Here is a yummy idea if you want something cool and refreshing for the summer.

If you are not familiar with agua fresca it is a delicious and totally guilt free summer beverage. You can adapt this in all sorts of ways to accommodate your tastes and it comes together really quickly.

My kids love when I make this and they think they are getting a special treat when this is actually really healthy.

So agua fresca is not a smoothie- it is closer to a flavored water.  It is really light and is perfect on nice summer evening or with spicy foods. I make this for my girls all the time when the adults are having margaritas or when we have Mexican food.

You can use any fruit you have on hand- usually the fruits with a lot of water work best like cantaloupe and watermelon.  My very favorite way to make agua fresca is with pineapple but you can really use almost anything- strawberries, raspberries, peaches, honeydew…. and you can even jazz it up a little more by adding rum or sparkling water.

You can serve this over ice- I try to serve it really well chilled and I skip the ice.

 

Watermelon Agua Fresca

Print

Recipe type: Beverage

Author: My Frugal Adventures

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Chopped watermelon- 4 Cups
• Cold Water- 1 1/2 Cups
• Fresh Lime Juice- 2 tablespoons (I like it limey so I double that)
• Agave- 1-2 tablespoons (You can use sugar or honey as a substitute)

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
2. I like a nice smooth drink so strain the juice into a pitcher. There is a foamy melon mixture that winds up on top of the strainer (my kids love this part)- just keep pushing it through the strainer with a spatula.
3. Serve well chilled.

2.2.1

See? Easy peasy! A great way to use up an abundance of fruit you might have during summer!

Does anyone else make agua fresca? I’d love to hear what kind of twist you put on this drink.

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This is my absolute favorite time of year because we get the delicious fresh, sweet corn in season and even better it is so incredibly cheap!  Ears of corn just dropped to $.20 each in my area and I could seriously eat corn each and every night through summer.

So if you are looking for a way to jazz up dinner I wanted to share my version of Mexican Grilled Corn.

You can buy this from street vendors all over Mexico and it is really some of the best tasting street food I have ever had.  I have seen lots of variations on Mexican Street Corn but this is just my super simple way to throw it together in just a few minutes.

Recipe: Mexican Grilled Corn

5.0 from 1 reviews

Print

Recipe type: Side Dish

Author: My Frugal Adventures

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Cortija cheese (or substitute queso fresco cheese)
• Mexican Crema or Mayonnaise (to lighten this up use sour cream or plain greek yogurt instead)
• Garlic Salt
• Chili Powder
• Fresh Lime Wedges
• 4 ears of sweet corn

Instructions

1. Grill your corn or boil it until tender. While the corn is still warm, slather on mayo. Roughly chop your queso fresco or cortija cheese and roll the corn in the cheese. Sprinkle with garlic salt and chili powder.
2. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze just before eating. Don’t be stingy with the lime because it really adds a zip to this corn.

2.2.1

 

 

So you can seriously substitute whatever you have on hand in this recipe.  The mayo sounds a little frightening but just trust me here and give it a try.

The cortija or queso fresco can be found in the deli cheese area or some stores might have a Mexican foods section.  I find the cortija to  be slightly saltier so that one is a better choice if you want to use sour cream or greek yogurt.

If you can’t find these cheeses you can also use grated Parmesan.  I used Mama Garlic which you can find at Target and all sorts of stores but you can also just use Garlic Salt or if you have fresh cilantro on hand chop that up.

If you prefer not to eat the corn on the cob, just grill it up and slice the strips of corn off the cob into a bowl.  Mix all the ingredients in with your warm corn and it will still be delicious.

And one last tip is to make sure to get the fresh limes.  It really adds a lot to the dish and I use 2 wedges for one ear of corn.

 

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Here is a new 10 point code from Pampers.

You can enter this online, text it to 726-777 or you can download the new free app on your phone.

If you are not yet registered for Pampers Gifts to Grow, you can register here and get 100 bonus points.

This is valid through June 3rd.

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And you might scroll through to see if there are other Pampers Codes you may have missed.

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I made a big batch of this soup for my lunch this week and thought I’d mention it to you guys as well.

This is a much lighter version of a broccoli cheese soup so it is perfect for summertime. This does not have canned cheese soup, cream etc… in it so it is not a super thick and creamy soup.

I prefer this recipe in the summertime and even better you can make it in the crockpot! I usually do a big batch of this once a month or so and keep it in the fridge for fast lunch or dinners.

This particular batch I just literally put together in about 5 minutes at lunchtime and turned the crockpot on and viola!  Dinner was waiting for me when I got home.

