Asian Pasta Salad

Another salad we took camping with us. This is a Pampered Chef recipe. It called for diced turkey but since we were having it as a side I left out it out and just used a little less dressing. Just before serving it we also added chopped cashews to it.

Honestly this salad only got an average score....it was alright but I don't think I'd make it again. It looked really pretty though and smelled amazing, I was surprised that it wasn't as good as we were expecting.

Asian Pasta Salad

Salad:

8oz Thin Spaghetti - broken in half and cooked as directed. Drain & rinse w/cold water.

3/4C Carrots - julienne cut 2" long

3/4C Zucchini - julienne cut 2" long

3/4C Red Pepper - chopped

1/3C Green Onions - chopped

3/4LB Deli Turkey or Chicken - cut 1/2" thick & chopped

Dressing:

1/4C Veggie Oil

3T Rice Vinegar

3T Soy Sauce

2tsp Sugar

1/8tsp Cayenne Pepper

1tsp Gingerroot - Peeled & chopped finely

1 Clove Garlic - pressed

Topping: Optional

Cashews - chopped

Cilantro - chopped

In large bowl combine salad ingredients. In small bowl combine dressing ingredients and wisk together. Pour dressing over salad and stir to combine. Cover and chill for at least 1hr before serving. But it can be made up to a day ahead. Sprinkle with cashews and cilantro before serving if desired.

Cabbage and Chicken Salad

This is one of our absolute favorite salads! I make it every summer multiple times, it's a perfect addition to any BBQ. It's great for camping too. We like it best leftover on day two and three, after all the flavors have had a while to mix together.

(excuse the tupperware....we took this camping)

Cabbage and Chicken Salad

Salad:

1/4 Head Green Cabbage - shredded

1/4 Head Purple Cabbage - shredded

1 Small Package Sliced Almonds

6+oz Canned Chicken Breast - drained

2T Sesame Seeds

2-3 Green Onions - chopped

Dressing:

1 Package Oriental Top Ramen

1/2C Veggie Oil

1 1/2T Red Wine Vinegar

2T Sugar

1tsp Salt

1/4tsp Pepper

Combine salad ingredients in large bowl and mix well. Sometimes I add more chicken and almonds. You could also use pre-shredded cabbage too.

Before opening the Ramen package smash/break the noodles. Add the broken noodles to the salad bowl. In a small bowl combine the seasoning packet with the remaining dressing ingredients and wisk together.

Pour dressing over salad, mix well and refrigerate for 4hrs - overnight before serving.

Pasta Salad

This is a summer time staple around here. It's super easy and cheap. Not to mention it holds well so you can eat off it for a couple days if you end up with leftovers.

Pasta Salad

1 Box Suddenly Pasta Salad Classic (Betty Crocker) - prepared as directed

As much or little of the following as you'd like:

Broccoli - cut into small pieces

Red Onion - diced

Sliced Olives

String Cheese - cut into small rounds

Cucumber - sliced and quartered

I normally add grape tomatoes too

Toss veggies and cheese together with the prepared pasta and mix well. Chill and serve.

Chicken & Rice

Again, I know. But I LOVE it. Yum. I had my husband partial cook some marinated chicken breasts on the grill. I saved them for the following night and finished them off on the stove over med/high heat, I also added a little more marinade. And they turned out great. Of course I served them over rice, minute rice that is:) Uncle Ben and I are pretty good friends!!

Alright no recipe but I used Lawrys Mesquite w/Lime Juice Marinade and it was good enough to make the blog......or in other words go out and buy some, it's delicious!!

Fruit Pizza

I can't say enough good things about this one. I've made it multiple times and have never heard anyone who didn't love it. Easy, yummy and colorful! Who doesn't like cookies and fruit?! I've used so many different fruit combinations and it's always turned out delicious....use whatever is in season, make it colorful and it'll be a hit for sure!!

Fruit Pizza

1 Package Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough - 20oz

8oz Cream Cheese -softened

1/4C Confectioners Sugar

1 Carton (8oz) Whip Cream - thawed

1/4C Sugar

1/4C Orange Juice

1T Lemon Juice

2T Water

1 1/2tsp Cornstarch

Pinch of Salt

1 Pint Blueberries

1lb Strawberries - quartered or more depending on size

2-3 Kiwi - peeled, sliced & halved

3/4C Red Grapes - halved

1 Can Mandarin Oranges - drained

1/2 Can Pineapple Chunks - drained & sliced

Pat cookie dough into an ungreased 14" pizza pan (you can use larger, just try to keep it round and close to 14" round). Bake at 375* for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool before adding toppings. In mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and confectioners sugar until smooth. Fold in whip cream and mix well. Spread in an even layer over cookie crust and arrange fruit however you want.

