Download Free Holiday Songs Today Only!

Today only, download your 13 free holiday songs from Target!

Click here to go to there website!

Coupon Freebies

If you haven't looked into CouponSense yet, you are seriously just throwing money away! I use it all the time and save so much money! Our monthly grocery bill has been cut in half, and I owe it all to CouponSense and my strategic shopping! The trick is to create a stockpile of the items that you use all the time (mind you I mean stockpiling, not hoarding) so that you can just maintain and buy perishables where needed, like milk, fruits and veggies. 

Here are some freebies that you can take advantage of this week:

Clabber Girl Baking Powder - Walgreens
Price with in-store coupon = 2 for $1.00 - coupon worth .75 = FREE when you buy one

Just use this online coupon (making sure to use zip code 77477), and then the in-store coupon (yes, this is what I mean by stacking).

Side note: Since the coupon actually makes the final total in the negative, you may want to take in a copy of their coupon policy in just so you don't get any pushback, you can print a copy here. 

Reach Floss - Walgreens
On sale for .99 with in ad coupon - $1.00 coupon below = FREE

Use their in ad coupon and stack it with the coupon from this site

There are many, many more too! Don't take my word for it, go to CouponSense and check it out for yourself! It's only $4 for the first month and then $12 a month after that! Just be sure to let them know that I sent you! My referral code is: 2003537

I personally will never pay for toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, hand soap or dishwashing soap ever again! Can you say that?

Great Thanksgiving Sales and Freebies

image from: http://www.delish.com

I need to be better about posting my amazing buys on here. Yesterday I went to Fry's grocery store and saved $98.82 on my entire bill, ending up only paying $12.27! I'm tellin' you, those coupons really do work! 

Speaking of great deals, the paper today has a coupon for Sara Lee pumpkin pie (.75 off), and if you use it at Fry's grocery store where all coupons are worth $1, it will make your pie only $1.50!

If you're looking for a turkey, and you have some room in your freezer, right now Fresh & Easy has their turkeys on sale for only .37 a lb! I bought two, one for a work party, and one for our Thanksgiving dinner at home, and only paid roughly $7 for each of them!

Although I make my mashed potatoes from scratch, if you prefer yours from the pouch, you can get them FREE right now! Right now at Albertson's, Idahoan buttery homestyle potatoes are on sale for $1.00 a pouch. You can print a coupon from here just by liking them on Facebook, which will make them free!

Normally our Thanksgiving dinners are a little over $100, but this year, I'm shooting for around $25 and I think I'm going to make it!!

Who said Thanksgiving had to be an expensive meal?! Now we're breaking all the rules!

Easy & Healthy Snack Idea, Cinnamon Apple & Cheese

I get the munchies in the afternoon, and more often than not I go for something that's not all that healthy, it's true. During this phase of my life where I have to pay for stuffing my face and being lazy I'm focusing on being healthy, I'm pulling out some of my old standbys when it comes to meals and snacks!

One of my favorite things to munch on in the afternoon was something that my mother taught me to do quite some time ago. 

Cinnamon Apples

Ingredients: 

1 apple, chopped into bite size pieces

Dash of cinnamon

1 pkt. splenda

Directions:

Put ingredients into a tupperware, seal and shake. Easy peasy, huh?

 I like to eat mine with a piece of low fat cheese so that I'm getting some protein in as well.

P.S. Thanks mom!

Protein Pancakes Recipe

I love pancakes, but I know they're not great for me... good thing I found this yummy recipe in my Eating for Life cookbook! They really are scrumptious; I like mine with some I Can't Believe it's Not Butter and sugar-free maple syrup.

image from: http://nosheteria.com/

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Fat Free Cottage Cheese

4 Egg Whites

1/2tsp Baking Powder

1/2tsp Cinnamon

1/2 cup Instant/Quick Oats

1 TBSP Splenda

Directions:

Put all of your ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Pour onto greased griddle and cook as you normally would do a regular pancake. Breakfast is served! 

The Gift of Giving

From a young age, I was raised to give unto others, whether big or small. Many of my happiest memories with my family and friends involve community service, charity, and other acts of kindness! I find that when we do these things, we are taking others into consideration, putting their needs before ours, which is where the selfless act of charity comes into play.

With the holiday season fast approaching, I think that it's more important than ever that we all try to do what we can to help others in need. I'm personally finding that through my coupon craze that I'm getting a lot of free things, more than I need in fact! Instead of passing these sales by because 'I don't need any more toiletries, food, etc." I'm going to be stocking up and giving it to a local food bank. What would you like to do this holiday season to help others in need? Stuck on ideas? Here's some fun, inexpensive things that you can do with family and friends:

Have a blanket bee with your friends, each making a quilt square. Once it's completed, donate it to Project Linus so that a lucky child in a hospital will be able to have their very own quilt. I don't know about you, but I still have my 'sick blanket!'

For those of you with children who can read, take time practicing and then go to a senior citizen center where you can take turns reading to someone who could use the companionship.

Volunteer your time to a shelter/food bank/storehouse. If you get a group of family or friends together to do this, you won't just be doing a great thing, but will also have a blast in the mean time!

Rake leaves or shovel snow for an elderly neighbor. You will make their day when they see all of the hard work that you did, knowing that you did it out of the kindness of your own heart.

Walk dogs at the local animal shelter. This one can be a lot of fun, especially when they have puppies!

The great thing is that even if you don't have a lot or anything to give, you can still donate your time and efforts to serve others, and in return, you will be blessed. I'm excited to hear what you will be able to do this holiday season for those in need!

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle Recipe

If you know me personally, you know about my trifles. I even have to admit, they are sinfully delicious! I found this recipe through The Food Network, and although I haven't tried it, it sounds amazing! It will definitely be on my 'to make list' this fall/winter for the holidays! 

image from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle Recipe

Ingredients:

2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix

1 (5.1-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix

1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon

1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping

1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Directions:

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

Bruschetta Recipe

One of my favorite things to make when I have people over is bruschetta. It's simple, classy and tasty! You can't go wrong! Now one of the things that you should know about me is that I'm pretty picky when it comes to my recipes. If I don't love it, I don't make it again and I don't share the recipe! This recipe really is to die for, you'll love it! I wish I could take credit for it, but I can't, I found it through Simply Recipes. 

image from: www.simplyrecipes.com 

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

Ingredients:

6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread

1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Using a sharp small knife, remove the skins of the tomatoes. (If the tomatoes are too hot, you can protect your finger tips by rubbing them with an ice cube between tomatoes.) Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters and remove the seeds and juice from their centers. Also cut out and discard the stem area. Why use plum tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes? The skins are much thicker and there are fewer seeds and less juice.

2. Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450°F to preheat.

3. While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to do these in batches depending on the size of your oven. Once the oven has reached 450°F, place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.

Alternatively, you can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta.

5. Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve. If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.

Makes 24 small slices. Serves 6-10 as an appetizer. Or 3-4 for lunch (delicious served with cottage cheese on the side.)