Target and Wally World Shopping

I was planning on buying a new vaccuum. So when Target had a good one on sale with a $20 gift card I bought it.



Then I did the Cereal Deal. 5 boxes for $11, get a $5 gift card back. Also used 3 coupons for the mustard and soy sauce making them really cheap.


They had Hamburger, Tuna and Chicken Helpers on clearance for $1.27 a box. Scooped up 8 boxes, used 4 $1 off 2 coupons.



Target coupon used here was the buy 3 Johnson products receive $5 off. A small money maker. The cake mixes were on sale for .99 and I used two .50 off coupons.



More Free Johnson Buddy Bars, Bandaids and Cheap Toilet Paper. Used the buy 5 Johnson products get $5 off Target coupon. The Toilet paper was on sale for $3.99 minus the 2 $1 off coupons. Boy wonder can rest soundly tonite! lol



5 Free Cat Food bags with coupons. Saved over $11. YEAH!! My ferral kitties love this stuff.



Wally World
FREE Johnson Buddies, Ky Lube, Meow Mix cat food with coupons. Final cost was $1.20 for the pouch food I didnt have coupons for.


I need to use the rest of my Ky coupons. HEY! You can use Ky for a lot of things. lol. Just google it if you dont believe me!

FREE RE-USABLE SHOPPING BAG

Lookie what I got in the mail today!



Yep, the Purple Earthbound Farm Organic Shopping bag came today. I love purple.

This weeks Cherry Pickins

12 VanCamps Pork & Beans sale price 3/$1 used 3 .50/4 coupons = $2.50
4 Hamburger Helper sale price 2/$1 used 2 $1/2 coupons = $2.00
Used 2 FREE Kraft Cheese slices when you Buy 3 Kraft, Oscar Mayer, etc coupons and 2 $1 off 3 Kraft cheese coupons for this: 2 8oz Kraft Shredded Cheese 2/$4, 2 8oz Kraft cheddar block cheese 2/$4, 4 Kraft 16 slice American cheese 2/$4, Final cost for all 8 packages of cheese= $10.00 or $1.25 per pack!!!
I also bought 1 package of Oscar Mayer Bologna .99 and 1 Kraft Snack Pudding .89 to finish of the deal. Although I'm sure the coupons would have went through with out these two items, but we needed them anyway.
Final oop $16.38 on $34.04 worth of groceries. That's a savings of 52% living in the land of no doubles or triples!




2 colgate total advance toothpaste $6.40-$4 coupons=$2.40 out of pocket BUT recvd $4 ECB back!! I made money on this one. Final Price -$1.60. I have two more of those $2 off coupons also (found them at my dentist office). Hopefully they will get more of those toothpaste in.

aussie shampoo $2.99, no manuf coupon BUT recvd $2 ECB back. Final price for my FAVORITE shampoo was .99!!

Oral B Indicator Toothbrush $4.99, couldnt use buy 2 get 1 free coupon, they only had one package of toothbrushes left!! BUT recvd $2 ECB back on my FAVORITE toothbrush and now I have two of them. The boys can have those Colgate toothbrushes, I'll keep my Oral B's. Final price for them is $2.99 for two.

4 Maybelline great lash mascara, BOGO FREE, $9.58 minus 2 $1 off coupons, final price was $7.58 for 4 tubes of my FAVORITE mascara!

My total was $18.78, I paid $16.98 in ecb's, $1.80 OOP and recvd $8 back in ecb's. Not bad.

We have nothing to eat!

How many times have you went to your pantry, opened it up, seen a mish mosh of stuff and thought, "We have nothing to eat!"? I've done it plenty of times. I've wondered how I could end up with one can of black olives, 12 cans of pork and beans, a bag of macaroni, ..... ok you get the picture. And you stand there thinking "I bet if I had a chef they could whip something up real quick out of this".

Well now you can whip up that quick meal yourself. Go check out SUPERCOOK. It's great. I love it! I have a tendency to get stuck in a rut when it comes to cooking. All I have to do is go over to SUPERCOOK, enter a few things hanging out in my pantry and it will bring up several recipes using these ingredients.

How easy is that? It's free, quick and painless sign up, go check it out.

Quick Baked Hamburger Casserole

Here's another quick, easy and frugal hamburger dinner.

Baked Hamburger Casserole

1lb hamburger
1 can French Cut Green Beans
2-3 potatoes
1 can Cream of Mushroom, Chicken or Celery Soup

Place 1lb. hamburger meat fried and drained in the bottom of casserole dish, layer drained french cut green beans, thinly slice 2-3 white potatoes in a single layer on top, spread 1 can of your choice cream of chicken, celery, or mushroom soup over top. Season with salt and/or pepper and cover. Bake at 350 for one hour.