In a small sauce pan bring sugar, orange juice, water, lemon juice, cornstarch and salt to a boil...stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool and brush over fruit. Chill and store in refrigerator.

Corn & Blueberry Salad

I know right......corn and blueberries don't go together!! Well surprise, they do. I really liked this one (my husband wasn't as excited about it), it was light and refreshing. Not to mention gorgeous!! A perfect summer salad and since its a make ahead salad it would be excellent for dinner guests or potlucks.

Corn & Blueberry Salad

6 Ears Sweet Corn - cooked tender/crisp

1C Blueberries

1 Small Cucumber - sliced & quartered

1/4C Red Onion - diced

1 Jalapeno Pepper - seeds/ribs removed & diced

2T Lime Juice

1T Honey

1/2tsp Cumin

Cook and cool corn. Cut kernels from cob. In serving bowl combine corn, blueberries, cucumber, red onion and jalapeno. In small bowl combine remaining ingredients and stir. Drizzle over salad and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Spinach, Black Bean & Pineapple Salad

This was an interesting salad....when I read through the recipe I knew I wanted to try it, I just didn't know if I'd like it. Well we did. And it was pretty too. Food HAS to look good. It was a nice change from traditional salads. It was best when you had a little bit of all the ingredients in each bite.

Undressed

Dressed

Spinach, Black Bean & Pineapple Salad

6C Baby Spinach (I used regular, why is baby so much more expensive?!)

1 Can Pinapple Chunks - drained (I sliced them into smaller pieces)

1 Can Black Beans - drained & rinsed

1/2C Red Peppers - chopped

1/2C Yellow Peppers- chopped

1/2C Feta - crumbled

1/4C Balsamic & Basil Vinaigrette (or just Balsamic Vinaigrette)

In large bowl combine all salad ingredients, drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Or you can make the salad a few hours ahead and drizzle with dressing just before serving.

Breakfast Tacos

From my picky eaters.....I asked them what I should have for breakfast and was told "breakfast tacos". Ok what should I put in it, I asked? They answered with basically the entire kitchen so here's what I had the other morning. Please ignore the paper plate....our dishwasher is broken!!

Breakfast Tacos by the Kids

Flour Tortilla

2 Eggs - scrambled

Mushrooms - sliced

Tomatoes - diced

Green Onion - diced

Broccoli Sprouts

Cheese - shredded

Bacon Bits

*If I would have had avocado I would have mashed it up and added it too.

Layer ingredients however you want and try to roll it up.

Great suggestions kiddies, I really enjoyed it!!

Tortilla Pie

Ok, yum. This was really good!! My husband took leftovers for lunch and said it was still just as good day 2 and 3. That is always a sign of a good meal......eating it for lunch the next 2 days in a row.

Before the oven

Ready to cut and eat

Tortilla Pie

1lb Ground Beef

1T Chili Powder

1tsp Cumin

1 Small Onion - diced

3 Cloves Garlic - chopped/pressed

1/2C Tomato Sauce

1C Salsa of Choice

1C Shredded Cheese of Choice

4 10" Flour Tortillas

Optional Additions:

1/4 - 1/2C Black Beans - drained & rinsed

1/4 - 1/2C Corn - drained & rinsed

Sour Cream

Tomatoes - diced

Green Onion - diced

Saute beef, chili powder, cumin, onion & garlic, in skillet over medium high heat until cooked through, drain and return to pan. Add tomato sauce, black beans and corn. Reduce heat and cook until most of liquid is absorbed.

Mist tortillas with cooking spray and toast in skillet over high heat turning once until lightly browned. About 30 seconds per side.

Lightly mist baking sheet with cooking spray. Place 1 tortilla on sheet and top with 1/3 of the meat mixture, salsa and cheese. Repeat with 2 more layers and top with remaining tortilla. Press to adhere and bake @ 450* for 10-12 minutes. Spread top with a light layer of sour cream. Sprinkle with tomatoes, green onions and a little more cheese and black beans. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Foil Packet Chicken Dinner

This had all the potential to be delicious but somewhere along the lines I messed it up. I don't know what I did but it ended up being pretty soupy. I must have messed up cutting the recipe from 6 servings to 2. The flavor was still good but the stuffing was too soggy for us. I'll definitely give it another shot.

