have shrunk, particularly on airlines: They've increased the number of miles needed for a free flight; reduced flight schedules, making free seats harder to find; and, in some cases, imposed a booking fee on rewards flights.

On certain rewards cards, annual fees may also outweigh the benefits. The perks-laden American Express Platinum, which costs $450 a year, offers a complimentary airline ticket for every first- or business-class fare purchased on select international flights, plus a business-class fare purchased on plus a concierge service, free access to airport lounges, and other bonuses. It all sounds great, especially if you are booking lots of international business-class travel. But if not, you just paid $450 to have someone else make your restaurant reservations.

Better Deal: Try cash-reward cards instead. Airline miles and gifts are fine, but if you have the cash in your wallet, you can make your own purchasing decisions. Peter Flur of Credit Card Goodies, a 10-year-old Web site that monitors rewards cards, recommends Blue Cash from American Express, which offers up to 5 percent cash back on purchases at gas, groceries, and drugstores, as well as 1.25 percent on all other purchases once a cardholder rings up $6,500 in purchases any given year.

3. Checking Accounts That Pay Interest
Interest-bearing checking accounts at traditional brick-and-mortar banks often pay only 0.13 percent interest but require high minimums to avoid a monthly maintenance fee. On, for instance, a deposit of $3,400 -- the average minimum required to avoid monthly fees, according to Bankrate.com data -- that amounts to just $4.42 in annual interest.

Better Deal: In this low-interest environment, forget about getting any interest from your checking account, advises Richard Barrington, an analyst with MoneyRates.com. Instead, look for a no-fee checking account -- and "be sure to check the minimum balance requirement," Barrington says. "These minimums have been rising, so make sure it's a minimum balance you can realistically maintain."

Meanwhile, if you have extra cash, shop around for banks and credit unions that offer good deals. Mike Moebs, an economist whose firm surveys bank fees says there are a few banks and credit unions that combine checking and money-market deposit accounts into one, offering a high rate on balances over $2,500.

4. Overdraft Protection
Many banks used to offer it automatically when you opened an account, making it sound like a valuable safeguard. After all, if you bounced a check or tried to withdraw more cash from the ATM than you had in your account, you wouldn't suffer any embarrassment when the bank refused to process a transaction.

But consumer advocates long argued that overdraft protection was just a way for banks to earn money at your expense, charging $20 to $35 per overdraft -- a substantial penalty, considering the typical transaction prompting the overdraft fee is $20. That's why the government has ordered new rules to take effect this summer that will require banks to get your approval before enrolling you in overdraft protection.

Better Deal: If you want back-up protection without the overdraft fees, consider setting up a savings account linked to your checking account so funds can be transferred in case of an overdraft. There may still be a fee to transfer funds between accounts, but it's typically lower -- only $10.
Meanwhile, keep a careful tab on your bank account balance: If you opt out of overdraft protection and then make an ATM or debit-card transaction that exceeds your balance, your transaction could be denied.

5. Extended-Warranty Protection
Don't buy additional warranty coverage for electronics and major appliances. For one thing, some repairs are already covered by the standard manufacturer warranty. And Consumer Reports' researchers have found that products seldom break within the extended-warranty window -- and that when electronics and appliances do break, average repair costs are about as much as an extended warranty.

Better Deal: Check the fine print on your existing Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Many of these cards, particularly if they are platinum or gold, will extend the warranty for a year. "It's one of the greatest freebies from credit card companies ever," says Edgar Dworsky, a consumer lawyer and founder of the Consumer World Web site. The warranty protection varies, so review the policies on your existing cards before you make a purchase -- then use the one offering the best warranty protection.

6. Going-Out-of-Business Sales
They don't offer the bargains you'd expect -- at least at the outset, when the promoted discounts are usually off the full retail price. That "30 percent off" sale may not be any better than the deals you could get before the liquidation process started. In some cases, you may actually be better off buying from a rival store that is trying to compete with the bankrupt retailer -- and will be around to take care of any problems after the liquidating store is out of business.

Better Deal: Shopping robots, such as PriceGrabber.com and Shopping.com, are good places to comparison shop and may be particularly useful before visiting any liquidation sale, says Dworsky. One of his favorite sites, PriceSpider.com, posts historical prices; the range of prices should help you determine whether the price is likely to hold or continue to drop.

7. Paying for a Credit Report
Despite its name, FreeCreditReport.com is not gratis. Here's what the fine print really says: Order your free report and you get a seven-day free trial membership in a credit-monitoring service. If you don't cancel within seven days, you'll be billed $14.95 a month until you bail out. Be wary of other sites making similar come-ons.

Better Deal:Visit AnnualCreditReport.com instead -- the government-approved Web site where you can get a free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once a year. It won't give you your actual credit score, but most people don't need it. (The exception: If you're actively shopping for a loan right now, go to myFICO.com to get your current score -- and a report from Equifax or TransUnion -- for $16.)

If you're merely curious about how lenders perceive your credit record, you can get a good estimate of your credit score for free at CreditKarma.com. You can also try the credit score estimator at Credit.com; you will probably need your actual credit report to answer some of the site's key questions, such as the age of your oldest credit account and the number of outstanding loans and credit cards.

8. Fraud Alerts
Don't pay for identity-theft-protection services that automatically put fraud alerts on your credit report. You can do that yourself; it's easy -- and free. But be careful: Don't put a fraud alert on your credit report as a general matter, because that means you can't easily open new accounts. You should use fraud alerts only if you've had your wallet stolen or something else has happened to put you at real risk.

Better Deal: Review your monthly credit card and bank statements regularly to make sure there are no unauthorized charges. Also, don't forget to obtain a copy of your free credit report annually from each of the three major credit bureaus -- using AnnualCreditReport.com, of course.

Some interesting stuff there to be aware of! Now let’s talk crafts. I am doing it again people… I am addicted to clay pots and when I saw this project I thought it was too cute for words. This uses the tiny pots and anyone ages 6 and up could do this!



