My Adventures with Freezer Cooking, Extreme!

I know...It's an ad. But I LOVE it!
And I WANT it!!!!!!

Hey all! I've been on a little hiatus from the blogging world. Life just happens you know. Well, I've challenged myself to get going again on writing. I am taking a piece of what you will find at MoneySavingMom.com with the  "4 Weeks to Fill Your Freezer" series, cutting it, shifting it and shaking it up a little bit. I have created my own list of recipes (which is a myriad of hers, mine and others)  I would like to make and freeze. And I am going to attempt to do it in two weeks, possibly three weeks. Summer is going to be here before I know it and I don't want to be tied to the apartment worrying about dinners, etc. I want to be outside enjoying the long days and warm evenings. There is so much that is offered in Old Louisville during the summer months, I want to be able to enjoy all of them that I can. So freezer cooking is one way I am going to be sure to give myself plenty of opportunity to do just that and so I'll stay away from eating out! I am also using this as a challenge to clear out my pantry!

Here are all the wonderful things I am going to tackle over the next two (to three) weeks. I will link up to the recipes soon.

BBQ Meatballs (x4 so I have plenty for my daughter's graduation party too)

Lasagna Casserole (using my normal recipe, but substituting whatever type of pasta I have on hand)

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Veggie Burgers

Marinated Chicken (easy peasy)

Southwest Rollups

Ham & Cheese Pockets

Cinnamon Roll Biscuits

Pumpkins Chocolate Chip Muffins

Glazed Cinnamon Scones

Brown Sugar Biscuit Twists

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Cinnamon Vanilla Pancakes

Breakfast Hot Pockets

Breakfast Burritos

Portioned Baked Oatmeal (batch each of Chocolate Chip & Craisins)

Chewy Granola Bars (Smores and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip)

Cream of Mushroom & Cream of Chicken soups for use in some of the casseroles

Applesauce Granola for use in the granola bars

Baking Mix (homemade Bisquick, for use in various items) 

After I decided on the items I am going to make, I made a list in Excel of all the ingredients and sorted them so I could get a good estimate of what I would need from the grocery store. I compared what I had already and made my list from there. I may get everything in one trip, I may not. But this way I can comparison shop and also watch for deals if they come up. Most of the dinners I will be making to eat one night and will double the recipe so I can freeze a batch. My goal is to also do one breakfast or sweet item each night along with the dinner item.  

I will begin by grocery shopping Saturday morning. My plan from there is to get the chicken I need cooked and cubed, make the granola, homemade baking mix and then the creamed soups. These are all needed for other days cooking. I also hope to get veggies washed, chopped, and stored for use later to make my prep time during the week (after work, between soccer) as short as possible.  

My next post will be my full weeks plan. Can I do it? Can I get one to two months worth of meals done in two weeks? At most three?  I sure hope so... follow me to find out!I'll also be trying to post about some of the other things I have been upto during my break. Have a great week all! Enjoy!

Grocery Sales Cycles - When things go on sale!

Here is a great list of when items go on sale throughout the year. Hope it helps you in your couponing and planning, especially if you like to stock up on items like I try to do. 

January

National Oatmeal Month: Quaker
Diet Foods: Healthy Choice, South Beach, Lean Cuisine, Special K, Kashi, Smart Start, 100 Calorie Packs, Yogurt
Super Bowl Sunday: Pepsi, Coke, Chips, Dips, Cheese, Sandwich Items, Crackers, Snacks, Wings
Seasonal Produce: Oranges, Pears, Grapefruit, Tangerines, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kiwi, Avocado, Cabbage, Spinach
Clearance: Christmas Decorations, Toys, Wrapping Papers,
Winter Health: Cold Medicines and Vitamins

February

National Canned Food Month: Canned Fruit, Pie Fillings, Vegetables, Meats: Tuna, Chicken, Salmon
National Hot Breakfast Month:  Malt O Meal, Oatmeal, Eggo Waffles, Syrup
Valentines:  Chocolate, Hershey’s, KY Lubricant, etc
Chinese New Year: Soy Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, Noodles, Canned Water Chestnuts
Seasonal Produce:  Artichoke, Asparagus, Raspberries, Potatoes, Strawberries, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kiwi, Avocado, Spinach

