Since we didn’t have snow to build a snowman, we decided to make Rice Krispie snowmen! We had bought the ingredients a few days ago for Rice Krispie treats and were going to make them with our girls this week, but I thought it would be fun to do something different.

I got my inspiration from Marie at Make and Takes - she had posted a Snowman Rice Krispie idea over at Snackpicks. Ours are a bit different because I wanted my girls to have a smaller serving of the treat, but either way would be fun! You can also check out these Peppermint Rice Krispie Balls or these yummy Rice Krispie Snowmen.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of Rice Krispies cereal (or any puffed rice cereal)
• 4 cups of mini marshmallows (as you can see – I forgot to take pictures of the ingredients until after we made our treats!) *You could also substitute a jar of marshmallow creme for the mini marshmallows (7 oz)
• 3 tablespoons margarine or butter
• Powdered sugar
• Mini chocolate chips
• Pretzel sticks for arms
• Good & Plenty (for the nose)
• Pull-apart rope red licorice

(My husband brought the last 2 ingredients after work, so I don’t have pictures of those)

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan (or you could do this in the microwave too) over low heat.
2. Add the marshmallows (or marshmallow creme) & stir until completely melted.
3. Remove from heat and add the Rice Krispies. Stir until it’s fully coated
4. Once it’s all mixed in and cooled, you can start shaping your snowmen. We shaped them into balls, but made them fairly flat so we could decorate them.
5. Take each ball & roll it in a pan or bowl of powdered sugar
6. You can then use whatever ingredients you have on hand to decorate your snowmen – we happened to have mini chocolate chips, so they worked perfectly for us, but you could use raisins for the eyes, buttons, etc or even just frosting (the writable kind would work even better). Pretzel sticks were perfect for the arms. We used Good & Plenty candy for the nose & a pull-apart licorice rope for the scarf.

My girls decided to make snowballs for their creations & I also tried out a few snowflakes, although those were a bit harder to shape. Just a fun, little winter treat to enjoy with some hot cocoa on a cold winter day!

What are some of your favorite winter treats to make with kids? 

Snowman Rice Krispie Treats is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Today we’re featuring a yummy holiday recipe from reader Rachel – Rocky Road Clusters! This would be a great recipe to make for gifts for the neighbors or to bring to a holiday gathering.

Ingredients:

• 1 package Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 package of Butterscotch chips
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup peanuts
• 1 package of mini marshmallows

Directions:

1.  Put 1 package of the semi sweet chocolate chips & butterscotch chips in a microwave safe bowl
2. Microwave chips for 2 minutes on medium heat (I use power level 5)
3. Chips will not look melted (see picture), but give them a stir.
4. You may need more time – 2 minutes was not long enough for me, so I did 30 more seconds on medium heat. {You do not want to overcook the chips or they will taste burnt.}
5. Add 1 cup of peanut butter {I use Adams brand, I prefer the no stir, but I only had regular today}
6. Mix well then add the package of marshmallows {you could probably add a few more or less, depending on how thick you want the clusters}
7. Drop heaping spoonfuls into paper cups {I had these pretty black and white paper cups left over from a cupcake project I did earlier this year}
8. Refrigerate til set. This takes very little time, maybe 10-20 mins.

Thanks for sharing, Rachel! What are your favorite holiday treats to bring to gatherings or share with your neighbors & friends?

If you’d like to share a yummy recipe complete with pictures for the holidays (New Years Eve/New Years), email us at thriftynwmom (at) gmail (dot) com. If your recipe is chosen to be shared on the blog, you’ll receive a $10 Starbucks gift card. 

Rocky Road Clusters is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

We’ll be featuring some fun holiday recipes & crafts over the next week or so & I’m thrilled that my friend Steph is sharing her delicious recipe for Cheesecake in a Jar! These are super cute, especially in these fun little jars, and they are such a simple gift idea for friends, neighbors, co-workers, & more. Make sure you go check out her blog, You Paid More than Me  - she is an amazing decorator on a frugal budget (her house was even featured twice in The Nest magazine).

Guest Post: Stephanie from You Paid More than Me

This is a mini cheesecake I have used for years. In fact, I’m sure this recipe is well over 50 years old. If I can bake a recipe like this you can too, I promise! Most of the ingredients you may already have in your fridge!

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of Crushed Graham Crackers
• 1/4 cup of Sugar
• ¼  cup of Butter, Melted
• 3 pkgs of 8oz Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1 can of 14oz Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk )
• 3 Eggs
• 2 Tsp Vanilla ( I eyeball it )
• 12 Half Pint Jars (I found these at Fred Meyer, but you could also find at Safeway, Lowe’s, Home Depot,etc. I paid around $10 for the dozen)

For the Crust:

• Crush your graham crackers, if your kids want to get involved, now is the time!
• Combine the crushed crackers with the sugar and butter. Press equal portions ( about 2 large spoonfuls ) into the bottom of your jars.

Filling:

• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until it’s fluffy.
• Slowly add the condensed milk until it’s smooth. No lumps!

• Now add the eggs and vanilla, and mix it well. At this point I indulge myself and taste the batter, and I almost always add a touch more vanilla!

Scoop the batter into the jars, trying to equally distribute it. It came out to about 3 large spoonfuls each jar, dont fill to the top.  Now get out a deep baking pan or casserole dish, and fill with boiling water, you’re going to give these filled jars a bath in the oven. The water should be covering about half of the jar.

Bake them at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. You want them to still jiggle, but begin to pucker a bit. Dont look for a golden color, you shouldnt find it

Take this time to clean, you’ll thank yourself later.

This is the hardest part of the whole recipe. Please, please be careful.  Carefully take the pans out of the oven. The water is boiling hot and it IS a balancing act.

Still with me? Hands intact?

Ok good.

Take the jars out of the water right away and set them out to cool. I just put mine directly in the fridge, where they cooled overnight.

Once cooled, add any topping you like. I chose mini chocolate chips and raspberries. I mashed up a few raspberries with sugar to make a bit of jam and plopped the berries on top. Other ideas are oreos or cherries or really anything. You can also use baking cups instead of jars, and it would make 24 mini cheesecakes. Enjoy!

If you like this Cheesecake in a Jar recipe, make sure to check out the Mason Jar Pie recipe too – another fun idea to give to others during the holiday season!

Steph is a wife, mom, doula, wedding coordinator, decorator and a dealaholic. She has expensive taste on an Ikea budget, and she loves to hunt down that bargain. You can find Steph blogging over at You Paid More than Me, which is a mix of DIY, Knockoffs she finds, Ramblings and decor inspirations, that she hopes will inspire you. 

Do you have a frugal yet fun Christmas craft,gift idea or Christmas recipe to share with all of us?  We’d love to feature unique reader ideas. Email me at thriftynwmom (at) gmail (dot) com with your idea.  If you’re a blogger, we will link to you within the post as well as providing a short bio at the end. You’ll also get a $10 Starbucks gift card as a thank-you!

Cheesecake in a Jar is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

I love simple, easy meals in the crockpot & this is one of the easiest meals but it tastes delicious! Great for those cold evenings! This is a recipe from one of my Mentor Moms from MOPS – she brought me this meal right after my little one was born and it’s been a favorite in our family ever since she introduced us to the recipe.

Taco Bean Soup

 

Taco Bean Soup is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

In my hope of helping my family eat better and more frugally,  I have been making some of my own spice mixes using fresh herbs when I can and also taking advantage of the great prices on bulk spices from places like Winco and Costco.  Even Fred Meyer, in their natural section,  has bulk spices that are so much cheaper than purchasing the prepackaged items. If you live near a  Cash & Carry restaurant supply store, they also have great prices on bulk spices.  Make sure to check out Frugal Chic Living – she has a great printable resource list on all the Winco bulk prices.

Some spices we use a lot at my house are taco seasoning mix, Greek seasoning mix (our favorite is Cavendars), Pumpkin Pie spice (I use this almost always when a recipe calls for cinnamon) and Italian mix for pesto, sauce, garlic bread and dips.

