Recipe for Kiwi Pear Smoothies

This recipe is based on one from www.familykiwi.com – and makes up a generous batch!

Combine in a blender and pulse until smooth:
8 oz plain yogurt
1 pear, cut up
1 banana, cut up
2 Tbsp honey

Then add about 8 or 10 ice cubes, one at a time, and process until smooth.

Slice in half and spoon into blender 4 or 5 kiwi and pulse until just blended.

Enjoy!

Recipe for Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

These are my Dearest's favorite cookies – and my own "secret" recipe! (I do admit that the real secret is in the flavor – and quality – of the REAL ingredients: real butter, real vanilla, molasses, etc.)

Cream together, beating until light and smooth:
½ cup (1 stick) of butter
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 Tbsp strong, dark molasses*

Add and mix in:
¼ cup (olive) oil
2 eggs
2 tsp REAL vanilla

Then add:
2 cups self-rising flour*
1 cup whole wheat flour**
1 tsp baking soda
(1 tsp salt)

When well-mixed, add:
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup quick (ground) oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets and bake at 375 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes. (Be careful not to overbake them!) These cookies should have crisp edges and chewy centers.

One recipe makes about four dozen average-sized cookies.

* Stay tuned for money-saving tips on brown sugar and self-rising flour!

** I've been adding about ½ Tbsp of wheat germ and whole ground flaxseed (per cup) to recipes that include whole wheat flour; it's just another practical way to get more fiber and nutrition in our diets!

Recipe for Bean and Chorizo Soup

We like soup! A lot! Like my husband's Grampa, I could eat soup eight days a week – especially in the wonderful autumn weather we're currently enjoying!

After consulting several cookbooks, I came up with my own modified recipe earlier this year, based largely on what we already had on hand.

2 cups dried pinto beans

4 cups water
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp dried onion
1 Tbsp "Roasting Rub" (basically garlic, peppercorns, rosemary, and red pepper – Wow!)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
1/2 chorizo, chopped
(I like the Mild Italian Sausage from Publix because it's the closest to Uruguayan chorizo that I've been able to find here.)

Soak the beans (using the "Quick Soak" method) in a large pan with 6 to 8 cups of water: Bring to a rapid boil on medium-high heat; then boil two more minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand one hour. Drain and rinse beans.

In a large saucepan (or Dutch oven), heat the oil; add onion and spices to the oil and stir together. Add beans, water, and salt. Stir in spaghetti sauce and chopped sausage. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for at least two hours. If desired, mash some of the beans to make soup thicker.

Serving Ideas:

– Garnish with grated carrots.
– Add shredded cheese!
– Serve over whole-grain rice.
– Serve with cheese and crackers.

Enjoy!

FREE sample of Honey Nut Cheerios!

Get a free sample of Honey Nut Cheerios – plus a $1.00 coupon! Fill out the request here!

The coupons included with free samples are usually higher-value and don't expire as quickly as newspaper or printable coupons do – so you can save these for a B1G1 sale!

FREE sample of Little Ducks Organics Snacks!

Request a free sample of Little Ducks Organics Snacks for infants or toddlers. Flavors include Apple/Banana, Blueberry/Apple, and Strawberry/Mango.

New thoughts on the blog...

Going forward, I'm hoping to have more organized (and hopefully helpful and inspiring) posts – on a regular basis!

Beginning this week, I'm considering the following schedule – giving myself freedom to adjust as the high callings of wife and mommy preclude that of frugal blogger...

Mondays & Tuesdays:
Money Saving Tips and/or Super Savers
(See this week's post here.)

Wednesdays:
What's Cookin'? (including recipes and menu plans)

Thursdays:
Book Reviews (or something educational)

Fridays & Saturdays:
Frugalista Fun (including deals around town) and/or Inspiration & Encouragement

And I'll still post about random freebies, current deals at CVS, etc. throughout the week.

Why the change (i.e. improvement)?! Well... I've been wanting to look more organized for a while now. More importantly, I also have a long-term goal of ministering especially to women by organizing and sharing money saving tips, specifically along the lines of grocery shopping and cooking.

God is calling my family to Uruguay, South America as full-time missionaries; we're in the preparatory stages and are very excited! One of the big changes, however, when leaving the good ol' USA, the land of abundant savings, will be learning to live frugally – without coupons as we now know them! We'll have to be far more creative in order to accomplish similar savings. And I'm excited about the challenge – not only for myself but also for the ladies God would have me serve there!

You can read more thoughts here and here – thoughts on serving God and others and working to keep a God-honoring perspective as a frugalista.

And please feel free to comment and share your ideas, too!

Publix Super Savers – 10/13/09

Staples for the fridge and pantry (plus a few extras) are among the Super Savers this week. And the deals (with the exception of the Penny Item) are valid through today!

A special thanks to FiddledeedeeMom for the weekly coupon match-ups!

