Beauty and the Feast

Do you like to read romantic comedies?  I love nothing better than to curl up with a good book.  Some novels involve a commitment of a couple weeks to finish, but some can be finished in a couple of afternoons.  I ran across Beauty and the Feast and loved the idea of the book.  It's a romantic comedy that tells the tale of a personal chef and her path to true love.  I loved the very descriptive details of the meals she prepares in the book.  If you aren't hungry when you start reading, you will be soon.  And, the story reveals that sometimes a way to a man's heart really is through his stomach. 
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Right now Beauty and the Feast is one Amazon's top 100 free kindle books.  The list changes hourly, so check the price before ordering if you want to try it.


And, the surprise at the end?  The author included recipes for most of the food in the book!  I can't wait to try the cream cheese brownies.  Happy Reading!

Love Cajun Food?

Do you love Cajun food? If so, check out this free ebook from amazon.com- It's full of heartwarming stories along with authentic family recipes. As always, what's free today, may not be free tomorrow, so check the price before you order.

Free Kindle Books from Amazon

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Do you have a Kindle? I don't, but I've been downloading books to my laptop. Amazon.com features several free books that you can download. They change on a daily (sometimes sooner) basis. Check back often to see what they are offering. I've downloaded some awesome cookbooks, like the one above, for free. Then I've searched a book again a few days later and found it to be for sale at the regular price. So, as the saying goes, free while supplies last!

Have you heard the BUZZ?

Have you heard the BUZZ? Honey Nut Cheerios cereal is hosting a "Billion 'O' Giveaway", providing free samples to fans beginning July 4, 2011, available while supplies last.

If you've never tried this cereal, now is the prefect time. Just zip over to FavCereal.com for your sweet sample!

In addition to checking out the "Billion 'O' Giveaway", make sure to BEE-come a fan of Cheerios on Facebook and get involved in the conversation about Honey Nut Cheerios!

My thanks to Honey Nut Cheerios cereal for providing me this information through MyBlogSpark.

Fiber One Brownies & Giveaway

When I was given a chance to try the new Fiber One 90 Calorie Brownies from Fiber One and General Mills through MyBlogSpark, my first thought was…yummm. Well, maybe my first thought was chocolate, then brownie and then yum. Have you tried these great brownies yet? They actually sent me the Chocolate Fudge Brownies and the Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies. Both are delicious, but my favorites are the Chocolate Fudge Brownies. I’ve already been trying Fiber One bars for a quick breakfast or snack. So, I was excited to hear about their new brownies. They definitely did not disappoint and make the perfect evening snack. Then again, a little chocolate for breakfast never hurt either!

Want to try them for yourself? Check out this giveaway:

Fiber One and General Mills through MyBlogSpark are providing me with a Fiber One 90-Calorie Brownies gift pack to give away to one of you! The gift pack includes:

1. a box each of the Chocolate Fudge and the Chocolate Peanut Butter brownies


2. a Fiber One 90-Calorie Brownie themed duffel bag, jump rope. water bottle, snack case, headband, bracelet

How to win? Just leave a comment on this post, and tell me:

• when you plan to enjoy their Fiber One 90-Calorie Brownie - as an afternoon pick-me-up or an evening indulgence

You’ll receive a bonus entry as a follower of this blog. Hurry though, contest ends June 30th, and I’ll post the winner July 1st.

Foodie News - Free Stuff

Just a couple of offers for Cat and Dog lovers!

Overby Farm is offering a sample of their Dog or Cat Treats. Click here to order.

Natural Nutrition is offering a sample of their gourmet cat food. Click here to order.

Reuben Rolls

 

Our Christmas tradition has always  been a huge breakfast on Christmas Day rather than a Christmas Dinner.  So, on Christmas Eve, we usually have a few appetizers.  I love Reuben sandwiches, and Pillsbury  Refrigerated Crescent Rolls are the perfect way to begin a recipe.  These Reuben Rolls are an easy creation and you can add your own favorite fillers by making substitutions.