March

Frozen Food Month: Ice Cream, Frozen Vegetables (Boxed, Bag, or Steam), Frozen Meals, Foster Farms Chicken, Waffles, Pizza
Seasonal Produce: Artichoke, Asparagus, Haas Avocado, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Fennel, Kale, Leek, Lemon, Lime, Mushrooms, Spring Onions, Orange, Peas, Radish, Rhubarb, Spinach, Strawberries, Tangerine

April

Easter:  Ham, Eggs, Spices, Baking Supplies: Sugar, Spices, Baking Mixes, Chocolate Chips, Butter, Coconut, Marshmallows, Brownie Mix, Cake Mix
Earth Day: Organic Foods, Energy Saver, Reusable Totes
Seasonal Produce: Artichokes, Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbages, Carrots, Grapefruit, Haas Avocado, Mushrooms, Onions, Peas, Rhubarb
Clearance: After Easter sales

May

Memorial Day: BBQ Sauce, Condiments, Charcoal, Salad Dressing, Potato Chips, Dips, Grilling Meats, Hot Dogs, Hamburger Meat, Marinade, Salad Greens
Paper Products: Plates, Utensils, Insect Repellant, Sunscreen
Cinco De Mayo: Salsa, tortillas
Seasonal Produce: Artichokes, Asparagus, Avocado, Beans, Green, Beets, Blackberries, Carrots, Sweet Vidalia Onions, Peas, New Potatoes, Raspberries, Strawberries

June

National Dairy Month: Eggs, Milk, Ice Cream, Cheese, Cream Cheese, Butter, Yogurt, Whipping Cream, Whipped Cream, Cool Whip
End of June is Fourth or July Sales: Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Condiments, Charcoal, Salad Dressing, Potato Chips, Dips
Seasonal Produce: Apricots, Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries, Cherries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Grapes, Honeydew, Nectarines, Peaches, Potatoes, Raspberries, Red Onions, Squash, Summer, Strawberries, Sweet Vidalia Onions, Tomatoes, Watermelon

July

National Ice Cream Month
More 4th of July BBQ Sales: Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Condiments, Charcoal, Salad Dressing, Potato Chips, Dips
End of July: Back to School Sales Begin: Crayons, Pencils, Folders, Binders
Seasonal Produce: Asian Pears, Bartlett Pears, Beans, Green, Blueberries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Figs, Garlic, Grapes, Nectarines, Onions, Red, Valencia Oranges, Peaches, Sweet/Bell Peppers, Plums, Potatoes, Summer Squash, Tomatoes, Watermelon

August

Back to School: Pudding cups, Lunch meat, Lunchables, Bread, Cold Cereal, Waffles, Lunchboxes
Disinfectant:  Clorox, Purell
Clearance:  Insect Repellant, Sunscreen, charcoal
Seasonal Produce: Gravenstein Apple, Haas Avocado, Green Beans, Beans, Berries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Figs, Grapes, Melons, Onion, Peaches, Bartlett Pears, Bell Pepper, Plums, Raspberries, Squash, Summer, Tomatillo, Tomato

September

Back to School Sales through Labor Day:  Crayons, Pencils, Folders, Binders
Diabetes: Bayer Glucose Meters, Glucerna Cereal
Seasonal Produce: Apples, Artichokes, Beans, Bell Peppers, Chili Peppers, Cucumber, Eggplant, Grapes, Onion, Valencia Orange, Asian Pears, Bartlett Pears, Pomegranate, Squash, Tomatillo, Tomatoes, Winter Squash
Baby Items: Major Baby Equipment, Baby Safety

October

Halloween: Candy, Fresh Pumpkin
Beginning of the Baking Sales: Canned pumpkin, Evaporated Milk, Baking Chips
Daylight Savings Time Ends Promotions: Alarm Clocks, Batteries, Safety Equipment, Smoke Detectors
National Seafood Month
Adopt a Shelter-Dog Month: Pedigree, Purina
Seasonal Produce: Almonds, Apples, Artichokes, Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Chard, Chestnuts, Cranberries, Lemons, Parsnip, Pears, Pomegranate, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, Spinach, Squash, Winter, Turnips, Yams

