Tobins' Tastes: September 2012

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Mealtime Monday Recipe Link Up & Features {#24}

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Happy October! I cannot believe we are already in the middle of fall. Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. It has been a little less hot around here lately but still no signs of real fall weather. I am finally starting to make some cooler weather meals despite the temperatures and I am bring out the fall decor later today. 

I hope that you are all enjoying cooler weather and fun fall meals. Can't wait to see what you have been up to this week. Make sure to share the love and visit some fellow linkers and please help spread the word so my little linky party can grow : ) 

This week's most clicked link were these ingenious Lunch Box Smoothies from A Casarella!



 How could I not pick this Four Cheese Mac & Cheese from Cooking on the Front Burner. She used the word luxurious in the title and the picture definitely screams luxurious.


 I love peanut butter and even more so when you pair it with chocolate. So these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle from 100% Molly Made are just my thing.


 You know what combo I might like more than peanut butter and chocolate? Mint and chocolate. That is why our last feature o' the day are these decadent Creme de Menthe Brownies from Storybook Reality. 


Thank you all for linking up! I love having lots of new menu ideas to add to our weekly rotations. I would love for you to spread this word about this link up by grabbing a button or by linking back. The more the merrier!

You can also check out my Pinterest board for Mealtime Monday Features where I will be pinning the original links to the items featured here each week.

If you were featured you can feel free to grab a button from my sidebar.

Can't wait to see what you have been up to lately and I love being inspired by all the delicious looking dishes you create.

I will be featuring my favorites next weekend and I will be pinning things to my Pinterest boards too. Make sure you check out my Link Ups page for lots more fun places to link up at too.

As I teacher, I enforce rules all day so I am going to call these my suggestions.

I would love it if:
  • You would link back to this post/blog. You can do so by grabbing my button (upper right hand corner), linking back to this post in your post, or by adding this blog to your list of places you link up to/party at on your Link Parties page. The more people who link up the better it is for all of us : )
  • Please follow this blog through GFC, Linky Friends or Blog Lovin.
  • As an added bonus you can now become our Facebook fan too!
  • Please only post directly to your recipe link. No giveaways, etsy shops or anything not family friendly.
  • Please do not link up to posts you have already linked up to before. Also, the recipe needs to be something you made with photos of your own and should give credit where credit is due : )
  • Pretty please visit at least two new blogs and show them some love.
  • Come back next Monday and link up!

Show me what you got!



Thursday, September 27, 2012

Weekly Totals Link Up: Saved Almost $100 At Publix

Spent $32, Saved $91
What a fun shopping week! I was a little disappointed with this week's ad when I first saw it on Monday but as the week went on, more and more deals kept popping up with new printable coupons and unadvertised sales. This week ended up being a huge shopping trip with lots of things that were either free or under a dollar.

Since I went to Publix Monday night, we didn't need salad, milk, eggs or many veggies. And there is plenty of meat in the freezers. We are also planning to head to the local farmers' market on Saturday if the weather isn't too hot as well. So I was able to focus on stockpile items and super deals this week for the most part.

I loved this week's Buy Theirs, Get Ours Free promo and I was able to stock up on some baking products to kick off the holiday baking season. My store had lots of the Stocking Spree coupon sheets as well as lots of the One Stop, One Store booklets in it too. Throw in cheap veggies, cheap frozen snacks for when we have guests, and a moneymaker on coffee creamer for the fire station and it's a good week : )

I also used a $5/$50 Winn Dixie printable coupon as well. Don't forget to link up your savings below!

Breakdown of today's Publix trip:
Total retail value: $123.46
Total spent: $31.64
Total saved: $91.82
Percent saved: 74%

