My husband and I love to dine out at our favorite restaurants whenever possible. The food, the ambiance – we enjoy it all! However, since I stay at home with our young daughter, this makes the chances of going out to restaurants few and far between these days. So when we received our $50 gift card to Restaurant.com as part of the rewards program from Bounce Energy, we were excited for the opportunity to enjoy good food and do so within our budget.

Restaurant.com is an online retailer of restaurant gift cards for a fraction of the normal price. Dine at four star restaurants at half the price when you purchase a gift certificate from Restaurant.com! To find a list of participating restaurants in your city, click here to search by zip code, and you can even search restaurants up to 30 miles away from home so that you can expand your range of dining out options.

Here’s how the process works:  once you receive your restaurant gift card either in the mail or electronically, you should visit Restaurant.com to register the code on the back of your gift card. Once the code is registered you can start to shop around and choose which gift certificates you would like to purchase. Depending upon the restaurant, gift certificates amounts can range from $10 to $100 (the $25 gift certificate is the most common), and you purchase that gift certificate at a great value using the money on your gift card. Each dining establishment has its own specific terms and conditions regarding how the gift certificate can be used towards paying your bill, so please pay special attention to those restrictions so that you can best optimize your dining experience.

Here are a few of my top Dallas and Houston restaurants on Restaurant.com that won’t leave you hungry.

• Block 7 Wine Company - Houston
• Daily Review Café – Houston
• Marks - Houston
• Café Pita + - Houston
• Michelangelo’s - Houston
• The Grotto – Dallas
• J. Black’s Feel Good Lounge – Dallas
• Kathleen’s Sky Diner – Dallas
• Arcodoro & Pomodoro – Dallas

Bounce Energy prides itself on its fantastic rewards program options. When you sign up for a Bounce Energy electricity plan, you can choose to enroll in one of three rewards programs. Once enrolled in the Bounce Energy Rewards Program, you can earn rewards such as different gift card options, movie tickets, a companion airfare certificate, bill credits, and a free month of electricity for making on-time bill payments.

Eating a diet filled with heart healthy meals is a completely attainable goal, even for people on a budget. Everyone can and should make a few changes in their diet, and still comfortably afford to eat with your health in mind. Last week we posted some delicious heart healthy recipes for those of us on a budget and this week we’ve gathered a few more heart healthy recipes to show you that heart healthy meals don’t have to be boring and flavorless.

A great beef stew is a hearty meal that can warm you up during these cold months. This recipe is so loaded with tasty vegetables and savory lean beef that you might forget that you’re actually eating a heart healthy meal. The best part about a good beef stew – it always tastes better the next day! This is a great budget friendly recipe, because it makes a large amount of food for the price, and since it stores well, you can also portion out the leftovers and have meals planned for the rest of the week.

Easy Oven Beef Stew

(Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association )

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds lean boneless round steak, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 cups water
• 2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 9-ounce package frozen no-salt-added whole baby carrots
• 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup frozen no-salt-added pearl onions
• 4 teaspoons low-sodium beef bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon dried savory or thyme, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large plastic bag with a tight-fitting seal, combine flour and pepper. Add meat and shake until well coated. Shake off excess flour.
3. In an oven-proof Dutch oven, combine coated meat and remaining ingredients. Cover and bake for 2 hours or until meat is tender, stirring once or twice. Slow-Cooker Method : Prepare beef cubes as directed above. Combine coated meat and remaining ingredients in a 3 1/2- to 4-quart electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours or on low for 9 to 11 hours or until meat is tender.

Baked ziti is another filling and inexpensive option for heart healthy meals. Specifically, this recipe replaces a typically meat-laden sauce with a lot of fresh vegetables. Serve with a warm whole-grain bread, and once again, you might be surprised you’re eating something so good for your heart and budget.

Baked Ziti

(Recipe courtesy of MayoClinic.com )

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup uncooked ziti (about 2 ounces)
• 1 can (14 ounces) low-sodium tomatoes, drained (reserve 1/2 cup of the juice)
• 1/2 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender). It usually takes 10 to 12 minutes, or you can just follow the pasta package directions. Drain the pasta thoroughly.
3. In a nonstick frying pan over medium heat, add the reserved juice from the canned tomatoes. Stir in the carrots, broccoli, and green pepper. Saute the vegetables until tender, or about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and then cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, basil, oregano, and black pepper to the vegetable mixture. Cook over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a large bowl. Add the cooked pasta and mozzarella cheese. Toss gently to mix. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the mixture is hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil after 15 minutes.
6. Divide the pasta among warmed individual bowls. Serve immediately.

