Recipe
Be My Valentine: “Steal My Heart” Cookies
“Steal My Heart” Valentine Cookies
Last year I picked up this Valentine Heart pan on clearance after Valentine’s Day. The girls were very excited to try it out this year. We made these fun “Steal My Heart” Cookies together. The girls had a blast mixing up the cookie dough and they thought the cookies tasted pretty yummy too. You can use a variety of cookie mixes with this cookie sheet. Below is your basic sugar cookie mix, you can add in a few sprinkles for an extra special touch.
Sugar Cookies
- 1/3 cup Butter or Margarine
- 1/3 cup Shortening
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- Sprinkles (optional)
- Icing (optional)
1. Beat butter and shortening on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and a dash of salt. Beat till combined, scraping the bowl so everything is well blended. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add the flour into the mixture.
2. Cover and chill dough for 1 to 3 hours to make it easier to handle when making cookies or cutouts.
3. Lay down wax paper and lightly flour. Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Use a variety of cookie cutters to make the shapes you want. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet.
4. Cut out a heart shape in the middle of the cookies. Fill the hole with a crushed hard candy. The candy will melt during baking creating the glass window pane hearts in the middle of the cookies. *We tried using up extra candy canes but they didn’t melt well (they tasted good) but I would stick to the one color hard candies like life savers!
5. Bake at 375° for 7 to 9 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are firm and light brown. Cool until the middle window are set then transfer to a platter.
Heart Shaped Pan
Plate full of Valentine cookies
Heart shaped Valentine cookies
For more fun Valentine’s Day ideas go to Living in La La Land!
Giveaway: “Dining On A Dime” Cookbook by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper
I am doing another giveaway on Blessings Multiplied! The winner of this giveaway will receive a copy of Dining On A Dime Cookbook by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper! As a Mom, wife and homeowner I am always looking for ways to eat better and spend less. After reading Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper’s cookbook I know many of you will enjoy this book too! Here’s how to enter the giveaway:
- Sign up to follow my blog (if you haven’t done so already) and leave a comment below telling us how you follow Blessings Multiplied. Sign up to receive Blessings Multiplied via email or like on Facebook.
- You can get a bonus entry into the drawing if you leave a separate comment below sharing what one way you save money while buying groceries or cooking.
All comments must be made by February 29th at 10:00 PM EST to be entered into the drawing.
You can learn more information about this great book and my review on Dining On A Dime Cookbook by Tawra Kellam and JillCooper.
*A special thanks to Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper with Living on a Dime for providing this book for the giveaway!
CONGRATULATIONS to Our 5 “Money Saving Mom’s Budget” Book Winners!
The names have been drawn for the giveaway!
CONGRATULATIONS to
Melissa Donovan
Bonnie
Brooke Butcher
Lisa Smith
Angela W
for winning a copy of
Money Saving Mom’s Budget by Crystal Paine!
Thanks for making a comment in honor of our Giveaway!
An email has been sent to you with more information*
Enjoy Reading Your Next Book!
Don’t forget to enter our next Giveaway (the next giveaway will be announced later this morning)!