Recipe: Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup

Print

Recipe type: Soup, Entree

Author: My Frugal Adventures

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 4 hours

Total time: 4 hours 10 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 20 oz of frozen broccoli
• 2 Cups Milk
• 1/4 cup chopped white onion
• 3 cups of shredded cheese (this is your preference, I like Jack and Cheddar cheese but just cheddar would be great as well)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 qt Vegetable Broth

Instructions

1. Add the chopped onion, milk, broth and broccoli to the crock pot. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook on high for about 3.5 hours or on low for about 6.5-7 hours.
3. About 10 minutes before the soup is finished cooking add the shredded cheeses.
4. Once the soup is done take the immersion blender or regular blender and puree until creamy.
5. Top with cheddar cheese or I like croutons for a little crunch.

2.2.1

 

 

I am a vegetarian and the rest of the family eats meat so quick dishes like this that I can make ahead are a lifesaver on busy nights.

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If you hurry you can apply for Pinecone Research. They are looking for select demographics right now- so not everyone will get in.

This is by far my favorite of the survey companies and I was a member of Pinecone for several years.

They send surveys out to you (if you are accepted) and once you complete them, you get paid $3. It is very easy and the surveys are usually on new products and what you think of the packaging etc.. so actually kind of fun.

I have yet to hear anything negative about Pinecone. They are very straightforward and extremely prompt to pay. You aren’t going to make your first million with them but you can certainly make a little extra cash to pay for a few extras!

Right now they are focusing on specific demographics so you can apply and see what happens. Head over to Pinecone for more information.

I will tell you this tends to fill up FAST.

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I made something a little different today and thought I would share the recipe since it was so simple and turned out really well.

I was making my children apple and cheddar sandwiches today and decided to try and do a little grown-up twist for mine.

I had some raisin bread on hand and slathered one side with butter and the other side with fig preserves.  I thinly sliced up a few green apples and layered those on top of the jam.

Then I added a few slices of brie cheese on top of the apples.  I am a vegetarian so that was it for me but you could also add a slice of prosciutto for an extra kick.

I just grilled it up for a few seconds on the stove and voila!

A little twist on a plain grilled cheese.  This would be a great breakfast sandwich when you are craving something sweet.

(My children did take a few bites and both of them loved the fig, raisin bread and apples but they avoided the brie.)

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This Saturday, May 19th, Old Navy will have all swimwear for the family marked 40% off!

This is perfect timing since it is really starting to heat up around here!

I’d imagine at these prices the selection could get picked over early in the day so I would head in as soon as you can on Saturday to grab any swimwear you might need.

The sale is in store only and cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts.

And just as a quick reminder, the Disney Store still has their 40% off swimwear sale going on as well!

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Here is a new 10 point code from Pampers.

You can enter this online, text it to 726-777 or you can download the new free app on your phone.

If you are not yet registered for Pampers Gifts to Grow, you can register here and get 100 bonus points.

This code expires May 16th.

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And you might scroll through to see if there are other Pampers Codes you may have missed.

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Just a quick reminder that you can donate any expired coupons you might have to overseas military families. There are a TON of coupons that expired last week so now is a great time to sift through them all.

Many military members stationed overseas don’t have access to coupons and they can use them at the commissary after they have expired.

So this is a very simple thing to do to support our military and their families.  They can use the coupons up to 6 months after they expire but you will want to try and mail them within a few weeks of their expiration.

You can send your coupons to the Overseas Coupon Program.  You will need to fill out a very short form to adopt a base and then you will hear from someone with the details of where you can send your coupons!

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On Saturday, May 12th, the Stamp Out Hunger campaign will celebrate it’s 20th year of collection!

If you would like to participate this year, all you will need to do is collect non-perishable food items, put them in a bag and leave them out for your postal carrier to pick up on Saturday.

All food items collected by your mail carrier will be donated to local food banks or pantries.

Last year over 70.2 million pounds of food was donated!

For more information you can check out the Stamp Out Hunger website here.

Check out the Shop for Free at Walmart and Target or Shop for Free at CVS, RiteAid and Walgreens lists for ideas of free or inexpensive items to put in your collection bags.

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There is FINALLY a new Huggies Enjoy the Ride Rewards code for 25 points.  We haven’t seen one of these in ages:

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If you collect Pampers points, you can see some Gifts to Grow codes by scrolling down here.

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The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf will be hosting an Open House on Thursday, May 10th from 2PM-6PM!

Their Open House will feature two ice blended drinks – Cookies & Cream and Mocha Mudslide.

During the Open House, each 12oz drink will be just $1!

Not all locations are participating, so you might want to call ahead to verify if your local store will be hosting an Open House before heading out.