And finally, just because you’re trying to eat more heart healthy meals, it doesn’t mean you need to skip dessert. Berries are one of the best super foods available to people who want to develop heart health. Indulge your taste buds and budget with this berry crumble recipe!

Old-Fashioned Fruit Crumble

(Recipe courtesy of EatingWell.com )

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons whole-wheat or all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds, or pecans
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine fruit with granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and orange juice. Divide among four 6-ounce ovenproof ramekins. Combine oats, nuts, and brown sugar with the remaining 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Drizzle with oil and stir to combine. Sprinkle over the fruit mixture. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.
3. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden, which typically takes 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.

(Photo by Eatwell.com)

Bounce Energy is supporting the American Heart Association to help raise awareness for heart disease! For every new like on our Facebook page we will donate $1 to the American Heart association, check out this post for more information!

What price would you put on a healthy heart? Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S., killing one person every minute according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Perhaps that’s why February has been designated American Heart Month . The good news about this devastating disease is that heart disease is truly preventable for most people. Lifestyle changes, including dietary changes, can go a long way to keep your heart healthy and fit.

There’s a perception that eating healthy is bland and expensive. Once upon a time, this might have been true, but with the wide variety of fresh foods, exotic ingredients, and tasty cheap vegetarian offerings available in most supermarkets these days, there’s no reason to sacrifice the enjoyment of a delicious meal in order to eat heart healthy. We encourage you to try out these three excellent recipes.

Spinach Pizza

(Recipe courtesy of EverydayHealth.com )

Who doesn’t love pizza? This heart healthy recipe includes some of the most important ingredients for preventing heart disease: whole grains, omega-3 fatty acids, and a generous serving of fresh veggies. The absence of meat and the inclusion of cheap vegetables make this pizza as inexpensive and healthy as it is tasty.

Ingredients

• 4 cup(s) cooked chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)
• 2 cup(s) sliced mushrooms
• 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon basil
• 1/2 tablespoon oregano
• 1 whole wheat prepared pizza crust
• 3 clove(s) garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup(s) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium nonstick skillet, sauté the spinach and mushrooms in 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add salt, pepper, basil, and oregano. Sauté until all the moisture is evaporated (about10 minutes).
2. Rub pizza crust with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle minced garlic on top. Spread the spinachandmushroom mixture evenly over the pizza crust.
3. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

(Recipe courtesy of SeriousEats.com )

A serving of hearty soup can be the star of a cheap, healthy meal when combined with a green salad and slice of whole-grain bread. Butternut squash is chock-full of beta carotene, an antioxidant that can lower your chances of getting heart disease. You can also save money on a “company dinner” by serving this inexpensive soup as an appetizer. It’s naturally filling, which means you can serve smaller entrée portions without sending guests home hungry.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 three-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 softball-sized sweet Vidalia onion, cut into chunks or rings
• 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
• 3 1/2 cups stock, divided
• Salt and pepper
• 1 or 2 tablespoons cream or unsalted butter (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss squash, onion, and garlic cloves with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil; spread on glass baking dish and pour 1 cup stock over the top. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
2. Bake at 350ºF for 1 1/2 hours or until fairly soft and a little caramelized-looking; check on the pan every 20 minutes or so and if necessary, add additional liquid to keep it from scorching to the bottom of the pan. Stir once during cooking.
3. Add squash, garlic, onion, and any liquid from baking dish into a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Add 2 1/2 cups stock and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper to the pot, and cook over medium-low heat for at least 20 minutes.
4. Purée all ingredients in a blender. Add back to pot, stir in cream or butter and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Turkey Chili

(Recipe courtesy of AllRecipes.com)

Almost everyone loves a good bowl of chili, and it’s a favorite cheap recipe! It can be an excellent heart healthy recipe, since it’s usually the additional toppings like cheese, sour cream, and corn chips that really add on the calories. Chili peppers have a number of health benefits: they boost your immune system and are able to help regulate your blood sugar after eating. The beans provide loads of fiber, and the tomatoes have high levels of antioxidants and lycopene, both of which can help with preventing heart disease. Who knew a good bowl of chili could be considered a heart healthy meal!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1 (28 ounce) can canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 (16 ounce) can canned kidney beans – drained, rinsed, and mashed
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Place turkey in the pot, and cook until evenly brown. Stir in onion, and cook until tender.
2. Pour water into the pot. Mix in tomatoes, kidney beans, and garlic. Season with the chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 3-4 hours.

