Extreme Couponing

I don't know if you saw that there is a new show on TLC called Extreme Couponing. It aired last night and I watched it. I can say that I am not extreme like these people. If it does not fit in my cabinets, then I do not purchase it, even if it is free (unless I know that I will be donating it).

I love to use coupons and save a lot of money every month using coupons. It is the end of the month and after Christmas so my grocery budget today was $30.00. That really does not buy much at the store anymore, but with using coupons I was able to purchase $59.40 worth of groceries for $25.67! That is a 57% savings. I save by shopping what is on sale and use a coupon for those items. Today I got Triscuit thins for .42, Rits Crackers for .67, free Minute Maid juice and free Garnier hair color. I also look at the 50% off table every visit. Today I scored Starbucks coffee regular price $9.99, it was marked 50% off and then I had a coupon for $1.50 off which made the coffee $3.49! For veggies I bought cilantro, ginger, bean sprouts and limes. I also bought 2 Stoneyfield yogurts, cottage cheese, sour cream, english muffins, bagels, beer (for my herbed cheese bread), granola bars and water chestnuts.

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Check out Shopaholic Mommy to enter to win and check out her blog too!

A New Year, A New Way of Eating!

Hubby went to the doctor and his cholesterol is a little high so we are going on a low-fat diet around here. That is fine and all, but with my thyroid problem I have been reading that low-fat diets do not work too well with hypothyroidism and I should use coconut oil, cococut concentrates and be on a gluten free diet. Could you imagine if I followed all these guidelines, no one would want me to cook anymore! In 2011 I will be looking for new recipes, cooking with fish atleast twice a week and trying some new products. It should be fun and I will post what I like and what not to try.

Happy New Year!

Meal Plan Saturday

I have cooked, baked and cooked some more this week and I am done. Today I made a Prime Rib, mashed potatoes and green beans for Christmas lunch. I have baked more cookies these past couple of weeks then I ever have, made a birthday cake for Jesus, made goodies for my classes at the gym and went to 2 parties last weekend where I had to bring food. Hopefully this will be an easy week, going to the in-laws and up to Shaver. Here is how it will go:

Sunday- Beef stroganoff (little man has been asking me to make this).

Monday- Lasagna, salad and french bread.

Tuesday- Out to dinner with hubby (kids with grandparents).

Wednesday- Dinner with the family (hubby's brother and families Christmas).

Thursday- Whatever falls out of the frig or pizza.

Friday- Shaver for the weekend.

Happy New Year, time to diet!!

Do you need a last minute dessert?

Caramel and Almond Heavenly Cookies
I had these cookies at a cookie exchange and they were soooo good. This recipe is super simple, fast and good.

First line your cookie sheet with foil. Line up 12 graham crackers and add 1 cup of marshmallows. In a saucepan, melt 3/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp of cinnamon and melt together. Once it is melted and sugar has dissolved, take off the heat and add 1 tsp. of vanilla. Pour mixture over the graham crackers and marshmallows.

Add 1 cup of sliced almonds, 1 cup of coconut and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Put them in a preheated oven set at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes.

Take them out and cool completely. Cut each square in half to form triangles.

I made these for hubby and he loved them (and so do I)!

Gingerbread Train

Because I did not buy a gingerbread house kit when I saw them in a 100 different stores, I ended up with a gingerbread train today. I think it turned out really cute and it was easier to put together.

Little man has been asking to make one for the last couple of weeks and both the kids really had fun decorating the train and eating the candy.

They are proud of their work! They can't wait to show it off to everyone of Christmas.

Merry CHRISTmas! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

I did not add any chili powder or paprika on the biscuits since the kids do not like them that way. I did put extra pepper in my soup.

I used a bag of mixed frozen veggies tonight. It had corn, peas, carrots and green beans.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

1 can refrigerated biscuits or crescent roll
sweet paprika or chili powder, for sprinkling (I prefer chili powder)
1.5 lbs chicken breast pieces, diced
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
2 ribs celery and greens from the heart, chopped (I use the heart leaves too)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and diced (or use mixed frozen veggies)
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (If you do not have this on hand, use a chicken bullion cube)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup potatoes cubed
2 cups whole milk (or half & half or cream to make it thicker and creamier)
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, a healthy grating (optional)
1 cup frozen green peas

1. Preheat oven according to package directions and arrange biscuits on cookie sheet. You will might have extra biscuits. Save them for ham and cheese or egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches the next morning. Sprinkle biscuits with a little paprika or chili powder and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Cut chicken into cubes.

