Too Hot 2 Cook.....#3

Ahh...it's that time once again...for the weekly Too Hot 2 Cook Recipe of the week.....brought to you by SJ Mom Bloggers. This week, since the 4th is tomorrow, and I am sure you will be throwing or attending a BBQ this long weekend....so why not a Pasta Salad Recipe??? This is my sister-in-laws famous pasta salad recipe....it is delicious!!!

Picture courtesy of ace-clipart.com
Here's what you need to get started......


Fresh Vegetables
Broccoli
Cucumber
Black olives (sliced)
Tomatoes (diced)
Green and red peppers
Red Onions (if you like onions)
Carrots
Pasta- 1 lb. box Rotini
Salad Supreme Seasoning by McCormick's
Bottle a Wish-Bone Italian Dressing


Cook the pasta according to the directions, make sure not to overcook. Cut up vegetables to bite sizes. Mix together pasta and vegetables, add 4tbsp of Salad supreme seasoning with about 8oz of Italian dressing. Mix well and taste......add more salad supreme seasoning if needed and Italian Dressing. It taste better if you make it the night before and let sit overnight in the fridge.

Enjoy!!

Check 4 Clearance.....

I had to make a quick run into CVS yesterday and on the way out noticed some Bright yellow Clearance tags down one of the isles. So of course...I had to see what the clearance consisted of!! LOL LOL They had about 6 shelves at the end of one isle full of Clearance...all 75% OFF!!! All summer items...I suppose it is getting time to put out back-to-school supplies soon??


So I ended up purchasing this container of Miracle Grow for just $1.25!!! Some other items they had at my local CVS were garden clogs, summer plates, glasses, decorations, pillows, table cloths, knick knacks, and more!!
So if you have to run to CVS in the next few days...take a peek...you never know what Clearance deals your store may have!!!

Happy Hunting!!

Why it Doesn't Hurt To Ask......

Last evening we had to make a quick run to purchase a 1st birthday present for a party we are attending this Saturday. In the same shopping center was a Foot Locker that popped up about 2-3 months ago. I had never even stepped inside. Little Man is so badly in need of new sneakers....as his foot is growing like a weed lately! I have been on the lookout, but since he is now in boys sizes....the prices are a bit more than toddlers...and the selection is a bit slim in most stores I used to be able to get great deals on sneakers!!!

I have always found Footlocker a bit pricey for kids shoes. But since it was just two stores down from Buy Buy Baby...I thought why not?? Hubby had been in there once before looking for himself....and he had said that they were quite pricey...for supposedly being a discount Foot Locker. So went in not having such high hopes.

We walked around....smaller type of store...very organized, but not busy at all. Throughout the store...as in the front window they had signs posted "Up to 50% off". I found a few pair in Little Man's size I liked...he tried them on and really liked one pair. I then look at the price sticker and it says $41.99!!! WOW!!! Guess I should of looked at that 1st!!! My mistake.

I started browsing some more...thinking maybe there was a Clearance section perhaps...because I know that kids sneakers are not regularly like $80 or so!!! So a very nice associate approached us and asked if we needed any help. I politely asked "Where are the up to 50% off shoes?" He said...Oh...the ones in your hand are 50% off!!!! Yippee!!!!

I suppose, one reason they are not very busy is because like hubby experienced the first time he was in the store ...he looked at price...thought too expensive and walked out! They should definitely advertise the 50% off items way better than they do!! Some people do not like to ask questions...they feel they are being bothersome.

Not me.....LOL LOL So we got Little Man a new pair of New Balances for just $21....I hope they start advertising better...this way when Little Man needs another new pair of sneakers they are still open!!!

Here's My Bucket List....

Have you seen the movie that recently came out called The Bucket List with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson? In the movie the men meet each other after each becoming hospitalized.... they end up creating a bucket list after finding out that they both have terminal cancer. The Bucket List a list they compiled of things they would like to do before they die (kick the bucket).

I decided to play along thanks to Confessions of an Apron Queen....and here is the list of things I would love the chance to see/do before I go.....

*Move out of state...Why live in the state I have lived in since birth??

*Take a Family Vacation to Disney World.....I can still remember family trip to Disney when I was a kid...memories I will never forget. I cannot wait for my kiddies to have the same memories!

*Go RV-ing Across the Country....I have never been...and would love to give it a try.

* Give Scuba Diving a Try....it looks so neat to be that up close!!

*Win a Contest....It's just a great feeling to win something!!!

*Feed the Homeless...I think it would be a great experience.

*Grow Old with Hubby....and enjoy senior living.

*See my Kiddies Get Married....and find their true love...it's the best feeling, ever!!

*Ride in a Hot Air Balloon...I've always wanted too!!

*Learn Something New....It's always great to keep learning along the way!!

*Keep smiling....Isn't it so nice to give a smile and see one in return???


That is the list I have compiled after thinking about this for a few hours....I am sure there are many more things I would love to do....these are just the ones that truly stand out!!


Would you like to join in....just click the icon above!!

Yummy!! And Only 5 Ingredients!!!

It's summer, it's hot....So why not make an easy meal for dinner tonight? Here is a great, fast, easy summer recipe that you have to try!! We love them!!

Grilled Chicken Quesadillas

You will need:

*1 lb. Boneless Chicken Breasts

*6 Flour Tortillas (We use 8 inch)

*1 cup Salsa (We use medium)

*1 1/2 cups Shredded Cheddar or Taco Blend Cheese

*1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1. Clean and rinse chicken breasts then grill. Once finished cooking....slice breasts into thin slices.

