Recipe: Slow Cooker Kickin' Chili

While this doesn't end up being the cheapest recipe in the world, it does make several meals, bringing the cost per meal down. You'll need at least a 6 qt slow cooker to make this one. (You'll see I pulled out my big one for this) Unless you have a large family, you'll probably either want to freeze the extra or can it. To make this vegetarian, ditch the meats and add another 2 cans of kidney beans. DH insists on his meaty chili though, so I'm stuck.

Prep time is at least a half an hour, depending on your interruptions. ;)

2 cans tomato paste
1 large can peeled tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained
2 cans kidney beans, undrained
1 can garbanzo peas, drained
chili seasoning packet or 1/2 cup chili powder
1 lb spicy sausage
1 lb ground beef
1 diced onion
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 can chopped green chile peppers
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
2 minced cloves garlic
1/2 cup - 1 cup beef broth (or water)

Dice the onion first. If you have a food processor, go ahead, but I wasn't pulling mine out for one lonely little onion. You can skip the onions if you hate them, don't worry, they aren't a huge deal.


Cook the ground beef and drain. Add to the pot.


Cook the sausage and drain. Add to the pot.


Add the chili seasoning, oregano, cumin, garlic and broth or water, and mix. If you like your chili chunky, use less broth/water.



Add the chile peppers and chopped onions. I forgot to buy the peppers, so imagine they are there. ;)


Add all the beans and mix this.




Add the tomato paste. An easy way to get out the paste without scraping the can is to open both ends, and push it through.


Add the peeled and diced tomatoes. Mix well.



Cook on high 6 hours, or low 8-10. If you need to cook it on high for lower than 6 hours, skip the garbanzo beans as they will be too hard. They really need cooking time in recipes.



Garnish with shredded cheese and sour cream if desired.

Zombies Ahead!

I am cracking up laughing, because I have a zombie obsessed husband. If there's a movie with a zombie in it, chances are he's seen it (and tortured me with it). I stumbled across this zombie story courtesy of Outnumbered Two to One.

Yes, the title really does say Road Signs Warn of Zombies. Yes, a TV station really did run this story. You'll just have to visit to find out why. ;)

But what's priceless, is the last line on the bottom of the online story:

Do you believe in zombies? Do you have a zombie escape plan? Let us know what you think about zombies by participating in our message board .

Oh, and the TV station story even has a Your Guide to the Undead available.

So, what's your zombie escape plan? ;)

WT? Healthy Divorce?

Now I know this post is going to get someone's panties in a tizzle. I'm not saying you have to believe the same as me, that's the beauty of freedom of thought, and freedom of speech. So please don't get all crazy in the comments and call me psycho - I already know I am, m'kay? (You can still leave comments if you disagree, that's fine)

So I was flipping through webpages (I really don't want to clean the bathroom today...) and I came across an ad for this book - The Healthy Divorce: Keys to Ending Your Marriage While Preserving Your Emotional Well-Being.

Am I the only one who sees a problem here? What happened to The Healthy Marriage books? Why is that divorce has become as acceptable as marriage?

Is it the fact that some people rush into marriage before truly understanding who their other half is? Are we so hurried throughout life that we forget to have conversations with each other?

No relationship is ever easy. Marriage is flippin' hard. That's life, get over it - quit looking for the easy way through everything.

Before DH and I were married, we spent hours talking to each other. We talked about experiences we had been through, our dreams, what we wanted out of life, but most importantly, we talked about what we would do in certain situations.

Which considering in our marriage so far: we were stuck apart for several months (DH came out to WA first to look for a job), we were homeless and living out of a car for several months, we've been completely broke and did the bill paying juggle, struggled through a heartbreaking TTC journey... want me to continue? A lot of people would have gotten divorced along the way - we hung in there because we loved each other and that's just the way marriage is. For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer.... remember those lines?

Turn off the TV, the computers, the phones, and talk to each other, every day. Don't hide your feelings and views. If you can't talk to your spouse about everything, then why did you get married? Just because you don't agree on everything, doesn't mean you need to get divorced (goodness knows my DH and I have butted heads on quite a few things - do you know how hard it is to be anti-vac when you're married to a NURSE? LOL)

I'm not saying divorce should be illegal. I'm not. I just feel marriage shouldn't be rushed into, and it's certainly shouldn't be rushed out of.

Alright... let it rip. You know you want to. ;)

Printable Uncle Ben's Rice Coupon

Sign up to print a coupon to save $1 on any two Uncle Ben's rice products. While you are there, you can also take a survey that will give you a second coupon for $1 off any two Uncle Ben's products!

Bloggy Carnival Winners!

So, who's fingers are sore from all that typing? ;) I hope everyone enjoyed themselves with the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival! I have a HUGE list of new blogs to read - I will never be able to say I am bored when I have a free minute! I'm sorry it took me a little while to get this posted today, but every time I tried, I was interrupted!

If this was your first visit to my blog, I hope you come back to visit again!

And since this is what everyone is waiting for, here's the winners via Random.org:


The $5 Starbucks card goes to:

#76

CC said...
I love your little person on the side. Cute! But the purple background is a little too busy for me.

