Balancing Act Basics

Pineapple Slicer: $3.85 Shipped!

2014-06-05T20:24:00.000-04:00

Amazon has become my new best friend. Well, sorta. In a matter of speaking. Over the last several weeks, I've found some great deals on resources for my kids' home school curriculum for the next school year. In my opinion, if it's what I'm looking for & the price is right, I'll take it!

My friend Melissa at Melisa's Bargains recently posted a deal for a stainless steel pineapple slicer for $3.32 & free shipping. I took a quick look, and by golly, shipping was definitely free! But the price of the pineapple slicer had already risen slightly. That's what happens when demand starts to rise for an item!

You can now get this same stainless steel pineapple slicer for $3.85 and free shipping when you click here. Still a good value!

Thanks, Melissa, for the heads up!!

Wok's For Dinner: Lemon Parsley Chicken

2014-06-03T21:27:00.000-04:00

Well, surprise, surprise, surprise! You probably thought you'd never hear from me again. And, yet, here I am!

Yes, yes, I realize that I have been off the grid for several weeks. I have been oober busy planning for the next school year. I am pulling my kids out of public school and will be home schooling, so I have spent the past several weeks researching, talking to friends who home school, attending a home school conference, and finding home school curricula and resources. My dining table has been buried with textbooks, workbooks, readers, games, and science activities for a few weeks at least. I finally cleaned out a file cabinet that I will store most of the curricula in, and today managed to put a good chunk of the textbooks & workbooks into the file cabinet. The dining table is still about halfway covered, but I figure that some progress is better than no progress!

Meanwhile, cooking has been a challenge for me. With my mind focused on home schooling (BTW, there are numerous reasons why we are choosing to home school our kids, but I will not get on my soapbox at this time), I have had little desire to cook let alone think about what to make. I know that it truly is a matter of priorities, and I allowed meals to be low on the totem pole. The good news is that we have ate very healthily (I've even lost >10 lbs over the past month!!) but no meals that were awe-inspiring or worth sharing with my readers. Sorry!

But now that our home school curricula for the next year is well-established, I can put my attention back on the blog and sharing freebies, deals & recipes. It also helps that my passion for cooking is also returning!

I haven't made tonight's meal in quite a long while, and with a bag of lemons sitting in my fridge for some time, I got quite a hankering for some lemon in my dinner. I had chicken tenderloin in my freezer, and when you combine lemons & chicken, you get lemon chicken!

Lemon Parsley Chicken

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic
1 lemon
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, tenderloins, or thighs
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
2 tsp prepared mustard
1/4 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 Tbsp dried parsley, or 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
Peel & chop garlic. Grate the rind & squeeze juice from lemon; reserve juice. Combine flour, lemon rind and garlic into a medium bowl. Cut chicken into 1- or 2-inch pieces. Toss chicken pieces into the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Reserve remaining flour mixture. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Whisk together reserved flour mixture, chicken broth, mustard, sage, ginger and parsley. Add to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until chicken is cooked through and sauce is reduced, about 5 minutes. Salt & pepper chicken dish, if desired. Serve over cooked pasta such as penne or linguine.

Freebies in my Mailbox: Earthbound Farm Reusable Shopping Bag

2014-05-07T23:42:00.001-04:00

I love being a part of the Earthbound Farm team, subscribing to their newsletter, printing coupons, & purchasing their products. Several years ago, I received a free EB Farm reusable tote that I still use to this day. And today I found out that I have won a 2nd reusable tote!

Hooray!!! I love freebies!

And I love Earthbound Farm because of their mission -- there's a world of reasons to eat organic!

Visit Earthbound Farm here to learn more about this company, sign up for their enewsletter, register with their website and receive coupons for EB Farm products!

Spectacular Sides: Garlic Green Beans & Cabbage

2014-05-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

Delicious, and love, love, love the fresh green beans with this recipe!!

Garlic Green Beans & Cabbage

Ingredients:
1/2 head of cabbage (or 1 whole head if it's small)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb fresh green beans
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp sea salt
dash pepper
1/4 cup water

Directions:
Shred cabbage with a large knife or food processor. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Stir in shredded cabbage. Cook, stirring often, 5-7 minutes, until it starts to brown. Meanwhile, pinch off the tips of the green beans, then wash in cool water and dry on a paper towel. Stir green beans, garlic, salt and pepper into cabbage in skillet. Cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring often. Add water, turn heat to medium-low, cook 2-3 minutes low or until liquid is reduced.