Craft Idea of the Day: Clay Pot Bumble Bees

Materials Needed:

2-inch Terra Cotta Clay Pot
1 1/2-inch Wooden Ball Head
2 - 1/4-inch Yellow Pom-poms
Black Chenille Stem
Small Piece of Window Screen
Wiggle Eyes
Paint
Clear Acrylic Spray
Craft Glue or Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Paint Brush
Scissors

Instructions:

Wipe down your terra cotta pot with a damp cloth and let dry completely.

Turn the clay pot upside down and paint the clay pot and wooden ball head. Paint the wooden ball black and the pot with yellow and black stripes. Put them aside to dry.

Once the paint is dry, glue the wooden ball onto the bottom of the clay pot. Paint a mouth on the wooden ball. Once all your paint is dry, spray it with the clear acrylic sealer.

Cut two pieces of chenille stem approximately 2-inches long. Glue the two pom-poms onto one end of each chenille stem piece. Glue these 'antenna' on top of the bee's head. Glue on the wiggle eyes.

Cut a wing shape out of a small piece of window screen. Glue it to the back of your bee. Your bumble bee is now complete.

Now let’s talk some yummy delish food! SUPER SALADS Day 2 brings you south of the border for some Mexican flavor… Taco Salad! YIPPEE! Ok, now there are tons and TONS of various ways to make Taco Salad, but I am going to share the favorite 2 of this house. And as a bonus, I am giving you the recipe for the Seven Layer Dip that I normally make to accompany the salad or just serve as a chip dip. See mom recently got some store bought 7 layer that she was not impressed with at all… so I decided to post this in her “honor” LOL and I will probably make it for her soon.



Tater Tot Taco Salad

Ingredients

2 cups frozen miniature tater tots
1/2 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced ripe or stuffed olives
1 cup shredded lettuce
2 tablespoons taco sauce
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

Bake Tater Tots according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning. Divide Tater Tots between two serving plates or bowls.

Top with taco mixture, cheese, olives, lettuce, taco sauce and sour cream.



Renee’s Zippy Texas Taco Salad

Ingredients

1 small head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 can of pinto beans with jalapenos, drained
2 cups of Mexican blend shredded cheese
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion diced
1/2 bottle of Zesty Italian salad dressing
1 bag of Nacho Cheese flavored tortilla chips
2 pounds ground meat
taco seasoning

Directions:

1. Brown Meat and drain. Add taco seasoning to meat according to package directions.

2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except tortilla chips. Toss to coat everything with dressing.

3. To serve: crush up 1-2 cups of tortilla chips on plate. Add second layer of salad. Top with taco meat and enjoy. Optional garnish with sour cream or chili con queso if desired.



Seven Layer Dip

Ingredients

2 avocados - peeled, pitted and diced
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup salsa
garlic salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
4 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
2 cups shredded Mexican-style cheese blend
1 (2.25 ounce) can black olives - drained and finely chopped

Directions

In a medium bowl, mash the avocados. Mix in lime juice, cilantro, salsa, garlic salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and taco seasoning.

In a 9x13 inch dish or on a large serving platter, spread the refried beans. Top with sour cream mixture. Spread on guacamole. Top with tomatoes, green onions, Mexican-style cheese blend and black olives.

(TIP- if you are pressed on time, you can use premade guacamole. I simply use 2 avocados and a package of guacamole spices from Concord Foods. Delish!)

Ok everybody, that’s all for today. I am off to take mom to her physical therapy this morning. Then maybe make her something special for lunch when we get back… who knows. Depends on how the day goes. Thanks for stopping by and I will see you tomorrow (which I have off BTW LOL)! And to mom… Good Luck on this procedure tomorrow and I’m gonna pray we don’t have an action replay of before!!!!!! I love you mom! To everyone else… take those 5 minutes to tell those you love how much they mean to you! You never know what might happen! Until tomorrow… HUGS!

TASTY SAVINGS TIPS

Hey there everyone. How are you doing today? It’s a fresh start for the week for me and my chaotic soap opera LOL! I’m dressed to aggravate mom this morning LOL. I told her I was gonna start coming up to the hospital in scrubs and guess what I am wearing! LMAO! No I am not a nurse (professionally LOL), no I have never been a nurse, I just make the scrubs to sell. What better way to advertise than to wear them? LMAO! Plus I tease her I am gonna be sneaking around trying to blend in. I’m really not, but it sounds funny when you say it.

To Jean- oh you don’t know how your comment made me laugh! I am operating with a “suspected” broken toe/foot… don’t curse me to break anything else! LMAO! But I appreciate it so very much that you care. Thanks girl!

Alright folks, I have to earn the title of “Frugal Mom” someway, so I was searching for food tips and look what I found! It’s an interesting read for sure!

28 Tasty Tips to Save on Food
by Stacy Johnson with MoneyTalkNews

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008 the average American family spent $6,443 on food. To put that number in perspective, that "average" family consists of 2.5 people (not a nice mental image) with an income of $63,563. So from these numbers we can surmise that our average family spends about 10% of their income on food.

Depending on who you choose to believe, the average American family also carries a $5,000 balance on credit cards. If they're paying 15% interest, that's more than $750/yr.

Conclusion? We could materially impact two expenses simultaneously if we could convince the average American family to eat their credit cards.

But if that doesn't sound like an appetizing solution, here's another thought: If we can use some simple tips to shave 10% off the typical annual food bill, we can use the extra $50 a month we free up to help pay those credit card balances faster. With that in mind, here's my attempt to fill your basket with more than 20 useful tips to slice and dice your grocery bill.

We'll start with seven tips from this recent TV news story. It's only 90 seconds long: check it out, then meet me on the other side for more. Here's a recap of those seven tips:

Cook From Scratch
Making meals from scratch is probably the single best way to save on food. Because the more prepared the food, the more it costs. Ironically, less expensive home-made is also normally better for you as well.

Generics
Sometimes generics aren't as good as name brands. In those situations one might choose name brands. But for things like flour, sugar, salt, bleach or virtually dozens of other items you find in the grocery store, the only discernible difference is price. Paying more for an identical product is more than extravagant; it's stupid.

