Friday, December 17, 2010

Food Waste Friday

I've been participating in Food Waste Friday with The Frugal Girl for a while now; I go through our fridge (and freezer) on Friday and toss anything that has gone bad. I also take a look at what needs to be used up so that it does not go bad and try to work that into our meals over the next few days. This has really helped us to throw out less food (and so we're actually buying less because we're using what we've already bought!).




I thought I wasn't going to have any food waste this week, but I totally forgot about this half loaf of french bread. Honestly, I don't even remember when I made it! As you can see, it is now sporting some blue/green mold spots!

How was your food waste this week? Be sure to check out the Frugal Girl too!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Thrifty Wrapping

I've started wrapping Christmas presents this week, and am so thankful that I am well prepared and will not have to run out for anything. Last year after Christmas I stocked up on wrapping paper and some fun chinese take-out style containers for 75%  off. That was the first week of January. By the next week, Rite Aid (and many other stores) had Christmas items at 90% off. There were tons of rolls of wrapping paper priced at 20 cents a roll! This year I am planning to wait for the 90% discounts to do my stocking up.

When I pulled out our box of Christmas decorations I found a pile of gift tags on top. These were cut from the Christmas cards we received last year and I'm so glad I took the time to cut them up when we packed away our decorations as well as putting them somewhere easy to find!


Do you re-purpose Christmas cards for gift tags too? What are you looking to find on clearance after Christmas?

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Christmas Baking Favorites

I have really been neglecting posting in December -- we have been so busy! I am having a ton of fun baking with my almost 2-year-old daughter, so I thought I would share some of the delicious recipes that we have been making.

Last year I posted our recipe for Candy Cane cookies. These are a favorite for our whole family!


I also posted about Molasses Sugar cookies last year. These bring back wonderful memories of my grandfather, who loved molasses. These are great cookies that are super chewie!


My dad's favorite Christmas cookie is Chocolate Crinkles. I have been meaning to give step by step instructions, but to save on time, I'll just post the recipe!

4 squares (4oz) unsweetened chocolate (I use Baker's)
1/2 cup shortening
3 beaten eggs
2 cups sugar
2 teasp. baking powder
2 teasp. vanilla
1/4 teasp. salt
2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar

Place chocolate and shortening in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool 15 minutes. Combine eggs, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add chocolate mixture and combine (I use my Kitchen Aid for all the mixing!). Gradually add flour, stirring until thoroughly combined. Cover (I wrap my dough in wax paper for this; it will keep overnight too); chill 2 hours or until easy to handle. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar. Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes until edges are just set. Transfer to rack to cool. This dough gets really sticky when it warms up, so it is important to work quickly.


Another fun cookie is Gingerbread Cutouts. I know there are tons of recipes out there, but I love this one. Gingerbread cookies smell so amazing!

1/2 cup shortening
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsulfered molasses
1 egg
1 Tablesp. vinegar
1 teasp. baking powder
1 teasp. ground ginger
1/2 teasp. baking soda
1/2 teasp. cinnamon
1/2 teasp. ground cloves

Beat shortening with mixer on medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Add about half the flour, plus sugar, molasses, egg, vinegar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat until thoroughly combined. Beat in remaining flour. Divide dough in half; cover and chill 3 hours. To make cutouts roll each half of dough to be 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick. Cut with desired cutters. Place 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet and decorate with sprinkles, etc. Bake at 375 degrees about 6 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute, then remove to wire rack. Makes 36-48.


A new recipe that I tried for the first time this year is for Candy Cane Biscotti. The recipe is courtesy of Annie's Eats. This biscotti is so great and very versatile...they pair perfectly with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Food Waste Friday

I've been participating in Food Waste Friday with The Frugal Girl for a while now; I go through our fridge (and freezer) on Friday and toss anything that has gone bad. I also take a look at what needs to be used up so that it does not go bad and try to work that into our meals over the next few days. This has really helped us to throw out less food (and so we're actually buying less because we're using what we've already bought!).