LE2

Stocking a Frugal Pantry

The most important thing for cooking frugally is keeping a well stocked pantry. Look at your pantry as more than storage, look at it as your very own mini store. It should be well stocked with a supply of basic ingredients and a few of your favorite convenience foods.

The way to stocking a pantry the frugal way: Buy when it’s on sale! Buy enough to keep you in stock until the sale cycles again. Doing so, you will never pay full price again. When it’s on sale, use coupons also making that low price rock bottom! Everyone’s pantry will vary, but here’s what I keep on hand all the time. I plan meals around what I have in the pantry and freezer. I buy what is on sale to keep my pantry well stocked.

Baking Supplies: baking powder · baking soda · yeast · cocoa · salt · cornstarch · vinegar · food coloring · eggs
Beverages tea· hot chocolate· coffee· lemonaid· kool-aide· frozen juice
Breads wheat bread · white bread · saltines · graham crackers · croutons (myo)
Cheese Cheddar · mozzarella · American · parmesan · swiss
Cereals I refuse to pay more than $1.00 a box. Four of the six boxes in my pantry have been FREE!
Condiments jelly · catsup · mayonnaise · mustard · salsa (myo)· pickles/relish · salad dressings I make our BBQ sauce and salsa.
Fruits: Canned peaches · pineapple Fresh: apples · oranges· bananas · other fruit is bought in season Frozen: strawberries· bananas
Fats vegetable oil · olive oil · shortening · margarine · cooking spray
Grains: white flour · oatmeal · cornmeal · white rice · popcorn
Meats: chicken (whole and parts) · ground beef · ground turkey · pork chops · sausage (patties, links, 1lb rolls)· ham · bacon · roasts (beef and pork) (I pay $1.89 per pound for meat or less excluding steaks)
Juices: lime · lemon
Seasonings and Flavorings: Salts (sea salt, iodized, kosher)· Peppers (black ground, peppercorns)· bouillon (both beef and chicken)· Worcestershire sauce· Soy sauce· Canned broths (both beef and chicken)· Red hot sauce· Vinegar· Dry brown gravy mix·
Other spices and herbs
Milk: dry milk · whole milk · evaporated milk · sweet condensed milk
Pasta: pre-packaged macaroni and cheese · spaghetti · macaroni · ziti
Vegetables: onions · potatoes · instant mashed potatoes · carrots · frozen broccoli · canned green beans · canned and frozen corn · red, yellow, oranger peppers · mushrooms (canned and fresh)
Sweetners: white sugar · brown sugar · powdered sugar · honey · corn syrup · pancake syrup (myo)
Miscellaneous Canned Goods: tomatoes (sauce, paste, diced) · Jarred Spagetti sauces · soups (tomato, cream of mushroom, chicken and celery) · ramen noodles · pork and beans · chili beans· pumpkin · peanut butter

Freezing Eggs

With the rising cost of everything it is a must to buy your food when it's on sale. But some things you can use only so fast. That makes me research how to store food for long term. Although I dont buy eggs, my hens provide me with more than enough. I have found that a regular customer of mine has moved. He usually bought 8 dozens of eggs a month. So you guessed it, my refrig is over flowing with eggs at this peak laying time. During the winter the hens will slow down. Last winter I bought a dozen eggs for the first time in three years. I couldnt believe how much they had gone up! Well this winter I will be more prepared. Here's what I found on freezing eggs.

Do not freeze in the shell. Only freeze clean, fresh eggs.

