Cinnamon Pecan Biscotti

My morning cup of coffee is one of my simple pleasures in life.  I'm not a big breakfast eater, so I tend to like something on the lighter side.  Biscotti (also known as Prato bread or twice-baked biscuits) is made to be dunked in coffee or tea, and is a delicious side to my morning cuppa joe.  

Biscotti is a bit labor intensive, but the rewards are worth it, and it makes a great gift if you're inclined to share it.  The entire process takes about 1-1/2 to 2 hours from start to finish, but the prepared biscotti will store in an air-tight container for at least a month (if it lasts that long!).  

I've been making this specific recipe for years.  It is a delicious combination of pecans, cinnamon, and other spices.  We have an abundance of pecan trees, so there are always plenty of pecans for me to make this.  If you do not have enough pecans for this recipe, it is fine to just use what you have or omit them entirely; however, you may need to add more flour to make up for the loss of volume if you choose to not add nuts. 

We like it as it is, but you can also jazz it up by dipping half of the prepared biscotti into melted white or dark chocolate, and then allowing it to cool.  My family is not fond of this method, but it makes for a beautiful and delicious treat if you choose to try it! 

Cinnamon Pecan Biscotti 

1/2 cup (one stick) butter, room temperature 

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla OR 3/4 teaspoon vanilla along with 3/4 teaspoon anise extract (traditional)

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1-1/2 cups chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, pistachios or whatever you have) 

Cook at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

Cream together the butter, sugar, and eggs.  Add vanilla to mixture and blend.  In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients well.  Add to the butter/eggs/sugar mixture a little at a time, stopping periodically to stir dough away from sides and detach it from the mixing blade.  Once finished, the dough should resemble a heavy, sticky cookie dough.  

Cover the dough and allow to rest while gathering supplies for the rest of the recipe and allowing the stove to preheat.  Or, if you wish to finish this recipe later in the day or the next day, stop at this point and refrigerate the dough.  Once you begin cooking, you're in it until the end!

When ready, divide the dough in half.  Turn it out onto a floured surface and roll it into a log, like you were rolling snakes from Play-Doh in school.  

When the logs are ready, place them on a cookie sheet several inches apart and flatten slightly.  

(Don't worry you  OCD folks, I did fix that thumbprint in the log above.)  :-)

Bake at 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.  Begin checking the logs at the 15 minute mark, as temperatures can vary for ovens, and your oven may cook faster than my oven.  Loaves are done when the middles are touched lightly and spring back. Do not allow to burn on the bottom.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for approximately 5 minutes. Do not cool any longer, as once these cool significantly they will not be able to be sliced without breaking apart.

Slice into 1-2 inch slices on the diagonal.  I have found it is easiest to use a long, serrated bread knife and to use a pressing and rocking motion rather than a slicing/sliding motion.  This keeps the sides of the loaves from tearing loose.  Place slices on their sides on the cookie sheet.

Place back in the oven and set oven temperature to 200 degrees.  Allow to dry for 10 minutes.  Remove the slices from the oven, flip all of them over to the opposite side, place back in the oven, and allow them to dry for another 10 minutes.  Remember:  The point of placing them back in the oven is to speed the drying process, not to toast them, thus the low oven temperature.  

Remove biscotti from the oven and allow to cool and dry completely.  Store in tins or covered containers and enjoy dunked in your favorite coffee, tea, or hot chocolate... and it's not bad dunked in milk, either!

This is like cookies and milk for grownups!

Printable Coupon Links Repost and Update!

UPDATED POST WITH EVEN MORE LINKS!!

One of the best ways to save is through printable coupons for groceries and other items.  Many manufacturers will e-mail coupons or coupon links to you in e-mail newsletters or have them available to print on their websites.  These are wonderful ways to save on your favorite products. Combine these with other coupon strategies, as noted in a prior post HERE, and you can reduce your grocery bill significantly. 

Below is a very long list of printable coupon sites from manufacturers and other sources.  I bookmark these for future reference.  

This is a repost to rearrange and make the printable coupon links closer to the top.   See tips and information below the links. 