(Photo by AllRecipes.com)

Bounce Energy is supporting the American Heart Association to help raise awareness for heart disease! For every new like on our Facebook page we will donate $1 to the American Heart association, check out this post for more information!

Valentine’s Day Dinner Recipes On a Budget

Budget Friendly Valentine’s Day Dessert Recipes

Budget Friendly Dates for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day Dining on a Budget

Quick Tips to Save Money this Valentine’s Day

• Tip #1. Re-think Valentine’s Day gifts. If you are the artsy type, try making your valentine a gift this year. It will save money and probably reflects what’s in your heart better than a box of chocolates ever could. If you’re like me and not as creative as others, you can save money by skipping the giving of gifts altogether and do something nice like cooking dinner for your significant other or washing their car.

• Tip #2. Postpone Valentine’s Day dinner.  According to About.com, grocery stores load up on meat and seafood in February, just in time for that special Valentine’s Day dinner. Thus, if you postpone your fancy dinner at home until after February 15th, you can take advantage of the grocery stores marking down the good cuts of meat that didn’t sell. Hello lobster!

With a little planning and thought you can make  this Valentine’s Day special without having to break the bank!

You might like:

Valentine’s Day Dinner Recipes On a Budget

Valentine’s Day Dining on a Budget

Budget Friendly Dates for Valentine’s Day

The terrifying aspect of Valentine’s Day, for many, is the prospect of masterminding the perfect romantic dinner date in the face of the overstuffed pricing, far-in-advance reservations, and other agonies of dining out on the holiday. Many restaurants unveil unique menus–with staggering price tags–for the occasion in order to capitalize on couples’ desires for making the evening a special, standout one.

The good news is that romance doesn’t require a triple-digit bill or a weeping violin at table-side to manifest itself. For the budget-conscious among us, there are plenty of options for planning the perfect, classy Valentine’s Day dinner without breaking your budget. What follows are a few tips for achieving this, all with an emphasis on the holiday’s spirit: spending quality time with someone special and expressing those deep, intangible feelings you share for one another.

(1) Seek out more casual or freshly opened restaurants that may be specifically trying to draw in those Valentine’s Day diners running full-tilt from the over-priced, overwrought affairs found at more high-end dining establishments. Some places might be offering special deals on affordable dinners; others may simply be sticking to their usual menus. In the case of the latter, you may even be able to take advantage of happy-hour pricing or some other daily special. Call around and keep your options open. More often than not, the homeyness of such places–whether it’s your neighborhood pizza parlor or a bustling little tavern–engenders the warmth and romance Valentine’s diners really seek more than a coldly refined, excessively stuffy premier restaurant.

(2) Be creative while dining out so that you can reduce the stress on your budget, and still ramp up the elegance. Plenty of restaurants have generously sized appetizer or starter items, and in many cases, you can simply order a plethora of these for a tapas-style feast. Call around and find out which restaurants allow you to bring your own alcohol (invariably for some corkage fee); in such situations, you can provide your own fine bottle of bubbly or wine and avoid the often-crippling costs of the beverage menu. Maybe you aren’t exactly following tradition, but you might end up having more fun. Embrace the adventure.

(3) Seek out food trucks, if your area has them. From coast to coast, these personable little joints have really diversified dining in character and offerings in the last few years, and now it’s feasible to get an absolutely delicious meal on par with any traditional restaurant for a startlingly low price. A food truck might lack the refined elegance of a fancy sit-down eatery, but it can more than make up for that in the quality of its offerings and the joy of its own personality.