What I got with sale/coupon match ups:
  • 3 Bailey's Flavored Coffee Creamers, retails for $2.19 each
    • Used three $1.50 off Facebook coupons
    • Stacked with three $1 off Publix coupons from the Yellow Ad. Flyer
    • Made them all FREE plus a .93 total moneymaker
  •  6 Puffs Tissues, retails for $1.50 each, on sale for $1
    • Used two .25/3 coupons from the 8/28 P&G
    • Stacked with three $1/2 Publix coupons from the Stocking Spree coupon sheet in stores
    • Made them .41 cents each
  •  4 bags of Farm Rich Frozen Appetizers , retails for $5.99 each, on sale BOGO ($2.99 each)
  •  1 package of Flora Fresh Gnocchi, retails for $2.99, on sale for $1.49
  • 1/4 of Boar's Head White American Deli Cheese, $1.91
    • Used a $1 off deli coupon from a Baby Club mailer (let in front circular display) made it .91 cents. Can't wait to make grilled cheese with the bread I have in the freezer : )
  •  1 bag of Crunch Pac Apples, retails for $3.29, on sale for $2.50
    • Used a .55 cents off coupon from coupons.com (no longer available)
  •  6 packages of Pillsbury Grands! biscuits, retails for $2.15 each, on sale for $1.25 each
    • Used two $1/3 printable coupons from Pillsbury.com 
    • Stacked with two $2/3 Publix coupons from the 9/16 RP or printable HERE
    • Made them .25 cents each
  •  4 one pound boxes of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, retails for $3.81 each, on sale BOGO ($1.90 each)
  •  4 bags of Bird's Eye Steamfresh frozen veggies, retails for $1.99, on sale for .99 cents each
  •  Kraft Mini Marshmallows, $1.79
  • Publix Mini Marshmallows, retails for $1.39
  •  6 cans of Campbell's Healthy Request Chunky Soup, retails for $2.55, on sale BOGO ($1.27 each)
    • Used two $2/3 Publix Best Meals Happen At Home email coupons
    • Stacked with two $1/3 coupons
    • Made them .27 cents each
  •  1 can of Eagle Condensed Milk, $2.19
  • 1 can of Publix Consdensed Milk, retails for $2.19
  •  1 bag of Nestle Butterscotch morsels, retails for $3.19
    • Used a .50 cents coupon from the 9/9 RP
    • Made them $2.69
  • 1 bag of Publix butterscotch morsels, retails for $2.25
  •   2 boxes of Swanson Low Sodium Chicken Broth, retails for $2.69 each
    • On sale BOGO, made it $1.34 each
  •   1 three pound bag of sweet red onions, on sale for $2.69

How did you do this week? Inspire me (and everyone else) with your amazing savings and deals this week. Please link up directly to your specific post. Do not link up to your blog's home page, giveaways, or etsy shops please. You can now "like" Couponing & Cooking on Facebook too! I would love it if you would link back to this post or grab my button from the sidebar : )

Click below to link up your posts!
 

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole


I have never liked casseroles. Maybe it's because I am from South Florida where we consider it "cool" out if the temperature drops below 80 at midnight. Maybe it's because I have a weird thing with texture when it comes to food. Or maybe it's just because I am the world's pickiest eater. Yeah, it's probably the last one...

Even though I never liked them, I always wanted to like casseroles. They seem so quick, so easy, so comforting. I have tried a few different versions of a traditional casserole before and none of them ever wowed me until this one.

I found the inspiration for this dish on Pinterest via Picky Palate and adapted it with what we had on hand. I was worried that it might turn out bland but I was so wrong. It was hearty, filling and pretty easy to make.


The best part about this casserole? It doesn't have any canned cream of anything soup, no mayonnaise and no cream cheese. I find that many casseroles have so many processed ingredients that they are really salty or taste too chemically. I love that this dish was made completely from scratch and you could definitely tell by the taste.

I think that next time I will add frozen peas and Justin thought it would be good with broccoli too if you had some on hand. It would also be the perfect freezer cooking dish and I will probably split it up into two smaller pans next time and freeze one for later. Not that I minded having leftovers this time : )


Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole
  •  3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion finely diced
  • 3 stalks of celery finely diced
  • 3 large carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken
  • 3 cups of cooked rice (any variety you like)
  • Salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste
For the sauce:
  • 4 tablespoons of butter
  • 1/4 cup of flour
  • 2 cups of low sodium chicken broth
  • 3 cups total of shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
  • salt and pepper to taste
1.) Heat oil in a large pan and saute the celery, carrots, onion and garlic until soft, took about 10 minutes.


2.) Stir in chicken, rice, salts and pepper and mix well. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 pan.


