Frugalista Farm Life

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Yummy In My Tummy: Oven Roasted Chickpeas

During our fun-filled family vacation in Florida, I must have flipped through twenty-five different magazines throughout the week. My favorite part of magazines are the variety of new recipes and pictures that go along. One of the recipes that caught me eye was this one. I am a big fan of using beans in recipes. They have multiple health benefits, and they are relatively cheap.

The star of this recipe is chickpeas which are also known as garbanzo beans. Each half cup serving of these beans contain 6 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein and only 2 grams of fat. They also have 110 calories in each half cup. Hope you enjoy this easy snack!

Drain 1 can of chickpeas. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

Drizzle the chickpeas with a healthy amount of olive oil. Season to your own taste. I just used salt and pepper but you could use whatever spices and herbs you prefer. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Bon Appetite!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Frugalista Shopping: Week of June 20

I will have to admit, I had a pretty fun time shopping this week. Maybe that is just because I got some GREAT deals. So lets cut to the chase already...

CVS

Total Spent: $7.53

Total Saved: $26.40

Total Extra Care Bucks Earned: $16.00

Best Buys:

Gallon of Dean's Skim Milk: $2.69 + earned $1.00 ECB= $1.69

Colgate Toothpaste: On sale for $2.99 minus $1.00 coupon= $1.99 + earned $2.00 ECB= FREE

Box of Huggies Diapers: On sale for 19.99 minus $3.00 coupon from CVS Coupon Center minus $1.50 manufacturers coupon= $15.49 + earned $10.00 ECB= $5.49

(2) Power Bars: $.99 each + earned $1.00 back for each= 2 for FREE

Walgreens

Total Spent: $1.41

Total Saved: $16.28

Total Register Rewards Earned: $5.50

Best Buys:

Lysol Wipes: On sale for $2.99 minus $1.00 coupon= $1.99 + earned $1.00 RR= $.99

Old Spice Body wash: On sale for $4.49 plus used coupon B1G1 men's deodorant + earned $4.50 RR= FREE body wash and FREE deodorant (Shhh I did it again!)

Happy Shopping!

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Busted!

After my post this week about my frugalista shopping trip, fellow blogger and friend Hoosier Farm Babe pointed out that I seem to get great deals on men's body wash quite frequently. GUILTY AS CHARGED!! I knew that I had some body wash for my HHBL stockpiled in a couple different spots, however, I didn't realize the full extent of this issue.

Go ahead and count them. Yes, there are ELEVEN bottles of men's body was just chilling in my cabinets waiting to be used. This doesn't include the full bottle that my HHBL just put in the shower this week.

Lets do the math! If he uses one bottle a month, I have enough body wash to last a year, but that is being pretty conservative. I bet a bottle lasts more like two months meaning I don't have to buy any body wash for TWO whole years. Not bad since I am positive that I got every single one of these bottles for free from either CVS or Walgreens with Extra Care Bucks and Register Rewards.

But let's face it, if there happens to be any more good deals on men's body wash, I probably won't be able to resist. Looks like all the men in my family are getting body wash for Christmas this year.

Shhh don't tell anyone but I have just as many bottles of women's body wash as well!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Frugalista Shopping: Week of June 13

I know it has been a couple weeks since I've filled you in on my frugalista shopping trips. That is because I have been playing it low-key. This doesn't mean, however, that I haven't been clipping coupons. This is an activity I rarely miss; I have, on the other hand, taken a couple weeks off from shopping.
I did make a couple quick stops this week at CVS and Walgreens. Here is the damage:

CVS

Total Spent: $11.67

Total Saved: $88.62

Total Extra Care Bucks Earned: $8.00

Best Buys:

Old Spice- On sale for $4.00 + B1G1 coupon= 2 for $4.00 + Earned $8.00 ECB= SWEET

Several bottles of wine & 1 bottle of vodka 90% off....I won't be pregnant forever, right?= GREAT DEAL

***I also used a $4 off a $20 purchase coupon that came from the coupon center in the store. Love it!

I felt kinda strange buying alcohol while I'm prego, but my white trash hillbilly neighbor assured me that I didn't look pregnant in the outfit I had on that day. What a relief!

My wine cooler was looking pretty lonely prior to my shopping trip...

But that lone bottle of wine now has some friends to chill out with...

Walgreens

Total Spent: $22.75

Total Saved: $17.50

Total Register Rewards Earned: $9.00

Best Buys:

Nivea Body Wash- $5.99 + B1G1 coupon= 2 for $5.99 + earned $6.00 RR

Nivea Chapstick- On clearance for $1.59 + B1G1 coupon= $.79 each

12 packs Pepsi/ Mt. Dew- 3 for $11= $3.67 each + earned $3.00 RR

Overall, I spent quite out of pocket; however, the Extra Care Bucks and Register Rewards that I earned should help me in the next couple weeks to spend less.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

How I Love to Make New Friends

I have complained many times about my lack of new friends. Well as it turns out, I made two new ones in a very unlikely manor this past weekend. It happened on Saturday while I was at work. On Saturdays, I am usually the one and only manager at work. This means that I am in charge of many different areas of the potato chip factory. It all started with me being paged over the intercom system.

It turns out that there was a semi-truck that arrived unexpectedly to be unloaded. However, we do not normally have receiving technicians there on the weekends. One of my team members offered to unload the truck so that the truck driver wouldn't have to sit there until late Sunday night. So there I was on my way to talk to this truck driver.

I headed outside and made my way up to the semi. As it turns out, the truck driver was Polish. You see, this gave us common ground since my sister, Gal, studied abroad in Poland while she was in college. I actually went to visit her in the 7th grade over Spring Break. In my mind, this made me fast friends with the truck driver. He must have agreed.

Before I knew it, he was offering me Polish candy. I tried to refuse, but he wouldn't hear of it. So I ended up with some cherry coconut Polish Candy.

At this point, a little Polish woman popped her head out of the back of the truck. She must have also agreed that we would be friends because before I knew it, I heard the word sausage. Yes, that's right...SAUSAGE. This is how I ended up coming home from work with the longest Polish sausage that I have ever seen. I once again tried to refuse but I really didn't want to hurt their feelings so I finally accepted.

So this is the story of my new Polish friends and the world's longest sausage. Hope this brings you some laughter because I know it certainly did for me!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Yummy In My Tummy: Italian Pizza Bake

I modified this recipe from the back of a box of Bisquick. It is quick and easy and could be made in a thousand different variations. I am already dreaming up a taco-inspired pizza for next time.

Mix 2/3 cup Bisquick, 1 egg, 3 Tbsp water, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder together.

Spread into the bottom of a sprayed loaf pan. Sprinkle with an Italian herb blend.

Spread a generous layer of tomato or pizza sauce onto the dough.

Sprinkle with your favorite toppings (whatever you have on hand). I chose ground beef and green peppers.

Top with a generous handful of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 20- 23 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

Bon Appetite!

Monday, June 14, 2010

2 Years of Wedded Bliss

Happy Anniversary to my HHBL (HUNK A HUNK A BURNING LOVE)! It has been two amazing (and quick) years since we said our vows. So in his honor, here is our story!