Printable coupons

Coupons.com  

This is a great site for printable coupons.  You can check to see what’s available under not only your own zip code but under other zip codes throughout the country, as well.  To change zip codes, click on the link titled “Local Coupons.”  Enter a zip code in a spot on the left-hand side, and press enter.  Then click the “coupons” tab.  You can then sort by Food, Beverages, Household goods, etc.  Coupons.com also has a savings club that offers exclusive printable coupons to members that are not available elsewhere.  If you watch for promotions, oftentimes there are offers to get a year for free.

As a note, coupons.com requires that a small printer driver/applet be installed on your computer.  It is safe and is necessary in order to be able to print coupons. 

http://www.coupons.com/

Red Plum

Again, may require you to install a small printer applet that is considered safe for use.

http://www.redplum.com/

Coupon Network  (Also a source to find out what Your Bucks/Catalina offers are available or coming soon.*)

Again, may require a printer applet in order to print; considered safe for download.

http://www.couponnetwork.com/printable-coupons

Smart Source

**This is the website where it is most important that you not only have Java installed, but make sure you accept their printer applet and turn your popup blocker off.  It’s the trickiest one about not printing or giving some obscure error such as telling you that you’ve violated some rule. **

www.smartsource.com

Common Kindness.org 

These are coupons that serve as both discounts and fundraisers.  Sign up and choose a local organization to help, and then you can print coupons.

**I strongly advise printing these coupons one at a time, as sometimes the coupon sheet cuts across the next pages if there is more than one coupon and then will not print again.**

http://www.commonkindness.com/

Hormel (Hormel lunch meat, Cure81 hams, Hormel Always tender meats, Hormel entrees, Lloyd’s Woodfire heat and eat products, Hormel Chili, and numerous others.)

Sign up and sign in.  They will also e-mail specials and newsletters.

http://www.hormel.com/updates/coupons/

Ready Set Eat  from Conagra Foods (Hunt’s, Pam, Healthy Choice, Pam, Chef Boyardee, Marie Callendar’s, Orville Reddenbacher, Reddi Whip, Wesson, Fleischmann’s, and another long list of items.)

http://www.readyseteat.com/profile/newsletter-opt.do?newsletterOpt-50984=Y

Making Life Better by Unilever Products (Knorr products, Ben & Jerry’s, Breyers, Country Crock, Jif, Lipton teas and rice/pasta products, Ragu, Skippy, and many bath and laundry products.)

http://www.makinglifebetter.com/offers/Coupons/

SnackPicks.com  (Keebler crackers and some Kellogg’s brands)

Sign up, then click on the coupons and savings link.  Make sure you approve for them to send you newsletters and updates, as they will send either high-value coupons to your e-mail inbox or provide links to print coupons. 

http://www.snackpicks.com/en_US/home.html

 Kellogg’s.com (Kellogg’s products, mostly cereal,  Pop-Tarts but other products, too.)

This site is a shared site with Snackpicks.com but often has different coupons.  There may also be other printable coupons under the Offers & Promotions tabs and “Other Coupons” section.  

http://www.kelloggs.com/en_US/home.html

Betty Crocker.com  (Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Cascadian Farms, Muir Glen tomatoes, Yoplait Yogurt, Pillsbury products, General Mills cereals, and more!)

Sign up and sign in, and you will be sent special offers via e-mail and newsletter.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/coupons-promotions/coupons/default

Nestle Very Best Baking (chocolate chips, baking products, etc.)

http://www.verybestbaking.com/Coupons-Promotions/Coupons-List.aspx

Pillsbury

Sign in and print coupons and get the newsletter for extra printable coupons

http://www.pillsbury.com/coupons-promotions

Land O’ Moms (Land O’ Frost deli meats and kits)

They’ll want you to give your name and e-mail address.  Sign up for the Newsletter to receive news and special offers.  The latest coupon is usually on the right-hand side of the home page. 

http://www.landomoms.com/ 

Pompeian Products (Olive oil, vinegar, and grapeseed oil)

http://coupons2.smartsource.com/smartsource/operations/offers/Pompeian/PompeianCoupons.html

On the Border Products such as chips, salsa, and sauces from Truco Enterprises

http://www.trucoenterprises.com/files/coupon.pdf

International Delight Creamers and other products

http://www.internationaldelight.com/special-offers

Coffee-Mate creamers

http://www.coffee-mate.com/Offers/Default.aspx

King’s Hawaiian Bread and Rolls

http://www.kingshawaiian.com/club/

Hiland Dairy Products  (Dips, sour cream, cottage cheese, orange juice, etc.)