3.) While veggies are sauteing, melt butter in a small pan. Slowly whisk in flour followed by chicken broth. Let mixture simmer and continue to whisk until it thickens. Don't let it boil all the way. Whisk in 2 cups of cheese and salt/pepper until the cheese is fully melted.

 

4.) Pour sauce over the rice mixture. I mixed it up a bit so the sauce was fully incorporated into the rice, chicken and veggies. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.


5.) Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown on top.


6.) Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

  

Make sure you stop by this week's Mealtime Monday and link up any amazing recipes you have been working on lately.


***Depending on the day this post may be linked up to any of these fabulous linky parties.***

Do you host a weekly party? If so, make sure to visit my party page and add yours so we all can join in the fun!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Saved 68% On Fresh Food and Household Basics at Publix


After skipping my Publix shopping last Thursday due to Parent/Teacher Conference Night at work and then a wonderfully relaxing weekend away in Chicago with my girlfriends, I decided to stop by Publix last night after we got home for some fresh food items and to grab a few basics.

I really was only going to go for salad, veggies, yogurt, butter and eggs but I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to get some cheap shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste as well as take advantage of the Running Out, Run In free milk promo.

I had tons of high value Crest/OralB coupons from inside past products so that made the deal/sale on those products even better for me. There on some lower value coupons on both the toothpaste and the brushes in the September P&G for those of you without the in product coupons. 

Thanks so the milk promo, lots of coupons and a $5/$50 Winn Dixie coupon I was able to get lots of things we needed for our meals this week as well as household products for under $30.

Breakdown of Monday's Publix trip:
Total retail value: $89.47
Total spent: $28.65
Total saved: $60.82
Percent saved: 68%

What I got with sale/coupon match ups:
  • 2 gallons of Publix milk, retails for $3.65 each
    • Part of a Running In, Run out promo for FREE milk WYB participating products (including Crest toothpaste, OralB toothbrushes, and Herbal Essence)
    • Bought 12 of those items, made them both FREE
  •  4 bottles of Herbal Essence products, retails for $3.19 each, on sale for $2.49 each
    • Used two B1G1 FREE coupons from the 9/16 SS
    • Made them $1.24 each
  •  4 Crest toothpastes, retails for $2.99 each, on sale for $1.99 each
    • Used four .75 cents off coupons from inside past products
    • Stacked with two $1/2 Publix coupons from the Running Out, Run In coupon sheet in stores
    • Made them .74 cents each
  •   4 OralB Toothbrushes, retails for $2.99 each, on sale for $1.99 each
    • Used four $1 off coupons from inside past products
    • Made them .99 cents each
  •  2 bags of Fresh Express Spinach, retails for $3.99 each
    • On sale BOGO, made them $1.99 each
  •  2 bags of Eat Smart Veggies, retails for $2.50 each
    • On sale BOGO, made them $1.25 each
  •  2 one pound packages of Publix Butter, retails for $3.45 each, on sale for $3 each
  • 6 Dannon Okios Greek Yogurt, retails for $1.25 each, on sale for $1 each
    • Used two .55/3 blinkie coupons
    • Made them .81 cents each
  •  8 Stonyfield Organic Greek Yogurts, retails for $1.75 each, on sale for $1 each
    • Used four $1/2 Facebook coupons
    • Made them .50 cents each
  •  Dozen Publix Eggs, retails for $2.09
Make sure to stop back in on Thursday for my Weekly Totals post and link up your savings!

Print Your Coupons Before The End Of The Month

End end of September is quickly approaching so make sure you print out any coupons you might use in case they disappear on the first of October. Below is a list of coupons that look like they are scheduled to disappear at the end of the month so you may want to check them out before they are gone!


Monday, September 24, 2012

Mealtime Monday Recipe Link Up Party & Features {#23}


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Happy almost Monday! Sorry this is up late! I had it set to autopost or so I thought... I just got back from a fabulous weekend in Chicago visiting my girl friends and sadly Mealtime Monday didn't post as it should of on Sunday night. Oh well. Better late than never!

Thank you so much for showing the love and clicking on some of your fellow bloggers links. I really saw a difference in the number of clicks the link ups received and that makes me so happy because that really is what link parties are all about!

