Frugal Friday - Email Lists Pay Off!

My frugal tip today has more to do with luck - I think. The Kohls store closest to my house is remodeling and has sent me 4 different $10 coupons good on any purchase over $10 through email. I have had $40 to "shop" with at Kohls - I have bought greeting cards I would normally have bought and a few Father's Day gifts,along with a few new clothing items for myself - I am super excited to have saved that money. So, I guess the moral of the story is to join the email list for stores that you regualrly shop....

For more frugal tips - visit LifeAsMom!

Busy Busy Busy....

I have been busy preparing for Christmas...I think all of my "stuff" is done now - I just have to do a few minor things. I would really like to make and freeze Brown Sugar Biscuits on Tues. to take to my Mom's house on Christmas morning. I would also like to make a Stromboli recipe to eat one this week and freeze one to eat for lunch with company later this weekend. I need to go to the grocery tomorrow also, so we'll see if all that happens! Oh- chex mix too...

Mexi-Mac Skillet

Last week I got home around 5:30 with no idea what to make for dinner - I know - big mistake. I remembered this recipe for Mexi-Mac Skillet from Taste of Home that includes ingredients we always have on hand, so I pulled it out (I had printed it) and got to work. We ate around 6.

The only adjustment I made was to add a can of black beans and a little more water....I just watched the skillet to make sure it did not get too dry before the pasta was done. It was great and we had leftovers for two lunches!

For more great quick meal ideas, visit the Ultimate Recipe Swap at LifeAsMom!

Homemade Granola

I have been wanting to make Granola at home for a while now and I finally found a recipe that I could adjust so it would not have a ton of calories per serving. I adjusted this recipe (which looks delicious, but I could not consume it everyday).

My Version of Cinnamon Crunch Granola

8 Cups Rolled Oats .80

2 T Cinnamon

2 cups flaked Coconut (I used sweetened) .50

1/2 chopped Pecans .75 (guess - I buy a huge bag at Costco)

1 and 1/4 Cups Grape Nuts Cereal - I used Aldi's Nutty Nuggets (.20 - on sale for .89/box)

3/4 C Brown Sugar

1/2 C water

1/4 C Vegetable Oil

1/2 C Apple Juice

2 t vanilla

The brown sugar I buy in a huge bag at Costco, the Apple juice we have tons of and a lot of it was close to free, the veggie oil was close to free on a Buy _ Get _ sale at Jewel - So I am not going to add in the cost of those items.

For 12 cups of granola - or approx 24 - 1/2 Cup Servings, the total is $2.25 - not spectacular for cereal, but for cereal I know what is in it, I think its great!

For more frugal ideas, visit LifeAsMom!

Menu Plan Monday

Here is the menu plan up until Thanksgiving - For complicated reasons that I would be glad to spell out if anyone is interested, we only eat at home 3 times a week - so here is the plan for the next 3 weeks!

Week of 11/9

1 - Crockpot Pasta Fagioli with Focaccia Bread
2 - Italian Beef Sandwiches with leftover Focaccia Bread, Easy Oven Potatoes, and carrot sticks
3 - Chicken Strips, Mac and Cheese, frozen veggie - green beans and corn

Week of 11/16

1 - Black Bean Soup (or some version of it) with quesadillas
2 - Oven Chicken Breasts, AuGratin Potatoes, Frozen veggie (mixed)
3 - Costco Pizza

Week of 11/23

1 - Oven Chicken Breasts, Easy Oven Potatoes, on sale veggie
2 – Beef or chicken noodle soup with grilled cheeses
3 - Chili

For more menus, visit orgjunkie.com

Local Apple Orchard

Our local apple orchard also has a farmer's market connected to it, so last Sunday when we went apple picking, we got a ton of apples - plus some goodies from the farm store. We got everything pictured above plus a huge pumpkin sugar cookie, a chocolate chip cookie, and a no-bake cookie for 8.20 total.

The pie pumpkins were .5o each and the Speghetti squash were .50 each. The little pumpkins were for our 3 yr old - she really, really liked them. The cider was 2.99, but it was soooo good. I do not have the itemized receipt, so I am not sure how much the green beans were, but they were so good in stir fry, I don't really care :)

For more Super Savings Saturday, visit MoneySavingMom.

Big Lots

Our Big Lots was having a drug store blowout - I got everything in the picture above for 5.57 - plus a candy bar that was .50 - hey I am 5 months pregnant, so my 3 year old can easily talk me into sharing a candy bar! :)

Here is a breakdown:

Saline Nose Spray - .30 ea

Bud Hat for gift - .50

Gloves - .20 ea

kid toothbrushes - .30 ea

ornament hangers - .19 ea

Listerine mouth strips - .50

Candy bar - .50

Total: $5.57

For more Super Savings, visit MoneySavingMom!