And if Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is not in your area, you can still get the half off Starbucks Frappucinos!    It is HOT in Sacramento today so I kind of want one of these for dinner.

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Just a reminder that beginning today, you can get a Frappuccino for half price at Starbucks. This deal is valid daily between 3 pm and 5 pm until 5/13.

I guess I know where I will be today!

Plus don’t forget about the Photo Challenge that Starbucks will be running where you can win a $25 Starbucks gift card and more.

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Yum!  Starbucks is kicking off summer with half priced treats!

From 05/04 through 05/13, Starbucks will have a Frappuccino Half Price Happy Hour every day between 3PM and 5PM.

If you’d like a daily reminder, you can text HAPPY to 697289.

I wanted to let you know about this offer a few days early because the $10 Disney Movie Rewards gift card for Starbucks is still available for 1000 points.  You can order that and then really get a great deal.

Leading up to and during the Frappuccino Half Price Happy Hour promotion, Starbucks will be running a Photo Challenge.

Each day there will be a different challenge and 10 winners will get a $25 Starbucks gift card.  Then from the pool of winners there will be all sorts of other prizes as well.  If you want to participate in the Frappuccino Happy Hour Photo Challenge check out the details here.

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If you are looking for more opportunities to earn Recyclebank points then look no further!

Here’s a list of some new opportunities:

• You can take all of the Bonus Green Actions to earn up to 145 points
• Find the 4 hidden earn opportunities – one in each region
• Invite your friends to join Recyclebank – 25 points for each friend that joins because of you

Recyclebank is a fun program where you just earn points by doing things like this and then you can redeem them for gift cardsor high value coupons. Right now my favorite coupon is the $5 off a $40 purchase at Sprouts and the $2 off any Kashi item coupon.!

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Here is a new 10 point code from Pampers.

You can enter this online, text it to 726-777 or you can download the new free app on your phone.

If you are not yet registered for Pampers Gifts to Grow, you can register here and get 100 bonus points.

It looks like Pampers has just changed the website around a bit so hopefully you can log in without any difficulty.

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And you might scroll through to see if there are other Pampers Codes you may have missed.

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I get asked every so often what kinds of things I make since I am a vegetarian.  Here is a little twist on a grilled cheese that is a little lighter and is incredibly simple to put together.

I make this sandwich quite often- it is very filling and really delicious. You can make this on sliced sourdough as a lighter lunch or make it on a sliced baguette for a more filling dinner.  I have had this for breakfast too with scrambled eggs.

To make the sandwich, just preheat the oven to 350°.
Place grape tomatoes on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Drizzle with Olive Oil and season with salt and pepper. (I use an herb sea salt mix)

Bake for about 25 minutes until the tomatoes start to pop.
I usually toast the bread for the last 5-7 minutes by just plopping it right on the same baking sheet.
Remove from oven and add the tomatoes to your sliced bread.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.

Bake for about 5-7 minutes until the cheese is all nice and melted.

And there you have an incredibly simple twist on a grilled cheese sandwich.

My family is having chicken for dinner tonight and I just made these to have with salad and corn on the cob.

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I just wanted to remind you that not only can you cash in your Recyclebank points for manufacturer coupons for items like Kashi, but there are also coupons for restaurants as well!

These will be different according to where you live but these are just a few I found under my zip code:

• $10 off $40 or more for takeout and delivery only at Pete’s Restaurant & Brewhouse – 100 points
• $10 off two dinner entrees at Ruby Tuesday – 100 points
• Save $6 on two dinner entrees at Olive Garden – 150 points
• Buy One Sandwich Get One Free at Mr Pickle’s – 50 points
• $5 off a 12-piece meal or larger at Kentucky Fried Chicken – 50 points
• Buy One Pizza Get One Free (up to $13 value) at Papa Murphy’s Take N Bake – 130 points

This is a just a quick list of some of the national stores that offer coupons through Recyclebank.

I encourage you to plug in your zip code, because you will probably see some local restaurants as well!

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If you hurry you can apply for Pinecone Research. They are looking for select demographics right now- so not everyone will get in.

This is by far my favorite of the survey companies and I was a member of Pinecone for several years.

They send surveys out to you (if you are accepted) and once you complete them, you get paid $3. It is very easy and the surveys are usually on new products and what you think of the packaging etc.. so actually kind of fun.

I have yet to hear anything negative about Pinecone. They are very straightforward and extremely prompt to pay. You aren’t going to make your first million with them but you can certainly make a little extra cash to pay for a few extras!

Right now they are focusing on specific demographics so you can apply and see what happens. Head over to Pinecone for more information.

I will tell you this tends to fill up FAST.

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Yeah!  Recyclebank released 100+ new points today and that means you can cash in for more coupons!