Foil Packet Chicken Dinner

6 Chicken Breasts - small, boneless, skinless

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 3/4C Water - divided

1 Pkg (6oz) Stuffing Mix for Chicken

4 Slices Smoked Ham - thin sliced, chopped

1 1/2C Sliced Mushrooms

1 1/2C Frozen Peas or Corn

Mix soup and 1/4C water in small bowl and set aside. Combine stuffing and 1 1/2C water and spoon evenly into the center of 6 large sheets of foil lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Top each one with chicken breast, ham, mushrooms, peas and soup mix.

Bring up the sides of the foil, double fold both the top and sides to seal the packet. Leave enough room for heat to circulate. Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake @ 400* for 30-35 mins. Let packets stand for 5mins. Cut slits in foil to release steam before opening.

Hopefully yours turns out better than mine!!

Baked Eggs in Mini Bread Bowls

Yum is all I have to say.

Baked Eggs in Mini Bread Bowls

8 Dinner Rolls

8 Eggs

Heavy Cream (maybe a 1/8C total)

Salt

Pepper

Parmesan Cheese

Herbs of Choice - optional

Slice the tops off the rolls and pull out insides allowing enough room for the egg. Crack 1 egg into each hollowed out roll. Drizzle with a little heavy cream, sprinkle with salt, pepper, herbs and a bit of parmesan cheese. Bake @ 350* for 20-25 mins. Place roll tops next to the bread bowls and bake another 5 mins.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

This is by far my favorite Spring and Summer salad. It's so yummy and so simple.....6 ingredients and you hit the table!

Undressed

Dressed

Strawberry Spinach Salad

1 Bag Baby Spinach

1 Pint (or less) Strawberries - sliced

1/2C Sliced Almonds

1 1/2T Sugar

1T Honey

1T Cider Vinegar

In small bowl wisk together sugar, honey and vinegar. Set aside.

In serving bowl combine spinach, strawberries and almonds. Toss.

Drizzle dressing over salad (right before serving) and toss until salad is coated.

Waffle Sandwiches

I guess the theme lately has been sandwiches! The picture doesn't do this justice at all. I was a little skeptical of this.....I've never liked syrup on my eggs. Wow, I've been missing out! These were so good, I wish we'd made more.

Waffle Sandwiches

Toaster Waffles - toasted

Bacon - cooked

Eggs - cooked sunny side up or over easy

Maple Syrup

Put a couple pieces of bacon on the toasted waffle, top with an egg and drizzle with a little maple syrup.

Meatloaf Sandwiches

Oh these were great. A little messy.....mine kept falling apart when I tried cutting it but they were still delicious. Not to mention dinner was done in about 10 minutes....I love meals that come together that fast.

Meatloaf Sandwiches

Sliced French Bread - slightly toasted

Lettuce or Greens of some kind

Slices of Meatloaf - I used leftover

Grated Cheese - I used Monterey Jack

Red Onion - sliced, separated and lightly sauteed

Place meatloaf slices on baking sheet, top with onions and cheese. Broil until cheese is melted. Put a little lettuce on the toasted bread slices and top with meatloaf. I put a little ketchup on the bread too. Next time I'd try something different....maybe a spicy mayo or something.

Club Sandwich Squares

I've made this Pampered Chef recipe a few times and it's always a big hit. Its easy and can be made ahead which I love. I hate rushing at the last minute to get food ready for guests.

Club Sandwich Squares

2 Tubes Crescent Dough

8oz Cream Cheese - softened

2TB Mayo

1 Clove Garlic - pressed/minced

1/2tsp Dill Weed - optional

1 Can (10oz) Chicken Breast - drained/flaked

Cucumber - sliced & quartered

Tomatoes - seeded & diced

1/2C Shredded Cheese

Bacon Bits

Unroll and press the crescent dough into baking sheet (smaller size or use a stoneware pan). Press and pinch seams to seal. Bake @ 375* for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before adding toppings.

Combine the cream cheese, mayo, garlic and dill weed. Mix well. And spread evenly over the crescent dough. Sprinkle chicken evenly. Top with cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese and bacon bits. Refrigerate 30 mins before cutting and serving.

Tuna Casserole

Another easy favorite. I don't know where I got this recipe....but with crushed potato chips on top its hard not to take a trip down memory lane.

