How I Use A Printable Grocery List To Save Money

I love the free The Ultimatest Grocery List because it saves me money! It even has a vegetarian version!

Here is how:
-Saves time getting you in and out of store reducing impulse purchases which saves money.
-Saves time by just checking what you need, no long lists to write out.

-No duplicate items purchased that you already have on hand, saves money.
-No return trips for forgotten items saving you gas.
-Menu planning and a grocery list based on what's on sale and what you already have on hand, matched up with available coupons really saves a lot!
-Menu plannning for a week (or more) will help you use purchased ingredients up before they expire.
-Menu planning will save on unplanned dining out.

I keep copies in my household management planner. As I'm going about my day and discover something I'm low on or need, it's right there and I tic it.

Do you use a printable grocery list?  A handwritten list? Do you find your meal planning goes smoother and you don't spend as much money when you have a list?

New 2011 Household Management Planner Printables

It's the first of the year and time to update your household management planner.  If you don't have a household planner, now is the PERFECT time to start one.  It will keep you organized and save you money! 

I always like to change mine up every year.  Having a new cover and design for the year is uplifting and inspiring for me.

The one I chose this year is Erin from Frugal Living.  Her new printables are wonderful. 

Here's a peek at the Budget worksheet.  Very well organized and has enough room to actually write figures in!

There are several different meal planning worksheets including this 4 week monthly. My goal is to get to where I am planning a month at a time instead of a week at a time.

My 2 favorites are the When to Buy What Calendar and Foraging calendar.

I have a list of "when to buy what's" but never took the time to put them on my calendar.  I just had it stuck in my planner.  Now it's all on a calendar where it's easy to glance at.  Erin has done the work for us! Thanks Erin!

I've been learning more about foraging but the most important thing to know is exactly when each plant is in season. Erin has put this on a calendar also.  It will be interesting seeing if her timeline is the same, ahead or behind me due to geographical differences.  For the January & February foraging calendar she has nothing.  If you know of something that can be foraged in these months, let me know so I can add it to my calendar!

Have you updated your household management planner for this year yet?  Have you found any new exciting printable tools that you will be using this year?  If so, you know I love new printables, so be sure to share with me!

No Lard - No Shortening Flour Tortilla Shells

It's easy to make your own flour tortillas! And this recipe uses no lard or shortening! It makes the best tortillas I've tried to make.

Texas Flour Tortillas

Ingredients:
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
3/4 cups of warm milk

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
Stir in oil.
Slowly add warm milk.
Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.

Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft.
Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes and let rest.

Divide into eight sections, rolling them into balls. Place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and cover with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes.

One at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. Don’t over work the dough, or it’ll be stiff.
Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.

In a dry iron skillet or griddle, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done.

Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat.

Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, on griddle or in the oven wrapped in foil.

Store in the fridge tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so.

Makes eight tortillas.

If you would like more insight on this recipe, visit Home Sick Texan.

A Special Bird Watching Photo Session

When I woke up Monday morning there were so many birds at my feeders. I really enjoy sitting and watching them first thing in the morning, while drinking my morning pick me up.

I took a few shots to share. They look foggy/cloudy because of our double paned windows being a little fogged up so bear with me.

He is eyeing the prize!

Coming in for a not so graceful landing! lol

"I made it!"

"Whatch you lookin' at?"

"Looks like dinner to me!"

Sell or Exchange those Unwanted Gift Cards

Don't let those unwanted gift cards you received over the holidays go to waste!

Plastic Jungle is the web's largest secured gift card exchange, accepting over 400 brands!

Plastic Jungle has the best payout rate, up to 92% cash and 5% more if you select an Amazon.com Gift Card

•Swap gift cards for CASH - via check or PayPal.
•Turn gift cards into Amazon.com Gift Cards.
•Exchange gift cards for Facebook Credits.
•Trade gift cards for Gamepoints - a virtual currency you can use on hundreds of social games.
•Even donate gift cards to your favorite charity!

You can also buy gift cards at a discount of 30% OFF!

It's quick and easy. Be sure to check them out.

Bacon Cheeseburger Rollup

1 lb. hamburger
4 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 lb. VELVEETA Cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pkg. refrigerated pizza crust

HEAT oven to 400°F.

BROWN ground beef with bacon and onion in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Return meat mixture to skillet. Add VELVEETA; cook 5 min. or until melted, stirring frequently. Cool 10 min.

UNROLL dough onto baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Press into 15x8-inch rectangle; (at this point I like to sprinkle a little garlic powder on pizza dough to give it some flavor) top with meat mixture. Roll up, starting at one long side. Rearrange if necessary so roll is seam-side down.

BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until golden brown. -recipe courtesy of Kraft Foods

The grandchildren loved this and dipped it in ketchup! 

For some other great recipes, be sure to visit

Stylish Blogger Award Received

I've received a wonderful blog award from Sara at Scrap Sassy Silly. Be sure to visit her and tell her I sent ya!  She passed on the Stylish Blogger Award.  I feel so loved and special! Thanks Sara.