This is short and sweet since i just got home and have lots of unpacking, laundry and general organizing to do for the work week ahead. Just one feature, our most clicked linked. And it goes to:

30 One Step Crock Pot Meals from Semi Homemade Mom! With the hopefully approaching fall weather and crazy work/school schedule, I for one am very happy to see this : )

 
 Thank you all for linking up! I love having lots of new menu ideas to add to our weekly rotations. I would love for you to spread this word about this link up by grabbing a button or by linking back. The more the merrier!

You can also check out my Pinterest board for Mealtime Monday Features where I will be pinning the original links to the items featured here each week.

If you were featured you can feel free to grab a button from my sidebar.

Can't wait to see what you have been up to lately and I love being inspired by all the delicious looking dishes you create.

I will be featuring my favorites next weekend and I will be pinning things to my Pinterest boards too. Make sure you check out my Link Ups page for lots more fun places to link up at too.

As I teacher, I enforce rules all day so I am going to call these my suggestions.

I would love it if:
  • You would link back to this post/blog. You can do so by grabbing my button (upper right hand corner), linking back to this post in your post, or by adding this blog to your list of places you link up to/party at on your Link Parties page. The more people who link up the better it is for all of us : )
  • Please follow this blog through GFC, Linky Friends or Blog Lovin.
  • As an added bonus you can now become our Facebook fan too!
  • Please only post directly to your recipe link. No giveaways, etsy shops or anything not family friendly.
  • Please do not link up to posts you have already linked up to before. Also, the recipe needs to be something you made with photos of your own and should give credit where credit is due : )
  • Pretty please visit at least two new blogs and show them some love.
  • Come back next Monday and link up!

Show me what you got!


Sunday, September 23, 2012

Don't Forget To Place Your Zaycon Orders- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts for $1.69 a Pound!



Don't forget to place your orders if you are interested. Orders must be placed by the middle of this week for most locations!

 Zaycon is finally coming back to Florida! I have been waiting for this for a long time. We have heard so many great things about ordering chicken from Zaycon and with fresh, all natural, boneless, skinless chicken breasts priced at $1.69 a pound we have been dying to try ordering from them.

Zaycon's chicken event last came to our area of Florida in March of this year but we were on our Spring Break Cruise and had no way to pick up an order so we passed on the opportunity and decided to take advantage of it next time they retunred. They will be in select cities in Florida and Georgia over the next few weeks so log into their website and see if they are coming to a city near you.

The lowest price I can ever find boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale at Publix is $1.99 a pound and that sale doesn't happen too often so I am excited to be able to use some of our reserve grocery money to spend on this deal now so we can save each week at the store by not always needing to buy chicken. I will happily spend $67 now to save double that in the long run.

According to Zaycon's website their chicken breasts are:

• 100 % natural chicken with no added hormones, additives or artificial ingredients
• Comes directly from the processor and has never been frozen
• Sold by the case — 40 lbs in each case
• Case dimensions—18 in wide x 12 in deep x 7 in tall
[NOTE:  Our chicken is delivered in its original wholesale packaging, a water resistant cardboard case containing three or four plastic bags of fresh chicken breasts. The smaller bags are typically sealed in a larger plastic bag. The smaller bags are not uniform in weight. There will be small amounts of naturally occuring liquids (i.e.,"chicken juice") in each bag and case. Chicken breasts typically come in double-lobed pairs ("butterfly") and will have small attached amounts of fat.]


I know that 40 pounds may sound like a lot but we plan on spending a little time trimming it and foodsavering it into preportioned packages to freeze and take out as we need. I will also be creating a few freezer portions of precut chicken strips, cubes and other sizes that we often cook with. At this price, I am happy to spend a little extra time. You could always split a case with a friend or neighbor if you don't have the need or space for the full 40 pounds.

While we haven't personally tried Zaycon before, I have heard nothing but great things about them and the quality of their chicken. I would love to hear your experiences and thoughts in the suggestions if you have tried them before.

