Author: Abby H.

First Peek at New RubiosxBlais Tacos at Rubio’s Coastal Grill and Giveaway!

Abby H.8 Comments

Yesterday I had an amazing experience. I was invited to the media launch of the RubiosxBlais adventure-inspired street tacos.

I posted about this last week, and these tacos BLEW ME AWAY. This collaboration was 2 years in the making, and when you bite into these, you know this was a labor of love.

The three tacos are:

  • Hula Hula Carnitas: Inspired by Chef Blais’ time in Hawaii, the Hula Hula Carnitas taco features pork marinated in a rich blend of gochujang, achiote, and garlic, wrapped in a banana leaf and slow-cooked, creating tender, juicy meat with an authentic Hawaiian Kalua flavor. It is served on a stone ground corn tortilla with mango salsa and garnished with black sesame seeds, cotija cheese and a slice of lime. The taste is a subtly sweet mash-up of authentic Hawaiian and Mexican flavors.
  • Blaised & Glazed Crispy Chicken: Delivering a tangy, zesty taco twist on Buffalo chicken, the Blaised & Glazed taco starts with Rubio’s crispy chicken tossed in Frank’s RedHot sauce, the secret ingredient used in the original Buffalo wings created in Buffalo, NY in 1964. It is served on a warm flour tortilla with crisp shredded cabbage, homemade ranch sauce, and house-pickled celery and jalapeño, garnished with cotija cheese and celery seed.
  • Ancho Po-Boy Shrimp: Named after New Orleans’ most famous sandwich, the Ancho Po-Boy Shrimp taco is a modern take on classic New Orleans street food. The taco features flash-fried ancho-lime shrimp with Cajun aioli, and is served on a warm flour tortilla with crisp shredded cabbage, salsa fresca and a slice of lime.

My favorite was the chicken taco, and here’s why. Details. It’s a taco, but at the same time, it’s all of the ingredients, the details that make it so tasty. The homemade ranch sauce (which has the texture of crema- it’s amazing), and the pickled celery. PICKLED CELERY you guys! Imagine the hot carrots and peppers from your local taco shop, with crunchy celery added. It gives the taco a bright, spicy crunch. And the celery seed on the top-it’s the icing on the cake!

Are you excited to try these tasty new tacos? You’ve got until October, but you aren’t going to wait.

I’m giving two of my readers a chance to experience the RubiosxBlais tasty taco collab (or anything on the Rubio’s Coastal Grill Menu, but you’ll want these tacos). Entering is quick and easy. To enter, click here. I will choose two winners on 5/26/2021. This giveaway is not sponsored or fulfilled by Rubio’s, Facebook, or Instagram.

Recipe: Easy Spanish Tortilla

Abby H.

I know y’all want the recipe first and more info and tips afterward, so here ya go:

Spanish Tortilla (serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 1 large potato, peeled and sliced very thinly
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, color of your choice (I used green)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3 T butter
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/4 c half and half
  • 1/2 c shredded cheese, your choice
  • 1/2 c Cooked bacon crumbles
  • Salt, pepper
  • Chopped green onion for garnish

Directions:

  1. Using half of the butter, sauté onion and pepper until softened and onions are clear, about five minutes on medium.
  2. Add remaining butter, allow to melt, coat pan, and add potatoes so they are separated and evenly dispersed throughout the pan.
  3. Cook on low until potatoes are translucent, about five to 10 minutes on medium.
  4. While potatoes are cooking, in a mixing bowl crack eggs, add half-and-half. Add salt and pepper, beat vigorously until well blended.
  5. Remove pan from heat, pour egg mixture over top of vegetables make sure egg mixture is evenly distributed throughout the pan, covering veggies.
  6. Top with bacon crumbles and shredded cheese.
  7. Bake at 350 for between 12 and 18 minutes, until eggs are set and cooked through.
  8. Allow to cool to room temp, slice, and top with chopped green onion for garnish.
  9. Serve with avocado and corn salsa, recipe be found here. This makes a great dinner or breakfast or whenever. It’s relatively inexpensive, it’s very tasty, and it is a good use of veggies.

Other good veggies to include are zucchini (saute in butter with onions), or tomatoes (place thin slices on the very top after all of the ingredients are in the pan). Regarding the potatoes, I used a knife and thinly sliced the potatoes into circles, but you can use a mandoline if you have one.