The Baby Dipper goes to:

#83

Gretel said...
This is great! My son is at a point where he wants to help me feed him. And this would help me! I love the fact that they want this to help kids and parents at the same time. Makin it fun!

And the Milkshake set goes to:

#23

Marcia said...
OH OH OH I LOVE the song 'Scared' that they play on Noggin! (I do not like the Laurie Berkner songs, so I always hope that they play this one.) I didn't know the name of them so I'd love to hear more of their music!

I need to hear back from you in the next 48 hours, because I really don't want to pick another winner! ;)

Congrats to all my winners! I've got more giveaways coming up soon!

Did anyone win something from other blogs during this? What did you win?

I Confess...

I went grocery shopping today in my pjs. My incredibly tacky brightly colored striped pjs. I decided I was simply channeling my college days self. Hehe!

OK, really, I was just too gosh darn lazy to bother getting dressed for being out of the house for less than a half an hour.

Oh, like you've never done it. ;)

(Don't worry, I took a shower last night at 2 am. I wasn't stinky!)

Printable Balenol and Unifber coupons

You can print a coupon for $2 off a bottle of Balenol or $2 off one canister of Unifiber. Both can be found at CVS, Walgreens or other pharmacies. I don't know how long the offer will be available on the website, but it looks like the coupons don't expire until the end of December 2009, leaving you plenty of time to find them on sale!

Printable Snausages Coupons

Snausages has released another printable coupon! This time it's for $1 off any two Snausages or Snawsomes dog treats.

Printable Hellman's Light Coupons

There's a new printable coupon out to save $1 off your next purchase of any Hellman's Light mayonnaise.

I'll be incredibly honest: I tried it, and I couldn't stand it. If you are watching calories and want to use it to make cold salads, it might pass - but as a sandwich condiment or for dipping fries in it, my personal review: ick. (Sorry Best Foods/Hellman's... but I think you bombed.)

Friday's Featured Etsy: Anne More Jewelry

Welcome to my Friday's Featured post, in which I showcase Etsy stores and small businesses from folks like you and me. Recession, smession! ;)

This week's feature is an Etsy store called Anne More Jewelry.

Anne More Jewelry is a local Washington artist based in Walla, Walla. Her store is full of varied styles, and many pieces would make wonderful Valentine's Day gifts. All jewelry comes packaged in a jewelry box complete with a colorful bow at no extra charge. You can also add a gift message if desired!

Check out this gorgeous pair of dangling earrings entitled Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic:


How about this fun ring with a picture of Elvis Presley back in his younger days?


One of my favorite pieces is this brightly colored necklace called Tropical Punch:


Stop by Anne More Jewelry today and have a look around!

I Hope...

I haven't driven anyone insane with the amount of posts today! My inbox is full of great deals and fun things, and I want to share with you all!

If you haven't already entered the giveaways running this week, what are you waiting for? Hurry, because they end tomorrow night!

Cool Contest Alert: Dapple Baby Products

Help Dapple celebrate our Babies "R" Us launch! Send us a picture of a messy baby moment to cleanupmymess AT dapplebaby.com by February 13. We will pick three entries at random (because we know that all your babies are adorable) and send each winner a year's supply of our new Dapple Toy Cleaner Spray.

Good luck Mammas! Since it's random, at least we all aren't duking it out over votes. ;)

Dryel Coupon

If you dislike going to the dry cleaner for every little thing, here's a coupon for $3 off your next purchase of a Dryel kit. You can choose to print the coupon, have it mailed to you (saves ink, unless you are in a hurry!), or even order online and have it sent straight to your doorstep.

While you are there, you can also enter to win a $3500 all expense paid shopping spree complete with limo - now they're talking! ;)

Printable Wholly Guacamole Coupon

Just in time for the Super Bowl, here's a printable coupon for $1 off your next purchase of any size Wholly Guacamole or Wholly Salsa. It expires 2/28/09. And anti coupon software/firewall challenged people rejoice: you don't have to install anything to print this one. I do suggest however, you use color ink, or you may have issues at some grocery stores.

Thrifty Thursday: Save The Veggies!

This week's Thrifty Thursday post is about saving your veggies!

I get so frustrated when fresh veggies go bad faster than they should. Here's some tips to help keep them fresher, longer:

*First of all, make sure your refrigerator is set to the correct temperature, and the seal is working properly. To check the seal, place a dollar bill against the edge and close the door on it. If you can pull the dollar out easily, the seal is having issues. Don't panic, this is usually easily fixable. Simply wipe down the seal AND the edge of the door with lightly soapy water (just mix a bit of dish detergent with water). Wipe dry, and the problem should be solved.

*Don't wash any of the vegetables before storing them, wait until you are ready to prepare them.

*Wrap your celery in aluminum foil. It will keep fresh for several weeks instead of just days!

*Keep corn on the cob unshucked and stored in a ziploc bag. Wet it slightly before placing it in the bag, and it will last a few days more.