Stay tuned for a blog post on our experience with Zaycon chicken and for how we packaged and frozen it for future use.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Weekly Totals Link Up: Saved 72% At Target

Spent $8.47 for $30 worth
I didn't get to make it to Publix today. As you read this I will at work for Parent Teacher Conference Night (thank you autoposting!). Since my Publix sales don't start until Thursday and since I won't be home until after 9pm, Publix just isn't happening today.

I am actually going to skip Publix shopping all together this week. I may run in to grab some cheap butter or a few other deals but since I am heading to Chicago for a little girls' weekend we don't really need any fresh items and this seemed like the perfect week to skip major shopping and save the money towards our Zaycon Chicken order.

I did manage to run into Target earlier this week to grab some cheap cleaning products and take advantage of a few free product coupons I had received.

Breakdown of Tuesday's Target trip:
Total retail value: $30.55
Total spent: $8.47
Total saved: $22.08
Percent saved: 72%

What I got with sale/coupon breakdown:
  • 1 jar of Planter's NUTrition Peanut Butter, retails for $3.69
    • Used a coupon for a FREE product from a Facebook promo
    • Made it FREE
  • 1 box of Nice and Easy Hair Color, retails for $7.99 
    • Used a coupon for a FREE product from a Vocalpoint blogger promo
    • Made it FREE
  • 4 Lysol Products, retails for $2.51 or $2.15 each, on sale for 15% off or $2.19/$1.87 each
    • Used four $1 off Facebook coupons for Power & Free lysol products
    • Made them .87 cents to $1.19 each
  • Four pack of Puffs Tissues, retails for $3.95, on clearance for $2.96
    • Used a $1 off coupon from inside another product I purchased awhile ago
    • Made it $1.96 for the four pack or .49 cents a box
  • 2 O-Cello Sponges, retails for $1.39 each
  • 1 four pack of Up&Up sponges, retails for $1.69
  • 1 Up&Up scrub brush, retails for $1.49
    • Used a $1 off Target.com printable
    • Made it .49 cents

How did you do this week? Inspire me (and everyone else) with your amazing savings and deals this week. Please link up directly to your specific post. Do not link up to your blog's home page, giveaways, or etsy shops please. You can now "like" Couponing & Cooking on Facebook too! I would love it if you would link back to this post or grab my button from the sidebar : )

Click below to link up your posts!





Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Fall Food Favorites

Are you ready for fall? I know that I am. Since it is still a little too hot in my neck of the woods (temperatures are still well into the high 80's), I haven't really been in the mood to make/bake any of my favorite fall recipes or try out any new ones from my many Pinterest boards.

Since I want to get into the fall mood without heating up my kitchen, and since I haven't been home between the hours of 7am and 7pm to cook over the last three days, I figured I would share some blasts from the Couponing & Cooking past with you.

Couponing & Cooking is officially ONE YEAR OLD! And I cannot believe how far it has come in the last year. I am planning a week of blogaversary posts next week when I get back from a long weekend in Chicago to visit my girlfriends so get excited : )

Here are some of our favorite fall meals, snacks, and treats:

 These Baked Brown Sugar Brie Bites are the perfect appetizer on a cold fall night.


If those aren't hardy enough for you, you can always try our personal family favorite of Swiss Cheese Bread Dip to keep you warm.


After a long day of work this Pasta With Pumpkin Sage Cream Sauce is a surprisingly quick and easy meal that tastes decadent and comforting all at the same time.

 

Pasta not your thing? (Do people like that exist?) I enjoy eating Butternut Squash Tomato Basil Bisque all year round but it is even better when it is cold outside.


Nothing says Fall quite like apple and pumpkin flavored desserts. Check out my Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dessert Dip and Almost Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes for a sweet treat to end your cold weather meals.

 



 
Make sure you stop by this week's Mealtime Monday and link up any amazing recipes you have been working on lately.


***Depending on the day this post may be linked up to any of these fabulous linky parties.***

Do you host a weekly party? If so, make sure to visit my party page and add yours so we all can join in the fun!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Saved 103% At Publix!

Publix paid me $1.57 for $48 worth
Living in the land of no doubled coupons and pretty high grocery prices mean that getting things for "free" are few and far between. Scenarios like those depicted on some t.v. shows don't happen for people in South Florida. But every once and awhile the coupon and sale stars align and I can get in a trip that is completely free and this time Publix even owed me!