*Giveaway must be claimed within 5 business days of the prize being announced. Failure to claim the prize within the allotted time frame means you forfeit the prize.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of February 1 – 7, 2012
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. It is a great time to stock up on some Save A Lot deals. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Boston Round Roast – $2.99 lb
London Broil – $3.49 lb
Beef Sirloin Tips – $2.99 lb
Family Pack Cube Steak – $3.49 lb
Family Pack Stew Meat – $2.99 lb
Family Pack Chicken Wings – $1.59 lb
Butterball Turkey Bacon (6 oz) – $1.00
$0.55/1 coupon from insert 1/14 Smart Source (Expires 2/26/12)
$0.45 each after couponBoston Butt Roast – $1.69 lb
Family Pack Chicken Drumsticks or Thigh – $0.99 lb
Chicken Leg Quarters (10 pounds) – $6.89
Carolina Ground Turkey (12 oz) – $1.00
Gwaltney Pork Sausage (12 oz) – $1.00
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Oscar Mayer Wieners (16 oz) – $1.00
Oscar Mayer Bologna (12 oz) – $1.00
Oscar Mayer Lunchables (4 oz) – $1.00
Banquet Dinners, Assorted Varieties – $1.00
Pillsbury Grand Biscuits (16 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 11/20 Smart Source (Expires 2/11/12)
Use $0.40/2 coupon from insert 12/11 Smart Source (3/3/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 11/20 Smart Source (Expires 2/11/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 12/11 Smart Source (Expires 3/3/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 1/8 General Mills (Expires 3/31/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 11/13 General Mills (Expires 2/4/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 12/4 Smart Source (Expires 2/25/12)
Use $0.40/3 coupon from insert 11/20 Smart Source (Expires 2/11/12)
Use $0.40/3 coupon from insert 12/4 Smart Source (Expires 2/15/12)
Use $0.40/3 coupon from insert 12/11 Smart Source (Expires 3/3/12)
As low as $0.67 each after couponBuyers Best Crinkle Cut French Fries (32 oz) – $1.00
Save A Lot Today Chicken Strips or Meatballs (7 to 9 oz) – $1.00
Banquet Brown ‘n Serve Sausage Links, Maple or Original (6 oz) – $1.00
Budding Deli Cuts (Ham, Chicken, Turkey, Roast Beef) 3 to 4 oz – $1.00
Hormel Pepperoni or Hard Salami (3.5 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 1/15 Smart Source (Expires 3/15/12)
Use $0.55/2 printable coupon from Hormel
As low as $0.50 each after couponHinsdalel Corn Dogs (3 count) – $1.00
Fisher Boy Fish Sticks (6 oz) – $1.00
Fisher Boy Shrimp Poppers (4 oz) – $1.00
Tortino’s Pizza Rolls, Pepperoni or Cheese (15 count) – $1.00
Tony’s Crispy Crust Pizza, Pepperoni or Supreme (9 to 10 oz) – $1.00
Produce
Oranges (4 pounds) – $2.99
Potatoes (10 pounds) – $2.99
Mini Carrots – $1.00
Head Lettuce – $1.00
Tomatoes (3 pack) – $1.00
Russet Potatoes (5 pounds) – $1.99
Onions (3 pounds) – $1.29
Red or Yellow Peppers – $1.00
Avocados – $1.00
Yellow Onions (3 pounds) – $1.00
Grocery
Betty Crocker Hamburger or Chicken Helper, Assorted Varieties – $1.00
Sundia Fruit Cups, Assorted Varieties (8 oz) – $1.00
Chef Boyardee Canned Pasta, Assorted Varieties (14 to 15 oz) – $1.00
Use $0.50/4 coupon from 1/1 Smart Source (2/5/12)
$0.88 each after couponDiane’s Garden Tomatoes, Whole, Petite or Crushed (28 oz) – $1.00
Nissan Souper Meals, Assorted Varieties (4.3 oz) – $1.00
Hormel Micro Cups, Assorted Varieties (7.5 oz) – $1.00
Wylwood Cut Green Beans or Whole Kernel Corn (28 to 29 oz) – $1.00
Progresso Vegetable Classic Soups, Assorted Varieties (19 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/4 coupon from insert 12/11 Smart Source (Expires 2/4/12)
Use $1.00/4 coupon from insert 1/8 Smart Source (Expires 3/3/12)
$0.75 each after couponLay’s Stax, Assorted Varieties (5.5 to 5.75 oz) – $1.00
Bud’s Best Bite Size Cookies, Assorted Varieties (6 oz) – $1.00
Knorr Sides, Assorted Varieties (4 to 7 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 1/29 Red Plum (Expires 2/26/12)
Use $0.50/2 coupon from insert 1/29 Red Plum (Expires 2/26/12)
As low as $0.67 each after couponChicken of the Sea White Tuna (5 oz) – $1.00
Kraft Mac & Cheese, Assorted Varieties – $1.00
Hawaiian Punch, Assorted Varieties (32 oz) – $1.00
Malt O Meal Cereal (10 to 12 oz) – $1.00
Use $1.00/3 printable coupon from Malt O Meal
$0.67 each after couponBetty Crocker Flavored Mashed Potatoes (4 to 6 oz) – $1.00
Kool Aid Bursts (40.5 oz) – $1.00
Red Gold Ketchup (36 oz) – $1.00
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.
