Toys R Us Gift Card Giveaway

September 26, 2012 By

Happy Win It Wednesday!

This week we have an awesome $25 Toys R Us gift card giveaway, sponsored by 1 Tough Mother!  Who doesn’t love Toys R Us?  Whether you choose to spend your gift card on your child’s Halloween costume, or start on your holiday shopping early, you can’t go wrong.

Nicholle Bays, who happens to be my best friend, really is one tough mother.  She is a stay-at-home mom to four boys, ages ten to two.   She has a great sense of humor regarding her adventures in motherhood and life in general.  She is celebrating 300 fans on Facebook and will be launching her blog site very soon!

The contests starts on Wednesday, September 26th and goes through Sunday night, September 30th.  A random winner will be drawn on Monday, October 1st.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: General

Meal Planning Monday ~ The Glory of Autumn

September 24, 2012 By

 

This week’s post is by Leah Kelley.

Cooler temps, the leaves are starting to change colors, and Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back.  Yep, it’s officially autumn.  This is my favorite season ~ Halloween, pumpkin farms, and cozy sweaters are just a few reasons why I love this time of year.  I also love cooking in the cooler weather.  I tend to use my crock pot more in the fall and winter.  I thought I’d share a few of my favorite fall crock pot recipes.

Chili ~ My husband loves chili, so this is a staple in our house.  I like experimenting with different chili recipes: black bean chili, vegetarian chili, and white chicken chili to name a few.  Chili also freezes very well, so I make a double batch and freeze half.

Ham and Green Beans ~ This is so easy to throw together.  All you need is ham, green beans, salt, pepper, and chicken broth. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Black Bean Soup ~ A friend of mine in my Facebook recipe group recommended this recipe.    It’s so good and it also freezes well.

Pot Roast ~ there’s nothing like coming home to the smell of roast cooking in the crock pot. My family loves leftover pot roast sandwiches.  I love meals I can make once and get two to three more meals out of.

Baked Apples ~ I haven’t tried these yet.  I did put them on my “To Make” list for fall foods.

Carnitas ~ I don’t instantly think fall when I think of carnitas, but this recipe is so good and it’s another one that makes my house smell amazing.

Pumpkin anything ~ Alright that doesn’t fit into the crock pot category, but who doesn’t love pumpkin flavored anything in the fall?  Here’s a great recipe for pumpkin pancakes.

Here is the recipe for Baked Apples in the crock pot.  If you try them out let me know how you like them.

Baked Apples

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons trans-fat free margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 Gala or Macintosh apples, cored
1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider
2 tablespoons orange liquor (optional)

Directions

Preheat a large crock-pot on high heat and preset it for 3 hours.  In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, walnuts, margarine, and cinnamon.  Fill the apples with the filling and place them in the crock-pot.  Pour in the apple juice or cider and the liquor, if using.  Cover and cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours on high heat until the apples are soft and begin to collapse.

Filed Under: Meal Planning Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

National Coffee Day Giveaway

September 20, 2012 By

National Coffee Day is September 29th!  I know how much CCQ fans LOVE their coffee!  So to celebrate this awesome occasion, Confessions of a Coupon Queen, Frugal 4 Four, So Cal Coupon Mommy, Two in Diapers and many other AMAZING bloggers have teamed up to bring you a National Coffee Day Giveaway with your chance to win a Keuirg B60 Special Edition Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System which has a list price of $189.99!

 

Product Description:

The Special Edition Brewing System is our mid-luxury home brewing system that offers a blend of styling and convenient features. The Special Edition features chrome accents, a blue, back lit LCD display and three brew size options. Programmable features include a Digital Clock, Adjustable Temperature and Auto On/Off. The 48-ounce removable water reservoir holds up to eight cups before refilling and for the removable drip tray allows for easy cleaning and the use of travel mugs.At initial set up, once the machine is filled with water, it will take approximately 4-minutes for the water will be heated. During the heating period the red light next to ‘HEATING’ on the LED Control Center will become illuminated. Once the water is heated, the red light will turn off and the Small Mug Button will flash. Press the Small Mug Button to start a cleansing brew. Pour the hot water into the sink. The Brewer may take 15 seconds to reheat water between brews during which time the red light next to ‘HEATING’ on the LED Control Center may be illuminated. When the water has heated, the red light will turn off. The one-time set-up process is now complete and you are ready to brew!