Must sign up to be able to print.

http://hilanddairy.com/coupons/coupon-list

Wholly Guacamole and Salsa (Facebook page; they almost always have a coupon there!)

https://www.facebook.com/WhollyGuacamole/app_399260323430416?

Michelina’s Frozen Entrees and Dinners
http://www.michelinas.com/savemoney.aspx

Chinet Paper Plates, Cups, and Napkins

Sign up for their Newsletter, and they will send you a link every month to an awesome coupon that is usually $1.00 off one of their items.  This is a great way to stock up on paper goods, especially with the holidays coming up!

Link to join here:

http://www.mychinet.com/club/join/referrer:|promotions

Blue Bell Ice Cream

Sign up, then sign in.  The link for coupons is in tiny print at the menu on the bottom of the page. 

http://www.bluebell.com/

Blue Bunny Ice Cream Coupon

Again, sign up/sign in, and then you can print.  It’s usually for $1.00 off.

https://www.bluebunny.com/iScreamTeam/SignIn.aspx?required=1

Tabasco Sauces
http://www.tabasco.com/site-tools/grocery-coupon/

Underwood Deviled Ham (lower left corner of page)
http://www.underwoodspreads.com/

Marie Callender (If available, they'll be here)
http://www.mariecallendersmeals.com/promotions.jsp

Kraft First Taste 
Get the chance to try new products and provide reviews.  The more you share and provide feedback, the more coupons and offers you will receive.  
http://www.kraftfirsttaste.com/

Malt-O-Meal
Coupons will be e-mailed in newsletters.  May also print from website.
http://www.malt-o-meal.com/special-offers/

Vocalpoint
Join to provide product reviews.  You will receive either coupons or may be selected to receive full-size samples to review. 
 http://www.vocalpoint.com/

Target
Target has its own coupons plus they accept manufacturer coupons.  "Stack" or combine these to get tremendous savings.  They will also e-mail you ads, updates, and newsletters.
http://www.target.com/

Walmart 
They will email you notices of sales and ads.  However, they also periodically have options to download and print manufacturer coupons and even have a place where you can request free samples. 

Manufacturer coupons as part of ads (watch for link on ad itself for whatever products pop up):
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/Food-Center.aspx?povid=cat14503-env172199-module092411-lLinkISNRECIPE

Free samples, when available, will be listed here: 
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/In-Stores-Now-Free-Samples.aspx?povid=cat14503-env172199-module092411-lLinkISNSAMPLES

*CATALINA OFFERS:  Those are the red-striped things that look like receipts when your cash register receipt is printed.  Many people throw them away without ever looking at them.  Don’t!  Many times companies will print these as rebates if you buy a certain amount or number of their products.  For example, recently KC Masterpiece and Kingsford charcoal and other manufacturers teamed up to offer a catalina.  Buy a certain amount of products and receive a $6.00 catalina for money off your next purchase.  That’s like someone handing you $6.00 and saying, “Here’s money to help with your groceries.”  If you get a red-striped coupon receipt that says $1, $2, $5, etc., off your next purchase, you’ve just been handed the equivalent of cash!  Make sure to keep an eye on the expiration date, and check to see if there are any restrictions, but these are like gold!

GENERAL INFORMATION:
People wonder is it worth it to print coupons because of the cost of printer ink and paper.  The answer is yes.  Why?  Because oftentimes these coupons are not available anywhere else or they are a higher value than what is printed in the newspaper inserts available on Sundays. 

Coupons function as a part of a company's marketing budget.  It's a way for them to not only get information about their product to you but to entice you to try that product by way of offering a discount through a coupon. 

By using these coupons combined with sales along with rebates, store coupons, and tracking of sales cycles, you can save significantly on your shopping budget 

I strongly encourage opening a web-based e-mail account to use for all of these coupons and newsletters.  Otherwise, you may find your inbox clogged and/or the majority of them going to your spam folder, which defeats the whole purpose!

