The not so secret adventure in the kitchen this week!

Hi Everyone,

This weekend was a worldwind of movies and
 Scrapbooking 2 of my fav activities outside of reading..
I attended the Collins Group Convention in Orlando and did the make and take for Cosmo Cricket and the cards were just so cute, reconnect with Claudine Helmuth she use to live here in Orlando before moving to DC..  Spent sometimes with my pal Jackie and chit chatting with the store owners, it was very refreshing to see the amount of husband that was there to support their wives in their business..

After all that yummy goodness I had no energy to cook, but it so happen in the freezer I always have frozen dough in case of an emergency.. they always come in handy for Pizza.

I made Margherita Pizza with loads of mozarella, feta cheese and vine ripe tomatoes..
It wasn't until we were almost done eating I remember to take pics..below..

Margherita Pizza with a twist of Feta cheese:
 
1.Roll out the dough, spread land o lake unsalted butter, very sparingly, then put in the oven for 5 mtes at 300 degrees, remove from the oven.
2.Add mozzarella cheese on the warm dough, layer of Italian seasoning  (basil, oregano, thyme).
3.Add layer of tomatoes, feta cheese, another layer of mozarella, a bit of black pepper, red pepper flakes, bake at 375 for 10mtes until cheese is melted..

The dessert below, after watching Julie & Julia the movie, I was inspired to conquer making the pear cake for my sister's bday. Conquer it I did, after baking DH said if he didn't see me baked it, he would have thought I purchased it, which is high praise indeed...

Here is the recipe on Martha Stewart, I added almond to it. Pear Cake
What is your adventure this week?

Here is the weekly menu:

Lots of crockpot use, I gotta clean my studio this week..

Monday:

Spiced Pot Roast

 Tuesday:

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

 Wednesday:

  Spiced Pot Roast  (left over night)

Thursday:

Campbell's Kitchen Sweet and Sour Chicken

Friday:

Wild Rice left over

 

 Q&A

some of you ask where to find coupons online.

I check here all the time then mfg website..

Coupons.com

 Money Saving deals :)

Free items at Walmart.. to get these items for free, you need to use a coupon, there are coupons insert, or you can print them by signing on at the mfg site.

Remember use an email address just for coupons other wise you will be flooded..

Post-It Super Sticky Notes – $1, free after printable coupons here

Shout Travel Wipes – $0.97  free, use coupon from Sunday's paper insert from August 8th.

Deals at Walgreen, worth a trip..

L’Oral Revitalift Products, $5.99
Use $1/1 Coupon from the September Coupon Book from Walgreen
Use $3/1 Printable Coupon
$1.99 ea. after coupons!

 Buy Crest Toothpaste, $1.99

Use $1/1 or $0.75/1 Coupon from 8/29 PG insert
Get a $1 Register Reward
FREE – $0.24 after Register Rewards!

The Box should contain a $0.75/1 Crest Toothpaste Coupon and a $1/1 Oral B Toothbrush Coupon

Buy an Oral B Toothbrush, $1.99
Use $1/1 Oral B Coupon from Inside Crest Box from the First Transaction
Get a $1 Register Reward
FREE after  Register Rewards!

Carmex Lip Shine on sale for $2.99 this month and there is a monthly Register Reward for $2 when you buy 1. Print this coupon for $1 off the purchase of 1 Carmex Lip Shine and get this for Free after Register Rewards at Walgreens this month.

More giveaways for you to enter right here on this blog..

Giveaway of Mypinkstamper DVD Here

$10.00 GC to William Sonoma Here

More giveaway to enter for 3 Cricut Cartridges (2 Home Decor) ( 1 Once Upon a Princess)Here

 Have a great week!

Maggie

PS don't forget to sign up to be a follower and let me know what your adventures are in comments below?

Also tune in tomorrow for movie reviews of Date Night and The American..

The not so secret adventure in the kitchen this week!

What's for Dinner this week? Tips on how to save on groceries!

Hello Everyone,
What's for Dinner this week? Many mom hear this question through out the week.. Have you started your menu yet?

I've received several emails from you, asking on how I save and organized?
Every Monday I will be sharing tips on  how, help you succeed at the grocery store.

Here are my tips for you this week. Getting setup to save money and organized.

Follow the steps below to be on your way to cut your grocery bill in half.

1. Check your pantry and fridge before making your list.
(it is important to know what you have before buying)
2. Get the Sunday paper for the coupons.
3.Check online for coupons
4.Set up an email account just for for your coupons.
5.Sign up at your fav mfg sites for coupons, trust me you will be glad you did. I use soymilk every month they send coupon out for a free 1/2 gallon, that's a $3.67 savings a month.
6.Use ziplist to store your menus, and create a shopping list, you can send this list to your phone..
7.Sign up to Rachel Ray newsletter, she sends 7 days meal planning to your email..
8.Sign up for Campbell soup newsletter, amazing dinner ideas using soup.
9.Sign up for Simple magazine monthly meals newsletter.

Here are my easy peasy process:

Wednesdays, I save my grocery stores flyers to check what coupons are in the Sunday paper.. I only carry coupons of items I know I will be using.
Example for Spaghetti I always use rolls, I will cut the Pillsbury coupons, compare the grocery store flyers for maximum savings.

Target,have deep discounts on certain items each week, they also have in-store coupons as well. I save $ by not printing those coupons at home, rather I print them from the gift registry section located at each target.

Here are examples of savings. Stove Top was $49. at the Grocery store it was $1.89. that is a saving of $1.40..

Walmart has free items weekly, with coupons..

I devote 1 hour a week to setting up menu, cutting coupons and getting my list ready, in turn I save regularly between $22-29 weekly on my groceries. Some weeks I save $45.00 when the item is bgofree, then I use a coupon, further deep discount.

