Menu Plan Monday: Dinners for 8/23/10 - 8/27/10

So, I ended up cooking most of the recipes from last week.

I think I did a GREAT job at keeping it up.

Here's what I plan to make this week:

Monday, August 23, 2010: Stouffer's Chicken Enchiladas, Rice

Tuesday, August 24, 2010: Beef Sausage Links, Grilled Onions, Pasta Side Dish

Wednesday, August 25, 2010: Chicken, Prosciutto, Provolone Panini w/ Basil Mayo

Thursday, August 26, 2010: DiGiorno Pizza and Breadsticks

Friday, August 27, 2010: Sausage, Egg & Potato Breakfast Tacos w/ Fruit

So, you may be wondering why I am serving frozen dinners out of a box this week?

Well, I was able to get some amazing deals at the store with LOTS of freebies.

So, even though I'm not cooking from scratch, it will still be a great meal.

I'm a busy mom, I need these shortcuts. Who's with me??

Happy Cooking,

Mailbox Monday: Freebies

It's another Monday, so another Mailbox Monday!

Here is where I show you the loot I received

in the last week in the mail.

So, yet another slow week of freebies.

The Loot:

Magazines:

Better Homes and Gardens - September 2010 Issue

Martha Stewart Living - September 2010 Issue

Samples:

Nexxus Shampoo & Conditioner, $3 Coupon - Walmart

Freebies:

$25 ConAgra Booklet - Go here to get yours!

Coupon for FREE popsicle product - Giveaway Win

(Giveaway was for two but only received one so here is my other one)

Hope you did better than I did.

For more freebies, check out:

 

A Frugal Friend                        Simply Stacie

Have a GREAT week!

Tex$aver was featured on Survey Junkie!

My blog was featured!

Stacy over at Survey Junkie featured Texa$aver.

She asked me some questions about Texa$aver and what I love about blogging.

Go check out the whole post here.

One Bath Fizzer Review

The generous people at One Bath and Body provided me a product to review so I could tell you all about it! I'm a huge bath person so I was really excited to get this to try.

Who is One?

One is committed to promoting natural beauty without compromising the beauty of the earth, providing eco-friendly products in recyclable, plastic-free packaging to rejuvenate the spriti and save the planet.  One exclusively packages its collections in recyclable cardboard cartons and metal tins, housing nourishing, natural products in equally planet-friendly containers.

What did I get?

One's Bath Fizzer - 2 Baths, 6.5 oz

What do I think of the One's Bath Fizzer?
Since I'm a huge bath person, I love anything that fizzes or soothes or smells good when I'm soaking in the tub. More and more people are going "green" and I never thought it would filter down to my bath products but it has. I love that this product is eco-conscious and was packaged in recyclable material. There are no harmful chemicals and instead is infused with essential oils.  When I put the bath fizzer in the tub, it provided me a calming and spa-like feel during my bath. You can use half of the fizzer for a shorter bath or if you are going for a long soak, you can use the full bath fizzer.  It also comes in a variety of scents.  The scent I was provided was the Honey Please which provided a sweet fragrance during my bath. 

How can you get your own Bath Fizzer?
The One's Bath Fizzers are available at Target and Walgreens and retails for $5.99.  The bath fizzers are available in "I Need This!" for an irresistible experience, "Honey Please" for a sweet soak, "Love is in the Bath" for a gentle escape or "Blue Earth" for a cool and fresh feel.


Disclosure: I was provided a sample of the product to facilitate this review at no cost and was not compensated for reviewing this sample. The opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine. Thank you to the generous people at One Bath and Body for providing me the sample.

Recipe: Buttermilk Pancakes

As ya'll noticed on my Menu Plan Monday post,

I was supposed to make a Rolled Omelet in the oven this week.

Well, it didn't turn out so well.

I have no idea what happend.

It was obviously not edible, so I had to improvise.

I saw that I had some leftover buttermilk

from making my red velet cupcakes over the weekend.

So, I made homemade buttermilk pancakes.

I love the Food Network, so I obviously

went to their website for inspiration.

Cakey Buttermilk Pancakes

 

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk

1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until combined.

 Set mixture aside to rest while griddle heats.

Heat a large seasoned cast iron skillet, frying pan, or griddle over medium heat.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet, pan or griddle.

 Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake and cook until bubbles cover the top.

Flip and cook until golden brown.

  Serve immediately topped with your favorite syrup.

(or alongside a fried egg like me!)

Happy Cooking,

Thymes Red Cherie Home Fragrance Mist Review

I have yet another great product to tell you all about.  This time it's for your home.  The wonderful people at Thymes sent me some products so that I can tell you all about them! As I've mentioned before, I've been a big fan of Thymes since I first found their Kimono Rose rollerball perfume in a small boutique shop over five years ago.

