Tuesday's tid-bit...

Monday's value meal...

This time of year, when the hours of daylight decline, I try to squeeze the most out of the remaining summer so I like to make quick and easy meals.  Today's is super easy, quick and light so you can get the rest of the garden weeded or just sit back and enjoy the sunset.

Gingery Ground Chicken

12 ounces ground chicken, preferably a combination of dark and light meat

2 tablespoons saké

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon ginger juice

Place the chicken in a skillet. Add the saké and sugar and stir to separate the bits of meat before starting to cook. Place the pan over low heat and cook, continuing to break up the meat into crumb-like clusters. At first the liquid will look cloudy, but within a few minutes it will become clear and the meat will turn white.

Skim the liquid to remove excess fat and then add the soy sauce. Continue to simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes and then add the ginger juice. Turn up the heat to reduce the excess liquid in the pan. Ideally, about 1 teaspoon will remain. Remove from the heat, let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat over low heat, adding a few drops of water, if necessary, and stirring to break up clusters.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve over rice or on a bun like a sloppy joe.
 
---Main course---
 
$0.75 off a package of Golnen Plump Recipe Ready™ Ground Chicken
$0.55 off on any GOYA® Rice Mix
 
---Bread---
 
$0.40 off when you buy any two Pillsbury® Italian Meal Breads
 
---Salad---
 
$1.00 off any Fresh Express Atrisanal Salad
 
---Beverage---
 
$0.50 off any Newman's Own drink, like Green Tea with Honey or Pomegranate Lemonade 
 
---Dessert---
 
$1.00 off any one pint of Talenti Gelato e Sorbetto (the coupon is near the bottom of the page)
 
Have a terrific week everyone!
 
C.Q.

Sunday's media madness...

Well summer is almost over and that means Baseball season is drawing to a close.  If you wish you could have the fun of Baseball all year long then check out Major League Baseball 2K10.  It available for virtually all platforms and is vastly improved over last years version of the game.

"Major League Baseball's only cross-console video game series debuts on Nintendo DS with its 2010 season release. MLB 2K10 features all the teams, players, and venues of Major League Baseball, based on the most recent 2009 rosters. The "Total Hitting Control" system allows players on offence to swing for the fences, aim for a well-placed fair ball, or foul out of play, to work against the pitcher's stamina in a full-count battle. The "Batter's Eye" feature occasionally gives players a momentary preview of a pitch will cross the plate, depending in part on the skill and accuracy of the athlete at bat. On defense, the game's "Total Control Pitching" system is designed to allow pitchers to put the ball right where they want it, working the corners to wear the hitter out and tempt him to take a swing at a tough pitch."

 ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide ~

wii Game

This version of the game is available at both Buy.com and DeepDiscount for $38.00 with free shipping.

Play Station 2 Game

This version of the game is available at DeepDiscount for $18.99 with free shipping.

Play Station 3 Game

This version of the game is available at Glyde for $27.75 which includes a $3.47 shipping fee.

XBox 360 Game

This version of the game is available at both Buy.com and DeepDiscount for $38.99 with free shipping.

PC Game

This version of the game is available at Walmart for $17.96, if you want it shipped there will be a shipping fee of $0.97 as well as tax.

PlayStation portable game

This version of the game is available at DeepDiscount for $18.99 with free shipping.

Nintendo DS

This version of the game is available at DeepDiscount for $18.99 with free shipping. 

If you don't mind a used version you can check your local  Game Stop,  Second Spin or FYE, they may have much lower prices but be sure to check each stores policy on used game returns.  As always there's eBay as well, just remember to check the sellers shipping fees.

I found a few coupons for the above retailers as well:

Buy.com is offering $5.00 off of a $100.00 purchase for new customers, you can find the coupon click through at Retail-me-not.

Glyde has a couple coupons so you will need to see which one is the better deal based on your order, use coupon code DTAKER3 to get $3.00 off of any game purchase or coupon code GLYDE5 for 5% off your entire purchase.

FYE is offering $5.00 off your purchase of $35.00, use coupon code USEDBMSM1 at checkout.

I hope you are all having a great weekend.

C.Q.

Pack up your savings...

With the start of the new school season comes the back to school shopping.  Kids seem to have more and more things they need for their classes these days, which means more and more to stuff into a backpack.  There are some safety issues to keep in mind with backpacks for your child though, first and foremost is that no child should ever carry more than 10% - 15% of their body weight in a backpack, the reason?  They are still growing and this causes undo stress to the spinal vertebrae and discs and can lead to headache and muscle aches in the shoulder, neck and back, it can also lead to ongoing back problems in the future.  Also be sure to tell your child how important it is to carry the backpack over both shoulders to evenly distribute the weight, not just sling it over one side.  When purchasing a new backpack for your child look for something that is light weight with nicely padded shoulder straps.  Also look for waist and chest belts to help distribute the weight evenly and keep the pack from slipping.  The bottom of the backpack shouldn't be more than 4 inches below the waist and the shoulder-strap anchor points 1-2 inches below top of shoulders, You may need to adjust kids' backpacks and/or reduce how much they carry if they struggle to get the backpack on or off, have back pain or lean forward to carry the backpack.  If your child has back pain or numbness or weakness in the arms or legs, talk to your doctor or physical therapist.