What's on Sale #2: No Thru 5/3

2014-05-02T09:39:00.003-04:00

Here is the 2nd installment summary of sale items for this week!

sale ends 5/6

YOGURT - Chobani Greek Yogurt, 5.3 oz, 10/$10

CEREAL - Kellogg's Special K Cereal, 11-13 oz, $1.97 (e-VIC price), limit 2, use $1/2 Checkout 51 ecoupon, like paying $1.47 ea

RASPBERRIES - Red Raspberries, 6 oz, 2/$7, use $0.50/1 Driscoll's printable which doubles, makes it $2.50

GRAPEFRUIT - Red Grapefruit, 3 lb bag, $2.99

MANGOES - Large Mangoes, 10/$10

sale ends 5/6

CHICKEN - Grade A Whole Chicken, $0.99/lb

LETTUCE - Iceberg Lettuce, $0.99 ea

LETTUCE - Fresh Express or Dole Shredded Lettuce, 8 oz, $1.29

SALAD MIX - Fresh Express or Dole Angel Hair Cole Slaw, $1.29

TOMATOES - Roma Tomatoes, $0.99/lb

CUCUMBERS - Cucumbers, $0.69 ea

LEMONS - Large Lemons, 2/$1

PINEAPPLE - Tropical Gold Pineapple, $2.49

MANGOES - Mangoes, $0.99 ea

CHIPS - Tostitos Tortilla Chips, 9-13 oz, select varieties, BOGO Free, Limit 2 Free, ($2.15 ea)

CHIPS - Wise Potato Chips, 5-8 oz, select varieties, BOGO Free, limit 2 free, ($1.50 ea)

APPLESAUCE - GoGo SqueeZ Applesauce On The Go, 4 pk, select varieties, 2/$4

DRIED FRUIT - Food Lion Dried Cranberries, 5 oz, $0.99 ea

BABY FOOD - Beech-Nut Fruities On-The-Go or Yogurt Blend Pouch, 3.8-4 oz, select varieties, $0.89

CANNED VEGETABLES - My Essentials Canned Vegetables, 14.5-15.25 oz, select varieties, 2/$1

PUDDING - Hunt's Snack Pack Pudding, 4 pk, 13 oz, select varieties, $0.89

FROZEN PIZZA - Totino's Party Pizza, 9.8-10.9 oz, select varieties, 4/$5, use $1/4 store coupon at the MVP coupon center, makes it 4/$4

SUNSCREEN - Coppertone Sunscreen, 6 oz continuous spray, SPF 30 & SPF 50, $3.99, use $1/1 printable (if your store accepts coupons)

sale ends 5/2

PERSONAL CARE - Up & Up Personal Care Deal: Buy 3 Get 1 Free, includes:

Up & Up Facial Cleansing Towelettes, 30 ct, $3.69, use $1 Up & Up skin care store printable plus 5% off Up & Up Facial Cleansers Target Cartwheel ecoupon (exp 5/3)
Up & Up Apricot Scrub, 6 oz, $2.19, use $1 Up & Up skin care store printable plus 5% off Up & Up Facial Cleansers Target Cartwheel ecoupon (exp 5/3)
Up & Up Acne Wash, 6 oz, $3.29, use $1 Up & Up skin care store printable plus 5% off Up & Up Facial Cleansers Target Cartwheel ecoupon (exp 5/3)
Up & Up Exfoliating Cotton Rounds, 100 ct, $3.59, use $0.50 Up & Up cosmetic cotton item store printable plus 5% off Up & Up Cotton Pads Target Cartwheel ecoupon (exp 5/3)
Up & Up Body Wash, 24 oz, $3.59, use $0.50/1 Up & Up personal care $2 or more store printable plus off Up & Up Body Wash Target Cartwheel ecoupon (exp 5/3)

Harris Teeter e-VIC Deals: Now Thru 5/6

2014-05-02T08:20:00.002-04:00

This week's e-VIC specials have been released! Here's a snapshot of items on sale now thru Tuesday May 6.