3. In a medium pot over medium to medium high heat, cook chicken in butter 2 minutes then add veggies and potatoes and season with salt and pepper and seasoning. Cook 5 minutes more, add flour cook another minute.

4. Stir in whole milk (half and half or cream) and chicken stock. Add nutmeg. Bring soup to a boil by raising heat, then turn heat back to simmer and cook soup another 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Add peas. Stir in to warm them through a minute.

TIP: If the soup is not thick enough for you, take 1-2 T of flour with some of the warm liquid in a separate cup and mix until it has no lumps. It will be a thick gravy-like consistency, then add to the soup. Stir and it will thicken within about 15 minutes.

Mastercard $100 Giveaway

Go to Super Healthy kids for your chance to win $100.
So, do you want to start shopping with $100 MasterCard gift Card from BlogHer?? We are giving one away to one Super Healthy Kids Reader! Comment below on one thing on your child’s wish list this year.

Snowstorm!

The kids helped me with the showering of powdered sugar on the snowstorm cookies. I don't know if they had more fun eating them or playing in powdered sugar.

My little man showing off for the camera! I love it!

Yummy, yummy goodness!

Poor little missie fell today and got a scratch on her face. I think the powder sugar makes for good medicine! It's even in her hair!

Little missie was covered in powdered sugar from head to toe and so was the kitchen!

The kids helped last year with these cookies and it was a lot of fun doing it again with them. Little man helped me make 2 loaves of banana nut bread too. He is my egg cracker. I love that they like to help out in the kitchen.

Blogher & Olay have teamed to giveaway a $100 Visa gift card

Here is a chance to win $100, go HERE to enter and check out her blog too. It is called The Cottage Home and it seems like a cute blog!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday- Cheeseburgers with sauteed mushrooms and onions and salad

Tuesday- Greek Style Halibut

Wednesday- Chicken pot pie soup

Thursday- Asian meatball subs

Friday- Making scalloped potatoes for Christmas Eve dinner

Saturday *Christmas*- Prime Rib, Green beans with bacon and fried shallots, garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry jello salad, rolls, horseradish sauce and a birthday cake for baby Jesus. (I am making everything except the rolls and jello salad).

Christmas Stocking Cookies

I made 27 cookies for little man's class tomorrow. I love stocking cookies for some reason and made them last year for his preschool class. This is the best sugar cookie dough recipe I have found!

Recipe
2 1/2 cups flour
2 sticks butter (room temp)
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. In a separate bowl add your sugar and butter and mix until creamy then add your egg and mix 2 minutes until fluffy. Add your vanilla and slowly add your flour mixture until combined. Pour dough out on plastic wrap and wrap up in a ball. Refrigerate dough 1 hour to 3 days. Cut out the shapes you want and place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Put back into the frig until the cookies firm up again. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15minutes until it starts to lightly brown. Cool and decorate.

Icing
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp room temp butter
2 tbsp of water to start plus more for desired consistency
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix on low speed with a hand mixer. Mix in water to desired consistency then add food coloring. And that is it, very simple.

Apple Pear Butter (Great Gift Idea)

You make this in your slow cooker. It does take 8 hours to make, but most of the 8 hours is cook time. First you take 2 1/2 lbs of gala apples and 2 1/2 lbs of pears.

You core the pears and apples and slice them. Remove the skin and shred the apples and pears in a food processor.

You put the shredded apples and pears in the slow cooker with 1 cup dark brown sugar and mix. Add 1 cinnamon stick and cover. Cook on high for 4 hours.

After 4 hours take the mixture and puree it in a food processor, in batches if necessary (taking out the cinnamon stick).

Place back into the slow cooker on high with the lid off. Add the cinnamon stick back in and cook until the mixture is brown and thick. This will take 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

Let it cool and store in an air tight container for 3 weeks in the frig. This is great on toast or pancakes. I had it this morning on toast and it was really good!
It made 2 jars.

Vicks Starry Night Humidifier**Update, I won!**

Go HERE to enter!
That’s why when Vicks offered to do a giveaway of their new Starry Night Cool Mist Humidifier, The Thrifty Mama immediately agreed to it! This new humidifier by Vicks is your basic, run of the mill humidifier, except that it also has a really cool built in projector that lights up your ceiling with stars and a moon. It also changes color.

Thanks Thrifty Mama!