Yoplait Fiber One Yogurt (4 pack) – B1G1 for $2.50
Use $1.25/1 printable coupon
OR use B1G1 coupon (from FiberOne cereal boxes)
OR use $1.00/1 printable coupon
OR use $1.00/1 coupon (General Mills 09/13 or 10/04) (regional)
FREE or $0.25 each after coupon

Yogurt is a favorite at our house! We stock up when it’s cheap – or better yet free – after coupons! Because so many coupons were available this week, three of the four stores I visited were completely out! And there was only one 4-pack left in the other store. But I got rain checks…

Knorr Sides (4 oz to 6.4 oz) – B1G1 for $1.35
Use $0.45/1 printable coupon
FREE plus $0.22 overage after doubled coupon

Betty Crocker Potatoes (4.6 oz to 6.6 oz) – B1G1 for $1.75
Use $0.40/1 printable coupon
OR use $0.40/1 printable coupon
$0.08 each after doubled coupon

Ronzoni Pasta (12 oz or 16 oz) – B1G1 for $1.39
Use $1.00/2 printable coupon
OR use $1.00/2 printable coupon
$0.20 each after coupon

Hunt’s Tomatoes (14.5 oz) – B1G1 for $1.39
Use $0.50/2 printable coupon
$0.20 each after doubled coupon

Snyder’s of Hanover Pretzels (16 oz) – $2.50 each
Use $1.00/1 coupon (Publix Family Style Magazine, Fall Issue)
(Get a free subscription!)
Stack with $0.75/1 coupon (SmartSource 07/26)
$0.75 each

Rubbermaid EasyFind Lids Container (5 cup square) – $2.50 each
Use $1.00/1 printable coupon
$1.50 each

Assorted EatSmart Vegetables (10 oz to 12 oz) – $1.00 each

Total out of pocket for mostly meat and produce: $9.99

One of my all-time favorites, Publix Mild Italian Sausage, is also on sale – $2.49 per pound. (Think: Uruguayan chorizo!) The Penny Item this week was coffee, and I had a coupon (courtesy of FaceBook) for a free pint of Starbucks ice-cream!

Money saving tip: Use printable coupons!

Local readers: Just for fun, I often compare by filling a banana box for/from the Sav Mor Sidewalk Sale with the week’s Publix deals. Hurrah for Publix – and printable coupons!

The grand total out of pocket for all this was only $5.67!

Babies"R"Us or Toys"R"Us Diaper Deal!

There's a 3-day Super Sale on Pampers diapers at Babies"R"Us and Toys"R"Us – October 10 through 12!

Buy any two Pampers diapers boxes (92 count or higher) and get a $15 Babies"R"Us or Toys"R"Us gift card. (Gift card available after purchase at checkout. Offer available only in stores, not online.)

There are several high-value coupons available right now!

$5.00/1 printable coupon (expires 10/15)
$5.00/1 coupon (Babies"R"Us home mailer) (expires 10/15)
$5.00/1 coupon (10/04 Toys"R"Us insert) (expires 10/10)
$3.00/1 coupon (recent Pampers sample mailer)
$1.00/1 coupon (recent Pampers sample mailer)
(Are you signing up for free samples?!)

Remember that you can stack store coupons with manufacturer coupons.

So, here's a deal idea:
Assuming store prices reflect online prices, starting at $29.99 per box (92 count or higher)
Use two $5.00/1 store coupons
Use $3.00/1 manufacturer coupon
Use $1.00/1 manufacturer coupon
Get $15 gift card
Two boxes for $30.98 (plus tax) after coupons and gift card!

Get a FREE Starbucks Coffee!

Starbucks claims to have found a way to offer a truly great cup of coffee that you can prepare by just adding water. According to the website, Starbucks VIA™ is full-bodied and flavorful, just like the Starbucks® coffee you know and love.

But, they say, don't take their word for it. Try Starbucks VIA™ for yourself. Take the Starbucks VIA™ Taste Challenge on October 2 through 5 at participating Starbucks stores and receive a coupon for a free tall brewed coffee (redeemable on your next visit).

Gotta love CVS!

Here's what CVS did today to make me love 'em even more!

All this for a grand total of less than $2.00 – after coupons and ECBs!

Total before coupons: $25.00 (plus tax)
Used $5 off $25 purchase CVS coupon
Used three $1.00/1 Tide coupons
Used one $0.25/1 Dawn coupon
Used $15.99 ECBs
Total out of pocket: $1.96

The cashier was a trainee, so the manager helped to scan coupons. Even she was excited about the result – from over $26.00 (including tax) to under $2.00 after coupons and ECBs! Gotta love 'em!

At a second store: All this for under $2.00 – after coupons and ECBs!


Total before coupons: over $27.00 (plus tax)
Used $2 off $10 CVS brand purchase coupon
Used $2 off two CVS brand Nut Products coupon
(CVS brand nuts are on sale this week: three for $10! And both CVS coupons printed when I scanned my Extra Care Card at the "coupon machine" when I entered the store!)
Used $5 off any Lumene purchase (CVS coupon)
(Lumene coupons often print with my ECBs; sometimes I get $2.01 overage – like I did today!)
Used two $1.00/1 Wheat Thins coupons
Used $4.00/1 Fusion Razor coupon
Used $11.00 ECBs
Total out of pocket: $1.27

And I left with $5 ECBs more to spend on next week's deals! Gotta love CVS!

(See details with coupon match-ups for this week's deals here.)