FACIAL TISSUE - Kleenex Facial Tissue, Selected Sizes, $0.67 ea, limit 2 (weekend offer only), use $0.40/1 printable, makes it $0.27 ea
AVOCADOS = Organic Hass Avocado, 1 ct, $0.97 ea, limit 2, use $0.25/1 Checkout 51 ecoupon plus 20% off purchase of 1 SavingsStar ecoupon
HAMBURGER / HOT DOG BUNS - Harris Teeter Hamburger / Hot Dog Buns, 8 ct, $0.77 ea, limit 2
CREAM CHEESE - Harris Teeter Soft Cream Cheese Bowls, 8 oz, $0.97 ea, limit 2

Plus, save $3 when you spend $10 on participating Clorox & Glad products now thru May 6! Products include:

35 ct Clorox Disinfecting Wipes (select varieties)
116-121 ox Clorox Bleach (select varieties), use $0.50/1 Clorox Smart Seek Bleach printable
32 oz Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner with Bleach (select varieties)
32 oz Tilex Mold & Mildew Remover
28-80 ct Glad Trash Bags (select varieties)
2-8 ct GladWare Food Storage (select varieties)

As always, remember to check with your local Harris Teeter as e-VIC specials and promotions can vary.

Wok's For Dinner: Orange Parmesan Chicken

2014-05-01T22:20:00.002-04:00

The sweet & tart tang of orange marmalade followed by savory Italian herbs and Parmesan cheese make a winning combination for this dish. It received rave reviews from hubs and the kids. Loved it!

Orange Parmesan Chicken

Ingredients:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp orange marmalade
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray nonstick cooking spray onto a baking sheet. Place marmalade into a shallow medium-size bowl. Mix remaining ingredients into a shallow medium-size bowl. Rinse and pat dry chicken. Dip chicken in marmalade, then dip into bread crumb mixture, patting mixture onto chicken to coat all sides. Place coated chicken breast onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese & bread crumb mixture is golden brown and juices of chicken run clear.

What's on Sale #1: Now Thru 5/3

2014-04-30T22:41:00.000-04:00

Can you believe that May is almost here? Yikes!! Seems like yesterday that we were celebrating the New Year.

Here's a screen shot of some of the best prices available now through Saturday. Note that, due to sales periods varying in my area, I look at the dates that the sales actually overlap.

sale ends 5/4

PEPPERS - Fresh Green Stuffing Bell Peppers, 2/$1

PEPPERS - Fancy Large Jalapeno Peppers, $0.99/lb

LEMONS - Large Fancy Lemons, 2/$1

MUSHROOMS - Baby Bella Mushrooms, 8 oz, $1.39

MANGOES - Ripe Mangoes, $0.99

LETTUCE - Dole Shredded Lettuce, 8 oz, 2/$3

APPLES - Washington State Red Delicious Apples, $0.99/lb

KETCHUP - Hunt's Ketchup, 24 oz, $0.79

SPAGHETTI SAUCE - Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce, 24 oz, 5/$5

CANNED PASTA - Chef Boyardee Pasta, 15 oz, 5/$5

CANNED TOMATOES - Vine-Ripe Diced Tomatoes, 28 oz, $1

PICKLES - Star's Pickles, all sizes, $1

BOTTLED WATER - Deer Park Water, 1 gal, $0.99

BLEACH - Piggly Wiggly Ultra Bleach, 96 oz, all varieties, $0.99

sale ends 5/3

CANNED MUSHROOMS - Canned Mushrooms, 4 oz, $0.69 ea with in-ad coupon, limit 4

TACO SHELLS - Old El Paso Taco Shells, 12 pk, 3/$3 (must buy 3) plus earn 1000 Balance Rewards points, good for $1 off your next purchase

YOGURT - Chobani Greek Yogurt, 5.3 oz, 5/$5 (must buy 5)

DEODORANT - Speed Stick or Lady Speed Stick Antiperspirant / Deodorant, 2.3-3.25 oz, select varieties, $1.99, use $1 off Speed Stick men or women, 2.3 oz + from the 4/27 SmartSource newspaper insert, makes it $0.99

sale ends 5/3

PAIN RELIEF - Bayer Aspirin, 500 mg 20 ct, 325 mg 24 ct, 81 mg 32-36 ct, $2.99 ea, limit 4, plus get $1 +UP credit good toward next purchase, use $1 off Bayer 20 ct printable or $1 off Bayer 20 ct printable

