Frugal Holiday Fun | Library Activities

Our local library is hosting a special "Library for Lunch Gingerbread Story Time." The kids pack their lunch to eat at the library (which is a big deal for my little one). After their lunch, the kids will listen to gingerbread stories and then decorate a gingerbread cookie. The price of this story time is $1 per child and that is to cover the cost of the cookie and supplies. I thought that was beyond reasonable.

Check your local library's holiday activity schedule to see what fun and frugal activities they have planned.

Are you participating in any holiday library activities this season? Let us know in the comments.

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Broccoli Cheese Soup ~ Slow Cooker Recipe

I am a bit ashamed to admit, but this is NOT a real food recipe. Rarely do I post recipes like this, but this is a family favorite that I serve when I am hosting a big crowd, as in 20+ people. That probably only happens once or twice a year and if the gathering is during the fall or winter, this soup is most likely on the menu.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

(from my mother)

Ingredients

• 16 oz Cheese Whiz
• 4 cans Cream of Celery Soup
• 1 quart half and half
• 4 (10 oz) packs frozen chopped broccoli

Directions

Combine all four ingredients in a crock pot (at least 6 quart) and cook on low for 5 hours. Stir well and cook on low for an additional hour. This recipe can be cut in half for a smaller crowd.

Some day I'm going to experiment and create a recipe using real food and not cheese whiz and canned cream soup. But right now this recipe is so simple and perfect for big crowds and I have never had a single complaint. There are rarely leftovers.

Print recipe for Broccoli Cheese Soup.

This recipe is linked to Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as MOM.

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Have a Happy (and Delicious) Thanksgiving!

I'll be up early tomorrow, Thanksgiving morning, to run the Annual Turkey Trot 5k. I mentioned earlier in my Thanksgiving round up that the only reason I was running this 5k is so I can have 3 pieces of pie later in the day without an ounce of guilt. I might have to run the race twice as I found out yesterday that there will be 6 different pies at tomorrow's feast: blueberry, apple, pumpkin, shoe fly, cherry, and a cheesecake. How will I choose??

Fortunately, I don't travel very far on Thanksgiving, just 15 miles down the road. I wanted to wish you all a Happy, Safe, and Delicious Thanksgiving! I'll be spending the next several days with extended family and these two little squirts...

and polishing off any leftover pie that comes my way.

God Bless!

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Craft Ideas To Entertain the Kiddos When They Are Stuck Inside

My latest post at Money Crashers:

"Keeping kids entertained indoors can be a challenge. Finding fun activities for children in the summer, however, is not an issue. I send them outside and they play on the swing set or ride their bikes for hours. But when the weather is bad and they’re trapped inside, I need a plan. Inevitably, I will hear, “Mom, I’m bored.” This means I need to be ready with craft supplies and ideas to make those long, “boring” days fun."

Please head over to Money Crashers to continue reading, 10 Affordable and Green Arts and Crafts Ideas for Kids.

Are you familiar with Money Crashers? Their "mission is to develop a community of people who try to make financially sound decisions. The website strives to educate individuals in making wise choices about credit and debt, investing, education, real estate, insurance, spending, and more." The site is a wealth of information and I encourage you to go check it out.

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Blueberry and Pecan Baked Oatmeal

We are big fans of hot oatmeal for breakfast, but I usually make it in the microwave. This recipe comes together quickly even though it is baked and makes a hearty start to your day.

I have to be careful, because I could easily polish off the entire pan myself, but I would have one angry husband.

Blueberry and Pecan Baked Oatmeal

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats, uncooked
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ cups 2% milk
• ½ cup homemade sugar-free applesauce, or store-bought
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
• ¼ cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mix the oats, brown sugar, and baking powder. Add the milk, applesauce, vanilla, butter, and egg and mix well. Fold in the blueberries.

3. Prepare a 11 X 7 inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour the oatmeal batter into the dish and sprinkle the pecans on top. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Print recipe for Blueberry and Pecan Baked Oatmeal.

This post is linked to Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop and $5 Dinner Challenge and Your Green Resource at The Greenbacks Gal.

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30 Thanksgiving Meal Ideas to Feast On

What are your plans for Thanksgiving? Are you hosting 25 people or are you taking a pie to your in-laws? Whatever your plans are, I hope these 30 links give you some tasty inspiration and ideas.

Happy Eating!

