My Frugal Adventures

Simple recipes, DIY and inspiration to make everyday a little more fun

Pottery Barn Kids Backpacks and Lunchboxes up to 50% off

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I know many of you probably already purchased your back to school gear- we actually start school tomorrow.   I still wanted to mention this sale because it is a pretty good one if you need water bottles, lunchbags, luggage or backpacks for sports and other activities.

Pottery Barn Kids are offering up to 50% off these items right now– the prices seem to be hovering around 25% off for most things but you will see a few deeper discounts.   Most items ship free.

This shark backpack is awesome and it glows in the dark!

You can click here to take a look.  The prices indicated are after the sale- no coupon code needed.

Gap- 40% off Everything + 10% off

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Are you back to school shopping already?  Or done with it?  I am having a terrible time finding things my girls like this year but I just placed an order for some really cute things from Gap.

You can get 40% off everything with no exclusions plus an extra 10% off.  I am actually going to go back in and grab a few things for myself during the sale for fall.

You can get jackets, shoes, jeans, backpacks and more for 40% off.  Use coupon code FRIENDS plus code SCORE at checkout for an extra 10% off.

You can pick up items in store or shipping is free on a $50 order.  If you want to pop over to Old Navy or Athleta or Banana, you can add items from those stores to hit the $50 mark.

Click here to take a look.

Essential Oils for Laundry

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Have you made the switch to dryer balls instead of dryer sheets? I did awhile back and haven’t looked back. Dryer sheets are full of chemicals, the fragrance is often too strong for me and I always seemed to run out of them at the most inconvenient times.

I decided to try dryer balls and have been so happy with them. You just toss them in with your regular loads and they dry clothing faster, they soften clothing and you don’t have to be bothered with fabric softener or dryer sheets.

To properly use dryer balls, you want about 6 for a regular size load of laundry. They function by retaining the heat of the dryer and actively separating garments so air moves more freely, thus drying things faster. When I have really large loads of laundry, the dryer balls don’t work as effectively because there isn’t as much space in the dryer (for example with large loads of towels or bedding). I find if I separate large loads into two smaller loads to dry, things actually dry faster as the dryer balls have the space to do their job.

My dryer balls tend to last a really long time. I do about a million loads of laundry a week and I seem to need to replace these about twice a year. I usually wait until they start unraveling or pilling and if I notice my laundry getting a bit of static cling, I usually just replace the dryer balls.

If you miss the fragrance of a dryer sheet or fabric softener, you can add a few drops of essential oils to your dryer balls.  I don’t get a lot of fragrance when I do this, just a very subtle hint.  I thought I’d list out some of my favorite essential oils to use in the laundry for those that might want to give this a shot:

Light, Fresh and Uplifting (perfect for towels and everyday clothing):

Lemon
Orange
Bergamot
Grapefruit
Spearmint
Citrus Fresh

Deep Cleaning or Sanitizing (try these during cold & flu season):

Lemon
Purification
Tea Tree
Peppermint

Calming (a hint of scent on bedding):

Lavender
Lemongrass
Stress Away
Ylang Ylang

I recommend using a pure essential oil such as DoTerra or Young Living brand and I just add a few drops directly onto the dryer balls as I am loading the laundry into the wash.  The scent sits on the dryer balls for a short time and then you can just toss them into the dryer when you are ready.

I have found some essential oils stain the dryer balls directly but I have never seen any issues with essential oils staining or ruining my clothing.  You might want to do a little test dry though before experimenting with any oils you might have at home just in case.

You can find a reasonably priced 12 pack of dryer balls by clicking here– I use 6 at a time.

Smoked Mozzarella & Spinach Pasta Salad Recipe

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Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad

This smoked mozzarella pasta salad is a wonderful recipe to save for quick dinners, eating at the ballpark or for end of summer BBQs.  It is fast and so easy to put together and one of my favorites.

I used to buy a version of this pasta salad at Whole Foods all the time. The Whole Foods version is so good but always just a little too much dressing for my taste.  So I started making a very similar adaptation of the recipe at home and even though I typically don’t care for pasta salads, this is always a favorite of mine.

You can serve this warm or cold and make it up to two days ahead of time.

Whole Foods Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad

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Smoked Mozzarella & Spinach Pasta Salad Recipe
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 servings
 
Quick and easy smoked mozzarella pasta salad recipe.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped and stems removed
  • 8oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
  • 8oz penne pasta
  • 4oz smoked mozzarella or smoked gouda cheese
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions in pot of salted boiling water.
  2. While that is cooking, assemble the dressing for the pasta in a small bowl by adding mayo, vinegar, garlic and parmesan cheese. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
  3. Once the pasta is al dente, drain water and set aside to allow it to cool.
  4. Add red peppers, spinach and mozzarella cheese. Pour dressing over the top just before serving and mix well.

For a tangier dressing, you can add up to 1/4 cup of white vine vinegar to this recipe.  Also feel free to substitute another cheese if you don’t care for smoked mozzarella.  I also like smoked gouda or cheddar might work.  This recipe doesn’t have a lot of ingredients so the smokey cheese really does add a lot of flavor.

Once last note- I typically toss in the spinach fresh but you can certainly blanch the spinach first if you like.

And that is it!  Such a delicious and creamy salad.

Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad Recipe

If you like this recipe, here are a few other ideas you might also enjoy:

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken SandwichSlow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Copycat Mongolian Beef recipeCopycat PF Changs Mongolian Beef 

Copycat Nordstrom Tomato SoupPerfect Tomato Soup 

 

Target: $40 off $100 College Dorm Room Supplies

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Today Target is offering a fantastic deal- save $40 off a $100 purchase OR $10 off a $30 purchase on all sorts of items perfect for a dorm room.  This sale is definitely worth taking a look at for children’s rooms too or just to freshen up your own home.

I can see pillows, bath towels, curtain rods and so much more that are included in this sale that anyone can use- not just college kids.

You can click here to see everything included in the sale.  Use code COLLEGE at checkout for the discount.

 

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