>U Mom Knows Best: August 2013

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Free Breakfast At Chick-Fil-A


You can get a free breakfast September 9-14 at Chick-fil-A and there are many choices to choose from. All you do is choose a time and date. Then you bring your confirmation on that day and get a free breakfast. You can tke it to go or eat there. What a better way to start your day with a free breakfast! Just go here to sign up http://www.chick-fil-aforbreakfast.com/ and enjoy your breakfast. The site is working very slow as they have many people on it,so be patient or try later tonight.


Friday, August 30, 2013

Kids Eat Free at iT'Z every Thursday!


IT'Z has a new promo starting September 5th--kids eat free every Thursday!
My kids love IT'Z and I love that on Thursday's it will be more affordable for me. IT'Z is a fun place with all you can eat buffet and games to play. I will be taking my boys there next week and then post about the fun we had.  In the mean time check out their Website for more details.




Our mission is to create a fun experience for families. We do this by combining affordable family dining with quality entertainment.  Unlimited buffet? Check. The latest and greatest games? Without a doubt.  Guaranteed good times? Absolutely.  iT'Z all here! Kids Eat Free at iT'Z every Thursday!
iT'Z the place to PARTY! iT'Z the place for FOOD! iT'Z the place for FUN!

FREE Gatorade Recover Shake with Digital Coupon

Today you can download a coupon on Your Smiths card for a free Gatorade Recover shake!  Just go to the  Smith's Website and download the coupon to your card. Then next time you shop at Smiths,pick up the free item. Details about this promotion can be found here: http://kroger.softcoin.com/programs/kroger/freefri/?origin=freefri&ytp=001034009077000000000000&banner=Smiths

WHAT IS FREE FRIDAY DOWNLOAD?

the free producSave even more with additional digital coupons you can load directly to your card

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

My Labor Day Barbecue Dinner Deal (Includes Blue Bell Ice Cream.)




I am going to have a barbecue on Labor day for 8 people and it will cost me only $18.00. My menu will be ribs, corn on the cob, watermelon, and Blue Bell ice cream. That will be only $ 2.25 a person. I will show you how I got everything. I got everything but the watermelon at Albertsons. The watermelon I got at Sprouts.

                 Ribs were buy 1 package get 3 for free-they were $ 8.99 a pound and about 3 pounds a pack. I paid $ 24.00 for 4 packs but I will only be cooking 2 packs,the other 2 I will freeze. So $12.00 for the ribs.
   The corn on the cob was 8/$1.00.
    The Blue Bell ice cream was $2.99 and I use a coupon found here for $1.00 off so it was $ 1.99
      I bought the watermelon at Sprouts for 18 cents a pound so it cost me $3.00.
So there is my Labor day meal and the best part of course is the Blue Bell ice cream. I bought chocolate mud pie. Again for the Blue Bell coupon go to http://www.bluebell.com and click coupons at the bottom of the page.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Boogie Wipes And Puffs Fresh Faces


 I love being a Boogie wipe mom ambassador as I get to try new products and tell others about them. Boogie wipes teamed up with Proctor and Gamble and as Boogie moms we get to also sample Kandoo products and a great new product called Puffs Fresh Faces. Puffs Fresh Faces are wonderful wipes for us ladies. They are made from natural saline just like Boogie wipes and come in wonderful scents like lavender, fresh, menthol, and even unscented. This wipes are great for everything from  wiping your face, removing make up, and blowing your nose. I like to use them to wipe off the sweat after a workout. I also love that they are disposable, so I get a clean wipe every time. For more information on this wonderful product go to http://www.puffsfreshfaces.com/
 I will also have samples of Puffs Fresh Faces very soon! When they arrive I will be handing them out to all my local friends.

"These opinions are my own and for being a Boogie Wipe ambassador, I received the above products to sample and tell others about."

Friday, August 23, 2013

Smith's Friday Download: Free A&W TEN, 7Up TEN, Dr Pepper TEN and More!