 

This giveaway will run from September 20th at 12:01am EST to September 29th at 11:59pm. Giveaway is open to US residents 18 and over. Enter in the Rafflecopter below! GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: General

Rise & Shine Dunkin Donuts $10 Gift Card Giveaway

September 19, 2012 By

Happy Win It Wednesday!  Rise and Shine with this great $10 Dunkin Donuts gift card giveaway!  We all know that Dunkin has great coffee and donuts, but I was pleased to find some healthier options on the menu, like their tasty Egg White Flatbread sandwiches.  No matter what you choose to spend your gift card on, it’s sure to be delicious!

This giveaway runs from Wednesday, September 19th through Friday, September 21st.  A random winner will be drawn on Saturday morning.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: General, Giveaways, Win It Wednesday Tagged With: , , ,

Meal Planning Monday ~ Cashing in at the Co-op

September 17, 2012 By

Leah has been asking me to come and check out the produce co-op she belongs to for months, and two weeks ago, I finally went. Why did I wait SO long?? The produce co-op is AWESOME, and I joined after my first visit! What is a co-op, (which is short for the word cooperative)? Essentially it is any business that is owned by the people who use it. Co-ops are operated for the benefit of the members, not to make a profit for investors. This means great prices!

For this particular food co-op, there is a $5 one-time fee to join, plus $5 per month, and you must be brought in by a current member. I felt like it was some kind of secret, underground grocery club that I never knew existed! These fees are easily offset by the produce prices, and you can take a turn working the co-op instead of paying the fee.

The produce selection varies and I receive an email the day before telling me what’s available. Much of produce is organic. Last week’s haul, pictured above, included 2-pound packages of portabella mushrooms for $1.25 each, packages of organic blueberries and celery for 75 cents, three pounds of potatoes for $1, and lemons, limes, onions, and garlic for a quarter apiece! Typically, when I do my meal planning, I’m flexible with my side dishes. For example, before the month began, I scheduled chicken bruschetta this week. However, I’m flexible about whether I’m going to make it with rice or potatoes, green beans or cauliflower. This allows me to make the most of what produce is on sale at the grocery store or co-op.

So, how do you find and join a food co-op, so you can start saving, too? Check out the Co-op Directory Listing or check out Local Harvest for co-ops and farmers markets. I think I’m going to have a line of friends and family who want to come with me to the co-op this week! Hmm, who should I pick first?

Here is my meal plan for this week.

 
Monday ~ Dinner out with my good friend, Heather, to one of my all-time favorite restaurants, Oriental Wok!

Tuesday ~ I’m teaching Financial Peace University tonight, so I’ll probably heat up some of the Taco Soup I have in the freezer.

Wednesday ~ Chicken sausage with red pepper and onion and parmesan potatoes.

Thursday ~ Chicken bruschetta, wild rice, and drunken mushrooms. Very excited to try the mushroom recipe! I want to test it first and make sure it’s good before I give you the recipe.

Friday ~ Spicy tilapia, mac and cheese, and broccoli

Saturday ~ I am having a Miche purse party this night, so I will probably have a Lean Cuisine for an early dinner, since I’ll be serving a cheese tray, wine, and chocolate covered cherry cupcakes for the party! If I’m running short on time, I will use store-bought frosting for the cupcakes.
Sunday ~ Homemade vegetable soup and hot ham and cheese sandwiches on rye bread.

Filed Under: General

Hidden Treasure & Diamond Candles Giveaway

September 15, 2012 By

Super Frugal Stephanie is celebrating 20K!

Prizes include 2 Diamond Candles & 2 Hidden Treasure Candles! These candles have prizes worth up to $5k in them! Including the possibility of winning an iPad or even Tiffany Jewelry!

Confessions of a Coupon Queen is happy to help Super Frugal Stephanie celebrate her success with an awesome giveaway!  Here’s what Stephanie has to say about reaching this milestone.

“Thank you for all your support and helping me reach this milestone! I appreciate it so much! I love being here to help you all save and bringing you product reviews and giveaways! Stay tuned for many other exciting events in the future! I would also like to thank all of the bloggers who have supported me and for joining in this giveaway for my celebration!”

Please enter to win one of 4 candles using the Rafflecopter below. Be sure to do the tasks before submitting the Rafflecopter entry. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: General

Ky Girl’s Crafts Halloween Giveaway

September 12, 2012 By

Happy Win It Wednesday!  We’ve got a special three-day giveaway this week from KY Girl’s Crafts!  If you’re the winner, you’ll receive a custom embroidered onesie or toddler t-shirt of your choice with your child’s name on it!

KY Girl’s Crafts’ prices are VERY reasonable!  Many of their shirts are only $10.75 plus shipping and they will embroider your child’s name for FREE.  They will also do custom embroidery for you.  Check out the adorable Halloween designs they offer!

