Breaking the Code: The Real Deal

About a month ago I started a series titled "Breaking the Code" to help you save money at the grocery store. The first topic centered around helping you figure out what actually is a deal at the grocery store.  The second topic was all about coupons, where to find them, how to organize them and how to use them effectively.  Today I will marry the two together and show you how to use a great deal at the grocery store plus coupons to get The Real Deal.

DEAL #1: CEREAL
A local grocery store is running the following deal on select boxes of General Mills cereal.

To get the deal you have to use the following store coupon.

This alone is a great deal because the boxes normally cost $2.25 each.  With the store coupon alone, you're already in the ballpark to save $1 a box.  But why stop there, when you could use a manufacturer's coupon too?  I only had one General Mills cereal coupon in my collection which was $1 off 2 boxes.  There are always cereal coupons on the web though so I took a stroll around Coupons.com to see if I could find any more.  There I found coupons for $0.50 off one Chex cereal, and $0.50 off one Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  That's a double bonus because Tuesdays are double coupon days so the grocery store will double all coupons $0.50 and under.  That means I get $1 off the Chex ceral and $1 off the CTC.  

SUMMARY:

                                            Original $     Sale $      Store Cpn       Mfr Cpn        Final $       Total Savings

Cheerios (8.9oz)                     $2.25        n/a           - $1.00           - $0.50         $0.75         $1.50

Cinn. Tst. Crunch (12.2oz)     $2.99         n/a           - $1.00          - $1.00          $0.99         $2.00

Honey Nut Chex (13.8oz)      $3.28         n/a           - $1.00          - $1.00          $1.28         $2.00

I saved a total of $5.50 and walked out with 4 boxes of cereal for $3.77 (+ tax).  **I have to admit that I broke my cardinal rule because Cinnamon Toast Crunch is not a cereal that I normally buy, but I bought it because of the great deal.  I also knew it would earn me some brownie points with Papa J so I caved.**

DEAL #2: RITZ CRACKERS

Here is the advertised deal at the grocery store.

I've seen Ritz for as low as $1.88 so this is not the best deal but in combination with a coupon and double coupon day it turned out to be a great deal.  I had a coupon for $0.50 off one box of Nabisco crackers.  This coupon came from Coupons.com a couple of weeks ago.  Remember, the coupons on that website have a printing limit so once they reach their limit they are no longer available, or even visible.  I looked today and the coupon was no where to be seen.  The good ones go fast but the coupons refresh on the first day of the month so be ready to click & print come April 1st.

SUMMARY:

                                        Original $     Sale $      Store Cpn       Mfr Cpn        Final $       Total Savings

Ritz Crackers (13oz)         $2.88          $2.00       n/a                   - $1.00         $1.00         $1.88

The sale and coupon brough the price down to $1.00/box.  That is $1.88 off the original price.  I saved a total of $3.76 because I had two coupons and bought two boxes of Ritz.  Baby J loves Ritz so these are essential to keep on hand in our house.

DEAL #3: POPTARTS

Here is the advertised deal at the grocery store.

This is a pretty good deal on its own but as soon as I saw Kellogg's I thought to myself, "I wonder what coupons they have for Poptarts in the Kellogg's rewards program?"  I found two coupons in the rewards, $0.75 off one Poptarts (500 points) or $1.50 off one Poptarts (1,000).  I had 2,000 points in my account due to a St. Patrick's Day bonus and two extra bonus codes (EARNSWEETREWARDS and HOLLYJOLLYCOSTCO --> use them while you can!) so I splurged on the $1.50 coupon.  After printing once, I hit the back button in my browser, then refresh and amazingly it let me print the coupon twice.  I know, I know, it pinged my conscious to be able to use the coupon twice so the second box of Poptarts I bought are going to the local food pantry.  It's the Robin Hood theory, steal from rich (= Kellogg's) and give to the poor (= food pantry).  

SUMMARY:

                                  Original $     Sale $      Store Cpn       Mfr Cpn        Final $       Total Savings

Poptarts (13.5oz)        $2.18          $1.48       n/a                  - $1.50         +$0.02       $2.20

Believe it or not, they (whoever "they" is) paid me $0.02/box to buy these Poptarts today.  Again, this is not a product I always buy but when I am going to get paid to take home Poptarts, then I won't argue.  Plus I get to turn around and use the rewards points towards more Kellogg's Rewards and donate to the food pantry.