Now that you know the ins and outs of what to look for in a backpack here are some great deals, L.L. Bean is having a great sale on Backpacks, 20% off plus free shipping until June 6th.  Ebags is also having a sale on their back to school backpacks, they even have a Jansport model that can be wheeled if it is too heavy and best of all its 55% off, bringing the price down to $44.99.  I was able to find a coupon for 20% off your entire order using coupon code CHILL.  Ebags offers free shipping on all orders over $50.00, I found a coupon code EMFALLFOR for free shipping if you are under that amount.  Also be sure to check out JC Penney, they are having a sale on select models of backpacks, they have a couple of really cute models including Toy Story and Iron Man models for the boys and Disney Princess and glitter for the girls.  They are offering 25% - 50% off with free shipping on orders over $49.00.  One more site that offers a huge selection of school backpacks is School-Bags.com, they have a large variety ranging from Kindergarten to College and can really help you find exactly what your are looking for for you student.

I hope you are all having a great weekend!

C.Q.

Friday's freebie...

You can try a Nescafe Coffee 6 sample pack.  They will send you a free Nescafe Taster's Choice Stick Pack Sample, all you need to do is register at the the Tasters Choice web site and request your free 6 pack sampler.  The fine print says you can order up to two samples per household.

Hope you are all having a great Friday!

C.Q.

Thursdays picture perfect deal...

The picture...

My Niece and her boyfriend bought me a beautiful lily for my garden this year.  The color was stunning so I had to take a picture of it in the sunlight.

The deal...

With school starting soon its time to get your child's wardrobe back on track for Fall, but what about your Fall look?  Payless Shoesource can help, they are having their Buy one get one half off deal now through September 6th, that means you can get a pair for your child and a pair for you and not break the bank.  If you don't have a local Payless Shoesource you can shop on line and take advantage of the flat rate shipping charge of $5.95 for your whole order. (Alaska and Hawaii the charge is $15.95)  If you would like to browse on line you can order from your laptop and have them shipped to a local Payless for free, then just pick them up when its convenient.

I hope you are all having a good week!

C.Q.

Wednesday's learn and earn...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

struthious ~ \STROO-thee-us\ ~ adjective

: of or relating to the ostriches and related birds

Example sentence: "The law is not so struthious as to compel a judge … to divorce himself or herself from common sense or to ignore what is perfectly obvious." (Hon. Bruce M. Selya, U.S. v. Sklar, U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit, 1990)

Did you know? "Struthious" can be scientific and literal, or it can be figurative with the meaning "ostrich-like," as in our example sentence. The extended use suggests a tendency to bury one’s head in the sand like an ostrich. But do ostriches really do this? No -- the bird’s habit of lying down and flattening its neck and head against the ground to escape detection gave rise to the misconception. The word "struthious" has been fully visible in English since the 18th century. "Ostrich" is much older. Anglo-French speakers created "ostriz" from Vulgar Latin "avis struthio" ("ostrich bird"); Middle English speakers made it "ostrich" in the 13th century. Scientists seeking a genus word for ostriches turned back to Latin, choosing "struthio."

~THE REBATE~

Purchase Dickies Jeans or Duck Jeans before 9/30/2010 and get $5 back by mail for each pair purchased.  Just return the completed rebate form together with cash register receipts dated between 8/1/2010 and 9/30/2010 with the purchase prices circled and the original UPC codes from the jeans.  Your rebate form and enclosures need to be received by November 5, 2010.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Wednesday.

C.Q.

Tuesday's tid-bit...

Monday's value meal...

Recently the mail man brought me my most recent copy of Food and Wine magazine which featured updated American classics.  Now normally I don't like to mess with a good thing but when I saw the recipe for ham steak with red eye gravy it reminded me of going to Georgia to visit my some of my in-laws.  The south has some mad cooking skills and we loved the food so I wanted to share an easy southern idea today.

Ham Steak with Redeye Gravy

1 thick-cut ham steak (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 onion, thinly sliced

3/4 cup Peppadew peppers, coarsely chopped

2 pickled jalapeños, stemmed and sliced

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons brewed coffee

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water

salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the ham and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until lightly browned, 10 minutes. Transfer the ham to a plate, cover and keep warm.

Melt the butter in the skillet. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the Peppadews and jalapeños and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and coffee and cook until reduced by half, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the gravy is thickened, about 1 minute. Season with salt and black pepper. Slice the ham steak into four pieces, pour the gravy on top and serve.