Don’t forget to load Smith's Free Friday Download! This eCoupon is good for one free 2-liter of A&W TEN, 7Up TEN, Dr Pepper TEN, or Canada Dry TEN. This coupon is only available to load to your shopper’s card today, 8/23 and expires on 9/7. Limit of 1 eCoupon per card. Digital coupons cannot be combined with manufacturer coupons. Go here to get your coupon http://kroger.softcoin.com/programs/kroger/digital_coupons/?campaign=DigitalCoupons&banner=Smiths

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Fruit Crisp With a Twist Tasty Tuesday Blog Hop


I had a lot of fruit that was ripe and did not want to see it go to waste. I decided to make a fruit crisp and as I was making it, I thought because I also had a lot of cookie mixes, I decided to make the topping with the cookie mix.






I got this cool baking dish last Christmas on clearance and love the way it looks.


The first step was to peel and chop the fruit in large pieces.  Then add the pineapple juice, sugar, flour, and cinnamon to the fruit pieces and stir to combine.


 Then pour the fruit mixture into the baking dish.






Then place the cookie mix ( make sure to add the cinnamon topping included in the package) and butter into a food processor and process until it crumbles. I used a snickerdoodle mix but a sugar cookie one would taste great also.

Spread the cookie mixture over the fruit and bake at 350 for 50- 60 minutes. 








Ingredients

9 ripe pears
3 green apples
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

                                                             For the topping

                                                              one package snickerdoodle or sugar cookie mix
                                                                1/2 cup soft butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel, core, and cut the pears and apples into large chunks. Place the fruit in a large bowl and  juice, sugar, flour, and cinnamon.. Pour into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch oval baking dish.

For the topping:

Combine the cookie mix, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, until the mixture is in large crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit, covering the fruit completely.

Place the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is brown and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm.



It Is Green Chile Time In New Mexico!


Green chile is a favorite New Mexican food that is used in many delicious meals. From breakfast to dinner, this spicy green pepper is enjoyed in so many ways. Keep reading to learn more about green chile. 


   Here in New Mexico, it is green chile time! Starting in August our favorite vegetable is ready to be harvested. This wonderful vegetable, green chile, comes from Hatch, New Mexico. The green chile from Hatch tastes so much better than the stuff grown in Mexico or California. Those chiles are from the Anaheim pepper and not like the green chile that is grown here. 

 The Hatch green chile is so much better tasting. If you have never been to New Mexico, you probably never experienced the wonderful taste of green chile or how they are roasted. Green chile is a pepper that is used in many New Mexican dishes. The heat can be mild to very hot depending on your taste. I like mine to be medium, which gives my food a slight kick.  Green chile season is very short, so when they hit the stores people go crazy and buy plenty to freeze for year-round. I am going to tell you about my experience buying green chile.



   Two weeks ago, when they first arrived at the store, the green chile was sold out in 2 hours. I waited another week to try again to buy some. I arrived at the store and was pleased to see they had the wonderful green chile. So I grabbed a case and put it on my cart. The below picture is what fresh green chile looks like.



  Once you pay for your case of green chile, you go outside to get it roasted. Many stores will do that for free. The line is always long for the roasting, but people wait as the stores have special roasters. Some people do choose to roast it on their grill but it takes a long time. 


The green chile goes in the cage and then flames roasted it so the peel comes off. This process takes about 15 minutes so be prepared to wait. I was in line for 1 1/2 hours but I made use of my time. I called my mom and then I talked with people in line. The store even handed out cold water while people waited.

Once my chile was roasted, they put it into a clean plastic garbage to finish the process of helping the skin fall off. I then took my chile home.


 I then started the process of bagging my chile for the freezer so I would be able to use it year round. Some people peel the skin off the chile before freezing but I freeze them with the peel on and it falls off when thawing. The skin is the black part on the chile pictured below. Most of the skin has already fallen off during the roasting.  Here is what the green chile looks like after roasting.


I then placed about 2 green chiles per baggie and then put the baggies in a bigger freezer bag. When I was done I had about 60 servings of green chile to go into my deep freezer.