2. Next in a small bowl mix together salsa and chili powder. Then spread a thin layer onto 1/2 of each tortilla.

3. Next top the same half of tortilla with chicken slices and some shredded cheese.

4. Fold tortilla in half then place in a large skillet. You may want to spray a little non-stick spray in the pan first to prevent sticking. Cook on each side until tortilla is slightly brown and cheese is melted.

5. Cut each folded quesadilla using a pizza cutter into three pieces. If you like serve with a side of sour cream with a sprinkling of fresh diced tomatoes on top. Yummy!!

Enjoy!!

Lots more 5-or less ingredient recipes at Rocks In My Dryer..be sure to check them out!!

Everyday Products....And Different Ways to Use Them

I was online the other day and I was looking for ways to fertilize the lawn without using chemicals (As Little Miss loves to play on the grass!!)....and I stumbled upon a site called Joey Green...wacky uses for well known products that you probably already have in your house. It was very interesting to find out the many, many uses for products like Soda, Cheerios, Syrup, Bleach, and many, many more!! There is a list of at least 50 different items each one with many different uses.

In my search for lawn fertilizer I learned that I can mix one cup Listerine, one cup Epsom salts, one cup liquid soap, and one cup ammonia in a one-quart jar, and fill the rest of the jar with beer. Then spray using a hose-sprayer on the lawn in May and again in late June..it will fertilize the lawn perfectly!!

No need to fertilize the lawn at your house....then maybe you would like to check out the other uses for Listerine here.

I guess I have been living under a rock...because I have learned that Joey Green has been on many talk-shows and morning news programs with all this useful info many times!! Yes...I may be late in finding this all out....but hey better late than never!!

Bed, Bath and Beyond Coupon.....

Great Coupon!!! Save $10 off of a $30 purchase at Bed Bath & Beyond. Coupon expires July 14, 2008 and is valid in-store only!!

Man...and to think of all the shopping I did there last week for a Bridal Shower I had...This is way better than the 20% off coupons !! Hopefully you need to get something there....

Click here for coupon

Ulta...Have You Been Lately??

Ulta Beauty this week has a great deal if you are in need of Mascara & Eye shadows. Now through this coming Saturday All Ulta Brand, Maybeline, L'Oreal, Max Factor, and Neutrogena Mascara & Eye Shadow are Buy 1 Get 1 FREE!!! Brands cannot be combined. Shopping online?? Use code LASHEYES for this deal.

Buying L'Oreal?? Remember to use your L'Oreal $1.00 off any eye product coupon from the Sunday coupon insert from the beginning of June.

Also to save even more...use code 94604 at checkout for $3.50 off any purchase of $10 or more online. Shopping in-store??? Click here to see store ad and print a coupon.

Free shipping on online orders of $50 or more.

Happy Shopping!!

It Was Long Overdue.....

Cleaning out our bathroom closet that is......I knew it was finally time to get to cleaning it out....... How you ask?? When someone would reach in too get something, and a whole bunch of stuff gets knocked over or falls to the floor....that's the clear indication that it's time to clean!! You see...I think part of the problem is that I have a slight CVS addiction, I am way into stockpiling!!! ...LOL LOL

So here is the before shot:

Little Miss helped me...she had a great time unloading the closet!! Let me just tell you! She also was a tad bit upset when I started to put everything back in.

I was also able to come to the conclusion that we do not need to purchase any more toothpaste (10 tubes), deodorant (20 of them), and we can surely go without buying band aids for a bit as well (8 boxes)!!!

And this is the way it looked afterwards...All Clean and Organized!!


It took about an hour...and man it was an hour well spent!! Even hubby noticed how clean it was.....and that is a rare occurrence...LOL LOL Now let's see how long it will last??? Anyone have a guess??

Tipster Tuesday...

It's Tipster Tuesday over at BeCentsAble and this week is all about saving water. Here are a few ways our family has grown accustomed to saving water where we can in our daily lives..... They may seem like simple little things...and most of them are, the simpler the easier to save, right??


*Turn the Water Off When Brushing Our Teeth- All we do it turn it on to wet the toothbrush and fill up a cup of water. No need to leave it running while brushing, for what??

*No Pre Washing the Dishes- We just stick them in the dishwasher and walla...they come out sparkling!! We only run it when it is full as well.

*Water Our Lawn Early....In the summer months when it gets real hot, humid and no rain in sight...watering our lawn sometimes becomes a must!! So if need be we make sure to water in the early AM...before it gets too hot out....eliminating the possibility for the water to evaporate.

*Keep the Lawn High....Hubby mows our lawn at the highest lawn mower setting possible.....this keeps the grass blades higher and helps shade the root system and retain more moisture. This means less watering of our lawn.

*Reuse the Pool Water....Whenever the kiddies are hot....they love to play in the kiddies pool in our backyard...Fun, Fun, Fun. When they are all done playing in it....instead of just dumping the water...I use to water my flower pots, or plants around the yard!

*Mulch Our Beds.....Every spring we get a truckload of mulch delivered to spread on top of all our flowers beds. The mulch helps retain the water...oh and another plus is that it keeps most weeds out too!!

Do you have a great way your family saves on the water bill?? Need more ideas on cutting water usage down?? Head to BeCentsAble for ways other are cutting back as well!!