Top 10 Posts of 2012

It's that time!  Time to reflect on the past year.  Since I just started this blog a little over 3 months ago, I don't have a whole lot of posts, but there have been over 100 of them.  I thought I'd do a recap of the most popular ones.  Click on the title of each numbered post to see the original. 

1.  Freezer to Crock Pot or Grill Recipes

Four recipes that were made to go straight from the freezer into either the crock pot or to place directly on the grill.  Recipes included Mango Chipotle Chicken, Smothered Pork Chops, Beef Tips, and Pepper Steak. 

2.  Sharpie Decorated Mugs - Simple Gifts

Directions on how to use Sharpie markers and plain white mugs or dishes from the dollar store to make gifts.  Decorate and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

3.  Kasie's Mom's Calzone Recipe - Guest Post 

This was a guest post written by my friend, Kasie Robinson, who is a fellow transcriptionist and jewelry maker.  Check out her awesome story and recipe, and then cruise on over to her Artfire shop HERE for some darling earrings.  

4.  Broke Food - Pad Thai Ramen 

Make a tasty, exotic-tasting meal with simple ingredients from your cupboards.  This recipe features that ever-popular food Ramen noodles but is dressed up in a way that is satisfying to both your taste buds and your pocketbook. 

5.  Freezer to Crock Pot Cooking Tips

A list of hints and helps for turning your own recipes into freezer-to-crock pot meals.  

6.  Grocery Savings Strategies 

Tips, tricks, and thoughts about saving on groceries that do not normally go on sale or have coupons readily available. 

7.  Crock Pot Foil Packets for Veggies 

Want to cook all your food at once but don't want the flavors to mix?  Foil packets for the crock pot may be the answer.  Just wrap up your items, seal in foil, and place in the crock pot!

8.  Wire Wrapped Glass Pebble Pendants - Simple Gift 

Use a dollar store glass pebble, wire, and some pliers to make a beautiful, unique, and simple gift. 

9.  Freezer to Crock Pot - Salsa Chicken 

This is a recipe for the crock pot that is basically chicken chili but uses chili ingredients rather than the usual white sauce that's associated with chicken dishes. 

10.   Homemade Glue-On Wire Bails - Simple Gifts 

This is a tutorial for how to make a glue-on bail that turns almost any object into a pendant for a necklace.  Simple, easy, and very pretty! 

There they are!  The most popular posts for 2012.  Thank you to all my readers who have made this adventure so much fun.  I look forward to seeing what 2013 has to bring!

Even More Printable Coupon Links - New Post

This is a new listing for printable coupons.  Periodically, I have been posting printable coupon links and websites.  The best updated post with links is HERE.   The links below are all new printable coupons. Some of them are regional, with products not available in all parts of the country, unfortunately, but I will be happy to add any that are available elsewhere. 

With the holidays coming, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, which are times most associated with cooking, companies are ramping up their coupon promotions in order to bring in more business.  Reap the benefits of those promotions by checking the websites for your favorite products.  

Here are some additional websites, in addition to those linked above in the post, that are new since I last blogged about them.  

Pilgrim’s Chicken

$1/1 frozen OR fresh (top right of page, in the blue strip)

http://www.pilgrims.com/

Reser’s Fine Foods

(Deli salads, potato salad, etc.)  

Sign up for the Newsletter at the top right side of the page, and coupon links will be e-mailed.  Some may be present on their special offers page.

http://www.resers.com/special-offers/coupons

Nature’s Own Bread

Sign up/sign in, and accept the newsletter.  E-mails will be sent periodically with links to coupons. 

http://naturesownbread.com/

Roman Meal Bread

Coupon link is bottom right of page.  They usually always have a coupon link there.  Also sign up for e-mail newsletter to receive special offers.

http://www.romanmeal.com/

Litehouse Foods

(Dips, dressings, and glazes)

Sign up to receive $0.55 off any Litehouse product. You will also receive periodic e-mails with links for coupons.

http://www.litehousefoods.com/offers-page

Red Gold Tomatoes (Tomato Country website)

Sign up, and you can print a $0.50 off coupon.  Once you are registered, enter your e-mail address, and a link will be sent. 

