Coupons!

Alot of people are using coupons more and more these days! How can you turn down free money? ha Using coupons is turning into a real "study" of sorts. I find many coupon blogs that lay out in detail each store and what sales they are having and where you can find the ads! I found this cute and practical idea for storing coupons until you need to use them. You will need a 3 ring binder, this was 1 1/2" and a 3 hole punch or at least a hole punch. You take the coupon inserts that come in the paper each week, write the date at the top corner (click on the inside photo to enlarge the photo to see where) and when you have time to thumb through the coupons they are here OR in a few weeks when you come upon an ad and remember "I think I had a coupon for that" it's at your fingertips! The blog to the right of my screen, Money saving mom has different posts that tell you right where to find the coupon by date and what store is using it! I pretty much shop at Meijer and Target but if there's a great deal at Kroger or a drug store I will go for it! I don't have couponing down to a science like some of these gals that are paying next to nothing for ALOT of products but I'm trying! Here's the sight I found this binder idea, she has many other great ideas as well! We all need to save a few dollars and this is an easy way to start! http://www.frugalcouponliving.com/2008/12/having-system-of-couponing.html

Laura Bush's Carrot muffins and cream cheese icing!

I got this fabulous recipe from my good friend Beth, I drool when she brings these somewhere so I had to try them myself! I drool over everything she makes actually! haha they were delicious!! She tops hers with gorgeous purple pansies sometimes!

Muffins

1 C. Flour

1 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

2 eggs, room temp.

1 t. vanilla

1 C. sugar

1 1/2 C. shredded carrot

1/2 C. chopped pecans

3/4 C. canola or sunflower oil (I used Veg.)

Preheat oven to 350*

Line muffins tin with foil liner, makes 12-18 muffins.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In mixing bowl place eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Whisk together. Stir in flour mixture until combined, stir in carrots and pecans. Fill liners about 3/4 full. Bake 18-10 mins. Cool in pan 5 mins. and invert.

Icing:

1 block cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened (it's important to have it soft so it mixes well)

Beat until creamy then slowly add 4 C. powdered sugar and 1-2 t. vanilla.

I doubled the recipe for the cupcakes and had some icing leftover so I saved it in the fridge and made cinn. rolls the next week and used the icing! yum!

Ice muffins and store in refrigerator until serving! Top with a few pecans if you desire. I think I'll add 1/2 C. raisins for a twist next time too! enjoy!

Another project!

Another project done, seems to have taken forever to get each room how we want it since we moved here almost 8 yrs. ago. This is a good one for the girls and I particularly, and this happens to be Mike's office when he works home once a month. Although I didn't show his desk. It's opposite this wall. It's so great to have games, and crafts at our finger tips! All my stamping stuff is easily accessible and I actually stamped a baby card yesterday, it's been a long time! Having a work table there is what makes it! We love to craft/paint etc. so this is a nice room for us! Nice to have a handy husband! You can click on each photo if you want closer details, I love these cute little sticker labels I found at Target to label my buckets of stuff!

My new favorite soup...this week anyhow!

Lentil Soup

1 C. Lentils, dry

2 C. chicken broth

14 oz. diced tomatoes with green chillis in them

14 oz. tomato sauce

1 onion diced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

3 cooked chicken breast, cut in bite sized chunks

Wash lentils in colandar. Combine lentils and chicken broth in large pot, bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 30 mins. Add remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer up to 1 hr. atleast! Soup will become thick like a stew almost. Serve over bisquits, top with cheese and sour cream! This served 5 and made leftovers which were even better!

Shopping alone.......

SHOPPING! SHOPPING! SHOPPING! SHOPPING!

I had a chance to go out alone the other day and just browse the sales.....I hit great sales at Kohl's
http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/homepage.jsp here's the online sight if you don't have one nearby! I got a few turtlenecks, cute ones (my favorite piece of clothing to wear I think) and a few sweaters for myself and my daughter! A few cute gifts in the housewares department and some sporty clothes for my son! The most expensive pc. I bought was 7.20 and the cheapest......you'll love this! 3.20! I think you could find good clearance at any store right now if you have some time to browse through the racks!

Tis the time to shop for Winter clothes.....you can even use of of the cuter light sweaters for layering with t-shirts! Since it seems to be cold here in MI.....STILL it's worth shopping and you will have some cute new things next Fall/Winter waiting for you! I also notice many purses 60% off and ALOT of cute jewelry.....but that will be for another day! ha ENJOY! Gotta love sales!

Best Ever Chocolate Sheet Cake!

I got this from Pioneer Woman cooks' blog and it truly IS the BEST Chocolate Sheet Cake ever! Don't make it if you don't have any self control or alot of people to help eat it! ha Go here to find out how to make it!http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/the_best_chocol/

Cabbage Roll Casserole!

If you want the same flavor as cabbage rolls but want to have it a little bit faster here's a good recipe for you! It's a sweet/tangy taste and it's even better leftover!

Cabbage Roll Casserole

Cook 4 servings of brown instant rice while you cut

1 head cabbage into 1/2" slices and washed

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, browned with

1 large onion or 2 med. and

2 ts. garlic (1 ts. dry)

Brown and drain meat, onion, and garlic mixture and add

2 Tb. Worcestershire sauce

5 Tb. Ketchup

1 Tb. brown sugar

2 ts. ground ginger

1/2 t. salt

1/4 ts. pepper

and cooked rice

Layer washed cabbage in large baking dish (mine is a bit bigger than 9 x 13) and sprinkle meat mixture over top spreading it around and letting it tuck down into the cabbage.

Sauce:

2-15 oz. cans of tomato sauce

1/4 C. brown sugar

1 ts. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 C. chili sauce (or 1/2 ts. chili powder and add 1/2 can of water in one of the tomato sauce cans but the chili sauce is so good and adds just a mild spiciness! Mix and pour over cabbage and meat.

Bake 1 1/2 hrs. at 350 covered with foil, remove foil last 1/2 hr. Allow it to sit about 15 mins. after baking