Tips:

• I found cheaper shakers at the Dollar tree that I use to store the mixes in.
• I like to mix all the spices in my (cleaned out of course) coffee grinder.  Using the grinder helps to make the spices a uniform size and mixes them together really well.

 Here are some of my favorite DIY mix recipes using bulk spices:

Greek Seasoning Mix

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons Greek oregano
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dill
• 1 teaspoon marjoram
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon beef bouillon
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon sugar

Combine in mixer, bowl or mini chopper.  Store in air tight container.  Use 1-2 teaspoons of mix as called for in recipes.

Mild Taco Seasoning

Yield: Equivalent of 4 packets of taco seasoning

• 1/4 cup ancho chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.

To use: Use approximately 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning in place of a packet of commercial taco seasoning. To prepare taco meat, add seasoning & 1 cup of water to one pound of browned meat and simmer over low heat until liquid is gone.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix

(from Martha Stewart)

• 2 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoons ground nutmeg

Mix all of these together and store in air tight container.

Italian Seasoning Mix

• 1 Tablespoon garlic salt
• 1 Tablespoon onion powder
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• ¼ teaspoon celery salt
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Italian Dressing Recipe for Pasta Salads or Green Salads:

• 2 tablespoons of the above mixture
• h ¼ cup red wine vinegar
•  2/3 cup olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons water

Mix all the ingredients together and use as a dressing for your favorite salads.

Savings:

It is really quite cost-effective to make your own spice mixes.  In some cases, the cost is about ½ of what it costs to get it pre-packaged!  For example, cinnamon alone at Winco is about $2.25 cents a pound.  It costs $3.60 for ½ a pound at Costco.  At Amazon  it is $10.52 cents for just over a pound of cinnamon!

Make your Own Spice and Seasoning Mixes is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Earlier in the week, I told you about the discounts that Costco will be offering on pork all month in honor of National Pork Month. They will be featuring discounts for different cuts of pork each week, so make sure to check out the pork discounts next time you head to Costco.

This week, they are offering a $2.50 discount on boneless pork chops & boneless pork loin thru Sunday October 9th. I was given the opportunity to create a savory, everyday dinner so my husband and I decided to buy the boneless pork chops (our favorite cut of pork) & come up with a simple dinner that would be quick for a busy weeknight when you’re short on time. My hubby loves to experiment (unlike me as I have to have exact recipes to cook from) – so he came up with this recipe as a combination of a few favorites.

Don’t forget to head to Costco’s In the Warehouse website for more yummy pork recipes.

Honey Spice Glazed Pork Chops

Boneless Pork Chops from Costco – 4.05 lbs for $15.35 – $2.50 discount = $12.85 total or $3.17/lb 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• cooking spray
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp montreal steak seasoning
• 1 tbsp crushed pecans
• Boneless pork chops (3-4 or however many you prefer for your family)

Directions:

1. Combine honey, Dijon mustard, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, lemon juice, and pecans in a bowl and stir.

2. Heat a large non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high heat.

3. Sprinkle pork with salt, pepper & montreal steak seasoning.

4. Cook two minutes each side until brown.

5. Reduce heat to medium low and add honey mixture.

6.  Cook 10 minutes or until done, turning pork once.**

**Just a reminder that in May, the USDA reduced the temperature guideline for cooking pork chops, pork loins & roasts from 160 degrees to 145 degrees F, with a 3 minute rest. You can find more information on the Pork Be Inspired website.

Giveaway – $25 Costco Cash Card

A lucky Thrifty NW Mom reader will win a $25 Costco cash card, which is basically a Costco gift card. You don’t need to be a member of Costco to use a Costco cash card either.

This giveaway will end on Tuesday, October 11th at 9pm PST.

The winner will be drawn using “And the Winner Is” plug-in and announced on the blog. I will also email the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me. Otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

Here’s how to enter this giveaway:

1st Entry (required entry): Share your favorite way to prepare pork.

Extra Entries: (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower

3) Leave a comment here saying you “like” the Thrifty NW Mom Facebook page (on this post – not on Facebook! )

4) Leave a comment here saying you “like” the Costco Facebook page.

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored campaign with Costco, the National Pork Board, and the Motherhood.  I am receiving a stipend & a Costco gift card to purchase necessary items. As always, all opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

Honey Spice Glazed Pork Chops + $25 Costco Gift Card Giveaway is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts

Fall is here and I love all that it brings!!  One of my favorite things to make this time of year is caramel sauce!   This would make a great homemade gift for the holidays – maybe a fun hostess gift when you attend a get-together, too. It is so versatile and really quite simple to make! There are only 4 simple ingredients – all it really requires is a little patience!

DIY: Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (you can also use milk, even skim milk – it won’t be as decadent, but it will help your waist line )

Directions:

• Using a heavy sauce pan, add 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar.
• Place on medium high heat and stir constantly (using a wooden spoon)  until all the water dissolves and it begins to boil.
• After it begins to boil do not stir.
• This next part takes the longest!  Wait until the sugar has reached a dark amber color.  The lighter the color the less caramel flavor-if you like a lighter caramel don’t wait quite as long.
• Once the sugar has reached a dark amber,  remove from heat.

• Add 1 tablespoon butter,  stir constantly.
• Add ½ cup heavy cream-the mixture will foam up.
• Continue stirring until mixture is smooth.
• Pour mixture in glass jars and store in refrigerator.

We love it on ice cream, in our morning coffee, in apple cider, dip for apples, on apple pie, apple cake, or really just by the spoonful!!!

Price Comparison – Homemade Caramel Sauce vs Store-Bought Caramel Sauce

To make caramel sauce, it costs about $1 to make 8 oz. If you want to buy good, pre-made caramel sauce in the stores, it is about $2 for 8 oz. , so that’s a 50% savings.  Once you make it homemade,  you won’t be able to go back to the store bought stuff!!

Apple Pie Recipe using Caramel Sauce:

Ingredients:

• (2) 9” prepared pie crusts
• 7 cups tart apples (the key to using apples to bake is using ones that are smooth on bottom-the bumpier on the bottom the less well they bake)
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup raw sugar
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 oz. prepared caramel sauce
• 3 Tablespoons butter

Directions:

• Place one prepared crust in greased pie pan
• In bowl mix sliced, peeled apples, sugars, lemon juice, flour, salt and cinnamon
• Place mixture in pie dish
• Pour slightly warmed caramel over the top
• Place butter in pats over the top
• Put top crust on and crimp edges
• Place pie in 400 degree oven for  50-60 min.
• After it’s finished baking, remove from oven & let it cool at least 45 minutes before serving

You may want to use crust guards to ensure the edges don’t get too brown.

Mmm, apple pie with caramel sauce on top!

What are your favorite fall recipes?

DIY: Homemade Caramel Sauce is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts

As the school year starts up again, I always get in the mood to bake.  I’m not sure exactly why, but for some reason I like to spend the first few weeks of September baking up a storm.  Typically, I would be filling my home with cookies, coffee cakes, pies, and other goodies, but I am trying to keep the waistline in check and so I have been making a plan to do more productive and purposeful baking.

My boys love pancakes, waffles and French toast for breakfast.  I do to, but getting a big breakfast like that made and ready before we head out the door on school days can be a little crazy and usually leave my kitchen in a mess!  They also refuse to eat anything but homemade – I have tried “tricking” them with Krusties mix or the frozen Eggo, but it is a “no go!”  I actually prefer if they have the homemade one – it’s cheaper and much better for them.  However, sometimes time is of the essence.  For the past few days, I have been indulging them in all their homemade favorites and at the same time stocking my freezer.  I have been making triple batches of everything and freezing the leftovers to use on school day mornings.

Breakfast Ideas
{these freeze & reheat well!}

• Pancakes
• French toast
• Waffles
• Banana bread (made in mini loaves)
• Muffins
• Smoothies
• Mini quiches
• Baked oatmeal {made the night before}

***********************************************

Flash Freezing:

The key to getting a good thawed product is flash freezing and using the proper  freezing containers.   Flash freezing is freezing the items separately on a cookie sheet for 10-20 minutes before placing together in a freezer bag. This technique helps the pancakes and waffles not to stick together in the freezer bag. Freezer bags work very well as long as you make sure to get all the air out first.

