quick

October is National Pizza Month!

Abby H.Leave a comment

October is National Pizza Month, so I thought I’d share with y’all some of our favorite pizza stuff: recipes, pizza swag, and even ways to save money on ordering pizza.

Goodness knows we have pizza about once a week (Friday take-out night is usually pizza), so I have all kinds of tips and tricks.

If you are new to making your own pizza at home, here is a list of my must-haves, including ingredients and kitchen tools!

Need a break from cooking and want to order takeout? Here are a few suggestions for saving money and/or earning cash back on your next pizza night:

  • Domino’s has its Piece of the Pie rewards club. For every $10 spent, you earn 10 points; once you reach 60 points, you’ll earn a free pizza. More details can be found here.
  • If Pizza Hut is more your style, they have Hut Rewards. Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend. They have several different rewards, depending on point values. From breadsticks (75 points)  to a Large pizza (300 points), there is something for everyone.
  • Little Caesar’s has an app with various deals, and they also have a merch shop with all sorts of cool stuff. They are the Official Pizza of the NFL; with Football season coming to a close soon, there may be some playoff deals afoot.
  • GrubHub: One of the perks of Amazon Prime is that you get a free subscription to GrubHub+ with $0 delivery fees on orders over $12 and reduced service fees.
  • 7-Eleven : Seriously- their app has all sorts of deals on pizza, both by the slice and whole pizzas.  Get up to $15 in value when you download the 7-Eleven app, including 1,800 points, 11¢/gal off fuel, & more.

Enjoy Potatoes This September!

Abby H.

September is National Potato Month. I love potatoes- they are full of nutrients, they are inexpensive, and a bag of taters lasts a while if kept in a dry, dark cabinet.

Here are a few family recipes that involve potatoes that are the best.

 

Recipe: Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Abby H.

This is a very simple recipe, and it has a lot of variations for budget, and if you are trying to use up what you have in your pantry and fridge.

I got a package of rotisserie chicken pulled off the bone from Costco not long ago. I defrosted it, and now I’m ready to start using it.  If you don’t have a rotisserie chicken, you can substitute 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken or 2 small cans/1 large can of canned chicken, drained, rinsed, and shredded.

Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked/shredded chicken
  • 1 19-ounce can green enchilada sauce
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups shredded sheese, divided (I used 1/2 Cheddar and 1/2 Asadero)
  • 10-ish corn tortillas, cut or ripped into bite-sized pieces (You may need more or less depending on how big your pieces end up)
  • Topings/Garnishes: Salsa, Sour Cream, shredded lettuce, diced onions, or picled onions (Your choice)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix together the enchilada sauce and sour cream. Taste and add any additional seasoning as desired (onion or garlic powder, white pepper).
  3. In a 13×9 pan, coat the bottom with 2-3 tablespoons of enchilada sauce.
  4. Layer tortilla pieces, chicken, cheese, tortilla, and sauce until your pan is full.
  5. Top with any remaining cheese.
  6. Tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake covered for 35-40 minutes.
  7. Remove foil and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the cheese on top is browned and bubbly.
  8. Serve with toppings/garnishes as desired.

 

This meal serves 6-8, depending on the sides you choose to serve.

Leftovers can be frozen.

 

 

StackInfluence: Free Products for Micro-Influencers

Abby H.

I’ve been around the micro-influencer sphere for a while.

There have been review programs for influencers since the beginning, and a lot of them have closed due to shady practices or blatant disregarding of website TOS’s.

StackInfluence is different, and pretty easy in my opinion. You sign up, select a campaign, purchase the item via the link provided, review the item as outlined in the campaign, and you are refunded your purchase price via Paypal or Venmo.

I’ve done a few campaigns with them, and reimbursement is super quick- less than an hour after you verify your social media post. And reviews can be honest. I try not to sugarcoat reviews, because if you are spending money on something I tell you is good, you can be assured that it’s genuinely good. That stain remover was not. It was stanky and made my couch look worse.

Most items are for sale on Amazon, but there are a few on Walmart.com, too.  I tend to redeem my rewards/rebate app rewards for Amazon Gift Cards and add them to my account, so when I order stuff through apps like StackInfluence, I’m not paying out of my own pocket for them!

Here are just a few of the newer campaigns I have my eye on:

I have a few artists in my family who would enjoy these Posca markers- If you’ve never used Poscas before, they are amazing Acrylic Paint pens!

And there is a certain Cryptid lover in my house who would love this BigFoot shirt.

If you have an Instagram or Tiktok account and you’d love to try new products, check out StackInfluence.

Earn Money with Verasight!

Abby H.

I’ve been a member of Verasight for a few years now. I’m not sure how I got turned onto it; it was probably an email I received.

Verasight is a little different than other survey sites.

