Oreo Truffles

Want to make some simple Christmas treats?

How about some Oreo Truffles?

Mmmm...........

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 pkg. (16.6 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 4-1/4 cups), divided

2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

 

Finish reading here.

Candy Canes

Need some candy canes for your Christmas tree?

If you have a Kinney Drug's store in your area, you can pick up 12 count boxes of candy canes for only 49 cents!

Thrifty Christmas Decorations

Paper snowflakes are at the top of our Christmas decoration list!


Even the older kids love this family Christmas tradition.


You can make simple snowflakes; like the ones above, or get a little fancy; like the ones below.



We hang our snowflakes from the living room ceiling.

Our inside snow storm is always a conversation piece with company!

Popcorn Balls

One of our family's Christmas traditions is making popcorn balls to hang on the tree.

Of course, they don't stay on the tree for long!

Want a quick and easy recipe for popcorn balls?

You know how difficult it is to make Rice Krispie treats?  ;-)

Yup, it's that easy!

Melt butter into a pan, and add marshmallows

Stir in some food coloring just for fun.

Pour over popped popcorn.

Butter hands, and make balls

Wrap in Saran Wrap, put a string around it, and hang on the tree.

See how long it hangs there!

Thrifty Thursday

I LOVE baking soda!

It is so versatile.

Have you ever scrubbed and scrubbed those pesky tea and coffee stained cups?

Wet your finger, dip it in the baking soda and swirl it around the cup. 

Tah-dah!  It's that easy!

I use baking soda to:

- clean dishes; even those greasy ones

- face exfoliate

- body scrub

- cleaner for dirty little boys!

- tub cleaner

-sink cleaner

- you name it cleaner

- laundry detergent booster

- baking (LOL)

- deodorizer

- substitute for shampoo

- to put out grease fires

- cleans combs and brushes

- mixed with vinegar to unclog drains

I found this neat blog on this very topic.

Sunday's Special Guest Speaker - Easter Basket Ideas by Tawra Kellam

Easter Basket Ideas
by Tawra Kellam
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/

A reader asks:

Got any inexpensive ideas for Easter gifts for the kids? Also, do you have any ideas that would focus on the real meaning of Easter and not just bunnies and eggs?

Easter is a great time of the year to celebrate, especially if you have the hope that comes from Jesus Christ and His resurrection. Here are some ideas for Easter gifts. Try some of them and if the creative juices start flowing, make up some of your own!

Easter Baskets:
You can find inexpensive Easter baskets at garage sales and thrift stores. I never spend more than .25 for one.
If you don't have Easter baskets, you can also use:

• Plain wicker baskets
• Baskets spray painted an Easter color
• A cute straw hat
• A pail for the sandbox
• A bowl wrapped in tissue paper
• Paper sacks that the kids decorate. Cut out pictures from magazines or use stickers. Glue or stick them on and then paint or color around them.
• Any sort of plastic storage container. These often can be used later for storage.
• For a "family" Easter basket, set a nice plate on the table with Easter grass and goodies arranged on the plate or platter. This is great when you have older kids.

Fillers for Easter Baskets:

• Buy candy after Valentine's Day at half price and keep to fill Easter baskets.
• Make Easter cookies in the shapes of bunnies, eggs, crosses or any other Easter shape that comes to mind and decorate.
• Popcorn Balls or Rice Krispie Treats colored in pastel colors.
• String Froot Loops onto yarn and tie to make a necklace.
• Don't fill baskets. Instead put jelly beans and candy in plastic eggs so the kids can fill their own baskets. You can also put nickels, dimes, toy soldiers, bugs, stickers, barrettes or hair ribbons in the eggs. Hide them outside or in the house if you live in a climate where it's usually cold on Easter.
• Make coupons for getting out of chores, staying up late one night, having a friend over for a sleep over or a special dinner that they like.
• Include like new books purchased at garage sales or thrift stores.
• Homemade slime, play dough, sidewalk chalk, bubbles or the ingredients for crystal gardens.
• Wacky crayons- Crayon pieces melted together in a muffin tin to make a "big" crayon.
• Flower seeds that the kids can grow
• Mini-stuffed animals purchased at garage sales or on clearance the year before.
• Paper dolls or coloring books. There are many available on the Internet that you can print yourself.
• For teenagers, put these items in baskets: lotions, soaps, suntan lotions, fingernail polish, movie tickets, tickets for getting out of a chore, ticket for $5 worth of car gas, clothes purchased on clearance and of course lots of candy!
• Leave a trail of jelly beans or candy kisses from their rooms to their Easter baskets.
• Easter Kisses
  Put some Hershey Kisses or chocolate chips in a plastic bag and attach the following poem:
  This cute little bunny has hopped all day
  Been delivering baskets for the holiday.
  His paws are so tired and his little nose itches.
  He left you something special-something to fill all your wishes.
  These cute little hugs and Easter kisses.
• Put 1 Pound Jelly Beans into a bag and attach this poem:
  RED is for the blood He gave.
  GREEN is for the grass He made.
  YELLOW is for the sun so bright.
  ORANGE is for the edge of night.
  BLACK is for the sins we made.
  WHITE is for the grace he gave.
  PURPLE is for His hour of sorrow.
  PINK is for our new tomorrow.
  A bag full of jelly beans colorful and sweet,
  Is a prayer, is a promise, is a special treat.
• Easter Carrot Treats
  Buy disposable plastic decorating bags and fill them with orange jellybeans or cheese balls. Then stick some green Easter grass in the top of the bag (leave some hanging out) and secure the bag with a rubber band and then ribbon so that it resembles a carrot.

Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the authors of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt, by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes visit LivingOnADime.

Thrifty Thursday

If I can't get my household cleaner for FREE,

or pay rock-bottom prices,

then I make my own cleaners!

I can my homemade laundry soap for pennies a load!

When cleaning my windows, I use newspaper to dry them.

The windows turn out AWESOME!
(Don't use newspaper on mirrors because the ink rubs off onto them.)

Are you using homemade cleaners?

Check out a couple of websites here and here for some GREAT recipes!

~Candy~

Thrift Thursday

Thrifty Thursday has kept me busy in the kitchen today.

I have been cooking freezer meals.

2 - pots of chili
1 - large meat loaf
1 - taco meat
12 - hamburgers

These have all been thrown into the freezer for some quick and easy

meals later in the month.

I also cut up that arm of beef, so we had a nice steak dinner tonight.

I was able to put an additional nine packages of beef into the freezer.

Each one of those packages will be enough for 2 to 3 meals!

Have you done anything thrifty today?

~Candy~

Thrifty Thursday

For Thrifty Thursday, I want you to stop and think about something.

You can NOT groan though.

I want you to stop and think about Christmas, winter birthdays

and any other winter time gift-giving days.

This is the BEST time of year to buy winter clothing!

You can buy those winter outfits that are (or will be) on your list, for a

fraction of the cost right NOW!

For example, Dollar General has sweat shirts for only $2.00!  If you buy

them now, you could get five for what one will cost next winter!

Hats, gloves, scarves, winter clothing, slippers, boots, coats, ski pants, etc.

are dirt CHEAP right NOW.

Strategic Shopping doesn't just mean using COUPONS, although you can

use COUPONS on clearance items.

Strategic shopping means having a well-laid out plan.

A few moments of planning will save you A LOT of money!

Jot down what type of winter clothing you will want this winter, then head out

and hit those clearance racks!

Happy shopping!

~Candy~

Thrifty Thursday

For Thrifty Thursday, I am making up some pretty things for my kitchen.

Someone gave me some very cute curtains, that I don't need, so I have

cut them into large squares.  I took an old ragged towel and cut that into

squares also.

I am going to sew them together for some really nice and cute quilted

potholders.

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Last week, I bought  a BUNCH of stuff at our local thrift shop. 

You can see my pics of that awesome shopping trip here.

I ended up with 40 different items for a total of two bucks!