************************************************

Homemade Options are more Frugal:

Not only are homemade breakfast items more healthy for your family, they can also be a great way to lower your spending on your grocery budget.  Here’s a comparison between homemade and  store-bought pancakes & waffles.  {As couponers, you could find sales for these items making them cheaper, but these are still great prices overall for making homemade breakfast items.}

Smoothies:

A favorite breakfast item in our house are smoothies.  The boys love these and  they are great for mornings that we need to eat in the car.  I make a large batch of our favorite smoothie recipe then freeze in cups with lids (I use the disposable ones you can get in the sippy cup section of the stores – the ones that come with the straw).

Be sure when you freeze the smoothies that you leave about 1-2 inches room at the top because they expand when frozen.  I take these out first thing in the morning and usually in an hour they are ready to eat.  For a quick thaw, you can set them in the sink for a cool water bath.

Favorite Smoothie Recipe:

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 pineapple slices
• 6 fresh strawberries
• 15 frozen raspberries
• 10 frozen blackberries
• 15 frozen blueberries
• 3 oz. favorite berry yogurt (optional)
• ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender; blend until SMOOTH. Pour into cups & serve.  If you’re freezing the smoothies, remember to leave a 1″ gap at the top for expanding before placing in the freezer.

Quiche:

I have also recently rediscovered quiche.  I love quiche and really had forgotten about it until a while back I came across a blog post about a gal who caters.  She made them ahead in muffin tins then froze them for events.  So I decided to try it and I was so excited they worked and the boys loved them.  Super easy and the muffin tin size is perfect for kids for breakfast.

Crustless Muffin Tin Quiche:

• 8 ounces turkey breakfast sausage, removed from casing and crumbled into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup of your favorite diced or chopped veggies
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 5 eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup 1% milk

Directions:

1. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F.
2. Coat a nonstick muffin tin generously with cooking spray (see Tip).
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
5. Add oil to the pan. Add veggies and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
6. Transfer veggies to the bowl with the sausage. Let cool for 5 minutes.
7. Stir in scallions, cheese and pepper.
8. Whisk eggs, egg whites and milk in a medium bowl.
9. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each cup.
10. Bake until the tops are just beginning to brown, 25 minutes.
11. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Place a rack on top of the pan, flip it over and turn the quiches out onto the rack. Turn upright and let cool completely.

Tips & Notes:

• Make Ahead Tip: Individually wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, remove plastic, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds.
• A good-quality nonstick muffin tin works best for this recipe. If you don’t have one, line a regular muffin tin with foil baking cups.

Baked Oatmeal:

We love baked oatmeal.  It sticks to your ribs and would be perfect for those longer days when they have sports or other activities after school or on a testing week.  It is so versatile too- you can top it with berries or seasonal fruit or milk and sugar.  My favorite topping is with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Overnight Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal:

• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup salted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 small apple, grated
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats

Directions:

1. Butter a 2 quart baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients, except the oats.Fold in oats and combine well.
3. Transfer mixture into the buttered baking dish and spread evenly around.
4. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly on top of the oat mixture. Refrigerate overnight.
5. In the morning, preheat oven to 375°F. Unwrap oatmeal and place in oven.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes until oatmeal is set and browned on top.
7. Serve hot with more milk or cream

I wanted to share one final favorite recipe with you – my recipe for Buttermilk Waffles. These waffles are great to make ahead as they freeze really well & are easy to reheat quickly.

Buttermilk Waffles:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) melted unsalted butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Grease waffle iron with a small amount of melted butter, and heat.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Pour into dry mixture, and combine.
4. Add melted butter (may get clumpy-that is ok, just mix)
5. Ladle about 1/3 cup batter onto each section of the waffle grid; spread batter almost to the edges. Close lid, and bake 3 to 5 minutes, until no steam emerges from waffle iron.
6. Transfer cooked waffles to a baking sheet; place in an oven set to low heat, about 200 degrees, while using remaining batter.

Breakfast is one of our favorite meals of the day and I am always looking for yummy breakfast recipes!!  So, what are some of your tips for healthy, yummy breakfasts for crazy school days?

Back to School Breakfast Ideas is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts

After making my own laundry soap,  it was a natural progression to start making my own dishwasher soap.  It is another item that can be made for much less than it can be bought.  However I was not pleased with my first results.  I had found a simple recipe online, and all seemed well but after a few months, my dishes seemed to be getting a cloudy tint!  Not good!  So back to the store bought brands I went.  A few months back, I stumbled upon a different recipe and decided to give it a try again – this time it worked and is still working!!

Homemade Dishwasher Soap Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups borax
• 2 cups Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
• 2 cups unsweetened lemonade (about 50 packets) or two cups lemi shine or Citric Acid (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0017WFX6G/ref=nosim/debtfreeadventure-20)
• 1 cup Kosher salt

Mix all ingredients well and store in airtight container.  Use 1 tablespoon per load in the dishwasher.

*The Lemonade or Citric acid is the key to not getting the milky, cloudy look after time.  I like using the lemonade; however it can stain the dish soap dispenser a lemon yellow color, but it smells really good.

Store-bought detergent vs homemade dish detergent – same results!

I have been using the homemade dishwasher soap for about three months and have noticed a difference between the store-bought brand and the homemade version.  I decided to run a load using the store-bought brand versus the homemade soap.I then compared the two glasses – they both look the same to me!! Success!

DIY Rinsing Agent:

This is such a simple way to save money on rinsing agents – just use white distilled vinegar as the rinsing agent. Pour the vinegar in the section where you put Jet Dry or other rinse aids.  The white distilled vinegar works just as well as another rinsing agent & is significantly cheaper.

Cost-Effective:

The homemade dishwasher soap costs about $.05 per load. The store bought brand is about $0.15 cents per load.  I run at least one load if not two a day.  At one load a day,  it is a savings of $36.00 per year.

You can see a significant savings by using the white distilled vinegar as a rinsing agent.  Typically,  I would refill my rinsing agent once a month.  By using the vinegar, I’m paying $0.06 per fill versus Jet Dry at about $4 per fill. I am saving $47.28 per year.  If you combine the two,  that is a savings of $83.28 a year!!

If you use coupons & match with the store sales, you could get the dishwasher soap & Jet Dry/rinsing agents cheaper, but  using the homemade version could still be a great savings for your family on a regular basis.

Have you ever used homemade dishwasher soap & what has been your experience?

DIY: Homemade Dishwasher Soap & Rinsing Agent is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

This past year for my neighbor’s Christmas gifts, I made homemade Vanilla Extract.  I also made myself a bottle.  I was kind of taking a risk since I had never done it before and it could have been a major flop.  Not the best idea to try something new for a gift, but it was a hit!  I can tell you I won’t be buying vanilla extract again!!  It is soo good.  The big test I did was I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies and used the homemade extract for ½ the cookies and the store bought stuff for the rest.  We could TOTALLY tell the difference.  I had my sister try them without telling her and she said, “both are yummy, but these are to die for!”  I agreed.

These make a  frugal but thoughtful gift for Christmas, but you’ll want to start trying it out now as it does take several months for the vanilla extract to be complete.

Vanilla Extract Recipe:

Supplies:

• Glass jars - I found glass jars at the dollar tree that were for olive oil or vinegar, which were perfect.

• Vanilla Bean Pods – I found mine at Costco around Christmastime for about $11 for 10 bean pods, but Amazon would also be a great place to look. Here’s one that’s very similar to what I used – Premium Bourbon Madagascar Vanilla Beans, 16 beans – $8.57 . Grade B vanilla beans are the best to use for making your own vanilla.
• Bottle of Vodka – The price will depend on the type of vodka you want to use. I paid around $9 for 36 oz for the Smirnoff brand.

Instructions on making homemade Vanilla Extract:

• Slice two vanilla bean pods down the center and then place them in the glass jar.
• Next I filled the jar with vodka.  –simple as that!
• Then let it sit in a dark cupboard for 2 months
• Shake it every once in a while.