For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
Book: “Dining On A Dime” Cookbook by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper
If you could save $10,000 a year on food without cutting coupons would you be interested? I had the privilege of receiving Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper’s newest edition, November 2011, of their Dining On A Dime Cookbook Eat Better, Spend Less! The authors packed in more than 1200 great recipes and money saving tips in this cookbook. One of the challenges they gave is to see how much you could save in one year by cutting out just one thing. For example, by reducing the amount of meat you eat each week by 1.5 pounds you could save over $400 a year. They cover a variety of recipes and tips in their book, here are a few:
- How It Adds Up
- Basics of Frugal Cooking
- Beverages
- Breakfast
- Breads
- Soups & Sandwiches
- Vegetables, Beans, Pasta, & Rice
- Salads, Dressings, Pickles, and Dips
- Meats & Main Dishes
- Cakes, Pies, Candy, Cookies, & Desserts
- Mixes, Gift Baskets, & Jars
- Kids
- Cleaning Cents
- Pretty for Pennies
The authors challenge you to take small steps to change your life. Whether you start with planning your meals, organizing your home, or saving money it is the little steps over time that give you results. Their menu planning ideas include recipes you can make for picky eaters or quick dinners for those busy days. I like that they have sections on using up your leftovers, making your own cleaning & beauty supplies, gift baskets, and more. They use a good mix of great information and light hearted humor.
Here are a couple of quotes / tips that made me smile:
If you want to see a cup runneth over, let a child pour his own soda.
When your house looks like a bomb hit it and company calls from a block away set your vacuum by the front door and say, “Come on in! I was just cleaning”
You have two choices for dinner. Take it or leave it.
The problem – how to get 2 pounds of chocolate home in a hot car. The solution – eat it in the parking lot.
Some of the information and recipes made me laugh out loud…..”Elephant Soup” simply hilarious! One of my favorite non-food recipes was their “Recipe for a Happy Marriage” (loved that one). While they may not have convince me to try “Liver and Onions” again Tawra and Jill did a wonderful job putting together a useful and entertaining cookbook to have in your kitchen. The best part is their recipes only require a handful of ingredients and most (if not all) of the items you will find in your kitchen pantry.
At the end of the book they have separate indexes for looking up tips, leftovers, and recipes making it easy to look up what you want. I look forward to trying more of the recipes, tips, and seeing if these help our family save even more. This cookbook would be a great wedding gift or birthday gift for those who are beginning to cook or a novice. It offers practical tips, great recipes, and may even make you smile!
Please visit Dining on a Dime Cookbook’s website if you want to learn more about this book.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Recipe: Cinnamon Tortilla Chips & Fruit Salsa
I recently made Cinnamon Tortilla Chips & Fruit Salsa to bring to a friends house. The sweet chips and fruit salsa are a wonderful combination. I received my inspiration for this recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything. My Fruit Salsa had a different blend of fruit in it (mainly because I used what I had on hand) and I cut the recipe in half. The recipe was a hit!
Cinnamon Tortilla Chips & Fruit Salsa:
Fruit Salsa
- 2 diced Red Delicious Apples
- 1 peeled and diced Orange
- 1 cup diced Strawberries
- 1/2 cup halved Cranberries
- 1/2 cup Pomegranate Seeds
- 1 tablespoon White Sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Fruit Preserves (I used half Peach-Raspberry Jam and half Pear Honey made by my cousin Renelle)
Cinnamon Tortilla Chips
- 10 (10 inch) Flour Tortillas
- Melted Butter or Cooking Spray
- 1 cup Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Cinnamon
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix 1 cup of granulated sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside. Coat both sides of a flour tortilla with melted butter or butter flavored cooking spray. Dip the buttered tortilla into the sugar and cinnamon mixture (or sprinkle the sugar / cinnamon mixture over the buttered tortilla). Use cooking scissors to cut the tortilla into wedges and place in a single layer onto a baking sheet. Spray the top of the tortilla wedges with cooking spray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat until you have finished the tortillas.