---Main course---

$1.00 off Hatfield Ham Steak when you sign up for their email updates

$0.75 off Horizon Butter (you need to scroll down a little to find the coupon)

$0.50 off two any flavor Progresso® Soups including broth

$1.00 off one 12-oz bag of Caribou Coffee, Whole Bean or Ground (coupon near the bottom of the page)

---Bread---

$1.00 off any Rhodes Warm-N-Serv™ Rolls

---Beverage---

$0.75 off one box of Bigelow Tea (coupon is near the top of the page)

---Dessert---

$1.00 off Snickers Brand Ice Cream Multi pack

Hope you are all having a fantastic Monday!

C.Q.

Sunday's media madness...

I love a good mystery, and I particularly like it when there its a series with characters I can get to know and follow.  I also like knowing the landscape where a book takes place, all this brings me to a series of books by a mother daughter duo of P. J. Lambrecht and Traci Lambrecht writing under the pseudonym PJ Tracy who's books take place in Minnesota, mostly in the Twin Cities area.  The most current book, Shoot to Thrill begins with a floater:

"When Minneapolis homicide cops Rolseth and Magozzi are called to a derelict stretch of the Mississippi River, they see a bride, facedown, dead in the water. And when the Monkeewrench crew - computer geeks who made a fortune on games, now assisting the cops with special anticrime software - are invited by the FBI to investigate a series of murder videos posted to the Web, it's not long before the group discovers the frightening link between the unlucky bride and the latest, most horrific use of the Internet yet. Using their skills to scour the Net to prevent more killings, the team must race against the clock.before it's too late." - From Fantastic Fiction

I was able to find the book for $13.57 with shipping and tax for a new copy from Walmart, they also carry the other books in the series.  If you would like to buy them all together then Amazon has the new book is in hardcover for $12.97 and the other four in the series are being sold for $7.99 each in soft cover which would put your order over the $25.00 total needed for free shipping.   Amazon also has the Kindle version for $12.99, they also have the MP3 CD available for $18.99 new or $12.00 used.  The lowest prices around came from Alibris which has the books in new condition hard cover as low as $1.18 and used copies of the books as low as $0.99.  They have free shipping on orders over $49.00 or the standard shipping fee is $3.99. for delivery in 4 - 14 days. Until August 24th you can use coupon code BRAVE and get $4.00 off an order of $25.00 or more, after that coupon code BOOKCLUB2 will get you $2.00 off any order of $20.00 or more until Auguat 31st.

I hope you are all having a nice weekend.

C.Q.

Finding quality and savings at the farmers' market...

Today I went to the local farmers' market to get a few things to make soup with and I was struck with how much of a good thing there was in out area, we have an abundance of local growers with the freshest produce available every Saturday morning.  This got me to thinking, there are a few things about farmers markets that folks tend to take for granted.  First is that everything is fresh picked that day.  In fact, some things are picked through out the week and held for market, so just like the grocery store its important to check for freshness, also some growers don't care if the birds have pecked at their peppers or the slugs have slimmed the squash, so be sure to check for the overall quality as well.  When you are looking for the freshness of an items there are simple things to look for, beets, carrots, celery root and radishes should be sold with the top on, then you will know how fresh they are, if the greens are wilted they were not picked that day.  I found a really nice fruit and vegetable buying guide from the University of Tennessee that you can download and print out for future reference.  There is also a great app available at iTunes for $2.99 called Harvest, you can also watch the demo movie and get more information about the application at the developers site, I really like this app because it also gives you information on the pesticide levels in your produce.

The other thing a lot of folks assume is that buying at the farmers' market means its organic, as a matter of fact this is not the case at all.  Each state has requirements to be certified organic and in most cases if the vendor stall doesn't have the certification certificate then they are not organic. 

I am usually overwhelmed but the amount of great stuff and tend to over buy if I don't go with a plan, so here are some tips to help you save money when you go,  first and foremost, treat it just like going to the grocery store, make a list of the things you need.  Today I made home made Gazpacho so I knew I needed tomatoes, garlic, corn, onion, cucumber and leek, once I had those items then I could use the remaining cash I had for other goodies.  That brings me to the second thing, have a budget.  Most vendors are not equipped to take checks or credit cards so bring a set amount of cash and when its gone its time to go home.  Once you get to the market check out all the vendor stalls before you buy, remember, not all vendors have the same variety of goods or the same quality.  The final cardinal rule is to get there early, our market opens at 7:00am and if you get there at 8:00am things are pretty well picked over, also be prepared for a crowd, folks that frequent the farmers' markets know the early risers get the best stuff.  If you aren't sure if you have a local farmers market near you the USDA has a web page that allows you to do a search.

