Ways to give in November: donate your spare change!

November 15, 2010 by

Since we are Dave Ramsey fans and follow a “cash only” plan, we end up with a lot of change.  We typically put all of our change in a “change jar” which helped us to pay for a family vacation this summer and which is almost full again and will go toward buying Christmas gifts.  As I was leaving Walgreens this weekend, I noticed that the Salvation Army “bell ringers” (I’m sure there’s an “official” title, but I don’t know it) were out.  I let my kids put our extra change into their container.  They were excited to do it and it’s a small and easy way to help someone else in need.

For other ideas about how you can give in November, click here.

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information.

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Menu Planning Monday: My menu for the week of 11/14

November 15, 2010 by

**Make sure you check out my Fiber One/Safeway gift card giveaway!! (ends today, Monday, 11/15)


**Make sure you check out my Cheerios Prize pack giveaway!! (it includes a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card)

I’ve been in a menu planning rut lately and even with a menu plan, between work, sickness, and the kid’s activities, I find that I’ve had a hard time sticking to it! I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving break so that I have some time off and am hopefully able to get back “on track.”

Here’s my “plan” for the week (I sure hope I’m able to stick with it!).

For those of you who may be doing Weight Watchers, I have included the points per serving calculations for some of my recipes this week. I used the “Recipe Builder” feature on the WeightWatchers.com e-Tools program to input all of the ingredients and calculate the points, so it should be pretty accurate.

You can read more about my $40 weekly budget in this post here.

If you’re new to menu planning, check out my post about how I do my menu planning.

On weekdays, my posts don’t include lunches.  My son eats lunch at daycare, most days I take lunch or eat a Lean Cuisine/Smart Ones/Healthy Choice meal, I pack a lunch for my daughter, and my husband fends for himself!

SUNDAY:  Hot dogs (nothing fancy, but my husband was out of town and that’s what the kids wanted, so I decided to oblige – plus it was quick and easy for me!)

MONDAY:  Monterey Chicken – This is a carryover from last week

Ingredients:
4 (5 oz.) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts1/4 Cup Barbecue Sauce
1/4 Cup Hormel Real Bacon Bits
1 Cup 2% Colby and Monterey Jack Shredded Cheese*
1 (14 oz.) Can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, drained (I’m just going to use regular diced tomatoes)
Sliced Green Onions
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pound out the chicken breasts to flatten.  Season each with a little pepper.  Cook the chicken in a skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray over medium-low heat until no longer pink.

Place each breast onto a baking sheet and top each breast with 1 tablespoon of barbeque sauce, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/4 cup tomatoes, green onions and 1 tablespoon of bacon bits.  Place into the oven and bake until the cheese has melted (about 5 minutes).

Per Serving: 263 Calories; 8g Fat (29.0% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 108mg Cholesterol; 840mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

TUESDAY:  Taco rice (freezer meal)

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
3 cups Chicken broth (I use 100% fat free)
8 oz. Tomato sauce
1 pkg. Taco seasoning mix
1-1/2 cups Brown rice, uncooked
1/2 cup Red or Green Pepper
1 can of corn
(1 can red enchilada sauce ~ this is my personal addition)

On Hand:
Shredded cheddar cheese

Optional Ingredients:
Tortilla chips, flour tortillas, tomatoes, lettuce, salsa, etc.

Assembly Directions:
Mix everything in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until rice is done (about 40-50 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Freezing Directions:
Allow rice mixture to cool. Place in appropriate sized containers. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in microwave until warm. You can also reheat it in a saucepan if you add a little bit of water before heating. Sprinkle cheese on top and serve with tortilla chips.

Comments:
This is a big favorite around our house. This time around, I substituted red enchilada sauce for the tomato sauce. I thought it would give it more zip, but I didn’t really notice a huge difference. My entire family loves this and it makes a LOT. We use it with nachos or as filling for tacos/burritos.

