Crisp Mandrin Salad

In need of something fresh and crisp and craving citrus all at the same time we needed something not so heavy on our tummies since we were all just getting over the stomach flu, so I came up with this and it worked very well. Nice and light and not to heavy.

Romaine lettuce
Canned mandrin orange slices in syrup/light NOT sugar free (it changes the taste of the salad)
Bananas
Crushed walnuts
Ken’s steakhouse Raspberry Walnut Vineagrette

Fully drain mandrin slices, combine with lettuce, sliced bananas (these are optional but we liked it) and crushed walnuts. For a salad for 4 people you only need 2 tablespoons or 3 at best for the entire salad. You only want just enough to just very lightly coat and nothing in the bottom of the dish. Mix well and enjoy.

For a little change up I also had this for lunch yesterday and added some cubed chicken that I mixed in a little salt, pepper and Italian seasonings and then a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and I quick pan fried until done but not crispy to retain all the taste and moisture. I just threw the chicken in and mixed well and it was awesome!

 

Foodtown thru 1-31-12

Hunt’s ketchup 24oz bottle $.99, fresh baby carrots 1lb bag $.69 and Colgate large tube 6.4oz $.99 (going to check if my coupons are still good for the toothpaste, if so only .50 for me)

If you want to check the Kroger ad for this coming week’s sale simply go to their website and change your location by using an ohio zip code. I use 43452, while the ad prices and items are not 100% identical it gives me a good idea of what to look for in my local ad and only with a few changes in items or prices.

Sales and Coupons

Walgreens has Blink eye drops for $8 if you use the coupons that came out earlier this month for $1 off you get back $8 in Register Rewards.

CVS has Puffs tissues on sale forr $.88 per box, use the P&G January coupons before they expire on 1-31-12 get $.25 off 3 boxes limit 6 boxes and Dawn small bottle is $.98 with same P&G flyer coupons use the $.25 off.

Food Town has 14oz bottle French’s mustard for $.88 with earlier month’s coupons for $.50 that makes this item $.38. Now that’s this a good stockpile item for the summer months. Walmart sells the same bottle for $1.08 regular.

Kroger ad with mega sale will continue into this coming full week so you have time to get your items together. Remember if you ad match at walmart no limit on items but if you just want to go to Kroger then you can only do 40 items per transaction at a time. Their registers will not roll the mega deals $5 off 10 items past 40 items so you will have to do separate transactions for more. Bonus of taking this ad to Walmart is they will be better stocked and you won’t have to stick to the 40 item or less limit.

Things you can do with Peroxide

Did you know the best way to clean animal urine out of your carpets is to use straight peroxide you can get from any store? I have teal colored carpeting and I use it full strength to get the puppy pee out of my carpets and you can get right down to the floor and smell and you would never know that they ever had an accident.

Best way to get it all up is using a steam vac but if you don’t have one just spray it down lightly and use a towel little by little to get it out.

I am hoping to clean my carpets today. I will try to get pictures posted of the before and after effects.

Sunday Coupons Inserts 1/28/12

This is a good weekend to load up on coupons. We will have redplum, smartsource and a p&g and possibly 2 redplum inserts. I will get buying at least 4 papers possibly 6. Make sure you get your coupons this weekend.

Current Ads and Shopping

Okay folks I am way behind my plans for posting this due to a nasty stomach flu bug that became rampant throughout my household this week but here it is even if it is a little late.

The beginning of the mega sales for SuperBowl have it! Kroger has a good sale to be ad matching at walmart, as does Foodtown. Now is the time to stock up on condiments like ketchup and mustard.  It’s also time to stock up on Hunt’s tomatoes by ad matching Kroger’s ad to Walmart and Daisy sour cream, kraft singles cheese (unless like me you stocked up heavily with the last foodtown ad at the lower price) Hormel Chili is another good stocking item and there were coupons for all of these in the Sunday inserts if you’ve been hoarding and organizing them correctly.

HEB has their boneless/skinless chicken breasts on sale for $1.97 per lb and that’s a good deal and good stocking item. I have found a new wholesaler for chicken and beef and next time they have a sale I will buy some and let you all know the quality and pricing. You do need a deep freeze to use them as the chicken comes in a 40lb box (bulk) and runs $1.69 per lb so $67.60 a box but you can’t get that price anywhere.

Their ground beef is fine ground and comes 93/7 lean also in a 40lb box. I’m told it runs about $119 per case/box and runs about $2.69 per lb and again you can’t get that price tag anywhere else locally. Regionally available items so nothing shipped in from somewhere you’ve never heard of and all their items have good reviews. Company is called Zaycon Foods.

Kroger last minute trip 1-17-12

Much as I hate to admit it I had to make a Kroger trip yesterday due to special deals on several items I needed.

Here’s what I bought:

3 Tide 32loads sale price $4.99 – 2 p&g coupons for $2 ea & 1 digital coupon from kroger loaded to my card
4 Bounce dryer sheets $3.99 – 2 p&g coupons for $1.50 off 2
1 Dawn large bottle $1.79 – $.25 p&g coupon
9 Charmin 12 double rolls packs $5.99 – 8 coupons for $2 ea from machine inside store a few months back
2 packages Sargento shredded cheese $1.79 – 2 coupons for $.50 ea
1 large can Pam cooking spray $2.99 – 1 digital coupon loaded to my kroger card

Total before in store savings $131.70
Coupon savings I clipped $28.00
Store card savings $39.98
TOTAL SAVINGS $67.98 (THAT’S 53%)

My Actual Cost out the door $63.72

 

Evaporated Milk conversion

If you are making a recipe and would rather not use the tons of milk it calls for, example Hamburger Helper calls for lots of milk, here is a short note on converting it back to regular milk to make using the canned version more budget friendly.

Take 1 cup of evaporated milk and add back in enough water to equal 2 1/4 cups.

Hope this helps for those with small budgets.