Once you get your produce home be sure to store it in the right areas, corn (wrapped in a wet paper bag placed inside a plastic bag), and peas are best in the front area of the fridge.  Artichokes, asparagus (after trimming the ends and placing upright in shallow cool water, then covering with plastic), beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chiles, cucumbers, eggplant, fresh herbs, green beans, leafy greens, leeks, lettuce (after washing and drying, rolling loosely in a clean kitchen towel inside an unzipped zip-lock bag), mushrooms, peppers, radishes, scallions, summer squash, turnips and zucchini are best in the crisper drawer.  Tomatoes are best placed upside down on the counter or on a plate.  Garlic, onions, potatoes, shallots, sweet potatoes and winter squash are best in the pantry, closet or basement (where it's both dark and cool).

Do you have any wonderful summer recipes using your garden's harvest or good stuff form the farmers market?  I would love to hear about them.

Have a wonderful weekend.

C.Q.

Friday's freebie...

I have a few goodies for your today, these sample size perfumes are great to experiment with or take on vacation with you if you are flying.

For her Sephora is giving customers a free sample of one of their Benefit's Crescent Row fragrances. Just print the page and bring it in with you to a Sephora store inside JC Penney to get your free Benefit's Crescent Row fragrance sample.  The coupon expires August 31, 2010.

Also for her, sign up to hear about exclusive news and offers by mail or email from LACOSTE and choose one of three fragrances you would like to sample.

For him, Hugo is giving away free samples of their limited edition fragrance Hugo Man by Karim Rashid. Just complete your details on the form provided to get yours.

Also for him, Nautica is sending out samples of their new Eco-friendly water based men's fragrance Nautica Oceans Fragrance For Men.

Hope you all have a great Friday.

C.Q.

Thursdays picture perfect deal...

The picture...

I went to visit one of my best friends this spring and had some serious quality time with one of her kitties.  Luke slept in bed with me so I wouldn't miss my kitties back home and the day that I didn't feel good he snuggled up and purred for hours, that may not seem strange until you know he is still a kitten and his agenda is to play all day every day.  I miss him and he apparently missed me when I left, he slept in the guest room for over a week.  This is a picture of my little handsome man that his mama took. 

The deal....

For today only PetCareRX is having a sale, up to 50% off on many of their pet care items.   Before you buy be sure to check the difference between the price you pay at the veterinarians office and the price you would pay with PetCareRX, in many cases you will save quite a bit.  For example, my dog is on Dasuquin for Dogs which with my vet costs $64.88 for the 84 count bottle, that's $0.77 per pill, with PetCareRX the same medicine is on sale today for $99.99 for the 150 count bottle, that is $0.67 per pill.  There are similar savings for cats and other animals as well.  I always check out the toy section too to see if there is something fun for my fur kids.  Additionally, there is a free shipping if your order is over $35.00.

There are many great savings at PetCareRX even when they are not having a sale, but please remember to check with your veterinarian before putting your pet on a new medicine, even if it is one you don't need a prescription for as every animal is different and my have serious reactions to certain things.

Have a great Thursday everyone!

C.Q.

Wednesday's learn and earn...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

autochthonous • \aw-TAHK-thuh-nus\ • adjective

1 : indigenous, native

*2 : formed or originating in the place where found

Example Sentence: "People tend to admire cultural forms that seem autochthonous, sprung from their native soil." (Stephen Greenblatt, Los Angeles Times, April 17, 2005)

Did you know? Ancient Athenians considered their ancestors the primordial inhabitants of their land, as if sprung from the very soil of the region they inhabited. Their word for any true-born Athenian, "autochthōn," itself springs from "auto-," meaning "self," and "chthōn," meaning "earth." Nowadays, the English adjective "autochthonous" is often used in somewhat meaty scientific or anthropological writing (as in "several autochthonous cases of fever broke out in the region"), but it was a "bready" context in which it made its debut. Observed English literary critic William Taylor in 1805: "The English have this great predilection for autochthonous bread and butter" (rather than French bread, one might safely presume).

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

~THE REBATE~

Purchase $30 worth of any Olay, Venus, Covergirl, Secret, or Pantene products before 9/17/2010 and receive a $10 rebate by mail. You will need to mail in the original rebate certificate together with your original sales receipt(s) with item(s) and purchase price(s) circled. Be sure to fill in the UPC Codes on the rebate form for the items purchased.

I hope you are all having a great week!

C.Q.

Tuesday's tid-bit...

Monday's value meal...

Admittedly one of my all time favorite foods is biscuits and Gravy, not the healthiest choice but we don't eat it often, maybe 4 times a year, but when we do its a little slice of heaven.

1 can Pillsbury lg. biscuits

1 stick butter

1 lb. sausage

1/2 tsp. black ground pepper (or, to taste)

1 c. flour (or less for thinner gravy)

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (if desired)

1 qt. milk

Cook biscuits according to package. Crumble sausage into small pieces and brown in a frying pan. Melt butter in a separate pan, add black pepper, stir. Add flour by tablespoons until thick. Whisk in milk until smooth and hot. Add sausage, stir. To serve pour the sausage gravy on open-face biscuits.

