Month: April 2022

AO Opinions: Upcoming Grocery Project

Abby H.

AO Opinions is another Market Research company that I get information from. Right now they are recruiting for an upcoming research study for those that purchase refrigerated fully cooked prepared chicken meals.

  • To be considered please complete the pre-screener survey here. 
  • Compensation: $250-$400 (if chosen)
  • Open to: 25-56 year olds Purchasing REFRIGERATED FULLY COOKED PREPARED CHICKEN MEALS
  • Part 1: Online Board Wednesday April 13th thru April 20th – approximately 2-hr, $250, if chosen.
  • Part 2: MUST BE AVAILABLE IF CHOSEN – Online Group 2-hrs (must join 15-mins early) via Desktop/Laptop with Webcam (NO CHROMEBOOK/TABLETS/PHONES), $150, if chosen. Monday April 25th OR Thursday April 28th 2022: Various Times available.

 

4/11/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

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It’s back this week! Finally, the kitchen is a little more put back together and we can cook! I’m going to be doing some baking this week: Cookies, biscuits, or cheesy garlic bread, and a bar dessert.

I chopped, peeled, and prepped fruits and veggies this afternoon. Our veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $28, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal. They email a preview of what will be in the boxes over the weekend, so I can start thinking about what I’d like to make.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year- Little Bit has been buying her lunch and expanding her palate. This is week two of Spring Break and we’ve got some adventures planned, I’ve got a new snack box in the car, and it will be repacked and ready for some fun on the road.

Dinner: I’m leaning heavily on the CSA box this week, and what we’ve got in the house. I didn’t do a big shop this week, just milk and popsicles (always the first two items on our shopping list). I’m doing a Dream Dinners pick-up late this week, so next week we’ll be back to Dream Dinners 1-3 times per week.

  • Monday: Nug night- crinkle fries, apple slices & strawberries
  • Tuesday: Roasted Veggies, Pasta & Red Pesto
  • Wednesday: Chicken and Veggie Soup, biscuits, or cheesy garlic bread
  • Thursday: Salad Bar Night- I did most of the prep work today!
  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday: Breakfast for dinner (pancakes, fruit salad, yogurt)

Family Recipe: Baked Red Pesto and Roasted Veggie Pasta

Abby H.

This recipe is easy to make, and amazing. It uses Red Pesto, which has a tomato base. It’s warm, filling, and comforting.

The first thing you need to do is roast some veggies. Check my recipe here. I roast 5-ish lbs of veggies each week, so we usually have some in the fridge.

 

Baked Red Pesto and Roasted Veggie Pasta

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Boil salted water and cook pasta per package directions. As you drain, reserve some of the pasta water (about 1/2 cup).
  3. In a large baking dish (11×13) mix roasted veggies, pasta, red pesto, and add pasta water a little bit at a time, until all the pasta is coated. You may not need all 1/2 cup.
  4. Mix in 1/2 of the cheese.
  5. Smooth the mixture down into the baking dish, and bake for 20 minutes covered.
  6. After 20 minutes, top with the remaining cheese and continue to bake uncovered for 10-ish minutes until the cheese is brown and bubbly.
  7. Serve with garlic bread and a green salad.

Serves 6-8. This re-heats well, if there are any leftovers.

Notes:

  • This dish is vegetarian, but not vegan. This is a vegan red pesto, but I’ve not tried it. To make it vegan, use a vegan red pesto and vegan Italian Cheese blend.
  • Pesto is not a nut-free product! If you have a nut allergy, be careful!
  • Feel free to use your favorite pasta (high protein, gluten-free, made from soy, etc). I do not recommend shirataki noodles- They have a weird texture and smell (seriously).

 

AO Opinions: Upcoming HR Employment Platforms Project $150

Abby H.

AO Opinions is another Market Research company that I get information from. Right now they are recruiting for an upcoming research study for HR Employees.

  • To be considered please complete the pre-screener survey here.
  • Compensation: $150 (if chosen)
  • Open to: HR / Human Resource Management Field
  • Tuesday, April 26th – Thursday April 28th 2022 – approximately 1-hr (Complete the entire survey at one time do not log in and out to complete at a later time.)

Free Recipe Lion Fruit Recipes eCookbook!

Abby H.

Ok, so we get a lot of fruit in our CSA boxes each week. Thanks to this awesome (and FREE) Recipe Lion Fruit Recipes eCookbook, I’ve got all kinds of new recipes up my sleeve.

And it’s not just sweets/ desserts, there are some savory recipes too!

 

Here are a few of the recipes I am looking forward to trying:

  • Braised Pork with Pears
  • Crowd-Pleasing Roasted Potatoes
  • Pear and Cranberry Bread Pudding
  • Orange Cranberry Cookies

To check out this offer, and receive your FREE copy of this eCookbook, click here.

Want to Eat Out & Save? Check out Restaurant.com!

Abby H.

I’ve been a fan of Restaurant.com for at least a decade.

Seriously! You purchase a discounted gift certificate (make sure to check the cert for restrictions, such as a minimum purchase amount or mandatory gratuity ) for a local restaurant.  You have a year from the date of purchase to use it.

  • $100 eGift Card for only $18.00
  • $200 eGift Card for only $36.00

Restaurant.com eGift Card can be redeemed at 62,000 restaurants and providers across the country. Available denominations vary by restaurant and certificates are subject to minimum spend requirements and other restrictions. You can split up the $100 or $200 amongst a few local restaurants.

Here is an example of how to use the certs to your advantage.