Africa is the final continent to be unlocked in the Passport for the Planet program!

The Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific have already been unlocked so you can go back and do those as well.  If you work through all of the activities you can score 500+ points!

You’ll just need to click on each of the cities and complete the activity to get your points!

Last week I mentioned a whole bunch of other opportunities to earn points as well.  You can check those out here.

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There are two codes available for Disney Movie Rewards. You should be able to get a total of 20 points right now:

• Get 10 points by entering the name of this Disney character into your Disney Movie Rewards account. (HINT: The movie pictured about might give you a clue. Or just click to see the other people that gave away the character in the comments.)
• And get another 10 points by entering this code: Cogsworth

This should help you inch a little closer to that free $10 Disney Store gift card!

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Now through 04/26, when you purchase select Android Apps you can get a free $1 credit towards an MP3!

Here’s how to qualify for the offer:

• Purchase a qualifying paid app from the Amazon.com Appstore for Android in the webstore or on an Android device
• The apps that qualify will display the offer message on their webstore product information pages
• Qualifying apps will not display promotional messaging on their Android on-device product information pages
• After completing your purchase, you will receive an e-mail indicating that a $1 credit for Amazon MP3 music downloads has been applied to your account automatically and how to redeem your credit
• You must redeem the credit by May 26, 2012
• Free apps, including Free App of the Day, do not qualify for this promotion.
• Limit one promotional offer per customer

If there is an app you have been wanting to purchase you now have incentive.  These credits are really nice to grab, because songs start around $0.69 each and entire albums can be as low as $2.99!  Plus every month Amazon offers 100 albums under $5.00!

Remember, you must make your qualifying Android App purchase before 04/26 and redeem your $1 credit by 05/26.

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I made this chicken dish tonight that everyone seemed to enjoy so I thought I’d post the recipe.  If you are looking for a little inspiration for something different this was really easy to put together.

I just started by seasoning and then browning a boneless chicken breast.  While that was underway, I rolled out a thawed puff pastry sheet and cut it into about a 12 inch square.

I added a thick slice of cheddar cheese and topped that with two slices of ham.

Next plop that chicken breast right on top and if you are feeling extra decadent, add one more slice of cheese. You might want to give the chicken a few minutes to cool.

Lightly whisk an egg with a little water and brush it onto the seams.  Fold up the pastry into a little bundle and flip the seam side down.

Brush a little more egg wash onto the top and bake for about 20 min at 400°.

Viola!  Now as you guys know I don’t eat chicken myself but things got quiet when I served this chicken which is always a good sign.  My husband said it was delicious but he wanted a little more cheese (so that second slice is what I will do next time and I will probably pound out the chicken breast to make it a little thinner.)

My girls ate most of the chicken too which is just shy of a miracle in this house.

And I had a tiny bit of scrap pastry leftover that I turned into something delicious for little old me.  I’ll post that recipe tomorrow!

 

Recipe: Cheddar Chicken Puff Pastry

Print

Recipe type: Entree, Chicken

Author: My Frugal Adventures

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• (4) Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
• Cheddar Cheese
• Sliced Ham
• Puff Pastry
• Egg

Instructions

1. Start by seasoning your chicken with salt and pepper
2. Lightly brown the chicken breast in a saute pan
3. Thaw and roll out the puff pastry into 12-14 inch squares
4. Place a thick slice of the cheese you prefer onto the center of the square (I used cheddar but Gruyere would also be good)
5. Add two slices of ham on top of the cheese
6. Place the browned chicken breast on top
7. Lightly wisk an egg and water and brush onto the edges of the pastry
8. Fold into a little square bundle and place the seam side down
9. Lightly brush the egg mixture onto the top of the bundle
10. Bake about 20 minutes at 400°.
11. Serve immediately.

2.2.1

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Now through 04/22, Bath and Body Works is offering $10 off a $30 or more purchase either online or in store.

If you want to shop online, head on over to the Bath and Body Works website, do your shopping and enter promo code GARDEN1050 at checkout.  If you want to spend a little bit more, you can get FREE shipping with a purchase of $50 or more.

But if you plan on shopping in store, you’ll need to print the $10 off any purchase of $30 or more coupon.

Plus Bath and Body Works has some really nice deals going on right now as well that you might want to check out:

• Buy 3 Signature Collection Body Care Get 2 FREE
• 3-Wick Candles are 2 for $20
• 4 Anti-Bacterial Hand Soap for $15
• or 6 Anti-Bacterial Hand Soap for $20

Come back and let us know what great deals you find!

