Six Cents!

So did anyone give Walgreens or CVS a try with couponing??  My friend, Whitney, left a comment about her CVS run and I'm so excited to head back and grab the deals that she got!

So now that you've tried a couple of stores with couponing, here's my next advice.

Step 2:  Give Harris Teeter a try.

I always thought of Harris Teeter as one of those elite grocery stores...kind of like Publix.  A bit too pricey for my taste.  But once you enter the world of couponing, you will find that both these stores are great when you only clip to buy.

Harris Teeter has a few rules that once you know, you should be good to go.  The wonderful thing about HT is that every couple of months they have SUPER DOUBLES!!  Normally they double coupons up to 99 cents (which is more than the usual double 50 cents that most other groceries do), but on SUPER DOUBLE week, they will double coupons up to $1.99!!!  This usually means you can get quite a bit for free or nearly free.

Here's the catch....
Rule 1:  You can only use 20 coupons PER DAY with your VIC card.
Rule 2:  You can only use 3 of the SAME coupon per day for the same item.

When HT has their SUPER DOUBLE week, I usually make one trip a day for as long as needed to use 20 coupons each visit and to use the ones that I have multiples of.  Thankfully HT is the closest grocery store to me and so it's not too inconvenient to do that.

Today I went to ONLY get the free items.  I got:  3 Revlon nail clippers (great for donations or gifts), 3 protein bars (ate one for lunch on the way home) and 3 bottles of hot sauce which the Fish Sticks and My Man and I love!  Grand total:  6 cents!!!  Yup!  Only 6 cents. 

I also planned on buy Kraft Homestyle Mac & Cheese, but they were totally out so I got a rain check and will check back when they get a shipment in this week.

And because I had 7-8 coupons for each of these items and HT only lets you use 3 per day (so one person doesn't wipe them out), I plan on heading back one or 2 more times, if it's convenient, to grab some more.

Sale runs through Tuesday of next week.  You can find 3 lists of good coupon deals at Southern Savers or the freebie list I found at Faithful Provisions.

Valentine's Day

 I grew up with a very festive Mom.  She did so many little things to celebrate holidays, creating wonderful family traditions and memories for us 4 kids.  I try to follow in her footsteps, using some of the same traditions and creating some of my own to make holidays fun and memorable for the Fish Sticks.

This Valentine's I made a plate of fruit on a heart shaped plate that I got on clearance last year (which is something I recommend doing to help celebrate - grab those 80% off post-holiday clearances!)

 We rarely have shrimp in our house because of the high cost, but I bit the bullet and bought some to make my mom's famous Shrimp Etouffe.  She learned how to make this the authentic way when I was a child growing up outside of New Orleans.  The smell alone brings back some wonderful memories. 

To end the special Valentine's Day, we enjoyed Cherry Berries on a Cloud.  I make this every year just like my mom used to.  It's beautiful and delicious!!  It takes careful planning to make the meringue in time to enjoy for supper, but it's just once a year so it's worth it to me. 

Here's my recipe.  Try it!!

Cherry Berries on a Cloud

Meringue shell:  

(It's important to use fresh eggs - not ones that have been in the fridge for a while.  

I learned this the hard way!)

3 egg whites (1/3 to 1/2 cup)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.  Beat in sugar, 1 Tb. at a time;  continue beating until stiff and glossy.  Do not under beat!  On brown paper on cookie sheet, shape meringue into 9" heart, building up sides.  Bake 1 1/2 hours on 275 degrees.  Turn oven off;  leave meringue in oven with door closed for 1 hour.  Remove from oven;  finish cooling meringue away from draft.

Filling:  

1 pkg cream cheese 8 oz. soft

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. whipped topping

1/2 c. sugar

1 c. mini marshmallows

Blend cream cheese, sugar, vanilla.  Fold in whipped topping and marshmallows.  Pile into cooled heart shell.  Cover.  Chill at least 12 hours.

Cherry Topping:

21 oz. can cherry pie filling

1 tsp. lemon juice

Just before serving, spoon cherry topping on top of filling.  Cut into wedges.  Serves 8 generous servings.

Let me know if you try it!

Where does the Wisdom Come From?

A couple of you have asked about my "Wisdom from My Kitchen Window" posts that I have been doing.  I purchased these notecards probably 10 years ago from No Greater Joy Ministries.  They have been a jewel to me over the years that I constantly refer to.  I contacted them to see if they have any more available for purchase.  They informed me that they sold them only for a limited time but you can find the notecards listed in an article HERE at their web site if you'd like to make your own set.

Wisdom from My Kitchen Window

Deals this Week

The shopping this week looks slow.

I didn't see any Walgreens deals that I wanted to snag except possibly some Campbell's soup.

CVS only had some spike gel for my Little Man who seems to constantly want me to make a mohawk on his head.  It's $3.99 and there's a coupon in Sunday's paper for $3 off.  That makes it only 99 cents.  You can also get 2 tubes of Colgate Total for free.  If you buy 2 for $2.75 each, you get $2 ECBs back for each one on your next purchase and there is a 75 cent off coupon in Sunday's paper.  You don't have to buy 2; there is just a limit of 2.

Kroger has a few good deals.  They have their Bonus Savings week where if you buy 10 participating items, you will get $3 off at purchase and $2 printed coupon off your next purchase.  That will make:
** Kraft BBQ sauce 69 cents
**Degree Deodarant 69 cents matched with $1 off coupon from Red Plum 1/29
**Dove Deodarant 69 cents matched with $1 off coupon from Red Plum 1/29


While I'm at Kroger, I will grab their loaf bread for $1 since one Fish Stick doesn't like my home milled wheat bread.  Also Gillette Shave Gel is $1.79 and there is a $1 off coupon from Proctor and Gamble 1/29.  Red Seedless grapes are only 99 cents a lb. too.

Anybody else find some good deals?

Sunday Suppers

 I grew up with a family tradition involving Sunday night meals.  Mom always had a super, delicious, Sunday, post-church meal, but Sunday nights were her night off for cooking.  My grandparents declared that Sunday night supper was ice cream and popcorn.  Growing up, we LOVED that, especially when the ice cream was usually homemade coffee or mint chocolate chip!!  My mom, who was more health-conscious, dropped the ice cream part (much to our dismay) and usually spread the counter with finger foods, including popcorn.  There was usually a fun array of foods to choose from.

I like this tradition and have carried it over into feeding the Fish Sticks.  Sometimes I'll do something special like homemade prezels or homemade caramel corn when lunch involved little cooking.  For Super Bowl Sunday, I decided to try the ultimate finger food buffet with a healthy hint.  It got rave reviews from all Fish Sticks.

Hummus with sugar snap peas, celery, avocado and carrots

Veggie Straws, cheese sticks and a platter of almonds, pecans and walnuts

black olives, green olives, a bowl of dried apricots, prunes and Craisins and a platter of pear and orange slices beautifully arranged by one of the more artistic Fish Sticks

Before you panic over fixing supper when you haven't thawed the meat or planned the meal, check your pantry and try a finger food buffet...especially on Sunday nights.  Every mama needs a rest occasionally.

Wisdom From My Kitchen Window