Let's talk Turkey!
In 2010, I ran a series called Turkey Week. Here is the recap:

• How Much Turkey Will I Need?
• How To Thaw A Turkey
• Roasted Turkey with Fresh Herbs and Lemon
• To Stuff or Not To Stuff
• How To Make Turkey Gravy
• How To Make Turkey Stock
• Turkey Chili Potpie Leftover Idea
• Turkey, Kale & Orzo Soup Leftover Idea
• Baked Turkey, Macaroni & Cheese Leftover Idea

Super Side Dishes

• Caramelized Butternut Squash at Cutting Back Kitchen
• Cheesy Broccoli Casserole at An Intentional Homemaker
• Chopped Spinach Salad at $pend Less 2 $ave More
• Cone Cranberry Salad at Sami Cone
• Crockpot Creamed Corn at Blue Jeans and Cotton Tees
• Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower at Under the Big Oak Tree
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts at Modern Gal
• Smashed Potato Gratin at A Kat's Life
• Sweet and Savory Smashed Sweet Potatoes at Kitchen Concoction
• Sweet Potato Casserole at Feathers in Our Nest
• Wild Rice Stuffing at Finding Joy in My Kitchen
• Zesty Cranberry Sauce at Cook with Sara

Bread

• Honey Whole Wheat Rolls at Eternity in My Heart
• Golden Pull-Apart Rolls at Life Love Librarianship
• PW Dinner Rolls - No Kneading Required at Pioneer Woman

Desserts
Every Thanksgiving morning, I run in a Turkey Trot 5k sponsored by the local YMCA. While I love to run, the only reason I run a 5k on Thanksgiving morning is so I can eat 3 pieces of dessert later in the day without an ounce of guilt.

• Glazed Apple Cake at Wives with Knives
• How to Roll a Pumpkin Roll at Bungalow
• Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie at Simply Recipes
• Pumpkin Pie Cake at Secrets of a Southern Kitchen
• Pumpkin Spice Cupcake at Andy & Brittney

And finally, are you on a budget this holiday? The Save Quarter will show you How to make a complete, traditional Thanksgiving dinner for 8 for under $30, in under 3 hours!

Do you have a Thanksgiving recipe that you'd like to share? Leave the link in the comments.


This post is linked to Frugal Friday at Life as MOM and Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.


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Stock Up on Thanksgiving Turkey Deals | Kitchen Economics

This is a big week at the grocery store for holiday staples. Turkey, potatoes, fresh cranberries, sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, canned goods, and everything else you need to make a complete Thanksgiving meal are all on sale. At no other time of the year will you find turkeys at rock bottom prices.

Every year, Giant Food Stores of PA has a FREE turkey promotion that I always take advantage of. You have about 4 weeks to spend $400 to earn the FREE turkey. If you aren't interested in the free turkey, they give you the option of a free Stouffer's Party Size Lasagna. I usually pick the free turkey.

This year, Wegman's is offering whole, frozen turkeys at .39/lb when you spend $25 or more. There is a limit of one per customer. I will take advantage of that deal too and send the turkey to the food bank. Outside of the free turkey promotion, that is the best price that I have seen.

If you have a freezer, roast the turkey immediately and freeze the cooked meat in 2 cup portions for future meals. Stretch your dollar even more and make homemade turkey stock that can also be stored in the freezer. I store mine in 32 oz glass jars.

And if you're not sure what to do with all of that turkey in your freezer, here are a few ideas:

• Turkey Chili Potpie
• Turkey, Kale & Orzo Soup
• Baked Turkey, Macaroni & Cheese

Are you taking advantage of the turkey bargains this week? What is the best deal on turkey that you have seen? Let us know in comments.

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Making A List, Checking It Twice | Planning for Christmas

Christmas is now less than 6 WEEKS away. Can you believe it? Back in June I wished you all a Merry 6 Months Until Christmas and now we are down to 6 weeks. YIKES!

I am more prepared now than I was at this point last year when I waited until the last minute to shop. And by last minute I mean mid-December. I don't remember why we waited so long, but we took on a house renovation project in December and planning for that threw me for a loop. We scrambled at the last minute for ideas and settled on gift cards for some of our family members. Although, it should be noted that not one family member was disappointed by a gift card, but we didn't make a thoughtful effort.

This year, my list is almost done; I'm still struggling with some hard-to-buy-for people. I have a budget that we can live with and the cash to pay for it. I have even started shopping and have one of my kids done. Toys-R-Us made it easy a few weeks ago when they sent their catalog to my home along with a coupon. My girls devoured the catalog and gave me some ideas.

I have a plan this year and it feels good. My goal is to enjoy the season and leave the scrambling to the breakfast table.

Have you made your shopping list yet? Have you started or maybe finished your holiday shopping? Let us know in the comments.