 
A good week! We ate up our leftovers from last week, and have some new ones waiting to be eaten this weekend. I feel like I've gotten back into a good meal planning/cooking rythem since my son was born, and it is showing in the lack of food waste!

Edit: I just discovered two moldy bagels...boo. Next week!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Photo card deal from SeeHere!


Here is a great deal on photo cards for Christmas! SeeHere is offering 60 free flat photo cards, size 4x8. Shipping is just $4.90! I did my photo cards through SeeHere last year, and we were so happy with the way they turned out. The cards arrived very quickly last year, so you should have plenty of time to get them in the mail before Christmas!

To get your free cards, enter the code 50cards at checkout. You must buy exactly 60 cards for the code to work. Get started at SeeHere!

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Food Waste Friday

I've been participating in Food Waste Friday with The Frugal Girl for a while now; I go through our fridge (and freezer) on Friday and toss anything that has gone bad. I also take a look at what needs to be used up so that it does not go bad and try to work that into our meals over the next few days. This has really helped us to throw out less food (and so we're actually buying less because we're using what we've already bought!).



This week's casualties were fairly limited -- a very mushy and fuzzy cucumber and a little serving of a fruity dessert that was looking like a science experiment.


We have leftovers in the fridge that will get used up this weekend, so I'm shooting for a no waste week next week!

Amazon is still running lightning deals, so if you are looking to do some online shopping, that would be a great place to start.

You can still stock up on Yardley soap through Saturday at Walgreens for just 69 cents a bar. This is a great deal, and perfect for homemade laundry detergent!

My husband and I had a blast using our free movie tickets last night! Be on the look out for specially marked cereal boxes for tickets of your own!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Free Movie Tickets!

Going to the movie theater is so expensive...wouldn't you like to go for free? Select boxes of General Mills cereal have codes that will earn you a free movie ticket!


Before Thanksgiving I was able to stock up on 4 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios for $6. The 4 boxes also means that we earned 2 free movie tickets!


The rest of the process was easy too! Following the directions on the box, we entered our codes online and printed out our certificates for a free ticket. The tickets are valid at many different theaters, but if you would like to check for a participating theater before purchasing the cereal, visit the Movie Cash site. The tickets have a value up to $12.

I bought my cereal at Acme, but I'm sure it is available at other stores also. The movie ticket codes were also on the large size boxes.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Stocking Up This Week: Yardley Soap


The bar soap I use for my homemade laundry detergent is on sale this week at Walgreens for $.69 a bar! There is a coupon in the circular that will allow you to get up to 3 bars at this great price. You can regularly get Yardley soap for $1 a bar at Dollar Tree, but at this price 3 bars will only cost you $2.07.

I'm planning to get 3 and then make a "triple batch" of laundry detergent. I put my detergent in an old mayo container and then I have enough to last me a good 2-3 months!

Monday, November 29, 2010

Cyber Monday Deals

Did you shop on Black Friday? I am not a Black Friday shopper, mostly because the Friday after Thanksgiving has always been a time for visiting with family, and with my sisters spread down the east coast, we took the time to hang out at home instead of at a store!

There are a ton of Cyber Monday deals out there, and I am most excited about the Lightning Deals on Amazon.

Amazon reveals new products at discount prices in limited quantities, and many of the great sales sell out in the first 5 minutes. I'm a huge believer that the best deal is not the most heavily discounted item, but the item that is on your list for the price that is in your budget! Amazon does give a hint about many of the upcoming lightning deals, and some of the bigger ticket items have more information (like a 3rd generation iPod touch for under $300).

Having a membership to Amazon Prime (free 2-day shipping with no minimum order) can be a big help in deciding to take advantage of lightning deals under $25 because shipping could make the sale price inconsequential. You can get a free membership to Amazon Prime by joining Amazon Mom!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Shutterfly Christmas Photo Cards


Just a few more days until Thanksgiving! I am excited to get to spend the time with lots of family. The end of November also means that Christmas is right around the corner.

