BUY, USE, SAVE

Wow!  Kroger is having a great deal during the Holiday Season!  BUY gift cards, USE like cash, SAVE at the pump! You always earn 2x fuel points on gift card purchases year round, but from Mid-November to early December they are offering 4x fuel points on EVERY gift card you buy...that's 4 points for every dollar you spend on gift cards...and they have hundreds to pick from!  You should check with your local Kroger for exact 4x dates, but what a great deal! 
I stopped by yesterday to check out the selection and since I buy gift cards for over half of the people on my list, I'm definitely getting them at Kroger so I can save on fuel!



BTW:  I received a coupon for bonus points for trying out this deal, but these opinions are my own!

It's in the Bag!!

As a BzzAgent, I was recently asked to try something new at Kroger!  I had never tried Kroger Skillet Meals before and I was excited to see all of the varieties I could pick from!  I chose the Sorrento-Style Gnocchi!  As usual, I was in a hurry and I was tempted to prepare it in the microwave (directions are on the bag) but decided to go with the skillet method since it said it was only 10 minutes and the recommended way to prepare it.  When I poured it out of the bag, I was skeptical of two things right away.  One, that there was enough sauce and two that it would actually be done in 10 minutes.  Well, there was and it was!!  The frozen sauce cubes melted into just the right amount of sauce and after EXACTLY 10 minutes, I had it on the table.  The sauce was good and the gnocchi were a good consistency.  I do feel that it could have used a little more spices or salt.  The price was fair and it was just the right amount for the two of us.  I wanted a couple of sides that were just as quick and easy so  I used the Kroger Fresh Selections Caesar Lite Salad Kit for our veggie and it was really good. The greens were very crisp and fresh and I just love when everything is in the bag!  I also made the Kroger Classic Frozen Garlic Bread.  First of all, this thing is HUGE!  You get a lot of bread for the money.  It was very good and was perfectly done at the exact time of 10 minutes.  If I have one complaint, it's that it is so much bread, that I only used 1/4 of the bag for our meal and the bag is not resealable.  Also, it is hard to fit a bag that size in a side-by-side freezer.  In fact, they didn't even bag it at Kroger and the gentleman bagging the groceries stated that he never knew what to do with them!  I also really liked that both frozen products, the Skillet Meal and the Garlic Bread, had the preparation time very easily displayed on the front of the bag so it was easy to plan my prep time.  I will definitely be making this delicious and quick meal again…especially during the busy holiday season! 

BTW:  I received this product free but it did not affect my opinion. 

Exuviance Age Reversal Eye Contour

So, I just turned 46 and took a good, hard look in the mirror.  I've never been one to use a whole slew of products and I have to admit that I have NOT avoided the sun.  The first thing I wanted to work on was a little bit of sagging in my eyelid area that I thought made me look tired and older.  I went to Ulta to see what I could find for my "sagging eyelids".  Surprisingly, they only showed me two or three products that seemed to target that specific area and they didn't offer me a sample of any of them.  They were all in the $65-$75 price range and I just couldn't justify spending that without trying it first.  I picked up some literature on the one I was most interested in and sent them an email. I received a very quick response that they would be happy to send me a sample and I got it 3 days later!  WOW! Already I was impressed.  I received a sample of the Exuviance Age Reversal Eye Contour and I LOVE IT! This worked really well.  I only had two small samples, so I used it pretty sparingly and saw results within just a few days. It is not greasy and soaked in quickly.  I used it morning and night and had no trouble applying my eye makeup in the morning.  It had a slight tingle to it that quickly faded away and I didn't have any type of reaction or redness. I think this cream is definitely worth the price as I believe that the full size product would last a really long time.  I will be spending the $75 on this product and I look forward to checking out some of their other products.

Curel should be called Cure-All!!