Meal Plan Monday

Monday- Baked ziti with turkey meatballs and salad

Tuesday- Chicken enchiladas (never made them last week)

Wednesday- Tri-tip, pilaf, beans and green beans

Thursday- Crock pot chicken teriyaki with rice

Friday- Having friends over: Carnitas, rice, beans, guacamole and salsa

Saturday- Block Party: Some type of finger food, maybe corn muffins topped with chili and sour cream.

Makes and Bakes:

Slow cooker pear and apple butter (recipe coming)
Pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting

CVS Printable Coupon for Zhu Zhu Pets! = 4 Zhu Zhu Pets for the price of 1 with sale!!!

HERE is a great CVS Printable Coupon for B2G1 Free Zhu Zhu pets!

Mark your calendars. They are on BOGO sale again next week December 19th! Use your coupon and get 4 pets for the price of 1! Coupon expires on 12/31/10.Take 4 Zhu Zhu pets to the register. Two will be free from the BOGO sale, and another one will be free with the coupon.

Last time I used this offer I bought 4 Zhu Zhu pets for $10.77!

Thanks Mojo Savings!

I'm So Excited!!

I've never won anything this big before. Thanks Deal Seeking Mom!

Hip Fusion Designs

I've mentioned more that once how much I enjoy the jewelry that Neida Joseph-Abel makes and sells through her boutique shop, Hip Fusion Designs. Every piece truly is wearable art! Neida recently created these fun and funky BeCharmed necklaces, a collection of necklaces made with glass seed beads and silver and gold pewter charms. Wear them one at a time or layer them for a fun and funky look!

Land's End
I've never owned a down coat before -- I guess I kind of figured I'd end up looking like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Who knew that down could be stylish and flattering? Lands' End recently sent me their Women's Quilted Down Parka, and I'm in love. It's ultra comfy and warm, perfect for these cold Ohio winters. And it fits great too! I love the inner drawstring that allows you to cinch in the waist for a custom fit.

AmyAdele.com
AmyAdele.com offers adorable hand-drawn designs on a variety of stationery products, from photocards and personalized notecards to party invitations and fill-in-the-blank thank you cards. Started by a stay-at-home mom of two little girls, AmyAdele.com has quickly grown as families discover how fun personalized stationery can be!

One lucky Deal Seeking Mom reader will win a Gifts for Mom set that includes:

$100 Hip Fusion Designs Gift Certificate
Land's End Quilted Down Parka in Ivory
$100 AmyAdele.com Gift Certificate

Vons $50.00 groceries for $4.00!

*HOT DEAL*... go through ShopAtHome.com! You’ll get $9 cash back from your purchase and a $5 sign up bonus. Just GO HERE, login or register and click through the Safeway link they provide. So after this, you're getting $50 worth of groceries for $4.00 plus free delivery!

OR you can go through Ebates and you will get $5 Cash Back on your purchase and a $5 sign-up bonus! You can sign up here (from Hot Coupon Mamas) to learn more about Ebates!

If you live by a Safeway that does online orders and delivery, you will want to get in on this deal! This is for new customers only and takes a little work but you will be getting $50 worth of food for just $13 ($4.00 after ShopAtHome cash back)!!

*Go to safeway.com and click on "FREE delivery" on the right side.
*Add $47 of groceries from the Buy 1 Get 1 FREE items (make sure these are b1g1 free items only)
*Add $3.00 in groceries that you need to make it $50.00
*Then, use coupon code VALPAK15 to get $15 off instantly at checkout
*Then, since it's your first order they will provide you with a coupon code to enter (you will see it above where you are entering the codes) and it will give you FREE delivery!

So this is what you're getting:

$47 worth of B1G1 items
$3 other grocery items
------
= $50
------
- $15 valupak15
-$23.50 B1G1 discount
-$9 cash back from Shop at Home

Thanks Hot Coupon Mamas!

Olay Total Effects Cooling Hydration win $100

For a chance to win $100 from the wonderful (and beautiful) folks at BlogHer, leave a comment telling how you keep your skin looking so lovely. Then, visit the BlogHer.com Exclusive Offers page where you will find 14 other bloggers’ beauty stories and 14 more chances to win!

Go HERE to enter.

Spicy Lentil Soup

I made this for dinner last night and I loved it! I am so happy that I have enough for lunch for the next couple of days. I found the red lentils at Whole Foods and you can buy a small amount of tumeric at Whole Foods as well. I bought my tumeric at Cost Plus since it was only .99. I forgot to buy a serrano chile, so I put a dried Chile de Arbol in with some red chile flakes and it worked out just fine.