Shutterfly is running a promotion where bloggers can get 50 free photo cards in exchange for a review. This past weekend we took some family pictures to put on our Christmas cards, and I am so excited to start picking out some special cards. Shutterfly has tons of great options, and I was able to pick a favorite quickly...I actually may end up with 2 or 3 favorite cards! You really should check out the options for square cards as well. They are a nice modern twist on the traditional Christmas card. I'm a big fan of this Merry Christmas square card.

I have used Shutterfly many times in the past to make photo cards, and I've always been impressed with how simple and easy the process is on their site. The quality of the photo cards is great too. Not only is the turnaround time quick before they come in the mail, but I think they always come out better than they looked online. Our families have enjoyed being the recipients of these special cards too.

If you are a blogger and interested in getting 50 free cards as well, just fill out this form!

Disclosure: Shutterfly provided me with 50 free photo cards in exchange for a review of their 2010 photo card products. All opinions are my own.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Food Waste Friday

I've been participating in Food Waste Friday with The Frugal Girl for a while now; I go through our fridge (and freezer) on Friday and toss anything that has gone bad. I also take a look at what needs to be used up so that it does not go bad and try to work that into our meals over the next few days. This has really helped us to throw out less food (and so we're actually buying less because we're using what we've already bought!).



It was a rough week for our food waste...I've got part of a cheese block, some sliced cheese, a bit of bagged lettuce, and a few grapes. My husband and daughter got hit by a nasty stomach bug this week, and though I escaped most of the effects, I did not do much cooking beyond noodle soup, rice, and breakfast foods. The good thing is that the fridge is pretty empty, so it should be easier to keep on top of the food waste this coming week!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Thrifty Dining Out

Last week my husband and I enjoyed dinner out at Olive Garden for $8! How did we manage this? With a gift card earned through online surveys and a coupon from the Sunday paper!


I recently cashed out points from My Survey for a $25 gift card to Olive Garden. My Survey is one of the three survey companies that I've been able to keep up with during this busy season of life. I like that I do not "screen out" of any surveys, and that most of them are less than 5 minutes long. I also like that my husband can be registered through my account, and will occasionally be sent surveys as well.  The only downside that I see to My Survey is that since most surveys are short, the compensation for them is usually small also. I qualify for a few larger surveys, and those are what help build my point total more quickly.

If you want to sign up through my referral for My Survey, just click here!

Monday, November 15, 2010

Sunday Paper Goodies



Do you subscribe to the Sunday paper? I love that my coupons are delivered to my house every week, which saves me a trip to the store to grab the paper. (If you don't want a subscription, most Dollar Tree stores sell the Sunday paper for just $1)

The Delaware News Journal is running a promotion through the end of January where you can get the Sunday paper delivered for $1 a week, plus a $10 gift card to Wawa! You must pay via "easy pay" which bills you all at once for the year, and the offer is only valid for households that have not subscribed in the past 30 days. Previously this offer has only run for a month, which meant there was not enough time to cancel a subscription at a more expensive rate and then re-subscribe, but this time you have over 2 months, so I think that would work. For more information go to the News Journal or call 1-800-801-3322 (promo code: X-FS).

Check the back page of the USA Weekly magazine that comes in the Sunday paper for a coupon for two free 5x7 HP photo greeting cards at the HP Kiosk (located at Walmart). I have not used the HP photo Kiosk yet, but I plan to now. There are also more coupons available on their website.

This week's edition of the News Journal also had the reader's choice awards for the best businesses in Delaware. Many of the businesses that were voted best offered coupons also, so it is worth a quick flip through that special section of the paper.

Did you see any other goodies in the Sunday paper this week? Feel free to share them with us!

Fiber One giveaway winner!

Congratulations to Maura, commenter number 3 (chosen via random.org) who said her family would like to try the Chocolate Mocha granola bars!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Friday, November 12, 2010

Food Waste Friday

I've been participating in Food Waste Friday with The Frugal Girl for a while now; I go through our fridge (and freezer) on Friday and toss anything that has gone bad. I also take a look at what needs to be used up so that it does not go bad and try to work that into our meals over the next few days. This has really helped us to throw out less food (and so we're actually buying less because we're using what we've already bought!).