Tuna Casserole

1 1/2C Elbow Macaroni (or pasta of choice) - cooked as directed

1C Shredded Cheese (cheddar, colby jack etc)

1Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1C Milk

1Can Mushroom Stems and Pieces - chopped

1Can Tuna - drained

2tsp Dried Minced Onion

1/2tsp Dry Mustard

1/2C Crushed Potato Chips

In large bowl mix together milk and soup until combined. Add all remaining ingredients (except potato chips) and mix well.

Pour into casserole dish or 8x8 and top with potato chips. Bake @ 350* for 25-35 minutes.

Mom's Meatloaf

I've never made another meatloaf, I've always gone for my Mom's recipe. Maybe one day I'll branch out and try a different recipe!

Meatloaf

1lb Ground Beef (Elk or Venison)

1 Egg

1C Cornflakes

1tsp Dry Mustard

1pkg Dry Onion Soup Mix

*Ketchup

*Milk

*Mix together about 1/2C ketchup with 1/8C milk until it's runny....but too runny. Add more milk if needed.

Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix by hand until combined well.

In greased pan, form meat into a loaf and bake @ 350* for 45-55 minutes.

Freezer Meals

I spent a couple hours in the kitchen on Sunday and made a ton of dinners for the freezer:

Meatloaf

Lasagna (1/2 recipe)

Spaghetti Sauce

Enchilada Casserole (1/2 recipe)

Tuna Casserole

I thawed out 2lbs of ground Elk and got busy. First I took 1lb of meat and put together the meatloaf while it was in the oven I browned the rest of the meat.....1/2lb for spaghetti sauce and 1/2lb for lasagna. The spaghetti sauce simmered in a pot while I was putting together everything else. I then worked on the lasagna (sorry no sharing on this recipe, family secret). While the lasagna was cooking. I moved on to the tuna casserole. And lastly I'd thawed out some leftover taco meat and threw together the enchilada casserole too. I didn't cook the enchiladas....just stuck the entire pan in the freezer to cook later. And for freezing. I let everything cool to room temp before packaging it up then I put it in the refrigerator overnight before everything found it's home in the freezer.

Not too bad for a couple hours work.....now my dinner life can be super easy those nights I don't feel like making anything.

Mojito Chicken Salad

This salad was so good....very Spring. It's another Pampered Chef recipe so of course it was fast and easy. Start to finish less than a half hour.

Mojito Chicken Salad

Dressing:

1 Can (15oz) Mandarin Oranges in light syrup - undrained

3T Sugar

2 Limes - 2tsp zest & juice

3T Mint leaves - chopped

1/4tsp Cayenne Pepper

3T Olive Oil

Drain syrup from oranges into microwave safe bowl, stir in sugar. Microwave on high 10-12 minutes until the syrup is thickened. and reduced by half. Add lime zest, lime juice, mint, cayenne and olive oil. Stir/wisk to combine. Set aside 1/4C dressing for chicken, refrigerate remaining until ready to use.

Chicken:

4 Chicken Breasts - salt & peppered

4C Salad Mix - Baby Spring

Mandarin Oranges

Grill chicken 5 mins, turn and brush with dressing. Continue cooking 5-7 mins or until done & brush with dressing.

Toss salad mix in 2T of dressing and divide evenly. Cut chicken into thin slices, arrange over salad plates. Top with oranges and drizzle with remaining dressing.

Sales this Week

Or at least the things I thought were good enough to buy!!

Safeway:

**Cereal for $1.50 or $2.00 per box with their 'mix & match. buy 5, save $5' promotion and you can sweeten the deal by adding coupons. I got 10 boxes (cheerios, fruit loops, crispix, mini wheats) for $10.10 after coupons (would have been $17 without).

**International Delight Coffee Creamer @ $1.99ea (in ad coupon) plus you can add coupons, if you have them.

**18 pk Eggs @ $1.88 (in ad coupon)

Albertsons:

** Quaker Sale, you can get multiple different items for $1 each using the $3 off 5 coupon in their ad. The sale includes cereal, granola bars, oatmeal, pancake mix, breakfast cookies etc.

**Hot Dogs @ $.88 each (in ad coupon)

**Yoplait Yogurt @ 10/$5

Rosauers:

**Orowheat Sandwich Thins @ $1.69ea

Super One:

**Grapes @ $.98lb

Happy Shopping:)

Tacos

I love Taco Night!! Easy and delicious!! How can you go wrong?! Well I was bummed we didn't have any avocados but I got over it. I won't make tacos unless we have everything....the more choices the better. My only problem is filling them too full.....not really a 'problem'!!