*Keep your potatoes in a wooden box off the ground. Add an apple or two in there to keep them from rotting quickly. It really works - my grandmother would keep a bag of potatoes for weeks by doing this.

*Wrap unbagged lettuce in paper towels before placing in the fridge.

*Keep your mushrooms in a slightly opened paper bag. Take that plastic wrap off them so they can breathe!

*Cauliflower and asparagus should always go in the crisper drawer immediately. Keep this closed completely, and don't open unless necessary.

*Take carrots out of the bag and place them in a paper bag, then put them back in a plastic bag. (those brown lunch bags you've had hidden in your drawers for several years are perfect for this)

*If you notice something is starting to rot, but didn't plan to use it for a few days, cut and prepare the vegetable as you would for the recipe, and freeze it in an airtight plastic container or plastic freezer bag so you don't have to throw it away.

I Was Tagged!

Angela over at Nine More Months tagged me!

Here are the rules:

1. Go to the 4th picture folder on your computer.

2. Post the 4th picture in that folder.



3. Explain the picture

LOL Of all the things, it's one my DH took at a Vital Remains concert. It's not even one of the better, clearer ones. (so much for something cute!)

4. Tag 4 more people.

My Sailors Mistress (you knew I was going to share the joy with you, didn't you? LOL)
God Gave Me You
...and she lived...
My Life As A Trailer Park Mom

Printable Coupon For Honeysuckle White Meatballs

Honeysuckle White has a printable coupon to save $1 on any Honeysuckle White Fresh or Frozen Italian Style Turkey Meatball package. This is a great quick meal starter!

Albertsons Pizza Meal Deal

Now through next Tuesday, Albertsons (NW) has a good pizza deal. Purchase any Culinary Circle pizza, and you'll receive a second one free, plus two 2 litres of Dr Pepper products free as well. Our local Albertsons has the Culinary Circle pizzas priced at $6.29.

CPSIA Blog In

I wanted to take the time to post this as part of the CPSIA Blog In. It was written by Etsy sellers chichiboulie and Winklepots. If you'd like to participate in the CPSIA Blog In today, please feel free to recopy this post (please give credit to chichiboulie and Winklepots!) or post your own thoughts about CPSIA.

As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.

How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:
Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:
Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.
Article from the American Library Association

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:
Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:
Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:
Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:
Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.”

To the American Economy:
Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbes


And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law.


Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.

Wordless Wednesday: Ducks

Good Deal On All You Subscription

You can currently order two years of All You magazine for just $16.95 over through IN Good "Cents". That's a great savings, since the newstand cover price is over $2 an issue on this monthly mag. While you're at it, you can also sign up to win a subscription to the magazine!

If you're unfamiliar with All You magazine, they are a women's lifestyle magazine sold at WalMart or available for subscription. They always have good articles, and in every issue is usually about $30 or more worth of coupons that you can redeem at any store, not just WalMart. I've gotten some good coupons from it! (such as the $1 off any Kotex product that allows you to get a free package of panty liners!)

Review: Baby Dipper (Giveaway!)

OK, this is the COOLEST product for us Moms. We already feel like we should have three or four arms just to get anything done, right? The Baby Dipper Bowl is a non-slip feeding bowl with a specially designed spoon so you can actually feed your little one with one hand.

I was a little skeptical the first time I heard the Baby Dipper was non-slip. I was reading another Mom blog where it was being talked about, and I hadn't seen a picture yet. My first thought was that it had one of those ugly rubber rings that stuck to the tray of the high chair. Can you say EW? Luckily I kept reading and saw the picture. I met Barbara, mom of two sets of twins (yes, two sets!) and inventer of the Baby Dipper on Twitter, and when she asked if I wanted to review the Baby Dipper, I was excited!

The Baby Dipper is a triangular shape, and has a non slip bottom to it, so it won't skid all over the place. It is also transparent, so you can see how much food is left in it if your little one is feeding herself.

The curving of the spoon allows you to put it down against the bowl without it flicking food all over the place, or worse yet, falling off the high chair or table onto the floor (towards the eager pets if it's my house! lol) The spoon fits perfectly into the corner - which slopes down to one point, so you don't have to slide the spoon all over the bowl to fill it! You won't have to pick the bowl up to get the last few spoonfuls.

Now, we don't really use the microwave around here - in fact, it's unplugged on top of the fridge right now - but this bowl is microwave safe. You could simply place plastic wrap on top of any leftovers and re-warm it easily in the Baby Dipper (less dishes! just don't forget to let it cool!!!)

It holds 4 ounces, so it's just the perfect size for a jar of baby food, or a couple of defrosted cubes of homemade food. It's also a good investment in that it can grow with your child - you don't need to just use it for feeding an infant. This is perfect for a toddler to learn to use how to feed themselves with!

The only catch is that it's not dishwasher safe. That's not a problem around here, but I know some folks like the convenience. (But you'd have to have at least 2 sets of the Baby Dipper if you only run your dishwasher once a day, so look at it that way?)

Baby Dipper has generously offered to give one of my readers their own Baby Dipper bowl! To enter, visit their website and tell me one thing you like about them.