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Image: Paul / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Italian Sausage, White Bean, and Kale Soup

Here is another delicious soup to add to your recipe binder: Italian Sausage, White Bean, and Kale Soup. My daughter loved this soup so much that she claimed the leftovers for her school lunch. Thankfully, her school can accommodate lunches that need to be heated. My daughter's teacher was so impressed by her lunch that week that she even asked for the recipe.


Italian Sausage, White Bean, and Kale Soup

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• ¾ cup shredded carrot
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 (16 oz) cans of white beans
• 1 bunch of kale, chopped fine
• ½ tsp pepper

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage, onion, carrot, and garlic. Break up the sausage into small pieces and cook all the way through.

Add the chicken stock and seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, stir in the beans, kale, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Print recipe for Italian Sausage, White Bean, and Kale Soup.

This post is linked to Hearth and Soul Tuesday Blog Hop and Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam and Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop and Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways at Frugally Sustainable and Your Green Resource at The Greenbacks Gal and Sunday Night Soup at Easy Natural Food.

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5 Steps to Saving Money at a Major Sporting Event

The following is a guest post.

Sporting events are huge in our family. We spend many dollars traveling to sporting events each year. Here are five tips to help you save money when attending a major sporting event. After all, tickets for the recent World Series went for over $500 when purchased ahead of time. Who knows how expensive scalpers will be able to sell them for?

1. Pick Your Game
The first step to finding great sporting event tickets is to pick the games you want to see carefully. The best tickets will be those for teams with a losing record. Often, these tickets can be brought at very reasonable prices at the gate. After all, the event wants to fill the venue. Avoid the scalpers who peddle the tickets at the gate. Buying your tickets early often makes the most sense. Furthermore, look for discounts offered by major grocery chains or your employer.

2. Pick Your Section
The second step to finding great sporting event tickets is to pick the section that you want to sit in. The further from the field or court you are, the cheaper the tickets. Many plays are in fact easier to watch develop when you sit higher. Quite frankly, the lower seats are often filled by people who could care less about the game. They are interested in being seen to promote their image. Sitting further from the court or field puts you among true fans and your whole experience will be better.

3. Buy Before You Go
Buy your favorite team shirt before you go to the event. These shirts can be found at online retailers for great prices. Make sure and check for coupons! Never be willing to pay full price ahead of time. Do not buy souvenirs at the game. The markup will be tremendous and they have bought them from the same vendors that the online companies use. If you simply must buy a souvenir at the game, think very small. If the event is a one-time event, wait to the event is over. The vendors will want to unload any left-over merchandise.

4. Take the Bus
Many sporting events offer parking away from the actual venue at a reduced cost. Furthermore, many public transit systems offer transportation to these venues. Take full advantage of these two facts. Parking near the venue will triple when an event is held there. You may have to walk a little further, but after all that is better for your health. Put the extra money aside for the next event that you want to attend.

5. Eat Before You Go
One way that sporting events get into your pocketbook is with the cost of the food. Make sure and eat well before you go. Do not go to the event hungry. A hamburger may cost $2.50 at the golden arches. That hamburger will cost $10.00 at the event. Big pockets are great for taking snacks into the game with you. Most major sporting events allow tailgating, which is also a great alternative.

Attending major sporting events can be great fun. By following these easy steps, you will be able to go more often and have a great time.

Liz Chambers enjoys writing about travel, sports & Mint.com Coupons.

Do you go to sporting events? What tips do you have for saving money at major sporting events?

Editor's Note: Another way to save money is to go to the minor league games. Locally, we have minor league baseball and hockey teams. The games don't cost as much, they have community atmosphere, and are usually family friendly. Also, these tips can be applied to concerts. This past summer we went to a major concert in Philadelphia. We bought the tickets almost a year in advance and we were really excited about the concert. We spent the afternoon tailgating, so we didn't need to buy any food once inside the stadium. My husband REALLY wanted a concert t-shirt. We ran into a vendor who was unloading his t-shirts for $5 after the concert. It was a good thing we waited, because they were about $30 in the stadium.


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This post is lined to Frugal Friday at Life as MOM.

Pasta with Fall Squash and Leeks

This dish can be cooked with butternut squash...


...or acorn squash.



Pasta with Fall Squash and Leeks

• 3-4 lbs butternut or acorn squash - I had 2 small acorn and 1 medium acorn.
• 1 lb penne
• 1/2 Cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 large leeks, cleaned and chopped
• 1 small onion
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 dry white wine. The rule for using wine in cooking is to use a wine that you like.
• 1/2 water. If you don't like wine or have any on hand. Use 1 cup water.
• Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  

You will need to roast the squash. You can follow the same steps to roast an acorn squash that I outlined in this post: How to Roast a Butternut Squash.