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Now is the time to hunt down any Disney movies you might have in the house.  When you find them, enter the Disney Movie Rewards codes, because right now you can exchange 1000 points for a $10 Disney Gift Card.  But I would hurry, because quantities are limited!

The gift card can be used at any Disney Theme Park or for Disney store or DisneyStore.com merchandise.

If you are close and in need of a few additional Disney Movie Rewards points to get up to 1000, you can try entering some of the codes that I have posted recently.

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I wanted to mention that My Survey is currently accepting applications again.

This is one of the more credible companies that you can earn a little extra cash from home. These companies often offer free full size samples of various products in exchange for sharing your opinion on the product.

You aren’t going to make the mortgage payment from these types of things but if you have a little spare time while watching TV at night and you can log in and take some surveys, this can be a great way to earn a little extra cash.

Head over here to register.

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Here is a new 10 point code from Pampers.

You can enter this online, text it to 726-777 or you can download the new free app on your phone.

If you are not yet registered for Pampers Gifts to Grow, you can register here and get 100 bonus points.

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This code expires at 11:59pm CT on April 23rd

And you might scroll through to see if there are other Pampers Codes you may have missed.

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Here is a new Disney Movie Rewards code for 5 points:

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Disney Movie Rewards are codes that can be found inside your Disney Movies. They are great to collect because the prizes are fantastic- free movies, toys, there is even a Starbucks gift card available.

If you have enough codes, I believe you can still grab a movie for $4 shipped right now too.

(Thanks Hey! Its Free!)

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Here is a new 10 point code from Pampers.

You can enter this online, text it to 726-777 or you can download the new free app on your phone.

If you are not yet registered for Pampers Gifts to Grow, you can register here and get 100 bonus points.

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And you might scroll through to see if there are other Pampers Codes you may have missed.

Geta free subscription to Babytalk or American Baby magazine!

Here is a new 10 point code from Pampers.

You can enter this online, text it to 726-777 or you can download the new free app on your phone.

If you are not yet registered for Pampers Gifts to Grow, you can register here and get 100 bonus points.

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And you might scroll through to see if there are otherPampers Codes you may have missed. 

Thanks Linda!

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Just a quick reminder that you can donate any expired coupons you might have to overseas military families. There are a TON of coupons that expired on March 31st so now is a great time to soft through them all.

Many military members stationed overseas don’t have access to coupons and they can use them at the commissary after they have expired.

So this is a very simple thing to do to support our military and their families.  They can use the coupons up to 6 months after they expire but you will want to try and mail them within a few weeks of their expiration.

You can send your coupons to the Overseas Coupon Program.  You will need to fill out a very short form to adopt a base and then you will hear from someone with the details of where you can send your coupons!

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Here are some new Disney Movie Rewards codes for today.   Those should get you 50 points in total and they expire 4/5.

It looks like the promotion to get a free movie with (2) Disney Codes is still available as well.

There is a $10 Starbucks gift card available once you get 1000 points.

Here are your codes:

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I wanted to mention this super easy little Easter snack idea for kiddos.  It is incredibly simple to do and my children loved these things.   We took them to an Easter party last week at school and I tucked a few extras away for their Easter baskets.  I think these would be a really fun party favor if you have little ones coming over for Easter this year.

I have seen these made a bunch of times and some people use Cheetos, some use Goldfish crackers, some use orange jelly beans.

I actually intended on using Annie’s crackers which are shaped like bunnies, but I ordered white cheddar by mistake and the color was off.

So Target to the rescue and I found little chick shaped Market Pantry brand crackers for $1.47 per box.

They worked out perfectly and I got about 5 large carrots from each box.

These really couldn’t be simpler but here are the directions:

• Use a cake frosting piping bag from a craft supply store (Tip: I bought Wilton brand bags and they have giant logos on the front so try to avoid those.)
• Fill the bag to the level you prefer- I made fairly good size carrots so I got about 5-6 carrots per package of crackers.
• Tie green ribbon around the top to resemble the stem.

I also tied a little bunny tag on the ribbon and my preschooler signed Happy Easter, Love Maya on the backside of each carrot.  The bunnies I used were actually a pad of Post It notes from the Dollar Spot at Target.

Total cost:

• $6.99 for 50 pack of piping bags (used 40% off Hobby Lobby coupon) $4.19
• 4 boxes of Market Pantry Crackers $1.47 each= $5.88
• Glitter Ribbon $4.99 (40% off sale at Michael’s)= $2.99
• Bunny Post It Pad $1.00
• Grand Total for 20 bags was $14.06 or .70 each

I actually needed the piping bags so I could have grabbed a smaller package to keep the cost down.  I also made generous carrots because I wanted to cover up that silly Wilton logo- so you can certainly make smaller ones and cut the cost down.