(4) Dine in instead and provide the classy atmosphere yourself. You can have full control over the menu: Maybe you want to make your special someone’s favorite dish, or browse through cookbooks and websites for some new culinary adventure to try. You don’t need to be a stellar or veteran chef to make good food; a simple recipe, like an easy pasta dish, rice pilaf, or homemade pizza, can render a dish just as tasty and wholesome as a complicated, ingredient-heavy one. You can opt to have the meal ready ahead of the date, or you can make the cooking process and its lazy, unhurried pace the backdrop for happy conversation. As a bonus, you can choose the music–a restaurant’s idea of a romantic soundtrack frequently doesn’t jive with your own–and decor. Then all the focus can be on you and your loved one, as it should be.

Truly, the last thing you want to care about on Valentine’s Day is fulfilling some preconceived notion of romantic elegance by spending a lot of money. The act of eating together–and cooking, too–has its own inherent sensuality, and a casual dining-out or dining-in experience commonly translates to better food and better atmosphere

With holiday gift-giving and entertaining having stretched out the budget for many couples and families to its limit, Valentine’s Day creates a dilemma for many who are financially exhausted. Although it’s natural to want to shower your loved one with gifts and fancy entertainment, digging yourself deeper into debt isn’t the way to do it. Instead, we suggest that you create a lovely memory by crafting a special experience that shows more thought and care than a material object ever could. With a little planning and sticking to a budget, you and your Valentine can have a date you’ll remember forever without breaking the bank. Here are a few great ideas for Valentine’s Day dates to get started.

Write a book. A photo book of your history together is fun to put together and serves as a lasting testament to your love. Many online services make this quite easy to accomplish. Just upload your photos, choose your particular customization features, and your book can be ready just days after you submit the order. So, pour some wine and spend the evening cuddled together as you look through your photos to decide which ones to include. Of, if you’re more hands-on crafty couple, create a scrapbook for your photos using some basic papers and craft supplies. What nicer way to spend Valentine’s Day than the chance to revisit all the good times, favorite dates, and cherished memories that made you the couple you are today?

Play tourist in your own town. Every town has points of interest that go largely ignored by locals even as they attract tourists. Turn the tables on the traditional Valentine’s Day date by planning an itinerary that takes you to several free and low-cost attractions. Ideas include art galleries, museums, parks, or historical tours and markers. Embark on your adventure with the intention of experiencing your city – and each other – as if you were traveling together for the very first time. If you can budget and splurge a little, a spa treatment or a day-use pass at a local hotel with amenities that are open to the public will make you feel as though you’re really on vacation.

Create a Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt. Develop a list of items that remind you of your loved one. This can be a very budget friendly idea because you can use things you have around your home such as pictures, small knickknacks, or even your favorite shirt of theirs. This is a great time to get creative and just remember all the little things that you love about your significant other.

Recreate your first date. Step back in time to the place where it all began and use this as an opportunity to better appreciate how far you’ve come together. If an exact re-enactment isn’t feasible, try to mimic one or two of the most memorable features of your first date. Suggestions of the sights, sounds, and scents of that momentous occasion are all you need to bring the memories flooding back. Keep your destination a surprise, or encourage your Valentine primp and prepare just like they did the first time around. It doesn’t matter who picked up whom on the real first date. This time, you can show up at the door to escort your loved one to your special night out.

Go outside and play. There’s nothing like fresh air, exercise, and a lot of laughter to ease the post-holiday stress so you can focus on each other. Enjoy a winter activity such as sleigh riding, ice skating, or snow tubing. The cold weather gives you a great excuse to cuddle afterwards. If your outing is in a public place, chances are there might even be a bonfire for you to enjoy. A blanket for two and a thermos of hot chocolate make it that much cozier to linger and relax after you’ve had enough activity.

Plan a driving tour of your old haunts. Begin with the site of your first date, then continue on to places that have significance to your relationship and to your history together. Your favorite restaurants, hangouts, spots for dates, the homes where you’ve lived, the homes of old friends, and other special places that remind you of your shared experiences all make perfect stops. Celebrate your journey with a special surprise at the final stop.

Turn pizza and beer into a special event. Turn off the phones and computers. Break out the china and crystal, turn on the romantic music and dress up for a formal candlelit Valentine’s Day dinner. Follow up with some slow dancing. Alternately, spread a blanket on the living room floor, pile on some pillows, and have a homey, romantic indoor picnic in your pajamas. Do a puzzle or play some board games for entertainment. No TV, however, and don’t even think about checking Twitter or Facebook – this is Date Night. Just enjoy the company of one another, and do so through the chance to relax comfortably at home, with no distractions from the outside world.