There was a stack of 100% cotton sheets in that deal.

I cut them up and dyed them.

I am in the process of sewing them into about 300 cloth napkins.

That's about 64 100% cloth napkins for a penny!

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These projects are extremely THRIFTY! 

They don't take up a lot of time either.

As a matter of fact, I usually work on such projects during family movie

or reading time.

These little projects also work great for teaching children how to sew.

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What thrifty projects are you working on?

~Candy~

Thrifty Thursday

The clocks have been changed; we have sprung ahead.  The days are getting longer.

With daylight lasting so long, I tend to  loose track of time.

Supper-time has a way of sneaking up on me.

This reminded me that it's time to get back into freezer cooking.

Freezer cooking not only saves us money, but it takes off A LOT of stress.

Plus, one of my favorite parts, I can still serve healthy meals to my family,

even on those short on time days.

By pre-cooking some of our favorite meals, and throwing them in the freezer,

I am able to enjoy the longer days of this time of year.

Some of my favorite freezer meals are:

Roasted chicken - This is so easy to do!  Just throw in an extra chicken the

next time you are roasting one.  I put my into a tin roasting pan, wrap it

with foil, then pop it into the freezer.  When I'm ready, it is easily taken

straight from the freezer to the oven. 

If you use a cooking bag, you don't even have to remove it from the bag

before freezing.   .

Meat loaf - Undercook a little, so it won't overcook when heating.

Hamburgers - Again, undercook a little.

Spaghetti sauce, chili, goulash,  and lasagna

Taco meat

Pizza

It doesn't have to be complicated to get started. 

Simply, cook a little extra while doing your regular cooking.

Even a couple of meals in the freezer will save you money and

keep you from stressing out when time just seems to get away 

from you.

~Candy~

Thrift Shop Shopping

I LOVE junk stores!  I really loved it today!

Paid a total of $2.00!

Thrifty Thursday

Last week, we talked about the value of Meal Planning.

Today, let's discuss using up those left-overs.

First, get the idea of eating the same thing over and over out of your mind.

Eating left-overs doesn't have to be boring!

Want a couple of examples?

Monday - baked ham dinner

Tuesday - boiled dinner - ham, potatoes and carrots

Wednesday - split pea soup and fried dough

I managed to get 3 different suppers out of one ham.

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Monday - Baked chicken dinner

Tuesday - sweet bbq chicken and rice (by cutting chicken from bone)

Wednesday - chicken noodle soup (by boiling meat off from the bone)

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Here's another one:

Monday - roast beef dinner

Tuesday - beef stew

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You could also serve the same main dish, but add different sides.

Monday - spaghetti with bread and butter

Tuesday - left-over spaghetti with garlic toast and toss salad

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One of my favorite ways to get the crew to eat up those left-overs

is by making our noon meal the big meal of the day when possible.

For some reason, everyone is more apt to eat left-overs a few hours

later rather than the next day.

This idea may work for you! 

The day after serving spaghetti, you may hear,

"What, spaghetti again!"

If served at noon, however, you may hear later in the day,

"Hey, is there any of that spaghetti left?"

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One more left-over trick is to make extra on purpose, then

freeze it up for a quick meal later in the month.

~Candy~

Thrifty Thursday

For Thrifty Thursday, I thought I would share some of my thrifty ideas.

Let's talk about menu planning. 

(Stop rolling your eyes!)

Start out by scanning the pantry and freezer.

Think about the meals you can make from items on-hand.

Make a list of different meals you could make.

Do NOT write down which day you will eat each meal; just make the list of meals.

Post your list, and scan it each night. 

Decide which meal will work for the next day, and be sure to thaw out whatever will

be used.

Do NOT feel like a meal plan ties you down. 

Many people complain that they just don't feel like eating what they originally put

down for that day.

That's why the list works much better!

Any meals still left on the list at the end of the week can easily be transferred to the

new week's list!

Menu planning is not only eliminates 'What's to eat, Mom' stress, but it saves you from

spending all of that money on a last minute rush to the pizza shop!

~Candy~