  I am all set for the year to make wonderful dishes like breakfast burritos, enchiladas, tacos, pizza, and many other dishes. Here in New Mexico, we put green chile on everything like burgers and pizza, it's that good! When you live in New Mexico for a while you crave green chile. My older son who is overseas is craving green chile bad. When he comes home in January, I will have some in my freezer to give to him.

 So now you know about green chile, if you visit us make sure to order it on your food. You will be happy you did. I will share with you some dishes I love to make with green chile in another post.

Monday, August 19, 2013

A Great Way To Buy Toothbrushes And A Giveaway

FAB

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of FlossAndBrush and Mom It Forward. All opinions are 100% mine.



I discovered a whole new way to replace my toothbrush every three months. The ADA says for healthy teeth you need to replace your toothbrush every three months. In my busy life, I have a hard time remembering to do that. That is where this great new program Floss and Brush helps you to do just that and saves you money too! For only $ 1.00 a month, they send you a new high quality toothbrush (ones your dentist likes) and a roll of dental floss every three months. So you are getting for $ 3.00 a new toothbrush and a roll of dental floss. You can't even buy it in the store for that price. That is one less thing to remember and it will make your dentist proud! You can even sign up the whole family as they have children toothbrushes too. When you order 3 or more toothbrushes,you get free shipping. 


·        The American Dental Association recommends replacing your toothbrush every three months. FlossAndBrush.com makes it easy to always have new toothbrushes every three months. How? By paying just $1.00 per month, per person in your family, FlossAndBrush.com will ship a box of fresh, quality toothbrushes and floss to your home – one for each member of your family.

·        The American Dental Association says that ultimate dental care beings with flossing your teeth daily and changing your toothbrush every three moths. FlossAndBrush.com  is the first system in the world that actually helps keep families accountable for daily flossing and changing their toothbrush every three months. More information can be found here: http://bit.ly/19cNlzQ.

·        FlossAndBrush.com’s toothbrushes are top quality, age-specific, and dentist approved. 

FlossAndBush Facebook
http://pinterest.com/flossnbrush/

When you take care of your teeth, you have a wonderful smile.



I have something for my readers to smile about! FlossAndBrush is letting me give away a great prize!


The giveaway is valued at $107 and includes the following:
• 1 Free Annual FAB Membership (every three months, a new toothbrush and 3 month supply of floss will arrive at your doorstep)
• 1 Free Annual FAB + White4Life Memberships (this includes not only a toothbrush and floss every three months but each shipment will also include FAB’s professional grade whitening to be used in custom whitening trays) If you don’t have trays you can purchase them at a discounted rate of 25% off the retail price.
Use the discount code: tray25
This code is good for the package winner and any readers that would also like to purchase the trays.

To enter just follow the below requirements.

Requirements:
1. Visit http://pinterest.com/flossnbrush/and repin an image from any one of the “Smile Boards” that makes you smile. Include a description in your pin that explains why it makes you smile. Include the #FABsmile hashtag in the pin. Come back to this post and share the link to the pin in order to enter for a chance to win.
2. Sign up for FlossAndBrush.com mailing list

Comment below once you do the above with the Pinterest link. I will choose a winner by http://www.randomnumbergenerator.com/ on September 9th, 2013



Friday, August 16, 2013

Chocolate Lasagna


This is a yummy dish that a friend posted on Facebook a while back and I just had to try it. It was very easy to make, it took me less than thirty minutes. I love that is a no bake recipe also. I found the recipe on www.food.com My family enjoyed this and requested I make it again. This is a great dish to make for a party.


                                                                Chocolate Lasagna

                           Ingredients
                                   36 Oreo cookies
                                     6 tablespoons melted butter
                                  1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, soften
                                    1/4 cup sugar
                                     2 tablespoons milk
                                     1 (12 ounce) container Cool whip
                                     2 regular (3.9 ounces) size packs chocolate instant pudding
                                     3 1/4 cups cold milk
                                     1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips


                        Directions

1  Begin by crushing 36 Oreo cookies. I used my food processor for this, but you could also place them in a large ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. When the Oreos have turned into fine crumbs, you are done.

