Trying new recipes

Well, getting a box of fresh produce every week has certainly inspired me to try some new recipes. And, it has made my 5 year old interested in tasting all these new foods. So far, he hasn't liked many of them, but at least he is tasting them!

Thought I would share what we have received in the past three weeks of our subscription and what I made with it all. Don't expect greatness here; I'm a newbie!

Week 1:

-Head of Romaine lettuce: Made a tossed salad, nothing special there

-Cucumbers: Some went into the Fennel Cucumber Salsa (see below), some went into a pasta salad (see below)

-Fennel: Fennel Cucumber Salsa

-Spinach: Ranch Spinach Pasta Salad - found the recipe on the back of a box of Suddenly Salad

-Green Garlic: Chopped it and made spaghetti sauce and garlic bread

-Leek: Still in my frig, thinking it's probably not good any more :-(

Week 2:

-Bag of garlic scapes: Did not know what to do with these - they are WEIRD looking, have you seen 'em?? So this bunch went bad, but I redeemed myself the next week!

-Cucumbers: Waited too long to use them and they went bad - ugh!!!

-Big old heirloom tomato: The 2 yr old and I just ate it - he ate it in chunks and I put a couple slices on a fried egg sandwich

-Pint of strawberries: Made spinach salad with strawberries, red onion, mandarin oranges, almonds, and poppyseed dressing

Week 3:

-Another bag of garlic scapes: I made something GREAT! Garlic Scape and Almond Pesto! Yum-o!

-Cucumbers: Cilantro Cucumber Slices using some Homemade Gourmet spices I have

-Another big tomato: BLTs!

-Head of butter-leaf lettuce: BLTs (see above), salad

-Bag of sugar snap peas: Nothing yet... what should I do??

-Carrots: Still needing to use them - I have some great veggie dip in the frig, so maybe we'll just eat 'em raw

-Kohlrabi: This was new for us. I peeled and sliced it and we ate it raw. Seemed like a cross between a radish and a potato. Wasn't our favorite thing to eat. If we get another one, I'll do something more with it.

In three days we get our next box. I've had a few glitches in letting some of the food go to waste, but overall I am pleased. What will I make next??

CSA - here we go!!!

Well, we decided to join a local CSA this summer. This decision was not made hastily given that 1) a half share costs $350 (for 20 weeks) and 2) I was (still am) anxious about actually using what we get every week (kale? what the heck do you do with that??). Having addressed those concerns, we "plowed" ahead (get it??).

Some of you may be wondering what a CSA is. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. By buying a share or half-share you get super-fresh, organic fruits & vegetables every week and you build a nice relationship with a local farmer. In other words, you know where your food is coming from. That's not the best explanation, so go here for more complete info:

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Our first half-share box contained: head of Romaine lettuce, 2 cukes, fennel complete with its fluffy fronds, bag of spinach, bunch of green garlic, and a leek.

My first order of business was figuring out what to do with that fennel. I found a terrific recipe online for Fennel Cucumber Salsa. Follow the link for the recipe. It was yummy *and* used two of my veggies at once! I discarded all the fronds from the fennel plant, but my friend Linda says those are edible, too. She chops them up and adds them to egg salad and such. Maybe next time... I'm just impressed that I figured out a way to use the fennel, period.

I am excited about this CSA experience. I'll post more as the summer progresses!

A recent Toys R Us game DEAL!!

A couple weeks ago I ventured to Toys R Us (about 35 minutes away in the next state) because I heard about a great sale they were having on Hasbro games (which I verified on their website before going there!). Plus, I happened to have a stack of Hasbro coupons I printed from the Hasbro website.

Just tonight I filled out my rebate form and I am astounded at what a great deal I ended up getting. I just have to share...

Here's what I bought:

Twister (reg. ToysRUs price: $16.99; sale price: $8.99)

Guess Who Extra (reg. ToysRUs price: $24.99; sale price: $14.99)

Sorry! Sliders (reg. ToysRUs price: $19.99; sale price: $14.99)

Connect Four (reg. ToysRUs price: $15.99; sale price: $8.99)

Hungry Hungry Hippos (reg. ToysRUs price: $19.99; sale price: $12.99)

Gator Golf (reg. ToysRUs price: $19.99; sale price: $12.99)

Okay, so the regular price for all six games would have been $117.94. I got all six on sale for $73.94.