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Here is a new Disney Movie Rewards code for 25 points:

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Disney Movie Rewards are codes that can be found inside your Disney Movies. They are great to collect because the prizes are fantastic- free movies, toys, there is even a Starbucks gift card available.

If you have enough codes, I believe you can still grab a movie for $4 shipped right now too.

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Right now you can get a coupon for $2 off the April issue of In Style magazine.

This is a nice coupon, but to make it even better if you shop at CVS and have SavingStar linked up to your card, you can get a $2 rebate for purchasing the April issue of In Style magazine as well.  I’m guessing the cover price is $3.99 so it might make for a free magazine!

UPDATE:  Stink!  I checked the cover price tonight and it is actually $4.99 not $3.99.  Still a great deal!

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Here is what I have planned for this week. I am including the recipe links for those of you looking for new ideas.

The menu plan is so easy now thanks to pinterest so lots of these recipes are located there!  In case you can’t tell, I stocked up on chicken this week at the grocery store.

Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breasts from Dashing Dish and green salad

Southwest Chicken Wraps from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and corn

Maple Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes from Real Simple

Mini Cauliflower Pizza Bites from Dashing Dish and green salad

Greek Orzo Pasta with cucumber salad (my own recipe)

Grilled Salmon and Rice

And I am going to make this Fresh Fruit Cake from Design Sponge Yum!

**You can also download the free menu planning worksheet here.

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You can get 10 new Pampers Gifts to Grow points today.

This one is in honor of the first day of Spring and it will expire tonight (3/23).

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You can enter this online, text it to 726-777 or you can download the new free app on your phone.

If you are not yet registered for Pampers Gifts to Grow, you can register hereand get 100 bonus points.

And you can have a quick scroll through here to see if there are otherPampers Codes you may have missed. 

Geta free subscription to Babytalk or American Baby magazine!

If you are looking to make a little extra money from home, Pinecone Research is currently accepting applications.

This is by far my favorite of the survey companies and I was a member of Pinecone for several years.

They send surveys out to you (if you are accepted) and once you complete them, you get paid $3. It is very easy and the surveys are usually on new products and what you think of the packaging etc.. so actually kind of fun.

I have yet to hear anything negative aboutPinecone.  They are very straightforward and extremely prompt to pay.  You aren’t going to make your first million with them but you can certainly make a little extra cash to pay for a few extras!

Right now they are focusing on specific demographics so you can apply and see what happens.  Head over to Pinecone for more information.

I will tell you this tends to fill up FAST.

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You can get 10 new Pampers Gifts to Grow points today.

This one is in honor of the first day of Spring and it will expire 3/23.

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You can enter this online, text it to 726-777 or you can download the new free app on your phone.

If you are not yet registered for Pampers Gifts to Grow, you can register hereand get 100 bonus points.

And you can have a quick scroll through here to see if there are otherPampers Codes you may have missed. 

Geta free subscription to Babytalk or American Baby magazine!

There is another 10 point code for Pampers Gifts to Grow.  This is expiring on 3/19:

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You can enter this online, text it to 726-777 or you can download the new free app on your phone.

If you are not yet registered for Pampers Gifts to Grow, you can register here and get 100 bonus points.

And you can have a quick scroll through here to see if there are other Pampers Codes you may have missed. 

Geta free subscription to Babytalk or American Baby magazine!

If you want a few last minute ideas for recipes or crafts to do with the kiddos for St Patrick’s Day, you might want to have a look at my Pinterest board.

There are fifteen different ideas for recipes, treats and children’s crafts to celebrate the holiday!

I think we are going to do the green smoothies and the Lucky Charms cupcakes and probably the little Shamrock fingerprints.

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I wanted to mention that My Survey is currently accepting applications again.

This is one of the more credibly companies that you can earn a little extra cash from home. These companies often offer free full size samples of various products in exchange for sharing your opinion on the product.

You aren’t going to make the mortgage payment from these types of things but if you have a little spare time while watching TV at night and you can log in and take some surveys, this can be a great way to earn a little extra cash.

Head over here to register.

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If you missed out on this last time around, you can register for Synovate once again.

Usually this one fills up pretty fast and then closes back down for awhile.

Synovate is a market research company and they offer surveys and they compensate you for your time to fill them out. From the feedback I have received, it seems like people are more interested in this company because they frequently offer full size samples of various household, personal care and beauty products for you to try and then respond with your honest opinions.

So if you would like to check it out, you can register for Synovate right now.

Geta free subscription to Babytalk or American Baby magazine!