Taco Meat, Refried Beans and Black Beans

Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion and Olives

Cheese

Salsa and Sour Cream

Flour Tortillas

Egg Scramble

Or more like an omelet gone wrong....my pan was too hot so I ended up with egg scramble instead. It was still delicious it just didn't look as good!!

Eggs mixed with a little water or milk

Onions & Mushrooms - sliced & sauteed

Shredded Cheese

Bacon Bits (Recipe Bits and Pieces, or make your own)

Salt

Pepper

Saute onion and mushroom, set aside. Add eggs to pan over med heat, cook halfway. Add your veggies/meat and some cheese. Finish cooking. Top with cheese and serve. Or you could make an actual omelet:)

Pizza

With as much pizza as we eat around here I figured it was time to try a wheat crust. We used boboli (sp?) crust and they were pretty good. I still prefer regular ol pizza crust but we had to at least try right?! And what is easier than slapping sauce, cheese and toppings on an already made crust??

We used:

Canadian Bacon

Mushrooms

Olives

Onion

Pineapple

Pepperoni

Mozzarella Cheese

Ragu Sauce

Orange Glazed Ham

We don't make ham very often but when we do we ALWAYS use this recipe. I have no idea where I got it, it's just on a piece of notebook paper that is all folded up/stained/ripped that somehow always makes it back into my recipe box. It is just delicious!!

Orange Glazed Ham

10lb Ham - bone in

1 1/4C Brown Sugar Packed

1/3C Pineapple Juice

1/3C Honey

1/3 of a large Orange - both juice and zest

2T Dijon Mustard

Place ham in roasting pan. Score ham in a crisscross pattern....don't go too deep just a bit. Place in a 325* oven (it will take about 3 hours to cook). Meanwhile in small sauce pan combine remaining ingredients, mix well. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and set aside. Sauce will reduce and will thicken as it stands.

Bake ham 2 hours, brush with glaze and bake another 45-60 minutes (or until internal temp is 160*) basting every 10 minutes.

Egg Salad Sandwiches

What to do with all those hard boiled eggs after Easter? Serve them at your family Easter lunch, of course!! We had over 20 eggs to figure out what to do with so this was a perfect way to use some.

Egg Salad Sandwiches

Hard Boiled Eggs - diced

Green Onion - diced

Bacon Bits - I prefer the "recipe bits and pieces" packages

Mayo

Mustard

Pepper

Paprika

Lettuce leaves

Bread/Rolls of Choice

This is another as much as as little as you prefer. For 10 eggs I used about 3 green onions and over half a package of bacon bits. Then I mixed it up before adding the mayo and mustard. I always add the mayo first and mix it well before adding the mustard a bit at a time. Once you think it tastes right add a bit of pepper and mix it again. Since there is so much bacon I don't add salt but if you think it needs it, add it.

I served them open faced on mini dinner rolls. Slice rools in half, place a tiny bit of egg salad on roll (to keep lettuce from sliding off), top with lettuce and then a tablespoon or so of egg salad. Place on serving tray and sprinkle with paprika.

Chicken and Rice

I was not in the mood to even think about dinner so we ended up with Chicken and Rice....an easy favorite. I added a few sesame seeds and called it done.

Again, no real recipe here. I used:

Chicken breasts marinated in Ken's Steakhouse Lite Asian Sesame Dressing (grilled by my husband) and served over white rice sprinkled with sesame seeds.

I used a little extra dressing in my bowl but my husband went with plain ol soy sauce. Either way it was good.

Creamy Peppercorn Steak

This is one of my favorite steak dinners. It's fast and easy and most of the time I already have all the ingredients I need to make it.

Creamy Peppercorn Steaks

4 Steaks of Choice - marinate in Zesty Italian Dressing 30min to overnight

1/3C Sour Cream

4-5tsp Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4-1/2tsp Pepper

2T Zesty Italian Dressing (fat free works just fine)

1 Large Red Onion - sliced and rings separated

Grill steaks to perfection.

In small bowl combine sour cream, parmesan cheese, pepper and dressing. Mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use. Can be made the night before.

Cook onions in large non stick skillet in a bit of olive oil over med-high heat for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown.

Place steak on plates, top with onion and drizzle with sauce.

Nachos

Wow, these were great! Better than restaurant nachos if you ask us!!

