Striped Delight

I made this dessert up for the Relief Society Christmas Party that Susie planned. I put the crushed candy cane on it before I put it in the refrigerator. The condensation that occurs when a wrapped dessert is in the fridge with candy cane on top is not a good mix. It was fine for the dinner but it got really gooey the next day. So when I made it for Christmas, I left the candy cane in a dish for those who wanted it and they could spoon it on their own dessert square. I quite enjoyed mine without the peppermint flavor the second time I made it.

Striped Delight
C. Smart

35 OREO chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)
6 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. sugar
2 Tbsp. cold milk
1 tub (12 oz.) COOL WHIP whipped topping, thawed, divided
3-1/4 Cups cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O chocolate Flavor instant pudding & pie filling

Mix crushed cookes and butter in medium bowl. Press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Refrigerate 10 min. Beat cream cheese, sugar and 2 Tbsp. milk in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Gently stir in 1-1/4 Cups of the whipped topping. Spread over crust. Pour 3-1/4 cups milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whish 2 min. or until well blended. Pour over cream cheese layer. Let stand 5 min. or until thickened. Drop remaining whipped topping by spoonfuls over pudding layer; spread to evenly cover pudding. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Cut into 24 squares. Sore leftover dessert in refrigerator. Crush 2-3 candy canes to serve on top.

Sweet Salad Dressing

This recipe came from the hubs. He had to halve it so that it didn't make a quart at a time. I've been making salad with chopped romaine, sweet candies pecans, sliced scallions and feta crumbles and putting this on top and it's so good. Would be good with blue cheese crumbles instead of feta. I've been told that this tastes just like the Brianna's brand red wine vinegar salad dressing but it is much more cost effective. The hubs bought a gallon of the the red wine vinegar at a restaurant warehouse store, most probably Smart & Final. He probably spent less on the gallong of vinegar than one bottle of Brianna's would be. So try it, it's really good.

Sweet Salad Dressing

1 1/2 C. sugar
1 C. red wine vinegar
1 C. vegetable oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. garlic powder or to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Other herbs if desired or use 1/2 tsp. of garlic herb seasoning and omit garlic powder, salt and pepper and herbs.

Put sugar and vinegar in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients and shake them together until emulsified. If it's cold from the fridge it stays mixed together longer.

Christmas

Susie gave me the link to a blog and I just checked it out. http://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/ This woman sounds perfect. I have to admit that I may have growled when I read about her perfect Christmas. We decorated our tree on the 23rd. We got it on the 12th. It was the Monday night it poured rain and it took a few days for it to dry out. I never got the little village out. I wrapped presents, mostly stuffing things into bags at 11p.m. on Christmas Eve. I lost the Gift Cards for our gifts and found them Christmas day while cleaning out my purse and waiting for Matt to call. I snagged the very last bag of hash browns for cheesy potatoes at Bashas on Friday evening for our Christmas dinner. There was a terrible juice mishap that soggied up some of our appetizers before Christmas dinner. I forgot to chill the "Princess" water until Christmas morning (our daughter only drinks bottled water, so therefore, we now call it "Princess" water). Our Christmas was not as well executed as yourhomebasedmom's, but it was great none the less. We got to talk to our son in Honduras for 70 glorious minutes. Here is how it worked. He called after what seemed like an eternity after the planned noon phone call. It was maybe closer to 1p.m. They had gone to lunch and walked the 15 minute walk home. He said that he could talk for five minutes and then he would have to hang up and call again. He could talk for five more minutes and then would have to hang up and then he could talk for an hour. An hour and ten minutes has never gone by so fast for me before. He sounds great and seems happy. He is outside San Pedro Sula in a town called Jerusalen. By Planeta, which is by LaLima. La Lima is the only one of those other than San Pedro Sula that I can find on a map. He has a companion from Costa Rica now who is 28 yrs. old (big age span....a 19 yr. old greenie and a 28 yr. old with one month left) and whose total English consists of "What's up dude?" Then Matt gave us his 19 yr. old cook's name and my daughter is now friends with her on Facebook. Still unbelievable to me the connections that Facebook can render. We will only be able to communicate with her using Google translate. So my none bean loving son in the U.S. loves beans in Honduras. He loves Baleadas, which are like a taco on a flour tortilla, with scrambled eggs and beans and a crema or soft cheese or sour cream like thing on it. He told me that name but I have forgotten it. I will have to google lest I guess and say something embarrassing. We also learned that he ate two pounds of M&M's that I sent him in about two hours. The celebration for Christmas in their town or in Honduras was on the 24th. He said that the 25th was like an ordinary day. On the 24th there were fireworks and tamales fed to them at every appointment that they went to. We had a great visit with him and the blessings of his serving a mission are apparent every day.

So this season I have discovered some amazing new recipes which I will share with you tomorrow and I plan on checking the new grocery ads tomorrow and hope to make a budget menu out of them. Hope that you all had a Merry Christmas.