WW points per serving = 5 points/serving (this does not include toppings or “extras”)

WEDNESDAY:  Shepherd’s Pie (Slow cooker) – This recipe comes from the 101 Things to Do With a Slow Cooker cookbook

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 can (10 ¾ ounces) tomato soup, condensed
1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 oz) French cut green beans, drained
2 cups instant mashed potatoes, prepared
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
½ tsp. basil

 

In a separate bowl, combine beef, tomato soup, corn, beans, and basil.  Pour mixture in the bottom of a greased 3 ½ to 5 quart slow cooker.  Spread mashed potatoes on top.  Cover and cook on low heat 5-6 hours.  The last hour of cooking, sprinkle cheese on top of potatoes.

WW points = 9 per serving (for 4 servings) 

 

THURSDAY:  Melt in your mouth meatloaf (slow cooker) – I’ve made this several times now for our family.  It’s easy to make and yummy!

Ingredients:
2 eggs
3/4 c. milk (we use skim)
2/3 c. seasoned bread crumbs
2 tsp dried, minced onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (we always make this with ground turkey instead and it’s yummy!)
1/4 c. ketchup
2 T brown sugar
1 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well (mixture will be moist.) Shape into a round loaf; place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon over the meat loaf. Cook 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

WW points = 5 per serving with the ground turkey, ground beef may be more (makes 6 servings)

FRIDAY: Peppered steak – this is a family recipe that came from my mother in lawIngredients:
3 cups hot cooked rice
1 lb lean beef round steak (cut into 1/2 inch thick strips)
1 T Paprika
2 T butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1 cup sliced green onions
2 green peppers, cut in strips
2T cornstarch
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 lg tomatoes (cut in eighths)

Pound steak to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 1/4 inch wide strips. Sprinkle meat with paprika. Let stand. Brown meat in butter. Add garlic and brother. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in onions and green peppers. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Blend cornstarch, water and soy sauce. Stir into meat mixture. Cook, stirring until clear and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir gently. Serve over beds of fluffy rice.

WW points = 7 points/serving  (add an additional 2 points for 1/2 cup rice and 4 points for 1 cup rice), this makes 4 servings.

SATURDAY:  Beef tips (slow cooker) – I found this recipe in Taste of Home Magazine. We have eaten it a few times now and my whole family (even my picky eater kids) loves it!

Ingredients:
1 beef top sirloin steak (1 pound), cut into 1-inch cubes
2 to 3 medium carrots, chopped
1 to 1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed golden mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 to 1 cup white wine or beef broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Hot cooked egg noodles

Directions:
In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the beef, carrots, celery, onion, soup and wine or broth. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until meat is tender.

Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into cooking juices. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened. Serve with noodles. Yield: 4 servings.

WW points = 6 per serving (add 2 points for 1/2 cup pasta/rice or 4 points for 1 cup pasta/rice)
 

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information.

Filed Under: Menu Planning Monday

GIVEAWAY: Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories prize pack (includes $25 Barnes & Noble gift card)

November 15, 2010 by

I have always loved reading and began reading with both of my kids when they were only a few months old.  I’m grateful that they now share my love of reading and love watching my oldest read books to my youngest now.

To help grow kids’ love of reading at a young age, this fall Cheerios® is once again inviting families to start the day with a nutritious breakfast and a new book. As part of its ongoing commitment to nurturing young bodies and minds and helping families connect by fostering a shared love of reading, Cheerios will provide more than six million children’s books, free inside Cheerios boxes, through its Spoonfuls of Stories® program. Over the past nine years, Cheerios has distributed almost 50 million children’s books in-pack.

As studies have consistently shown, children with greater access to books and other print materials are more successful in school and in life. However, one recent study revealed that in low-income neighborhoods, there is only about one age-appropriate book for every 300 children, a statistic that exposes one of the biggest barriers affecting literacy today – lack of access to books. In an effort to help combat this issue, Cheerios, as part of its Spoonfuls of Stories initiative, will also make a $300,000 financial donation to First Book, an award-winning national nonprofit that helps get books into the hands of children in need. Cheerios has donated more than $3.5 million to First Book over the past nine years.