DEAL #4: SEATTLE'S BEST COFFEE

Here is the advertised deal at the grocery store.

 This alone is a not a good deal.  For example, Walmart sells the same bag of coffee for $5.88.  This grocery store has a gas rewards program though (the red circle in the upper right), so when you take that into account the amount you save on gas ($0.05/gallon and up to 20 gallons = $1 off gas), it brings the cost down to below Walmart's price (~$5.49).  What really makes it a good deal though is what I stumbled upon by chance.  Seattle's Best is giving away a free sample of coffee through the Facebook page.  Once you sign up for the free sample, they email you a coupon for $2 off one bag of coffee.  Again, using the back button, refresh method, I printed the coupon twice (hey, they're handing out free coffee, what's another $2 going to hurt?).

SUMMARY:

                                              Original $     Sale $      Store Cpn       Mfr Cpn        Final $       Total Savings

Seattle's Best Coffee (12oz)    $?               $6.48       n/a                  - $2.50         $4.48         $2.00+

All in all it was a good day at the grocery store.  Along with a few other deals and coupons that I didn't write about, I saved a total of $18.00 in coupons and even more in the sales of the week.  Just as I warned you before, don't be deceived by the advertisements.  Just below the Seattle's Best coffee, there was an advertisement for Tostito's chips.  This is NOT a deal.  Although it is a discount from the original price (which is crazy high!), the best sale is usually 3/$6 and it comes around every few months.  

Banana Muffin Recipe + Tip on Freezing Bananas

The title does no justice to these muffins.  Unfortunately I am all out of creative juice so the best I could come up with was 'banana muffin recipe'.  Although I'm guilty of judging a book by its cover or a blog post by its title, please do not judge this recipe by the title.  Keep reading, try the recipe and I promise you will not be disappointed.  Unless of course you don't like banana muffins, then I'll forgive you if you stop here.

I've been trying banana bread recipes for years, and I've never quite found one that keeps me coming back, until now.  These muffins are dense, yet full of fluff.  The banana flavor is outrageous.  And the nutrition?!  People, these muffins do not contain butter or sugar.  [pause to pick your jaw up because I know it just hit the floor]  

The recipe comes from the Weelicious cookbook by Catherine McCord (it was a Christmas present from my sister-in-law, much appreciated!).  She's also the author of a blog which is very useful for first time mothers trying to figure out what to feed their infant once they hit the solid food stage (4-6 months).  Here are a few other Weelicious recipes that are on my radar: graham crackers, sweet potato muffins and veggie nuggets. 

I buy bananas every week at the store.  Most of the time we eat them before they go bad, but sometimes we reach the point of brown spots and squishy centers.  At that point I just say no thanks and I stick them in the freezer, peel and all.  When I make a recipe that calls for 'very ripe' bananas, I pluck them from the freezer and depending on how fast I need them, I either 1) microwave them in 10-15 second intervals, just until you can easily press into the peel with your finger, or 2) set them on a plate in the refrigerator until again, you can easily press into the peel with your finger.  At this point, I take a knife and make a slit in the peeling along the length of the banana.  The slit should be deep enough to reach the flesh of the banana.  Once cut, I peel the peeling back and plop the banana out.  I then proceed with the recipe as normal.

Alterations / Specifications:

As I typed up the recipe card (below), I realized that I forgot to add baking powder, oops (how long can one claim preggo brain?).  I guess it didn't make much of a difference because they're delicious as is.  In fact, I'm a little hesitant to use the baking powder next time in fear that it might take away from my first impression.  

I only used one banana for the topping and cut them to be 1/8" slices.  Truthfully I think a 1/4" slice would be overpowering for the mini muffins but it would be okay for the regular muffins.

I made both the mini muffins and regular muffins. They're equally as delicious.  My regular muffins took 25 minutes to bake, whereas the recipe suggests 20 minutes.

I used the honey in lieu of agave nectar.  I've actually never bought or used agave nectar in cooking.  Has anyone else?  Thoughts?

Since this is a Weelicious recipe catered towards little ones, I had to ask Baby J his opinion.  See for yourself.

Download the recipe card below and enjoy!  Bon Appetit!