TOOTHPASTE - Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste, 4 oz, $3.49, limit 2, plus get $1.50 +UP credit good toward next purchase, use $2 Rite Aid Load2Card store ecoupon

sale ends 5/3

DIAPERS - CVS Diapers, Jumbo pk, $6.99, limit 3, buy 2 and use $2 off baby care purchase $10+ CVS store coupon printed at in-store coupon center, plus use 2 $2 off CVS Jumbo Pack 40-60 ct printable, makes it $1.99 ea

sale ends 5/4

CHICKEN - Fryer Leg Quaters, $0.68/lb, sold in a 10 lb bag for $6.80

PAPER TOWEL - IGA Paper Towels, single 2-ply, 2/$1

TOILET PAPER - IGA Bath Tissue, 4 roll pk 2-ply, $0.69

GREEN BEANS - Fresh Snap Green Beans, $0.99/lb

LETTUCE - Fresh Express Shredded Lettuce, 8 oz, 4/$5

SALAD MIX - Fresh Express Garden Salad Mix, 12 oz, 4/$5

GRAPEFRUIT - Florida Red Grapefruit, $0.65

ONIONS - Jumbo White or Yellow Onions, $0.79/lb

PEANUTS - IGA Peanuts, 12 oz, assorted varieties, 2/$3

YOGURT - Morning Fresh Farms Yogurt, 6 oz, 3/$1

SAUSAGE - Banquet Brown 'n Serve Sausage Links or Patties, 6.4 oz, 10/$10

BOLOGNA - Carolina Pride All Meat Bologna, 12 oz, 5/$5

CHILI SAUCE - Hy-Top Chili Sauce, 12 5/$5

sale ends 5/10

CHICKEN - Bone-in Chicken Breast, family pk, $0.99/lb

STEAK - Fresh Boneless Beef Bottom Round Steaks, $3.99/lb

ROAST - Fresh Boneless Beef Bottom Round Roast, $3.59/lb

EGGS - Coburn Farms Grade A Large Eggs, 1 doz, $0.99 ea

HOT DOGS - Fairgrounds Jumbo Hot Dogs, 12 oz, $0.89

STRAWBERRIES - Dole Fresh California Strawberries, $1.99

POTATOES - Fresh Idaho Potatoes, 10 lb, $2.99

CORN - Fresh Corn Ears, 3/$0.99

AVOCADO - Fresh Avocados, $0.99

TOMATOES - Fresh Roma Tomatoes, $0.99/lb

COOKING OIL - Westcott Vegetable Oil, $2.49

APPLE JUICE - Tipton Grove 100% Apple Juice, 64 oz, $1.49

As always, make sure to check your local store's circulars since sales vary by region & store.

Happy shopping!

Spectacular Sides: Sweet Potato Fries

2014-04-30T08:00:00.001-04:00

I really, really, really did NOT like sweet potatoes when I was growing up. I mean, ugh, they were all mushy and orange and blech! Of course, back then, the only kind of sweet potato that I had came with 5 pounds of brown sugar and butter and was dotted with white or pastel-colored mini marshmallows. Way too rich for my tastebuds!

Then there was sweet potato pie, which was like fool's gold to me. Looked like pumpkin pie, smelled like pumpkin pie, sorta tasted like pumpkin pie, but had a fibrous texture that let my brain know it was definitely not pumpkin pie.

It was about 5 years ago that I learned there were numerous ways to prepare sweet potatoes, and after trying various recipes, I also learned that some of them were actually really good! I felt as though a part of my childhood had been stolen. Why did I not know of this before???

Sweet potatoes are loaded with vitamins and much healthier to eat than a regular potato. So why not eat sweet potatoes?

One of my favorite ways to have sweet potatoes is in the form of a french fry -- sweet & savory all at the same time. Plus, it's homemade, and what's better than that?!

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt
dash of pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 Tbsp sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel sweet potato, then cut into thin strips. Sweet potatoes are rather tough tubers, so it helps to cut the sweet potato in half across its width, then cut the halves into thin strips. Place sweet potato strips into a large bowl and drizzle olive oil over them. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, then with cinnamon sugar. Mix all ingredients together. Add more cinnamon and/or sugar if desired. I usually eyeball until the sweet potato strips "look right."