For extra entries:

*subscribe to my blog or follow it via Blogger
*blog about this giveaway with a link to baby dipper AND my blog
*Fav my blog on Technorati (leave your username)
*Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (leave your twitter name)
*Stumble, Digg, Kirtsy, etc this BLOG. Must leave a comment on that site, and leave your username. I will check!

US only. Contest ends Friday, January 30th at 11:59 pm. I submit my winners to Prizey, and will post the winners on my blog, but please leave your email in your comment if you want to know if you won. Don't forget to enter my other contests going on right now! For more great giveaways, check out the Bloggy Carnival going on this week!

Review: Milkshake (Giveaway!)

Milkshake is a rock band for kids!

Milkshake's infectious tunes are sung by Lisa Mathews (channeling her inner Cyndi Lauper in striped tights and tutu's throughout the DVD - I love it!) and definitely will get your kids dancing.

Milkshake has been featured on PBS Kids, Noggin, and Discovery Kids' ToddWorld. They've even had some of their songs used on WB's The Gilmore Girls and MTV's Sweet Sixteen Party!

My favorite off the new DVD Screen Play is Rainy Day. Besides that it's appropriate for Washington State, the little dancing rain drops are adorable. Pirates is another fun song too.

The banter between the band members on the Screen Play DVD does make it seem almost more for older kids than toddlers, but the imagery in the songs themselves are perfect for the little ones too.

The songs themselves are catchy enough for adult ears on repeat viewing and listening without driving you to your insanity. The DVD has 11 songs on it, and Play! has 12 songs, including many of the songs featured on the DVD, as well as 3 bonus tracks.

Milkshake music CDs and the new Screen Play DVD are available online and at Barnes & Noble, as well as other stores. If you have a Facebook account, you can visit Milkshake there.

I have one copy of the Screen Play DVD, one PLAY! CD, and one of Milkshake's new comic book to give to one lucky winner!

To enter: Pop on over to Milkshake's web site and take a look at all the track listings from their three CDs. Listen to some of them, and tell us your favorite! (not one mentioned in this review)

For extra entries:

*subscribe to my blog or follow it via Blogger
*blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog
*Fav my blog on Technorati (leave your username)
*Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (leave your twitter name)
*Stumble, Digg, Kirtsy, etc this BLOG. Must leave a comment on that site, and leave your username. I will check!

US only. Contest ends Friday, January 30th at 11:59 pm. I submit my winners to Prizey, and will post the winners on my blog, but please leave your email in your comment if you want to know if you won. Don't forget to enter my other contests going on right now! For more great giveaways, check out the Bloggy Carnival going on this week!

Review: PeopleFood For Dogs

Peoplefood For Dogs makes a yummy all natural snack food for dogs. It contains no chemicals, preservatives or additives. All ingredients are human grade - yes, you could actually eat it yourself if you wanted to! After the big pet food recall in 2007, this is something I like to see. The food is frozen before sent, so it stores well in your freezer for several months if placing a big order.

Dee, the creator of this great food, is an absolute ANGEL! She has fostered over 300 pets in the last ten years. Peoplefood For Dogs is the end-result of caring for these furbabies. There is lots of love put into each container!

I've got to tell you, when I opened the shipping box with the food in it, I was really impressed.



Before the Pudgy Princess landed in our lives a few years ago, we had another Pembroke Welsh Corgi, who was very ill for several years. Poor little guy even had really bad allergies - he was allergic to 99% of dog foods. We even tried different organic brands to no avail. So I ended up having to cook for him, from scratch, using meats, rice, and grains. At the time I was also still running my own business. It was really hard balancing cooking fresh foods for him (especially when I was living off of nutrition bars!) and pulling in 18 hour days. This food would have been absolutely perfect for him!

Believe me, the Pudgy Princess KNEW what was in that box. If you've got a corgi in your life, you know that they have this built in "morsel radar". If there's food or cookies meant for them in the house, they know where it is, no matter where you hide it!

To serve this great stuff, all you need to do is add hot water to it after it's been defrosted, mix it up, and serve it as it is, or over their kibble if you're trying to get them to consume more calories (usually not a problem here!) It's recommended to be about 8 oz of water, but you add more or less. I generally added less to hers - about 4-6 oz, and it came out perfect.


The first time I served it, I was surprised when the Princess sat back on her back legs, (her asking nicely trick) with her nose getting closer to the bowl, as I was putting it down on the ground. I've actually never seen her do that with a bowl of food before! (only cookies) So I knew it definitely smelled good to her!

Now the Pudgy Princess takes medicine two times a day. We can't get her to take it without hiding it in a pill pocket or macaroni - it's a losing battle. But it was easily hidden in this food! It really is perfect for dogs who have to take medication on a daily basis or while sick.


Right now, every time we go near that fridge, she's stalking us in hopes we'll be serving her another bowl. She's really in love with it! We tried several flavors, but I think the Chicken, Oatmeal and Sweet Potato ended up being her favorite. The Pudgy Princess definitely gives this two paws up!