Lists
Writing down what you came for…and ignoring everything not on it… will save money. It will also save time and fuel expense by preventing repeat trips to the store for things you forgot.

Stoop and Bend
Smart merchants place the most profitable items at eye level and on end-caps. Stoop, bend and look around for the best values.

Coupons
For decades, coupons have been a shoppers best friend. These days online coupons have made them easier to find and use. If you haven't used a coupon search engine yet, do so. It's a new routine. Internet first, then store.

Warehouse Stores
The savings you can find at warehouse stores are well-documented.

Salvage Grocery Stores
These are harder to find, but if you happen to live near one, the savings are huge: up to 50%.

Now let's add to that list with more tips. These are from my latest book, Life or Debt 2010.

Don't Shop Hungry
It makes you buy more.

Shop Alone
Kids, and spouses who act like kids, will often whine, cajole, or otherwise try to influence you into impulse buys. Leave 'em at home.

Always Overcook
Then freeze. That saves the time you need to be able to cook from scratch.

Substitute Cheaper Ingredients...
..For more expensive ones.

Weigh Pre-Weighed Produce
Use the handy scales in the produce department to weigh pre-weighed bags. For example, if you're buying a 10-pound bag of potatoes, weigh them. Some will be 9 and a half pounds, but some might be 10 and a half for the same price.

Repackage
Put small quantities of leftover sour cream or other perishables in smaller containers; they'll last longer. Cookies, crackers, and the like will also last longer if stored in glass jars.

Grate Savings
You pay more to have someone else grate your cheese for you. You'll also save by cutting up whole chickens, slicing your own pickles, slicing meat for cold cuts, and using a blender or rolling pin to make your own bread crumbs.

Save on Starch
Fancy boil-in-bag or flavored rices routinely cost 10 times the amount of the old-fashioned kind. All it takes to make rice is the ability to boil water! Bags of smaller potatoes are often half the cost per pound of big baking potatoes. Bake two little ones instead of one big one. Your stomach won't notice.

Save on Protein
The simple proteins found in beans are better for you and obviously much cheaper than the complex ones in meat, fish and poultry. In other words, eat less meat!

Milk Your Budget
Milk about to expire? Freeze it. You can thaw it out and use it later. Same with things that might be rotting in your vegetable drawer: onions, parsley, tomatoes, garlic. Not only will freezing keep it from rotting, it will keep it from stinking.

Butter Up the Cheese
Lightly buttering the edge of semi-hard cheese makes it less likely to form mold or dry out.

Extend Yourself
Adding cottage cheese to hamburger will enhance the flavor, add protein, and allow you to increase servings from four to six per pound.

New Life for old Bread
Leftover bread and rolls can be toasted in a toaster oven and chopped up into croutons.

Alter Your Recipes
Nobody will sue you if you alter your recipes a little. You can substitute cheaper veggies (sliced carrots) for more expensive ones (zucchini). You can also probably reduce the cheese or sugar in your baking slightly, without noticeably altering the taste. Keep in mind that recipes will often "round up" ingredients to make them easier to measure. When you read a recipe, look for ingredients that might just be included to enhance the color instead of taste, and try eliminating them. There are ways of stretching just about everything. Make your cookies and muffins a bit smaller and make more of them. Add a little more water to your concentrated juice. Add extra potatoes, beans, etc. to stretch casseroles and soups.

Make Your Own Salad Dressing
Mix 1/2 cup of vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard, 1 minced garlic clove and 1 cup of salad oil. Voila! Delicious salad dressing at a fraction of the cost.

Grow Your Own!
Next time you buy fresh garlic, save the four inner cloves. Plant them about 1/2 inch deep. In less than six months, you'll be in garlic city! There are many other herbs and vegetables that you can grow yourself, so check 'em out.

Don't Buy Water -- Ever
The fact that people pay for water is further proof that enough advertising can make people do just about anything. If you really have concerns about water quality, buy a cheap water filter and fill your own bottles.

Be a Migrant Worker
If you live near an area that grows fruit, vegetables or produce, go to a pick-it-yourself farm for bargain prices, fresh air, and a reminder of why you work in town.

Creative Leftovers
Nearly every meal ends up with a few odds and ends that aren't eaten. Keep two lidded plastic containers in your freezer. After every meal, put veggie bits in one and meat bits in another. You can then periodically sprinkle the bits of meat on your pizzas, or combine the two and make a great soup!

Keep Lettuce Longer
Wash your lettuce thoroughly, then go outside and swing it around in a pillowcase to get rid of the excess water (and to amuse your neighbors). When you're done, put it in an airtight container and it will last at least two weeks in your refrigerator.

Last but Not Least
Remember, you are what you eat. Which would you rather be: an apple or a candy bar? One of the best things about saving on food is that what's cheaper is often the same as what's better for you. Apples cost less than candy, are more filling, and are much better for you. Water is not only healthier than soda, it's nearly free (from the tap). Legumes are a cheaper source of protein than meat, and better for you as well.

Bottom line? There are lots of ways to save on food. Some will be appetizing to you, some won't. But there are few things in life tastier than paying off debt and achieving your monetary objectives. So if you harness any of these ideas, be sure to use your savings for debt destruction!

Ok so its time for crafts. One of the “Get Well Gifts” my mom has received was a gift card to Houston Garden Center. Now my crafty (but sometime tacky LMAO) mind caught myself thinking how I could have made the “presentation” prettier! LOL, isn’t that awfully tacky!? LMAO! Anyway, so that inspired today’s craft. Its also another recycle craft, which you know I am big on!



Craft Idea of the Day: Gift Card Holder

Recycle toilet paper rolls into a Gift Card holder.
Approximate Time: 20 minutes

Supplies:

empty toilet paper roll
Scrapbooking paper scraps
about 30 inches of ribbon
Modge Podge
embellishments (letter or flowers)

Instructions:

Flatten a toilet paper roll. Measure length and width. Cut 2 pieces of scrapbook paper the length and width of the flattened paper roll. Adhere the 2 pieces of paper to the toilet paper roll (one on each side, covering the roll) Adhere your ribbon to the paper roll so that it will secure the gift card at the bottom. You should able to tie a bow at the top. Embellish by adding additional papers, a greeting, flowers, etc. Insert gift card and tie a bow at the top.