November

Hot Cocoa, Coffee, Tea
Baking Sales in Full Swing: Nuts, Chocolate Chips, Evaporated Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Coconut, Cake Mixes
Canned foods: Soup, Broth, Vegetables, Fruits, Spaghetti Sauce
Thanksgiving Items: Turkey, Canned Pumpkin, Stovetop Stuffing, Betty Crocker Boxed Potatoes, Gravy Mixes, Frozen Pies, Cranberry Sauce, Jello, Marshmallows
Seasonal Produce: Anjou Pears, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Carrots, Celery, Comice Pears, Cranberries, Kiwi, Lemons, Orange, Potato, Squash, Yams
Clearance: After Halloween Sales

December

Holiday Dinner: Egg Nog, Deli Platters, Instant Potatoes, Gravy Mixes, Frozen Pies, Cranberry Sauce, Jello, Marshmallows. Sour Cream Dips, Crackers, Chips, Soda, Ham
Baking: Flour, Sugar, Butter, Cream, Cake Mix, Brownie Mix, Muffin Mix, Breads, Pie Crust, Marshmallow, Whipped cream
Canned Foods: Soup, Broth, Condensed Milk, Vegetables, Fruits, Spaghetti Sauce
Seasonal Produce: Anjou Pears, Bok Choy, Bosc Pears, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Dates, Grapefruit, Haas Avocados, Kale, Kiwi, Kumquat, Lemon, Napa Cabbage, Oranges, Sweet Potatoes, Red Cabbage, Rutabaga, Savoy Cabbage, Spinach, Winter Squash, Yams, Turnips, White Potato
Clearance: After Thanksgiving and After Christmas Sales

Amazing Coupon Deals for 4/1-4/7

Be sure to read the coupon policies associated with each store found HERE. Remember, due to regional deals, some of the in-store prices may vary. These make great charity donated items if you can't use them!

Allegra Allergy 5ct 4/1 Smartsource $7 off, most places you can get this for free including CVS, Rite-Aid, Target, Walgreens and Walmart

Reach Floss 55yd 3/4 RedPlum $1 off, free at Walmart

Carefree Pantyliner 20ct. 3/18 Smartsource $1 off, Free at Walmart and Target

CVS

Depend Silhouette or Real Fit 3ct Click HERE for coupon $2, $3.99-$2 coupon = $1.99, Get $2 Extra Bucks Reward which makes them FREE

Complete Multi Purpose Solution 12 oz, $8.99, Get $8.99 Extra Bucks Reward which makes this FREE

Advil PM 4ct (in travel size section) 3/11 RedPlum $1 off, $.99 - $1 coupon = FREE

Mars Easter Singles 3/18 RedPlum $1/2, Buy 2 at $0.50 - $1/2 = FREE

RITE-AID

Scrunci Elastics 18ct $1.99. Get 1.99 Up Rewards make them FREE

TARGET (click HERE to print Target Coupons)

Tums Freshers 25ct. 4/1 Red Plum $1.50 off. $2.49-1.50- $0.75 Target coupon = $0.24

GE Ultra Soft Light Bulb 4 pack $2.39 - $2 Target coupon = $0.39

WALGREENS

Colgate Toothpaste 8.2 oz 2/$5 - (2) 3/25 Smartsource $0.75 coupons = $3.50. Get $3 back in Register Rewards = 2 for $0.25 each

    *MaxClean, Fresh, White, Cavity Protection, or Whitening Toothpaste.

WALMART

Kotex U liners 18ct 3/25 Smartsource, $1. $1.24 - $1 = $0.24

Freebies from week of March 26, 2012

These are the freebies I received in the mail last week! The Tide Pods, Purex and Green Mountain Naturals have been available multiple times through their Facebook pages. Tide and Green Mountain Naturals sometimes let you sign up for these every time they are available. While the Purex only lets you have samples one time. The free coupon is from my Kraft First Taste account. Marley coffee, a sustainable coffee, can be found at their website or Facebook page. It seems lately I have gotten something in the mail just about every other day! If I can't use it, I'll use in a gift basket or donate it! Oh yeah... I also reuse as much of the packing everything comes in as well! Wait until you see the cute business card holders I'm making later in the week! Great use of some of this packaging. Enjoy!

