Nabisco is offering a Back to School Booklet. You can register now for your Pack a Kraft Smile Savings Booklet & Calendar which can save you up to $55.00 throughout the school year! It will arrive in 4-6 weeks since it says while supplies last. So hurry on over to Nabisco to get your booklet before they are all gone.

On Friday, July 10th, Chick-fil-A is honoring cows by giving away free meals to customers dressed up like cows.  Talk about working hard for a freebie!

Not to worry, Chick-fil-A is making it easy with free downloadable starter kits. Get creative, and use what you have at home!

I purchased 3 white foam sun-visors at Wal-mart for .88 cents each & a bottle of black paint. I will paint the black specks on the visors. I am also going to take 3 white t-shirts & paint the specks on them. My kids are so excited about this. They LOVE Chick-fil-A & so do I. I will have to take pictures and post for all to see.

Call 1-888-435-3639 and follow the automated instructions to receive a coupon for a free box of Lipton tea. One coupon per household.

Thanks to Money Saving Mom!

Monday: Frozen Lasagna

Tuesday: Grilled Meat Lovers

Wednesday: A Light Side to Grilled Tortillas

Thursday: Marvelous Meat Munchers

Friday: Grilled Steak, Baked Potatoes, Salad, & Rolls

Saturday: Free

For more menu planning ideas visit I’m an Organinzing Junkie

I am late getting this post today due to tired & ill kids after a long day at Soccer Camp. My menu this week will be simple due to the 4th of July holiday & all of the festivities.

Monday: Ham salad

Tuesday: Grilled Chicken marinated in Lawry’s Teriyaki Sauce,  grilled onions & green peppers(place in aluminumfoil with 2 tsp of butter & 1 tsp of olive olive wrap tightly to prevent any leaks.) & corn on the cob.

Wednesday: Grilled Tortillas

Thursday: Pizza

Friday: Grilled Hamburgers & chips

Saturday: Free day!

 1 large sweet potato, sliced thin

1 TBSP olive oil

Salt to taste

How to Make It:

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Place the sliced sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet in a single layer.

Drizzle with the olive oil.

Sprinkle with the salt.

Bake 10 minutes, flip and continue baking another 2 minutes or until a light golden brown.

The salt on these chips is optional.  If you prefer a little sweeter taste, sprinkle them with a little cinnamon before baking.

I love the Summer months however it is tuff on my Menu Plans. This week we have games 3 nights. I do not cook big meals on game nights. For more Menu Plans visit I’m an Organizing Junkie.

Monday: Veggie Roll-ups

Tuesday: Crockpot Chipotle Beef Dip

Wednesday:  Zaxby’s kids eat free with purchase of an adult Meal!

Thursday: Taco’s

Friday: Salad Breadwiches

Saturday: Grilled Steak, Baked Potatoes, Salad, and Dinner Rolls

The number one complaint I have about throwing a barbeque party is that the cooks do more cooking than enjoying their company. Noone wants to be left out of the fun with their guest. Last minute preparations mean that the food is not ready when the guests arrive. It is hard to entertain and fix the appetizers at the same time. People seem to eat in shifts as the food gets ready.

Let’s avoid that bit of nonsense this year. If you are going to have a barbeque get-together, plan ahead so that it is easy on the guests and the hosts. Know your menu. Decide the week before what you will serve for the meal. Appetizers or finger foods of some sort allow guests to munch while they wait for the main course to finish on the grill.

Appetizers should be small especially if you plan on serving a variety of grilled meats and vegetables. Try a veggie or fruit tray with some low calorie dip. This is easy to make-you go to the store and pick one up! The name of the game here is to have fun and to do as much as you can ahead of time. These appetizer trays have no preservatives so it’s okay to buy them pre-packaged from the store.

Punch is a good idea for a party where there will be children as well as grown ups. If the punch is meant to be sparkling (adding soda), chill the punch first without the soda and add it just before the guests arrive. That way, the punch won’t lose it’s kick while in the fridge.

If the guests were told to bring their appetites, you may want to eliminate grilled chicken from the menu. Chicken takes a long time to cook depending on the parts of the bird you are grilling. This alone will cause some people to get their food ahead of others. So no guest is left with an empty plate, choose other meats or pre-bake your chicken before grilling to reduce cooking time.

Remember to always preheat the grill. When people come in and see smoke rising from the grill they expect that you have already put food on it. Don’t surprise them with the smell of smoldering charcoal. Forty-five minutes before the party, start the gas or charcoal grill so that the coals get hot and are ready for grilling once the guests arrive.

As for the side dishes and cold salads, prepare those at least an hour (for the side dishes) or two (for the salads) before the party. This cuts down on the work of the host and hostess. You can sit with your friends and await the goodies from the grill. Better still, everyone can watch the grill master at work and nibble on appetizers.

The backyard barbeque should flow smoothly when you take the time to prepare. When the work is done early, the fun can begin as soon as the guests arrive.

If you are not good at planning ahead check out Menu Planning Central they can help you with all your menu planning needs.

2 C vanilla ice cream

2 C apple cider

2 TBSP honey

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

Food coloring

How to Make It:

Put the ice cream in the blender.

Add the apple cider, hone, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Blend until smooth.

Add any color of food coloring you desire.

Blend in short spurts until drink has reached the desired color.

Serve immediately.

The idea of changing the color gives them an added bit of excitement to a child’s drink. It can also be great for something special on a holiday morning such as red for Valentines Day, green for St. Patrick’s Day or even orange for Halloween.