IMPORTANT NOTES: 

1.  Make sure your Java is up to date, as many of these printable programs use Java to generate the coupons.  If your Java is out of date and the coupon messes up, you will not get a second chance.  The website uses a technology that identifies the number of times a certain computer has printed a coupon.  Most websites will allow 2-3 prints, but some do not.  It's wise to make sure everything is up to date, you've loaded paper, and your printer cartridges are working before hitting the print button.

2.  You may need to download a coupon printer from the site. Some coupon sites will request to install a coupon printer driver that is a simple program to generate the coupons.  As a general rule, if they come from an acceptable site such as coupons.com, Red Plum, Smart Source, or Coupon Network, they are okay.  You may also see a link in your address bar that says "bricks.com."  This is also an acceptable site.

3.  Most manufacturers also use one of these sources to print coupons from their websites, so it's advisable to install these printer drivers. 

4.  Links to coupons often open in another window.  If so, once the coupon is printed, try hitting back on your browser.  You may get a notice stating the page has expired.  Click try again, resend, refresh, or OK, and often you can get a second print of the coupon.  This is perfectly fine/acceptable and is a common practice. 

Here are some links to my favorite newsletters and/or websites that offer great coupon values: 

Loadable Coupons:

Savingstar.com

This is for people who have savings cards issued from stores.  Check to see if your store’s savings card is listed, sign up, and then shop.  When the purchase is confirmed by Savingstar, your account will be credited.  Once you receive $5.00 in credits, you can request that money be issued to you in the form of a direct bank deposit, Paypal deposit, or gift card from a retailer. 

https://savingstar.com/

Cellfire

These are coupons that are loadable to your cell phone.  Check to see if there are participating retailers in your area, then just bring up the coupon and have the cashier scan it at the register. 

http://www.cellfire.com/

Broke Food - Pad Thai Ramen

Ramen has to be the ultimate broke food, and there are millions of ways to make it.  Pad Thai Ramen is one of my favorites because the base mixture is easy to make, and good all by itself, but even better with some creative additions.  

This is by no means haute cuisine, but it is hot, yummy food!  

PAD THAI RAMEN BASIC RECIPE

1 package Ramen noodles

1 tablespoon soy sauce (prefer low sodium, but use what you have; packets from carryout food work great for this!)

1 tablespoon chunky peanut butter (creamy works, too) 

2-3 dashes of Tabasco sauce 

Sprinkle of red pepper flakes 

Prepare Ramen noodles as on package.  Drain 2/3 of liquid off noodles then stir in seasoning packet.  Add remaining ingredients and stir until peanut butter is dissolved.  Eat as is, or mix in additions. 

ADDITIONS  (Use as many or as few as you like, in any combination that pleases you)

Veggies:  Cooked carrots, Lima beans, corn, edamame, snow peas, cooked bits of spinach, shredded cabbage, diced onions, sliced green onions, diced green pepper, diced celery, broccoli, or whatever you have that's available.

Meat:  This is great for leftovers.  Chicken, bits of rotisserie chicken, sliced leftover steak, cubed bits of ham, cooked pork, Spam (yes, really!), leftover shrimp (I know that's an oxymoron), and even browned hamburger meat.  I have even taken several pieces of shaved deli meat, such as chicken or turkey, chopped it fine, and added to this. One or two well-scrambled eggs also work well as protein additions.  

The creative possiblities are endless, and this is a great dish to use up little bits of veggies or meat left over from other meals.  You can make larger portions by doubling or tripling the ingredients for enough to feed a family.  

Add Egg Drop Soup (boiling chicken broth, whisk in 1 well-scrambled egg until cooked and separated in soup,  2 tablespoons soy sauce, dash of red pepper flakes, and sliced green onions), and you've got a full meal!