As a bzzagent, I recently received a sample of Curel Intensive Healing Cream and five small jars to share with my family and friends.  It turns out, EVERYONE had at least one super dry spot to try it out.  Every single person showed signs of improvement during the five days that we compared dryness! It isn't sticky or greasy and it soaked in really nicely!  I like the fact that it was fragrance free because I love to wear fragrance and I hate when my lotion competes with my perfume.  I was also very comforted by the fact that it's dermatologist recommended. I was not familiar with the term "Ceramides" but after reading up on it, I thought it was awesome that Curel had really done their research and that they are partners with the American Diabetes Association.  All of us were impressed and I know, for sure, that we will all be continuing to use Curel Intensive Healing Cream for the winter. 

King's Hawaiian Sliced Bread

First, let me tell you, I get super excited when I return home from work and see a box sitting on my porch.  ESPECIALLY when it's free and a surprise! 
King's Hawaiian sent me the cutest care package!  Inside, wrapped up in orange and white tissue paper, was a large, reusable shopping bag, some orange sunglasses, some coupons and a DELICIOUS loaf of their King's Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Sliced Bread!  Previously, this item was only available on the West Coast, but is now being introduced in select regions throughout the country.  I cannot tell you how much I loved it!  I ate the whole loaf in two days!  This bread made the most yummy toast I have ever had! I also made a chicken salad melt with it that was to die for.  It is soft and fluffy with just a touch of sweetness.  I am SO glad this is available in the Indianapolis area because I cannot wait to get my hands on some more!  If you see it near you....grab it!! You won't be sorry! 

King's Hawaiian provided me with this bread, but these opinions are 100% my own!

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner!

As a bzzAgent, I was recently given coupons to try Kroger Deli Fried Chicken.  I stopped by my local Kroger and picked it up for a quick dinner.  YUM!  The chicken was hot and crispy, very meaty, a great flavor and nice, large pieces.  We really enjoyed it!  I grabbed a bag of the Kroger Kettle Chips in BBQ to make this a REALLY quick dinner and they were very good, as well. Kroger gets all of their chicken in fresh and hand breads and prepares it fresh.  In fact, they have a guarantee that it will be fresh and, at my local Kroger, they actually guarantee that it will be available during the busy dinner time.  Kroger also offers other yummy looking chicken options such as rotisserie chicken and for those that are more health conscious, baked chicken is available.  We had some pieces left over that we ate the next day cold and it was still delicious!  I will definitely be getting this chicken again, both for a fast, yummy dinner and for our summer picnics.

Smoker and the Bandit!

We have an awesome smoker and so I was super excited when BzzAgent offered me some coupons to see pork in a whole new light!  I stopped by Kroger and picked up the Kroger Moist & Tender Pork Shoulder/Butt.  This is the cut of meat that I like to use for BBQ Pulled Pork and I was very surprised that my local Kroger carried it.  It was $1.99/lb which is a little higher price than I usually pay, but with the coupon, it was reasonable.  I used a rub of mustard, brown sugar and "butt rub" and put it in the smoker for about 10 hours.  I had read that most people over cook their pork, so using the guidelines by The National Pork Board, I took it out at just the right temperature.  I let it rest for a few minutes and then started pulling it apart.  The label didn't lie, it was very moist and tender!  In fact, it was delicious.  I did think this cut was a little fattier than cuts I had used in the past, but overall I was very happy with it!  It wasn't stringy and had a good, moist texture. 

If you haven't tried pork lately, The National Pork Board recommends cooking pork chops, roasts and tenderloins to an internal temperature of 145° (medium rare)–160° F (medium) (followed by a three minute rest) for juicy, tender pork that’s slightly pink in the middle.

Pork tenderloin carries the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark; each serving packs tons of nutrients and, ounce for ounce, is as lean as skinless chicken breast. PorkBeInspired.com is a great resource on all the tasty ways to prepare pork, from braising and sautéing, to stuffing, saucing and grilling.

Be Broke, Live Rich!