You need to use a pan that is oven-safe. If you don’t have one, you can cook your tortilla on the stove. Instead of turning off the stove in step 5, turn down the heat to low, add egg mixture. Once the eggs have set around the edges, using a spatula, loosen the edges, and wiggle your spatula under the tortilla, and gently flip it over. Cook until both sides of the tortilla are set and cooked throughout.

Spanish Tortillas are not bread-based, in fact, there is zero bread involved. Spanish Tortillas are more like frittatas or a crustless quiche- the only constant ingredients are eggs and potatoes. The rest of the ingredients are up to you. It’s a great way to use veggies and cheese hanging around your fridge.

They are great for any meal. Add a side of fruit for breakfast, or a bright salad with a tangy vinaigrette for lunch or dinner.

If you are a vegetarian, omit the bacon.

A lovely patio in Spain. Makes you want tapas, right?

Multiple Upcoming Projects from AO Opinions!

Abby H.

AO Opinions is another Market Research company that I get information from. Right now they are recruiting for multiple upcoming research studies.

The first survey is regarding grocery shopping.

  • To be considered, please complete the pre-screening survey here. 
  • Compensation: $150 (if chosen)
  • Open to: 24-55 year olds
  • Wednesday May 26th or Thursday May 27th 2021 (multiple times available)

The second survey is regarding skincare.

  • To be considered, please complete the pre-screening survey here.
  • Compensation: $125 (if chosen)
  • Open to: Females 45-65 year olds
  • Friday May 28th, Tuesday June 1st or Wednesday June 2nd 2021 (multiple times available)

The third study is for people in specific metro areas:

  • To be considered, please complete the pre-screening survey here.
  • $125.00 Compensation (if chosen)
  • Open to Women 40+ years of age
  • Must live in the following Metro areas: Atlanta, Dallas, New Jersey, Los Angeles, or Chicago

5/17/2021 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgYOU GUYS! Our Fridge DIED again last night. Less than 10 hours after I went to the grocery store and bought food for the week, including the ice cream, popsicles, ice cream sammiches. UGH.

As a result, we lost most of the food in the fridge, AGAIN. The fridge is ROOM TEMP inside (blergh). So the meal plan for the week is up in the air at this point.

Thankfully the extended warranty comes with a clause where we can file a claim to be reimbursed for the groceries.. So fingers crossed? I filed a claim for the last time this happened. And after the repair person comes today, I’ll file a claim for all the food we lost this time.

I’m not sure if any of you have noticed, but the price of food has gone up lately. It’s due to several factors:

Gas shortages and the price of gas has increased. That means the price of food has gone up to cover the increase. WHY? Food is shipped on trucks across the country.

Some countries have seen an uptick in Covid-19 cases, and as a result food from those countries is in short supply. The law of supply and demand is real!

The one thing that makes my day today is that the CSA box comes this afternoon. I’m looking forward to strawberries and CORN! The CSA emails us in advance to give us a heads up as to what may be in our boxes each week, and that really gives me an upper hand when it comes to meal planning for the week.

Veggies and fruit are delivered each Monday by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $25, 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. I spend about an hour on Monday afternoon cleaning and prepping veggies for the rest of the week.

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. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

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.  The kids are nuts about pancakes. The Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

Lunch: Kids take lunch to school. I eat leftovers. Everyone rejoices.

Dinner: Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

Because I have no freaking clue WTF is going on with the fridge and the food sitch, the menu for this week is mostly up in the air. Thankfully we have a pantry full of canned goods and shelf stable food that I can use to feed the fam while we wait.

  • Sunday:  Southwestern Chicken Stew (recipe coming this week)
  • Monday:   
  • Tuesday:   
  • Wednesday:
  • Thursday:
  • Friday:  Pizza/Takeout Night
  • Saturday:  

Please stay safe you guys!

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

Cents Of Style Fashion Friday- 5/13/21- Tees & Tanks Collection BOGO FREE Starting $5

Abby H.

Favorite Tops** This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Cents of Style has a great stock-up sale this week!  They are having an incredible sale on tee shirts and tank tops. There is a variety of styles, colors, and sizing available from S-3XL. Believe me when I say this deal is TOO GOOD to miss!! This whole collection is BOGO FREE with the code SUNSHINE which makes this collection start at ONLY $5!!

The Deets:

Deal: Tanks & Tees BOGO
Coupon Code: SUNSHINE and remember FREE shipping over $35.00.
Active: NOW until 5/18/21 at midnight.

