And I know that I owe you a Costa Rica update and I will get on that as soon as I've slept for more than 3 hours at a time. I promise.
In the meantime, just wanted to mention that I picked up my addiction (Diet Mountain Dew)today at CVS. After coupons and ECBs, they paid me .64 for 4-12 packs of the stuff. Paying me to drink something I would drink anyway? Bring it on!
Also..To get really cool info on coupons and deals of your own...visit The Coupon Coup
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Food Friday
Food Friday will not be brought to you today because I'm in Costa Rica. However, I would like to let you know all about our trip so far.
Monkeyface was really excited about the plane and did a beautiful job until we had to wait to get off the plane in Costa Rica. By that time he was done waiting and wanted to go. He let everyone know how he was feeling and cried until I actually stepped off the plane with him. The boy has lungs! Our hotel is lovely and the people are especially friendly. I haven't gone in the pool yet because we just returned from a jungle boat tour where we saw tons of monkeys. Monkeyface loved it and now knows how to talk to the howler monkeys. He did a great job. I'm impressed by how adaptable children are while traveling. He is crying more than usual, don't get me wrong but all it takes is a decent distraction and he's back off to having fun again.
Today while we were out on the boat I was watching the hubby and Monkeyface play at the front of the boat. Something I would never have allowed if I had been sitting up there but I knew that the Hubby would take care of him. I kept thinking about how blessed I am to have married the man I did. So we're back in the room now winding down and trying to keep cool. I have a sunburn b/c I had the boys put on sunscreen but I failed to put it on myself. I think a trip to the pool is in order b/c we are sweating buckets in here.
Monkeyface was really excited about the plane and did a beautiful job until we had to wait to get off the plane in Costa Rica. By that time he was done waiting and wanted to go. He let everyone know how he was feeling and cried until I actually stepped off the plane with him. The boy has lungs! Our hotel is lovely and the people are especially friendly. I haven't gone in the pool yet because we just returned from a jungle boat tour where we saw tons of monkeys. Monkeyface loved it and now knows how to talk to the howler monkeys. He did a great job. I'm impressed by how adaptable children are while traveling. He is crying more than usual, don't get me wrong but all it takes is a decent distraction and he's back off to having fun again.
Today while we were out on the boat I was watching the hubby and Monkeyface play at the front of the boat. Something I would never have allowed if I had been sitting up there but I knew that the Hubby would take care of him. I kept thinking about how blessed I am to have married the man I did. So we're back in the room now winding down and trying to keep cool. I have a sunburn b/c I had the boys put on sunscreen but I failed to put it on myself. I think a trip to the pool is in order b/c we are sweating buckets in here.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Food Friday-Oven Fried Chicken
I got this recipe from the Taste of Home website. I thought it was a great alternative to the fried chicken that we Southerners love so much. I used chicken breasts instead of drumsticks and thighs though and it was still great. I also used a real egg instead of egg substitute.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
4 chicken drumsticks (4 ounces each), skin removed
4 bone-in chicken thighs (6 ounces), skin removed
3/4 cup egg substitute
Directions:
Drizzle butter in a 13x9x2 baking dish
In a shallow bowl, combine the cornflakes, flour and seasoned salt
Place egg substitute in another shallow bowl
Dip chicken in egg substitute, then roll in cornflake mixture
Repeat
Arrange chicken in prepared dish, meatier side down
Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 20 minutes. Turn chicken over; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 180°
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
4 chicken drumsticks (4 ounces each), skin removed
4 bone-in chicken thighs (6 ounces), skin removed
3/4 cup egg substitute
Directions:
Drizzle butter in a 13x9x2 baking dish
In a shallow bowl, combine the cornflakes, flour and seasoned salt
Place egg substitute in another shallow bowl
Dip chicken in egg substitute, then roll in cornflake mixture
Repeat
Arrange chicken in prepared dish, meatier side down
Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 20 minutes. Turn chicken over; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 180°
Friday, August 1, 2008
Food Friday: Black-eyed Pea and Tomato Salad
It's time for Food Friday and over at the Grocery Cart Challenge the recipe swap theme is Potlucks. I have taken this dish to several vegetarian potlucks b/c I was tired of everyone bringing potato or pasta salad. Every time I have served this, it has all been eaten...even if I double the recipe. I have taken this from the Mediterranean Light Cookbook by Martha Rose Shulman. She also has a great recipe in there for Fennel with potatoes which is so simple and delicious. I'll be posting that soon.
Black-eyed Pea & Tomato Salad
The salad:
1 cup dried black-eyed peas, washed and picked over
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced or put through a press
1 qt water
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1 to 2 green chili peppers (to taste), seeded and minced
The dressing:
5 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 to 1/4 tsp ground cumin (to taste)
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 heaped TBS chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
handful fresh spinach, chopped (optional)
lettuce leaves for the bowl
Prepare the salad:
Combine the black-eyed peas, onion, garlic, water, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 to 35 minutes until the beans are cooked through but not mushy. Add salt to taste halfway through the cooking. Drain and discard the bay leaf. Toss the beans with the tomatoes and chili peppers.
Prepare the dressing:
Mix together the lemon juice, cumin, garlic, yogurt, and s&p to taste
Toss the salad with the dressing and refrigerate for several hours.
Just before serving, toss the parsley or cilantro and the spinach if desired. Adjust seasonings. Line a bowl or platter with lettuce leaves, top with salad, and serve. The salad will hold for 2 or 3 days w/o the fresh herbs and spinach, which should be added just before serving.
**I normally make this the night before and then toss in the fresh herbs before walking out the door**
Black-eyed Pea & Tomato Salad
The salad:
1 cup dried black-eyed peas, washed and picked over
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced or put through a press
1 qt water
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1 to 2 green chili peppers (to taste), seeded and minced
The dressing:
5 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 to 1/4 tsp ground cumin (to taste)
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 heaped TBS chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
handful fresh spinach, chopped (optional)
lettuce leaves for the bowl
Prepare the salad:
Combine the black-eyed peas, onion, garlic, water, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 to 35 minutes until the beans are cooked through but not mushy. Add salt to taste halfway through the cooking. Drain and discard the bay leaf. Toss the beans with the tomatoes and chili peppers.
Prepare the dressing:
Mix together the lemon juice, cumin, garlic, yogurt, and s&p to taste
Toss the salad with the dressing and refrigerate for several hours.
Just before serving, toss the parsley or cilantro and the spinach if desired. Adjust seasonings. Line a bowl or platter with lettuce leaves, top with salad, and serve. The salad will hold for 2 or 3 days w/o the fresh herbs and spinach, which should be added just before serving.
**I normally make this the night before and then toss in the fresh herbs before walking out the door**
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Happiness is...
*playing with Mr. Potato Head and Monkeyface while Blueberry Banana Bread bakes in the oven
*pool parties with the little one and a few good friends
*planning my packing list to travel with Monkeyface for the first time
*painting and coloring with Monkeyface
*Popping giant bubbles outside
**This post has been brought to you by the letter "P"
*pool parties with the little one and a few good friends
*planning my packing list to travel with Monkeyface for the first time
*painting and coloring with Monkeyface
*Popping giant bubbles outside
**This post has been brought to you by the letter "P"
Saturday, July 26, 2008
How I CVS
I had someone email me about how I CVS after I posted a link on The Grocery Cart Challenge's Recipe Swap. This is the email I used to reply. I'm actually quite glad she asked b/c I've been meaning to post this for quite some time.
I love lists so I'm going to break it down as easily as I can.
1)Get the Sunday paper, join coupons.com to print coupons, and sign up for free samples b/c a lot of them come with coupons.
2)I read a couple of different blogs that help me decide what the good deals are and which coupons to use.
Money Saving Mom
Making CVS work for you
CVS 101
Be Centsable (people post their deals)
3)My sister in law sums it up nicely here.
4)Get a CVS Extra Care Bucks card and a weekly sales paper and figure out how you can combine it with the coupons you have on hand.
5)The first time I went I bought a Soliel razor and a pack of 4 blades for $6.99 each. I had a $4 off coupon for each product so I paid $2.99 each. CVS gave me $5 ECB that I could use like cash the next time I purchased something. The next thing I did was buy 2 sunscreen products. I bought the least expensive item I could find (2 face sticks at $4.97 each) and I got $10ECB back. Now I had $15 that I could spend at CVS that was basically free money. The way that I got the deals on my original post are as follows:
CVS sent me a sheet of coupons for $5 off any $15 purchase, free 2 liter Pepsi product, and $3 off any CVS pharmacy product. Gain was on sell for $2.99 and you got back $2ECB. Excedrin had a deal where you would get back $10ECB if you spent $20. I stacked my coupons.
First I had them total everything and it was right around $30. Then I gave them the $5 off $15 coupon (we're down to $25), then I had $6 worth of Excedrin coupons($19), then the $3 coupon for the antacids ($16), free Pepsi coupon ($15), and then I used my $15 in ECB to pay for the rest. The only thing I paid out of pocket was the tax of $.47 give or take a little. After my transaction I still had $12 in ECB to use the next time I shopped at CVS. It's a great thing and once you get the ball rolling, you aren't going to be able to stop.
This totally kills my need to shop bug and I get so excited by what I can actually get basically for free.
The next thing I did was use Rite-Aid's rebate program.
The shampoo you saw was on sale, buy one get one free, and I also had 2 BOGO free coupons so all that shampoo was free. The toothpaste was on sale for $2.49 and I got $2.49 in rebates plus I had a $.50 coupon. The Electrasol was $2.99 with $2 in rebates and I had 2 $2.25 coupons. Even though I had to pay approximately $4.75 out of pocket at the time, I just submitted for my rebate check last night and I'm getting back $4.49 in the form of a check which I will deposit in the bank.
So there you have it...hopefully this is not too confusing. The main thing is to clip coupons and sign up for blogs that will tell you which coupons to use and what the sales are. I work full time so there is no way that I could do this w/o the blogs. If you don't have Google Reader, I suggest you learn how to use it. I just go there and read the blogs I've subscribed to instead of having to remember to go to each individual blog each day. My best friend, Google Reader
I love lists so I'm going to break it down as easily as I can.
1)Get the Sunday paper, join coupons.com to print coupons, and sign up for free samples b/c a lot of them come with coupons.
2)I read a couple of different blogs that help me decide what the good deals are and which coupons to use.
Money Saving Mom
Making CVS work for you
CVS 101
Be Centsable (people post their deals)
3)My sister in law sums it up nicely here.
4)Get a CVS Extra Care Bucks card and a weekly sales paper and figure out how you can combine it with the coupons you have on hand.
5)The first time I went I bought a Soliel razor and a pack of 4 blades for $6.99 each. I had a $4 off coupon for each product so I paid $2.99 each. CVS gave me $5 ECB that I could use like cash the next time I purchased something. The next thing I did was buy 2 sunscreen products. I bought the least expensive item I could find (2 face sticks at $4.97 each) and I got $10ECB back. Now I had $15 that I could spend at CVS that was basically free money. The way that I got the deals on my original post are as follows:
CVS sent me a sheet of coupons for $5 off any $15 purchase, free 2 liter Pepsi product, and $3 off any CVS pharmacy product. Gain was on sell for $2.99 and you got back $2ECB. Excedrin had a deal where you would get back $10ECB if you spent $20. I stacked my coupons.
First I had them total everything and it was right around $30. Then I gave them the $5 off $15 coupon (we're down to $25), then I had $6 worth of Excedrin coupons($19), then the $3 coupon for the antacids ($16), free Pepsi coupon ($15), and then I used my $15 in ECB to pay for the rest. The only thing I paid out of pocket was the tax of $.47 give or take a little. After my transaction I still had $12 in ECB to use the next time I shopped at CVS. It's a great thing and once you get the ball rolling, you aren't going to be able to stop.
This totally kills my need to shop bug and I get so excited by what I can actually get basically for free.
The next thing I did was use Rite-Aid's rebate program.
The shampoo you saw was on sale, buy one get one free, and I also had 2 BOGO free coupons so all that shampoo was free. The toothpaste was on sale for $2.49 and I got $2.49 in rebates plus I had a $.50 coupon. The Electrasol was $2.99 with $2 in rebates and I had 2 $2.25 coupons. Even though I had to pay approximately $4.75 out of pocket at the time, I just submitted for my rebate check last night and I'm getting back $4.49 in the form of a check which I will deposit in the bank.
So there you have it...hopefully this is not too confusing. The main thing is to clip coupons and sign up for blogs that will tell you which coupons to use and what the sales are. I work full time so there is no way that I could do this w/o the blogs. If you don't have Google Reader, I suggest you learn how to use it. I just go there and read the blogs I've subscribed to instead of having to remember to go to each individual blog each day. My best friend, Google Reader
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