(repost from a previous date)

Kindle: I actually don't even own a kindle. I have downloaded the FREE program on my computer and the FREE app for my iphone and, literally, EVERY SINGLE DAY there are FREE books at amazon.com for downloading. They are 100% FREE and change all the time. I have amassed a huge library of free books and it is so convenient! You can read the same book on both devices and it automatically syncs to where you left off. I love to read and hate wasting money on books that I end up not liking, so this is perfect for me!

Redbox: I don't watch many movies because I just don't have a lot of time. However, I LOVE the convenience of Redbox. I can always find movies that I want to watch and it's so fast and easy. What I love the most, though, is that if you sign up online for text messages, they send you a code for a free rental on the first Monday of each month. They never send me worthless text messages, just the ones for a free rental. They also do a lot of promotions with other products, such as getting free Redbox rentals inside specially marked boxes. How awesome is that!

CVS Bucks: This is how it works...you get a CVS card and earn CVS Bucks on everything you buy. PLUS you can earn them on the spot for certain items each week. This is free money to spend in their store. For example, I bought an over the counter medication last week that was on sale, plus I had a coupon, plus you earned $5 CVS Bucks. The cashier rang up my medication. I paid for it and $5 CVS Bucks printed out. I picked up 2 bags of Easter candy, on sale for 2/$6. The cashier rang up the candy, I handed her my $5 CVS Buck and paid the difference of $1 plus tax. Practically FREE candy!

Restaurant Deals: A local news station offers a weekly deal on restaurant gift certificates. Each week they feature a different restaurant and you can buy $50 worth of gift certificates for $25. This is a great deal. They have 200 to offer each week. Most of these sell out fairly quickly, but once in awhile they don't and they reduce the price of the leftover certificates. I have bought certificates for 5 different restaurants in the last year that were reduced to $10 for a $50 gift certificate. All of these restaurants have been in the Indianapolis area and we enjoyed each one of them. They were places we had never heard of and each time the $50 was enough for our two meals, drinks and dessert, plus an extra dessert (or in one case, several deli salads) to take home. The gift certificates were always mailed out quickly, the restaurants were always nice with very good food and we have never had any problems redeeming the certificates. What a deal!

I have also gotten some awesome deals on an online local radio auction. I bought 5 gift certificates for a restaurant that were for $20 each...I bought them for $2.99 each when the auction had a 'fire sale' a week after the original auction.

Last, but not least, I have signed up for text message alerts with fast food restaurants and receive text messages for free food periodically. I have received several text messages for free food from DQ and a local taco joint.

Coupon Websites: There are tons of coupon blogs and websites that specialize in printable coupons. I always check these websites before going grocery shopping, but did you know there are tons of printable RETAIL coupons readily available? On a recent trip to the mall, with a quick advanced search, I headed out with coupons for Bath and Body Works, Carsons, Kohls, Maurices, ULTA and Victoria's Secret.

It's Yard $ale Time Again!!

I love going to yard sales! My favorite is going to town-wide sales in the smaller communities near where I live.  I live in North Central Indiana and it has taken me several years to compile my list of "Can't Miss" town-wide's.  Some of these are two day events, but I'm listing the days that I'm attending....I'm going to share it with you and I'll try to update you with pictures of my treasures afterward!

You may want to call ahead and confirm these dates...

April 19           Wakarusa (in conjunction with the Maple Syrup Festival)
April 26           South Whitley
May 3              Topeka
May 4              Bluffton
May 17             Akron
May 18            Walton (in conjunction with the May Day Festival)
May 31            New Paris, Mentone (in conjunction with the Egg Festival)
June 7             Swayzee
June 13-15      Amboy, Silver Lake
June 22           Bunker Hill
July 6              Mexico
July 27            Galveston
August 2         North Manchester
August 3         Converse
August 16       Elwood (in conjunction with the Glass Festival)
August 23      Rossville (in conjunction with the Summer's End Festival)
August 30      Plymouth (in conjunction with the Blueberry Festival)
August 31      Upland
Sept 19           Nappanee (in conjunction with the Apple Festival)
Sept 20          Frankton (in conjunction with Heritage Days)
Sept 21           Brookston (in conjunction with the Apple Popcorn Festival)
Sept 27           Fairmount/Gas City
Sept 28          Atlanta (in conjunction with the Earth Festival, Burnettsville
October 4      Flora (in conjunction with Moonlight Madness)

I hope you'll take the time to attend at least one of these....stay tuned to hear about the treasures I find!!