WHITES: Break and separate the eggs, one at a time, making sure that no yolk gets in the whites. Pour them into freezer containers, seal tightly, label with the number of egg whites and the date, and freeze. For faster thawing and easier measuring, first freeze each white in an ice cube tray and then transfer to a freezer container.
YOLKS: Egg yolks require special treatment. The gelation property of yolk causes it to thicken or gel when frozen. If frozen as is, egg yolk will eventually become so gelatinous it will be almost impossible to use in a recipe. To help retard this gelation, beat in either 1/8 teaspoon salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar or corn syrup per 1/4 cup egg yolks (4 yolks). Label the container with the number of yolks, the date, and whether you've added salt (for main dishes) or sweetener (for baking or desserts).
WHOLE EGGS: Beat just until blended, pour into freezer containers. seal tightly, label with the number of eggs and the date, and freeze.
HARD-COOKED: Hard-cooked yolks can be frozen to use later for toppings or garnishes. Carefully place the yolks in a single layer in a saucepan and add enough water to come at least I inch above the yolks. Cover and quickly bring just to boiling. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, in the hot water about 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain well and package for freezing.
Hard-cooked whole eggs and whites become tough and watery when frozen, so don't freeze them.
To use frozen eggs... Thaw frozen eggs overnight in the refrigerator or under running cold water. Use yolks or whole eggs as soon as they're thawed. Once thawed, whites will beat to better volume if allowed to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Substitute 2 tablespoons thawed egg white for 1 Large fresh white.
Substitute 1 tablespoon thawed egg yolk for 1 Large fresh yolk.
Substitute 3 tablespoons thawed whole egg for 1 Large fresh egg.
Use thawed frozen eggs only in dishes that are thoroughly cooked.

FREE Reusable Bag Give Away at Hyvee Today

When I got the paper Monday I seen that Hy-Vee was giving away a FREE reusable shopping bag. They also had my hubbies beloved Michelina's on sale for .88 and $1.25each depending upon which type. With Hy-Vee being a 30 minute drive one way it was not worth driving there to get the bag when I could have Wal-Mart price match the frozen dinners.

I learned today I would have to drive into the city to meet with our mortgage lender to get some papers signed and took the opportunity to cherry pick and pick up a free bag.

I used $3.40 in coupons my coupon buddies sent me on 10 of the .88 each and 6 of the $1.25 dinners. My final out of pocket was $13.42 making them .84 each. Now the freezer is stuffed with lunches for hubby.



And here's the FREE reusable bag I recvd for my purchase. I love that it's blue and says "I'm Green". lol

Beef & Rice Skillet Casserole

We love this easy, quick, frugal skillet dinner!

Beef & Rice Skillet Casserole

1 lb ground beef or ground turkey(browned and drained)
2 envelopes brown gravy mix
Water (as needed on gravy mix package)
1 c. rice (cooked per package directions)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In skillet add gravy mix with required water (per envelope). Whip till smooth, add ground beef. Stir over medium heat till thickened. Add cooked rice. Stir together, add salt and pepper to taste.

Changing it up: 1) Stir in a cooked vegetables: peas, carrots, broccoli or mushrooms. Add some soy sauce. 2) Use cooked egg noodles instead of rice.

LE3
LE4

Happy Father's Day

The buzz is that mom's all over are fixing the Pioneer Womans' Best Chocolate Cake Ever for Father's Day.

While that chocolate cake is THE BEST chocolate cake you will ever make and eat.... it is nothing new around my home. The exact same recipe has been handed down through my husband's family for three generations. Although my hubby is the biggest chocoholic I have ever met and he loves the cake, he doesn't get overly excited about it anymore.

So today, I have decided instead of heating up my house baking this cake, I will try the Easy Peanut Butter & Chocolate Eclair Dessert from the Kraft Food & Family Spring magazine. The love of chocolate, graham crackers, peanut butter, and pudding mixed together in this delectable dessert will get my hubby excited for sure!

Organic Bug Spray

What's buggin you?

It's that time of year to be prepared to take on the pests that will want to invade your garden. Here is an organic, earth friendly spray to brew up yourself and have on hand.

Organic Bug Spray

1 unpeeled onion
1 unpeeled head of garlic
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
3 pints water

1. Chop onion and garlic and combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer 20 minutes.
2. Cool, add 1 tablespoon of dish soap and store in a jar in the refrigerator for 6 weeks. (edited: This can be used after it cools, throw out any solution left after 6weeks and make a new batch)

To use: Strain soulution and place in a spray bottle to mist plants.

Red pepper spray is a good general insect spray and is effective against caterpillars.

No Till Gardening

Garden Progress

I've been working on converting my traditional garden to a "no till" garden.
The philosophy behind a no till garden is that when you do not disturb the soil, but set up planting beds, permanent pathways, layer amendments on top of the soil and mulch heavily there is no need to till. The area you plant in is not disturb, therefore there is no compacting or weed seeds brought to the top, saving you lots of time and work.

What I decided to use was newspaper under a rich compost for my planting beds and cardboard under a thick layer of wood mulch for my paths. This plan allows closer planting of plants, no tilling or hoeing will be needed. Weeding will be minimal. Did I say that already? :)

Here's a picture of how far I've gotten. As you can see I'm still not done. When I'm done you wont see the edges of the cardboard. See that big pile of compost. My hubby was able to get that for me for FREE. I love FREE!