Place sweet potato strips onto a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes, turn strips over, then bake an additional 15 minutes or until desired tenderness/crispiness is reached. I like mine crispy on the outside, tender on the inside! 8-}

Delicious Desserts: Chocolate Trifle

2014-04-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

Our house has 2 nights designated for desserts--Monday night, which is our dedicated family night with special family activities; and Friday night, which is the "finally the weekend is here & we can relax!" night. The kids always look forward to dessert night, making sure to remind me so I don't forget.

I admit that I look forward to our dessert nights, too. I try to steer clear of desserts that are heavy and rich, partly so my hips will thank me, and partly to keep the kids' teeth from rotting with so much sugar! LOL But mostly to keep things at least semi-healthy without sacrificing taste.

Earlier this year, I bought some Spring-themed chocolate chip morsels that were marked down at a rock-bottom price (I paid about $1.20 per bag, which is about as low as it goes in my neck of the woods). I've tried coming up with some creative ways to using them, and decided to try them as part of the frosting for a cake.

I'm not a big fan of traditional cake frosting. When I do have cake, I usually prefer to go without any frosting. When I do frost a cake, I'll use some melted butter and cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top. Or whipped topping.

I happened to have some whipped topping in the fridge and decided to make a cake for our dessert night.

Not just any cake--a trifle cake! Which I've never made before, to be honest. I had an idea in my head of what I wanted to do and put together the following version, which the kids drooled over and said was really, really good. After taste-testing myself, I had to agree that it was delicious and without the weighty, heavy, sugary taste that usually accompanies a cake!

Chocolate Trifle

Ingredients:
1 box chocolate cake mix, prepared (I used Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge)
1 - 3.4 oz instant banana pudding mix
2 cups milk
8 oz whipped topping
chocolate chip morsels
caramel syrup ice cream topping

Directions:
Cut cake into 1-2-inch size chunks. Place half of cake chunks into bottom of large bowl. Prepare pudding according to package directions, using 2 cups milk. Layer 1/2 prepared banana pudding, then 1/2 whipped topping, then some chocolate morsels and a little caramel syrup on top. Repeat all layers. Chill or serve immediately.

Free eBooks:Quick & Easy Paleo, Top 40 Quinoa, Quirky Potlucks, and More!

2014-04-29T22:03:00.000-04:00

Prices can change at any time, so hurry & click on links below to download these ebooks while they are still free!

Easy Appetizer Recipes

Things Mother Used to Make A Collection of Old Time Recipes, Some Nearly One Hundred Years Old and Never Published Before

Our Quirky Potluck Recipes

40 Top Quinoa Recipes for Weight Loss

40 Top Paleo Recipes - Quick and Easy Paleo Diet Recipes For Weight Loss & Optimum Health (Paleolithic Diet Cookbook)

Pennsylvania Dutch Cooking

Easy Vegetarian Recipes

Note that these eBooks are designed for Kindle usage, but you can click here to download a free application so you can read these books on your PC.

Wok's For Dinner: Slow-Cooker: Teriyaki Chicken Drummies

2014-04-29T21:32:00.001-04:00

These are really, really tasty, and a great meal for when you're on the go. You can use bottled teriyaki sauce, or make a homemade version using the recipe below.

Slow-Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Drummies

Ingredients:
3 lbs chicken drumsticks
1 med. onion, chopped
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup water

Directions:
Rinse & pat dry chicken. Place chicken into a 6-qt slow cooker. Mix together remaining ingredients, then pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours or high 2-3 hours. Stir drumsticks in sauce before serving.

The drumsticks in the picture above were still frozen when I put them in the slow cooker. After 6 hours of slow cooking, they were juicy, tender, and fall-off-the-bone delicious!

Delicious Desserts: Chocolate Chip Banana Cream Pie

2014-04-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

This is a yummy & light twist to a classic dessert, Banana Pudding!

Chocolate Chip Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1 ready-made graham cracker crust pie shell
2 bananas, sliced
1 - 3.4 oz box instant banana pudding
1 3/4 cup milk
4 oz whipped topping
chocolate chip morsels

Directions:
Place banana slices on bottom of graham cracker pie crust. Prepare banana pudding according to package directions for pie filling (mine said to use 1 3/4 cup milk). Pour prepared banana pudding over banana slices. Spread whipped topping on top of pudding. Sprinkle desired amount of chocolate chips on top.