Freezer to Crock Pot Cooking Tips

• Link to post with above photographed recipes is HERE.
•  I use 1 gallon zippered freezer bags.  They are more durable than regular zippered bags.  The 1 gallon size is usually equivalent to a 5 quart slow cooker.
•  When you’re ready to cook your items, always start with a cold crock pot.  Do not preheat the crock.  If you put cold items into a crock that’s already heated, the crockery insert could shatter or crack. This is also true for items that have just been in the refrigerator.  Cold+hot=Shatter. 
•  I cook items straight from the freezer.  It takes longer to cook, but I’ve never had a problem.  Some people prefer the recipes are thawed first.  If so, thaw the entire bag of ingredients unopened for 24 hours in the refrigerator, and then add to the crock.  Adjust cooking times as necessary. 
•  Write what’s in the zippered freezer bag on the outside before adding ingredients.  Include cooking times, directions such as to add potatoes, serve over rice or noodles, etc.  You may think you’ll remember what’s in that bag, but two weeks from now you might not. 
•  Crock pot cooking temperatures vary.  When in doubt, allow more time to cook rather than less. 
• When using meat, you will need to precook meats with a high fat content such as hamburger meat or certain cuts of stew meat.  If in doubt, precook.  I also recommend rinsing these meats before adding them to the freezer bag.  Since you will be cooking them again in the crock, there might be more fat that comes out during the cooking process. 
•  Place meats in the bottom of zippered bags and place ingredients on top.  Once everything is added, squeeze out air, seal the bag, and massage slightly to distribute ingredients well.  This ensures meats are surrounded by ingredients.  This is important when you’re ready to cook because sometimes the meat can stick together as it is cooking, increasing time needed for everything to cook evenly.
•  Less liquid is better than more.  The funny thing about cooking in a crock pot or slow cooker is that it generates liquids from the items that are cooking, since condensation is trapped.  You can always add more liquid later if the recipe seems dry or thick.
•  If at the end of cooking your recipe seems to have more liquid than intended, turn the crock pot on high, remove the lid, and allow some of the liquids to simmer/boil off until it’s the desired thickness. 
•  You can make almost any crock pot recipe a freezer-to-crock recipe.  Just remember that potatoes and pasta do not freeze well.  I’ve seen recipes that say you can use both of these items, but my experience is that the potatoes and pasta come out mushy, with the exception of lasagna.  I add potatoes at the time I put ingredients in the crock.  I cook pasta separately and add it just prior to serving, as we tend to like our pasta al dente.
•  Almost any casserole can be adapted for cooking in a crock pot. 
•  Almost any soup can also be adapted for the crock pot.  Just decrease the liquid significantly (by at least 1/2 if not 2/3).  When I make soup in the crock, I start with as little amount of liquid as possible then add liquid toward the end, if needed. 

I will be posting more freezer-to-crock pot meals in the coming days and weeks.  I just need photos.  Photographing food is a lot harder than it looks! 

More Grocery Savings Strategies - 2 trips

This is one of those weeks I go out of my way to make a couple of trips to the grocery store.  My favorite store, Homeland, was having some sweet deals that I knew would allow me to get quite a few groceries for a really good price.  Homeland doubles coupons up to $1.00, BUT they will only double one like coupon per trip.  Combining those double coupons is what allows these deals to be so great, but sometimes you have to be creative in getting double coupons.  This means I sometimes make a trip to a different store on the same day so the coupons will double.  We're lucky in that we have 3 Homeland stores in Muskogee, two within 1 mile of each other, and the other is across town.  That makes getting these deals much easier. 

In order to get the deals I wanted, I visited two separate stores.  I also bought meat at the first store using the strategies noted in a prior post, and then made a second run.  I'll show photos and prices/scenarios from both runs to hopefully help and compare.  When I can, I'll provide links to sign up for newsletters and coupons that were e-mailed. 

Total for trip #1 was $52.78.

Total for trip #2 was 41.33

Filled up with gas (see way below) for $2.749 per gallon with rewards points for $21.18.

There are photos and prices for both trips, so don't forget to scroll down to check them out!

This is trip #1: 

There was a special going on where if you bought 10 Red-Gold Tomato products, you would receive a $5.00 automatic rebate on your grocery total.  Red-Gold offers coupons from their website and e-mailed newsletters.  Plus, there are coupons for Red-Gold diced tomatoes and Sloppy Joe Sauce in the Homeland Cares Coupon books.  These could be used in combination with the $5.00 to get these products basically for free.  This technique is called "stacking."  It means using manufacturer coupons along with either store coupons or rebates in order to get maximum savings.