No real recipe here.....just as much or as little as you want. We used:

Black Beans

Refried Beans (mixed with a little water)

Diced Red Onion

Olives

Tomatoes

Colby Jack Cheese (tons)

Sour Cream

Salsa

Guacamole (here)

Chips

Layer chips on baking dish, single layer. Sprinkle with beans, tomatoes, onions, olives and cheese. Repeat layer if needed. Bake @ 350* 10-15 minutes or until cheese melts. Top with sour cream, salsa and guacamole.

3 Dinners in 30mins

Well 30mins prep time that is. I don't know why I don't do this more often.....I spent 30-40 minutes in the kitchen and had 3 dinners almost done. I made burger patties, meatballs and the guts of a shepherd's pie. We ate the burgers that night, the meatballs the following night and I froze the guts of the shep's pie for another time.

Delicious burgers, I love BBQ!!

Shepherd's Pie. We haven't had this yet so who knows if we'll like it or not!!

Shepherd's Pie

1lb Ground Beef (I used Elk)

4C Mixed Frozen Veggies of Choice

2T Flour

3/4C Beef Broth

2T Ketchup

1 Box Instant Mashed Potatoes - plain

Butter - to taste

Sour Cream - to taste

1/2C Shredded Cheddar - divided

Brown/drain burger. Stir in flour, cook 1-2mins. Add veggies, broth and ketchup cook another 5mins.

Prepare potatoes as directed stir in butter, sour cream and some cheese to taste.

Spoon meat mixture into 8x8 and cover with mashed potatoes. Bake @ 375* for 20 mins, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake another few minutes until cheese is melted.

**To freeze just prepare meat mixture, cool completely then refrigerate overnight before putting it in the freezer.

Yum, these were awesome. A little sweet for a main dish but still very good.

Meatballs

1lb Ground Meat of Choice (turkey, beef - I used Elk)

1/4C Onion - diced

1 Egg White

1/4C Seasoned Bread Crumbs (I used Italian)

1tsp Thyme

1 Clove Garlic - minced/pressed

1/2tsp Salt

Combine all ingredients. Mix gently but well. Shape into small balls. Place in single layer into baking dish (I used a stoneware pan). Bake @ 400* for 15mins.

Sauce

1 Can Jellied Cranberry Sauce

1/4C Ketchup

1/4C Orange Marmalade

2T Brown Sugar - packed

1T Worcestershire Sauce

In small bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. It took me awhile to get all the chunks mixed well. I used a fork to mash and mix then switched to a wisk.

Remove meatballs from oven, drain grease. Pour sauce over meatballs and gently mix. Bake another 15mins. Stirring again before serving.

Girls Crocs for $7.99

Super cute purple mary janes on sale/shipped for only $7.99!! Yea for cheap shoes!!

Go to crocs.com, search for mary janes and once you add it to your cart the price will drop from $9.99 to $7.99.

What can you get for $10.23?

This is what I got:) Albertsons is having a great cereal sale this week. I got all the coupons from the newspaper inserts and used their "double your manufacturer" coupons that were in the ad this week.

(10boxes of cereal, 2lg bottles of bubbles, 2sm bottles of bubbles, face scrub, Easter plates and napkins) Spent $10.23 and Saved $38.59

Oh and lucky me, I still have $4 to spend at Albertsons!!

Incase you were starting to wonder if the only things we eat are cereal, granola bars and fruit snacks.....I do buy lots of fruits and veggies too. They just aren't nearly as exciting as 10 boxes of cereal! Every week I shop different stores for the best deals on produce and typically end up going to 3 stores to get all the best deals.

Chicken Bruschetta Bake

Another picture.....'doesn't do it justice dish'! This was really good and super easy....only 7 ingredients counting water. I'm pretty sure I got this recipe from Kraft Foods, but I can't remember.

Chicken Bruschetta Bake

1 1/2lb Chicken Breasts - cut into bite size pieces

1 Pkg (60z) Stove Top for Chicken

1 Can (14.5oz) Diced Tomatoes - do not drain

1/2C Water

2 Cloves Garlic - minced/pressed

1tsp Dried Basil *I used Italian Seasoning*

1C Mozzarella - shredded

Combine stuffing, tomatoes w/juice, water and garlic in bowl. Mix well and set aside until moistened, about 5 minutes.

Place chicken in bottom of 13x9, sprinkle with cheese and basil or italian seasoning. Top with stuffing mixture and bake @ 400* for 30minutes.