After roasting, when the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out and toss the seeds into your trash or compost. Take the pulp and puree in a food processor until silky smooth.

Cook the pasta for about 2 minutes less than the box instructions.

While pasta is cooking, heat the oil and butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the leeks, onion, garlic, salt and pepper and saute until the onions are translucent.

Add the squash, wine and water and stir as the sauce thickens.


Add the cooked pasta to the squash sauce and mix together. Pour the pasta into a 13 X 9 baking dish that has been prepared with cooking spray or butter.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven until the cheese browns.

Enjoy!!



As a side note: How do you clean leeks? For some reason, leeks are very dirty. I slice mine and then soak in water. Drain and then I rinse again while the leeks are still in the colander.

This post is linked to Your Green Resource at The Greenbacks Gal and Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

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25 Hearty Soup Recipes

There is nothing like a bowl of hearty, hot soup to take the edge off the crisp winter air. I serve homemade soup at least once a week in the winter and I need some new recipes and inspiration. Hopefully something on this list inspires you too!

• Barbecue Chili with Corn at Big Bear's Wife
• Beef and Lentil Stew at Budget Saving Mom
• Broccoli Cheddar Potato Soup at Crumbs and Chaos
• Broccoli Cheese Soup at Big Bear's Wife
• Cheesy Ham Chowder at Contented at Home
  
• Cheese Crusted Lasagna Soup at Finding Joy in My Kitchen
• Chicken Corn Soup at Family Balance Sheet
• Chicken Taco Soup at Covenant Homemaking
• Chipotle Turkey Chili with Apples and Cheddar at Loving My Domestic Life
• Chunky Potato and Leek Soup at Family Balance Sheet
• Creamy Corn Chowder at Big Bear's Wife
• Cream of Roasted Tomato at Family Balance Sheet
• Crock pot Beef Stew at Eastern Panhandle Moms
• Crock pot Chicken and Rice Soup at The Coupon High
• Frugal Freezer Chicken Vegetable Soup at 2 Make Ends Meet
• Ginger Chicken Soup at Moneywise Moms
• Hamburger Vegetable Soup at Contented at Home
• Loaded Baked Potato Chowder at Big Bear's Wife
• Pasta e Fagioli at Family Balance Sheet
• Santa Fe Chicken Soup at My Favorite Finds
• Texas Black Bean Soup at My Blessed Life
• Tomato Basil Soup with a Pepperoni Cheese Sandwich at Big Bear's Wife
• Tortellini and Zucchini Soup at My Homemade Happiness
• White Chicken Chili at Once a Month Mom
• Winter Squash and Apple Soup at Cooking with Sara

Do you make your own stock for soups? Chicken stock is very easy to make in the crock pot or on the stove top .

What is your favorite soup? Leave the link in the comments.

Calling all bloggers: My next themed round up will be Thanksgiving Recipes and it will run Thursday, November 17. If you have a recipe to share, email me your link at familybalancesheet at gmail dot com.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday at Life as MOM.

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Search by Ingredient for Inspiration | Kitchen Economics

Do you ever have an odd ingredient that you're not sure what to do with? Do you have a kitchen full of ingredients and your not sure how to pull them together to make a meal? I found myself in that situation one Monday after my plans to head to the grocery store were disrupted by a sick child.

I had to regroup and figure out what we were going to eat for dinner that night. There was plenty of food in the refrigerator, freezer and pantry, but the items on my grocery list were things that I needed to pull my planned meals together. Ordering take-out crossed my mind, but instead I turned to the web for some ideas. I went to MyRecipes.com and typed in a few ingredients that I had on hand into the search box. When I typed sun-dried tomatoes, I found the recipe that inspired my Turkey Sausage, Arugula, and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta.

I didn't have the exact ingredients in the kitchen, but I was able to adapt the recipe and work with what I did have. The original recipe called for turkey cutlets, but I had turkey sausage on hand. It called for penne pasta, but I only had rigatoni. I did have the arugula on hand from our CSA, but spinach would have made a fine substitute. The dinner came together quickly even though I never made it to the grocery store. And that recipe has turned out to be one of our most favorite meals.

Next time you find yourself with ingredients and you're not sure what to do with them, head online and search by ingredient on sites like MyRecipes.com, Allrecipes.com, Foodnetwork.com or even FamilyBalanceSheet.org. You just might find your family's new favorite meal and you'll be able to avoid calling for take-out.

Have you ever found yourself with a kitchen full of food, but no idea how to pull it all together? Where did you go for inspiration? Let us know in the comments.

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