Peoplefood For Dogs is currently looking for Health Food Stores, Kennels and Veterinarians who would like to sell this great food. If you live in the Virginia area, check out the website for stores near you who sell it. If you're like me, and on the other side of the country, you can order online. There's a deal where you can purchase 6 lbs of any food, and including shipping, it's just $29.62! Interested but just don't want to start off with 6 lbs? Contact your local pet food store or boutique and ask them to carry Peoplefood For Dogs!

It's My Party!

Less than two weeks ago, I hit my 500th post! (yeah... maybe I talk type too much?) I wanted to save my current giveaways until the Bloggy Carnival so I could share with the blog hoppers! (who I hope, come back? Pretty Please?)

To celebrate, I'm going to buy one of my readers a drink! You can pretend we're having caffeine together at our local Starbucks. ;) (and if you really hate Starbucks - which can happen, my DH does - I can do the old standbys WalMart or Target and you can buy yourself whatever drink you want there)

So let me know what you like most about my blog. Or hate. I can take it! Do you want more recipes? More printable coupons? Less photos? Is there a series post you can live without? A question you're dying to ask me? Seriously - spill it, just like if we were having that caffeine together! :)

To enter: see above. If you just put one or two words though, I'm pouting and tossing you out. 'Cause it's my blog and I can do that! Bwha! Prize is a $5 Starbucks GC. Contest ends Friday, January 30th at 11:59. US/Canada if you can redeem this GC. One entry per household, but if you're one of my beloved subscribers who put up with my near daily posts, you lucky folks get an extra entry. Not a subscriber yet? Sign up and you're in with another entry!

I submit my winners to Prizey, and will post the winner on my blog, but please leave your email in your comment if you want to know if you won. (You want to know, right?!) You'll have 48 hours to get back to me before I go back to random.org and pick someone else. Don't forget to enter my other contests going on right now! For more great giveaways, check out the Bloggy Carnival going on this week!

Menu Planning Monday

With the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival going on this week, I'm taking a lazier approach to dinner for a few nights. ;)

Monday: chicken tenders & french fries

Tuesday: DH gets to grill in

Wednesday: Recipe of the week - look for the post!

Thursday: pizza!

Friday: Taco Bake

Saturday: spaghetti & meatballs

Sunday: Slow Cooker Potato Soup


Check out Organizing Junkie for other great Menu Plans!

Note To Self:

Do not leave Pledge Duster on counter before being distracted by another chore. Please ensure you throw it away first. The cats seem to think it is the world's greatest toy, and then you end up with dust all over the counter and floor.

Signed,
Me

Fred Meyer Deals 1/25 - 1/31

The emphasis this week is definitely going to be on Super Bowl foods. It looks like a good week to stock up on snacks! Milk is also on sale at a great price.

A really great deal if you don't already own one: Rival 6.5 quart Crock Pot on sale for $24.99, and if you purchase one, you get a coupon that enables you to buy everything to make homemade chili, including the ground beef and seasoning!

See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:

*Foster Farms Fresh Fryer Breasts Bone in Jumbo pack $0.99 lb
*Large Avocados 5/$5
*Pampers Baby Wipes Mega Refills $4.99 ($0.50 MC, $1 or $1.50 home mailer MC)
*Philadelphia Cream Cheese 4/$5
*Kraft Shredded Cheese 3/$5 ($0.75 blinkie coupons out there)
*Rosarita Refried Beans 10/$10
*Reser's Chip Dips 10/$10
*Kraft Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip 2/$5
*Dixie Plates, Bowls, Cups or Napkins 2/$5
*Heinz Ketchup 2/$4
*Pace Picante Sauce or Salsa 2/$4 ($0.75 MC)
*Tropicana Orange Juice 2/$5
*Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk 2/$4
*Daisy Sour Cream 16 oz 2/$3 ($0.50 MC)
*Pepsi or Aquafina 12pks 3/$10
*Starbucks Coffee 12 oz $6.99
*Sweethearts 4pk Candy Hearts $0.99
*Dove Valentine Hearts 2/$6
*Olay Pro X Skin Care $34.99
*Butler or Gum Oral Care BOGOF
*Colgate Toothpaste or Toothbrushes $0.99 after in store MC
*L'Oreal Natural Match Hair Color 2/$9.98 after in store MC
*Pantene Hair Care 12.6-13.5 oz 3/$10
*Claritin Liquid Gels 24pk $22.99
*Irish Spring 8pk Bar Soap, Softsoap 18 oz Body Wash or 40 oz Liquid Soap $2.99 after in store MC
*Speedstick Antiperspirant or Deodorant $0.99 after in store MC
*Prilosec 14pk $9.99 after in ad coupon (limit 2)
*Broccoli Crowns or Cauliflower $0.88 lb
*Ambrosia, Pacific Rose, or Pink Lady Apples $1.48 lb
*Radishes or Green Onions 2/$0.88
*Texas Red Grapefruit 3/$1
*Bulk Mushrooms $2.49 lb
*Organic Navel Oranges $0.98 lb
*Organic Grape Tomatoes 2/$5 1 pint
*White Wave Silk 64 oz $2.99
*Knudsen Simply Nutritious Juice 2/$5
*Frito Lay Natural Chips or Snacks 2/$6
*Annie Chun's Noodle or Soup Bowls 2/$5
*Arrowhead Mills Cereal 2/$6
*Rice or Soy Dream 64 oz 2/$6 (coupons available here)
*Garden of Life Supplements Save 25%
*Twinlab Supplements Save 25%
*Armour Meatballs 2/$6
*FM Peanuts 12 oz 2/$4
*Heineken Keg 5 ltr $16.99
*Budweiser, Coors, or Miller 24pks $16.99
*Widmer, Corona, Deschutes, New Belgium, or Red Hook 6pk $6.99
*Heineken 12pk $13.99
*Henry Weinhard's or Tecate 18pk $13.99
*Natural or Milwaukee's Best 30 pk $13.99
*Beef Loin T-Bone Steaks $5.99 lb (family pack of 3lbs or more)
*USDA Choice Beef Loin T-Bone Steak $6.99 lb
*Country Style Pork Ribs $1.97 lb (family pack)
*USDA Choice Beef Bottom Round Roast $3.49 lb
*Fresh Lean Ground Beef $2.49 lb (flavor seal packs 1 or 3 lb)
*Tyson Cornish Game Hens 2/$5
*Swai or Mahi Mahi Fillet $2.99 lb
*Wild Alaskan Whole Sockeye Salmon $3.99 lb
*Fresh Northwest Whole Cooked Dungeness Crab $4.99
*Private Selection 14" Pizza $7.99 (deli)
*Sub Sandwich Foot Long $5 (deli)
*Fried Chicken 8 pc $6.99 (deli)
*Cupcake Platters $14.99 (bakery)
*Hormel or Hickory Farms Snack Platter $12.99 (deli)
*Weekender Pinwheel or Snack Cheese Platter $12.99
*Medium Assorted Wrap Sandwich Platter $19.99
*Medium Meat & Cheese Platter $24.99
*Produce Platters and Nachos Save 20%
*Kettle Deluxe Mixed Nuts or Cashews $4.99 lb
*Kettle Chips 2/$6
*Lay's Potato Chips or Doritos Chips 3/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 3)
*DiGiorno Pizza $3.99 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Nabisco Snack Crackers 3/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 3)
*Country Oven or Vita*Bee Bread 4/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 8)
*Dreyer's Ice Cream 2/$7 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Oscar Meyer Hot Dogs or Deli Shaved Meat 2/$5 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)
*Baby Back Pork Ribs $2.99 lb w/ in ad coupon (first 2 packs)
*VO5 Shampoo or Conditioner $0.79 w/ in ad coupon (limit 4)



All Home clearance is 40% the lowest marked price! Save 60% off the original prices on adult and children's clothing and accessories.

A new Rewards cycle has started this week. Be on the look out for your Rewards from last cycle to start arriving in the next week or so.

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

For more sites listing other stores' sales ads and coupon match ups, please visit BeCentsAble - home of the original Grocery Gathering!

Getting Excited!

Well, about the blogosphere. :)

I received fun news last night that I'll share with you when I can (I have to wait for the official announcement!)

I have a couple of great reviews to share with you, as well as giveaways!

Speaking of giveaways, Monday starts the big Bloggy Giveaway Carnival! If you've never participated in this Carnival, basically a lot of bloggers host giveaways on their blog all week long! Some do gifts they have created (it's a great time to find new etsy stores!), some do gifts out of their own pocket, and some wonderful companies step in and allow bloggers to give away neat items from their companies! A lot of us lock ourselves in our bedrooms and neglect chores! ;)

I have freezer full of quick frozen foods so DH doesn't starve to death. ;) Plus, I am cleaning like the psychotic person I am so I can ignore at least that part for the week.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Cheesy Beef Dip

In honor of the Super Bowl coming up next weekend, here's my favorite dip recipe to make for it. You can skip the slow cooker and adapt this to the microwave, but it keeps warm throughout the game if you use the slow cooker instead of the microwave. This is great to have started while you make other things for the game, or to have cooking until halftime and then serve it.

Also, you can skip the tomatoes and use salsa if you have that on hand, of course.

1 (1 pound) block of Velveeta, cubed
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning mix
1/4 cup milk
1 pound lean ground beef (or sausage, chicken, or turkey)

Cook the ground beef, drain well, and then add to the bottom of the slow cooker.



Cube the Velveeta while the ground beef is cooking. You can try to shred it if that's easier, but honestly, I've never had an easier time shredding it over cubing it.


Add the taco seasoning mix, milk (or water) on top of the ground beef and stir. Then add the undrained cans of tomatoes, followed by the Velveeta.



Cook on low 2-3 hours. Stir, and serve warm with tortilla chips or sliced bread to dip.



This isn't exactly low in calories (but it's not meant to be an every day dish!) nor is exactly a cheap recipe to make, though it's cost is less than $10 if bought on sale:
Velveeta $4.74
Ground beef 1lb $1.99
2 cans tomatoes $1-2
taco seasoning mix $0.50
milk $0.20 (if that)

Click here for $1 off Muir Glen organic tomatoes and click here for a $1 coupon off Velveeta to help bring the cost down!