Another candy coupon

go to http://http://www.coupons.com/ to get a $1.50 off of one Mars candy bag. I was only able to print off one. Use it with the store coupon at Walgreen's and get 1 bag for .49.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Oct. 26-Nov.1

Okay, so I've crunched and crunched these numbers to get to where I'm at. I can't for the life of me figure out why it's so high this week because there aren't any eggs and there are no frills. I think it's the few prepared items....they really drive the budget up, so replace as you will. And I didn't have a sale price on milk so it's probably twice the price of what you can find it for. I had intended also on using the moonlight madness at Fry's prices but didn't get this done in time to do that. Frankly I am getting a little frustrated by all of the sales within an ad week, how can one keep it all straight. One sale is on 3-9p.m. on Thurs. Another has items that you can get at that sale price only on Fri.-Mon. Another store offers sale items on for one day on occasion and other sale within a sale prices offer a special price only if a purchase of $25 or more is met. Other sales within the sales, buy 10 items or 8 items of certain items to be able to get the sale price. One slip in counting and it's all confusion and chaos with those deals at checkout with the cashier going through my 3 foot long register tape scrutinizing every purchase and counting repeatedly and I'm paying for my groceries and then walking back in the store to get 8 more things to add up to my 10 b/c I didn't count right and the cashier talks me into getting 8 more things that I don't need to get the sale price. I sometimes don't make out ahead on some of those buy 8 or buy 10 deals. Like my friend Mindy from http://50dollarstockpile.blogspot.com/ says, you have to howl at the moon walking backwards....or something to that effect, to get the sale price. It's actually kind of funny the things these grocers have us doing. Okay, not so funny.

Having vented, some things good this week but not on the grocery list are Saltines at Fry's for 10/$10, Bar S bacon, $1.97 (but only Fri. thru Mon., grrrrr.), and boneless pork loin for $1.97 lb., all at Fry's. And Sprouts has pineapple for .97 each.

$76.85

Breakfast
1-Oatmeal, raspberries
2-Oatmeal, orange juice
3-Oatmeal, orange juice
4-Oatmeal, bananas
5-Oatmeal, orange juice
6-Oatmeal, orange juice
7-Oatmeal

Lunch
1-Lunchmeat sandwich, apple
2-PB&J sandwich, orange
3-Lunchmeat sandwich, apple
4-PB&J sandwich, orange
5-Lunchmeat sandwich, apple
6-Hot dog
7-Pizza

Dinner
1-Pizza, salad
2-Fish tacos
3-Macaroni & Cheese, steamed broccoli, garlic knots
4-Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup
5-Chunky soup over mashed potatoes, salad
6-Spaghetti with sauce, Texas toast and sauteed zucchini
7-chicken, frozen veg. of choice, baked potato

Grocery List:
Bashas'
Sanderson Farms chicken breasts or 1/4's, .97 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.91
Fisher boy seafood, $1.99 with coupon from back of single ad
New York Texas Toast or Garlic Knots, 2/$3, with coupon, buy 2
Mission tortilla, 2/$3, buy 1
Buy 10
1-Food Club cheese, $1.29
2-Food Club cheese, $1.29
3-Red Baron Pizza, $2.49
4-Red Baron Pizza, $2.49
5-Red Baron Pizza, $2.49
6-Red Baron Pizza, $2.49
7-Shamrock Farms sour cream, .99
8-Campbell's Chunky soup, $1.29
9-Campbell's Chunky soup, $1.29
10-Wishbone dressing
$27.00

Fry's
Raspberries, 10/$10, buy 1
Barilla Pasta, 10/$10, buy 1
Hunt's sauce or Kroger Value sauce, $1
Bananas, .57 lb, buy 3 lbs.
Apples, .99 lb., buy 4 lbs. at $3.96
Milk, $3.49 gal., buy 2 at $6.98
KV orange juice, $1.32, buy 2, frozen
KV hot dogs, .99
KV buns, .99
Potatoes, 5#, $2.89
KV mac & chees, .42, buy 2
KV frozen vegs., $1
KV bread, .99, buy 4 at $3.96
KV Peanut butter, $1.99
KV turkey or ham lunchmeat, $3.49
Campbell's tomato soup, $1, buy 2
$39.83

Sprouts
Oranges, .77 lb, buy 4 lbs. at $3.08
Broccoli, .77 lb. buy 2 lbs.
Italian squash, .77 lb.
Romaine, .97
Oats, .69 lb., buy 6 lbs., probably need less
tomatoes, .97 lb, buy 3 lbs.
$13.41

Items not on list:
jelly
condiments for hot dogs
spices/herbs
eggs
flour
sugar
oil
leavenings
mayo
salsa

Halloween candy coo

I know that I spelled coo wrong. I scored a great deal on Hershey's snack size bars today at Walgreen's. Use Walgreen's store coupon and the Hershey's bags are $1.99. Go to http://hip2save.com/2011/10/hot-11-hersheys-snack-size-candy-bags-coupon-only-0-99-at-walgreens.html and you can print off TWO coupons for a dollar off of Hershey's candy. Use that at Walgreen's with the other coupon and you can get a bag of snack sized Hersheys for .99. So go stock up for Halloween or parties or Trunk or Treat gatherings this weekend. I didn't have any problems with them taking my printed coupons and I know my friend didn't have any problems either. The site allows you to print off two coupons. I'm repeating myself. Thanks to Emily M. for that deal of deals via her mother.