The only thing that I tossed today was some ricotta cheese. I had a huge tub from Costco that I used to make lasagna and some crockpot ziti, but I never made time to put together the final lasagna. I did take a picture, but I'm not able to upload it to the blog right now for some reason.


Enjoy the weekend! And remember that today is the last day to enter to win a $25 gift card to Safeway and some great Fiber One products! AND you can get a free cup of coffee at Burger King during breakfast hours today -- happy Friday!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Free Photo Cards from Shutterfly


Shutterfly is offering a free 5x7 folded card or stationary card when you use the code CARD4U.

Are you on the Shutterfly email list? I received a promotional email from Shutterfly this week with a code for 5 free 5x7 cards. The code is unique to me, so you will need to check your email for your code!

Shipping is not free, but should be minimal. I've made these cards before and they are really simple and turn out wonderful!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti

One thing that I've been having a harder time finding time for with a newborn is baking! I really love to have homemade bread with dinner, my husband got addicted to my homemade scones (a pregnancy craving of mine), and we love many other homemade treats. Since it had been a few weeks since I'd baked, I had been sitting on this recipe from Annie's Eats, just waiting for the free time! The biscotti was really simple to make, with minimal hands-on time and great results!
(I ended up taking very few pictures because the process was so quick)

Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti
For the dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the topping:
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 large egg, lightly beaten
 
Preheat your oven to 325 so that it is ready to go. Mix the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl, then set aside. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer on medium for about 3 minutes.

Once the butter/sugar mixture is fluffy, add in the egg and egg yolk, allowing them to get mixed in well. Add the vanilla and allow to blend. Then, on low speed, add the flour mixture gradually. The directions said to use parchment paper on a baking sheet and form the dough there. I did not have parchment paper, so I just greased a baking sheet. I also formed the dough on my (greased) counter and then transferred it to the baking sheet. Form your dough into 2 logs about 9 inches long and 1 and 1/2 inches wide. Mine did not look pretty, but they still turned out great.

Brush the dough with the remaining egg, then top with cinnamon sugar. I ended up mixing the egg with the cinnamon sugar, and brushed that mixture on all at once, and it worked well, so I would probably do it that way again!

Bake for 40-45 minutes until the dough is firm to the touch. Allow the logs to cool enough to handle, then cut diagonally into pieces. I used a cutting board for this and then placed the pieces back on the baking sheet. I also brushed them with the egg-cinnamon sugar mixture again. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.

This was delicious still warm with a cup of hot chocolate, but has also been great with my morning coffee and with tea. Its basically like a crunchy, wonderful Snickerdoodle cookie!

Mmmmmm!
This would make a wonderful gift (think Christmas already!). I would put a few pieces in a little plastic bag with a cute ribbon and stick the bag in a cute mug with some coffee, tea, or hot chocolate for a cute and tasty gift!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Free Coffee Fridays at Burger King


Every Friday in November Burger King is offering a  FREE 12 oz cup of Seattle's Best coffee! The offer is valid only during breakfast, but no additional purchase is necessary!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Fiber One Review and Giveaway


I was recently given the opportunity to try some Fiber One products, provided to me from Fiber One via My Blog Spark. I received coupons for Fiber One cereal and Fiber One granola bars as well as a $25 gift card to Safeway. We went to the store and decided to try the Frosted Shredded Wheat cereal and the Chocolate Mocha chewy granola bars.

We tasted the Chocolate Mocha granola bars first, and they were amazing! Even my daughter (who is not yet 2) loved them, though she does have a thing for coffee :-) My husband and I have enjoyed the Fiber One Chocolate and Oats chewy bars in the past, but we both agreed that the Mocha was way better! The Fiber One Frosted Shredded Wheat cereal was similar to other shredded wheat cereals, though the pieces were thinner. I prefer this thinner size shredded wheat, but my husband said he didn't have a strong preference either way. Our daughter loved the cereal too.

As much as we loved the Chocolate Mocha granola bars, I will still make homemade granola bars the majority of the time for our family. My husband did suggest that I try a Mocha variation inspired by the Fiber One bars, so I plan to work on that soon!

Win it!