Change A Pet's Life Day January 24

January 24th is Change A Pet's Life Day. The first ten adoptions at each participating Hill's partner shelters are free on January 24, 2009. New pet owners will also receive a starter kit that includes free Hill's Science Diet® pet food and tips to give their adopted cat or dog the best start in their new life. Visit Science Diet's website to see if a shelter in your area is participating.

Fellow Kitsap County, WA residents, our local shelter IS participating in this event! Contact the Kitsap Humane Society at (360) 692-6977. If you've never visited it, it's located over in Silverdale on Dickey Rd NW.

If you've been contemplating adding a new furry member to your family, this is a great opportunity! All pets adopted from the shelter have their spay and neuter included, as well as first shots. Our two youngest kitties came to us from the Pierce County shelter off death row (the fluffy one you see in my photos was literally several hours from her last chance). For $90 (if you participate in this event, it's waived!) not only did they have their spay or neuter, they had their shots, their first vet visit after they had been with us, and they were also sent home with a bag of Science Diet food each, as well as a carrier, a collar and leash. This goes for dogs too!

If your home is already full of furry faces, take a moment to spread the word on.

Friday's Featured Etsy: LesChic Boutique

Welcome to my Friday's Featured post, in which I showcase Etsy stores and small businesses from folks like you and me. Recession, smession! ;)

This week's feature is an Etsy store called LesChic Boutique.

LesChic Boutique is owned by Leslie, proud mama of a miracle baby boy named Carter - who was a happy surprise after 20 years of hoping! Leslie is based in Newark, Ohio, and makes beautiful pieces of jewelry. A former salon owner, she works on her jewelry in her spare time - well, what spare time us Mommas have. ;) Many of her designs would be perfect Valentine's Day gifts for the special woman in your life!

One of my favorite items from her store are these gorgeous Antique Filigree Teardrops earrings:


Another gorgeous piece that would make a wonderful gift is this pretty Jade flower ring. It's wire wrapped with a soft organic green Jade carved flower:


Or how about this lovely lead free pewter and Picasso Turquoise colored Czech bead bracelet called Be True?


Stop by LesChic Boutique today and have a look around! You can also visit Leslie's blog and say hi, and see the adorable cuteness of her precious little boy!

Mairzey Dotes Sale!

Another one of my favorite companies is succumbing to the CPSIA law going into effect next month. :( If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you've probably spotted the button to my one of my favorite sites over on the right, Mairzey Dotes.

Use code thanks to receive 40% off your order at checkout. If you're looking for a great shower gift, consider their blankets! They also have really nice burp cloths.

Thrifty Thursday: Cheap Dates

This week's Thrifty Thursday post is about cheap and fun dates!

One idea is to check with any local museums around you. Many have one or two nights a month where it is free to get in. No museums close by? Check with local art galleries - it's free to browse!

Many libraries have free occasions where local authors and experts stop by, as well as showings of neat indie films. Check with your local library to see what's going on in your area!

Skip the dinner and go out for dessert and coffee instead. Or go out earlier in the evening when there are often half price appetizers and drinks during happy hour.

Really want the whole dinner experience on a monthly basis? Purchase your local Entertainment Book and get tons of coupons for buy one, get one free dining experiences. Even many small towns have coupon booklets for local restaurants and businesses for sale - check with your local Chamber of Commerce.

Have a favorite restaurant? Ask if they have a email list - I get coupons for several of our favorites on a regular basis just by having signed up for their emails.

How about date night at home? Blockbuster has movie rentals for $0.99 and $1.99, (membership is free) or get newer releases through a Redbox location for just $1 each night.

Wordless Wednesday: What Peanut Butter Recall?

(pardon my dirty floor)

Dapper Snappers, Take Two!

Remember my post on the neat Dapper Snappers a few weeks back?

Well, due to the whole CPSIA headache, Michelle is offering a great discount code for everyone since she's losing money come the deadline :( Hope on over to her blog for more information, and don't forget:

Use code gno20off1 for 20% off.

The Recycling Battle

I've never had a problem with recycling. I remember years ago when I was staying in Toronto, they were so far ahead of the US in recycling - every where you went was recycling bins for cans, bottles etc. I loved that!

When we moved to Washington, I had the impression that it was more of a crunchy granola loving kind of area. There would be an emphasis on using mass transit instead of driving yourself everywhere, farmers markets galore (hey, I saw the Pike Place market!), and there would be easy access to everything organic and natural.

Ha ha ha haaa.

They're actually widening out roads more and more here. Hey, way to go on encouraging people to take mass transit instead of driving themselves! And my allergies? They've never been so bad.

When we lived in the apartment, they had several recycling bins, but none for plastic. I couldn't believe how much trash I suddenly had! And the recycling was included with the cost of trash.