By Melissa from Down South

Ok, so yesterday while at the hospital with my mother, the Dietician came to visit and was talking about proteins and snacks and sugar levels and such. I actually learned a few things I didn’t know. Food always seems to enter my life on a daily basis in some way, shape, or form. I was trying to do some research on the type of “diet” that was discussed and I came across this recipe… keep in mind I have not tried this, but it has 326 positive reviews so use it at your own discretion!



Cabbage Fat Burning Soup

Ingredients

5 carrots, chopped
3 onions, chopped
2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid
1 large head cabbage, chopped
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 (15 ounce) can cut green beans, drained
2 quarts tomato juice
2 green bell peppers, diced
10 stalks celery, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can beef broth

Directions

Place carrots, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, green beans, peppers, and celery in a large pot. Add onion soup mix, tomato juice, beef broth, and enough water to cover vegetables. Simmer until vegetables are tender. May be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

Here are some of the reviews this recipe got:

I would recommend NOT making alterations to this soup because the purpose of the set recipe is to lose weight. I did lose weight when I made this (it was for a vacation), and it tasted great!! I checked with a local hospital, and they said this recipe is used for overweight patients to get them to lose weight rapidly to prepare for surgery. I would recommend this recipe to anyone!

I've been making this for my boyfriend for about three months now. The only thing I do different is to add ground turkey. He eats a light breakfast of whatever he wants, a light sandwich for lunch and the soup for dinner. He likes to add some heat in the form of Tabasco or different dried peppers as it heats on the stove EVERY NIGHT. He's lost over 50 pounds! I'm sick of making it, but if it's working and he's enjoying it, I'll keep a pot of it in the fridge.

Found this "diet" and decided to try it. The weight just went away! It does get a little boring... But it's tasty and painless; think about adding different spices and/or herbs to the soup to vary it... chili powder, curry, etc. Now, I *did* have to change the way I had lunch once I lost the weight... No more fast food breakfasts and lunches (except for the occasional emergency...), trying to get out and walk a bit a few times a week at lunch... But it did get the weight off and-- with my revamped lunch hour-- kept it off.

So there you have it… take it as you will. Just be careful in whatever you choose to do as far as weight loss, etc. As for me, I think stress, the lack of appetite, and running around like a crazy woman HAD to burn off a few calories… at least I hope so LOL! I’m off of here for today… gonna head straight up to the hospital after I drop off the kids and spend most of the day with mom… at least til it’s time to pick up the kids! Be safe, healthy, and happy today. HUGS!

THE BUSY BEE

Howdy there my friends and family! How are you doing this crazy day of days? I am pretty good actually. I have fresh air in my lungs, so I can’t complain really. I’ve taken the kids to school, fed the cats outside, and watered my plants so far this morning. Remember how I told you yesterday how I was full of spunk and went crazy mad busy? I don’t know why or where the mass energy came from cause I was feeling really bad, but I ran with it (not literally though LOL). Well I am gonna walk ya through my day. Sit down, grab on, and maybe take some Dramamine so you don’t get motion sickness LOL!



First I started the day by taking the kids to school… ok no biggie. Then on the way home, I stopped by Zieglers Foods (the locally owned small grocery store) and picked up some of the great meat buys. I nabbed 4 chickens, on sale for 79c a pound, and 1 pork roast which was on sale for $1.09 per pound. Isn’t that some pretty meat?



So I cut the roast in half and rubbed it with spices and such and set each half up in 2 of the crock pots. Then I seared some stew meat I already had in the fridge defrosting. While that sat resting in the pan, I chopped up some onions, carrot, celery, etc. and through all the vegetables in the last crock with some beef broth, mesquite flavoring, spices, and the meat of course. I topped it with a bay leaf and set it to low. YUMMY Mesquite flavored stew!

Then I seasoned some yard buzzards… more affectionately known as chickens LOL… and roasted them in the oven. I let them cool and deboned and shredded the meat to use in other dishes YAY! LOL.



While the chickens were roasting, I was outside in the garden. Do you know how hard it is to work out there with the aroma of sheer loveliness taunting your nose coming out of the kitchen window behind you? LMAO… ok so in the garden, I repotted my living Christmas Tree and pruned it good. See I HAD it on the front porch, but one of the stray kitties decided to dig it up and spray the pot. UGH! So some of it was dying. So it got a NEW and bigger pot, fresh dirt, a haircut, and lots of water and love! Keep your fingers crossed for him… but no get well cards please, as he can’t read LOL!



Then I removed the Porter Dark Cherry tomato plants OUT of my big planter. The celery was hiding it and it was cramped for space and sun. I put both plants in a big pot and fed/watered it well. I need to get a new cage because I hope now it will explode! As you can see they are much smaller than some of the other plants, which is odd cause they were lanted at the same time. I told ya, the celery was hogging all the dang sun, water, everything! That better be the best tasting celery I have ever had! LOL!



Remember me and my Giant Pumpkin plant? Ya’ll keep laughing… I hear you out there! LOL… I will get a 500 pound pumpkin out of that sucker! JUST watch me! LOL! It has WAY outgrown the 4inch pot I had it in, so it got a new gallow pot of yummy delicious dirt for it to thrive in… hopefully soon this too will need to upgrade! LMAO!



I also repotted my daughter’s regular pumpkin plant. These 2 are on their own now… bigger pots means they can no longer come inside to hide LOL! I’m keeping these 2 kind close together so they don’t get lonely. Not sure what pumpkins say to each other when I’m not around, but I’m sure its something seedy! LMAO!!!!!



No this is not a weed! Its corn! Yes my one lonely stalk LOL… I WILL get me an ear of corn!!!! Pretty soon it will have baby brothers and sisters, but right now it is an only child…. A healthy only child, but still an only child LOL!