After two months, it is ready to use.  The best part is periodically you can just keep filling it with vodka and it will last forever! (well, maybe not forever, but years!)

To give this as a gift, I dressed the bottle up using some scrapbook paper & embellishments along with a tag & ribbon at the top for a super cute gift!  This would make a great teacher gift, too (although it wouldn’t be ready in time for the start of the school year) – but could make a nice teacher Christmas gift or giftie for Teacher Appreciation Week.

Vanilla Sugar Recipe:

I also have been making vanilla sugar to use for baking – it’s super easy!

• Fill a mason jar with sugar
• Place a vanilla bean pod sliced down the center
• Cut into three segments into the jar.
• Wait a month or so before using.

I like to use this on baked sliced apples or in coffee. There are so many different uses for this vanilla sugar.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe:

Here is the chocolate chip recipe I used to try out the homemade vanilla extract. This is my absolute favorite recipe -I have thrown out all my other chocolate chip recipes now.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb butter
• 1 1/2  cups sugar
• 2 cups brown sugar (packed)
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking  soda
• 4 cups semi- sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Cream together  the butter, sugar and brown sugar.

2. Add3 eggs one at a time.

3. Add1 tsp. vanilla  (homemade, of course, after you’ve learned how simple it is)-but if you can’t wait 2 months for it to be ready then use regular store-bought vanilla.

4. Separately sift together flour,  salt, and baking soda.  Gradually add to creamed mixture

6. Lastly, add 4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

7.  Roll into 1″ balls and place on greased cookie sheet

8.  Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes.  DO NOT OVER BAKE.

9.  Leave on cookie sheet 3 min. before placing on cooling rack.

Goodness after writing this I am really hungry!!!  Let us know how it turns out as you try making homemade vanilla extract!

Do you have a frugal yet fun & crafty handmade gift idea to share with all of us? We will be compiling ideas for a fun series on thrifty Christmas gifts this fall and we’d love to feature unique reader ideas. Email me at thriftynwmom (at) gmail (dot) com with your idea.  If you’re a blogger, we will link to you within the post as well as providing a short bio at the end.

DIY: Vanilla Extract is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

By  Contributing Writer, Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

I love canning.  It can be time consuming and a lot of work, but you reap the rewards all year long! I especially love canning with my sister, we laugh, make a huge mess, but the memories are as sweet as the jam we are canning.

Last year I didn’t can quite enough jam and we had to buy jam.  My boys started only wanting peanut butter sandwiches instead of PB&J.  They wouldn’t touch the store-bought stuff, so this year I am doubling up on my jam canning.  I figure I can always give extras to a special teacher or as holiday gifts to friends and neighbors.

If you have never canned before and want to get started I will give a few tips, but I highly recommend reading or investing in Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving .  It is a fantastic resource.  I found mine at Goodwill.  Their website is also a wealth of information.

I mostly do jam and fruit canning, but the possibilities for canning are endless.  My favorites are jams, peaches, salsa and pickles!!  This year I am going to also pickle asparagus, so excited about that!!!

If you really want to get into canning, think of it as an investment.  There are definitely items you will need to purchase to get started, but a number of them are reusable.  You can also find these items at Goodwill, garage sales or borrow from a friend.

Here are the basic supplies:

• Canning jars-these can be reused year after year
• Canning lids and rings-these need to be replaced year after year
• Large pot for water bath
• Jar lifter-highly recommend one of these

Other items that are nice to have but not necessary:

• Funnel
• Mini chopper or blender
• Sieve
• Jar tongs
• Jar separator-for water bath
• Jar magnet to check for seal-you can use a magnet from your fridge too
• A friend to can with

I use Ball or Kerr products for my canning.  I know people use many other types and have great success with them.  I just prefer Ball products and have stuck with them.  The recipes I use for canning come from them.  I use the recipe straight from the box of pectin.  It is important to follow the recipes and to be careful to read through the directions first before starting.

Another tip I have is to measure out the items before get the prepped and then start.  For example,  measure out the sugar and keep in a clean bowl ready to go-with two small “helpers”, I always lose track of how many cups of sugar I have added!

Where to find your canning supplies:

* I have found that Winco is the cheapest place for buying most of the canning jars, pectin and replacement lids and seals.  They tend to be a dollar cheaper than Walmart.  I also will buy the sugar in bulk there because it tends to be cheaper as well.  There was also a coupon in the Sunday paper!!

*You can also look at second-hand stores for old jars.  Be sure to check the jars for any cracks, chips and run you finger over the top to make sure it is even.  You also want to be sure there is no major staining on the jars.

*I have a list I keep in my purse that has different canning supplies I am looking for at garage sales or second hand stores.  I now have been on the lookout for a canning sieve.  It would make seedless jam much easier, but I don’t want to pay full price!

How can canning save you any money?

*Buy your supplies such as sugar and lemon juice, vinegars and such in bulk (especially at Winco)

*Use “yesterday’s pick” berries for significant savings or “u-pick” for even more savings.

Here is the price breakdown for “u-pick” strawberries making one batch of jam approximately 48oz of
berries:

(Based on local prices here in the Puyallup area)

• Berries-$7.20 (organic)
• Sugar-$1.50 (winco)
• Pectin-$1 (used Ball Real fruit Pectin flex batch and $1 off coupon from the 6/12 Smart Source insert)
• Lemon juice if using the Ball method – $.20 (some brands don’t call for lemon juice-this price is based on Costco)
• New lids and rings -$ .75 (walmart)

Total cost: $10.65 for 48 oz. organic jam

Comparison:

*Price of organic jam from Safeway’s O organics brand -  $27.76 for 48 oz.
*Price of organic jam from Amazon -$18.76 for 48 oz.

You can get organic jam cheaper using coupons or shopping sales; however nothing in my opinion beats the taste of homemade jams.  Plus using it for teacher gifts or neighbor gifts at Christmas can save you there too.

What are your favorite things to can?

Summer in a Jar – Canning 101 is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

By Contributor Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

I started making homemade laundry soap about two years ago-first as just a “trial.”  I had my doubts that it would really clean, but I researched how much money it would save me and thought it was worth a try!  I haven’t bought laundry soap since!!  And an added benefit, my boys and my husband’s eczema has been better since using the homemade detergent!!

Homemade Laundry Soap Recipe

{This recipe is for high efficiency washers as well as regular – you’d use the same amount in the HE washer as a regular washer}

• 1/3 bar Fels Naptha or Ivory
• ½ cup washing soda (not to be confused with baking soda-this is in the laundry aisle)
• ½ cup borax powder

(Update: We’ve had some questions about where to find these ingredients. Sarah found all of these ingredients at her local Fred Meyer store in the laundry aisle. However, other readers have mentioned finding these ingredients at Winco, Walmart, & Ace Hardware, to name a few places)

Supplies:

You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size, a sauce pan, and cheese grater.

Directions:

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan.  Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts.  Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved.  Remove from heat.  Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket.   Now add your soap mixture and stir.  Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir.  Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel.  You use ½ cup per load.

The finished soap will not be a solid gel.  It will be more of a watery gel that has been accurately described as an “egg noodle soup” look.

Storage:

I save the Costco size apple juice containers to store it in.

Optional: You can add ½ teaspoon essential oil if you like for fragrance or a 1 cup of your favorite fabric softener.  I don’t add either of those because I want mine “free”, but I do add 1 cup Oxi-Clean as a cleaning booster.

The savings:

• The average cost per load of store bought laundry soap is about 60 cents a load (based on price of Tide from Amazon). This is without coupons – it would be lower depending on the coupons & sales that you find.
• The price per load of homemade detergent is 3.5 cents per load!!  That means if I do one load a year it will save me about $80 a year!!

Have you ever made homemade laundry detergent? What are your tips for making your own laundry soap?

Homemade Laundry Detergent is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

With New Years Eve coming up in just a few days, you may be debating about what kind of dessert to bring to a New Years Eve party or gathering.  A great resource for dessert recipes is Kraft’s Cool Whip website, where they offer recipes for every season & holiday.  You can find a whole list of great pie & dessert recipes for New Years Eve.