New Mom Confessions

Over at Oakland Avenue, Laura talks about her experiences as a new mom.  She down right says it all and about as bluntly as you can say it.  I think that's why I've come to appreciate the blogging community because you can say and read the honest truth.  As a new mom, I often need to hear the honest truth from other new moms.  I need to read that I'm not the only other mom who has let their baby fall off a bed, fall down the stairs or eat their eye shadow (all true).

I hate to admit that before I became a mom, I used to watch mothers in public places and judge their every move.  Little did I realize that being a mother would be the hardest job I have ever done, and the longest. When your child doesn't sleep, you don't sleep.  When your child cries incessantly, you cry.  When your child eats, you don't eat (because you're busy feeding them).  When your child plays, you play with them and then clean up after them.  When your child naps, you take a deep breath, make a batch of cookie dough, read uplifting blogs and write a blog post.  At least that's what I am doing today.

Last night while cruisin' on Bloglovin I ran across Erin at the Blue-Eyed Bride, particularly this post on Let Me Be Singing.  Over the past year I have felt drawn to the song 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman but the lyrics never quite stood out to me until I read Erin's blog last night.  The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning, it's time to sing your song again.  Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me, let me be singing when the evening comes.  What a beautiful thought.

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning, I have a cup of coffee, read my Bible and pray.  I am uplifted, I am at peace, it's time to sing my song again.  As the day proceeds I feel the peace slowly chipped away by the stresses of life and the cries of my child.  That is not the way I want to live and the attitude I want to have.  Instead I want to say, whatever may pass and whatever lies before me, I will be singing when the evening comes.

I love my child, but being a mother is hard.  I love my child, but I can't bear the incessant crying.  I love my child, but I look forward to time by myself.  I love my child, but sometimes I question having another.

I love my child and so I will start every day fresh.  I love my child and so whatever lies before me in a day, I remember that it will pass.  I love my child and so I will sing when the evening comes.

Before I had a child, I did not know what love is.  "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails."  1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

Before I had a child, I never felt so weak and mentally challenged, but I gain hope in the fact that God's grace is sufficient for me and His strength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Every day as a mother I am made stronger by God's grace.  I rely on Him more now than I ever have.  At some point we all realize that we can't do it alone and we need God to take the reigns.  It took me 28 years and motherhood to realize this.  Because God holds the reigns now, I know that some day I will look back on this time and smile.  I will forget all the sleepless nights, the times I broke down and cried, even the pain of childbirth.  Instead I will remember my child's first laugh, his first steps, his first words and the sight of him falling asleep as I sing him Amazing Grace.  Let me be singing when the evening comes...

Brioche Cinnamon Rolls for a Crowd

Most people have had a cinnamon roll in their life that sticks out as THE best.  From 1990-2009, THE best cinnamon roll in my life was from my elementary school cafeteria.  I know, I know, hard to believe, but they were better than your average cafeteria and at that time my idea of a cinnamon roll didn't go beyond Grands from a can.  In summer 2010, my cinnamon roll world changed completely.

My husband and I took a road trip to Yellowstone National Park and stayed at the Headwaters of the Yellowstone Bed & Breakfast in Gardiner, MT which sits at the north entrance to YNP.  It is a quaint B&B set along the Yellowstone River with a beautiful mountainside in the background.  The B&B is run by the Reid family.  They are extremely friendly, down to earth and knowledgeable about Yellowstone.  Mr. Reid is a Yellowstone Park Ranger so he knows the park like the back of his hand.  Every morning Charissa (Mrs. Reid) cooks a scrumptious breakfast and everyone sits around the large table with the family to talk about their plans in the park for the day.  During our time, there were also guests from NYC, England and Australia.  It was quite the conversation at the breakfast table that culminated in the idea that Americans don't take enough vacation time (I quite agree).

Although every breakfast we ate was absolutely delicious, the cinnamon roll breakfast was just the best.  I finally came to understand what a cinnamon roll is and what every cinnamon roll should be.  It was moist, full of sweet cinnamon layers.  It had chew, it had crunch, it had everything you could want in a cinnamon roll.  And it did NOT have raisins!  In my opinion, Charissa should never have let her recipe go public, but at the same time, I'm thankful she did. because I can continue to enjoy the best cinnamon roll in my very own home.  

