Super Saver Sunday!

This one's from Nicole and it's great!! Thanks girlie!!!

Where is Your Money Hiding?

Thanks to Allison for the great Navy Wife blog link (www.happyhousewife.com) !!! If you haven't yet you definitely need to go check it out--NOW!! Well, not quite now, finish reading my thing please....but then go look!

I have to credit them with this fabulous idea...I think...O.o Oh dear...too much blogstalking and now I don't remember where I got this idea from...but in any event here it is!!!

On one of my fabulous blogs it suggested that you really do have money, you don't really realize it's money because it looks like this:

We all have one of these right?? while in the past we have resorted to this jar for fun stuff or a little extra money when times were tight the blog had a great tip for using it that would not annoy cashiers, your bank ppl, or involve you rolling them all up. You know those handy dandy little self checkouts everywhere has now?? The ones that frusterate even me with my 3+ years of cashiering experience?? Yeah those ones? Well they have this nifty little change counter so you can fork in all your change and it'll add it all up and take it all off your bill. :D Of course, you might not want to try this out at Wal-Mart during rush hour...but if you time it right the idea is ingenous!!!
Later on today I'm hoping to go shopping with some birthday money I recieved, and was supposed to buy some things from Bob for me as well. However July seems like it's THE month other than December for expenses. Everyone basically in my family has a birthday this month and I'm flying back to visit my family for a month, and then there's those pesky license plate tags you always forget about till their due...uggg..seriously why does a little green sticker cost over $100???!!! Anyways....there's no money in our account to get myself a present from hubby...not to mention his b-day is this Sunday :S So I decided to go change diving and with just by pulling out the quarters I came up with $25!!!! Woo Hoo!! I plan on spending that on myself at TJ Maxx or Ross and using the change when I go grocery shopping later :) I'll have to send a pic next time of the fabulous outfit I buy with change!!!! :D

Family Dinner Fridays

Thanks to Nicole for sending in this recipe. My dishes have been quite lacking here lately... I guess it corresponds with my mood during this move. But Nicole has sent us a yummy dish to try out!! Let us know how you think it is!


I realize that every recipe I've sent in is chicken....we really do eat other stuff...I promise, I guess it's just that my beef recipes aren't all that interesting, Haha!! :) I'll get to some of them eventually I'm sure ;) In the mean time here is another delicious chicken recipe!!! I usually halve this recipe, works great and makes it so I don't have a million leftovers! And I always use stuffing :)


Creamy Baked Chicken Breasts

8 chicken breasts
8 slices Swiss Cheese
2 Cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can Milk
1 cup herb seasoned stuffing mix or bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter melted

Arrange chicken on a lightly greased 13x9 pan. Top with cheese; combine soup and milk; spoon evenly over chicken; sprinkle with stuffing; drizzle with butter over crumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees 45-55 min.

May serve over rice.



PS. I think it is soo cute that you included a glass of milk with your dinner!! Classic!

Super Saver Sunday!

Ok I know I missed Friday, we literally ate nothing! Just snacked on fruit. We are moving so life is crazy. And it's not one of those TMO takes care of it kinda moves. More like MOMMAFAMBRO CONQUERORS it all kinda moves! LOL Anyways this is the subject of my Saver Tip this week


I just packed up my laundry room where I also keep all of my cleaning chemicals. We have been using up these chemicals to transition to a more budget/eco friendly variety of cleaning supplies and also so that I can cut down on the amount of different chemicals I have to buy. I am a weird woman who HATES shopping in a store and am constantly on the lookout for the most multipurpose reusable something to keep me out of the retail world. (For three years my soul was sold to Wal-Mart and I am afraid I shall never recover! ;-) Anyways I just became disgusted with the amount of extra chemicals that you just HAVE to have when setting up a house. I packed away TWO I repeat TWO BOXES of cleaning supplies that were either duplicates or something I thought I would use!

So my tip for the week is on organization. When shopping for anything, make a list and STICK TO IT! I can guarantee you that those two boxes of cleaning supplies were all impulse buys by either my husband or myself. Stick to your list and unless you KNOW you need it don't get it. This will save you money time and space in your house. Because really who needs TWO Gallons of Windex???

Super Saver Sunday!

Alright guys here it is, my super saving finds of the week! Well, for one Walgreens is supporting our troops and their families by offering a 15% discount on purchases on Mondays! All you have to do is show your Military ID before the transaction!! Of course this excludes prescriptions, tobacco, and alcohol, but there are so many more goodies inside than just that!! So remember Military Mondays at Walgreens

Saving Sighting number 2 this week came from a friend of mine here in Florida. Since I have joined my organic buying club and rave about it all the time she told me about another source of groceries at a deal. It's called Angel Food Ministries. Now at first I thought this was a charity only but no it's for anyone. It acts like a buying club where you place your order for a share and you get roughly $65 for $30!! You can see what's on the menu before you order which is nice. Just go to www.angelfoodministries.com So there you have it!! Save your money and fill your bellies!!

Oops I forgot.

Not to have a family dinner on Friday, but just to blog about it. Honestly my meal planning routine has been shot to you know where ever since my daughter got out of the hospital but anyways. No excuse right? Right.

Now my family is personally on a new healthy eating changeover that is including the extreme reduction if not elimination of meat. No, I don't think cows should be pets instead of a steak on my plate, I am just making the choice with all of the hormones and crap out there to limit our intake of all of that. So most of my meal suggestions will be meat free, so if you want some meat, blog it up and send it to me!! LOL

Ok on to my meal. This is my latest favorite dish.

Allison's Tomato Bisque Soup

3-4 large tomatoes

1 can of tomato sauce

1 small can of evaporated milk

Basil, Bay leaf, pinch of salt, a little pepper, and oregano (I have no measurements here just a pinch and a palm and whatever, think Rachel Ray guys!)