20 Things you can do to lead a more frugal lifestyle...

20 Things you can do to lead a more frugal lifestyle . . . 

1. Use your library.
2. Eat the food you’ve bought, and eat then your leftovers.
3. Shop from your closet instead of buying new clothes.
4. Give gifts that you already own, like a couple of great books or an admired knick-knack.
5. Go for a walk outside instead of on a treadmill.
6. Cook from scratch.
7. Send your kids into the backyard instead of taking them to a movie or arcade.
8. Repair items instead of replacing them.
9. Turn the thermostat down in your house and add an extra layer.
10. Plant a vegetable garden. It’s amazing what you can grow in even a small space. 
11. Make your own cleaning products, or better yet, clean with water.
12. When a friend wants to get together, go for a walk instead of eating out.
13. Choose a simple close-to-home vacation instead of a can-only-get-there-by-flying elaborate trip.
14. Bring your own bags to the grocery store. Always. And then make sure they give you that three cent per-bag refund.
15. Minimize your garbage output, then go to a less frequent pickup service.
16. Drive less, and then contact your insurance agent to get a discount.
17. Hang-dry your laundry.
18. Decline invitations to those Tupperware, Party-lite, Pampered Chef etc. parties.
19. Buy used whenever possible. Better yet, join The Compact.
20. Refuse to use credit cards for anything that’s not an emergency. (To avoid credit cards all together, you should have an emergency fund in place. But that is a personal choice.)

Thanks for reminding us Katy, The Non-Consumer Advocate  


You must be the change you want to see in the world. - Gandhi 

Monday Deals

Good morning all! Hope you are having a great Monday so far. Did you survive the clock reset? I don't know about you but losing the hour is worth gaining the extra hour of daylight in the evening!!! And it's a sure-fire sign that spring (and my favorite season, Summer) is just around the corner!

Last week was a little scarce on freebies in the mail, but I did get a coupon for a free FULL size Suave Keratin Infusion that I had signed up for through Facebook. I will try to post about these types of deals so be sure to watch for them. I know none of us want our feeds filled with junk so you can either unlike after you sign up or just block the posts.

This morning I also checked my Kraft First Taste account and found an offer for a free KRAFT FRESH TAKE Cheese & Breadcrumb mix (the coupon will be mailed to me) and a printable $1.50 coupon for one(1) PHILADELPHIA Cooking Creme. I highly suggest if you do not have an account, you create one. I have received many free Kraft items from here. One time I received coupons for about 6 free items at one time. It is well worth the set up. And I will try to help you stay updated in case you forget to check it. 

Since I am in a 'no buy month' (or two) I have been avoiding thrift & pretty much all other stores all together. But the one thing we all need is groceries. So, yesterday I took a little time to find a couple great deals, that if you have been saving your coupons each week, you can get this week at Kroger:

• Country Crock Shedd's Spread $0.99* coupons.com $1 printable = FREE
• Dannon Yogurt 32 oz. $1.49* - $1 All You Magazine January issue = $.49
• Dannon Activia Yogurt $1.49 - $1 All You Magazine March issue = $.49
• Philadelphia Cooking Creme $1.79* - $1.50 Kraft First Taste printable = $.29

There were other good sale prices, these are just a few of the best with coupons. 

*These prices are after the March Madness save $5 with purchase of 10 items.

All You magazine can be found only at Walmart. They have awesome coupons, so I highly suggest you pick on up monthly or sign up for a subscription.

Enjoy yourself. It's later than you think! - Chinese Proverb

This Weekend & Last Week's Freebies

Well... I didn't go out looking this weekend for any great deals...Friday we had horrible weather and a couple nasty tornadoes hit just about 10 miles north of here and Saturday I cleaned and worked on the throws. I did make it out to JoAnn's to get fleece for the throws and fabric for two purse orders. Then Sunday was spent on the soccer field and at the laundromat! I'll be couponing tonight and hopefully will be able to share with you any great deals I find. :)

But last week I did receive 3 more items in the mail free; Aveda Hair Repair kit (shampoo, conditioner and a leave in), a Tide Pod and OB samples and a nice plastic carrying case.  Only thing... no coupons. I thought that was weird. The hair products are great for camping trips, traveling, etc. And with soccer season coming up, the sample laundry detergent is nice to take with us so we can clean the wonderful mud and grass stains on the uniforms when we are at tournaments. And all are great to donate to local disaster relief if you don't use them yourself!