Here are prices, coupons, and totals for the first trip:

Fresh limes  4 @ $0.09 = $0.36 

Yellow onions x2 = $0.93

Bell Pepper x2 @ $0.79/lbs. = $0.94

On the Border Tortilla chips = $2.99 

Coupon for $0.55 available HERE which doubled to $1.10

Final $1.89

Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes with Chiles x3 $0.75 = $2.25*

Less Homeland Cares Coupon for $1.00 off 3 cans 

Doubled to $2.00= $0.25*

Red Gold Tomato Sauce x2  @ $0.75 = $1.50*

Less printable coupon from Red Gold $0.50 off 2 cans 

Doubled to $1.00  = $0.50*

Red Gold Diced tomatoes with chipotle peppers x3 @ $0.75 = $2.25*

Less Homeland  coupon for $1 off 3 cans 

Did not double because already used one = $1.25*

Red Gold Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Onion x2 @ $0.75 = $1.50*

Beef top Round Roast  = $16.00 

Beef Chuck Roast  = $8.59

Beef Top Round Steak = $4.15

Boneless Butterfly Pork Tenderloins = $4.15

Bonless Butterfly Pork Tenderloins = $4.82

Thin Cut Boneless Pork Tenderloin = $5.30

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts = $4.06

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts = $3.80

*Purchased 10 items so received $5.00 off total order

**Used $5.00 off $50.00 purchase from Enjoy the City coupon books.

Trip #1 FINAL TOTAL (tax incl.) = $52.78

Trip #2 (Photo above)

5 lbs. Russet potatoes x2 @ $1.39 per bag =$2.78 (stacked one on top of the other in photo)

Kraft 17.5/18 oz. BBQ Sauce x2 = Free**

Minute Rice 14 oz.  = $1.50

Coupon for $ 0.60, doubled to $1.20               

Final price =  $0.30

Minute Rice 14 oz. = $1.50

Coupon for $0.60  (did not double because of prior coupon)

Final price = $0.90 (still a good price!)

 

Red Gold Tomatoes with Chiles x3 $0.75= $2.25

$1.00 coupon doubled to $2.00

Final price = $0.25*

Red Gold Sloppy Joe Sauce x2 @ $0.75 = $2.25

$1.00 coupon doubled to $2.00

Final price = free*

Red Gold Tomato Sauce x2 @ $0.75 = $1.50

Printable coupon for $0.50 doubled to $1.00

Final price $0.50*

Red Gold Sloppy Joe Sauce x2                              

Coupon for $1 (did not double because had one prior but still good price)

Final = $1.25*

Libby’s veggies x4 @ $0.79

Coupon $1/4 doubled to $2.00

Final price = $1.16 for 4 or $0.29 each

Williams Chili seasoning x4 @ $0.89

Final $3.60

Nabisco crackers x3 $1.99 **

Coupon for $1.00 off 2 doubled to $2.00

** Store special for $3.00 off purchase of 3 Nabisco cookies/crackers

Final = $0.97 for 3!!

Keebler Club crackers x2 @ 2/ $5.00

Coupon for $1 doubled to $2

Final = $3.00

Freschetta Pizza $3.99

Coupon for $1 doubled to $2

Final price= $1.99

International Delight Creamer

Coupon for $0.55 doubled to $1.10

Final = $0.89

Coffee-mate creamer x2 @ $2.45

Coupon for $1/2 doubled to $2.00

Final:  $2.90 or $1.45 each

Oscar Mayer Deli Shaved Meat 16 oz. $4.99

 Coupon for $1 doubled to $2

Final:  $2.99

Oscar Mayer Weiners 16 oz.$1.99**

Borden Shredded Cheesex3 @ $2 = $6.00

Coupon for $1 off 3 doubled to $2

Final = $4.00

Lay’s Kettle Cooked chips x2 @ $3.00

Coupon $1 doubled to $2

Final = $4.00

On the Border chips  $2.50 (in-store sale)

Coupon for $ 0.55 doubled to $1.10

Final = $1.40

Best Choice Cream Cheese $1.45

Hiland Sour cream $1.93

*Buy 10 save $5.00

**Buy Oscar Mayer Wieners 16 oz. get 2 Kraft BBQ sauces free. 

FINAL TOTAL with tax included = $41.33

Homeland has a gas station outside the store at Chandler and York.  You can accumulate cents off per gallon with use of your store card.  I had accumulated $0.55 in savings.  So I filled up my tiny little car's gas tank and got 7.786 gallons of gas@ $2.749 per gallon for a total of $21.18.  