They also do embroidery for adult shirts and will digitize and embroider your business logo.  Entering the contest is easy with the Rafflecopter form below.  You can earn extra entries by commenting here on the blog and telling us which fall or Halloween design is your favorite!  You can find additional designs on KY Girl’s Crafts Etsy page.  Good luck!  I’ll draw a winner on Saturday morning.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: General

Meal Planning Monday ~ Special Orders Don’t Upset Us!

September 10, 2012 By

This week’s post is by Sherry Nehl, a fellow member of the Facebook recipe group and Leah and I belong to.  I’ve asked her to share how she overcomes the challenge of having several people in her family on special or restricted diets.

            This is my very first post and I’m grateful to Christine for allowing me the opportunity.  I’ve always loved being in the kitchen and cooking for my family and friends.  As our family has grown, our needs have become more and more diverse.  Within our family of six, you’ll find a peanut allergy, a vegetarian, and an amateur vegan.

            Here is what works for us.  I clean out our refrigerator and pantry on Fridays, and then make the shopping list and menu plan for the following week.  Any fruits that are past their prime go into snack-sized freezer bags for smoothies and veggies go into a large freezer bag to make vegetable stock.

            Saturdays are my shopping day.  I like to set out breakfast and leave before anyone wakes up!  I usually go to Aldi, Sam’s Club, and Kroger every 2-3 weeks.  During the summer I’ll go to the Farmer’s Market first (and, to be honest, every garage sale I pass).  I keep a cooler in my trunk since I make multiple stops.

            Sundays are for meal prep, which saves me time during the rest of the week.  I usually peel and mince three whole heads of garlic to keep in the fridge for the next few weeks.  I wash the veggies and fruits in a vinegar/salt solution and let them dry thoroughly.  For this meal plan, I make up the BBQ rub, BBQ sauce, a big batch of spaghetti sauces (vegan and meat-based, but store-bought is also fine) and assemble and freeze the lasagnas in loaf pans.  On the days when I have chicken scheduled, our vegetarians will omit it and eat just the side dishes.  Here’s our plan for this week.

Monday ~ Spaghetti with Meat Sauce or Vegan Bolognese (see recipe below), served with rolls and green salad.

Tuesday ~ Lemon Roasted Chicken, Pesto Pasta Salad (see recipe below), and Oven Roasted Corn.

Wednesday ~ Pulled chicken sandwiches with, black beans, rice, corn, and caramelized onion (aka BBRC).

Thursday ~ Meat Lasagna and Vegan, Gluten-Free Lasagna with rolls and green salad.

Friday ~  BBQ drumsticks, cheese quesadillas, and leftover BBRC.

Sherry Nehl is a brand-new blogger and full-time mother of four boys.  She loves to entertain, bake delicious desserts, and trade recipes with friends.

 

Pesto Pasta Salad

  • One box of bow-tie pasta
  • One jar of pesto sauce (or homemade)
  • One pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
  • One (8-oz) container of Sun-dried Tomato Feta Cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions and rinse well with cool water.  Add pesto and toss.  Add tomatoes and feta and serve.  For vegans, omit the feta.

 

Vegan Bolognese Sauce/Meat & Veggie Sauce

This will make enough sauce for 8 dinners total (4 vegan, 4 meat-based) and freezes beautifully.  You can easily omit the mushrooms and double the meat, or vice versa.  If there aren’t any good coupon match-ups for canned tomatoes, I buy the restaurant-sized cans of crushed tomatoes at Sam’s Club for less than $3.00.

  • 102 oz. of crushed tomatoes
  • 4-6 oz. of tomato paste
  • 1-2 cups of red wine or vegetable stock.
  • 4 yellow or white onions, peeled and chopped
  • 4-5 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 4 stalks of celery, cleaned and chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 2 packages (8-10 links) of hot or sweet Italian sausage
  • 3 red bell peppers
  • 16 oz. of mushrooms (any variety, Port0bello are recommended)
  • One large bunch of parsley, washed and minced
  • 2 Tablespoons of dried basil and oregano (can substitute fresh)
  • 4 T. crushed red pepper (optional)
  • Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast

 

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  In a food processor, chop onion, carrot, and celery until fine.  Add to hot skillet and cook until onions are starting to turn golden brown.  Add a splash of red wine or stock as needed to deglaze the pan.  Turn heat to medium and add garlic.  Cook until fragrant, continuing to deglaze the pan as necessary.  Turn off fire and remove pan from heat.  Remove vegetable mixture from pan and set aside.

Heat skillet to medium-high again.  Add mushrooms and bell peppers, continuing to deglaze when necessary.  Cook until the mushrooms have released their moisture, and that moisture has been cooked off.