Kraft sent me a basket filled with all sorts of goodies so we could try out some of Cool Whip’s fun holiday recipes.  One of the recipes we tried was the Easy Tiramisu Pie. We love Tiramisu in our house and this looked like a quick & easy recipe to try. My hubby & daughter actually made this & it was simple yet tasty!

Most of these recipes are quite frugal, too –  using ingredients that you likely have on hand & items that have been on sale with steep discounts & coupons the last month or two. I’ve still got quite a stock of Cool Whip from when it was free  after coupons this summer at Albertson’s.

Here are a few of the other recipes that I’d like to try:

• White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
• Oreo Cookie Pie
• Creamy Lemon Cheesecake
• Cherries in the Snow

Giveaway – Cool Whip Baking Basket

Cool Whip has offered to give 1 Thrifty NW Mom reader a Baking Gift Basket so you can be inspired to create some of these delicious desserts from Cool Whip.  The Baking Gift Basket includes a Williams Sonoma pie plate, set of 4 Williams Sonoma kitchen towels, bag of Starbucks coffee, coupons for FREE Cool Whip & all sorts of yummy goodies for baking.

This giveaway will end on Thursday December 30th at 9pm pst.

The winner will be drawn using Random.org and the winner will have 48 hours to contact me, otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

Here’s how to enter this giveaway::

1st Entry (required entry): Head over to the Cool Whip website to check out all the recipes & share your favorite recipe.

Extra Entries : (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)

2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified) or become a Google follower.

3) Head over to the Thrifty NW Mom Facebook page & “like” the page. Leave a comment saying you did this. If you already “like” Thrifty NW Mom’s Facebook page, you can comment & say that.

Disclosure: I was given a Cool Whip Baking Basket from Kraft as part of this  review.  A Cool Whip Baking Basket also will be given to  a winner randomly chosen.  All opinions are 100% mine. See my disclosure statement for more details.

Cool Whip Baking Basket Giveaway is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Guest Post: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts

This is the 4th homemade gift idea in a series of guest posts by my friend Sarah! Make sure to check out her blog, Chickie Momma Crafts for all sorts of fun holiday craft ideas, recipes, do-it-yourself furniture projects & more!

Most years in my childhood we would make salt dough or cinnamon ornaments.  My aunt is also the queen of these and I have so many on my tree that she would decorate and give each niece and nephew over the years.  My sister and I hosted a cookie exchange a few years ago and so I thought making salt dough ornaments would be perfect for the party favor.  They turned out cute and some even have teeth marks from my then two year old trying to “eat” them.  I used the recipe listed below and then when they were cooled I used puffy paints and glitter glue to decorate them.  I have heard that you can also use real sprinkles!!  Never tried it, but maybe this year!

Classic Salt Dough Ornament Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup water

Directions:

1. Mix salt and flour.

2. Add in half the water, then gradually add the remaining water.

3. Knead until the dough is smooth, this can take up to 10 minutes.

4. For flat dough ornaments, roll out the dough on baking paper.

How to  Create Your Ornaments:

• For desired shape, use cookie cutters, cut-out templates, or just use your hands to shape the dough into the shape you want.
• Dust dough with flour, then begin to add details to the ornaments with a toothpick, popsicle stick, and knife.

Tip: Don’t forget – use a straw to make a hole so you can hang the ornament or use a small piece of wire inserted while the dough is soft. (I use a 34 gage wire, cut it about an inch then fold it to a horseshoe shape and stick the two ends in the dough)

Baking: Time varies based on thickness of ornament.  The temperature should be at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until dry.

Decorate:

• Let ornaments cool before you begin
• Paint with acrylic paints
• Glue on beads, buttons, or any fun accessory

{I like to use puffy paints and glitter glue}

Preservation{so they’ll last a long time}:  Coat with acrylic varnish when everything is dry.

Make sure to check out the previous homemade gift ideas featured this week by Chickie Momma Crafts:

• Mason Jar Pies
• Candied Popcorn
• Little Bread Bags

Sarah is a wife & mother of two little boys (ages 4 & 2).  She’s the Co-Coordinator at a local MOPS group & is a former elementary school teacher. You’ll definitely want to check out her website, Chickie Momma Crafts, as she is a woman of many talents – crafting, baking, decorating & turning trash-into-treasures!

Homemade Gift Idea: Salt Dough Ornaments is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Guest Post: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts

My friend Sarah is back again today, sharing her favorite homemade gift ideas & recipes with you all week long! These make such fun, thrifty gifts at Christmastime.  Make sure to check out her blog, Chickie Momma Crafts for all sorts of fun holiday craft ideas, recipes, do-it-yourself furniture projects & more!

We did these for fall one year.  I used old fabric that I have collected over the years and sewed a simple bag.  First, I cut the fabric into an  8” by 20” strip, then fold in half with right sides together and sew along each 10” side using a ½” seam allowance.  Next,  using long ziplock (7” by 8”) sandwich bags fill with your favorite bread mix.  Then,  slide the bread mix along with baking directions into the fabric bag.  I used a label I made on the computer to staple the bag shut, but you could also use pinking shears to cut the top of the bag and then add a ribbon with a tag!

Different twists on the same idea:

• Cookie Mix
• Brownie Mix
• Dry Chili Ingredients
• Soup Mix

If sewing isn’t your thing, you could do them in a simple brown lunch bag tied with a ribbon or fabric.

Labels:

There are numerous places that you can print and download free labels.  One of my favorites for Christmas is over at the Crafty Carnival.

Poppy Seed Bread Mix recipe:

• 1.5 cups flour
• 1.25 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds {optional – this is a simple bread mix – but if you want to make it into poppyseed bread – you can add the poppy seeds & then instructions for the glaze on top}

Sift all ingredients together and place in ziplock bag.

Here are the baking instructions for the bread recipe (don’t forget to include them inside your packaging):

*Mix the dry ingredients from the bag with:

• ¼ teaspoon almond extract (could be substituted with rum or lemon)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ cup milk
• 2/3 cup oil
• 1 egg

Beat for two minutes.  Pour into greased and floured loaf pan.  Do not use glass pan.  Bake at 350 for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean.  Pour glaze over hot bread.

Glaze:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons orange or pineapple juice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¼ teaspoon extract (either lemon, almond or rum)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla

In small sauce pan, heat the first 3 ingredients until sugar dissolves.  Stir in extract and vanilla.  Brush on hot bread.  Let bread cool in pan for 2-3 hours.

Sarah is a wife & mother of two little boys (ages 4 & 2).  She’s the Co-Coordinator at a local MOPS group & is a former elementary school teacher. You’ll definitely want to check out her website, Chickie Momma Crafts, as she is a woman of many talents – crafting, baking, decorating & turning trash-into-treasures!

Homemade Gift Idea: Little Bread Bags is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Guest Post: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts

I’m so excited to have my friend Sarah sharing her favorite homemade gift ideas with you all week long! This is our 2nd day of fun thrifty gift ideas! Make sure to check out her blog, Chickie Momma Crafts for all sorts of fun holiday craft ideas, recipes, do-it-yourself furniture projects & more!

This is one my two boys LOVE, mostly because they love popcorn, and what is better than popcorn than candied popcorn!  I found paper popcorn boxes at the dollar store and at our local Target .  We made the candied popcorn in two colors, red and green, and  then put it in clear gift bags.  We then placed the bags of popcorn in the popcorn box with a tag and a fun ribbon.

Candied Popcorn Recipe:

• 12 cups popped corn
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup butter (no substitute)
• ½ cup corn syrup
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• Food coloring {if desired}

Directions:

1. Spread out popcorn on wax paper or parchment paper

2.  In a large pot, bring sugar, butter and corn syrup to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Add baking soda, vanilla and food coloring {or flavored kool aid packet} to mixture .