Believe it or not, this recipe is actually possible for the novice baker to accomplish.  I do recommend using a stand mixer but I have done it once by hand and it is possible, just prepare for your arm to be sore the next day.  It's a good recipe to make when you have guests as it makes a lot of cinnamon rolls (if I cut the them to be about 2-3 inches then I can get 12-20 rolls out of one recipe).  It's also convenient that the dough has to rest in the refrigerator over night, because then it doesn't take you as long in the morning to finish it up.  I would say the recipe takes 2 hours total but only 1 hour of hands-on time.  Here are a few tips to help you along the way:

1. Add the yeast to the water then sprinkle the sugar on top.  Do not stir!  I am always tempted too, but trust me, the yeast will activate much better if you do not disturb them.  Those little buggers do not like to be pushed around.  The picture on the left is right after I've sprinkled the sugar on top.  The picture on the right is about 7 minutes later. 
   
2. In step 5, after I sprinkle the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture onto the buttered dough, I rub it around with the back of a spoon.  I think this creates a much more even cinnamon interior so that you get the same great flavors in every bite.
3. If you do not have a warm place for the cinnamon rolls to rest in step 6, you can place the pan on a heating pad set on Low.
4. My cinnamon rolls always tend to bake pretty fast, so I suggest starting to check them after 20 minutes.  This is how mine look when they are done.  Notice the bubbling butter on the side, yum! 
   

Some people might not like icing on their cinnamon rolls (I don't understand people like that) so you can serve them naked with icing on the side.  In my house we prefer icing so no naked rolls here.  Cream cheese icing is our favorite, any will do, as long as it's homemade, don't waste your time on the store bought stuff.  Serve with coffee and enjoy every bite!

Here is the handy dandy printable recipe card.  

Everyone Needs a Farm

I opened the door today and heard the sound of birds chirping.  It was a foreign sound.  I literally said, "Are those birds?".  Has it really been that long since I heard birds chirping?  Maybe they are just starting to make their way back home from a long winter down south.  Maybe my ears have been closed off to the sounds of nature.  I don't know, but I was glad to hear it.  Spring is finally on the horizon, temperatures have reached the 40s, we have spurts of sunshine and there is water dripping and draining in every direction from all the snow melt.  It's a beautiful sight.  

When I think of spring, I think of gardening.  When I think of gardening, I think of the family farms.  They are a place where time stands still, where cell phones don't work, where you can see all the stars in the sky, where you can feel God and where you can think about life and what it really means.  I think this world would be a better place if we all had a farm to escape to every now and then.    

What's your farm?  The place you can relax, be yourself and forget about the stresses of life for a little bit.  

Carrot Souffle

Over the last few months, carrots have been very cheap.  Not baby carrots, but whole carrots.  You know, the ones you have to peel and chop yourself.  

I think our generation considers whole carrots a bit old fashioned and frankly, a hassle.  They're not ready to eat as soon as you buy them and that's just unacceptable to some people.  Well my friends, that's part of the reason they're cheaper.  Plus, how well do they really wash the ready-to-eat veggies?  Wouldn't you trust your own washing better than the someone else's?  How do they even wash the vegetables?  I have no idea, do you?

Recently, I have been buying organic whole carrots for $0.88/lb (pictured above) and regular whole carrots for $0.49/lb.  The cheapest I have found baby carrots (regular, not organic) is $0.99/lb so it's quite a bit of savings if you can find the time to wash, peel and cut your own carrots.  

Since they have been such a good price I have been stocking up.  We eat them pretty regularly (raw, steamed, roasted, in soups, etc) but sometimes I still get too many in the refrigerator and I have to figure out what to do with them before they go bad.  One method to get them out of the fridge is to wash, peel, chop them into 1/2 inch pieces, transfer to a freezer bag and store them in the freezer.  Then they are ready to be used as a base for soups, stocks, sauces, etc.  Did you know that using a combination of chopped onions, celery and carrots is called a mirepoix?

This week I used some of my carrot surplus for a carrot souffle; this recipe uses 2 pounds of carrots so it put a good dent in my stock.  I have had it before at a restaurant but it's been a long time. I was pleasantly reminded of how delicious this souffle is.  It's creamy, it's sweet, it's just down right delicious.  It's almost more of a dessert than it is a side dish.  Don't be fooled by the fact that it's made from carrots, this recipe is not a healthy recipe.  It's chock full of butter and sugar and all things wonderful.  