2  Transfer the Oreo crumbs to a large bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons melted butter and use a fork to incorporate the butter into the cookie crumbs. When the butter is distributed, transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you work on the additional layers.

3 Mix the cream cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in 2 Tablespoons of milk, and sugar, and mix well. Stir in 1 and 1/4 cups Cool Whip. Spread this mixture over the crust.

4 In a bowl, combine chocolate instant pudding with 3 and 1/4 cups cold milk. Whisk for several minutes until the pudding starts to thicken. Use a spatula to spread the mixture over the previous cream cheese layer. Allow the dessert to rest for about 5 minutes so that the pudding can firm up further.

5 Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the top. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips evenly over the top. Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.
                                     
   


                                     

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Cooking Lentils For A Salad And Recipes


I discovered a new way to cook lentils and the result is a firm chewy lentil that is great to use for a salad. the first step is to brine the lentils in warm salt water and then cook them in the oven. The result is a wonderful lentil that is not mushy but chewy. This makes a wonderful lentil that can be used for a meatless dinner salad.

Ingredients
     1 cup lentils picked over and rinsed
      1 teaspoon salt
      6 cups water
       2 cups chicken broth
        1 bay leaf
       2 teaspoons garlic powder
     
 
1. Place lentils  and salt in bowl. Cover with 4 cups warm water and soak for 1 hour. Drain well.

2. Place drained lentils, 2 cups water, broth, garlic powder, and bay leaf in medium saucepan. Bake in oven at 325 degrees for 40 to 60 minutes until lentils are tender. Drain the lentils and remove the bay leaf. Let the lentils cool and use them for a cold salad.





 
I then added a can of well drained spinach and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese to the lentils and it made a wonderful dish. Pair it with some wheat bread and you have a great meatless dinner.




Here is another great salad I am going to try when I have the ingredients.

Lentil Salad With Olives, Mint, and Feta

cooled cooked lentils from above recipe
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
1/2 fresh mint leaves. chopped
1 large shallot,minced
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled (1/4 cup)

  • Add drained lentils to all ingredients except feta cheese and toss to combine. Place in serving dish and sprinkle feta over it. Serve cold and enjoy.                                                                                                                                                           


Woolzies XL Dryer Balls The Natural Fabric Softener



I discovered a great new product that not only is great for the environment but will save you money too! These Woolzies look like tennis balls but are in fact made from fine New Zealand wool. The dryer balls, which are guaranteed to last for 1,000 loads, are a natural fabric softener and they reduce drying time by 25% , reduce static, and helps eliminate wrinkles. They are chemical free so they great for people with sensitive skin. Even if you have wool sensitivities they are safe for you. I love how I can reuse them over and over again. I just store them in my dryer so they are always ready to use.


It was laundry day at my house when the Woolzies arrived, ok with 3 children any day can be laundry day here. I put the Woolzies to the test with my wet clothes that went into the dryer and I was very impressed at how soft my clothes came out.  My younger boys loved repeating Woolzies over and over as the name was so cool.


The Woolzies cost about  $ 35.00 for six balls and when I compared that to the cost of  one dryer sheet per  load it came out very close in price. The Woolzies was 3.5 cents and the sheets 4 cents.  I choose the Woolzies over dryer sheets as they are better for the environment in many ways. They are also so much better for our health as they have no chemicals in them. For more information on this wonderful product and to purchase go to www.Woolzies.com
Also if you visit  Woolzies Facebook page there are many other bloggers having giveaways to win your own set of Woolzies.



I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Free Cheetos at Smiths—Coupon Available to Load Today Only!


Smiths shoppers, don’t miss out on free Cheetos! Score a free bag of Cheetos (any flavor or variety) with a new digital coupon at Smiths. The coupon is available to load to your store card today, 8/9 only. But it doesn’t expire until 8/24, so there’s lots of time to use it. Visit Smiths load the coupon to your card.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

I Am Second


Have you heard of a movement called  I AM SECOND that is meant to inspire people of all kinds to live for God? I'd love to tell you about it as it's the features offer I get to share with you today!