Who is Thymes?

Thymes is a company that strives to provide its customers unique and complex collections with expressive scents and lots of personality. Over 200 hours of scientific research and testing goes into each and every product. Their collections have expanded into not only frangrances for adults but products for baby and for your home as well.
 
What did I get?
 

 

Thymes Red Cherie Home Fragrance Mist - 3 oz.

What do I think of the Red Cherie Home Fragrance Mist?

I am always searching for products that make my home smell amazing.  With a toddler and two dogs (and a husband), my house definitely needs something every now and then to help keep it smelling fresh. When I first used the home fragrance mist I noticed that the mist was super fine and stayed in the air.  I was used to the air freshners that I would spray up in the air and then "rain down" on me afterwards.  This product does not do that.  In fact, I walked under the mist and I couldn't even feel it!  The frangrance has a light fruity smell that doesn't overpower and is just the right amount to help out any room. I will be using this often.

How can you get your own Thymes Red Cherie Home Fragrance Mist?

The bottle of Red Cherie Home Fragrance Mist I received is only $16.00. You can order it online through Thymes.com or you can search their Store Locator and find a store that carries it near you.

Disclosure: I was provided a sample of the product to facilitate this review at no cost and was not compensated for reviewing this sample. The opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine. Thank you to the generous people at Thymes for providing me the sample.

Thymes Sweetleaf Baby Shampoo and Wash Review

The wonderful people at Thymes sent me some products so that I can tell you all about them! I've been a big fan of Thymes since I first found their rollerball perfume in a small boutique shop over five years ago.

Who is Thymes?

Thymes is a company that strives to provide its customers unique and complex collections with expressive scents and lots of personality. Over 200 hours of scientific research and testing goes into each and every product. Their collections have expanded into not only frangrances for adults but products for baby and for your home as well.

What Did I Get?

 

Thymes Sweetleaf Baby Wash & Shampoo - 9.25 fl oz.

What do I think of the Sweetleaf Baby Shampoo and Wash?
As most moms are, I am very protective of what goes on my babies skin. Since my son has really sensitive skin and has mild eczema it is really important that the products I use on him doesn't contain harmful dyes and chemicals. I loved that this baby wash did not contain parabens (chemicals) and was clinically tested for mildness. It also contained several organic ingredients which made me feel really good about using it on my son. Also, my favorite feature of the product was that it was both a baby wash and shampoo.  We all know how busy our lives can be so it was one less thing I had to buy or worry about using. The product had a very mild fragrance and contained soothing lavender to help calm baby for night time. Every time I use a Thyme product I am more impressed every time I use it. 

How can you get your own Thymes Sweetleaf Baby Shampoo and Wash?
The bottle of Sweetleaf Baby Shampoo and Wash I received is only $16.00.  You can order it online through Thymes.com or you can search their Store Locator and find a store that carries it near you.


Disclosure: I was provided a sample of the product to facilitate this review at no cost and was not compensated for reviewing this sample. The opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine. Thank you to the generous people at Thymes for providing me the sample!

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Mac N Cheese

I've never really been a fan of spicy food until I had my son.

Now, I want it all the time. 

This is a perfect spicy dish if you like spicy.

Especially, if you like buffalo sauce.

When I did a search on buffalo mac and cheese, I kept going

back to this recipe on Food Network.

Since my family is small, I scaled it down to serve 3 with leftovers.

So, here it is... 

Buffalo Chicken Mac N Cheese

Ingredients:

6 Tbl unsalted butter

8 oz. or half a bag of elbow noodles

1/2 Cup Onion, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 Cups Rotisserie Chicken chopped

1 tsp. garlic, minced

1/2 Cup Frank's Buffalo Sauce

1 Tbl all-purpose flour

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream

1 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/4 Cup Shredded Pepperjack Cheese

1/3 Cup Sour Cream

1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs

1 tsp. dried parsley

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.

Add pasta and cook until al dente (about 5-6 min.). Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 2 Tb. butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.

Add onion and celery and cook until soft about 5 min.

Stir in chopped chicken and garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

Add 1/4 Cup hot sauce and simmer until thickened about 1-2 min.

Melt 2 Tbl of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Stir in the flour and dry mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth.

Whisk in heavy cream and the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce until thickened.

Whisk in shredded cheddar and pepperjack cheese until melted.

Whisk in sour cream until smooth.

Pour elbow noodles into baking dish.

Pour chicken mixture over the noodles.

Pour cheese sauce evenly over top of chicken mixture.

Put 2 Tbl. of butter in microwave bowl and heat until melted.

Stir in breadcrumbs and dried parsley.

Sprinkle over mac n cheese.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Serves 3.

(two helpings each plus leftovers for one lunch)

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,