This is really tasty and sure to be a crowd-pleaser with your entire family!

Free Sample: Eucerin Lotion

2014-04-28T21:53:00.002-04:00

Visit Facebook by clicking here and "liking" the page to claim your free sample of Eucerin lotion. Two types are still available for you to choose -- Eucerin Professional Repair Extremely Dry Skin Lotion and Eucerin Daily Replenishing Moisturizing Lotion.

Hurry while supplies are still available!!

Menu Plan Monday: 4/28/14

2014-04-28T21:43:00.002-04:00

It's that time again -- time to post the menu plan! Here's what was on the Boren household menu for last week. Note that I post on a one-week lag so I can post some of my recipes during the week as we have our meals then link the recipes to the menu plan. Unfortunately, my camera batteries all went kapoot last recently, and it was Saturday before I was able to find buy new ones, so please accept my apologies for not having as many recipe links as I would have liked.

Monday - Crunchy Baked Chicken, Broccoli, Strawberry Garden Salad (sliced strawberries served over a bed of garden salad with a light drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette)
Tuesday - Pollock Au Gratin, Cantaloupe, Sugar Snap Peas
Wednesday - Stuffed Pork Chops, Herbed Broccoli, Baked Carrots
Thursday - Chicken Burgers, Garlic Green Beans, Tortilla Chips & Dip
Friday - Take Out Night (hubs wanted to be helpful & brought dinner home)
Saturday - Tacoless Tacos, White Rice & Mixed Veggies
Sunday - Leftover Buffet

This post is linked to Menu Plan Monday at OrgJunkie.com!

Wok's For Dinner: Tacoless Taco

2014-04-28T20:39:00.001-04:00

This meal really is, hands down, one of our family favorites. I call it taco"less" since it's a taco without the tortilla. It's a great alternative to eating light without sacrificing taste or a satisfied palate. I use ground venison in my recipe, and I go a little heavy on seasonings to get rid of the gamey taste. You can certainly use ground beef, chicken or turkey, but I recommend going a little light on seasonings, taste test, then add more if needed.

Tacoless Tacos

Ingredients:
1 lb ground venison or your choice of ground meat
1 med. onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 med. carrots, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp chili powder
1/8 tsp ground pepper
shredded lettuce
Toppings of your choice:
Chopped green onion
Shredded cheese
Diced roma tomato
Sliced black olives
Dollop of sour cream and/or guacamole

Directions:
Brown ground meat in a large skillet over medium-high heat with onion, bell pepper, carrots and minced garlic, stirring occasionally, until meat is no longer pink. Stir in water and seasonings. Bring water to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 7-10 minutes. Serve over a bed of shredded lettuce. Add your favorite taco toppings.

Delicious!

Save A Lot 3-Day Sale: Now Thru 4/27

2014-04-25T10:20:00.000-04:00

Wow, I actually got my notification this morning regarding Save A Lot's 3-Day Sale instead of getting it this afternoon Kinda nice!

Here's a couple of items that are included in the sale:

CARROTS - Mini Carrots, 16 oz bag, $0.59
HOT DOGS - Fairgrounds Hot Dogs, 12 oz pkg, $0.79

Harris Teeter e-VIC Specials: Now Thru 4/29/14

2014-04-25T10:08:00.000-04:00

This just in! Score some of these fabulous e-VIC deals at Harris Teeter. Be sure to check with your local Harris Teeter since e-VIC specials can vary by region & location.

Plus, it's Super Doubles Coupon week! Coupons with a face value up to $2 each are doubled! That means your $2 coupon is now a $4 coupon. :D

MILK -- Harris Teeter milk, 1 gal, $2.97 ea, limit 2 (weekend offer only)
PAPER TOWELS - Sparkle Paper Towels, 6 or 8 rolls pkg, $3.97 ea, limit 2 (weekend offer only), use $1/1 Sparkle Package 6 roll or larger printable, which doubles, makes it $1.97 per package
JUICE -- Harris Teeter Premium Orange Juice, 59 oz, $2.47 ea, limit 2
TOILET PAPER - Quilted Northern Toilet Tissue, 12 roll, $4.97, limit 2, use $0.75/1 printable (play the game, which starts at $0.25/1 coupon, the more toys you stack, the more you save) which doubles, makes it $3.47
YOGURT - Dannon Yogurt, 4 pk, $1.57, limit 2

Mambo Sprouts: Healthy & Organic Item Coupons

2014-04-25T10:00:00.000-04:00

Organic coupons are typically the hardest coupons to find. Have you ever noticed this? If so, then check out Mambo Sprouts. In addition to reading interesting articles and an e-newsletter, you can print coupons for organic products! Mambo Sprouts lets you know the item's status as gluten-free and non-GMO, as applicable.

