We all scream for ice cream! We are having fun making homemade ice cream this summer! The ice cream machine that I got for free at a yard sale a few years ago finally died on us, so we replaced it with a smaller model that allows us to use the ice from our freezer instead of store bought ice. Yay! After trying several different recipes, we have found a favorite. The best thing about it? It's not only the yummiest and healthiest recipe we've tried, but it's also the easiest!
Want to know it? Well, of course! I wouldn't dream of keeping such a wonderful thing to myself! :)
Easy Homemade Ice Cream
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (you can use fat free!)
4 cups of half and half (once again... fat free! 4 cups is the equivalent of a large carton of half and half)
2 Tbs of vanilla
Mix ingredients together (yes, that's it... just those three ingredients!) and add in whatever mixins you like. Pour into your chilled ice cream maker container and freeze it in your machine. (That's it folks! No cooking over the stove or keeping it in the fridge for hours before you can freeze it!)
Our favorite thing to mix in? Butterfingers! We've also tried and liked peaches and cinnamon (tastes like peach cobbler!), Oreos, and cocoa powder and chopped chocolate chips. The next things I want to try are strawberries and cream cheese and root beer extract! Want to join us?
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Double Coupon Tuesdays at UV Walmarts!
A few months ago I started really getting into couponing. I have always kept an eye out for restaurant and entertainment coupons in order to stretch our budget for being able to get out and do fun stuff, but I'd never really paid much attention to grocery coupons before. Man, I was really missing out! I'm saving money and having tons of fun at the same time! There's nothing quite like walking out of the store with items that you actually got for FREE because of coupons. Yep... now if only I had more storage to be able to put everything I'm stocking up on. =)
I have learned to be careful because couponing can take up tons of time. You might save money with coupons, but time is money. Finding a good balance and not going overboard is important. (Anyone seen TLC's "Extreme Couponing"? Yeah, I'm not into spending 30 hours a week clipping coupons and clearing the shelves in the store.)
Many of the websites I look at mentioned being able to double your coupons at certain stores, and I was sad that we didn't have stores that really did that around here. Well, that has changed now! On Tuesdays, our local Utah Valley Walmarts are now doubling coupons (up to $1.00!). Up until today, I hadn't actually tried to venture out and try it for myself yet. But, with some extra time last night to search out deals and clip my coupons, and with my sister visiting today (so I had some help with the kiddos), I decided that today would be the day.
How did it go? The shelves were still fairly well stocked, the kids behaved better than expected, and we got some great deals! Some of the items I got for free are: Sensodyne toothpaste (trial size, but still... free!), Curad bandaids, M &M's, 3 Musketeers candy bars, etc., along with many other things that I got for less than one dollar! Success!
One of these days I plan on blogging about some of my couponing tips that you might find helpful if you'd like to get more into couponing or if you're an average, non-extreme couponer like me. =)
I have learned to be careful because couponing can take up tons of time. You might save money with coupons, but time is money. Finding a good balance and not going overboard is important. (Anyone seen TLC's "Extreme Couponing"? Yeah, I'm not into spending 30 hours a week clipping coupons and clearing the shelves in the store.)
Many of the websites I look at mentioned being able to double your coupons at certain stores, and I was sad that we didn't have stores that really did that around here. Well, that has changed now! On Tuesdays, our local Utah Valley Walmarts are now doubling coupons (up to $1.00!). Up until today, I hadn't actually tried to venture out and try it for myself yet. But, with some extra time last night to search out deals and clip my coupons, and with my sister visiting today (so I had some help with the kiddos), I decided that today would be the day.
How did it go? The shelves were still fairly well stocked, the kids behaved better than expected, and we got some great deals! Some of the items I got for free are: Sensodyne toothpaste (trial size, but still... free!), Curad bandaids, M &M's, 3 Musketeers candy bars, etc., along with many other things that I got for less than one dollar! Success!
One of these days I plan on blogging about some of my couponing tips that you might find helpful if you'd like to get more into couponing or if you're an average, non-extreme couponer like me. =)
Monday, July 4, 2011
Summer Sides
If you're like me, coming up with dinner ideas is a lot more difficult in the summer. It's hot outside, so who wants to be in the kitchen when you could be out doing fun "summery" things! For me, the main dish is easy (grill something!), but the question of "What do I serve with this?" is a bigger one. Here are two quick and yummy recipes that I've found that go with many different summer dinner meals...
Homemade Potato Wedges
5-8 potatoes (washed, with skins still on)
olive oil
vegetable cooking spray
seasoned salt
grated Parmesan cheese (I use lowfat)
Line a large pan (I use a cookie sheet with sides) with foil. Cover the bottom of the pan with a light coating of olive oil. Cut potatoes into wedges and put them on the pan, skin side down. Spray the wedges with the cooking spray, then sprinkle with seasoned salt and the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 35-50 minutes (usually 45 minutes makes them perfect for me). Easy and SO good!
Sweet Coleslaw
1 bag of coleslaw mix (16 ounce)
2/3 cup mayo or Miracle Whip
3 T. vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 T white vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
Mix the last five ingredients in a bowl, then add the coleslaw mix and combine well. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. (NOTE: This recipe is really yummy, but it gets kind of runny. It will seem too dry at first, but you'd be amazed at how the time in the fridge really helps make it creamier. Actually, I think it's a little too creamy for me. The last time I made this, I mixed up the dressing part, then divided it in half and kept the other half to use in the fridge a few days later. I just used half the dressing with the entire bag of coleslaw and it turned out great! Seemed way to dry at first, but was just right after a little time in the fridge.)
ENJOY!! Let me know if you try either of these!
Homemade Potato Wedges
5-8 potatoes (washed, with skins still on)
olive oil
vegetable cooking spray
seasoned salt
grated Parmesan cheese (I use lowfat)
Line a large pan (I use a cookie sheet with sides) with foil. Cover the bottom of the pan with a light coating of olive oil. Cut potatoes into wedges and put them on the pan, skin side down. Spray the wedges with the cooking spray, then sprinkle with seasoned salt and the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 35-50 minutes (usually 45 minutes makes them perfect for me). Easy and SO good!
Sweet Coleslaw
1 bag of coleslaw mix (16 ounce)
2/3 cup mayo or Miracle Whip
3 T. vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 T white vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
Mix the last five ingredients in a bowl, then add the coleslaw mix and combine well. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. (NOTE: This recipe is really yummy, but it gets kind of runny. It will seem too dry at first, but you'd be amazed at how the time in the fridge really helps make it creamier. Actually, I think it's a little too creamy for me. The last time I made this, I mixed up the dressing part, then divided it in half and kept the other half to use in the fridge a few days later. I just used half the dressing with the entire bag of coleslaw and it turned out great! Seemed way to dry at first, but was just right after a little time in the fridge.)
ENJOY!! Let me know if you try either of these!
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