Safeway Rx

If you have a prescription you typically fill somewhere other than Safeway....now is a good time to switch and get a $30 gift card for buying something you already needed!! In their ad that came out last Wednesday there is a coupon (Transfer a Rx, get a $30 gift card) and it doesn't expire until March 30th. So dig in your bingy and find that coupon.....who doesn't need $30 in free groceries

Walgreens Trip

Another successful trip to Walgreens!! And I even took the kids with me:)

The free toothpaste that started it all....Transaction 1:

Sale Price $3.99 -$1 Coupon = $2.99 and received a $4 RR

2nd transaction.....

Shampoo @ $2.49 (in ad coupon) -$1 Coupon = $1.49

Conditioner @ $2.49 (in ad coupon) -$1 Coupon = $1.49

NyQuil/DayQuil @ $5each -$6 in Coupons = $14

2 Chocolate Bunnies @ $.39ea = $.78

-$4 RR from 1st transaction

= $13.76 and received a $10RR

*Did you notice the only things I really paid for here was the medicine?? The Ny/DayQuil total was $14 but the whole transaction was only $13.76:) Good deals, I love them!

** And if you're wondering why I'd buy 4 boxes of medicine.....they don't expire until Sept 2012 and that is how I earned the $10 RR in this transaction.

Last Transaction.....

3 Bottles Sunscreen @ $6.99each = $20.97

-$10 RR from 2nd transaction

=$10.97 and received a $8 RR

*I'm so glad that sunscreen season is here!! And at $3.65 a bottle, that's a steal! So the $8RR was just an added bonus!

Oh and I I found all the coupons (for all 3 transactions) in the newspaper inserts over the last couple weeks. And these items are on sale through Saturday.

Soooo all said and done I saved $46.70 and I still have $8 to spend later!! I think I'll watch Sundays ad and hopefully the Easter Bunny will be able to cash in on some good deals:)

Mushroom Burgers

I've always wanted to try these but never have. Anytime I see a portobello mushroom burger on a menu, I come super close to getting it but am always afraid of being disappointed....no need to fear that anymore. These were delicious!! I will definitely order one out now. Oh and I found this recipe in the Cook This Not That book, I'm still loving this book!!

Mushroom Burgers

4 Large Portobello Caps - stems removed

4 Buns (potato, whole grain, onion etc) - lightly toasted

1/4C Shredded Mozzarella

Red Onion - sliced & rings separated (if grilling onions do not separate rings)

Lettuce

2T Mayo

1/4C Roasted Red Pepper - chopped fine (I didn't have roasted so used fresh)

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

1 Clove Garlic - minced

1T Olive Oil

1T Balsamic Vinegar

1tsp Italian Seasoning

Dash Salt & Pepper

Combine mayo, lemon juice, red peppers and garlic in small bowl. Mix well.

Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir and rub into mushrooms, both sides.

Heat grill or grill pan, med/high. Grill mushrooms cap side down for about 3mins. Flip and top with mozzarella, grill another 3mins or until mushrooms are fully cooked and cheese is melted. While mushrooms are cooking grill or saute onions until they are slightly browned.

Spread bottom bun with mayo mixture, add lettuce, mushroom cap, onions and top bun. Serve immediately.

Balsamic Steaks w/Onions and Mushrooms

Its hard to go wrong with steak and potatoes.....add bleu cheese, onions, mushrooms and a balsamic sauce and it's even better!

Balsamic Steaks:

4 Steaks of Choice - salt and peppered & grilled to perfection

1/4C Bleu Cheese - crumbled

Mushrooms - 8oz or more - sliced or chunked

Red Onion - sliced and rings separated

While the steaks are grilling saute (over med/high heat) the mushrooms and onions in a bit of olive oil until they're slightly browned, 10 mins or so. I use 2 different pans, the onions seem to take a little longer to cook. If you have a grill basket you could do the mushrooms/onions in that also....drizzle them with a bit of olive oil and toss to coat. Preheat your grill basket for a few minutes, toss in the mushrooms/onions and grill about 7mins. Shake basket/gently stir and grill another 7mins or so.

Balsamic Sauce:

2/3C Balsamic Vinegar

1T Olive Oil

1 Clove Garlic - minced

Combine ingredients in bowl. Microwave on high, uncovered for 6-8 minutes....it will boil/bubble etc so make sure there is enough room in your bowl for that to happen. The sauce will thicken, become syrupy and reduce to about a 1/4C. You could also do this in a small pot on the stove.

Place steak on plate, top with mushrooms and onions. Sprinkle with crumbled bleu cheese and drizzle with a bit of the balsamic sauce.

