Monday, October 27, 2008

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Seeds
Butter-Flavored Cooking Spray (I used Olive Oil flavor)
1/8 tsp Salt

Rinse seeds; remove any stringy membranes. Place seeds in a single layer in 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Let stand at room temperature about 3 hours to dry.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place seeds in a single layer in baking pan. Spray generously with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. (It usually takes more like 20 minutes for me)

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Halloween 2008





This years pumpkin is done. It is not nearly as cool as last years, but it is still cute. Luke basically drew out the pattern, he wanted a vampire pumpkin. It took a while to clean it out, because I like to save the seeds and roast them. It takes a while to separate them from the pumpkin guts. I will share that recipe later. You can't really tell, but he has painted blood on the mouth to make it look "real". This year was a little sad for me. For the first time in about 15 years, Sarah did not help carve the pumpkin. She opted instead to go to the movies with her friend, which marks the first time she has gone out with a friend without an adult driving or present. I'm not sure I'm really ready for this. Here is last years pumpkin and my dog Tinkerbell in her costume. This year she will be a witch.

Tinkerbell 2007



2007

Best Pumpkin we have done...

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Walgreens - WOW!


I haven't done this well in a while. It was really fun. Luke had to get his fingers in the picture.


1st Transaction
10)Pringles 10/$10 (rcvd $3RR)
1)Lysol Neutra Air Kit-Used $5.99 used $5/1 Mfg.
4)Bags Peanut M&M's - Used 2)$1/2 from Oct ESR
1)Theraflu Liquid
2)100ct Excedrin Extra Strength -Used 2)$2/1 mfg (rcvd $8RR)
2)Halloween Buttons $.44ea
3)Boxes Kleenex 3/$4 -Used 3) .50/1 (rcvd $1RR)

Used $5/$20 WAGS cpn
Paid $25 w/RX transfer gift card
Paid $2.09 w/Last months rebate gift card
OOP $3.75
Received: $12 RR
ESR Rebates: $3 Lysol Neutral Air, $5 M&M's

2nd Transaction
1)Flashing Halloween Mug - $2.24
1)Loreal Revitalift Night Cream - Free gift w/anti wrinkle conc
1)Loreal Anti Wrinkle Concentrate - 16.49 used $2/1 mfg
1)Loreal Cleanser - used $2/1 mfg - Oct FAR
1)pk Penway magnets (for new desk at work)-1.99
1)sheet Halloween Stickers 1.49
2)3pk Schick Quattro Razors -used 2)$2/1 OCT ESR, 2)$3/1 Nov ESR, B1/G1 mfg
Used $3/$10 WAGS cpn
Paid w/$12RR
OOP $12.55
ESR Rebates: Loreal Cleanser $7.99, Possible on Loreal Revitalift? $16.49,

Total Saved for trip: $92.78
Total OOP: $16.30
ESR Rebates to Claim: $15.99 at least - which will make my OOP $ .31. I would have done better if the Halloween stuff wasn't on sale and little man hadn't been with me.

Friday, October 24, 2008

My Great Nieces


Finally, pics of my great nieces. Aren't they beautiful!




Samantha Drew (left) & Elizabeth Kate (right) Gregory were born September 14, 2008

You can go here to see more pictures.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

A Great Sunday Afternoon...

When Harry Potter went fishing (and dyed his hair blonde)....



Luke & Shayden
And then there was a horse...


Monday, October 13, 2008

Roasted CickPeas


Oh My Gosh!!! I love these things. I have never had a chickpea except when it is in my 15 bean soup and then I can't pick them out from the rest of the beans. But you roast those suckers and YUuMMMMMMY!! Here's how I do it...

1. 1 bag dried chickpeas / garbanzo beans (same thing, who knew?)
Open them up, rinse them off and put them in a bowl. Cover the beans with hot water and let them sit overnight (at least 8 hrs).

2. Drain the water, put them in a pot. Cover with water again and bring to a boil. Turn them down to a simmer and cook for about an hour.

3. Drain the water. Toss beans with 2 tbsp Olive Oil, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, some garlic powder, onion powder and salt (I use fresh ground sea salt). You can use any combination here, whatever you like. I really like the flavor the sesame oil adds, but it doesn't take much.

4. Spread the beans out on a cookie sheet or casserole dish in a single layer. Roast at 450 degrees for a while, check after 20 minutes and then every 5-10 minutes until they are light brown.

You could use canned chickpeas also, just skip step 1 & 2 above. They are great right out of the oven and over the next couple of days.

Menu Plan Monday


This is going to be a really busy week, so we will see how it goes...

Monday - Baked pasta, garlic bread, salad

Tuesday - Have to take Sarah to Winston for a People to People Meeting - She wants to go to Australia next year, I am taking her to the meeting to enter the drawing to win the tuition for this trip. Otherwise she will not be going because I am still paying for the Japan trip.

Wednesday - Church - 15 Bean Soup in the crock pot

Thursday - Soccer Practice - Ham, Mac & Cheese, Broccoli, Green Beans

Friday - Girl's Conference @ Church, we will be having pizza

Saturday - Pork Chops, Rice, Green Peas

Sunday - I don't know yet.

For more great (and much better) menu plans visit orgjunkie.com

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

CVS

I've been really slack here lately. Not just in posting, but in working the deals at all. I got out of the menu planning practice when we went to the beach and just haven't been able to get back into it. Hopefully next week I can start that back up. I did finally make it to CVS yesterday to work some of this weeks deals. I started out with $8 ECB's and did 4 separate transactions.

2)Bic Soleil Razors (used 2)$2/1 cpns)
2)Colgate MaxFresh Toothpaste(used 2)$1/1 cpns)
1)150ct Motrin IB (used $1/1 cpn)
1)125ct Tylenol Extra Strength (used $2/1 cpn)
1)8oz Tylenol Cold liquid (used $1/1 cpn)
1)32oz Vitamin Water
1)3ct Wellpatch Arthritis Relief pads (used $1/1 cpn)
1)14ct Always Infinity Pads

Total OOP: $7.40
ECB's for next time: $13.26

**This deal would have been better but my CVS has changed their cpn policy. They will only take 1 cpn per transaction for each same product. So I had to purchase the 2 Bic razors in two separate transactions and the 2 Toothpastes in two separate transactions. I didn't have my deals worked out that way so it messed me up just a little bit. I still don't think I did too bad.