3.  Pour Sugar mixture over popcorn.  Mix it all together. Cool completely before packaging.

Helpful Hint: Use cream food coloring – it is less messy and more concentrated then drop food coloring.  You can also use flavored kool-aid packets to color and flavor instead of food coloring.

What are your favorite flavored popcorn recipes?

You could substitute your favorite flavor of popcorn for this fun treat idea (caramel, cheddar, etc). Great gift idea that your kids can get involved in to make for the neighbors, teachers, friends & more!

Sarah is a wife & mother of two little boys (ages 4 & 2).  She’s the Co-Coordinator at a local MOPS group & is a former elementary school teacher. You’ll definitely want to check out her website, Chickie Momma Crafts, as she is a woman of many talents – crafting, baking, decorating & turning trash-into-treasures!

Homemade Gift Idea: Candied Popcorn is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Guest Post: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts

I’m so excited to have my friend Sarah sharing her favorite homemade gift ideas with you this week! We’ll have a fun, easy yet thrifty gift idea each day this week! And make sure to check out her blog, Chickie Momma Crafts for all sorts of fun holiday craft ideas, recipes, do-it-yourself furniture projects & more!

Every year one of my favorite thing to do at Christmas time is make gifts.  I love to sew, cut, paste, glue, glitter, bake, & frost!  I love to make gifts for friends, family and neighbors.  One of my fondest Christmas memories is baking and decorating cookies with my siblings, mom and grandma then taking them to the elderly.  I want to give my boys some memories like that!  Over the years I have made many homemade gifts and now my oldest helps me make gifts to take and deliver to others.

I’ll be sharing my top 5 favorite homemade gift ideas with you  every day  this week here at Thrifty NW Mom.  I hope there is something for everyone, whether you’re super crafty or not.

Mason Jar Pies-Super easy, even for those who aren’t crafty. All you need is mini mason jars (4 oz.) You could use larger sizes, but preferably something shallow.  If you don’t like to cook, you can buy pie crust and pie filling.  Simply press the pie crust in the jar, use the ring of the mason jar lid to cut the top of the pie crust, fill with store bought or homemade pie filling.  Then you can either bake them at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes until crust is golden brown or freeze with baking instructions for the recipient.

Apple Pie Filling:

Other Filling Ideas:

• Bake cupcakes in the small mason jars, then top with frosting once baked and cooled
• Bake brownies in the jars
• Make a savory pie like pot pie or shepherd’s pie

Where to Find The Mini Mason Jars:

You can find a dozen jars at Winco for around $8 or Walmart for around $9. You could also look at your local Goodwill, Value Village or other thrift store & possibly find them as low as $.25-$.50/ea, but then you will need to purchase new lids for around $3/dozen.

So many endless possibilities! Super cute & pretty simple to make!  And best of all – this is quite the frugal gift!

Have you ever made Mason Jar Pies….what type of filling did you use with your jars?

*If you have a fun, thrifty homemade gift idea & would love to share with all the readers at Thrifty NW Mom, send me an email at thriftynwmom (at) hotmail (dot) com.  I’d love to feature more readers’ ideas!

Sarah is a wife & mother of two little boys (ages 4 & 2).  She’s the Co-Coordinator at a local MOPS group & is a former elementary school teacher. You’ll definitely want to check out her website, Chickie Momma Crafts, as she is a woman of many talents – crafting, baking, decorating & turning trash-into-treasures!

Homemade Gift Idea: Mason Jar Pies is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

This is the week that Zaycon Foods is delivering the 40 pounds of chicken to many areas in Washington & Oregon (Eastern WA & Idaho areas already received their chicken in the last week or two).  As you get ready for your chicken & how to prepare it when it arrives – you’ll want to check out this awesome E-Book that Angela from Frugal Living NW created with her friend Kate, a professional chef.  Even better,the 40 Simple Ways to use 40 Pounds of Chicken E-Book is on sale for 48 hours only, for just $4.  You can pay via paypal & once you’ve paid, you’ll be able to download and/or print your copy right away.   This sale is good thru Tuesday night, November 9th,  at 11:59pm pst.

This is a  very helpful resource to have on hand now as you plan for what you will do with your 40 lbs of chicken. Or maybe you didn’t order the chicken, but are on the lookout for some new chicken recipes to add to your repertoire!  This E-book provides simple ideas & recipes for how to turn those 40 pounds of chicken into affordable meals for your family. It’s a great introduction to freezer meal cooking with tips & tricks to get you started along with grocery lists & more.  I’m just thankful to have so many new chicken recipes that look so flavorful but simple to make as well! Read my full review of the E-Book HERE.

Here’s how to take advantage of this deal:

• Head on over & add the 40 Simple ways to use 40 pounds of chicken E-Book to your cart.
• Then enter the coupon code: CHICKENISCOMING in the discount code box & update your cart. The price will drop to $4 for the book
• Click to pay via Paypal. {Even if you don’t have a Paypal account, you can still pay via this method. Just click “pay with a debit or credit card” to pay without creating an account.
• Once you complete checkout, you’ll receive directions to download your E-Book to your computer.

48 Hour Sale: Chicken E-Book for just $4 is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

*Update: It looks like they are now sold out at all locations!!

As you know, I’ve been mentioning the big chicken sale from Zaycon Foods quite a bit lately.  This is where you can buy 40 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts for just $1.48/lb – around $60! Zaycon Foods is coming to a number of Northwest locations.  Well, the deadline is fast approaching for Western Washington – technically you have until Monday November 1st to order your chicken. However, I’ve just learned that the Eastern WA, Idaho & Oregon/Southwest WA  locations sold out early & there are limited quantities left now for all other Western Washington locations. I have a feeling that it will sell out before Monday. So, if you’re interested in this sale, I’d encourage you to order soon!

And if you’re feeling overwhelmed about how to get started preparing 40 lbs of chicken – you’ll definitely want to consider buying the new E-Book from Frugal Living NW: “40 Simple Ways to use 40 Pounds of Chicken”.  You’ll not only get tips on how to prepare  the chicken, but also some simple yet tasty chicken recipes if you want to try out freezer meal cooking or are looking for some new chicken recipes for your meal rotations!

Update on Zaycon Foods Chicken Sale! *Now Sold Out* is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

As I’ve been mentioning for several weeks, Zaycon Foods will be delivering fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts to many areas in the Northwest for just $1.48/lb. Deliveries will start at the end of this week & continue thru the middle of November.  If you live in central WA, Portland & western OR or Longview, WA – you’ll need to make your order by Tuesday October 26th.  All other areas of western Washington will have until Monday, November 1st to order your chicken from Zaycon Foods.

Now that you’ve ordered your chicken…you’re probably wondering what you’re going to do with all that chicken?  If you’re like me, 40 lbs of chicken sounds a bit overwhelming.  Well, my friend Angela at Frugal Living NW has paired up with her friend Kate (an experienced, professional, personal chef) to bring you an e-Book entitled “40 Simple Ways to use 40 Pounds of Chicken”. In this e-Book, they not only discuss how to prepare all of that chicken once it arrives, but 40 different ways to turn all of that chicken into affordable freezer meals for your family!

This e-Book is not just for those who will be ordering the 40 pounds of chicken from Zaycon – this is a great resource for anyone who is looking for tasty yet simple chicken recipes to add to your recipe collection. It is also a great resource if you’re wanting to start trying out freezer meal cooking, with tips & tricks for how to manage your time as well as freezer meal recipes to get you started.

Here’s a sampling of the information you’ll find inside this e-Book:

• A plan for how to get ready to make your freezer meals – shopping lists, menu plan lists, & more; detailed instructions on how to prepare the chicken for the freezer (flash-freezing chicken, shredding, boiling & baking chicken)
• Meals using whole, frozen chicken
• Marinades to use with fresh or frozen chicken
• Meals using cooked chicken
• Meals using fresh chicken, which is then frozen to provide a complete dish

I appreciate that all of the recipes look to be very flavorful, but also fairly simple with ingredients that you would typically have on hand or that would be economical to purchase.  The design of the e-Book makes it very easy-to-use & a wonderful resource to have in the chicken, not only for freezer meal cooking but also just for new recipes to add to your cooking rotation.