---Main course---

$0.30 off two any size/variety Refrigerated Pillsbury® Grands!® Biscuits
$0.35 off any variety of Bob Evans® Sausage

---Beverage---

Home brewed iced coffee

$1.00 off a 12-oz bag of Caribou Coffee (Whole Bean or Ground)

---Dessert---

$1.00 off when you buy two packages any variety Pillsbury® Refrigerated Cookie Dough

This meal is so filling that I didn't include any side dishes with it, however we do like to serve it with peas or corn, and the corn on the cob is so good right now at the markets it would be a great complement to the dish.

Have a fantastic start to the week everyone.

C.Q.

Sunday's media madness...

This Summer I had looked forward to the release of Letters to Juliet, but as luck would have it sitting in a chair for more than a half hour was not on the agenda due to some medical issues so it is now my September movie must have. Set to be released on DVD September 14th, 2010, it is the story of an American girl on vacation in Italy who finds an unanswered "letter to Juliet" -- one of thousands of letters left at the fictional lover's Verona courtyard, which are typically answered by a the "secretaries of Juliet", but this letter was overlooked and has been unanswered for the last 50 years so she decides to go on a quest to find the lovers from the letter and reunite them, changing her life in the process.

The least expensive place to find the movie in the brick and mortar retail market that I could find was $16.69 plus tax at Walmart, they also had the lowest price on the Blue Ray version of the movie, $19.96 plus tax, shipping is free. If you would like it for your iPod it is available for pre-order at iTunes for $14.99 for the standard version or $19.99 for the HD version.

I love that the basis for this story is rooted in fact, the wall in Verona is inundated daily with letters to Juliet from all around the world from people seeking council. The letters are answered by the "secretaries of Juliet" and not a single one goes unanswered. The book Letters to Juliet tells the story of these letters and the volunteers who have been writing responses for more than seven decades; volunteers who first acted privately, and who are now sanctioned by the city of Verona as part of the Juliet Club . Featuring more than seventy-five heartfelt letters, this poetic book retraces the history behind Shakespeare's tale and tours the monuments that have fueled the world's enchantment with Juliet and her Romeo. If you are interested in the book you can find it at Walmart as well for $10.00 also, be sure to check out eBay, I was able to find a copy of the hard cover version for an opening bid of $4.99 plus $3.75 shipping.

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!

C.Q.

Friday's freebie...

Well if you have been giving your grill a work out here is a sample that's worthwhile. World of Green is offering a FREE sample of SoyClean BBQ Grill Cleaner. Email them at: customerservice@worldofgreen.com to receive your FREE SoyClean BBQ Grill Cleaner. Be sure to include your name and address to ensure your FREE sample if delivered properly. You can check out World of Green on Twitter.

After your are done getting the grill cleaned up I am betting you got your clothes a little dirty, check out the Walmart freebies section to get your free sample of Tide with Febreze Freshness.

Have a great Friday everyone!

C.Q.

Thursdays picture perfect deal...

The picture...

I woke up one morning a few years back and found this beautiful dew jeweled spiderweb outside on my back deck.

The deal...

If your house is looking a little drab its time to look up, literally. Lighting can make a huge difference in a room and turn it into something dramatic and bold or more understated and elegant. If you are looking for a way to make a change to one or more of your living spaces now is the time, Home Depot is having their online only Hampton Bay lighting sale and you can find bargains up to 75% off! If you are looking for something quirky but elegant for your dining room there is a 4 light black and clear crystal chandelier marked down from $481.00 to $120.25. There is a nice looking ceiling fan with a light that would be perfect on a warm day in a home office, original price $229.00 now marked down to $114.50, a 50% savings. There are even saving on outdoor lighting, I found a beautiful french inspired outdoor light marked down to $48.49 that was originally $96.98. Remember, this sale is online only and they are offering free shipping on your purchase.

Hope you all have a great Thursday!

C.Q.

Wednesday's learn and earn...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

congeries • \KAHN-juh-reez\ • noun
: aggregation, collection

Example Sentence: As we walked past the food stalls our nostrils were assailed by a congeries of exotic, unfamiliar smells.

Did you know? What do "epitome," "circus," "tribunal," and "congeries" have in common? All are part of a relatively small collection of English nouns that made the transition from Latin to English unaltered in both spelling and meaning. "Congeries" joined this group in our language in the early 1600s. Latin "congeries" comes from the Latin verb "congerere," which means "to carry or bring together" and which is also the source of our word "congest." In English, "congeries" stands out because it is a singular word with a plural appearance -- and its plural is also spelled "congeries."