The folks at My Blog Spark have provided me with a prize pack to giveaway! One reader will win coupons for a free box of Fiber One cereal and a free box of Fiber One granola bars, as well as a $25 gift card to Safeway! To enter, leave a comment on this post letting me know which Fiber One product you would most like to try if you win. Fiber One cereals include Honey Clusters, Raisin Bran Clusters, Carmel Delight, and the one we tried, Frosted Shredded Wheat. Fiber One granola bars include Oats & Chocolate, Oats & Peanut Butter, Oats & Carmel, Oats & Strawberry with Almonds, Oats & Apple Streusel, and the one we tried, Chocolate Mocha.
Please make sure that your email is visible in your blogger profile or leave your email in your comment so that I can contact you if you win. The giveaway will close at 9pm (eastern) on Friday, November 12th at which point I will choose a random winner.

Disclosure: I was provided with a $25 Safeway giftcard as well as coupons for free boxes of Fiber One cereal and Fiber One granola bars from My Blog Spark, Safeway, and Fiber One. All opinions are my own.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Food Waste Friday

I've been participating in Food Waste Friday with The Frugal Girl for a while now; I go through our fridge (and freezer) on Friday and toss anything that has gone bad. I also take a look at what needs to be used up so that it does not go bad and try to work that into our meals over the next few days. This has really helped us to throw out less food (and so we're actually buying less because we're using what we've already bought!).


Well it has been a few weeks since I reported on our food waste for the week, and in large part we've done a good job of using things up instead of throwing them out! This week I did a closer inspection and found several things that needed to be tossed, many of which were pretty fuzzy, which is probably why I forgot to take pictures of everything.
 
I did salvage some celery and several tomatoes from my garden by chopping them up and freezing them. I'm planning to put the celery in some soup next week and using the tomato for some pasta sauce!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Toys that get played with

Have you ever gotten a toy for your child that ended up collecting dust? BabyCheapskate puts together a list every year of "Toys that get played with" months after being received. The list is compiled from hundreds (thousands?) of readers, and we thought it was really helpful in thinking about toys for our daughter last year.
Check out the lists for toys that get played with by kids 6 to 12 months old, 13 to 24 months old, and 25 to 36 months old. Later this week BabyCheapskate will have information on toys for 3, 4 and 5 year olds.

Some of my favorites from the lists include Playskool Explore and Grow Busy Ball Popper (6-12 mo), Fisher-Price Stride-To-Ride Lion (6-12 mo), LeapFrog Learn & Groove Musical Table (6-12 mo), various Fisher-Price Little People sets (12-24 mo), and Melissa & Doug Farm Wooden Puzzle sets (12-24 mo).

Do you have any favorite toys that your kids have loved long after receiving them? We will probably see some good sales again this year, as retailers look to get people shopping!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Homemade Spaghetti-O's

Well it has taken me longer than I wanted to get back to blogging, but I'm hoping to be more consistent with posting next week! I have a fun giveaway in the works too, so stay tuned!
I was able to get several meals made ahead of time and stuck in the freezer before my son was born. One of the things I made was Homemade Spaghetti-O's for my daughter. I had recently bought a few cans on sale and started thinking that it would be pretty easy to imitate the recipe. I did a quick search and found a recipe that sounded like it was worth trying at Oven Love. Her recipe is simple, and leaves room for you to make it to taste.
Homemade Spaghetti-O's
6 cups canned tomato sauce
3-4 cups water
2-3 teaspoons garlic powder
1 lb bag anelletti (I used alphabet-shaped pasta!)
1-1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (I used a bit less, and then added some extra when I reheated)
1/4-1/2 cup milk
2 tbs butter
salt, to taste
I started with the tomato sauce, then added water and garlic powder, along with a little basil. Bring to a boil, then add your pasta. Be sure to stir somewhat frequently because the small pasta sticks to the bottom of the pot very easily (ask me how I know...).
I found this box of pasta on sale for 80 cents!

After the pasta is cooked, add the cheese, butter, milk, and salt. Taste it and see if you need to add more of anything! I decided to freeze all of the Spaghetti-O's, so I put them in 2 cup containers. I made 8 cups of Spaghetti-O's for less than $2...that sure beats store-bought!