To learn more about the Spoonfuls of Stories program or to donate to First Book, visit their  website here.

To promote the Spoonfuls of Stories program, Cheerios (via My Blog Spark) has provided me Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories Prize pack.  They have also provided me with a prize pack to give away to one lucky winner!  The prize pack includes a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card, a box of Cheerios and all five of the latest Spoonfuls of Stories books:

-All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon (discusses the many wonderful things a child can encounter in the world as well as the commonalities all the world shares)

-Chaucer’s First Winter by Stephen Krensky (follows a bear named Chaucer, who knows he is supposed to sleep through the winter but feels it’s much more fun to stay up and play)

-Jump! by Scott M. Fischer (chronicles the adventures of a bug, a frog, a cat, a hound, a crocodile, a shark, and a whale, who all love to jump!)

-No T. Rex in the Library by Toni Buzzeo (a story about a little girl named Tess and her adventures in the library with a boisterous T-Rex)

-The Purple Kangaroo by Michael Ian Black (a vivid and humor-filled story that tricks the reader into thinking about a purple kangaroo)

The giveaway starts today, November 15th, and will end on Monday, November 29th at 11:59 p.m. CT. I will announce the winner on Tuesday, November 30th. The winner will be chosen randomly using random.org.

You will have 24 hours to provide me with your contact information (when you post to enter, you must leave your e-mail address or some other way for me to contact you!).

Here’s how you can enter to win:

1.  Share – What is your favorite children’s book?

2. Subscribe to my blog (You must activate your subscription to validate your entry). Please post a comment letting me know that you subscribe.

3. Follow my blog through Blogger or become a fan on Facebook. Leave an entry letting me know that you’re following!

4. Blog about the giveaway on your blog. Be sure to come back and post a link to your post!

Please create a separate post for each of your entries. If you win, you need to provide me with some way to contact you. (Remember, if you post a comment as “anonymous” you need to include some sort of identifying information or your entry will not be valid). If you’re accessing this through a live feed somewhere else, you will need to actually come here to enter the giveaway.
 
Thanks again to Cheerios and MyBlogSpark for this giveaway opportunity! (Please note that although I did receive a prize pack from Cheerios and My Blog Spark, they did not influence my comments in any way.  Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information.)

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information.

Filed Under: giveaways

Enter to win a year’s supply of Hershey’s Drops!!

November 14, 2010 by

I admit it – I’m a chocoholic. So, I was super excited when I saw this opportunity to be one of the first people to try new Hershey’s drops (they won’t be available to the public until December). Click here to see if you’re an instant winner and to enter to win Hershey’s drops for a year!

Good luck!

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information.

Filed Under: freebies

Taste of Home $5 Cookbook sale!

November 14, 2010 by

Taste of Home is having a $5 Cookbook sale right now!  I’ve tried many Taste of Home recipes and have yet to be disappointed.  I got several of the $5 cookbooks the last time they had a big sale and I’ve been having fun going through and trying out new recipes.  These would make great Christmas gifts!

Here’s the breakdown on how to get the most bang for your buck:

1.  Log into your Shop at Home account (if you don’t have a Shop at Home account, you’ll get a $5 bonus for signing up here!).  Search for Taste of Home and click on the link – this will get you 10% cash back!

2.  Once you get to the Taste of Home website, click on the “$5 Cookbook sale” link in the upper right hand corner

3.  Search for your favorites and add them to your cart.  If you add at least 5, you can get 20% off plus FREE SHIPPING when you enter the code LST26 at check-out.

If you order at least 5 books, you will end up spending just $3.60 per book with the 20% discount and the 10% cash back from Shop at Home.  If you are new to Shop at Home and are getting the $5 sign-on bonus, you’ll only spend $2.60 per book!

What an awesome deal!

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information.

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