BUT WAIT. Here comes the fun part - the coupons and extras!

Extras:

-For buying the Hungry Hippos and Gator Golf games, I got to select two Elephun & Friends stuffed animals valued at $9.99 each for FREE.

-For buying two (or maybe it was three) select Hasbro games, I received a $5 gift card to use on my next purchase.

Coupons:

-I happened to have five Hasbro coupons for the particular games I purchased. Those coupons added up to $22 off.

-I also had a $5 off ToyRUs coupon that came in the mail.

Rebates:

I just filled out my rebate form and I will be getting a $3 rebate for each game I purchased = $18 cash back.

So, to break it all down:

$137.92 in regularly-priced games and stuffed animals for an out-of-pocket expense of $23.94 + sales tax.

Whoo-hoo! I am stocked up for birthdays now!

Target deals

I feel like I went a little crazy at Target, but I think I came out alright - even after the cashier messed up one of my coupons and shorted me $1.24. Oh, well. I hate to complain, especially when I am handing them a *stack* of coupons.

I am slowly learning that it is best to shop in small batches, so it is easier to keep track of the coupons. This is the second time in a row now that a coupon didn't register and I didn't catch it until I got home and then it is a little too late. However, making more frequent trips to Target may not be the best way to save money...

Anyway, here are my recent Target deals (a couple from last week, the rest from this morning):

Last week:

Finish Quantumatic dishwasher detergent:

Regular $9.49, on sale for $5.99, minus $3 coupon from here = $2.99 (May not seem that cheap, but I really like this stuff. Unfortunately, today the sale is off.)

AirWick Freshmatic iMotion:

On sale for $5.99, minus $5 coupon from the 3/7 SS, minus $1 Target coupon (online here) = FREE

This morning:

Scrubbing Bubbles:

-Bought 2 Scrubbing Bubbles Extend A Clean Power Sprayers $7.99 each
-Bought 2 Scrubbing Bubble Power Sprayer Refills (All FREE with coupons below)

-Bought 1 Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaner $2.49 each

-Used 2 $5/1 coupons from the 4/11 SS
-Used 1 $0.75 coup off bathroom cleaner from 3/21 SS

-Used 2 Free Scrubbing Bubbles Extend-a-clean refill, when you buy starter coupon from here

-Get back a $5 Target gift card ( NOTE: the only way you’ll get back a $5 Target gift card is if you use the regional coupon from the 4/11 SS –valid for a FREE $5 Target gift card with the purchase of 3 Scrubbing Bubbles products.)
…AND then for the $5 SC Johnson rebate. -Final cost FREE, plus $2.28 money maker (I think) for all 5 products!

Head & Shoulders Shampoo (gotta have this, we're brand-specific on this):

-Bought 2 at $5.39, one had a free shampoo shrink-wrapped to it.

-Used a B1G1F coupon from a mailer I got at some point

-Used a $1 off Target coupon from a mailer

-FInal price $4.39 for 3 bottles.

Vaseline skin lotion:

-$2.99 price

-Minus $1 Target coupon from here

-Minus $1.25 coup from 4/11 RP

-FInal price $0.74

Olay Quench lotion:

-$7.79 price

-Minus $1 coup from 3/7 PG

-Submit rebate for purchase price

-FINAL PRICE: $1 money maker

GE Energy Smart light bulb - $2.99
Use the $1/1 coupon from here
Plus, use the $2/1 Target coupon from here
Final cost FREE

Clean & Clear Travel size Morning Burst Cleanser $0.97
Use the $1/1 coupon from the 3/28SS (does NOT exclude travel size)
Final cost FREE!

Arm & Hammer Advance White Toothpaste $0.97

Use the 3/21 SmartSource coupon insert– save $2.50 off any 2 Arm & Hammer oral care products (NO size exclusions)!

Final cost FREE plus possible $0.56 overage.

Kandoo Wipes $1.65

Use the $1/1 coupon from the 4/4 PG
Pay $0.65!*
*Submit for the FREE Scholastic book offer here
Final Cost $0.65 for Kandoo Wipes AND a FREE Scholastic book

K-Mart Double Coupons

Our K-Mart is holding a double-coupon event this week, so I decided to go get some deals. I don't frequent K-Mart much because, well... it's kinda dumpy. But, I will go there for double coupons!!