Cafe XYZ- Certificate for $15.00.  Terms of cert: $15 off the purchase of $30 or more.

  • The check comes to $30.00
  • Minus Cert amt. -$15.00
  • Total New Bill: $15.00
  • Gift Certificate Cost $6.00

The price for this complete meal is $21.00 (that includes the cost of the certificate).  The total amount saved $9.00.

ABC Cafe- Certificate for $25.00.   Terms of the cert: $25.00 off the purchase of $35.00 or more.

  • The check comes to $35.00
  • Minus Cert amt. -$25.00
  • Total New Bill: $10.00
  • Gift Certificate Cost $10.00

The price for this complete meal is $20.00 (that includes the cost of the certificate).  The total amount saved $15.00.

Don’t forget to tip your server!

Sweet Deals at JCPenney: Coupons, Deals, & More!

Abby H.

If you haven’t heard, JCPenney is celebrating its 120th Anniversary this year. And what’s an anniversary without a sale?

Through 4/12/2022, you can save an extra 30% off when you use coupon code 120YEARS (you can find it, and other coupons here). This deal is also available in-store here, just click here and show the barcode in the store.

And it gets better- as a JCP Rewards member, you’ll earn a $10 Bonus Reward when you spend $50 (up to three per account) now through 4/12/2022.

Don’t forget to sign up for JCP Rewards if you already haven’t. It’s a great way to earn $10/$10+ coupons, plus additional rewards like secret sales and birthday coupons (usually a $10/$10+ coupon).

If you are looking for some cute matching swimsuits for the fam, check out these adorable suits for all ages and sizes!

 

Time to Hit the Road: Don’t Forget the Snacks!

Abby H.

I’ve talked about our snack basket at home, but what about when we leave home? Oh yeah, we take snacks everywhere!

When it’s time for the zoo or another day out on the town, I pull out the “snack backpack” which is one shoulder slingback bag like this.

Here are a few of our family’s favorite snacks and other stuff I keep in our snack bag:

  1. Re-usable water bottles (I fill them daily). Each child has their own, and I have a larger one. I put lots of ice in mine in addition to water. I also carry extra water in my trunk at all times (in case of emergency, but frequently the emergency is just hot thirsty kiddos).
  2. Powdered drink sticks. Dollar Tree and 99 Cents Only have lots of great flavors to choose from.
  3. Freeze-dried Fruit. Strawberries, Pineapple, and mangoes are favorites here.
  4. Protein bars, granola bars, goldfish crackers, fruit squeezy pouches, Yogurt squeezy pouches, individual cups of peanut butter, crackers to go with the PB (usually Ritz), Pirates Booty, Individual bags of popcorn, homemade trail mix (extra M&M’s no raisins), Ziploc bags of cereal, fruit leathers/fruit rollups, Mott’s Fruit Snacks (these are specifically requested), and depending on what is on sale, juice boxes/pouches or sometimes shelf-stable milk boxes/pouches.
  5. In a zipper pouch (this one), I keep hand wipes, plastic utensils, straws, and napkins.  I also carry a ziploc bag with extra ziplocs in it, and a few small trash bags.

While the initial outlay of money to buy a backpack and stock of food to keep in the snack bag and water bottles may be steep (it was about $65 for us), you will save that much money in just a few weeks in the summer. You’ll be able to avoid drive-thru lines, and you can better control what your family is eating.

file0001779824833.jpgWhen we are going to be gone all day, I also pack a small soft-sided cooler bag with blue ice and cold treats like frozen tubes of yogurt, berries, cheese, and cold cuts. I like using reusable plastic containers, instead of zip-top bags. They are usually better for keeping food cold and for squishable items like berries in good condition. These are all the same things that we eat for lunch during the school year, so our food budget in the summer does not increase- We also take advantage of summer school lunch programs as well.

I’m really looking forward to our spring and summer shenanigans!

Looking for Size-Inclusive Linger? Savage X Fenty has 2 Bras or Bralettes for $29!

Abby H.

Recently I posted online in a mom group (I KNOW, but I was desperate) that I needed new bras. I’m kind of a weird size, so lots of mainstream stores don’t have cute bras in my size or any bras in my size. I’m not quite ready to join the “grandma bra” club. So when someone reminded me of Savage X Fenty, I jumped onto their site.

I am in love with Savage X Fenty! They are size-inclusive, and have a great array of styles. The quality is great, and I love that they make lingerie in my size. Cute Lingerie! Cute Bras, panties, and… other stuff. And in lots of colors, not just tan, black, and white.

And right now when you take their Style quiz, you can score two bras or bralettes for $29 plus 50% off all other items!

It’s as easy as Shop or ‘Skip’ – The choice to shop is yours! Shop, or log into your account to ‘Skip the Month’ by the 5th of each month, and you won’t be charged. If you don’t ‘Skip’, your payment method will be charged $49.95 on the 6th of each month and you will receive one VIP Member Credit valued at $49.95. Your VIP Member Credit goes into your account to spend or save. It can be used on purchases of $49.95 or more and must be used in full in order to be redeemed. Your credits will never expire

Save every day As An Xtra VIP – As an Xtra VIP Member you’ll save up to 25% on every full-priced style.

AO Opinions: Upcoming Parent Project $150

Abby H.

AO Opinions is another Market Research company that I get information from. Right now they are recruiting for an upcoming research study for parents of children under 10 years old.

  • To be considered please complete the pre-screener survey here. 
  • Compensation: $125 (if chosen)
  • Open to: Parents of children under 10yo
  • Tuesday, April 26th 2022 or Wednesday, April 27th 2022 (multiple times)