I did let the pasta cook a little long, so many of the letters lost their shape. Next time I will add a little more tomato sauce too. I just add some when I heat them up for lunch, and that has worked well!


Have you ever made Spaghetti-O's? If you try this recipe, let me know!

Friday, October 15, 2010

I have a really good reason for not posting this week...

Our son was born Wednesday morning at 11:31 weighing 6 lbs 11 oz!


We are all doing great, but I'll probably be taking another week or so away from the blog...I had a few posts planned but I never got them finalized since he came a few days early!

Friday, October 8, 2010

Food Waste Friday

I've been participating in Food Waste Friday with The Frugal Girl for a while now; I go through our fridge (and freezer) on Friday and toss anything that has gone bad. I also take a look at what needs to be used up so that it does not go bad and try to work that into our meals over the next few days. This has really helped us to throw out less food (and so we're actually buying less because we're using what we've already bought!).

Well, I've got another week of good news and no picture! I've been doing some extra cooking and freezing this week so that we'll have some meals in our freezer for after the baby comes. Since I'm having to plan that out, its been really easy to plan to eat up our leftovers!

How did you do this week? I hope you are seeing improvement in the amount of food you are having to throw out, even if there is still something every week! It has been a process for us, and one that I am sure I will have to continue to be diligent about in order to keep up with over the coming months.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Smarty Pants final days

I've mentioned several times about the going out of business sale at Smarty Pants (the children's resale shop in the center of Middletown). This is the final week (through the 13th) for Smarty Pants, and they are running a sale where you can fill a bag with as many clothes as you can stuff in it for just $15. Everything else in the store (including shoes) are 70% also.

I went yesterday and found a number of great pieces of clothing. In fact, I got this pile of clothes for $15. The prices on the tags totaled over $100! (and resale stores usually sell clothes for 50% or more off regular retail prices)


Some highlights included a pair of sweaters from Gap and Gymboree: 



This beautiful, silk lined coat:


And Carter's footie pajamas:


I don't know what the selection is like now, but there were still tons of great merchandise at Smarty Pants yesterday!

If you are not local to Middletown, be sure to look at your local resale stores for clearance sales on summer clothes!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Low-Maintenance Risotto Recipe

I had planned to get this posted yesterday, and it completely slipped my mind until I was getting ready for bed...but this is a great recipe for another cooler day!

Back before the crazy heat of summer made cooking a hot dinner unbearable, we enjoyed several different varieties of risotto for dinner. This creamy rice dish is great as the base of your main course because you can add so many different things to create different meals. It also works well as a side dish, so really, the possibilities are endless! Making risotto had been fairly time-consuming, simply because I would add the broth a cup or so at a time, wait for it to be absorbed, then add another cup. But I was really excited to see this recipe in the October Real Simple that reminded me I did not have to babysit my risotto nearly as closely!

First, melt 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large pan. (My favorite piece of cookware is my large saute pan)


Add some chopped onions, salt, and pepper. Let the onion cook for a few minutes until it becomes translucent (and smells amazing!)


Add 1 cup Arborio rice.


This stuff is a little more expensive than "regular" rice, but I've seen some nice coupons also. I think this container was around $5, but I had a coupon for $2.50 off!


Let the rice cook for just a few minutes; you'll see it start to change in color.


Then add the white wine (if using). I have made it both ways, and while I'm sure a better cook would know the difference, we enjoyed this just as much without the wine. Just compensate with a little more broth. Add half the broth and allow that to absorb into the rice (about 10 minutes). Then add the remaining broth. This will take a little bit longer to fully absorb.

Once you are satisfied with the consistency of your risotto (nice and creamy!) add Parmesan cheese and parsley. I usually opt for the less expensive Parmesan, and it still adds so much flavor.


As you can see, my risotto was a bit on the runny side still at this point...but I was ready to eat!


The great thing about this recipe is that you can add pretty much anything and it will taste great. We've done a veggie version with spinach, green beans, and asparagus, and also enjoyed it with shrimp and bacon.