~THE REBATE~

Hillshire Farms has a promotion going on their lunch meats. Just purchase any participating Hillshire Farm Lunchmeat Tub and try it in your favorite sandwich. Then come back to enter your unique code and take the challenge. When you enter the code on their web site you will receive $5.00 of coupons instantly.

If you would rather get a gift card or do not have a way to print them, you can opt to receive a $5.00 grocery gift card instead via snail mail. Purchase any specially marked package of Hillshire Farm® Deli Select® Lunchmeat beginning June 16, 2010 through September 4, 2010.

To claim your grocery gift card you must submit:

1) The legibly completed original offer form that was obtained online at http://www.freshtastechallenge.com/

2) The original label from the package of Hillshire Farm® Deli Select® Lunchmeat (“Proof of Purchase”) that contains both the UPC code and the unique promotion code used to enter this offer.

3) The original cash register receipt with purchase price and date circled.

Submissions must be postmarked by October 4, 2010 and received by October 11, 2010. The $5.00 grocery gift card has an expiration date of December 31, 2010 and there is only one allowed per mailing address.

I hope you are all enjoying your week so far!

C.Q.

Tuesday's tid-bit...

Monday's value meal...

I found a nice coupon for beef and found this great recipe for the grill, it will go great with the bounty of garden vegetables that are all in season. I hope all of you like it!

Great Garlic Beer Steaks

1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup oyster sauce
1 lemon, juiced
4 beef steaks
steak seasoning to taste

In a shallow glass dish, combine the beer, garlic, pepper, oyster sauce and lemon juice. Mix well. Rub steaks on both sides with steak seasoning, and place in the marinade. Be sure to coat the steaks well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat grill for high heat, and lightly oil grate. Remove steaks from marinade, and discard marinade. Grill steaks for about 5 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness.

---Main course---

$1.00 off any Chef's Requested 100 calorie steak package of steak

---Bread---

$0.50 off any two Pillsbury® Crescent Dinner Rolls

OR

$0.30 two any size/variety Refrigerated Pillsbury® Grands!® Biscuits

---Beverage---

$0.55 off one or $1.00 off two Fruit2o Essentials Water

---Dessert---

Warm apple sauce with Cinnamon, just place in a cast iron pan and place over the cooling coals stirring occasionally.

$0.40 off Musselman's Apple Sauce

I hope you are all having a fantastic Monday!

C.Q.

Sunday's media madness...

In the not too distant past the TV networks strived to give us wholesome shows that reminded us of family values and to do the right thing; not to vote out our house mate or try to get fire before the other tribe so they would be cold and wet for the night. I do miss the days when the networks had to come up with new ideas for the programs each week instead of relying on a group of people all locked up together in what is reality TV. Of course people are going to get into a fight or fall in love, lab rats would do the same thing. Looking back I found two shows that were the epitome of the family values era.

The first is Highway to Heaven which ran for five years on NBC, between 1984 - 1989 and is the story of ex cop Mark Gordon who is sent probationary angel Jonathan Smith. Together they travel the country on a mission to deliver love, understanding and humility to the people they encounter. The show was a reminder of many values but also deal with very human issues such as ego, greed and fear as well as looking at some of the worst social issues like racism and terminal illness.

Second is Touched by and Angel which ran for nine years on CBS, between 1994 - 2003 and is the story of an angle sent to earth to help the people she comes in contact with, whether it be to deal with a difficult issue such as facing death or abuse to depression and homelessness, always with the help of her Supervisor Tess and on occasion the Angel of Death, Andrew.

If you have never seen these shows and would like to see if you enjoy them check out bits of them on YouTube by just putting in the name of the show and selecting what you would like to view. If you remember them and would like to own them for yourself here is where I found the best prices:

For Highway to Heaven the best deal for a new copy was at DVD Empire, the cost is $25.99 for the full first season on 7 discs, shipping is regularly $0.99 per item but with an order over $25.00 they offer free shipping with some restrictions. If you would like a used copy I was able to find them as low as $11.95 with free shipping on eBay, the less expensive copies are making up for the difference with $9.00+ shipping, which is outrageous, so be sure to read all the fine print.

For Touched by an Angel, which comes as a boxed set of season 1, 2 and 3, the best deal was also at DVD Empire for $15.99 with the free shipping on orders over $25.00, for a used copy on eBay there is a buy it now at $10.92 with free shipping and a few that are still bidding under the $10.92 with free shipping.

I hope you all are enjoying your weekend!

C.Q.

Sew what?!?!...

We have all heard about the reduce, reuse and recycle program but what about re-working old cloth items into great sewing crafts?