Mid-Month Coupon Round Up May 2021!

Abby H.

I was cruising my favorite coupon sites this morning and I found some great stuff.

The two sites I use the most for printable coupons are:

Here are a few coupons that have me kinda stoked:


Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) Cafe Bustelo® Coffee product (excluding instant)
Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) Folgers® Coffee product (excluding instant)
Save $2.00 on any (1) BENGAY® product (excludes trial & travel sizes) (Getting Back the gym has been a little painful)
Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) package of Green Giant® New Frozen Product, Any Variety
Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) package of Green Giant Veggie Spirals™
Save $1.00 off Two (2) C&H® Sugar Products 2lbs. Or Larger  For all of the baking I’ve been doing lately. 

And if you are looking for more ways to save, check out my Smart Phone App Page. It’s got all kinds of great apps to help you save and earn cash back on all of your grocery and home essential shopping!

Field Agent: So Many Cool Jobs To Do This Weekend!

Abby H.

IMG_5660I’ve written about Field Agent before, and I received an email from them this morning, I had to share.

Remember that not all of these jobs/tasks are available in all areas. you may see different jobs/tasks in your app.

Check out the Brite Instant Color job in several different colors! Yes, you have to dye your hair, but yes, you will be paid for it– as always!

If hair dye isn’t for you, be on the lookout for some of these fun jobs, too!

  • Stella Artois Solstice: Buy & Try
  • CACTI Agave Spiked Seltzer Variety Pack: Buy & Try
  • Budweiser Zero: Buy & Try
  • Ethical Bean Coffee: Buy & Try
  • Lunchmeat Consumer Feedback Study
  • Stella Artois: Buy & Try
  • Truvia Sweet Complete® Granulated All-Purpose Sweetener Digital Demo: Buy & Try
  • Creative Roots Coconut Water: Buy & Try
  • Hiball Energy Seltzer: Buy & Try
  • Frigo Goat Cheese Crumbles: Buy & Try
  • Elysian Contact Haze & Full Contact– Partial Reimbursement: Buy & Try

If you’ve never heard of Field Agent, check out my post here. It will fill you in on all of the details.

Drowning in Kids Artwork? Check out Artkive!

Abby H.

This is a long-running dilemma in the life of every parent. What to do with all of the art projects the kids make at school, camp, or even at home? If you save them all, you’ll have a Hoarders-esque situation in a few years, especially if you have multiple kids.

I learned about Artkive last night and I had to share. I know there are many of you in this spot, And Artkive looks like a great solution.

Preserve your kids’ artwork with Artkive. Fill the Artkive box with your kids artwork and receive high quality, hardcover, keepsake books. I think these books would make great gifts for relatives that don’t live close by.

I will be going through my literal BOXES of each kids art over the next few weeks and finding art to send to Artkive.

  • Send us your Kids’ Art – Fill the box we send you with art and return it to us using the prepaid UPS label provided. A second payment will be due based on how much art you send back in your Artkive Box.
  • View your Art everywhere – Artkive professionally photograph your artwork and upload it to your account. View and share your pictures on any device and edit/approve your custom proofs online.
  • Receive your book – receive a high-quality, 8.5×11 inch hardcover book.
  • Get your shipping kit for just $39.

5/14/2021 Friday Freebies and Deals

Abby H.
bright boxes

This week has thankfully been less “exciting” than last week. No appliances dying. Our HOA is resurfacing our patio deck, so I spent most of Wednesday trapped in the house. They didn’t knock before they started working. I opened the door to leave for the gym and they were resealing the deck. At least I got the living room clean.

And in some sad news, The little one fell down and smacked her face on the pavement, so we’re monitoring her for an emergency dentist trip.

Luckily, We’ve got some good freebies and deals this week.

If you are looking for birthday freebies, fret not! I put together a list new for 2021- Check it out here.

Most of these freebies and deals are online. I am not encouraging anyone to go into stores or go out into public. Mask up, wash your paws, stay socially distanced, get vaccinated when it’s your turn!