When we moved here, the first thing the waste company said was recycling is mandatory in our community. That's great, I had NO problem with that. (I had already figured out where the large drop off spots were to be able to recycle our items, anyways) Even though we already owned recycling bins, they said there was an additional charge each month for the cost of recycling.

Alright, we said, even though I was going hmmm. Then I got the list of what they will and will not recycle, and I felt like we were taking a step backwards. Now we could recycle SOME plastics, but very little. The list of what they would not recycle was longer than the list of what we could put into the bins!

We received one of those mass mailing letters from our trash company today to remind everyone that they will only pick up certain types of recycling, regardless of what the number says on the bottom of the item.

Their reasoning? The market cost for them selling certain items back to be recycled was too high on other items.

Now we PAY them to pick up recycling and send it off to be recycled. The landfills in this country are filled with trash that could easily be recycled or reused, sent to thrift stores, or easily repaired. People should be encouraged to recycle everything they can, not told that their shampoos bottles don't net your company enough profit to bother with.

I had a conversation a few months back with my cousin, who has two young children, and we were talking about the differences between here and back in the UK. Between recycling, and her small compost pile, she barely ends up with a small shopping bag worth of trash each week. Us? we end up with an entire trash can worth of "trash" simply because it's not PROFITABLE enough to recycle.

Sickening? I think so. I think it's time current standards changed. Enough with the shopping bags (Please don't tell me then the low income folks have to buy bags. I have entire stack of them here I didn't pay a cent for, that all came through promos at the store. Yes, I might use my more fun ones I paid for, but you CAN get them free), enough with the excess packaging, enough with the building new homes no one can afford.

And don't even get me started on this whole CPSIA law, where they are forcing businesses to throw out entire inventories into landfills, and encouraging parents to do the same with perfectly fine children's goods. Yeah, Congress, way to go on the whole environmental issue. /sarcasm.

The country needs more jobs? Great - open more recycling plants and encourage businesses and consumers to do MORE!

Preparedness Tuesday

It's Preparedness Tuesday - each Tuesday I post one thing you can do to help prepare you and your family for everyday disasters - be it job loss, bad weather (between being stuck in the middle of hurricane season, and the coming colder winter we're predicted), or even that ugly recession they keep talking about (blech!)

This week I simply want to remind everyone to take a moment to survey your surroundings. Work on your family's plans of what each member should do in case of an emergency. Check to make sure you have a three day supply of food that can be easily prepared without electricity, and a three day supply of drinking water for your family and pets. Finish clearing out those dead branches that could fall on your house during a freak ice storm and possibly damage it. Make sure all your flashlights have working batteries in them.

With all the insane weather we have had throughout the country, between floods, and extra inches of snow, it's best to have items you need on hand and ready to go, instead of having to brave the elements to go out and pick up that package of toilet paper! ;)

To get caught up on my preparedness thoughts, click here.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Stew

OK, here's last week's recipe post that I apparently forgot to post - oops!

Yes, me and those darn crock pot stews! Here's a variation, and it's best served in homemade bread bowls:

6-8 peeled potatoes, cubed into bite size pieces
1 bag of frozen chopped broccoli or a good portion of fresh
1 lb of chicken, cubed
1/2 cup of chicken broth OR 3-4 bullion cubes
1/2 cup of chopped bacon
1/2 cup of water
1 can of evaporated milk OR 1 1/2 cup of milk
2 cups of cheese OR half a block of Velveeta (works best with the Velveeta)

First, you'll want to cube the potatoes and chop the broccoli if you are using fresh.



Next, brown the chicken lightly. I'm cheating again as I am using one of the packs of Tyson chicken I found on clearance at Target the other day for 84 cents.

Next, cook the bacon. I chop mine before it's cooked as that's easier to me, but you can do it after it's cooked if you'd rather. As usual, feel free to use the microwaveable bacon if you have that on hand instead!


Layer everything in the crock pot - potatoes first, then broccoli, then chicken and bacon, followed by broth/bullion cubes and water. Cook on high 5-6 hours, or low 2-3.


Just before the last hour starts, add in the can of evaporated milk or cup of milk, and the Velveeta, chopped, (or shredded cheese) In a pinch - I've used the cheese powder that comes with the Mac N Cheese. It actually ends up pretty good, so don't hesitate to use it! (Plus, a 33 cent box of Mac N Cheese is a lot cheaper than half a brick of Velveeta or all that cheese, and you can use the pasta for another dish.)





This makes 5-6 servings. DH gives it a 7/10 - he actually wanted more chicken that I ended up using (The Tyson was about 1/2 lb compared to the 1 lb the recipe uses)

Total costs:
chicken bought on sale $1.99 lb (or in my case, 84 cents)
potatoes $0.50 (bought in a 10 lb bag on sale $1.50)
bacon $0.50 (bought in package on sale for 99 cents, used half)
broccoli $0.79 (on sale $0.99 used coupon)
broth $0.25 (half a can on sale for $0.50)
water free
Velveeta $2
milk $0.25 (half gallon on sale $1)
grand total: $6.28 (or in my case, $5.13) Using cheese powder would bring the cost down under $5 or cut down on the meat to bring it down.