Easy Sanwiches

Use the leftover avocado mix from this or the ranch mix from this along with veggies and thin sandwich bread and you'll get these delicious sandwiches for lunch. They're low calorie, easy to make and way better than PB&J!!

I used the ranch mix on this one with turkey, tomato, cucumber, julienned carrots, mushrooms, red onion and sprouts. But they would be good with anything. I love these sandwich thins and they're only 100 calories!!

Chicken and Veggie Sandwiches

I love this recipe. The cream cheese/ranch mix is delicious and you can use it for so many other things too. We typically use it for sandwiches and wraps (here's the wrap version of this).

Chicken and Veggie Sandwiches

4 small Chicken Breasts

Bread/Buns of Choice (sourdough slices, french rolls etc)

4oz Cream Cheese (fat free is fine) - softened

1T Milk

1 Packet Ranch Dressing Mix

1 Clove Garlic - minced

1 Medium Carrot - cut into julienne strips

Cucumber Slices

Tomato Slices

Red Onion Slices

Alfalfa Sprouts

Avocado Slices

In small bowl combine cream cheese, milk, garlic and 2tsp of ranch mix. Mix well.

Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining ranch mix (you might not use the entire packet) and grill until cooked through. Refrigerate to cool slightly.

Spread bottom bread with cream cheese mixture. Top mixture with cucumber, tomato, carrots, chicken (if breasts are thick you may want to cut them in half lengthwise), red onion, sprouts, avocado and top bun.

Mango

Here's an easy way to cube a mango:

Stem end up, stand mango on cutting board. Slice vertically on the (flatter side) about 1/2" away from stem to avoid the seed. Repeat on opposite side. Using tip of knife score (do not slice through the skin) the flesh in a crisscross pattern.

Bend the mango so the cubes are raised up. Run your knife under the cubes to release them from the skin.

Chicken and Mango Salad

Signs of a well stocked kitchen.......you can make this salad and only have to purchase lettuce and mango:) This was a big hit at my Book Club, we all liked it. It was even better than I was expecting.

Chicken and Mango Salad

Dressing:

3T Apricot Preserves

2T Cider Vinegar

2t Olive Oil

2T Sugar

1/4tsp Salt

1/8tsp Pepper

Salad:

2 Chicken Breasts - cooked/sliced

1 Package Salad or Baby Spinach

1/2C Red Pepper - diced

1 Mango - cut into cubes

1/4 of a Red Onion - sliced/diced or wedged

2 Hard Boiled Egg Whites - diced

1/4C Sliced Almonds - lightly toasted

Combine dressing ingredients in small bowl, mix well. In large bowl combine all salad ingredients and drizzle with dressing. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

*Can be made ahead - up to 4 or 5 hours. If making ahead to not add the almonds or dressing until ready to serve.

Breakfast for Dinner

Wow, this is one of the best recipes I've tried in a long time....it quickly became my new favorite breakfast for dinner food! I found the recipe in the Cook This, Not That book by David Zinczeko and Matt Goulding. The book is amazing, so many yummy recipes and all of them are low calorie.

Sunrise Breakfast Sandwich

1tsp Olive Oil

2 Eggs

Salt/Pepper to taste

2 Slices Deli Turkey

2 Slices Cheese

2 Slices Tomato

2 Slices Red Onion

2 English Muffin - split and lightly toasted

1/2 Avocado

1/2T Sour Cream

1/2tsp Lemon Juice

Pinch of Salt

**In small bowl smash avocado slightly and add sour cream, lemon juice and salt. Mix well.

Heat oil in non stick skillet over med heat until hot. Add eggs and gently fry until the white is set but the yolk is still runny.

Place turkey on microwave save plate and top with cheese. Microwave 30-45 seconds until turkey is hot and cheese is melted.

On the bottom half of the english muffin place onion, tomato, turkey, cheese, and egg. Smear top of english muffin with avocado mixture and top the sandwich. Serve immediately.

I heart Albertsons

Another successful shopping trip!! I heart Albertsons, sales and coupons!!

15 Boxes of Fruit Snacks: Spent $3.50, Saved $30.85

4 Lean Pockets, 1 Bagel Bites, 2 Lean Cuisine, 4 Juice, 6 cans Tuna, 2 Pringles, 1 Frozen Potatoes, 1 Salad, 1 Onion, 2 Mangos and 1 Sandwich Thins

Spent: $14.65, Saved $36.57

Now that's a lot of food for only $18.15!!