Michael Angelo's Italian Meals

 

I was recently invited into the Michael Angelo's Taste and Tell Program. Using the coupons they sent me for free products, I chose the Michael Angelo's Meat Lasagna and brought it to work to share with my coworkers.  Around lunch time, I popped it into the microwave and the aroma was FANTASTIC!  I cut up the lasagna into sample sizes and as each person took a sample, I gave them a coupon.  My Taste and Tell Kit also came with a DVD that I watched so I was able to inform everyone about the company: A family owned company started by Michael and his mom, Sara, and her recipes.  The meals are still cooked in small batches with no preservatives.  I have to tell you that I have tried 4 varieties of these meals and they are all delicious!  These meals taste like authentic Italian and very fresh!  Between watching the video, learning even more on their website and then tasting these meals, I actually felt like this meal was made for my family, by their family, rather than some big factory. Thank you, Michael Angelo's, for the chance to discover such a wonderful product and to share it with others.  For more information, please check out their website: www.michaelangelos.com. 

*Other than the free coupons, I was not compensated for this review and these opinions are my own.

 

Honestly Simple!

 Such a simple idea....honest and affordable foods that represent the joy of eating closer to the way nature intended.  I LOVE the idea of this!  As a bzzagent, I received several items from this line of Kroger's to try.  Hands down, my favorite was the Simple Truth Sweet Potato Veggie Chips.  Admittedly, I have been obsessed with all things sweet potato lately, but these were among the BEST I've had.  I can't wait to use a coupon and try one of the other varieties...maybe the Simple Truth Exotic Chips?!?!  I also had a bottle of Simple Truth Natural Cucumber Melon soda...I was really not sure about this...normally Cucumber is something I look for in a lotion, not a drink...despite the fact that I would prefer to not drink any soda with this many calories, I actually liked it.  Very yummy and would be great for a hot day this summer.  I think Kroger should find a natural sugar substitute and try to make a diet version of their sodas.  I also received a Simple Truth health and wellness bar...Ok, first I have to admit that it was Peanut Butter something...my husband scarffed this down and didn't save me the package.  In fact, he didn't realize it was a free sample, and was scouring the cupboards for the rest of the box! He's picky, so I'm guessing it was delicious! 

I was VERY excited about the frozen fruit!!  I make a frozen smoothie EVERY morning (yes, even when it's below zero outside!) and am always looking for tasty fruit.  This fruit was tasty, however, it was expensive and basically, to me, unsweetened fruit, is unsweetened fruit.  Well....after looking, it was the only organic frozen fruit I could find, so if that's important to you, it's a good solution.  I have to say no to the Almond Milk...I tried it with cereal and it was ok, but I'm not a fan of any Almond Milk.

MorningStar Farms

As a BzzAgent, I was recently given the honor of trying the MorningStar Farms products. Usually I only think of Meatless Monday as being for dinner, but yesterday during the ice storm I made some homemade maple syrup and couldn't wait to use some so I got out my MorningStar Farms Maple Flavor sausage patties.  I chose to cook them in the oven (the recommended procedure), and while they were baking, I whipped up some pancakes.  I was excited that they were only 80 calories, but when I got them out of the package they were pretty tiny.  They looked exactly like pork sausage patties, they cooked nicely, stayed firm and didn't have any grease on the pan.  They were pretty good.  If I were served these in a restaurant, I would never have known they were meatless.If you haven't tried MorningStar Farms or if you have tried meatless products in the past that were less than stellar, I recommend you give these a try.