To view this month's featured product coupons, click here. Examples include $1/1 off any EVOL product. Printable coupons reach their monthly print limit quickly, so place a reminder on your calendar to check for coupons at the beginning of each month!

What's on Sale: Today Thru 4/26

2014-04-24T00:20:00.002-04:00

So I have some recipes to post but haven't been able to do it. I'm so bummed--my camera is toast! Well, the batteries are, to be more specific. I had rechargeable batteries & lost one of them, so I did the unthinkable and mixed regular alkaline with rechargeable lithium batteries. That worked ok until it was time to recharge the lithium batteries. My camera has sucked the life out of the lithium AND all my alkaline batteries. I plan to buy all new lithium batteries, which will hopefully resolve the issue so I can new recipes posted. Fingers crossed!

I am so excited about the sales this week -- so many great deals!! Here are some of my favorites! (Note: I look at what's on sale Wed - Sat each week, since those are the days that all circulars / sale periods overlap in my area).

sale ends 4/29/14

ONIONS - Red Onions, bulk bin, $0.99/lb

CARROTS - Baby Peeled Carrots, 2 lb pkg, 2/$4

PEARS - Jumbo Anjou Pears, $1.49/lb

KALE - Bunch Kale, $0.79/lb

JUICE - Naked Juice, 15.2 oz, all varieties, $1.99 ea (Love this stuff! Great for making smoothies!)

POTATOES, REFRIGERATED - Simply Potatoes, 20 oz, select varieties, 2/$4, use $1/2 printable, makes it 2/$3

SEAFOOD - Honey Chipotle Salmon, $5.99/lb

NAPKINS - My Essentials Napkins, 120 ct, $0.99

LAUNDRY DETERGENT - Tide Simply Fresh, 40 oz, 25 loads, $3.49 ea, use $0.50 from Savings Center Coupon Kiosk, makes it $2.99

DOG TREATS - Canine Carry Outs Dog Treats, 5 oz, select varieties, $0.99

sale ends 4/27/14

CABBAGE - Fresh Green Cabbage, $0.39/lb

PEPPERS - Green Bell Peppers, 2/$1

SQUASH - Yellow Squash, $0.99/lb

TOMATOES - Fancy Large Roma Tomatoes, $0.69/lb

CROUTONS - Mrs. Cubbison's Croutons, 5 oz, select varieties, $0.99

SPICES - Spice Supreme Spices, all varieties, $1

VEGETABLES, FROZEN - Green Giant Boil in Bag Vegetables, 9 oz, select varieties, $0.99

FRUIT DRINKS - Hawaiian Punch Fruit Drinks, 128 oz, all varieties, $1.69

FRUIT JUICE - Old Orchard Fruit Juices, 64 oz, selected regular or healthy balance, 2/$3, use $1/2 Healthy Balance printable, makes it 2/$2

LEMONADE - Turkey Hill Lemonade, 1 gal, $1.79

CHEESE SLICES - Piggly Wiggly Cheese Singles, 12 oz, 16 slices, $1.59

BODY WASH - White Rain Body Wash, 12 oz, $0.79

SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER - White Rain Shampoo / Conditioner, 16.9 oz, $0.79

DEODORANT - Suave Deodorant, 1.4 oz, $0.99

PAIN RELIEVER - Our Family Low Dose Aspirin, 36 ct, $0.99

sale ends 4/27

ICE CREAM - Turkey Hill Ice Cream, 48 oz, 2/$5, use $1/2 printable, makes it 2/$4

TOILET PAPER - Angel Soft Bath Tissue, 12 reg rolls, $2.99, use $0.25/1 printable, makes it $2.49