The “40 Simple Ways to use 40 Pounds of Chicken” e-Book is on sale right now for $5.95 – just head on over to Frugal Living NW to read more about it & buy a copy of the e-Book.  You can then download the e-Book, which can be saved to your computer or printed off to put into a recipe binder (which is what I did with my copy this morning). I can’t wait to try out some of these new recipes.  Let me know if you try any of the recipes & which are your favorites – I’ll be sharing my experience with the recipes!

And if you’re in the Northwest, don’t forget to head to Zaycon Foods & order some super-cheap boneless, skinless chicken breasts!

Disclosure – I was provided a complimentary copy of this E-Book to review & share my opinions.  All opinions are 100% mine. Thank you for supporting this site by using the affiliate link for the e-Book.

New “40 Simple Ways to Use 40 Pounds of Chicken” E-Book – Preparation, Freezer Meal Recipes & more is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Reader Kristi wrote a fabulous guest post for us yesterday with her tips for making freezer meals & today she brings us the recipes &  items she used to make her freezer meals.

Freezer Meal Recipes & Ingredients:

Make sure to check out the full post with all of Kristi’s tips for preparing freezer meals.

More Freezer Meal Recipes is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Guest Post: Reader Kristi shares her Calzone recipe used with her freezer meals.

• The dough will be a little sticky when you start to roll it so don’t be afraid to add flour to manage it, it’s a very forgiving recipe .  You should have a dry enough piece of dough that it won’t stick to the roller or the board.
• They turn out best if baked on a silicone liner or a pizza stone
• Check them while cooking to make sure the vent holes aren’t plugged with melted cheese.  If they are, just scrape it off and poke the knife back down in the vent to clear it for the steam.  If they get plugged, it can pull the seams apart or make a big air pocket and they don’t freeze as well.
• For freezing – cool in the fridge then wrap each calzone in plastic and store all of them in a large freezer bag
• Freeze any leftover marinara or pizza sauce from the Red recipe in the mini muffin tins to use for dipping these in later
• I make two of the dough recipes, then divide them into 6 pieces each for 10 calzones and a few bread sticks
• The freshness of your dried oregano will make a difference in your recipe.  I get mine in bulk and it’s a lot more fragrant and only cost 12 cents for 3 tablespoons.

• Thaw overnight in the fridge (optional)
• Remove plastic and microwave 1 minute on high if frozen or 35 seconds if thawed
• Toast in the oven or toaster to dry out the crust at 350* for 5-8 minutes

Check out the full post with Kristi’s freezer meal tips & tricks, along with pictures of her freezer full of meals!

Recipe for Calzones Freezer Meal is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Guest Post by Reader Kristi

Freezer cooking is a great option for this busy time of year, as well as a frugal option since you can focus on using recipes for ingredients you might be stockpiling.  Also, just by having a ready-made meal in the freezer will help eliminate getting take-out on those busy school nights.  I thought it would be interesting to hear about freezer cooking from a pro, so I put out  the call to the Thrifty NW Mom Facebook fans.  Reader Kristi volunteered to share some of her freezer meal tips with all of us, along with pictures so we could see how it all works. Thank you Kristi!

Fall-Ready Freezer

A few weeks ago I started our fall freezer stocking a little early after we eagerly picked 12 pounds of blueberries at the U-Pick farm in Snohomish.  Once I admitted that I was going to have to freeze a ton (or ~10 pounds as it was) I realized our freezer needed some serious attention.

I cleaned out what was in there then I hit the cookbooks for our favorites and the blogs for some new things to try.  I made my list and went shopping.

Our old standards that made the list were:

• Taco meat
• Spaghetti meat sauce
• BBQ pulled pork
• Spicy turkey burgers
• White calzones
• Red calzones
• Banana bread
• Chocolate chip cookie dough

The new items on the list were:

• Sloppy Joes
• Egg Muffins

Then the ‘no work / no cook’ items were:

• Shredded rotisserie chicken
• Marinara (for the calzones)
• Pesto

The 1st things tackled when I got home from shopping were the ‘no work / no cook’ items on the list.

The shredded rotisserie chicken was hands down the best find in my freezer idea search.  It’s so brilliantly simple it’s hard to believe I never thought of it myself, but this stroke of genius came from Clean Mama.   We use this stuff for chicken pot pie, chicken & dumplings, soups, quesadillas, salads, etc. etc.  I simply shredded it and put it in freezer bags – SO EASY!

I froze the marinara and pesto in mini muffin tins (which don’t absorb flavors like plastic), turned them out onto wax paper to harden the rest of the way, then tossed them into flat bottom freezer bags.  Mini muffin tins hold a little over 1 tablespoon so they’re great for things like this.

For any of the protein dishes that were cooked (as well as the cookie dough), they were all put into quart freezer bags and flattened before freezing them on a sheet pan.  This way they can stand up and are easy to flip through to quickly find what I need.

The egg muffins were cooked in regular muffin tins then frozen on the sheet pan before being lined up in the flat bottom freezer bags.

These are a new favorite grab & go breakfast item in our house.

The calzones were individually wrapped in plastic before going in the freezer bags and the banana bread was cut in half and each half wrapped in plastic before both pieces went in the bag.

When all was said and done, this was the end result.  A well stocked and organized freezer.

Top drawer:

Bottom drawer:

Total tally of work done:

• 3 ravioli dinners
• 3 taco meat
• 3 spaghetti meat sauce
• 4 shredded chicken
• 4 BBQ pulled pork
• 8 spicy turkey burgers
• 4 red calzones
• 6 white calzones
• 18 egg muffins
• 9 T marinara
• 18 T pesto
• 1 batch chocolate chip cookie dough
• 1 loaf (split) banana bread

Thank you to Kristi for a great, in-depth tutorial on how to freeze meals at home!  What are your favorite tips for making freezer meals at home?

If you have a delicious freezer meal recipe & would like to share with Thrifty NW Mom readers, you can email me at thriftynwmom(at) hotmail (dot) com.  Even better if you have a picture of your dish to include.

Kristi is a stay-at-home-Mom to a crazy, wild, typical 3 year old boy.  She’s always used her freezer but  got serious about freezing meals and meal starters when she got married and realized most recipes make way too much food for 2 adults.   And now that they have a little boy running around non-stop it’s that much more important to have food pretty much ready to go morning, noon, and night for us as well as for impromptu entertaining.

Freezer Cooking Tips & Tricks is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Have you been strawberry picking or just have a lot of strawberries you’ve found on sale? In that case, you might be looking for a new recipe to add to your summertime collection!  Last week, I asked the Thrifty NW Mom Facebook Fans what were some of their favorite ways to use strawberries & they responded with an awesome list of ideas.  I’ll list some of those at the end…but for now, this is a yummy recipe that Facebook Fan Christi emailed me!

Strawberry Spinach Salad:

• 1 bag spinach
• 1 pint strawberries
• 1/2 Cup pecan pieces for garnish

Dressing:

• 1/3 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp onion, grated
• 1 cup light olive oil
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds

Directions:

In a blender, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt & onion. Slowly add olive oil & blend for 1 minute (can also be whisked by hand in a large bowl, just skip the extended blending step).  Refrigerate until chilled & then dress salad. (I usually won’t wait for it to be refrigerated). We like our salad with minimal dressing, so I would be able to make 4 salads with just one dressing recipe.

Doesn’t this salad sound so good? And simple to make – my kind of recipe!

Here’s a list of some of the other ideas that the Facebook Fans shared for their favorite ways to use strawberries:

• Strawberry pie (anyone have a good recipe for this – I’ve been looking for one!)
• Strawberry & Rhubarb Jam
• Chocolate-covered strawberries
• Strawberries dipped in sour cream & then in brown sugar
• Fruit Smoothies
• Berry Crepes
• Red, White & Blue Pie
• Grilled halved strawberries with mango ice cream
• Strawberry Tart with French Pastry Cream

So, what is your favorite recipe to use with strawberries (or any fresh berries, for that matter)? If you have a great recipe to share (& even pictures of your recipe), we’d love to hear it! Email me at thriftynwmom (at) hotmail (dot) com or just leave it in the comments & I can share with the readers!