- Wash, peel and dice all the fresh fruit. Place the fruit in a bowl and mix. Add the white sugar, brown sugar, and fruit preserves and stir thoroughly. Cover the fruit and chill for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Serve the Cinnamon Tortilla Chips with chilled fruit mixture. You can use this salsa with cinnamon graham crackers, cinnamon pita chips, or any type of cinnamon chips.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of January 25 – 31, 2012
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. It is a great time to stock up on some Save A Lot deals. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Port Side Polluck Fillets (16 oz) – $2.99
Port Side Salmon Fillets (16 oz) – $4.99
Curly’s, BBQ Beef or Pork (18 oz) – $3.99
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Mr. P’s Pizza, Pepperoni or Supreme (6.5 oz) – $0.79
Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt (4 pack, 24 oz) – $1.79
Take ‘n Bake Pizza, Supreme or Pepperoni (33 to 36 oz) – $5.99
Take ‘n Bake Cheese Pizza (33 oz) – $5.49
Save A Lot Today Pizza Rolls (7.5 oz) – $0.99
Mantia’s French Bread Pizza (11 oz) – $1.99
Morning Delight Buttermilk Waffles (12.3 oz) – $1.69
Snack-A-Tizers Cream Cheese Jalapenos (8 oz) – $2.39
Household
Wrightware Foam Plates (100 count) – $2.49
Grocery
Chex Mix Snack Mix (5.5 oz) – $0.99
Use $0.60/1 printable coupon from Eat Better America
Use $0.50/2 coupon from insert 1/8 General Mills (Expires 3/3/12)
Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 1/8 General Mills (Expires 3/3/12)
As low as $0.39 each after couponBetty Crocker Fruit Snacks and Fruit Roll Ups (4 to 5 oz) – $1.99
Use $0.50/2 coupon from insert 1/8 General Mills (Expires 3/3/12)
Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 1/8 General Mills (Expires 3/3/12)
As low as $1.49 each after couponKeebler Town House or Club Crackers (11 to 16 oz) – $2.49
JJ’s Pies, Cherry, Apple or Chocolate (4 oz) – $0.50
Del Monte Spaghetti Sauce, Assorted Variety (26.5 oz) – $0.99
Budget Gourmet, Fettuccine Alfredo or Mac n Cheese (7.5 oz) – $0.69
V8 Vegetable Juice, Regular or Low Sodium (64 oz) – $2.99
Use $2.00/3 printable coupon from V8 Juice
Use $1.00/2 printable coupon from Campbell’s Kitchen
Use $0.75/2 coupon from insert 1/1 Smart Source (2/12/12)
Use $0.50/2 coupon from insert 1/1 Smart Source (2/12/12)
As low as $2.33 each after couponSweet Bunz Big Honey Bun (7.5 oz) – $0.88
Sun-Maid Raisin English Muffin (15 oz) – $1.49
J Higgs Potato Chips, Assorted Varieties (8 oz) – $1.29
J Higgs Pretzels (12 oz) – $1.19
J Higgs Tortilla Chips (11 oz) $1.49
Senora Verde Salsa (16 oz) – $1.49
J Higgs Cheese Bit Crackers (9 oz) – $1.69
Ginger Evans Pudding Cups (14 oz) – $0.89
Mantia Spaghetti (16 oz) – $0.99
Mantia’s Pizza Crust Mix (6.5 oz) – $0.49
Mantia’s Pizza Sauce (16 oz) – $0.99
Wylwood Stems and Pieces (4 oz) – $0.69
Kaskey’s Chicken Noodle Soup (10.5 oz) – $0.59
Morning Delight Complete Buttermilk Pancake Mix (32 oz) – $1.89
Morning Delight Syrup (24 oz) – $1.79
Bramley’s Honey Bear (12 oz) – $2.89
Ginger Evans Muffin Mix (4.5 oz) – $0.69
Maruchan Ramen Noodles, Chicken or Beef (6 pack) – $0.99
Port Side Sardines – $0.99
Save A Lot Today Cereal, Assorted Varieties (7 oz) – $1.00
Chef’s Finest Croutons (5 oz) – $1.19
McCormick Bacon Bits (4.4 oz) – $1.49
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.