I also tied up some berry vines and giggled over my pea pods LOL! (For those of you wondering, no I am not going insane, just having a bit of fun LOL). I did a lot of pruning to my tomato plants as they had some yellow foliage that needed to be discarded. Not sure if underwatering or nitrogen is to blame for the yellow leaves, so I am watching them real close!

Alrighty, so I came back in and took out the chickens. Deboned them and put the meat in the fridge. I sat and checked emails and chatted with my mom for a spell and then I was off! I checked the mail on the way out and I got my $5 Petsmart Gift card I was waiting on… YAY! OK, let’s go!

First I was off to Food Town where I found some BEAUTIFUL bunches of Cilantro on sale 3 for $1… got my 29c chicken bags and a few other in-store specials… one being 3 free cans of corn with my purchase with the coupon from their ad! WOOHOO I like free corn! The lettuce was 49 cents a head, macaroni 4 for a buck, tomato sauce 5 for a buck, and some other good sales too!

From there, I went to H.E.B. to get a few advertised deals. I found it was not fresh chicken thighs on sale for $1 a pound but Chicken thigh meat fajita packages 5 for 5… so I got one of those! Then they had Buy a Natures own bread, get a HEB bread (both Honey Wheat) FREE! Ok, got that in the basket. I also have a coupon for Nature’s Own bread, which made the loaf I had to buy cost only 75 cents! WOOHOO! And were walking… and STOP! I see the strangest thing! Dehydrated OKRA! I mean I have seen dried fruits, but NEVER okra! They were called Okra Snax. I tried one, expecting them to be vomitous but OMG they were pretty dang good! BUT they were $6.99… not exactly frugal, so they had to wait. I just grabbed a handful and wandered in the store LOL. OK so THEN I walk by an end cap which has Buy planters peanuts, get HEB Corn chips (generic Fritos) FREE. Hmmm… ok I get Dry Roasted Unsalted peanuts and will use them in an upcoming dinner… although I don’t quite know what yet LOL. Planters on sale for $2.37 a 16oz. jar and get free corn chips… and guess who just happens to have a coupon for $1.50 off any planters purchase!!! YEP! 87 cents for a normally $4-5 jar of nuts PLUS free chips… I’m diggin this! I also picked up a red onion and ¾ a pound of fresh jalapenos (on sale for 64 cents a pound too!) Time to check out! WOOHOO!

Then it’s off to Wal-Mart. Now this was fun… ok I had 2 free $5 gift cards that I got in the mail… well mom got one she didn’t want, and I got one. The store you had to use them at was too far for her… so she graciously gave me hers. Awesome. So I have $10 in free gift cards LOL! I find Tyson Boneless pork clearance for $4 and you guessed it… I have Tyson coupons! $2 off any fresh meat purchase! Gotta love it! So using one on each package made one of them FREE! WOOHOO! I picked up milk and some other things I needed there too. Grand total at Wal-Mart $11.93 minus $10 in gift cards = $1.93 for 2 packs of boneless pork, a gallon of milk, shredded cheese, 2 packs of tortillas, a pack of cream cheese, and about 10 chicken wings I ate for lunch while on the road LMAO! YAY! GO ME! (Ya got motion sickness yet? LMAO)

Oh, I have another bargain to tell you about too! Petsmart this time… I think this offer is running until the 18th or the 25th… I can’t remember which one. BUT when you buy 30 cans of Friskies or Purina (I think) cat food, you get a FREE reusable shopping bag! You have to make sure to pull the coupon from the shelf display. PLUS use those Friskies coupons fixing to expire on 5-7 and you save even more money… not even mentioning the cans are on sale for 40 cents each now. $12 for 30 cans, minus (at minimum… depends on your coupons) $2 in coupons = $10 for a case plus 6 loose cans of cat food PLUS a free reusable bag (retails for $2.99 I think). Then minus the $5 gift card I got in the mail on a rebate offer = $5 for a case + 6 cans plus a reusable bag! Not great, but not too shabby either. I like how the stores are getting on this reusable bag kick! Save the Earth people… Save the Earth!!!



This is what I ended up with, with the exception of the missing chicken and roast from this morning. Less than $25 for all of that + 2 items… pretty snazzy huh? Now THAT’S a FRUGAL MOM DAY! YAY! And before you ask, yes, my coupon folder goes EVERYWHERE with me… just in case ya know… for days like today! LOL! Time to pick up the kids! Band did well... they got a 1 on their performance (the best you can get) and then the school treated them to CiCi's pizza for lunch afterwards. I thought that was great. The kids all came to me excited about the day! I was very proud of all of them!

Ok, so I get home and get all this stuff put away and go to check the crockpots. Mind you the house smells absolutely to die for! I am rotating the pork and the dang bone falls out! Clean as a whistle LOL! Oh that’s gonna be some good eatin’ in a little while! I made some homemade fresh Pico De Gallo and put it in the fridge to chill. Wrap that baby up in some tortillas or cover it with Chili Con Carne and OMG! Are ya drooling yet? LOL!



So with all this going on, you wouldn’t think I had time for anything else, right? WRONG! LMAO… About 5pm, I get a knock on the door. It’s the daughter of one of my customers, needing a gift basket by TOMORROW at 4pm! A little short notice dontcha think? Good grief. Anyway, so she brings me her deposit and I have to go out again to get supplies. I am really appreciating the crockpots now! SO I fix everyone dinner… I eat too much and don’t want to go out LOL! But I head out on my mission. I walk and walk around aimlessly without a clue on what to do… it kinda hits me, so I get a few things I think will be appropriate and I head home. To exhausted to work, I make sure everything is put up and cleaned up and then the DS18 comes and asks me some very odd questions. 45 minutes of questions and answers and then they are off to bed… and so am I! The end to a very exhausting day! So this morning I have to assemble a “flirty” basket for my customer. I’m not sure what else I should do today… but I am wondering if I should fire up the crocks again LMAO!