**Do not serve parsley with the carrot souffle.  I simply used it as a prop.  Don't you think it makes the orange color of the carrot souffle pop?  I sure did!**

 

Pork Recipes For The Man In Your Life

Meat is expensive so when there's a good deal on meat, I stock up.  In fact, we bought an upright freezer for the garage so we'd have more storage to be able to stock up.  A piece of meat that tends to go on sale every couple of months is pork butt, also known as, pork shoulder roast.  The sale price is typically $1.98/lb.  The first time I bought this I had no idea how to cook it, so I turned to the trusty Pioneer Woman.  She has an amazing recipe that is extremely easy, it is called Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork.  In my house I call it Spicy Pop Pulled Pork because I don't use just Dr. Pepper but any pop I have on hand.  And I pull the pork, not shred it.

Follow me on this tangent will you?  This has been up for debate recently in my house so I'm curious to know your stand.  What do you call a carbonated beverage?  I call it "pop" which is more common for the north.  In the south they typically call it "soda".  Oddly, I grew up in Oklahoma yet I have always called it pop.  I have no idea why; maybe I've always been destined to live in the north.  My husband says he doesn't call it "pop" or "soda" but what it actually is (ex: root beer, coca-cola, etc).  Where does that mean he's destined to live?  What do you call it?

Okay, so back to the pork.  Here's a picture of P-Dub's pork, yum!  On different occasions I have made it with root beer (Barq's and A&W), diet Coke and cherry coke.  I have made it with and without the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  Every way I have made it, it always turns out delicious.  Take note that the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are VERY SPICY!  We are a spice loving family and pile on the jalapenos every chance we get, but even we think the chipotle peppers are spicy.  In fact, I usually only put in 1/3-1/2 of the can and save the rest in the fridge for another recipe.  

Typically, pork shoulder roasts do not come in small sizes.  I buy the smaller ones and those are still 3-4 lbs which is a lot of meat for a family of three.  Therefore to use up all the pork, we usually do the following: 

1. Make it for a crowd, having either pulled pork sandwiches or tacos
2. Make Spicy Pulled Pork Nachos 
3. Make Spicy Pulled Pork & Pepperoni Pizza

Needless to say it is my husband's favorite week when we make the pork because he loves pork, he loves nachos and he loves pizza!  He is the master creator when it comes to the nachos and pizza so I am not at liberty to share the recipes but he has allowed me to share pictures of his creations.  

I will say that the nachos might or might not have chips, pulled pork, freshly shredded pepper jack cheese, pickled jalapeno slices and salsa (there would have been sour cream too but we were out).  If i'm not in the mood for chips, then I'll pile the pork on rice then add the toppings.  I suppose you could call it a Pulled Pork Rice Bowl.  I have to admit though, most often I'm in the mood for chips. :)

I will also say that the pizza might or might not start with pizza dough made in the bread maker, rolled out and the crust stuffed with freshly shredded cheddar cheese, then is topped with olive oil, pizza sauce, diced onions, minced garlic, freshly shredded monterey jack cheese, pepperoni, pulled pork and a little extra monterey jack, then cooked at 450F for 15-20 minutes on a pizza stone.  I'm ALWAYS in the mood for my husband's pizza!  He makes THE BEST pizza and the pulled pork pizza is my favorite kind.  Over the years we have found the secret to the best pizza is using freshly shredded cheese (sharp cheddar & monterey jack are our favorites) and flavorful meat.

Breaking the Code, Part 2: Coupons 101

Coupons have been in my life for as long as I can remember.  As a kid, I remember seeing them on the kitchen cabinet in my mom's pile of papers.  In college, I would receive various coupons in the mail that my mom thought would be useful.  I simply used them as a way to try new products.  In the early years of married life (still receiving them in the mail from my mom), I would use them sparingly at the store if I was lucky enough to find where the coupons were hiding in the house.  In the present tense, being a one income family, I cut out coupons, I sort them, I store them neatly and I use them almost every time I go to the store.  Mom still sends me some occasionally too.  Aren't moms the best? 