Throw all of this together and let cook for a while, then if you want a really smooth consisteny throw it in the food processor to do up the tomatoes.

Once cooked up take about a half a cup of all purpose flour and slowl add it in to the soup. This will thicken the soup and give you mini biscuits or pastas if you will.

Serve garnished with some parmesean and a little parsley and MMMMMMM GOOD!!!

Super Awesome Finds!!

I don't know about you but I just get giddy all over when I stumble across a deal, a freebie, or any absolutely awesome something. Whether it comes from a friend, a blog, or a late night stroll across the world wide web, awesome deals are just....awesome!!

In a previous post I talked about the Miami Children's Museum offering their Free Friday every third Friday of the month, well I had heard rumors that the Miami Art Museum offered the same kind of deal but wasn't too sure when the dates were. Well today I found out!!

I am a part of a Meetup Group for "Natural Mamas" and we mainly discuss things through e-mail threads. One of these wonderful ladies sent us the e-mail on free events in and around Miami and lo and behold the Miami Art Museum was on the List!! And the best part of all?? Free weekend is this comming weekend!! YAYAYAYAY!!

I am so excited, I love to go and experience art and just get wrapped up in it. My son loves it too as the bright colors and abstract paintings lead to wild imaginations and long discussions. He is my artsy guy. My daughter however could care less. Give her dirt she's happy. But we are off this Saturday to Check it out!! But look for yourself online at http://www.miamiartmuseum.org/

Score #2 TODAY was for Bank Of America customers. BOA has partnered with a few museums around the nation and allow their customers in free on certain weekends! And boy oh boy there are listings in Miami!!! It ranges from the Miami Art Museum to the Miami Science Museum and all around. There are locations in Ft Lauderdale and beyond!! Check it out to see if there is anything cool and FREE near you at http://museums.bankofamerica.com/

With all these freebies around here my social calendar is getting full... well my kids social calendar anyways lol!!!

Super Saver Sunday!

Ok this one is going to totally be a plug for another blog, but there is too much info in this site not to share it. www.thehappyhousewife.com
This is a Navy Wife with half a dozen kids and blogs about living frugally and the deals to get for military. Go ahead check it out and subscribe to her blog it's absolutely awesome!

Family Dinner Fridays

This one's from our new contributor Paulina!

Tofu Cincinnati Chili
I am constantly looking for new ways to sneak tofu into a meal. Last night I experimented with a few other recipes I have acquired, and viola! I made what I believe to be the best chili ever, hands down. Round of applause please. If your family squishes up their noses when they hear 'tofu', try my trick: don't tell them. They'll never know. What's the trick to making the tofu have a 'ground beef' like consistency? Freezing it!
Ingredients:
2 Tbs. Olive oil
5 Cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1/2 of a medium-sized onion, minced
1 Red bell pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 Tsp. paprika
1/2 Tsp. ground cumin
1 Tsp. chili powder (round up to more if you want more 'chili' taste)
1/8 Tsp. cayenne pepper ***optional*** this is where you have complete control over how spicy you want your chili
1 Package of Tofu- Frozen and then completely thawed before cooking
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cube of unsweetened baking chocolate (not too much, literally two pinches to have that famous sweet/spicy duo)
1/2 Cup vegtable stock
1 Can chili beans
1 Can red kidney beans
2 Ears of fresh corn
***Absolutely mandatory to the recipe: Micheal Jackson's "Rock With You" while using the spoon as a microphone: I can't guarantee your chili will be mind blowing (like mine) if you don't do this***
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1. Saute garlic onions on med/low heat until onions are transparent

2. Add bell pepper and spices, stir.
3. Now for the tofu: Once the block is defrosted, I like to cut the tofu in three pieces (the size or cut does not matter at all, I just feel it helps me get all the water out). Freezing tofu makes for a completely un-tofu-like texture. It is like a sponge, and soaks up just about everything. Since you want to tofu to hold all your yummy spices, hold the tofu over the sink and squeeze (like a sponge) out all the water it has retained. Once you've done this to all the tofu, just crumble it up with your fingers and put it right into the pot. Any big pieces left you can continue breaking down with a spatula right in the pan.
4. Add apple cider vinegar, chocolate and vegetable stock. Let it simmer for a couple minutes until about half of the liquid evaporates. Here is where it starts looking brown and crumbly like ground beef. Sneaky-sneaky.




5. Add your beans, lower the temperature to a simmer, and let the chili "do it's thing" in the pan for about 45 minutes. If too dry: sprinkle with veggie stock.
6. Meanwhile cook your corn, then cut length-wise (think hard of when you had braces back in middle school and you had to cut the corn to prevent billy/susie from not wanting to kiss you)
7. Serve in soup bowls and sprinkle with corn. Honestly though, you can sprinkle with anything (sour cream, cilantro, chips, love)
8. Eat. Enjoy. (While watching the Bachelorette and loving Jillian).


Recipe by Paulina Underwood, Husband stationed in Charleston, SC

Coastie Wives Corner Proudly Presents.....

Paulina Underwood our newest contributor to Coastie Wives Corner Blog!


About Paulina:
At the age of 22 Paulina ran away from home to join the cicus with her sailor husband. She partakes in the central show every night as the clown. She is famous for her juggling act where she balances various balls, some of which are labeled "family" "home" "sanity".


Translation: At the age of 22 Paulina married a handsome man in the Coast Guard and partakes in military-life transition while enjoying being a stay at home mother.


Follow her at http://monamayi.blogspot.com/

And if you would like to contribute please email coastiewivescorner@yahoo.com