PAPER TOWEL - Sparkle Paper Towel, Single Big Prints Roll, $0.99

POTATOES, FROZEN - IGA Potatoes, Tater Tots or Crinkle Cut, 32 oz, 4/$5

VEGETABLES, FROZEN - IGA Vegetables, 16 oz, select varieties, 5/$5

PEPPERONI - Armour Sliced Pepperoni, 3 oz, 5/$5

HOT DOGS - Valleydale Old Fashion Hot Dogs, 12 oz, $0.99

BACON - Butterball Turkey Bacon, 12 oz, $2.19, use $0.65/1 All You Magazine coupon, makes it $1.54

HOT SAUCE - Texas Pete Hot Sauce, 6 oz, original $0.69

POPCORN - IGA Microwave Popcorn, 10.5 oz, 3 pk, assorted varieties, 5/$5

OATMEAL - IGA Quick Oats or Old-Fashioned Oats, 16 oz, 5/$5

OATMEAL, INSTANT - IGA Instant Oatmeal, 10-12 pk, assorted varieties, 2/$3

ORANGES - Florida Juice Oranges, 3/$1, use $0.25/1 Checkout 51 ecoupon, like paying $0.08 for 1!

GREEN BEANS - Crisp Green Snap Beans, $0.99/lb

CUCUMBERS - Crisp Slicing Cucumbers, $0.65 ea

SALAD MIX - Fresh Express 8 oz shredded lettuce or 12 oz Garden Salad Mix, 4/$5

CUPS, DISPOSABLE - IGA Foam Cups, 12 oz, 24 ct, $0.88

DRYER SHEETS - IGA Fabric Softener Sheets, 40 ct, 5/$5

TOOTHBRUSHES - Top Care Angle Toothbrush or Smart Grip Toothbrush, single ct, 5/$5

sale ends 4/26

MILK - Milk, 1 gal, $3.29

LAUNDRY DETERGENT - Purex Laundry Detergent Liquid, 24-33 loads, or Ultra Paks, 18 pk, BOGO Free, use $1/1 Purex No Sort Laundry Detergent printable or $1/1 Purex Liquid Laundry Detergent max 100 oz or Ultra Paks max 36 ct printable

sale ends 4/26

SPORTS DRINK - Powerade Sports Drink, 32 oz, $1.57, use $1/1 store coupon which you can print at the CVS coupon center

DIAPERS - Huggies Diapers, Pull-Ups, or Good Nites, jumbo pack, $8.99, buy $20 in products, receive $5 ECB, use $2/1 Pull-Ups printable or $2/1 Overnites printable or $3/1 Little Snugglers printable, AND $1.50 store printable

Happy shopping!

Earthbound Farm Reusable Bag

2014-04-23T23:03:00.000-04:00

Like organic? Then "like" Earthbound Farm on Facebook (mobile users go here) for a chance to win a free Earthbound Farm Reusable Bag!

Already liking Earthbound Farm on Facebook? No problem! You can still register for a chance to win yourself a bag. :D

Free Sample: Poise LIner Pad

2014-04-23T22:45:00.001-04:00

Free sample kit available from Poise--simply click here to request yours. The sample kit includes 2 Poise Microliners (1 regular, 1 long), 1 Poise Long Liner, 1 Poise Ultra Thin Pad, a coupon and informational brochure.

Free Sample: U by Kotex!

2014-04-23T22:38:00.002-04:00

Click here to request a sample pack of U by Kotex Sleek Tampons. The sample pack includes 2 Sleek Regular Tampons, 2 Sleek Super Tampons, 2 Curves Liners, and a coupon.

Free Sample: Purina Healthy Weight Cat Chow

2014-04-23T22:30:00.000-04:00

Visit Purina here and take the pledge for your free sample of Purina Healthy Weight Cat Chow!

Save-A-Lot 3-Day Sale: Now Thru 4/20

2014-04-18T22:20:00.002-04:00

So my email account says that it received Save-A-Lot's 3-Day Sale notification at 7:10 AM today, but there was NO such email when I checked this morning, long after 7:10 AM. It's been that way for several weeks. I'm just not receiving these emails as early as my email account says they are.

But received it was, finally. There are a few items in the 3-Day sale, one item of which is AWESOME!

CANTALOUPE - Fresh Cantaloupe, $0.99