I love this type of award because it spotlights some of your newest blog finds that you are loving! This is the chance to share some of my new finds with you all!

There are 4 requirements in accepting this award:
1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

7 Things About Myself:

1. I love chocolate!
2. Scrabble and Yahtzee are my favorite games.
3. I couldn't live without my laptop (with internet service) but could throw my cell phone away at any time.
4. I enjoy vegetable and flower gardening.
5. I don't drink coffee.
6. I live in a small town of 900 people, we have no grocery store or Walmart.
7. I love to cook and bake.

15 New Blogs I Enjoy!

1. Lynne of The Sewing Mom
2. Small Town Mommy
3. Kitchen Retro
4. Confessions of a Psychotic Housewife
5. Mary of Tips and Treasures
6. Marilyn's Money
7. Cheryl of Swap Savers
8. Shellie of Saving with Shellie

9. Kristi of Frugally Thrifty
10. Colorado Girl
11. Maria of Bubblegum and Duct Tape

12. Jill of Blessings of A Stay At Home Mom

That's some fairly new sites that I've been trying to visit frequently, but I don't have time to read all/many everyday! lol

I hope you will visit the sites above and you will like them as much as I do.

What I've Been Up to...

The Sunday after Christmas I was feeling very down. Two very important people in my life wasn't here for our family Christmas celebrations, my oldest sister and my grandson.

My son had been very upeset all day Friday and Saturday because the mother of his son had decided he wouldn't be getting him this year like we thought. She has moved to Oklahoma and married.

That Sunday morning I decided if she wouldn't bring him up here I would call and see if she would let me go get him and surprise my son. An online friend has taught me "The answer is always no if you don't ask".

She said YES! It's a 630 mile round trip. ugghhhh But it was sooooo worth it. I had him all week (and my son, his wife and my three stepdaughters) until yesterday with the exception of Wednesday thru Thursday when him, his daddy and stepmom went to their house to get the girls ready and packed to go to their dad's house for the weekend.

Can I just say I am pooped! lol But we had a wonderful special time with him.

Yesterday I was trying to clean up after lunch and my dishwasher element burnt up. Thank goodness we were home and smelled it before it caught the whole thing on fire and my home.

Then last night at around midnight we lost our water. There was a big main water break and the water finally was restored at 5pm tonight.

So although I have no dishwasher, I had no water either!

The whole dishwasher thing has my head spinning. I even bought a one month subscription to Consumer Reports to see what they said. The dishwasher they chose for best performance for the money has sooooo many negative reviews on it. The one dishwasher I picked out at Sears today has soooo many negative reviews.

What dishwasher do you all recommend? I do not want to spend over $450. I will be able to get a rebate from my electrical company as long as it is energy star rated. So tell me your thoughts.

Quick & Easy Mocktails & Appetizers: New Year's Party Food

What's your New Years Eve plans?

Hubby and I do not go out on New Years Eve. Normally he has to work the next day and I don't like to be out on the road with people who do not practice having designated drivers. There has been too many close calls for us and I've seen too many bad accidents.

This year my son, daughter in law, and their 4 children will be here to spend the night. Having a New Years Eve Party with children has always been my favorite type of New Years Eve Party. The kids LOVE it!

Here are some of my favorite appetizer and mocktail recipes for that last minute impromptu party, whether you have children included or just adults.

The best part... NO COOKING REQUIRED for these appetizers!

This Mocktail is what I will be serving the children; it's a classic and so fun! They love to watch me prepare their drink, and love drinking from my good stemware.

Appletini
2 oz apple juice
1/2 ounce of simple syrup
1/4 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice

Place all in cocktail shaker and shake well.
Rim a martini glass with sugar,
Strain cocktail into glass.
Using a tiny star cookie cutter cut out apple slices to float.

Mock Champagne Punch
Mix equal amounts of white grape juice and giner ale. Drop in frozen red and green grapes.
I'm using red sparkling grape juice and 7-up.

For some great adult cookie cocktails, let Betty Crocker lend a hand! Snickerdoodle, Coconut Macaroon & more.

Break out the fondu pot! This 3 Cheese is so easy and yummy.

A quick and easy appetizer is the Smoked Gouda Cheese Balls (scroll down a little). Stick a lollipop stick (or fancy toothpick)  in each to make it easy for guests to eat.

or try these Lollipop Goat Cheese Balls.

1 cup goat cheese
½ cup toasted pistachios
¼ cup golden raisins
12 lollipop sticks for presentation

Finely chop pistachios and golden raisins together. Roll goat cheese into 1" balls and then roll into nut/raisin mixture. Insert lollipop stick.
This recipe was styled by chef Karen Pickus for Good Morning America


And don't forget your tablescape.  Here's my favorite.  I love clocks and this will be fun for the kiddos if I can round up enough. 

The tablescape was featured in Taste of Home.

How will you be celebrating New Years?