Here is my shopping trip for the week:

Sprouts $34.77

Spinach Feta Focaccia Bread $3.99
French Rolls $2.99
Half and Half $1.49
Organic Milk $5.59
2 Bags Frozen Onions $1.99- got 20% off for frozen foods sale = $1.59 each
Cauliflower $1.55
5lbs Clementines $2.99- used $.55 coupon= $2.44
Watermelon $6.04 (that is really, really expensive but my kids wanted watermelon sooo badly.  ;)  They ate that whole thing in 2 days.)
Organic Heirloom Tomatoes $2.99
Organic 3pk Romaine Lettuce $.99
4 Mangoes $.88 each

Target Trip #1

I actually made 2 Target trips last week because I needed cold medication halfway through the week. It worked out because those new coupons came out midweek making that cereal deal even better.

Pretzel Crisps $1.99- used $1 coupon= $.99
8 Boxes Crunchy Nut Cereal $2.75- Used (2) $4/4 cereal coupons + (2) $1/3 Target cereal coupons
2 boxes NutriGrain bars $2.50- Used $1/2 coupon + $1/2 Target coupon
My subtotal after coupons was $15.99 but I had the $5 gift card from the last cereal transaction

So I paid $10.99 and got back $10 in gift cards!

Target Trip #2 $2.80

And today I stopped back by the check prices and got the following:

2 Market Pantry Whole Wheat Pasta $.98- Used $1/2 coupon= $.48
2 Market Pantry Pasta Sauce $1.00- Used $1/2 coupon= $.50
Pretzel Crisps $1.99- used $1 coupon= $.99
2 Archer Farms Whole Wheat bread $2.50- used $1.2 Target coupon= $2 each
Irish Cheddar Cheese $3.99
6 cans of Market Pantry Soup $.64- used (2) $1/3 coupons= .31 each

Subtotal was $12.80 and I used those $10 gift cards

Now most of the Target stuff is actually for a food drive at school. I just set aside $10 in total to see how much I could get. I still have two weeks to pick a few things up here and there and I will post what I came up with for the $10 once I am done.

So the grand total was $48.56.

And here is the menu plan for the week:

• Aged Cheddar and Cauliflower Soup with french bread
• Steak Bites and Salad
• Baked Chicken Parmesan  and leftover salad
• Grilled Tilapia with mango and rice
• Chicken Taco Rice (from Simple & Delicious magazine)
• Grilled Heirloom Tomato Pizza

I also made up a big batch of iced coffee this weekend.  

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I mentioned this a few times and thought I would take the time to do a step by step post.

I usually brew a cup of coffee first thing in the morning and then we are off to school, to run errands, to activities… whatever that day brings.  I do tend to drink a few cups of coffee  a day and I have found that making my own at home not only tastes better but saves us time and also saves a ton of money.  I used to wind up at Starbucks a few times and week and well… that can really add up fast.

So here is what I do step by step to make my own iced coffee at home.

I start by brewing the coffee.  I only do this once a month or so since we have fridge space to hold 2 large pitchers of coffee.  If you are tight on space you probably want to scale this recipe back.

I like a rich coffee, so I prefer Cafe Bustelo.  It is a Cuban coffee I found several years ago in Miami and it is sold at CVS, Target or you can buy it on Amazon. 

You need a really big bowl, container- whatever you have available.  You could even use a huge pot.  I have these big containers that I use from Amazon.

Start by adding 16oz of coffee to 8 quarts of cold water in your container.  Give it a good stir so all those grounds are nice and moist.

Now cover up your container and leave it alone for several hours.  Typically I will make this up the night before and let it sit overnight and sometime the next day I get back to it.  I have left it for a few days and that tends to make a super sludgey mess so I would recommend no more than a day.

Step 2 is to get rid of the sludgey part and get that concentrated goodness out.  So you just want to use a fine mesh strainer here and either cheesecloth or paper towels.  Now this is a very important step so don’t skip this part or you will have a mouthful of coffee grounds.   Put the cheesecloth or a paper towel over your strainer and it will get rid of all those fine grounds as you pour the coffee through.  If you just use the strainer, there will be tons of yucky grounds in your coffee so make sure to use the cheesecloth or paper towels.

This recipe makes 2 pitchers of coffee- so I just put one pitcher in the sink and use a measuring cup to start pouring the coffee into the strainer.  This can take a little bit of time so I do this while I am making dinner, or packing lunches or folding laundry or I hide in the kitchen with a book.

Use a spoon to push the liquid through the grounds every so often.

You are almost done now- once all that straining is done you should have a nice big pitcher of delicious coffee.  This is my backup pitcher (it was $2 at Walmart) and it works perfectly.  This recipe will make two of these pitchers and it lasts me about 4-5 weeks total.