Once I started to investigate the art of couponing I remember being both impressed & overwhelmed by extreme couponers who go to the store and buy $150 worth of products for only $10.  That's not me.  I don't have the desire to be an extreme couponer so if you're looking for guidance in that area I suggest you move on over to The Krazy Coupon Lady.  Even the basics can be a bit daunting though so let's start there.  

1. Where to find coupons? 
• Newspapers.  This is the most conventional way to get coupons and will get you the most at one time.  Although newspapers come out every day of the week, the largest quantity is in the Sunday paper.  There are three coupon inserts that come out on a regular basis: Smart Source, Red Plum and Proctor & Gamble.  If you do not have a paper delivered to your home (let's face it, most people under the age of 50 don't) then you can buy the paper at any grocery store and typically even convenient stores.  They will run you anywhere from $2-3 if you buy it at the store and in our town they typically sell out by 2pm so you have to make it there early.  Personally, I share the paper with a friend every week.  She picks it up on Sunday morning, she gets the first pick of the coupons (she's not much into coupons though) and then she passes it on to me by Monday.  We split the cost of the paper and I don't have to worry about getting to the store on Sunday morning to pick one up; it's a great deal.  Before I had this deal set up, I would preview the coupons for the week at this website so I could decide if it would be worth buying the paper that week or not.  Another good tip, coupons don't come out on holiday weekends so don't waste your time & money buying a newspaper.
• Online.  There are several websites to find coupons but one of the most popular is Coupons.com.  It is also an app that you can download on to your smartphone or tablet.  They have coupons for everything from toys to office supplies to food & beverages.  There is a limit to how many of each coupon can be printed and it starts over at the beginning of every month so it works on a first come, first served basis.  It also limits you to how many times you can print a coupon from your computer, usually 2-3 prints per coupon.  If you are looking for a coupon for a specific item, you can search the coupon database at South Suburban Savings.  She records coupons in her database based on the item, value, source, expiration date, etc.  If the coupon is available online then there is a link built right in to the database that will take you straight to the coupon.  As crazy as it sounds, you can also buy coupons on Ebay.  I've never done this but I know people who have.  Just make sure you're going to save more than you actually pay for the coupon on Ebay.  It pays off for big ticket items.
• At the store. Coupons at the store can be a bit of a treasure hunt but they are most often found in the aisles in automatic coupon dispensers (these are called 'blinkie coupons'), on the products themselves (usually a peel-off sticker), or at the register (these are called Catalina coupons).   Often times the Catalina coupons will say "Redeemable at Store Name" but if it also says "Manufacturer Coupon" (usually at the top by the expiration date) then it can be used at any store.  I have had cashiers at Walmart tell me they do not accept Catalina coupons, but they are wrong.  It clearly states in their coupon policy that they accept them.  There are such things as "In-Store Coupons" and those can only be used at the store that provides them.  
• Rewards programs.  Many brands offer rewards programs.  Usually you submit rewards codes on a website or in an app.  You earn points for the codes and then the points can be exchanged for various rewards, such as coupons.  These are often higher priced coupons than you would find anywhere else.  One of my favorite rewards programs is Kellogg's.  Be sure to watch their Facebook  page because they post free rewards codes, especially around holidays.  If you use Pampers products, they have a good rewards program too.  They partner with Shutterfly and routinely give out free Shutterfly products such as photo prints and photo books.  
2. How to organize & store your coupons?
• I sort my coupons into the following categories: Baby, Cleaning, Dairy, Dog, Food, Frozen, Health & Beauty, Household & Paper, Meat and Restaurants.  You could do more categories than this but I only have 10 divisions in my coupon holders so that's why I only have 10 categories.  I know some people further sort each category by expiration date but I don't go that far.  Instead, when I put coupons in once a week, I take the time to sort through each category and throw away any expired coupons.  I store my coupons in index card holders with expanding files (shown below).  When I first started, I documented my coupons in an Excel spreadsheet as an attempt to make it easy to search for what products I had coupons for, but the time it took to input the data did not pay off in the end so I stopped.  
  