Now, I clearly couldn't have this have been my only trip for the week but since I got all of our basics during Thursday's trip this trip was just a fun bonus for the week. I had originally planned on grabbing some of the BOGO Buitoni pasta during my regular Thursday trip last week but after hearing that we might get some store coupons to stack with the man. coupons I already, had making it better than free, I decided to wait.

As I gathered my coupons for my trip on Monday I realized that there were a few more free or cheap deals and I decided to make a list to get to $30 to use a $5/$30 coupon. Since my Buitoni was better than free and the rest of my items were free or very cheap using the $5 off coupon made everything free when it was all said and done.

While I love having completely free shopping trips, I know that they are rare and I also understand that in order for us to actually have something to eat besides truvia topped linguine I have to have times when I "only" save 60%. But all couponers know, there is nothing like the feeling of seeing your total be zero, or even better, negative.

Breakdown of Monday's Publix trip:
Total retail value: $47.80
Total saved: $49.37
Total spent: Publix owed me $1.57
Percent saved: 103%

What I got with coupon/sale match ups:
  • 6 packages of Buitoni fresh pasta, retails for $2.49 each, on sale BOGO ($1.25 each)
    • Used six $1 off Publix coupons from the 9/16 RP or printable HERE
    • Stacked with two $1 off Facebook man. coupons and two $1 off coupons from the 7/22 SS
    • Made them all FREE and a $2.53 moneymaker total
  •  4 boxes of Truvia sweetener, retails for $3.99 each, on sale for $2.99 each
    • Used four $2 off coupons from the 9/16 RP
    • Used four $1 off Publix coupons from the Good To Go booklet or printable HERE
    • Made them all FREE
  •  6 Voskos Greek Yogurts, retails for $1.50 each, on sale for $1 each
    • Used two $1/3 Publix coupons from the Good To Go booklet or printable HERE
    • Made them .66 cents each
  •  2 bottles of Pom Wonderful juice, retails for $3.59, on sale for $3 each
    • Used two $1 off printables from the man. website
    • Stacked with two $1 off Publix coupons from the Good To Go booklet or printable HERE
    • Made them $1 each
Make sure you check out my Stella & Dot Trunk Show before it closes this weekend and come back on Thursday for my weekly totals link up!

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Mealtime Monday Recipe Link Up Party & Features {#23}

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Hello link party goers! I hope you had a fabulous week! We have had one crazy busy week after another around here. Still waiting for Fall here in South Florida but I am starting to make fall flavored and themed meals, snacks and desserts so hopefully the weather will follow suit.

Thank you so much for making last week's party one of our biggest! Please make sure to spread the love and visit some of your fellow linkers. We all need some comment love : )

This week we had a three way tie for most clicked link so I decided to make all three of them our features.

Remember when I said last week that I loved my donut pan? Apparently you all do to because one of our most clicked links were these yummy looking Buttermilk Spice Donuts from Pamela's Heavenly Treats. 


How about this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake With A Honey Glaze from Winnish for a perfect fall treat? I have TONS of pumpkin from an Albertson's going out of business sale so I will make this and put it to good use.

 You can never have too much chocolate or too many desserts so check out this Chocolate Cobbler from Mimi's Magic Apron.


Thank you all again for linking up! I love having lots of new menu ideas to add to our weekly rotations. I would love for you to spread this word about this link up by grabbing a button or by linking back. The more the merrier!

You can also check out my Pinterest board for Mealtime Monday Features where I will be pinning the original links to the items featured here each week.

If you were featured you can feel free to grab a button from my sidebar.

Can't wait to see what you have been up to lately and I love being inspired by all the delicious looking dishes you create.

I will be featuring my favorites next weekend and I will be pinning things to my Pinterest boards too. Make sure you check out my Link Ups page for lots more fun places to link up at too.

As I teacher, I enforce rules all day so I am going to call these my suggestions.