And I like things very simple around here so I just eyeball the coffee when I am making a drink.  I do about 1/4 or 1/2 of the way full.

Fill the rest of the way up with milk and I add a squeeze of chocolate syrup.  This little lock and lock bottle works perfectly to take these guys to go.  I actually make these up the night before when I am making lunches for the kids and then it is all set for me in the morning to grab on the way out the door.

In the winter, I usually don’t bother with ice cubes but as as the weather gets warmer you might consider taking a bit of that coffee and pouring it in ice cube trays.  The cubes can go in a ziploc once frozen and that will prevent that gross watered down coffee flavor.

I find this not as sweet as an iced mocha but with a little more kick than an iced latte and I actually prefer these to a Starbucks drink.

Iced Coffee Recipe

5.0 from 1 reviews

Print

Recipe type: Beverages

Author: My Frugal Adventures

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 8 hours

Total time: 8 hours 5 mins

An easy DIY recipe for iced coffee.

Ingredients

• Ground Coffee 16oz
• Cold Water 2 gallons (8 qt)
• Milk
• Chocolate Syrup (optional)

Instructions

1. Start by mixing 8 quarts of cold water with 16 oz of ground coffee. Stir it all together so all the grounds are moist.
2. Let this mixture sit for 8-24 hours.
3. Place a paper towel or cheesecloth over a fine mesh strainer and place on top of a large pitcher.
4. Begin pouring the coffee through the strainer. (I use a measuring cup to pour a few cups at a time.)
5. You will have thick grounds of coffee left so use a spoon to push the liquid through.
6. Once all the coffee has been strained, you should be left with two large pitchers of coffee.
7. I fill a large cup about 1/4-1/2 of the way up with coffee and fill the rest with milk. I add a squeeze of chocolate syrup and mix or shake well.

2.2.1

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman and if you want something a little richer in the morning, Ree’s recipe involves condensed milk and half and half.

 

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Here is the shopping trip for this week:

Target
Eggos $2.00
2 Raisin Bran $2.75- used (2) $.70 coupons
2 Crunchy Nut $2.75- Used (2) $.70 coupons and a $1 Target coupon
2 cans Muir Glen $1.32 each- used $1/2 coupon= $.82
Starbucks $7.99- used $1 Target mobile coupon and used $1.50 coupon= $5.49
Simply Orange $3.49- used $1 Target coupon and $1 coupon= $1.49

Paid $17.82 and have $5 gift card for next time.

Raleys $19.53

Organic Apple Juice $2.50
Bundt cake- free with store coupon
Tortilla Chips $1.39
2 Hormel lunchmeat $2.49- used (2) $.50 coupons= $1.99
2 strawberries $1.99 each
2 Alexia Potatoes $2.50- used (2) $1.25 coupons= $1.25
Eggplant $1.49
Tomato $1.88
Onion $.93

Oh and those free cookies from CVS

Plus I hit Sprouts for mangoes, broccoli, apples and mushrooms.  The total was $10.

So that doesn’t look like much but we stocked up on chicken a few weeks ago and on pork last week and then I still have some beef and fish in the freezer.  So there wasn’t much that we needed this week.

And here is the menu plan for the week:

Monday: BBQ Chicken and Organic Corn

Tuesday: Spinach and Artichoke Pizza

Wednesday: Dinner Out

Thursday: Chicken Parmesan and Salad

Friday: Eggplant Sandwiches and salad

Saturday: Fiesta Chicken and Rice

Sunday: Mushroom and Manchego Paninis and broccoli

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There is a code available for 25 Disney Movie Rewards points. You want to get this entered right away because it is set to expire on the 9th.

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You should still be able to get one of three Disney Movies for $4 right now as well.

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There is another 5 point code for Pampers Gifts to Grow.  This is expiring on 3/8:

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You can enter this online, text it to 726-777 or you can download the new free app on your phone.

If you are not yet registered for Pampers Gifts to Grow, you can register here and get 100 bonus points.

And you can have a quick scroll through here to see if there are other Pampers Codes you may have missed. 

Geta free subscription to Babytalk or American Baby magazine!

If you want to look into making a few bucks from home, Toluna is accepting new applicants right now.

They are a credible survey company that provides a little compensation in exchange for your time in filling out surveys and such.

These companies often offer full size products to test in exchange for passing along your feedback as well.

I used to do these types of things all the time while I was watching TV at night and it is a very easy way to earn a little extra income.

As always, I think it is a good idea to set up an email account that is exclusive to the survey sites.

You can learn more about Toluna here.

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There is a 5 point code available for Disney Movie Rewards and I think this one might be expiring today (3/3) so you might want to get it entered right away.

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