I have four beds with mulch paths around them established. I used 6-8 layers of newspaper. You are supposed to wet the newspaper first, but my garden area was already sopping wet, so I didnt. Which brings up another reason I decided to do this. You are able to plant in a no till garden much earlier. The reason being is that with no need to till you dont have to wait until it dries out. My garden has not dried out enough this year to till properly. It is on a slope and gets great drainage.

I've fought waiting till it is dry, then tilling, then weeding after the plants were in for three years now and I'm done with that plan. I'm excited to see how this works. They say the second year is even better than your first year as far as production. The second year and thereafter I will only need to add a couple of inches of compost to the planting beds as well as a couple of inches of mulch to the paths.

In my four beds I have 8 tomato plants, 4 hot pepper plants, 12 bell pepper plants, 1cucumber, and one cantaloupe. I will be planting bush beans and carrots here in the next couple of days.

I'll track my progress this year and blog it here for you to follow.

Sour Milk Pancakes

I'm always trying to figure out how to use everything and to cut down on being so wasteful. A friend on the Grocery Challenge board, Precious, shared this recipe that she found on recipezaar uses milk that has soured. I have been doing really good not letting milk go to waste. Back in the day, it was nothing for me to pour over a half a gallon of milk down the drain. Now when I see it's at that stage when the boys refuse to drink it, I use it in Hamburger helper, mashed potatoes, and now I can use it in for pancakes! Thanks Precious for the tip and recipe. Be sure to visit her blog, Frugal Makes Cents.
Ingredients
2 cups milk, sour
2-3 egg
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Beat all ingredient together until well mixed.
Don't forget to make your syrup home-made also!

Home-Made Quick Frugal Brown Sugar Pancake Syrup

Brown-Sugar Pancake Syrup

½ cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
Pinch of salt

Bring all ingredients to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, and let syrup sit three to five minutes before serving.

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for about a month. This syrup is delicious served warm, room temperature, or cool.

FREE Reusable Shopping Bag

The Green Bag Lady is offering one FREE reusable shopping bag to anyone who promises to use instead of paper or plastic. Here's her mission statement from her blog:

I am an artist. I make bags. I will give you a FREE handmade fabric bag if you promise to use it instead of paper or plastic. Each bag has a number in it, I will record your name, city and bag number on this site. The hope is to document the use of these bags all over Nashville and eventually the world. Send me your pictures, your stories, and your extra fabric. Let's start a revolution. . .one bag at a time!

Would you like a free bag?
Send me your address. Limit one per person, thanks!

There is no obligation except the promise that you will use it instead of paper or plastic!

teresa@vanhatten.com

I will fulfill requests if possible (e.g. favorite color, likes stripes, flowers, etc.). I use all different kinds of fabric. FYI, if you are requesting a bag to be mailed, the fabric will be lightweight (but still durable) to keep shipping costs to a minimum.

Maybe you can be the first to request a bag from the Green Bag Lady for your state!

FREE CVS Shopping

2 listerine smart rinses- 3.49 each
2 CVS sheer bandages- 1.99 each
2 Chex Mix- 1.00 each
1 4x6 Index Cards- 1.19

2 $1.00 off coupon for smart rinse
2 $1.00 off coupon for Chex Mix
9.00 in ECBs

Total OOP: 1.45! I earned 10.96 in ECBs back. I got everything for FREE except the index cards....Can you say, CVS!

Fuel Tank Fire Burns Over 1 Million Gallons of Fuel

A lightning strike ignited a petroleum tank in Kansas City, Kan., sparking flames and billowing smoke that could be seen for miles.

The fire started about 7:30 p.m., Tuesday evening and continues to burn.

Magellan’s Kansas City, Kan., terminal handles commercial jet fuel, ethanol, diesel and various other types of fuel oil, according to the Magellan Midstream Partners LP Web site. This tank contained unleaded gasoline, according to a Magellan spokesman.

Some officials say it will have no impact on the price of gas in the metro area. We can only wait and see.

The facility is one of about 50 Magellan terminals that connect petroleum products pipelines throughout the Midwest, according to the company’s Web site.

As the fire burned in Kansa City, Kan., thunderstorms brought hail and flash-flooding to other areas throughout the metropolitan area.

FREE Aromatherapy Shampoo

Try some Meditasto Aromatherapy Shampoo FREE!

FREE Teddy Graham Trail Mix

I love Teddy Grahams! Looks like that have a new product coming out called Teddy Graham Trail Mix.

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