Sign up for the newsletter, and a link will be e-mailed to you.  If you have a store that doubles coupons, these tomato products will oftentimes be free or nearly free.

http://www.redgold.com/welrg12502

Old Orchard Juice

Printable coupons on their website.  Must sign up to print.  Sign up for newsletter, and additional savings will be e-mailed to you.

http://oldorchard.com/promotions/

Welch’s Juice

May or may not be coupons on this page.  Check periodically.  However, sign up for newsletter, and coupons will be e-mailed to you.

http://www.welchs.com/promotions

Bar-S Meat Products

No current promotions, but check back for coupons.  Sign up for e-mailed newsletter and coupon links.

http://www.bar-s.com/promotions/promotions.php

French’s

Mustard, Worcestershire sauce, fried onions, Dijon mustard, etc.

http://www.frenchs.com/my-frenchs/create-an-account?redirect=/promotions/coupon

Sparkle Paper Towels

Coupon right on home page for $1/1 6-pack regular rolls or larger (may change to napkins, depending on time of year).

http://www.sparkletowels.com/

Mt. Olive Pickles

Warning!  Turn your volume down.  There is music that plays on this site!

Have freebie giveaways and newsletter.  Most of their coupons are in the form of hangtags, but will occasionally e-mail coupons.

http://www.mtolivepickles.com/

Kashi Products

(Cereals, granola bars, etc.)

Check page periodically for coupons.  Sign up for e-mail newsletter to receive e-mailed offers. 

http://www.kashi.com/events/coupons

Emeril’s Food Products

Coupon for $1/2 any Emeril food products.  Includes sauces, seasonings, etc.  Other coupons periodically. 

http://www.emerilscooking.com/promotions.asp

New World Pasta

(American Beauty, No Yolks noodles, Wacky Mac, Ronzoni, and Creamette brands)

Sign up for newsletter, and links to coupons will be mailed. 

Also check their Facebook page, as they periodically offer coupons there, as well.

https://www.itpaystoeatpasta.com/sweeps_general/form.cfm

Garnier Hair Products

Sign up, and they will often e-mail you exclusive coupons, especially for new products. 

http://www.garnierusa.com/_en/_us/home.aspx

Maybelline

Sign up for their newsletter (bottom right of page), and they will often mail exclusive coupons. 

http://www.maybelline.com/

Incredible Edible Egg Facebook Page

There is often a $0.55/2 coupon promotion.  This is a coupon off ANY BRAND OF EGGS!  It’s a promotion by the association of egg producers. 

Like their page, then print.  This makes for extremely cheap eggs when there is a sale!

https://www.facebook.com/IncredibleEdibleEgg/app_433292576729358

 

Yankee Candle Company

They will e-mail coupons and notices for special exclusive sales.  Shipping is a flate rate of $5.00 for orders under $100, so this is a great way to stock up for gifts, especially with Christmas coming up.  They recently had wax tarts on sale for $1.00, used in wax warmers.

http://www.yankeecandle.com/home2

Earthbound Farms Organic Vegetables

Sign up for newsletter, and they will e-mail links to coupons.

http://www.ebfarm.com/

Organic Girl Greens

Sign up for e-mail, and coupons will be e-mailed.  Also like their Facebook page, as it often has printable coupons.

http://iloveorganicgirl.com/

Vidalia Onions

Facebook page.  They will have seasonal coupons, so keep an eye on their fan page.

https://www.facebook.com/VidaliaOnions?ref=ts&fref=ts

California Cuties (Clementine type oranges)

Sign up for newsletter, and e-mail coupons will be sent seasonally.

http://cutieskids.com/

Arm and Hammer (Baking Soda, Toothpaste, Laundry Detergent, Cat Litter)

Create account and print coupons from coupon page.  Sign up for e-mail newsletter, and links to coupons will also be e-mailed. 

http://www.armandhammer.com/Resources/SavingsCenter.aspx?CampaignId=Toothpaste

Silk Soy Milk

Coupon on lower right-hand corner of home page.  Sign up for newsletter, and coupons will also be e-mailed to you.

http://silksoymilk.com/

Freschetta Pizza

Link to coupon.  Enter e-mail to print.  Sign up for newsletter to receive coupons in e-mails.

http://www.freschetta.com/coupons.htm

"Broke Food" - Fry Bread

 Broke food.... defined as something that is inexpensive, tasty, and filling, and what you eat when you're dead broke.  Admit it.  We've all had those times where there was more month than money maybe because of an emergency or some sort of snafu.  Maybe you're just determined to stay within this month's grocery budget.  You have to stretch what you have in order to make it to the next payday or next budget period.

Broke food to the rescue!

Fry Bread has the bonus of being tasty, all purpose, and can be eaten with a meal as if it's bread, used as a base ingredient for a meal (like Indian tacos), or eaten as a breakfast-type item.