  • You cash out only in $10 increments.
  • Rewards are available via PayPal, Venmo, or Gift Cards. I always take Venmo.
  • You only receive an email when there is a survey for you to take.
  • 90% of the time, you are pre-qualified to take the survey. You will not spend time filling out a survey only to be denied or told you don’t qualify.
  • There is no referral program.

It doesn’t take much to redeem a reward. Most surveys are 500-1000 points and take less than 10 minutes to complete. For every 10 surveys you complete, you receive a 1000-point ($1.00) bonus.

I recently cashed out a $10 reward, and now I’m 1/3 of the way to my next reward with a 3300-point balance.

Verasight is definately a quick way to earn a little extra cash.

 

 

DIY Salad Dressing- Easy and Tasty!

Abby H.

Making Salad Dressing is so easy, and for so long I had no idea.

I love cooking, and I have limited experience making salad dressings.

But with the cost of food rising, I thought I’d give it a shot.

Below is my “template” for making a quick salad dressing, and a few ideas for some tasty dressings.

This recipe makes enough to dress a few salads, but not as much as a full mass-produced bottle. With no preservatives, these sauces will last 7-10 days- if they don’t get eaten sooner.

  • 1/4 cup Olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (Vegetable or canola)
  • 6 tablespoons acid- Citrus juice, vinegar (red wine, champagne, balsamic, rice wine, and apple cider are good choices)
  • 2 tablespoon tablespoons honey or other sweetener (agave, maple)
  • 1 teaspoon emulsifier (Stone ground or Dijon mustard or mayonnaise) 
  • Salt and pepper as needed 
  • Herbs or seasoning as desire

Here are a few of my favorite combinations:

  • Lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons lemon zest, 2 t. powdered ginger, honey, Dijon mustard
  • Red Wine Vinegar, honey, stone ground mustard, 2T. Italian seasoning, 1t. granulated garlic
  • Apple Cider Vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, 1t. granulated garlic

Remember to store these in the fridge after you make them and shake them well before using them!

And if you are looking for some of my favorite salads, here is a great round-up of salad recipes.

Recipe: Cafeteria Noodles

Abby H.

This recipe has been all over social media lately, and for good reason too!

It’s delicious. Easy to make, filling, and pretty inexpensive. It would make an awesome addition to a potluck, to your weekly meal rotations, and the best part is, it reheats really well- if you have any leftovers.

The name comes from the types of noodle dishes served at cafeteria-style restaurants across the south, where the recipe originates.

Ingredients 

Optional but pretty good with the recipe: 2 cups of frozen carrots and peas 

Directions 

  1. In a medium-sized pot bring broth, cream of chicken soup, and better than bouillon to a gentle boil.
  2. Add egg noodles, turn off stove, cover pot with lid. Leave to cook off heat for about 10 minutes. 
  3. After 10 minutes, stir taste, and add salt and pepper as needed. Optional- Add frozen vegetables, and stir to combine. 
  4. Allowed to sit undisturbed for an additional five minutes, stir and taste adjust seasonings as necessary. 

Serves 6 to 8 as a side or 4 to 6 as a main dish. If you want to add a little extra protein, add one cup, of diced or shredded cooked chicken while adding the noodles. 

Both of my kids really liked these noodles, and I took leftovers to work for lunch. Everyone commented how good they smelled.

JCPenney- Buy 2, Get 2 Free Underwear, Socks, and Bras Sale (Ends today!)

Abby H.

Just in time for winter holiday shopping! Through today only, JCP has underwear, socks, and bras for the whole family on sale. Buy 2, get 2 free.

I just found out and rushed to get pairs in the kids’ current sizes (2 packs) and the next size up (2 packs). Perfect for the holidays (who doesn’t want underwear or socks in their stockings??), or jump on spring shopping by getting the next size up.

The sales end tonight, so if this is something you need, Get to it! I also shopped through MyPoints and earned 550 points, approximately the equivalent of a $3.00 Target Gift Card! To learn more about MyPoints, click here.

Celebrate National Baking Day!

Abby H.

I love baking- cookies, bread, even biscuits. To celebrate National Baking Day, here are a few of my favorite recipes:

Want cookies but don’t want to turn on the oven? Try these:

Check for Unclaimed Property- California Residents!

Abby H.

Did you know that the State Controller’s Office holds over NINE BILLION DOLLARS in unclaimed property (that includes money) in California? For some of us, it’s small amounts (in my case), and for others, it could be hundreds of dollars!

I checked the website and found about $75 in my name! I filled out the forms, printed them, signed them,  made copies of my ID, and mailed it all off this morning.  In 120 short days (or so, per the website), I should get my money.

It’s free to search, and free to claim your property, so it is 100% worth 5-10 minutes to see if you’ve got anything waiting for you!

Click here to get started!

If you live outside California, most other states have something similar- google your state and unclaimed funds. This process should ALWAYS BE FREE, and if you are being asked to pay for a service, it is not your state controller/comptroller/treasurers office.