I would love it if:
  • You would link back to this post/blog. You can do so by grabbing my button (upper right hand corner), linking back to this post in your post, or by adding this blog to your list of places you link up to/party at on your Link Parties page. The more people who link up the better it is for all of us : )
  • Please follow this blog through GFC, Linky Friends or Blog Lovin.
  • As an added bonus you can now become our Facebook fan too!
  • Please only post directly to your recipe link. No giveaways, etsy shops or anything not family friendly.
  • Please do not link up to posts you have already linked up to before. Also, the recipe needs to be something you made with photos of your own and should give credit where credit is due : )
  • Pretty please visit at least two new blogs and show them some love.
  • Come back next Monday and link up!

Show me what you got!



Friday, September 14, 2012

Weekly Totals Link Up: Saved 57% At Publix- A Slow Shopping Week


It was a slow shopping week for me this week. School has been very busy and I really just haven't had time to get my coupons organized or do any extra shopping. I am ok with that since our grocery budget has been hit pretty hard with my recent weeks of shopping.

We are also trying to not spend our full grocery budget for the next few weeks so that we can use the reserve money to pay for our first Zaycon chicken order. We take out $80 in cash for all groceries and household product shopping each week. I try to only use $50 or less each week so that can use the reserve money for other things like house projects, savings goal, trips or to balance out a big shopping week.

I pretty much stuck to the basics this week since we are very well stocked on most things. I grabbed some random odds and ends to make some snacks for my Stella & Dot jewelry party and then snagged a few of the better deals and fresh items we were out of.  I wasn't going to buy any chicken since we are trying to use up what we have before we get our Zaycon order but I had coupons for the Purdue and I just can't pass up whole chicken when it is on sale too.

I didn't use too many coupons today and all in all I was able to get in and out in about 35 minutes which is almost a record for me : )

Breakdown of Thursday's Publix Trip:
Total retail value: $78.42
Total spent:$34.10
Total saved: $44.32
Percent saved: 57%

What I got with sale/coupon match up:

  • 1 almost five pound whole Publix chicken, on sale for $5.93
  • 2 packages (about 2 pounds total) of Purdue Chicken Tenderloins, retails for a total of $9.49, on sale for a total of $6.71
    • Used two $1 off coupons from Purdue's Facebook page
    • Made it a total of $4.71 for both packages
  • 4 Nivea Men's Shave Gels, retails for $2.99 each, on sale for $2.24 each
  • 2 boxes of Hefty Storage Bags, retails for $2.47 a box, on sale for $1.67 a box
  • 4 boxes of Ronzoni Garden Delight Pasta, retails for $1.69 a box, on sale BOGO made them .85 cents a box (these NEVER are included in BOGO so I was very happy!)
  • 1 bunch of Green Onions, .60 cents (used these for my Feta Dip!)
  • 1 bag of Publix Baby Carrots, retails for $1.79 a bag, on sale for $1.29 a bag
  • 1 Publix Bakery French Baguette, $1.29
  •  3 Voskos Greek Yogurts, retails for $1.50 each, on sale for $1 each
  • 1 bag of Romaine Hearts, retails for $3.09, on sale for $2.69
  • 2 packages of Jello Mix Ins, retails for $1.59 each
    • Used two $1.25 off coupons from Kraft First Taste to try new products
    • Made them .34 cents per package
  • 1 half gallon of Silk Almond Milk, retails for $3.49
  • Tomatoes on the vine, retails for $1.73 total, on sale for $1.33 total
  • 4 Bertolli Pasta Sauces, retails for $2.99 each, on sale for $2 each
  • 2 cans of Blue Diamond Almonds, retails for $3.19 each, on sale BOGO ($1.59 each)
    • Used a .75/2 coupon from the 7/22 SS
    • Made them $1.22 each

How did you do this week? Inspire me (and everyone else) with your amazing savings and deals this week. Please link up directly to your specific post. Do not link up to your blog's home page, giveaways, or etsy shops please. You can now "like" Couponing & Cooking on Facebook too! I would love it if you would link back to this post or grab my button from the sidebar : )

Click below to link up your posts!


Thursday, September 13, 2012

Zaycon Chicken- $1.69 a Pound In FL & GA


Get excited! Zaycon is finally coming back to Florida! I have been waiting for this for a long time. We have heard so many great things about ordering chicken from Zaycon and with fresh, all natural, boneless, skinless chicken breasts priced at $1.69 a pound we have been dying to try ordering from them.