I made pork green chili a couple of nights ago, and we had fry bread alongside it.  It's the base for Indian Tacos by layering fry bread on the bottom, then refried beans, taco meat, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream.  It can be eaten for breakfast as it tends to be puffy like a sopapilla, so you can pinch off a corner, fill with honey, and eat.  You can also dust it with powdered sugar and eat it like a powdered doughnut. It's really all purpose! 

Fry Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1-2 teaspoons baking powder

About 1 cup of water

Skillet containing about 1 inch oil or Crisco, heated until a droplet of water sizzles.  The oil depth needs to be deep enough to accommodate the puffy bread.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, then make a well in the middle.  Add the water a bit at a time, stirring with a fork until a sticky ball forms.  Knead 5 times, then cover bowl with a dish towel and allow to rest for approximately 20-30 minutes.

When ready to cook, pinch off an approximately golf ball size blob of dough.  Place an a floured surface and roll out until approximately 1/4 inch thick.  Place in hot oil and allow to cook until it puffs and edges begin to turn brown.  Then flip with tongs and cook until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.

The great thing about this dough is it stores well in the refrigerator.  You can pinch off enough dough to make 1-2 fry bread at a time, and store the rest in the fridge.  Make fry bread for breakfast.  Stick the remaining dough in the refrigerator, then at night use the remainder to make Indian Tacos or serve alongside beans, stew, or other soup!  It's an excellent accompaniment to any hot dish.

Grocery Savings Strategies

This is this my most recent shopping trip.  I paid $61.24 (plus tax) for this batch of food.  Normally, I am an avid couponer, but most coupons are for nonperishable food items.  It is very hard to find deals on meat or find coupons for meat items.  Some meat packaging websites will offer coupons for their brand of meat (such as Hormel) and the brand that is store owned, Red River Ranch Angus, but those are few and far between or are only for specific items.

My strategy for saving on meat is twofold:  First, I know the days the meat is marked down at the store where I shop, which is Homeland.  Second, I have a coupon that is issued by the store for $5.00 off a $50.00 purchase.  These $5/$50 coupons are usually available in fundraising booklets.  One place to find such a coupon is on the back of the Homeland Cares coupon books (see photo below).  The second is from a fundraising book called Enjoy the City.*  which can be purchased online.

I check the marked down meat first.  I then stack up $50 worth of meat, and use my $5/50 coupon.  By using that coupon, it automatically takes my purchase down by 10%.  Add in the markdown on the meat, and you've got significant savings.  Even if the meant is not marked down, by using the $5 off $50 coupon, you've automatically reduced the cost by 10%. 

Today's purchases included extra items, making the total a bit more than $50, but everything will be used to prepare the meat I purchased.

Here is a list along with prices: 

Bell Peppers x4  @ $0.79 each = $3.16

Green onions x1 @ 0.69 each = $0.69 (not a great deal but I needed them)

Yellow Onions x2 @ $0.79/lbs. = $1.01 

Jar sliced jalapenos x1 $1.89 =  $1.89

Campbell's Chicken gravy x1 =  $1.49

Best Choice chopped green chiles x4 $0.99 each = $3.96

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts $2.99/lbs. @ 2.65 lbs. = $7.95  (the one item not on sale)

Beef Top Blade Patio Steaks = $3.31

Ground beef 1.5 lbs. @ $3.84 each = $11.52 

Stew Meat (sirloin chunks) 1 lbs.. x1 = $3.94

Stew Meat 2.5 lbs.  = $7.86

Stew Meat 3.5 lbs.. = 10.07

Boneless Pork Tenderloins = $4.26

Subtotal $61.11

Minus $5.00 coupon

Final total with tax**  = $61.24

*Enjoy the City books are available for many metropolitan areas and may be directly purchased from the website linked above.  They are not just for Oklahoma.  Most major grocery store chains have coupons for a certain dollar amount purchased in these books, so it is worth your time to check into them.They also contain numerous coupons for other activities, restaurants, and stores in your area.

** A note about sales tax.  Even if you use coupons and bring your total down, tax is charged on the original dollar amount, not the amount minus coupon, so keep this in mind when figuring totals.  Particularly if you are on a tight budget.

Hope Kids Outreach, for whom I am a board member, is selling the Homeland Cares Coupon books for $5.00 each.  You make your money back using the $5/50 coupon on the back, and it contains $40.00 of manufacturer coupons that often double at Homeland and are not available elsewhere.  If you are interested in purchasing one, please let me know in the comments and leave an email, and I'll be happy to contact you.