Vinyl Record Bookends

I did get some Mocha Chocolate Granola Bars made and I also played with my butane torch (cheap thing)... then broke it. I'll post pictures and the recipe for the granola bars Wednesday along with pictures of the finished throws. They are turning out better than I imagined. But here's what I did get made before I broke the torch. Enjoy!

DIY Friday - Laundry Detergent

Homemade Laundry Detergent

As you probably know by now, at the beginning of the year I took a pledge that I was going to become more frugal. One way I decided to accomplish this was to try various do-it-yourself projects, like make my own laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent and to do a lot more scratch cooking. I made a list of  items I intend on trying this year. Mostly these are cleaners, homemade beauty products, etc. But there will also be new recipes, cooking tips and short cuts, and other creative DIY projects that I would like to tackle. 

First on the list is laundry detergent. After I had a weird, major allergic reaction this fall (unsure what but I ended up at the emergency room), I was leery of trying anything new like this. But the ingredients are natural and there are no weird chemicals/fillers in this, I decided to try it. If I couldn't use it, then the local family shelter would have a nice supply of laundry detergent donated. I found I had no allergic reaction to it. And my son who does occasionally break out in a slight rash from various detergents has not had any problems either.

This recipe makes a 5 gallon bucket full for just a couple bucks! I have shared this with my family and they seem to absolutely love it! Three simple ingredients...  a bar of Fels-Naptha, Washing Soda and Borax, all found in your grocer's laundry isle. (NOTE: The Fels-Naptha can be substituted with Ivory soap if you prefer.)


What you will need....

Empty 5 gallon bucket, with lid

Hot water
1 cup Washing Soda (I used Arm & Hammer)
1/2 cup Borax 
1 bar Fels-Naptha
*I highly recommend using an old, odd pan for this and I would  NOT use a non-stick one. I wasn't thinking and used a Teflon coated pan (well it was all I had) and now I can't use it for anything except for making this and as the bottom pan for a double boiler.

1. Grate the bar soap and put it in a small to medium sauce pan with enough HOT water to cover. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until soap is completely melted.
2. Put the Borax, Washing Soda and melted Fels-Naptha into the 5 gallon buck. Stir well until completely dissolved. Then fill the bucket up with HOT water. Stir well.
3. Cover and let sit overnight. It will turn into a gel-like substance. Stir well again the next morning.
4. Using an old detergent bottle, I just fill as needed. The original directions say cut in half with water and use 1 full cup. My thought is why waste time with that step. Just use 1/2 a cup full per load. It's going to mix with water anyway, right? Be sure to shake the bottle well before each use.

Have a great DIY household cleaner you would like to share? Feel free to email me or to comment below! Enjoy!

Free Quart of Paint - Ace Hardware Facebook Offer

Click here to get your coupon for a free quart of paint, your choice of colors at Ace Hardware this Saturday only! Great to have in your craft stash for creative moments!

Free Apple Cider K-Cups from Green Mountain Naturals

Available again (3/1/12)! Hurry! These will go fast! Green Mountain Natural Apple Cider K-Cups FREE

A Few Deals & Freebies Found on the Web

Below are deals and freebies I have found across the Internet this week. Just a note...When I sign up for these types of free, promotional items, I usually use an email account I have created just for these types of offers. You can use any of the free emails from Yahoo, Gmail, etc. Most advertisers will flood you with advertising emails, especially if you forget to opt-out when signing up. I have found this the best way to control the emails. Every once in a while I will go in and clean it out. I would highly suggest this unless you just want to receive all the emails in your normal account. With the Facebook offers I usually just select "Hide All" for the advertisers I don't want to receive updates on. If you find great Freebies or deals, comment below or email me and I will be sure to get the word out! Enjoy! 

Kleenex - Send a free to Share Pack a friend and get a free sample of Kleenex Cool Touch Tissues


Free Sample of Miracle Whip


Celebrate National Pancake Day at IHOP tomorrow with a free short stack and help Children's Miracle Hospital Networks.


Get a free night on a video game rental at RedBox celebrating Game Week.


Free new Tide Pods Facebook Offer


Marley Organic Coffee Free Sample