One of the most extreme ideas I had ever heard of and loved is a friends sister who had her wedding dress bodice with all its embroidery and bead work, and made into a big pillow for the bed. Admittedly at first I was a little taken aback but the more I thought about it the more it made sense. She was never going to wear the dress again and it would just be taking up valuable space in her closet, by making a beautiful pillow she will have a reminder everyday of her special day. This doesn't have to apply to just wedding dresses, think about it, that bride's maid dress you actually liked, (or one you didn't) you're prom dress, your child's confirmation gown, the list is only limited by your imagination. I recently came across an old velvet gown my mother had worn years ago, I had helped her pick out the dress and I remember it was one of the special times we shared together, and while I can't sew I have a friend who can, so on the promise of a good lunch and a bottle of wine she has agreed to make pillows of the dress and my wedding gown. (although I think she is going to ask me about 20 times and request a waiver to cut up the wedding dress.) And while we are on the subject of wedding dresses, what about the veil? Well here is a wonderful idea to make sachet's for your drawers, you could even make extra to give to your bride's maids if you had a long enough veil.

How about the flip side of the coin? I found a really cute idea for making a child's dress out of a pillow case. I know this sounds kinda "Sound of Music"ish but the finished product is very cute and with how fast children outgrow and wear out their clothes this is one of the best money saving things I have seen.

If you are a quilter then this may be up your alley, I saw a quilt not too long ago that was made with pieces old ties, the lady's father had passed away and since she was never going to have a use for them, but wanted a way to remember him she made a beautiful patchwork quilt from them. There are a couple of books available at Amazon for inspiration, Daddy's Ties, Necktie Sampler Blocks and Ties Ties Ties: Traditional Quilts from Neckties. Again, that is just the tip of the iceberg, what about those old worn out jeans? They make a great quilt for a kids room where bed jumping is an adventure sport. Also, consider a wall quilt made from old tee shirts and tank tops with the touristy information showing, its a great way to remember the trip to Orlando with the kids or your Honeymoon to Waikiki.

Here is one for the no sew folks (like me). My mother was a table cloth kind of lady, any time we had company she used a table cloth and being born in the 30s and going through WWII she grew up with the "don't throw that away" mind set so she had quite a few old table cloths with coffee spilled on them that wouldn't come clean. Instead of packing them up and either waiting for the next new stain remover to come out or tossing them all together I am going to try to natural dye them in a coffee bath. It's a little time consuming but really easy to do, all you need is the coffee and a big plastic bucket. (Don't use your bathtub or you may get serious ring around the tub.)

Hope this gives you some inspiration for the things in your closet that may be beyond donating to a worthy charity. Let me know some of your creative ideas.

I hope you are all having a wonderful start to the weekend.

C.Q.

Friday's freebie...

A friend of mine told me that this weekend is the free entry weekend at Sam's Club to see if the membership is worth it for you and your family. Between today - August 6th and Sunday August 8th you pay what members pay with no entry fee to the club. Even if you don't shop bulk I encourage you to check out your local Sam's Club to stock up on a few things that you will need through out the year like Paper products, cleaning supplies and health items like Ibuprofen and vitamins. If you only shop in bulk this one time for this year you can save yourself quite the handful of cash. Additionally, parents with college bound students may want to take advantage of Sam's Club collegiate membership. Sam's Club is offering a $15 gift card to any new collegiate member. Some of the benefits of a collegiate membership include sharing the membership with a roommate to make stock up simple and additional gift card offers to Sam's Club when purchasing coursework on textbooks.com.

I hope everyone has a great weekend planned!

C.Q.

Thursdays picture perfect deal...

The picture...

We had a wonderful vacation to Texas quite some time back with some great friends, one of the stops we made was at Kema Bay. I got this picture of the fishing boats tied up to the docks from the restaurant where we all had lunch and some of the best Calamari I have ever eaten.

The deal...

Newport News is having their season end sale on beach wear. You can find a swim suite that was regularly $64.00 marked down to $21.99, a rhinestone embellished long sleeve tee shirt that was $34.00 is now just $9.99 and a cute floral embellished A-line dress that was originally $49.00 is now just $17.99 and all these deals are just on the first page! Plus if you are a member of the Newport News Club you will get an additional 10% off your order. If you are thinking of becoming a member the fee is $25.00 for the year so make sure your savings will out weigh the cost of the membership fee.

You can also check out the pre-season looks at up to 40% off and despite the fact that the model they used is anorexic looking, they do have sizes that include plus sized women.

Have a great day everyone!

C.Q.

Wednesday's learn and earn

~WORD OF THE DAY~

Antaean • \an-TEE-un\• adjective

1 : mammoth

*2 : having superhuman strength

Example Sentence: The movie's climax is a suspenseful fight sequence between the Antaean heroine and her grotesque alien nemesis.