Zaycon's chicken event last came to our area of Florida in March of this year but we were on our Spring Break Cruise and had no way to pick up an order so we passed on the opportunity and decided to take advantage of it next time they retunred. They will be in select cities in Florida and Georgia over the next few weeks so log into their website and see if they are coming to a city near you.

The lowest price I can ever find boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale at Publix is $1.99 a pound and that sale doesn't happen too often so I am excited to be able to use some of our reserve grocery money to spend on this deal now so we can save each week at the store by not always needing to buy chicken. I will happily spend $67 now to save double that in the long run.

According to Zaycon's website their chicken breasts are:

• 100 % natural chicken with no added hormones, additives or artificial ingredients
• Comes directly from the processor and has never been frozen
• Sold by the case — 40 lbs in each case
• Case dimensions—18 in wide x 12 in deep x 7 in tall
[NOTE:  Our chicken is delivered in its original wholesale packaging, a water resistant cardboard case containing three or four plastic bags of fresh chicken breasts. The smaller bags are typically sealed in a larger plastic bag. The smaller bags are not uniform in weight. There will be small amounts of naturally occuring liquids (i.e.,"chicken juice") in each bag and case. Chicken breasts typically come in double-lobed pairs ("butterfly") and will have small attached amounts of fat.]


I know that 40 pounds may sound like a lot but we plan on spending a little time trimming it and foodsavering it into preportioned packages to freeze and take out as we need. I will also be creating a few freezer portions of precut chicken strips, cubes and other sizes that we often cook with. At this price, I am happy to spend a little extra time. You could always split a case with a friend or neighbor if you don't have the need or space for the full 40 pounds.

While we haven't personally tried Zaycon before, I have heard nothing but great things about them and the quality of their chicken. I would love to hear your experiences and thoughts in the suggestions if you have tried them before.

Stay tuned for a blog post on our experience with Zaycon chicken and for how we packaged and frozen it for future use.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Snickerdoodle Blondies


I love all things Snickerdoodle (which by the way, spell check doesn't think is a word...). Have you checked out my Snickerdoodle Candy Cups? Problem is, with Snickerdoodles, I usually like the Krusteaz box cookie mix better than I like them  homemade.

I like the box mix so much that I am actually scared to make them from scratch because I feel like nothing will live up to the image I have built up in my head. So when Justin said he was craving something "snickerdoodly" (also not a word), I scoured Pinterest for recipes.


You would not believe all the different types of Snickerdoodle themed desserts floating around out there other than your basic cookie. I found Snickerdoodle cupcakes, Snickerdoodle fudge, Snickerdoodle pie, Snickerdoodle cake, Snickerdoodle ice cream, and even Snickerdoodle pancakes.

But when it came down to it, I was looking for something quick, easy and that didn't require a trip to the store. So I settled on these decadent looking Snickerdoodle Blondie Bars from the Brown Eyed Baker. And I am so glad I did.


These bars are like nothing I have ever made before. They are sweet but not overwhelmingly so. They are moist but still retain their shape. It's sort of like a coffee cake and a Snickerdoodle cookie had a baby if you can imagine that.

I don't usually like blondie type bars. I always end up disappointed in something that is shaped like a brownie but lacking in chocolate. But one bite of these Snickerdoodle Blondies and I was a convert.


With fall supposedly on its way, these are the perfect treat with coffee or hot chocolate. And if you're like  us and fall is no where in sight, you can always add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to cool you off  :  )



Snickerdoodle Blondies adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder 
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For topping:
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
1.) Beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.

2.) Beat in the eggs one at a time followed by the vanilla.

3.) Combine the dry ingredients (not including those for the topping) and slowly stir them into the wet ingredients.

4.) Lightly spray (I also used foil) a 9x13 pan and spread the batter out evenly in the pan.


5.) Mix together the white sugar and cinnamon for the topping and sprinkle the mixture over the batter.



6.) Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the top feels firm and springy to the touch. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before trying to cut them.





Enjoy!

Make sure you stop by this week's Mealtime Monday and link up any amazing recipes you have been working on lately.


***Depending on the day this post may be linked up to any of these fabulous linky parties.***

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