Now, they have a bunch of rules re: the redemption of coupons during this event, so there is no way you're gonna leave the store with a thousand bucks of stuff for only a penny, but I did come out okay, I think. (In a nutshell, the "rules" stipulate you must have a K-Mart Rewards card (free), only redeem five coupons per day, and use coupons for $2 or less (for the doubling).

Here's what I scored - it's all for my husband and I *guess* he's worth a buck. :-)

Gillette Body Wash: on sale for $4, had a couple $2 coups (doubled to $4 each) = FREE

Oral-B Toothbrushes: somewhere around $2.79 or so, had 2 $2 coupons (doubled to cover the price of the brushes *only* - no overages, that's another "rule") = FREE

Right Guard deo/antiperspirant: on sale 2/$5, had a $2 off 2 coup (doubled to $4) - $.50 each.

Grand total: $1.00 + $.76 tax.

Considering that the above is easily $20-$25 worth of stuff at regular price, $1 for it all is pretty darn good!! :-)

Walgreens GREAT buy tonight

Okay, I took the little one and headed to Wags tonight. Couponing at Walgreens makes me a little nervous because, well, I am slightly intimidated by their cashiers as they sometimes give ya grief about the coupons. I took Benn on purpose because I hoped that having the sweetest, cutest little boy in my cart smiling, saying hello and waving to the cashiers would make them nicer to deal with! My evil plan must have worked as tonight was a good night for couponing! I had no problems scoring this terrific, totally legitimate deal: all the items pictured below cost me a total of $1.45 + tax!!!

Oscar Mayer bacon: normally $3.99 each, on sale Buy1Get1Free, used 2 coupons for $1.50 off = $.495 each

OreIda fries: on sale for $.99 each, used a coupon for $1.50 off two = $.24 each

Planters Trail mix: on sale for $1.99 each, used 2 coups for $1.50 off, used another WalGreens coupon for $.50 off each = FREE + $.02 overage

GRAND TOTAL = $1.45 + tax

Couponing Craziness!!

I have been super-couponing lately. And I love it!! Let me share with you some of my deals:

Target

• Huggies diapers: on sale for $8.50 each, minus $1.50 Target coupon, minus $2 manufacturer's coupon = $5 each
• Up&Up baby wash: on sale for $1, minus $.50 Target coup = $.50 final price, PLUS the wash had a $.75 off coupon for Up&Up wipes on it, which I needed, so it was pretty much FREE plus another $.25 off the wipes
• Johnson's Buddies bars of soap for kids: $.97 each, minus $1 manufacturer's coupon = FREE
• Connect 4 game: marked down to $10.09, minus $4 Hasbro coupon, minus $3 Target coupon = $3.09 final price (a birthday present for Luke!)
• Kid's Crest toothpaste: on sale for $1.49, minus $1 Target coupon, minus $.75 manufacturer's coupon = FREE and then some (they gave me the overage, which isn't a common occurrence)

Walgreens

• Colgate Sensitive toothpaste: on sale for $3.99, minus $1 manufacturer's coup = I paid $2.99 + tax, BUT I got a "Register Reward" for $4 off my next purchase, which I immediately used in my next transaction!
• SpiderMan toothbrush: normally $2.99, on clearance for $.75 - bought it for Luke's Easter basket figuring that the $1 coup I used on the Colgate made it pretty much free
• Reese's Dark PB Cups: on sale for $.49 - I tried to use a $.75 off coup (hoping for overage), but the cashier said I couldn't get it for free, but that he'd give it to me for $.01 (weird) BUT he gave me back my manufacturer's coupon, which I promptly took to WalMart (see below) = $.01 for the candy bar

WalMart

• Reese's Dark PB Cups: $.55, minus aforementioned $.75 coupon (adjusted down to $.55) = FREE
• Hungy, Hungry Hippos travel sized game: $5.24, minus $4 Hasbro coupon = $1.24 (Luke's Easter basket!)
• Colgate Whitening: $1, minus $1 coupon = FREE
• Reach Floss: $.97, less $1 coupon = FREE, plus $.03 overage
• Suave antiperspirant: $.97, less $.50 coupon = $.49

Wowza!!! And I have some more great couponing stories to share!!