Meanwhile, heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 cups of water.  Slice open the sausages and remove from their casings.  Crumble meat as it cooks until the sausage is no longer pink.  Drain and set aside.

With skillet and Dutch oven both over medium heat, divide onion/carrot/celery mixture into pans.  Add equal amount of tomato paste to both pans and stir into the vegetables.  Once combined, add mushrooms mix back into skillet and cooked sausage back into Dutch oven.  Add crushed or diced tomatoes, dividing equally and bring to a slow simmer.  Reduce heat to low and add all of the herbs and spices, dividing equally.  Simmer for 30-60 minutes and serve or freeze.

For pasta, top with parmesan cheese.

Filed Under: Meal Planning Tagged With: , , ,

SodaStream Giveaway!

September 6, 2012 By

Shopping with Les and Save the Coupons have teamed up to bring you a SodaStream Giveaway!

Enter to Win a SodaStream for your family, September 6th – September 15th

Confessions of a Coupon Queen is excited to be a part of this awesome giveaway!

I love the taste of a cold bubbly soft drink, so when I was offered the chance to review and giveaway a SodaStream machine I was thrilled.

When our SodaStream arrived, my husband was just as excited as I was to be able to make his own soda. Our kit came with the SodaStream Fountain Jet, 1 Carbonating Bottle, 6 full size bottles of soda mix, a 6 pack variety sample pack of soda flavors and a 3 pack of sparkling water/seltzer flavors.

To make our own soda was extremely easy, and within 5 minutes of opening the box, we had our first bottle of Root Beer! I had a tall glass, poured over ice and it was DELICIOUS! Best of all, the root beer only has 35 calories per serving, and it’s made with Splenda (there is no aspartame in any of their ingredients), so it wasn’t a diet killer!

Next we made a bottle of the Cola. I am usually very brand loyal when it comes to Cola, so I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it or not. It definitely tasted different than my favorite brand, but it was still very good…I’ve managed to make enough bottles to finish off the cola mix they sent us!

My kids have never tasted soda, they pretty much only water drinkers (if only I ate and drank the way I’ve taught them!), but they wanted in on the SodaStream fun too, so I mixed up some seltzer for everyone to try. This is now my eldest daughter’s favorite treat, she likes the raspberry flavor best.

To use the SodaStream, all you have to do is fill the bottle they provide with water, put it into the machine and push a button to carbonate! Once your water is bubbly enough for you, you add in your flavor, shake gently and then DRINK UP! I really like that you can make the drinks more or less bubbly, and more or less sweet depending on your personal preference. With the soda, once you add the flavor you cannot add any more carbonation, but you can with the seltzer. Also, unlike a soda bottle from the store, if you seal this tightly, and keep it in the refrigerator, the carbonation will last up to a week!

Thanks to SodaStream USA, 1 Lucky reader will win a Fountain Jet Soda Lover’s Start-Up Kit ($99.95), which includes:

  • Fountain Jet – winner’s choice of color (black/silver, red/silver or white)
  • 1 carbonating bottle, reusable for up to 3 years
  • Reusable carbonator to fizz up to 60L of soda
  • Variety 6-pack of popular sample-size flavors
  • 3 full-sized flavors of the winner’s choice

The giveaway is open to US Residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In order to write this review, I received a SodaStream and a variety of flavors from SodaStream USA. I did not receive any other compensation, and the opinions are solely my own. For more information, please read the Save the Coupons Disclosure Policy.

Filed Under: General

Grandparents Day Giveaway!

September 5, 2012 By

GRANDPARENTS DAY

is September 9th

To Celebrate, Confessions of a Coupon Queen,  So Cal Coupon Mommy, Frugal 4 Four, Dixieland Deals and other amazing bloggers have teamed up with Candy Favorites and York Photo to bring you this awesome giveaway.

TWO prizes = TWO winners…..

One lucky winner will receive a Photo Fleece Blanket from York Photo.

Show off your most special memories when you wrap up in this one-of-a-kind soft, fleece blanket! The blanket is a lightweight poly-fiber material printed with an extra large image. It’s a sure conversation piece in any room. Poly-fiber fleece that can be machine washed and dried a high resolution image required and the blanket is 40′x60″
With a Retail Price of $44.99

Another LUCKY winner will receive a $30.00 Site Credit to Candy Favorites.com to purchase some YUMMY candy and treats!

 

 

This giveaway is open to US residents 18 and over. All entries are optional however the more you do the more chances you have of winning. The giveaway ends on 9/9/12 at 11:59pm EST! GOOD LUCK!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: General
« Older Posts