Now crafty time… I figured I would stay with recycled crafts until Earth day. I know when I did the big recycled crafts weekend, everyone was really super cool into it, so I figured what’s a few more? LOL! Here is a really spiffy idea for some outside lights for things like BBQ’s and parties (color coordinate cans for more appeal LOL!). Just be careful… don’t play with fire and NEVER leave it unattended!



Craft Idea of the Day: Soda Can Lanterns

Materials:

Soda Can
Wire
Exacto knife
Candle

Directions:

First what you do is, you fill the can (not all the way though) with water and freeze it.

Then you cut the sides of the can with an exacto knife or box cutter.

To hang it, you have to leave the pop tab on and use that to attach some picture wire.

To be able to put a tea light in there, you have to hollow out a little niche for it because the bottom of the soda can is convex on the inside.

I just stuck a screwdriver through the top of the can and banged it out. it doesn't look too pretty but once the candle is in there, you don't see it anyway so it doesn't matter.

Isn’t that the coolest thing? You could use Pepsi for the patriotic holidays, Sunkist for Halloween, Squirt for Luaus, Big Red for Valentines, you name it! Now, I don’t know about you, but I am really really craving something sweet! Chocolate and sugar and OMG yummy deliciousness! I know back in the day, a favorite of my mom’s was eclairs. Well here’s how to make a really big éclair at home LOL… Just remember cut it into pieces! LMAO!



Chocolate Éclair Cake

Ingredients

2 individual packages graham crackers
2 (3 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 Tablespoons butter
4 Tablespoons white corn syrup
6 Tablespoons of milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cup powder sugar

Directions

Line the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan with graham crackers. In a large bowl, combine pudding mix and milk. Stir well. Stir in whipped topping to pudding mixture. Spread half of mixture over graham cracker layer.

Top with another layer of graham crackers and the remaining pudding. Top all with a final layer of graham crackers. Melt chocolate, butter, corn syrup and milk. Stir in vanilla and sugar. Spread on top of dessert.
Refrigerate until serving.

Ok, now that I am drooling for some chocolate, I’m gonna get off here and go work on putting that basket together and starting my day. I’ve got some parting wisdom for you today… NEVER leave the Ben-Gay by the Preparation-H… it can be a very HOT experience! LMAO! See ya tomorrow… HUGS!

BARGAINS BARGAINS EVERYWHERE!

Well good morning everyone! It’s the dreaded TAX day! Have you gotten your taxes completed and mailed in yet? Me… done, not worried… gonna have a better day than most people LOL! So how you doing today, really? So glad you came by! Here, would you like a cup of coffee or tea? Let’s chat shall we…

I’m sorry I am a bit tardy today… I’ve already been a busy camper. I dropped off the kids at school and stopped by the little store I told you about, Zieglers, because they have whole fryers on sale again for 79c a pound. Picked up some birds and a beautiful pork roast for $1.09 a pound… it was inspiration for dinner LOL! Then I came home and set up the beloved crocks, threw some birds in the oven to roast, chopped veggies, etc. and now I am here for your entertainment! LOL! I have 2 crock’s of todays recipe, Carnitas, going, one of a mesquite beef stew, a T-bone marinating, chickens roasting, chicken legs soaking, and ribs resting LOL! I still have to make some homemade Pico De Gallo and do some other things but it will be interesting. I also want to run to Food Town at some point today because they have leg quarters on sale for 29c per pound in a 10lb bag! WOOHOO! Its chicken roundup/stockup time! I have no problems with that because boy can these people eat some chicken LOL! I also heard HEB has chicken THIGHS on sale 5lbs. for $5… so I might try going there too… as my dad is a serious thigh lover- nothing but thighs LOL! We shall see… I think I might also squeeze in trying to make some jelly (if I even have pectin LOL)! The rest of this week I think will be a “Use-it-before-you-lose-it week”! So got some marathon cooking ahead gang! FUN FUN!

Ok my little bargain hunters… you may not be able to get the good meat deals at Zieglers or my Food Town, but you need to watch your emails for the Home Depot Garden Club email… guess what you get free this time! A TREE! Yes you heard me… Buy 1 Get 1 FREE TREE!!!!!!! OMG I am so super stoked! Remember I talked about planting a tree for Earth Day… well there ya go! There are lots of places to get free stuff this tax day! Check this out!

Free treats and more for taxpayers

NEW YORK (AP) -- Few truths are more universal: No one likes to pay taxes, and everyone loves to get things for free.

Restaurants and other retailers are offering freebies to reduce people's angst over their income taxes -- which must be postmarked or e-filed by Thursday.

From cupcakes and pancakes to dinners and coffee, the offers are meant to help people feel better as they help companies drum up business. No paperwork or proof is required for most of the offers.

Ice cream chain MaggieMoo's is giving away pieces of its new ice cream pizza in its second annual tax day giveaway. The company won't say what it cost to give away thousands of free scoops of ice cream at its 160-plus stores in 2009, but a spokeswoman says such promotions bring in new guests and new sales.

"They'll have free ice cream and then they'll get a drink or a smoothie or something else or take home an ice cream pizza," says Jenn Johnston, senior vice president of marketing for NexCen Franchise Management, the parent company of MaggieMoo's, Pretzel Time, The Athlete's Foot and other chains.

Here are some of the freebies and discounts on offer for tax season 2010.

-- FREE COFFEE AND TREATS

CINNABON: Get two free bite-sized cupcakes from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at participating mall locations as part of "Tax Day Bites!" Flavors include Chocolate Passion, 24-Carrot Cake, Vanilla Bliss and Cinnacake Classic.

MAGGIEMOO'S: Get one free slice of ice cream pizza -- ice cream with red frosting to look like sauce and white chocolate to look like cheese -- at participating locations from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.

STARBUCKS: Get free brewed coffee all day Thursday if you bring your own mug, a promotion the cafe chain says is friendly to the environment as well as taxpayers.

-- DISCOUNTED MEALS

BOSTON MARKET: For a "last-minute tax break" -- one free meal for each one you buy Thursday through Sunday -- show this coupon: http://bit.ly/d1YlRO

IHOP: Expanding on the tax deduction parents get for kids, the restaurant chain is offering free dinner for one child age 12 or younger with each adult meal purchased 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. all month long.

MCCORMICK & SCHMICK'S: The seafood restaurant is offering $10.40 dinner and drink specials in the bar on Thursday -- a nod to the 1040 tax form. Bar guests who come in April 15 also receive a $10.40 gift certificate for a later visit. And professional tax preparers, who may have to work right until the midnight deadline Thursday, get their freebie Friday: dessert on the house plus a $10.40 certificate if they show a business card.

P.F. CHANG'S: Get 15 percent off food purchases for dine-in or take-out, excluding alcohol and happy hour food and beverages.

-- STRESS RELIEF

HYDROMASSAGE: Get a free massage Thursday through Sunday at participating locations. The mall-based massage chain suggests calling ahead to book an appointment. Find a location at http://www.hydromassage.com/taxday.

Now sticking with the Earth Day, recycling to me is fun and helpful. I am a big believer in repurposing things that still have life! SO, guess what today’s idea for a craft is? It’s a use for those old coats… either you or the kids outgrew them but you can’t bare to get rid of it? Well now you won’t have to (Hmmm… wonder if I am actually contributing to the hoarders of the world LMAO! J/K)!



Craft Idea of the Day: Recycled Coat Messenger Bag

Materials:

1 old, full length Parka.
Any bright lining, contrast fabric you want
Matching Sewing thread and machine

Directions:

1) Lay out your coat flat on floor and take a good look at it, imagining it in peices, not a whole.

2)Cut a large front section with pocket to be the front of the bag.30cm wide x 40cm long.

3)Cut a long back piece to be the back of the bag, including the part that will fold down over the front.
30cm wide x 60cm long. plus a matching size in the contrast fabric.

4) Cut the sleeves cut to width 20cm, for the side panels, I included the cuff buckle.

5)Cut 68cm length of buttonhole section from down the front of the coat as a handle. Plus a matching length of contrasting fabric

6) Sew the two ends of sleeves together, leaving the cuff end as the top part of bag sides.

7) Attach front panel(with pocket) to what you designate as front of side panels, fold over any spare at top and sew, do this double thick stiching.

8)Attach contrast fabric to back panel (face both back to back, stitch, turn right way round) and do same to buttonhale handle.

9) Stitch back panel to side panel so you have a long flap hanging over the front.

10)Attach handle to side panels, add velcro to front as easy fastener.

Isn’t that just slouchy cool? Ok its time to eat ladies and gents! Tonight is another slow cooker love affair LOL! One of the things I am making is a “fix your own taco” bar tonight, because after UIL, I anticipate some of the kids “coming home” for dinner and celebrations LOL! One pot, I am making Carnitas. Carnitas means 'little meats' and is traditionally fried then braised. This recipe is made much easier using the slow cooker but the results are just as tasty. This makes a great filling for tamales, enchiladas, tacos and burritos. This filling is also great combined with your favorite barbecue sauce and served on buns



Slow Cooker Carnitas

Ingredients

3 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon garlic powder or 4 fresh minced garlic cloves
3 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (4 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth

Directions

Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture. Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture.

Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours. When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.

Ok kids… my house smells amazing already and I think I need to go check my golden yard buzzards LOL! Then maybe do some sewing while the kitchen works for me… I know its hard to slave all day in the kitchen to make my family a fabulous feast and still get so much else done LMAO! Gonna think about running to grab some more birds and bird parts while the hubby guards the pots LOL! Dunno yet what the day will hold in store for me LOL! Either way, it will be interesting! So be safe, have fun, and I’ll meet you back here tomorrow! HUGS!

BRINGING KROGER HOME!

Well a HUGE Hi there and hello to all my lovely people out there! How are you doing this crazy post-shopping morning? I am super exhausted and super sore! But super happy! And I’m up REALLY early as you can see. I had that super busy day yesterday I was telling you about. Check out my yesterday adventures in crazy town! LOL…

After I got the DS14 to school, I went over to Home Depot to pick up some lumber. Alright so I got my BOGO trash bags and BOGO plants and a few other things I found, including tape 4pks clearanced to $1. When I get to the Lumber section, the young man asked what I needed so I started telling them. He made very unprofessional comments like “Most people know what they want when they get here” and “Most people have a truck and I don’t have to cut these” etc. So I told him to step away and get me someone else. So ANOTHER good ol’ boy came over and asked what was going on… I told him and he called the other guy back over! He asked if he said those things and RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME… LIED and said NO!!!!!! Oh I was fuming! Long story short, I had to only get part of what I went for and I was so mad afterwards… well I spoke with the manager but I will be calling corporate too! That was totally uncalled for! You will NOT treat me like I know nothing just because I am a woman! I spend just as much money in there as other MEN do!! I’ve never had this problem before at this store, so it was very disheartening! Anyway, thanks to my dad for the 4x4 lumber rescue, I have all the pieces to now build my planter! Hopefully in the next day or so I will have it done and looking pretty awesome! I’m gonna stain the outside of the planter so that its pretty as well as functional! I will post picks when I am done with it. After my frustrating experience this morning, I went home to cool off for a bit.



But I was happy about the deals I found- being a member of the Garden Club, they email you coupons and I had one for B1G1 Free Glad Force Flex trash bags 100ct. box. Ok, so that one saved me $11.98. Then I had one for a B1G1F Houseplants… saved another $4.98… cool! I used that one to get 2 of these preety yellow mums. I brought them home and put them in a pot with some fresh soil and food and took it to my mom… its her Pot O’ Sunshine! I wanted to brighten her day! I also found Scotch 4pk scotch tape clearanced to $1 a pack (normally $5)! Good buys… very good buys! Was this a glimpse of things to come? YES! YES IT WAS!

Then after my period of “regrouping”, I went to the store to pick up some things for my parents. OMG peeps I HAVE to share with you all the super finds I got yesterday at my local Kroger. I swear they were clearancing the whole store! See I found these great buys when I went to the store in the morning for my mom (after my annoying Home Depot disaster!). As I was buying her foods on her list, I found tons of things! (I left the pictures full size, so if you want to enlarge it, then just click on the picture and it should open bigger so you can see it better!)



Here you see the first load I purchased when I bought my mom’s grocery list. All the bread and meats were marked down. And that’s all I got… everything was marked down! I got bread bowls for soups (which we used for supper), croissants, various loaves, cookies, a pie, brats, a Tyson Fajita kit, a long strip of trimmed brisket, etc. you name it! This order cost me $93.28… not bad really! I was quite shocked. I took the groceries out to my parents and chatted briefly for a while. Then it was off to pick up the kids!

OMG I so forgot to tell you about something my DS18 and I saw yesterday! Ok, so after school we went to pay the storage bill before going to the grocery store right? Well we come up the back road and we see this woman in the back of the Jack In the Box parking lot sitting on the edge of her car floorboard, door open, with her pants around her knees urinating! OMG are you serious?! WHY couldn’t she walk inside the stupid restaurant and use the restroom inside? My DS and I were so grossed out but laughing at the same time at her lack of class, etc. Oh if I would have had my camera with me I would have took her picture and given it to the cops and reported her! I mean, come on… what if a little kid had seen that?! Aside from that being downright tacky, god only knows if she had some kind of deadly or contagious germs she was releasing in public! YUCK! And if she is THAT worried about the cleanliness of the public bathroom… well Charmin makes a travel pack of those toilet seat covers… and I’d be happy to give her a few Charmin coupons!!!!!!!!



Ok, I got the rest of these items yesterday evening… after the kids were out of school and back home with the DH. I got tons of produce and more meat clearances! This is the produce buys… bags of precut salad, cut veggies, fruit platters, apples & cheese trays, all marked down! The mangos were on sale 10 for $10 and the onions I needed. Oh the green beans and red potatoes you ask? FRESH! Thrown some bacon and some diced onions and seasonings and OMG YUM!!!!!!! They were all on sale too!

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OK, this is more super buys on the meats. I got Chicken Leg Quarters in a 10 pound bag for 45 cents a pound, chicken drumsticks for 99c per pound, breast tenderloins, a whole chicken for 88c per pound, breakfast sausage links for $1 a pack, soup bones for 97c each, crab dip, cube steaks, organic chicken thighs, and more. The snow crab legs were NOT clearance priced, but they were a special surprise for my DD15 who absolutely LOVES steamed snow crab legs ($25 for both bags alone).



Here you see some of the non-clearance things I bought that I had coupons for and/or were on the 10 for $10 sale. Kroger had a special where you bought a combo of various Kellogg’s and Keebler stuff and you got 2 FREE gallons of milk! It also helped I had coupons for $1.00 off the cereals and crackers too huh? LOL! My mom gave me a great $2 off coupon for the cheese sticks I love so much and there is a gallon of vegetable oil hiding behind the evaporated milk too LOL!



And finally you see boxes of rice, pasta, etc. Yes Alex has a fetish with Mac & Cheese lately LOL so we got a bunch of them. Farfalle pasta and my chicken makes for yumminess! Coupons for the Rice A Roni (which was also on sale 10 for $10) and the Tony’s made them about 30 cents each!

So you see, I shopped till I literally dropped yesterday! The total for the night time shop was $190.56 plus the morning shop bringing the grand total to $283.84 and I saved $163.70 in coupons! And on top of that, I got $11 in register tape coupons off my next order (any purchase)! Add that to the $16.96 I saved in coupons at Home Depot as well as the clearance tapes… well I think I did really spiffy! Its was an AWESOME shopping day! BUT by the time I got home last night, I was super tired so the gang ate freezer meals… soups… with the promise I will make the crab tomorrow. They used the bread bowls for their soups… check these out!



The DD15 decided she wanted Chicken Fried Steak Soup… so that’s what she got- in a bread bowl! Homemade deliciousness wrapped in a piece of golden brown goodness!



The DS18 wanted the Chicken Taco soup… topped with a scoop of sour cream, some shredded cheese, and a few chipotle tortilla strips all tucked neatly in a bountiful bread bowl! I think the boy was in hog heaven!



And the DH decided he wanted Cream of Broccoli soup… and that’s what HE got LOL! I absolutely love the invention of bread bowls! Not only does it make for a pretty presentation, but you also get your bread at the same time, making this a one-dish wonder, AND it cuts down on the dishes I have to wash! YAY! That’s always a plus! Now before you go asking what DS14 and I ate… Alex devoured a link of sausage left over from last night and a box of macaroni and cheese. Once I got off my feet and relaxed… well I kinda fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.

Now… I have to admit, I kind of ditched the monthly menu when I found all the great buys… so I am just gonna sit and write up what I found and work that into the monthly days. PLUS I will still have the other ideas for the days left open. Whatever ideas remain will be carried over to the April menu. You saw in one of the pictures some organic boneless skinless chicken thighs, right? Well your recipe for today will utilize these for a very tropical zip sure to awaken your palate! (Yours do not “have” to be organic yadda yadda yadda LOL… just plain old chicken thighs are just as great!)



Baked Apricot Chicken

Ingredients

12 chicken thighs
1 cup apricot preserves
1 cup French dressing
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl combine the jam, dressing and soup mix. Mix together.
Place chicken pieces in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour apricot mixture over chicken and bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes.

OK my faithful followers, I’m gonna let you go for today. I’m up real early, so I am gonna go make the kids something to eat before school and get them up and ready to go. Then its off to my parents again to help clean up mom’s fine china and move it into the new kitchen and clean out a space in her garage attic for none other than guess who? ME! LOL… she’s kindly housing my Christmas decorations so that I can eliminate that bill… remember that goal I set? Yep… I gave myself a deadline. The end of April… I want it cleaned out so that I don’t have to pay that bill anymore! Come May 1st, I will NOT pay it anymore! And there is a rental bill that won’t be far behind that being done YAY! Ok kids, I’m outta here! See ya tomorrow… HUGS!