So my grand total for the day was $115.29!!!

Freezer to Crockpot or Grill 2

Sunday night, I hurriedly whipped up a batch of 3 freezer to crock pot recipes and 1 freezer to to grill recipe. Some notes about making these recipes:  I show these packed flat, but when I put them in the freezer, I tend to stand the bags upright and make them as round as I can so that they will fit the shape of the crock pot.  I use a 5 quart crock pot/slow cooker.  If you have a smaller, 1-2 quart slow cooker, you might want to divide these into two bags.

I cook these recipes straight from the freezer.  I do not thaw them first, as I've found that sometimes the recipes with flour in them will clump.  It's perfectly safe to cook from frozen, and the food comes out just the same as if it were thawed.

To remove the frozen chunk from the bag, I either run hot water over the outside enough to loosen things, or run hot water into a plugged sink and submerge the bag for a few seconds to loosen the contents.

Finally, it helps to stir things and let it cook just a little bit more right before you're ready to serve.  This distributes all the ingredients well and makes sure nothing is clumped. Some of these recipes make their own type of gravy, so it's important to stir before serving to make sure everything's where it should be. 

Here are the recipes I used:

Mango Chipotle Chicken for the Grill

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 bottle Kraft Mango Chipotle Dressing and Marinade

2 tablespoons Poultry/Chicken Seasoning

Place chicken in a 1 gallon zippered freezer bag, add ingredients, squeeze air out of bag, then seal and “massage” to distribute seasonings well.  When it’s grill time, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator, then place on grill, cook to desired doneness and enjoy!

Smothered Pork Chops

3-4 boneless pork tenderloins/chops (See earlier postregarding savings on meat)

1 large onion, cut into rings

1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup

About 1 tablespoon Montreal/Canadian Steak seasoning 

4-6 peeled and sliced potatoes when ready to cook

Season pork tenderloins with steak seasoning, and layer with onions in 1 gallon zippered freezer bag.  Add cream soup and remainder of steak seasoning.  Squeeze air out of bag and seal.  Freeze.  When ready to cook peel and slice 4-6 potatoes and place them in the bottom of the crock pot.  Then place the entire block of frozen food on top of this in the crock pot and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours.   Serve over noodles or toast. 

Easy Beef Tips

3 pounds stew meat (See earlier post regarding saving on meat)

½ cup flour

½ teaspoon pepper

1 packet onion soup mix

½ medium onion, chopped

1 can beef stock (or 1 cup water plus 1 beef bouillon cube or 1 Tbsp. bouillon granules)

Place flour and pepper in 1 gallon zippered bag.  Shake to mix.  Add stew meat into bag, reseal, and shake to coat stew meat well.  Reopen bag and add in remaining ingredients.   Squeeze out air, and seal. Cook on high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours.  If this seems a bit thin/watery, remove the lid from the crock pot, turn the crock on high, and cook another hour to allow some of the water to evaporate. Serve over noodles or rice.

Pepper Steak

2-3 pounds beef stew meat (See earlier post regarding saving on meat)

½ cup flour

1 tsp. pepper

1 large onion, chopped

4-5 cloves garlic (I use the already-minced garlic and use 2-3 teaspoons)

2 green/bell peppers, cut in strips

2 14 oz. cans Italian or plain diced tomatoes with ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 cubes beef bouillon or 2 Tbsp. beef bouillon granules

4 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

2 Tbsp. Montreal/Canadiansteak seasoning

2 Tbsp. A1 steak sauce

Place flour and pepper in zippered freezer bag.  Shake to mix.  Add stew meat and shake to coat pieces thoroughly.  Add remaining ingredients, remove air, and seal.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low 6-8.  Serve over noodles or rice.