Bounce Energy Valentine’s Day promo!

Bounce Energy is offering a special Valentine’s Day promo for new customers!  From now until February 14th 2012, you can earn a $50 gift certificate to Restaurant.com and two movie passes through Fandango.com!

(Photo by denisdervisevic)

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching!

We’ve already given you some helpful tips and recipes in our previous post featuring budget friendly dinner ideas that will wow your Valentine without breaking the bank. But, let’s not forget dessert! You can’t end a romantic homemade dinner without making an amazing homemade dessert! We tend to associate something rich and chocolately with dessert on Valentine’s Day, and while these chocolate confections seem like they cost a fortune to make, many are actually quite cheap and affordable for everyone to prepare. If it’s in your budget, you certainly purchase a high quality chocolate for most of these dessert recipes, but you can usually find a cheaper, in-house brand that still tastes great in most stores these days.

Here are a few classic recipes to get you started on planning the perfect Valentine’s Day dessert for your impressive homemade dinner for your Valentine without breaking your budget. No matter which recipe you choose, your significant other is going to feel incredibly loved this February 14th.

Chocolate covered strawberries are a quintessential Valentine’s Day treat, but ave you ever checked the price tag for the ones made at stores? They certainly don’t have any qualms about marking up the price on them as Valentine’s Day approaches! For easily half the price, you can make an entire pint of chocolate covered strawberries at home. You can also experiment with different toppings like chopped nuts, drizzled white and dark chocolate, or chopped-up candy. The recipe below even offers a cute tuxedo design you can use to dress up your chocolate-covered strawberries.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

(Recipe courtesy of Chow.com )

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 pints large whole strawberries, stems attached, washed and completely dried
• 1 1/2 pounds white chocolate, finely chopped, for making strawberry tuxedos (optional)

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper; set aside.
2. Place the dark chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan containing an inch of barely simmering water. (But make sure the bowl does not touch the water.) Stir constantly until melted.
3. Holding the strawberries by their stems, dip them one by one in the chocolate, letting any excess drip off and placing them on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened, about 20 minutes.
4. To make strawberry tuxedos: First melt the white chocolate as directed in step 2. Dip the strawberries in the white chocolate and place them on the lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened, about 30 minutes.
5. Line a second baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Melt the dark chocolate in a separate bowl. Holding the white-chocolate-covered strawberries at a 45-degree angle, dip one side into the dark chocolate, then dip the opposite side into the dark chocolate, forming a “V” or heart-shaped jacket. Place the strawberries on the second baking sheet and refrigerate until the dark chocolate has hardened.
6. Transfer a small amount of the melted dark chocolate to a small resealable plastic bag. Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag. Remove the tuxedos from the fridge and pipe three chocolate buttons on the white “shirt” of the strawberries. Refrigerate again to harden

Another Valentine’s Day classic you can try is chocolate fondue. Maybe you picked up a nice fondue pot at a garage sale or your parents might have one stashed away in the attic you can use; but don’t fret too much, as you don’t need a fondue pot to make this dish. The only downside to not using a traditional fondue pot is that the chocolate won’t keep as warm as long, but that just means you’ll have to eat up all the tasty chocolate fondue quicker. Doesn’t seem like much of a sacrifice now, does it? You don’t need the special long fondue forks either – just use toothpicks, skewer sticks, or regular forks. A great addition to the chocolate would be to create a nice plate of things to dip in the fondue. Great options include cut-up fruit (strawberries, bananas, and pineapple are a good starting point), cubes of pound cake, angel food cake, or use whole cookies. The best part? You can make this dessert as decadent as you want.

Chocolate Fondue

(Recipe courtesy of SimplyRecipes.com )

Ingredients

• 12 ounces of dark chocolate (chips or roughly chopped if from a block)
• 8 ounces of heavy cream
• A pinch of salt
• Dippables such as strawberries, banana pieces cut into 1-inch chunks, dried apricots, candied ginger, apple pieces

Directions

1. Warm the cream over moderate heat until tiny bubbles show and begins to lightly and slowly boil. Add the chocolate and whisk until smooth and full incorporated.
2. Immediately transfer to a fondue pot heated at low or with a low flame, or serve straight from the pot.
3. Arrange the dippables on a platter or plates around the chocolate pot. Use a fondue fork, bamboo skewer, seafood fork, or salad fork to dip the fruit pieces and other dippables into the hot melted cream chocolate mixture. Eat immediately.