For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4
I wasn’t able to spend a lot of time shopping the sales this week with all the extra stuff going on around here (including sick family members for a couple days), but I was able to go to a couple stores and pick up some stuff. Most of the stuff I stocked up on were items that we can use over the next few weeks. Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.
Groceries from Ingles and Walgreens
Ingles Groceries:
- $27.93 at Ingles for 1 loaf Laura Lynn Bread, 2 boxes Act II HomePop Popcorn, 2 boxes Act II Light Popcorn, 2 boxes Act II Butter Popcorn, 2 bags Laura Lynn Oyster Crackers, 2 jars Vlasic Dill Relish, 3 bags Laura Lynn Shredded Cheese, 1 container Deans Onion Dip, 2 boxes Yogurt (clearance for 50 cents each), 1 block Sharp Cheddar Cheese, 2 bags English Muffins, 4 tubes Laura Lynn Texas Biscuits, 2 tubes Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, and 2 loaves French Bread. (Everything I bought this week at Ingles was on sale, marked down, or on clearance. I was able to pick up some more cheese on sale, and used some coupons for the items purchased!)
Walgreens Groceries:
- $7.27 at Walgreens for 2 gallons Milk, 1 box South Beach Granola Bars, 4 boxes Mountain Dew (12 packs), (everything was on sale, I used coupons, registered rewards, and I received $5.99 in Register Rewards back to use towards my next purchase.)
This week I spent $35.20 on groceries. Even though I was under on my budgeted amount for the week I was able to stock up on some items at the same time. I was thrilled to stock up on bread and diary items as well as other great fridge & pantry items this week. I hope that next week is better week and we can come under budget!
It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks! As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me. I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too. The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.
Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances. Life doesn’t always go as planned. We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given. Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life. A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others. There is so much more to life than having all the stuff. We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.
Recipe: Pizza Cups
Pizza Cup
Our family enjoys pizza cups. This main dish contains only 4 ingredients and easy to put together. You can make them from scratch or if you have leftover spaghetti or lasagna meat sauce you can make these pretty quickly. These are simple, fun, and delicious for the family to eat for dinner (plus you can use up some of your leftovers). The girls like helping put these pizza cups together and taking them to school.
Pizza Cups:
- 1/2 pound lean Ground Beef
- 1/2 (12 oz) jar Spaghetti Sauce
- 1 (8 count) can Biscuits
- 4 oz shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Pepperoni Slices (optional)
Brown the ground beef in a pan, drain the excess oil. Add the spaghetti sauce to the meat and heat until begins to boil then turn down to simmer. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the biscuits in half, flatten them, and press them into a greased cupcake cups (16 count). Use an ice cream scoop and put the meat mixture into the biscuit cup, sprinkle shredded cheese over it, and bake for 10 minutes (or until the cheese melts).
Whole Biscuit
Cut the biscuits in half
Biscuits pressed into a cupcake pan.
Scoop meat sauce mixture into the individual biscuit cups.
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the meat mixture
Baked Pizza Cup
New Coupon: Planters Peanut Butter
Planters Peanut Butter has a new coupon! Use $1.50 off 2 Planters Peanut Butter Coupon right now. The coupon is for a 16 oz jar of Planters Peanut Butter. With the sales at the stores this week the peanut butter a little over $1.00 each!
Publix
Planters Peanut Butter (16 oz) BOGO – $3.69 ($1.84 ea.)
Use $1.50/2 Planters Coupon
$1.09 each after couponWalmart
Planters Peanut Butter (16 oz) – $1.98
Use $1.50/2 Planters Coupon
$1.23 each after couponTarget
Planters Peanut Butter (16 oz) – $1.99
Use $1.50/2 Planters Coupon
$1.24 each after couponIf you don’t need peanut butter right now print out the coupon and hold onto it until the next $1.50 Planters Peanut Butter sale and get the peanut for $0.75 each! Great time to stock up on peanut butter with this coupon. These will come in handy with the school and work lunches.