Thanks Christi!

Photo Credit

Strawberry Spinach Salad is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Guest Post from Amber at Coupon Connections NW:

One of my favorite things to do during the summer is to go camping with my family.  We have gone even when our kids were babies and I don’t regret one minute.  But before I started using coupons, I would dread the price tag that came with it.  It seems that the “cheap” vacation became a huge expense.  I am so thankful that even though our income has dropped, that I am still able to give my kids this fun experience with the help of using coupons.

Today I am going to share a few of my favorite recipes that I like to make when I am camping.  Because this is our family’s vacation time, we like to pull out all the stops and eat well.  Here are some great recipes that you make ahead of time to alleviate some of the mess, but not sacrifice the quality or flavor.

Egg McMuffins

Now this may sound a little weird, but it works and it is good!

Ingredients:

Sliced Cheese
Egg
English Muffin

Pre-Cook your eggs in a bowl in the microwave.  This way they will be the size of an english muffin.   Make sure you spray the bowl with PAM first.  And I found that in my microwave 40 sec is perfect. Then once they cool stick in a ziploc bag ready for packing.

When camping use your BBQ Grill to toast the English Muffin & reheat the egg and add a slice of cheese if you would like.

Oh they taste good!

Lunch:

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

This is so simple, but yet SO good

Ingredients:

Tortillas
Shredded Cheese
Turkey Meat
Ranch Dressing (or one you prefer)
Lettuce
Red onion
Already Cooked Bacon*
{And whatever other fixings you would like}

I have everything cut and ready in ziplocs and just throw together when I am there.  I find that the wraps are better than sandwiches because you don’t have to worry about the bread smashing.  As well, with using ranch dressing, I am not having to pack mayo, mustard and all those other goodies.

*I just pre cook a day before trip regular packaged bacon and keep in ziploc bag.  You could use the already cooked if you would like

Dinner:

Fire Cracker Salmon

This is one of those recipes that gets better the longer you marinade it.

• 8 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
• 1/2 cup peanut oil
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 tablespoons green onions, chopped
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Just add all the ingredients together and put the salmon in a ziploc bag or container and your ready to go.  Marinate at least 4 hours. I cook it on a Travel BBQ.

*Serve with Betty Crocker Instant Potatoes & Asparagus

There are so many recipes like these that are awesome for going camping.  No need to just eat hotdogs.  I actually prefer to make marinated meals because then you will not have to worry about bringing all the condiments and you will save some space.

Quick Tip: if you are ever wondering if a recipe would turn out okay…. do a practice run at home first.  I did that with the english muffins and I was very happy with it.

In the next month over on my site, Coupon Connections NW, I will continue to share some more of my favorite recipes that I like to take camping.  Hope that you will stop by for a visit.

Amber is married and a stay-at-home mom to 4 young children, living north of Seattle.   Make sure to check out Amber’s site, Coupon Connections NW. This is an informative & fun Northwest deal blog featuring  grocery store deals for NW stores, freebies, money-saving tips & much more!

Quick & Easy Camping Recipes is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

I have to say that my absolute favorite season is Spring! I absolutely love the trees coming back in bloom, the beautiful flowers popping up everywhere and all the reminders of new life emerging around us! And that’s why Easter is so important to me and my family -it’s a reminder of the sacrifice made by our Savior and the new life that each and every one of us can have in Christ!

As a family, we do participate in some of the fun Easter traditions (egg hunts, dyeing eggs, etc), but most importantly, we want our girls to understand the real meaning behind Easter & the fact that Jesus is alive & He is risen!  Here are a few recipes you can make tonight and tomorrow morning to celebrate His resurrection with your children!

RESURRECTION ROLLS:

Ingredients:

• 1 can of refrigerated Crescent Rolls or Biscuits {I’m sure you couponers have many of these from recent sales!} -you could also use homemade dough-even better! We used biscuits for ours.
• 8-10  Large Marshmallows
• Melted Butter {around 1/4 cup}
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons white sugar {we were out of white sugar & just used brown sugar-just as good!}

{Mix the sugar & cinnamon together in a bowl & have the melted butter                 in a separate bowl}

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (or whatever the package directions say)
2. Give each person a crescent roll triangle or a biscuit dough circle (with our biscuits, we used a rolling pin to flatten them a bit & make them larger) – This represents the tomb where Jesus was buried.
3. Give each person a marshmallow – this represents the body of Christ
4. First dip your marshmallow in the melted butter – make sure it’s covered in butter on all sides. Then roll the marshmallow in the cinnamon/sugar mixture so it’s coated.
5. Next, lay the cinnamon/sugar coated marshmallow in the center of the crescent roll or biscuit. Then carefully wrap the dough around the marshmallow & make sure to pinch the seams really good to keep the marshmallow in.
6. Place on a baking sheet and bake your rolls according to the package directions. Let them cool.
7. Have your children “break open the tomb” and see that the tomb is empty & Christ is gone – He is risen!

*We added a bit of extra melted butter & cinnamon/sugar mixture on the outside & it made it even tastier! They were yummy & meaningful at the same time!

RESURRECTION COOKIES:

Image from Women Living Well – visit this site for recipe!

Another idea that we’ll be trying tonight are Resurrection Cookies – Easter Story Cookies!  These are a great one to make on the evening before Easter, so you can open these up on Easter Sunday!  Very similar to the Resurrection Rolls, but they go into more depth about the Easter Story from the Bible!   I’m excited to try these as a family tonight to prepare our hearts for tomorrow’s celebration!

Ways to Celebrate Easter – Resurrection Sunday is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Are you looking for some inspiration for St Patrick’s Day coming up on Wednesday? My daughter is really into celebrating all of the holidays now and loves to decorate the house, do fun crafts, and have fun things to eat along with the day. {We just finally took down our foam snowflakes hanging from the entry light and our string of Valentine hearts that she had put  up with her daddy to surprise me for Valentine’s Day. It was about time – it is only the middle of March!!} We’ll be switching to more Easter decorations now – but I’m still looking for a few fun St Patrick’s Day items to have up for a few days.

I was excited to see a new, FREE E-book filled with all sorts of fun St Patrick’s Day crafts, decorations, and recipes! {Check out the cute hat decoration above which seems pretty easy to make!}

Here are a few more fun ideas you’ll find in the FREE E-book:

-Felt Shamrock Garland
-Happy St Patrick’s Day Card
-Irish Shamrock Plate
-Homemade Bailey’s Irish & Cream
-Lucky Clover Pendant Necklace

St Patrick’s Day Recipes & Crafts is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

I don’t know about you, but I am always in need of good, healthy chicken recipes! So, I was pleased to see this new e-book filled with 22 recipes for quick & easy healthy recipes for chicken! Head on over HERE to download this free E-book!  {If this link is not working, try clicking on the picture below}

Here are a few of the tasty recipes I found:

• Black Walnut & Honey Mustard Chicken Breasts
• Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken
• Slow-cooker BBQ Chicken
• 10 minute chicken & noodles

Free E-Book – Healthy Chicken Recipes is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Are you hosting a Superbowl gathering at your house or just heading out to a party & in need of a tasty appetizer?  Then, you’ll want to check out this new FREE E-book filled with 39 appetizer recipes and party pleasers perfect for satisfying those hungry appetites on game-day!!

Here are some of the yummy recipes I found:

• Cheesecake Factory Bruschetta
• Saucy Aloha Chicken Wings
• White Mexican Cheese Dip
• Market Day Bacon-Wrapped Jumbo Party Shrimp (my husband would LOVE this one!)

Check out these other FREE E-Books:

• 31 Top-Secret Restaurant Recipes (you”ll find recipes from Olive Garden, PF Changs, Macaroni Grill & more)
• 33 Hearty Slow-Cooker Recipes
• 32 Porkchop Recipes

Game Day Appetizers – Free Ebook is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Free Thanksgiving Recipe E-Book is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom