xmas 2010

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Christmas is coming...

I can hardley believe that Christmas is just around the corner! It's time to start thinking about gifts, Christmas cards, and cookie exchanges! I LOVE cookie exchanges! No doubt you've started thinking about some of these things...a walk into any store will tell you that Halloween items are on the clearance rack and Christmas things are on the frontlines! It's a call to action...a call to get organized and ready. Black Friday will be here in just a week and a half. The sales flyers will help you get organized for store purchases, but where can you go to get ready for the daunting task of dum dum dum dum (dramatic music)....Christmas cards?? Have you taken a look at Shutterfly's selection this year?? http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery They have some really cool designs. I was looking through them the other day and I was really impressed! First of all, there are so many designs that you most likely won't be picking out the same one as someone else...and even if you do, the pictures make them so personalized that it hardly makes a difference! I love the new "story" cards that they are offering, as well. These cards give you plenty of room for lots of pictures and even short little snippets from the past year...I think it would be cool to make one of these for relatives and friends that don't get to see my kids very often. They give a "newsletter" feel to your Christmas card. http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards
So, Shutterfly has you covered for Christmas and Holiday cards, but what about helping you out with gifts? They have plenty of personalized gifts too! I love making Calendars for the grandparents (http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/wall-calendars ). It's so much fun looking at all the pics throughout the following year. And the picture quality is so much nicer than the calendars you get at WalMart or drug stores. They also have lots of other options to put your kids' faces on to show off to the world...everyone loves a personalized gift!
Using Shutterfly couldn't be any easier. I've tried other sites, and Shutterfly's quality and selection is by far the best I've seen. Plus, they are always running a sale on something! What could be better?.........well, maybe a cookie exchange!

(p.s. All of the opinions in this post are truly mine, but I am being compensated for saying so with free Holiday Cards from Shutterfly for letting you know. If you want to check out this promotion, go here http://bit.ly/sfly2010 Thanks for reading!)

And this is why I use coupons...

Allow me to brag a bit...
Wow! What an incredible shopping trip I had today! I don't usually get this excited about spending my money on consumables, but I DO get excited when I can save a lot of money for things I would have had to spend that money on otherwise! I went to two stores today for the good sales and coupon match-ups...and let me tell ya, it was certainly worth it. It definitely confirmed the importance of coupons and a little planning. If you've been collecting your coupons from Sunday papers, including this weekend's...this is definitely a good week to go. I went to Rite-Aid and Giant. At Giant, I saved $84 off my bill, $30 just in coupons! And at Rite Aid, I saved with $10 in coupons, $3.99 in roll-over +UP rewards, and earned $17 in +UP rewards for my next trip! Here are just a few of the good deals that are awaiting you this week...GO AND GET 'EM!!

Rite Aid
Herbal Essences Shampoo, Conditioner, or Stylers.......$2.99-$2.00 (+UP)-$1.00 (MFG)=FREE!
General Mills Cereal.....2/$4.00-$1.00 (+UP)=2/$3.00
8 ct. Bounty Basic Paper Towels or 12 ct. Charmin Toilet Paper.....$4.99-$1.00 (+UP)=$3.99
Huggies Diapers............$8.99-$3.00 (+UP)-$1.50 to $3.00 (MFG)=$4.49 to $2.99
There were lots of Huggies coupons in my stash...so I used 3! Yes, you can repeat the +UP bargains more than one time in a shopping trip (unless the flyer states one offer only)!
M&M's and Hershey's Kisses........2/$5.00-$1.00 (+UP)-$1.00 (MFG)=2/$3.00
Luvs Diapers (family pack).........$16.99-$4.00 (+UP)=$12.99
Some misc food items (check flyer)..........4/$5.00-$1.00 (+UP)-$0.50 (MFG)=4/$3.50. I bought 2 boxes Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate, a six pack of Sun Maid Raisins, and a 24 oz. jar of Mott's Applesauce. The $0.50 coupon was for two boxes of Swiss Miss.

I'm planning on going back this week to use my $17 in +UP rewards on the Magic Gravity Ball (on sale for $19.99) for Luke for Christmas...but Ssshhh, don't tell him that!

So, all in all, I was most pleased with my diaper sale...I got three packages of name brand diapers for $12 (unfortunately, Cara's butt prefers name brand so I have to take advantage of these deals)! And I got 4 boxes of name brand cereal for $6.00. I realized later that I should have looked for a $5.00/$25.00 coupon for Rite Aid...but I forgot. So if you're thinking about spending that much, I would recommend it, to sweeten your deals even more! Look for them on sites like www.iheartsavingmoney.com.

Giant
I got a ton of Tic Tacs and Mento's Gum for the kids' Christmas stockings...I had a bunch of $1.00 coupons for them, thanks to my new babysitter!
Gerber Graduates Preschoolers Snacks.....2/$5.00-$1.00 (MFG)=2/$4.00
48 oz Wesson Oil.....$2.50-$0.40(MFG) (doubled to $0.80)=$1.70 (cheaper than Walmart's store brand!)
Keebler Crackers.....2/$5.00-$1.00 (MFG)=2/$4.00
Keebler Cookies.....on sale for $2.00 (that doesn't happen very often!)
Hershey's Baking Chips.....2/$4.00-$1.00 (MFG)=2/$3.00
Kleenex Tissues.....$1.00/box-$0.50 (MFG)/3 boxes (which is then doubled) or $1.00 (MFG)/4 boxes=$0.66/box to $0.75/box (depending on which coupon you used. I used both, so that I could send some to school.
Lipton Tea Bags..........2/$5.00-$1.00 (MFG)=2/$4.00
Lipton Cup of Soups........2/$2.00-$1.00 (MFG)=$1.00/2 boxes!
Progresso Soup............$1.33/can-$1.00 (MFG)/4 cans=$4.32 (or $1.08/can)
Combo's Snacks......$1.00/bag-$0.50/2 bags (doubled to $1.00)=$0.50/bag
Giant Italian Bread.........on sale for $1.00/loaf
Gibbles Family Pack Chips...........on sale for BOGO (2 bags for $3.49)
Marcal Napkins............$2.99-$0.50 (MFG) (doubled to $1.00)=$1.99 for 400 ct. package!
Ritz Munchables Crackers............on sale for $2.50-$1.00 (MFG)=$1.50
Friskies Cat Food................on sale for BOGO (2 bags for $3.53-$1.00 (MFG)=$2.53 for both!!)
Uncle Ben's Wild Rice..........$1.67-$1.00 (MFG)=$0.67
Pam Flour Baking Spray......$2.49-$0.50 (MFG) (doubled to $1.00)=$1.49
Herr's Tortilla Chips..........on sale for BOGO (2 bags for $3.79)
Giant Brand Oatmeal............on sale for BOGO (2 boxes for $1.99)
Bird's Eye Frozen Vegetables, Frozen Pasta/Veggie Blend (in a box), or Steamables.....$0.79!!!
***I had a $1.00 (MFG)/3 and a coupon for a Free "Lightly Sauced" with purchase of regular steamed vegetable.
Breakstone Sour Cream.....$1.29 ($1.00 MFG/2=$0.79 ea.)
Helluva Good Chip Dip....2/$3.00-$1.00 (MFG)=2/$2.00!!

Giant also had their coupon doublers this week, so I saved another $4.00 on top of these bargains. I also earned a $3.50 coupon and a $3.00 coupon for my next visit! I have to say, I am very proud of myself...I couldn't stop smiling all the way home! I had "coupon glow"! Ha Ha!
Get clipping folks...there will be plenty of bargains on food between now and New Years. This is my favorite time of year to stock up because there are such good sales.

Sausage, Potato and Cheese Waffles

Sausage, Potato and Cheese Waffles

1 link sweet Italian Sausage (about 3 ounces), casing discarded
1 baking potato, grated and excess water squeezed out
4 tablespoons butter
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking power
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons pepper
2 cups milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1) In a medium skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 5 minutes. Add the potato and butter, lower the heat and simmer until the butter is melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool, about 10 minutes.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir in the milk and eggs until smooth. Stir in the sausage-potato mixture.

3) Using a waffle maker, cook the waffles according to the manufacturer's directions.

SERVES 10 PREP 20 MIN COOK 30 MIN

recipe from: rachaelraymag.com/september

Creamed Chicken and Biscuits

Creamed Chicken and Biscuits (adapted from a Southern Living recipe)

1/2 c. each diced onion, celery, and sliced mushrooms (I will omit the mushrooms)
1. Saute in a teaspoon of butter or oil until tender. Meanwhile, add 1 bag of frozen peas and carrots to a pot of boiling water (can use mixed veggies, instead, if desired).
1 Can Cream of Chicken soup, 1/2 c. milk, 1/4 tsp. tarragon (I'll use thyme and poulty seasoning, instead)
2. Add to the onion and celery. Mix well, simmer for a few minutes.
1 c. cheddar cheese, 2 1/2 c. cooked chicken (leftovers or rotisserie work well), salt and pepper.
3. Stir into simmering soup mix. Pour into lightly greased casserole dish.
1 can jumbo biscuits
4. Top with biscuits and bake in preheated oven (use temperature on side of biscuit can). Bake until biscuits are done (10-15 min). Biscuits will bake better when starting with hot soup mix (in other words, if making the soup mixture ahead, it should be heated before baking).

November Menu

Is it really November already?? I can hardly believe it! But the beautiful trees and dropping leaves give it away. There is a nip in the morning air, even if we get tricked by afternoon sunshine and a warm Indian Summer. The kids are still high on Halloween candy, and I'm still letting them eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (Hey, the sooner they eat it, the sooner it's gone...no sense fighting it.) But, now it's time for a new menu...one that doesn't include candied apples, but maybe some baked apples or apple pie for dessert instead! Let's take some time this month to ponder all the blessings that God has given us. We have warm places to live, yummy food to eat, and wonderful families and friends that surround us with love everyday. The Lord is truly GOOD to us!

"Give thanks to the LORD because He is good. His love continues forever." Psalms 136: 1

Nov. 1-6:

1. Hamburger Supper: I've posted this one before, so you should be able to find the recipe within the blog. It is a family favorite, kind of a quickie beef stew. It has hamburger, onion, potatoes, and carrots in a brown gravy. It is a one pot supper, which I love.
2. Spaghetti: This makes our family's menu at least once a month! We can't help it, it's easy, and we love it!
3. Honey BBQ Chicken Tenders (crockpot meal): This is a repeat post as well, check in the April recipes.
4. Chili over rice: I'm going to make this a one pot meal, cooking the rice right in the tomatoe-y broth.
5. Chicken Patties and Fries: Friday's are always my easy day. After cooking all week, who wants an involved meal?
6. Leftovers

Nov. 7-13:
7. Ham Slice and Fried Potatoes
8. Creamed Chicken and Biscuits: There are several variations on this one that you can find in cookbooks and online. I'm basically using canned soup, canned chicken, mixed veggies, and biscuits from the dairy isle. Sometimes you just have to keep it simple.
9. Steak Stew (crockpot): This is a fabulous way to make a cheap cut of meat very tender. It is basically a hearty vegetable soup.
10. Sausage, Potato, and Cheese Waffles: This is a new recipe that I will be trying. It is from Rachel Ray's magazine. It looked pretty good, like an all-in-one breakfast. Hopefully, it's not too complicated or more work than it's worth. We can try it together and rate it.
11. Shake and Bake Chicken Nuggets and Parmesan Noodles: The parmesan noodles are just the Lipton noodles in a pouch. I prefer to make my own chicken nuggets when possible because I know what's going in them. But as you can see from Nov. 5th, I do still serve store bought chicken on occasion.
12. Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches (Hardee's style): This is so easy and satisfies my hunger for fast food when I really need to stay at home. Pick up some roast beef from the deli, fry it in a skillet and serve it on toasted buns. If you really want to get "fancy" (ha ha) you can make some au juis (spelling??)--beef broth-- and make a steakhouse beef dip sandwich, like they make at Quiznos. Just add some melted cheese and dip the sandwich in the beef broth. Yummy!
13. Leftovers: you knew it was coming folks!

Nov.14-20
14. Taco Stuffed Shells: I've posted this recipe before. It is a Taste of Home recipe.
15. Hamburgers and Mac&Cheese
16. BBQ Chicken, potatoe cubes, corn, and cheese casserole: I'm making this one up, as I saw it in the frozen food isle. (I get a lot of inspiration there when I'm tempted to buy those expensive meal-in-a-bags). I figure I should be able to make this for a lot cheaper than buying it already prepared. I'm going to put my raw chicken chunks and potatoes in a casserole dish, mix it around with a little BBQ sauce, and add some corn. I'll bake it until almost done, and then add some cheddar cheese. We'll see how this one goes...sometimes I come up with a winner, and sometimes the kids say "NEVER MAKE THIS AGAIN! YUCK!".
17. Ham Loaf Meatballs with sauce: I use the ham loaf mix from Butcher Shoppe, as well as their recipe. But instead of a loaf this time (which is not Shane's favorite), I'm going to make the mix into meatballs and pour the sauce over top. The kids love this!
18. Pancakes and Eggs
19. Pizza Boats: Instead of making my own crust this time, I think I will make pizza out of the long french bread loaves that you buy at the store. You can usually buy 2 loaves for about $2.00 at Walmart, so it should be a pretty inexpensive supper.
20. Leftovers: again!

Nov. 21-27:
21. Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes: just your standard recipe
22. Creamy Chicken and Pasta: This is out of the Campbells cookbook. I will try to post as soon as possible.
23. Egg Rolls and Fried Rice: We LOVE to make our own egg rolls! They really aren't that hard, and again, it keeps us from going out to eat! This is another Taste of Home recipe.
24. Baked Italian Chicken: I've never tried this, but as I was planning the menu, my co-worker gave this idea to me. She said she marinates her chicken in Italian dressing for the day, then fries the chicken lightly on each side. She then transfers the chicken to a casserole dish and empties a can of Italian-seasoned diced tomatoes on top and finishes baking the chicken until cooked through. Sounded good to me!
25. Thanksgiving Dinner!!!! Bring on the turkey and stuffing!
26. Thanksgiving leftovers (I hope!). If not, we'll just do grilled cheese and tomato soup.
27. We'll finish the week with any other leftovers from the fridge.

Nov. 28-30
28. Pork Meatballs over Sauerkraut: This is a twist on the traditional pork roast. Just buy a package of ground pork, add breadcrumbs and an egg, and shape into meatballs. Brown quickly in a frying pan, then transfer to a crockpot (or regular stovetop pot) filled with sauerkraut. Cook until meatballs are done.
29. Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo: This is from the Campbell's cookbook. Will post the recipe later.
30. Beef Stew: not sure if I'll be doing this in the crockpot or on the stove. Either way, it is one of my favorite fall dishes.

Apple Cinnamon Pork Chops

I received this recipe from a friend in a cooking group. She said the recipe was originally designed to be a marinade, but we've basically turned it into a crockpot meal. It is delicious and wonderful in the fall.

Apple Cinnamon Pork Chops
4 thick porkchops or 6 thin porkchops
1 1/2 c. Italian dressing
4 cloves garlic
1 1/2 c. BBQ sauce
3-4 large apples (more or less to taste...depending on if you plan on eating the apples with the pork-which I recommend!, but the rest of my family doesn't do)
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. butter

Combine all ingredients in crockpot. Apples should be peeled and sliced. Cook on low 7-8 hours.