Did you know? In Greek mythology, Antaeus was the gigantic and powerful son of Gaea the Earth goddess and Poseidon the sea god. Antaeus was a wrestler and whenever he touched his mother (the Earth), his strength was renewed, so he always won his battles even if his opponents threw him to the ground. He proved invincible until he challenged Hercules to wrestle. Hercules discovered the source of the giant's strength, lifted him off the ground, and crushed him to death. In 18th century England, the poet William Mason discovered the power of "Antaean" as a descriptive English adjective, when he used it in his Ode to the Hon. William Pitt: "If foil'd at first, resume thy course / Rise strengthen'd with Antaean force."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

~THE REBATE~

If its time to change the oil in your vehicle, or even if its not, there is a nice rebate offer from O’Reilly Auto Parts, you can get a $10 O’Reilly Auto Parts gift card when you by 5 quarts of Mobil Oil 1 Motor Oil at O’Reilly Auto Parts. No need to hurry as this offer expires September 30th, 2010, but if you are going to wait until early Fall to Winterize your vehicle don't forget about the rebate. You will need to send in your original receipt with the rebate form and they will mail you back the $10.00 gift card good for your next visit to O'Reilly.

Have a wonderful mid-week everyone.

C.Q.

Tuesday's tid-bit...

Monday's value meal...

With so many great fresh vegitables and herbs this time of year to use this sounded really good.


Roast Chicken Breasts with Garbanzo Beans, Tomatoes, and Paprika

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
4 chicken breast halves with bones
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1 12-ounce container cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

Preheat oven to 450°. Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Pour 1 teaspoon spiced oil mixture into small bowl; whisk in yogurt and set aside for sauce. Place chicken on large rimmed baking sheet. Rub 2 tablespoons spiced oil mixture over chicken. Add beans, tomatoes, and 1/2 cup cilantro to remaining spiced oil mixture; toss to coat. Pour bean mixture around chicken. Sprinkle everything generously with salt and pepper.

Roast until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cilantro. Transfer chicken to plates. Spoon bean mixture over. Serve with yogurt sauce.

---Main course---

$1.00 off Perdue Perfect Portions Chicken Breast
$1.00 off Filippo Berio Olive Oil
$0.30 off Yoplait Greek Yogurt

---Salad---

$1.00 off 2 Light House Dressings
$0.55 off Kraft Salad dressing
$0.75 off Marzetti Slaw Dressing

---Beverage---

$0.75 off Bigelow Tea for iced tea
$.050 off Tetley Tea for iced tea

---Dessert---

$1.00 Off Any Sara Lee Frozen Dessert (limit two)



Have a good start to the week everyone.



C.Q.

Sunday's media madness...

I love television shows with quirks or strong female characters so this Summers new show on TNT Rizzoli & Isles really caught my attention when it started. I really like how the female leads have just burst onto the screen like they have always been there. I watched the first couple of shows before I noticed that they are based on the Jane Rizzoli series of books by Tess Gerritsen. The series of books starts with The Surgeon.

From Publishers Weekly ~

"A creepy cerebral serial killer vaguely reminiscent of Hannibal Lecter pursues a charismatic female doctor in this thoroughly satisfying if somewhat derivative thriller. Skillfully drawn surgical backdrops sizzling with ER intensity balance out the obligatory romantic intrigue and familiar plucky police professionals, attesting to Gerritsen's authentic medical expertise as a former physician. Dr. Catherine Cordell, the main character in this chilling tale, thought she had shot and killed her rapist and would-be murderer two years earlier in steamy Savannah, where he was a surgery intern at her hospital. Now, in Boston, as another hot summer begins, he appears to have miraculously returned and embarked once again on his grisly mission: he rapes women, then surgically removes their wombs. As two intrepid detectives Thomas Moore and Jane Rizzoli investigate, Cordell begins to doubt her own memories (or lack of) and discovers that not even her OR is safe. Gliding as smoothly as a scalpel in a confident surgeon's hand, this tale proves that Gerritsen (Harvest; Life Support; Bloodstream; Gravity), originally a romance writer, has morphed into a dependable suspense novelist whose growing popularity is keeping pace with her ever-finer writing skills. (Sept.)Forecast: National print advertising in People, the New York Times and USA Today, plus a major promotion campaign, will ratchet Gerritsen's sales up yet another notch." Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

The full series of the Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles books to date are:

1. The Surgeon (2001)

2. The Apprentice (2002)

3. The Sinner (2003)

4. Body Double (2004)

5. Vanish (2005)

6. The Mephisto Club (2006)

7. Keeping the Dead (2008)aka The Keepsake

8. Ice Cold (2010)aka The Killing Place

If you are in the mood for a good mystery book you can find a new paperback copy of The Surgeon at Deep Discount for $7.19 with free shipping, if you are looking for a used copy to start off your collection then you can find copies for as low as a penny with $3.99 shipping through Amazon sellers, you can download the Kindle version for $6.29 or if you would like the audio book version you can get a copy from Audio Audible for $17.50 to download to your iPod.

Be sure to check out the series staring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander and is on TNT Monday nights at 10/9c.

I hope you are all having a nice weekend!

C.Q.