How do you like my platters?  Pillsbury provided those to me along with free Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent  Rolls through MyBlogSpark!  If you’ve ever visited the Pillsbury website, you know they have an abundance of tried and true recipes.  There are three in particular made with crescent rolls that I love:

Crescent-Wrapped Brie

Crescent Bacon-Cheese Tartlets

Crescent Holiday Tree

Thanks to Pillsbury and MyBlogSpark, I have a Creative Creations prize pack to give away.  It includes 2 VIP coupons for Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent dough and great holiday platters.  But, first I need you to vote on which of the above recipe is your favorite.  Then I’ll re-create it with a few tweaks of my own.  You know how I love to change a recipe!  Just leave a comment on which recipe you like, and I’ll cook it up in a day or so. 

And, to get you started, here’s the recipe for my Rueben Rolls.

Reuben Rolls

1 pkg Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Rolls

8 slices of corned beef – sliced very thin

4 slices of Swiss cheese – sliced in 1-inch strips

1/4 cup Bavarian Sauerkraut

1 tablespoon brown deli mustard

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a cookie sheet.  Drain kraut well and set aside.  Separate and unroll Crescent rolls.  In each roll layer corned beef, cheese and kraut.  Squeeze a small amount of mustard onto kraut.  Roll up starting at the large end and rolling to smaller end – just like you are making crescent rolls.  Place on cookie sheet and bake 11-12 minutes or until golden brown.  If you use different fillers, top each roll with sesame seeds or cheese so you can tell the difference!

Simple Cabbage & Pepper Casserole

 

Here’s a picture of the casserole I made with the leftover cabbage & pepper side dish from my last post.  I added shredded chicken breast and a can of cream of chicken soup.  Then I topped it with some cheddar cheese and French’s onions.  I baked it at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until   bubbly.  So, the  next time you have leftover veggies, consider making them into a casserole for dinner the next night.  With a little planning, you can stretch your meals and spend less time in the kitchen.

Speaking of planning, how often to you go strictly by a shopping list? I try very hard to keep a list posted on the refrigerator and add items as I run low.  Somehow, though, I end up leaving it at home a lot of the time.  Or, I decide to make a quick stop on the way home and don’t have my list with me.  How cool would it be to have your personal grocery shopping list online?  Then it would be available anywhere or anytime you needed it!

I found a great site while on facebook.  It has a free grocery shopping list.  You can customize it by store or by your own personal brands.  List2Shop.com does it all for you.  They already have popular products split into different categories.  All you have to do is add your own items and customize your favorites.  Best of all – it’s free! 

Dining Out

It's no secret that I have clipped coupons for years. I'm one of those people you don't want to find yourself behind in the grocery checkout. But, I'll just smile at the money that I'm saving. Often times I will clip the ones for products I already use. They also come in handy when I want to try something new. Lately, I've been searching online for great deals.
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I've noticed a new trend in our local coupons and wonder if the same is happening in your corner of the world. There seem to be an increasing number of Restaurant Coupons. I'm used to seeing fast food coupons once in a while, but these new coupons are for more upscale restaurants. It's kind of fun to read Restaurant Reviews and pair up the coupons with a night out. Every little bit helps in today's economy so here are a few tips for dining out.
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Go for quality. If you're only able to dine out a couple of times a month, you want the meal to be special.
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Check out Restaurants online and review their menus. Most have their full menus and prices listed. Some even have nutrition information.
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Speaking of calories, consider splitting a meal with a friend. Not only will you save money, but hundreds of calories.
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Don't want to spend money on a full meal? Think about ordering an appetizer or dessert only. Some of the appetizers include more than enough food for two people to share as a meal.
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Research coupons online for extra savings.
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We all get tired of cooking sometimes and need a night out. With a little planning, you can afford to splurge.

Dunkin' Donuts Free Sample

I love free stuff, so I wanted to share this offer with you. Click on the link above for a free sample of Dunkin'Donuts coffee & enjoy!