Also I wanted to mention that Mindy has started doing "The $50 Stockpile" blog again. Very informative and always entertaining. Her blog is a cross between SisterSavings and an Irma Bombeck column. Check it out at http://50dollarstockpile.blogspot.com/

So I unintentionally have not blogged for awhile. I goofed on the last post I did and posted it to the YW's cooking blog in our ward. OOPS, and I don't know how I did it. Embarrassing. I've also been writing more detailed letters to my son, who is finally in Honduras, arriving on Sept. 19. He is doing well, adapting to eating Baleadas and Tajatas (egg and bean tacos and fried bananas). Poor baby has a someone who cooks and does his laundry for him. I'm sure that's as deluxe as it gets, though. He can now speak Spanish but can't understand anyone there because of the rapidity and a pronounced slur in their speech. LOL. It will come with time there and he knows that. So far he's having a great mission experience.

Well, the good news is that I have a menu worked up with the sales for this week, the bad news is that I haven't figured the figures yet, but I will tomorrow and post it as soon as I can.

Menu with what's on sale for the week of Sept. 28-Oct. 5

If you wanted to have fish tacos instead of leftovers one night, buy the Gorton's Fish for $4.99 and some McCormick's taco seasoning to spice up some sour cream for fish tacos. Food Club ice cream also at Bashas' for $2.50. I like to stockpile the pork loins when they get to $1.88 lb. I slice them up and they make the best chops that way. I like to cook pork roasts also. In fact a great pork roast just screams "fall" to me.

In Bashas' ad it says that they are making all coupons valued under $1 to $1.00 this week. Not sure when that offer expires. There are some Planters Peanut butter coupons from one of the weeks of coupons from the newpaper and it makes the Peanut butter .99.
Check www.pinchingyourpennies.com for other great deals and coupon match ups this week.

$79.14

Breakfast
1-Cold cereal, milk, orange juice
2-French toast
3-Cold cereal, milk, apple juice
4-Oatmeal, strawberries
5-Cold cereal, milk, apple juice
6-Oatmeal
7-Oatmeal

Lunch
1-Tuna sandwich, plums
2-PB&J sandwich, orange
3-Tuna sandwich, apple, carrots/celery sticks
4-PB&J sandwich, orange
5-Pasta Salad, apple, carrots/celery sticks (pasta, olives, leftover chicken, onion)
6-Pizza, pudding cup
7-Hog dog, grapes

Dinner
1-Chicken Sour cream enchiladas, green salad, Spanish Rice (see recipe under chicken)
2-Pork chops, mashed potatoes, frozen veg. of choice (cut pork loin into two pieces, cut one into chops, the other into strips or cubes for sweet and sour pork)
3-Spaghetti, sauce, salad, garlic bread or plain french bread
4-Grilled Sirloin steak, cut into slices, baked potato, frozen veg. of choice
5-Mac & cheese, frozen veg. of choice
6-Sweet and sour pork loin over rice (see recipe under chicken for sweet and sour chicken)
7-Leftovers

Albertson's
Red grapes, .77 lb., buy 2 lbs.
French bread, .99, buy 2
Red Baron Pizza, $2.99
Kraft mac & cheese, 2/$1, buy 2
Handi snacks, 2/$1, buy 1
Albertson's frozen vegs., 10/$10, buy 3
$10.51

Bashas'
Bashas' milk, .88 per half gallon, limit 4, buy 4 at $3.52
Strawberries, .98
Boneless beef top Sirloin, $2.97 lb, buy 2 lbs. at $5.94
Food Club Pasta, $1, buy 2, one for spaghetti and one for pasta salad
S&W tomatoes, $1, buy 1
Early Californiz Olives, 2/$3, buy 1
$16.63


Fry's
Tomatoes, .88 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Chicken of the Sea tuna, .69, buy 2
Plums, .88 lb., buy 2 lbs.
Navel oranges, .88 lb., buy 4 lbs.
Boneless half Pork loin, $1.88 lb, buy 4 lbs.
Kroger sour cream, 4/$5, buy 1
Foster Farms chicken, .98 lb., buy 3 lbs. at $2.94
Kroger bag cereal, $3.39
Kroger Value bread, .99, buy 4 loaves at $3.96
Kroger orange juice, $1.32
Kroger Value hot dogs, .99
Kroger Value hot dog buns, .99
Flour tortillas, $2.49
carrots, 1 lb., .69
Kroger Rice, $1.46
Potatoes, 5 lbs., $2.89
Eggs, $1.99
Kroger Value Apple juice, $1.67
Fry's cream of chicken soup, $1.29
Kroger Value Spaghetti sauce, .99
Kroger Value cheese, $1.49
$46.99

Sprouts
Onions, .49 lb.
Cucumbers, .49
Radishes, .49
celery, .88
romaine, .88
Oats, .89, buy 2 lbs.
$5.01

Items not on grocery list:
Jelly
butter
Mayo
herbs and spices
syrup or powdered sugar for the french toast
salad dressing
ketchup
soy sauce
sugar
vinegar