            Inspiring the Revolution of Second.

I am second is a movement meant to inspire people of all kinds to live for God and for others. Actors. Musicians, Business leaders. Drug addicts. Your next door neighbor. People like you. The authentic stories on  http://www.iamsecond.com provide insight into dealing with typical struggles of everyday living. These are stories that give hope to the lonely and hurting, help from destructive lifestyles, and inspiration to the unfulfilled. You'll discover people who've tried to go it alone and have failed. Find the hope, peace, and fulfillment they found. Be Second.

My church did several sermons on the I Am Second movement and I really learned a lot from it. So I was excited when I was chosen to write this blog post. I learned everyone has a story of how they came to know Christ. I also learned about how I could tell my story in 100 words so I could help others come to know Christ. Several members of my church told their 100 word stories every week at church. The I Am Second website has many videos of people sharing their stories. These wonderful videos are there to help people with their struggles and show them there is a better way. 

Here is one of my favorite video that talks about trauma a person experienced in her life and how with the help of family and faith she found a way out.


While the videos are Really well done, they want to make more, and therefore have set up a chance for people to financially support more I Am Second videos. The initiative is called Second Chance.

About: Seconds Change
Give Change, Make Change- Many more stories are waiting to be told. You can help. Commit $2 every Tuesday to build film funds, and your contribution will be used to develop, produce and promote new films. Join the project and become an I am Second insider with access to exclusive content via Facebook

Resources:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Iam2nd.Nashville
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/IamSecond
Website: http://www.iamsecond.com

 I would love to hear your thoughts on the videos and testimonies shared.  Which video did you enjoy? Will you become Second in the I Am Second movement?

"These opinions are my own and I was not compensated with money for this post. I wrote this post to share about this movement and my faith. I received a cool shirt and a bracelet for working with LB@flybypromotions.com on getting this message out."








Win $ 1,000.00 From Little Tikes And Purex


Purex and Little Tikes are teaming up to provide one lucky winner with a $1,000 gift code to be redeemed at www.littletikes.com plus a year's supply of Purex detergent!

Summer is winding down and families are scrambling to find the best back to school sales and gear. Purex and Tittle Tikes are here to help your family relieve some of that pressure. So kick back, relax and put your mind at ease as we all prepare for yet another hectic, yet fun-filled school year!

That sounds wonderful to me and this contest runs from August 5th, 2013 through August 30th. So what are you waiting for,you can't win unless you enter. Go here to enter http://insiders.purex.com/LittleTikes1000?id=342

Friday, August 2, 2013

Pull Apart Cheese Bread


This is a neat looking bread to make a grand presentation and it is so fun to make. I had all three boys helping me make this cheesy bread last night.


                       






                          Pull Apart Bread Cheese Bread

                                         2 pounds pizza or bread dough ( homemade or store bought)
                                          8 ounces cubed mozzarella cheese (cut into 1-inch squares)
                                         4 tablespoons melted butter
                                          1 teaspoon garlic powder
                                           bundt pan

                Mix garlic powder into melted butter and using a pastry brush, brush the bundt pan with some of the butter. Take small pieces of dough and roll and pat into flat circles. Wrap a piece of cheese with the dough and place into bundt pan. After each layer of dough balls brush them with the melted butter. Continue making cheese and dough balls until all dough is used. Then brush the top layer with melted butter. Let bread rise in warm place for 30 minutes. I like to turn the oven on for 5 minutes and then turn off for my rising place. Bake the bread for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees or until top is brown. Let bread cool 5 minutes and take a knife around edges of pan to release the bread. Turn pan over on a plate to release the bread. Enjoy as is or with pasta sauce for dipping. To eat the bread, you just pull off pieces.
 For meat eaters, you can add small pepperoni pieces to the bread dough balls and make it a pizza bread.


 What occasion would you make this bread for?


                           
Pizza dough recipe
2 cups flour
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast or one yeast package

Combine all ingredients in bread machine and set on dough setting. If making by hand combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until dough forms a ball. Knead on a floured surface into a ball. Let dough rise in a warm place for an hour.




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