Want something simpler? How about brownies a la mode? Brownies are incredibly cheap to make, so this means you can budget for a premium ice cream (though any ol’ vanilla ice cream always seems to taste great on top of a warm brownie). This recipe is incredibly versatile, as you can add in your own special touches like chopped nuts or a swirl of fruit jam.  Top your brownies with ice cream while they’re still warm for extra tastiness!

Hershey’s Best Brownies

(Recipe courtesy of Food.com)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter or 1 cup margarine
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease 13x9x2 inch baking pan.
3. Melt butter in microwave.
4. Stir in sugar and vanilla.
5. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
6. Add cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt; beat until well blended.
7. Stir in nuts, if desired.
8. Pour batter into pan.
9. Bake 30-35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides.
10. Cool completely.

Bounce Energy is offering a special Valentine’s Day promo for new customers!  From now until February 14th 2012 you can earn a $50 gift certificate to Restaurant.com and two movie passes through Fandango.com!  Click here for more information.

(Photo by Sarah_Ackerman)

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and are you already breaking out in cold sweats thinking about calling around for restaurant reservations and trying to budget for a fancy dinner for two? Stuck trying to figure out a good Valentine’s Day date idea? Why not just stay in this year and surprise your sweetheart with a delicious home-cooked meal!  This way you don’t have to worry about over-paying for Valentine’s Day’s specials, calling around to multiple restaurants to see who still has reservations open, or be rushed through dinner in an over-crowded restaurant.  As long as you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and spend a little time in the kitchen you can create a romantic and memorable dinner for two while still keeping to your resolution to stick to a budget. Here are two ideas for Valentin’s Day recipes for main courses to help you get you started on planning your special night.

Roasted Chicken is an easy and classic meal that almost anyone can enjoy.  You can also chop up some budget friendly root vegetable such as potatoes, carrots, or turnips to roast with the chicken.  Use this recipe as a starting point but feel free to substitute your own herbs and spices to transform a cheap meal into something more elegant.

Roasted Chicken

(Recipe courtesy of AllRecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (4 pound) whole chicken
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed

 Directions

What follows is a list of several practical tips for reducing our gasoline usage. And if all Americans were to follow these tips, it could make a dramatic impact in our nation’s overall gasoline demand, and it could even bring down the cost of gas.

Maintain Your Vehicle – Regular maintenance helps cars operate more efficiently and get better gas mileage. Well-maintained vehicles also emit fewer pollutants into the atmosphere.

The simple act of keeping tires properly inflated contributes to better gas mileage. Other important maintenance tasks include regular tune-ups, checking the air filter, keeping tires properly aligned, and changing oil according to manufacturer’s recommendations.

Drive Smart – Smart driving includes accelerating slowly and driving smoothly. Jackrabbit starts and stop-and-go traffic can greatly reduce your gas mileage. Also, observing posted speed limits will help you get farther on a tank of gas. You should try to combine purposes in one trip. For instance, you could stop for groceries on your way home from work, rather than making multiple trips that burn more fuel, put more miles on your car, and increase your cost of gas.

And you’ll save even more by trading in a gas-guzzler for a more fuel-efficient car.

Take the bus, subway, or train – Public transportation in the U.S. reduces oil consumption by an estimated 3.4 billion gallons a year. In addition, it reduces emissions of greenhouse gas by about 26 million tons. While public transit fares may equal the cost of gas to travel a given distance, the cost of driving actually is much more than what you pay for gas. You also need to take into account the wear and tear involved in driving your car, the cost of repairs and maintenance, insurance, depreciation, and other expenses like parking or traffic tickets and toll charges. According to the AAA, those costs on average add up to about a dollar a driven mile. Americans typically spend about 20 percent of their income on their cars.

Carpool – Share your ride to work with a coworker, split the cost of gas, and you’ll halve your fuel expense. The savings will just get better as you add others to your carpool.

Use Your Own Power – You’ll really reduce your cost of gas when you keep your car parked and use your own power to get places — on a bicycle or on foot. While you’re saving gasoline in this way, you’re also improving your health, and possibly losing some pounds. For longer trips, you might consider an electric-powered bike.