Do you have a favorite way to do risotto? I'd love to hear about it!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Stocking up this week: Febreeze Noticables (free at Acme!)

Mindi at Moms Need to Know does a great job of highlighting the good sales at Acme every week, including listing the coupons you can use.

This week Febreeze Noticables are on sale for $2.50 each, and with the $3 off coupon from last week's P&G coupon insert you can get them for free! If you have multiple copies of the paper, this could be a great way to get a few housewarming/hostess gifts to have on hand, or a free way to create a nice scent in your own home!

Check out the rest of the Acme add too!

Friday, October 1, 2010

Food Waste Friday

I've been participating in Food Waste Friday with The Frugal Girl for a while now; I go through our fridge (and freezer) on Friday and toss anything that has gone bad. I also take a look at what needs to be used up so that it does not go bad and try to work that into our meals over the next few days. This has really helped us to throw out less food (and so we're actually buying less because we're using what we've already bought!).

Well, I do not have a picture this week, but I did have to get rid of 2 of the apples we picked last weekend. One must have gotten bruised in the transport home, and the other served as a meal (or two) for some sort of little critter. I really could have salvaged more of the apples if I'd dealt with it earlier in the week...

We have a ton of leftovers in the fridge right now, but I'm pretty happy about that situation because it means less cooking for me this weekend! I've been having feet swelling issues, especially when its time to cook dinner each night, so yay for leftovers!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Book Review: Anne Bradstreet

One of my favorite past times is reading, but it can be expensive to keep buying new books. I love getting books from the library, but I also enjoy being a part of Book Sneeze. Book Sneeze gives me free copies of new releases in exchange for my honest evaluation and review - a win-win situation!


While on vacation, I read this new biography of Anne Bradstreet, by D.B. Kellogg. Bradstreet was one of the first female poets in America in the mid-1600s. I was drawn to this book because I have really liked Anne Bradstreet's poetry since being assigned to read a few of her works in high school. I am normally not a fan of poetry, but something about Bradstreet has always stuck with me.

I enjoyed that this book gave historical background about the Puritans and the struggle that settlers in the new world faced in the 1600s because it helped to show how amazing it was that Anne Bradstreet was able to produce such a large body of work. She was responsible for caring for her household and her many children, all while living in new towns that were built up on the American frontier right before her eyes. Additionally, Anne often suffered from serious illnesses, many of which confined her to bed. Many of her most famous works were created as a means to teach her children, and required a great deal of research. My favorite poem, To My Dear and Loving Husband, shows the depth of the love that Anne and her husband shared, which is something that can often be overlooked about many Puritans in those days.

I think this book gave me greater motivation to be a wife and mother who is constantly looking to serve my family well. We have so many luxuries that the early American settlers did not posses. The life of Anne Bradstreet is a great example of the impact one ordinary person can have on her family, and the legacy that life can leave for generations to come. This is a great book, a quick read with high quality content, and I give it a 5 out of 5!

I review for BookSneeze

Disclosure: I was provided with a free copy of this book by Thomas Nelson and Book Sneeze in exchange for my honest evaluation and review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Snapfish photo deals

Snapfish is running a ton of photo deals right now, and many of them are good for several weeks!

The Fall sale ends this Friday, 10/1, but until then you can save big! Use the code FALL40SALE to save 40%. This makes prints just 5 cents each!

Use the code babybook to get a free 20 page 5x7 photo book. Shipping will be $1.99. This offer expires 10/31.

Use the code BABIES to get 20 free 4x8 flat photo cards. Shipping will be $5.99. This offer expires 10/31. Usually you can make any type of photo cards (do not have to be "baby") but I have heard that it may not be working for all cards.

Use the code ISTOCK75 to get 75 free prints. Shipping will be $4.42. This offer expires 11/30.

Remember to go through a cash back site when ordering...both Shop at Home and Ebates offer 7.5% cash back on all Snapfish purchases!

I have not tried any of these yet (but I'm planning to!)...let me know if you have any trouble!

Thanks to Deal Seeking Mom and Babycheapskate for the reminders on these!
Related Posts with Thumbnails