Next week I will explore the wonderful world of Drugstore and how they can pay you to shop there.

Here's a recipe from last night dinner and we will have it again on Wend as left over.

Prep time: 8 mtes
Cooking :25mtes
Serves:8 people

Ingredients:

1. Dice the Green Pepper, Red Pepper, Onions, Garlic (3 cloves) add Oregano, Evoo, Smoke salt.

Add a dollop of Unsalted butter (Land o Lakes) roast for 10 mtes at 400degrees..

3. Boil Pasta, add Oregano, Salt, Black Pepper to the boiling water.

4.Sautee the Shrimp, add Rotel tomatoes, simmer down, then add 1/2 c Vodka let simmer for 5 mtes reduce the heat..

5.Drain the Pasta, remove the roasted vegetables, stir onto the Pasta, then add Parmesan cheese, toss well.
Add fresh basil, Parsley to serve

6.Garlic bread, mix Landolakes unsalted butter with garlic powder, spread on bread put in the oven for 5 mtes..

Voila Done..
Here's the final meal again...

Here is the Menu this week:

Monday:

Beef & Mushroom Dijon

 Tuesday:

Sirloin, Pepper & Onion Skillet

 Wednesday:

Pasta Recipe from above left over.

Thursday:

Adobo Pork & Potato Packets

 Friday:

Tuesday left over

Saturday:

Chipotle Pork Wraps

 

Would you like to go on a journey of saving money?

Let me know what your specifics questions are?

Have a great week,
Maggie

PS Don't forget I am giving away 3 Cricut Cartridges, Home Decor, Once upon a Princess here
Leave comments for a chance to win and tell your friends..

$10.00 Gift Certificate to William Sonoma  HERE

 

What's for Dinner this week? Tips on how to save on groceries!

Quite a Pear Card and Cartridge Giveaway!

So here I am thinking about my favorite stencil...the pear from Dreamweaver! So I thought I would post a simple card I made using the same stencil!

step 1 - I mixed a little yellow paste with pearl paste and a little metallic
fx (green)

step 2 - tape down the stencil and and spread the paste on the card

step 3 - remove tape and stencil

step 4 - apply a little gold glitter to one edge of the the still wet paste and mica flakes to the leaf.

step 5 - let dry

step 6 - layer on various papers and distress the edges using distress ink and applicator.

It is so fun! I love embossing paste! Check out my blog for other projects and also the new blog by Dreamweaver!

kristiscreativecafe.blogspot.com


dreamweaverstencils.blogspot.com

PS you must be a blog follower :) don't forget the 3 Cricut cartridges giveaway here




Happy Creating!


Kristi

Quite a Pear Card and Cartridge Giveaway!

Get excited and make things! Free Cricut Cartridges Giveaway!

Really, this from a poster I saw on a blog... This reminds me of the messages you find in the dove chocolate, not that I really ate the whole bag, I was doing research so I had to eat the bag to see what each messages was......lol

Get excited and make things, mmmmmmm, Yep I got excited (NOT).

Created a layout for a friend..
She wanted it very simple and wanted to use these paperss that are not my style at all..
You will agree with me those colours together is not something I would have put together..oh well, I did create something, not my best, I just couldn't work with these papers for some reason...:(
I kinda feel guilty cause it took me less than 15mtes to make this lo..Using the Cricut and Cuttlebug..

She was happy with the results, that's all that matters right???

Cuttlebug, Provo Craft Cricut, Cricut Cartridges.

My weekly Menu:

This week I have to up my budget a bit since I have company coming, so my bill will be around $71.00 that's feeding 7 people all week..

Monday:
Beef n Broccoli, Winn dixie had them on sale for $.88 a bush. I stock up and flash freeze them. Using left over rice I froze from last week dinner.


Tuesday

Pizza nite with tyson chicken appetizer, strawberry ice cream. Winn Dixie has a special 2 pizza, 1 Breyer ice cream, 1 box of parmesan bread sticks, 1 coke bottle for $13.99, I'm going to get 2 for 28.00..
I plan on going back on Tuesday to get more and deduct it from my budget next week.


Wedn
Chicken Alfredo Pasta, Micheals' had the tri Pasta in their dollar spot for $.40 cents so I brought 10 bags.
I have the chicken marinating in lemon pepper to give it a kick..

Thursday

Beef and Broccoli left over, I need a break from cooking :)

Friday

Roasted Asparagus with capers chicken and garlic rice (courtesy of Rice a roni) :) Big Lot has them on sale for $.49 cents a box, so I picked 10 boxes..:)

Saturday
Going out..

I am working on this post this week.
I am going to tackle my closet and the desk this week. What are you going to tackle this week?

What's on your menu this week? How much are you saving this week?


I am giving away 3 cartridges below.. Home Decor and Once upon a princess, see the info below..

What we are giving away:

• There will be two blog followers winners! each winner will receive 
• a Cricut Home Decor Cartridge
  

• One blog follower will receive a  Once upon a princess Cricut Cartridge

How you can win:

• Leave as many comments as you wish on all the post on this blog, from today till Sept 30th. 

• Follow the blog and tell your friends about this giveaway.

     Winners will be announced on Oct 1st 2010

Please remember: Help spread the word about this giveaway!


Who is eligible:

Everyone! You don’t have to be a blogger to win, just supply a valid e-mail address.

When the giveaway ends:

October 1st. I’ll e-mail the winner(s), and results are always posted here as well. If the winner doesn’t respond within seven business days, a new winner will be drawn.

Have a great day,
Maggie

Get excited and make things! Free Cricut Cartridges Giveaway!