  
  
  
3. How to use coupons effectively?
• Don't feel guilty.  A store makes money from coupons so despite how much money you save using coupons, you are not taking money from the store so you don't need to feel bad.  Go ahead, check out the fine print on the coupon, it'll say something such as "retailer will be reimbursed face value plus __¢ for handling...".  
• Get to know the stores around you.  Many of them offer double coupon days.  For example, in my town, Hyvee doubles coupons up to $0.50 every Tuesday.  That means if a coupon has a value of $0.50 off and you use it on a Tuesday, you will get $1 off that item.  Score!  
• Use a combination of manufacturer coupons and in-store coupons.  Coupons often say in the fine print "Limit one coupon per purchase", but don't be deceived, this only refers to a coupon of the exact same kind.  You are allowed to use 2 coupons for one item as long as 1 of the coupons is a manufacturer coupon (the ones you find in coupon inserts in the Sunday paper) and the other is an in-store coupon (often found in store ads).
• Be smart about your purchases.  Coupons are meant to entice you to buy products and I have to admit, they are enticing.  To get the most for your money though, you must not fall into the trap of buying a product simply because you have a coupon for it.  Don't even tempt yourself.  When you look through the coupon inserts, only cut out the coupons that are for products that you already use or had previously been thinking about using.  Same goes for online coupons, only print the ones you know you will use, otherwise you're just wasting your printer ink and we all know that ink is not cheap.

What coupon tips do you have?  Do you know of any other good rewards programs or coupon sources?

Rugelach what?

Wikipedia says rugelach is "a Jewish pastry of Ashkenazic origin."  My Food Lover's Companion book says rugelach is "a Hannukkah tradition...bite-size crescent-shaped cookies that can have any of several fillings including raisins and nuts...they're generally made with a rich cream-cheese dough."  I say rugelach is a good recipe to use up leftover cream cheese.

I had half a bar (4oz) of cream cheese in my fridge that was quickly going bad.  I came across a recipe for Apricot-Walnut Rugelach in my December 2013 Real Simple magazine that used 8oz cream cheese.  Since I only had half the required cream cheese I made sure everything else could be cut in half, which it could, and then I smiled because I had an excuse to make a sweet treat.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the recipe was very easy.  If you don't have a food processor it could be rather difficult so I'd shy away from it.  The end product was delicious!  A decadent pastry fit for dessert or to accompany a morning coffee.  It's a very versatile pastry too because you could use any combination of jam or nuts that you have on hand.  Don't forget to toast the nuts though, that contributes a lot of flavor (do you know how to toast nuts or would that be a good tutorial post for me to do?).

When it came to slicing the 13-inch round dough into 12 slices like a pizza, I found it quite handy to use the pizza cutter.  It makes smooth, straight cuts across the dough.  I did this prior to putting on the jam and walnut mixture; it made it much easier to cut and less messy.

Slice by slice, I rolled up the dough, starting at the big end and rolling it towards the center.  If you've ever made crescent rolls it's the exact same concept.  The dough got a little sticky at this point because it started to reach room temperature, so I just used the pizza cutter to gently release it from the surface as I rolled it up.  Another handy tool for this would be a dough scraper but I didn't want to dirty any more dishes.  

One by one, after I rolled up the wedges, I placed them on the baking sheet.  As you can see here I forgot to put down parchment paper.  That was a mistake.  DON'T FORGET THE PARCHMENT PAPER.  It will make your clean up so much easier because the egg leaks onto the baking sheet and cooks.  I love my pastry brush (shown in the picture).  I have had it for almost 5 years now and it's held up very well to all kinds of use.  **Tip: I had leftover egg from this recipe & I was making fish for dinner so I used the leftover egg to dip the fish into before dredging with a cornmeal/potato chip mixture.  It worked very well and was a delicious meal!  It's also a good way to use up the crumbs that are in the bottom of a potato chip bag, but that's for another post and another day.**

I bought the Swedish Pearl Sugar at a specialty shop in Oklahoma almost 4 years ago (yes, it's still good!).  I hardly have a chance to use it so I was very excited to sprinkle it onto the rugelach.  Why use granulated sugar which will just camouflage into the pastry, when you can use a sugar that holds its own?  The Swedish pearl sugar holds its shape and color through the cooking.  It also adds a little extra crunch which I like.  

Aren't they pretty?  They are delicious too!  I hope you come across some leftover cream cheese in your refrigerator so you have an excuse to make them.  For the recipe, save and print the recipe card below (I think you can save & print it; let me know if you can't).  Bon Appetit!