Ingredients
2 cups red lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 serrano chile pepper, chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
1 large tomato, roughly chopped
1 1 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
Kosher salt
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for topping
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
Naan or other flatbread, for serving

Directions
Combine the lentils and 7 cups warm water in a pot, cover and bring to a boil. Add the chile pepper, tomato, ginger, garlic, turmeric and 2 teaspoons salt. Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, 18 to 20 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Thin the soup with water, if desired, and season with salt.

Mix the yogurt with 2 teaspoons water and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the yogurt and more cilantro. Serve with naan.

Need a gift for 7+ Girl?

Walgreens has Crayola Pop Art Pixies for just $5.99 this week (4 day sale ad)
Use this $4 Coupon on Facebook to pay just $1.99 each!

BETTER YET…

Target has a Gift Card Deal going right now…Get a FREE $5 Target Gift Card wyb 2 Pop Art Pixies

So take the Walgreens Ad into Target for a price match
Buy 2 Crayola Pop Art Pixies $5.99 (price match price, otherwise $9.99 each)
Use (2) $4/1 printable coupons HERE or (hit the back button to print again).
Pay as low as $3.98 (+tax)
Get back a $5 gift card
FINAL PRICE = both FREE + $1.04 Money Maker

Thanks Clippin with Carie, I bought 4 today!

Great price for Yankee Candles!

Do you need a gift for your kids teacher or Secret Santa? Yankee Candles make great gifts and you can get them on sale.

Print HERE $10 off with $25.00 purchase.

At Bed Bath and Beyond they are on sale.

Use a (2)20% BB&B coupons you receive in the mail or newspaper (they take expired coupons and multiple coupons).

Spend $30.00 or more and you receive a Classic Yankee Candle for free.

Buy 1 Medium Candle at $21.99
-25%promo
-20%coupon
$13.19

Buy 1 Small Candle at $9.99
-20%coupon
$7.99

Get 1 Small Candle for free

Use your $10.00 off a purchase of $25.00 coupon (give them this coupon first and then the others). You will receive 1 Medium candle and 2 Small candles for a little over $10.00.

Thank you to Clippin with Carie for the coupon!

Meal Plan Monday

I have 2 new recipes this week, so I will post them as I make them. The spicy lentil soup looks good.

Monday- Chicken Korma

Tuesday- Dinner at church

Wednesday- Spicy Lentil Soup with french bread

Thrusday- 2 batches of chicken enchiladas (1 for us, 1 for a friend)

Friday- Out to dinner

Makes and Bakes: 6 dozen cookies for a cookie exchange party

Birthday Cake

I love making birthday cakes for my kids. I received a cupcake cake mold last Christmas from my sister-n-law and loved it for little missies b-day party. I made a white cake and used 6 different flavors of Jello. I put 1 tbs of Jello into separate bowls and add 1/3 cup of boiling water to each bowl. I add 1 tbs of the Jello to the cake alternating flavors. I cover the cake with plastic wrap and put it in the frig for 3-4 hours. It makes a cake that is not too sweet and adds an extra flavor to the cake. The kids really like this type of cake so I make it for both kids birthdays. I bought the pink food dye at Sur La Table and used marshmallows for the decorations with the fairies. I made cupcakes too, yellow cake with pink and chocolate frosting with fairies on top. It was fun making them and a lot cheaper than buying a cake.

My little girl is growing up!

My little screw ball is growing up! She turns 3 years old tomorrow. I can't believe that she is 3 already. It goes by so fast, almost too fast. Things I love about my little girl:

Her hair
Her spirit
When she says, "I love you too mom," and then gives me a kiss at night.
Being such a girl, but being able to stand her own. She may love pink, but you can't push this little girlie girl around.
The love that she shows for her brother
Caring heart
Her squeals (the sreaming not so much)
The way she loves her daddy and plays with him

I could go on, but as you can see I am happy that God put her in our lives!
Happy Birthday silly monkey!
(Pictures by Aunt Debbie, Thanks!)

Bella Bow-tique Giveaway!

Introducing Bella Bow-tique! New to facebook we are trying to get our name out! So what better way to do it then with having A Thrifty Mom giveaway?! We will be having our very first Thrifty Mom Christmas Bow & Tutu giveaway!A $35+ value! The perfect Christmas gift! Or before Christmas photo shoot!
Go HERE to enter the giveaway!