Freebies:

Free JoliMoli Baby & Kids Products
Free Diapers
Free Atoll Board Company’s Epic Sticker Pack
Free Incontinence Products
Free Alpha Foods Breakfast Burrito
Free Catit PIXI Smart Fountain & Smart Feeder
Free L’Oreal Paris Excellence Cool Supreme Hair Color Kit
Free Sample of Creme of Nature’s Hair Products
Free Stress-Free Retirement by Patrick Kelly Book
Free Sample of Breathe Right Extra Clear Nasal Strips
Free Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade Chatterbox
Free Pair of Crocs for Healthcare Workers – 10,000 Per Day
Free Phone Case
Free Subscription to Enjoying Everyday Life Magazine
Free 15-Day Riversol Skincare Kit
Free Krispy Kreme Dozen Doughnuts for Graduating Students -Today
McDonald’s -Free Sausage Egg McMuffin, McChicken or Cheeseburger
Free Powerade at Giant Eagle
Free $5 Prepaid Card
Free Estee Lauder Beautiful Magnolia Fragrance Sample
Free Sample of Flor Biz CBD Product
Free Bottle of Frunutta Melatonin
Free Prevent Tickborne Diseases Bookmark
Free Philips Sonicare Product Testing
Kids Skate Free
Free Ocean’s Halo Vegan Broth
Banfield Pet Hospital – Free Office Visit & Consultation
Free Goody Bag at buybuy BABY Stores
2 Free Luxury Haircare Products
20 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free My Life As Remote Controlled Jeep Toy
Free Sample of Flanax Pain Reliever Tablets
Free HoLife Juicer, Toaster, Vacuum, Headphones & More
Free 16 oz. Fage Sour Cream at Sprouts
Free Tena Sample Kits

 

Deals:

Gotham Reversible 6-Pc Comforter Set ONLY $39.99 (Reg $100)
Essentials Office Chair ONLY $69.99 (Reg $130)
Blue 10-Piece Non-Stick Cookware Set ONLY $79.99 (Reg $200)
American Tourister Disney Luggage ONLY $69.99 (Reg $140)
Adidas Men’s Hoodie ONLY $31.99 (Reg $55)
Little Tikes Springlings Surprise Treehouse ONLY $7.57
Kate Spade New York up to 60% Off + Extra 10% Off
MUK LUKS Marsha Sandals ONLY $21.99 (Reg. $45)
Allure Beauty Box ONLY $23 ($190 Value) + 2 Free Gifts
Permanent Hair Removal Device ONLY $229 (Reg $340)
Kate Spade Jae Bundle ONLY $129 (Reg $438)
Star Wars Instant Pot ONLY $59.98 (Reg. $100)
Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Candy Playset $14.99 (Reg. $25)
Madewell Summer & Swim Women’s Clothes up to 80% Off
First Aid Kit 178-Piece ONLY $19.93 (Reg $36)

Summer Fun and Learning with Green Kid Crafts!

Abby H.

Yesterday I posted about all the fun toys from Dollar Tree, today we are turning to some fun educational toys.

My kids love doing science experiments, playing, and learning. We’ve got Green Kid Crafts boxes in the past and they are a huge hit.

Green Kid Crafts has recently restocked some of their best-selling kits. I’ll be picking up a few and stashing them in the hall closet to keep us entertained during the “I’M BORED!!!!” moments that will be coming up over the summer.

A broad range of box themes, all STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) focused.  Explore Ecosystems like Rainforests, Oceans, and Desert Science. Learn about Endangered Animals, Volcanoes, and Rocket Science. And teach your kids to be environmentalists with Alternative Energy, Save the Oceans, and Climate Change! 

One of the things I like about Green Kid Crafts is that you can opt into a subscription where the boxes come each month, or you can purchase specific kits. Here are a few of the kits that I know my kids would LOVE.


Backyard Science Box

Backyard Science Kit

 

 

Color Science Box

 

 

 

Mad Science Box

 

 

 

Nocturnal Animals Activities Box

 

 

 

Down on the Farm Box

 

 

 

Reptiles Box

 

 

 

 

Rainbow Science Box

 

 

 

Endangered Animals Box

 

 

 

And if you have littler kids, there are options for them too! Ultimate STEAM 5-Pack Junior Ages 2-5

With a mission to raise the next generation of environmental leaders, Green Kid Crafts leads by example.

  • Through a partnership with One Tree Planted, Green Kid Crafts plants one tree for every order placed.
  • As a member of 1% for the Planet, we donate up to 1% of sales to environmental nonprofits.
  • Together with the Carbon Fund, we offset 100% of carbon dioxide emissions produced by our business.
  • Eco-friendly practices are used as much possible to produce Green Kid Crafts boxes.