Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Dinner is done, the kitchen is cleaned, and the ads perused. Now, it is football time.

Hope each of you and yours are enjoying a day full of family, fun and good food. Be sure to take a moment and count all of the things for which you are grateful and say a prayer of thanks!

Take a family picture, have everyone write down one or two things they are thankful for and create a Thanksgiving 2009 scrapbook page. Not a scrapper? Create a quick piece of art to display on the fridge. It is fun to look back on these lists a few years down the road.

Freebies!!

2010 is just around the corner and that means a new calendar. Here are two free calendars that include excellent coupons!

Betty Crocker Calendar

Oriental Trading Calendar

What fun to ride....The Polar Express

We love the Polar Express movie. It is a holiday staple in our home. My greatest wish is for my home to ooze the magic of the holiday season. Decorating for Christmas takes days and days, but what fun!

This year I was looking at fun day trips that we could do on the weekends and what to my wondering eyes should appear? The Polar Express departs from the Texas State Railroad depot in Palestine, Texas. Yes, you read that correctly. Last night, we departed on the 8:15 to the North Pole. I was so magical. There was hot cocoa, cookies, Christmas carols, elves, and Santa. My son loved his first gift of the season....the sleigh bell. We all heard the ring of that special bell!

I know that this will be a wonderful memory for all of us and hope your family can experience the same magic. The Polar Express runs select days through December. May you all Believe!
Polar Express Train Ride

A Christmas Must Read

I'm sure many of you feel the same way I do - the holidays begin October 1st. That is when I begin dragging out the Halloween decorations. (My son finally got over the scariness of Halloween and looks forward to decorating.)

I have found that the calendar seems to fill up much faster this time of year. A free weekend is harder to come by, but I can't seem to find anything that I want to mark off. Then there is all of the baking I ache to do (yes, I do mean ache!) I love the fact that the kitchen is cool and I can stand to keep the oven on all day. I have lists galore. There's the Halloween party, Fall Festival at school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, kids' birthdays, Christmas shopping, church bazaar, Winter Party at school, Christmas, New Year's, etc. Oh yes, lest I forget that this is my very busy time at work.

We all know that this means Moms are tired, harried, stressed, and the list goes on..... I discovered a wonderful book this past weekend (I should have been tackling an item on one of my lists) that really puts it all humorously into perspective - "On Strike for Christmas" by Sheila Roberts. It kept me laughing and saying oh my. I highly recommend you find a couple of days, a few nights, or several lunch breaks to read it! Welcome to the holidays!

Menu & Recipes for October 11th

Happy Fall! We are even getting a taste of fall here in Texas.

I cannot believe how crazy everything is at the moment. I do apologize for not have recently posted. That will be changing!

I really hope that you enjoy the meals this week. There are some new cool weather comfort foods prepared in the crockpot. Such a marvelous way to prepare dinner!

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_15hsrcb4gh

Menu & Recipes for Week of September 13th

This week starts the cooler weather here in Texas. I have enjoyed watching the rain for the past three days. Horrible baseball weather - great baking weather!! Fall welcomes back all of my family's cool-weather, comfort foods. I am so excited to share them with you this season.

Have an a Fall-bulous week!

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_14gbz9hffp

Game Day Munchies

Football season has arrived. I know some of you are football widows, but I love football. Tonight's the kick-off and the game is on as I post this!

We do kick-off Sunday up right. I fix a nice breakfast and then start on the day's buffet of munchies. I make plenty to nibble on throughout the entire day. No, there is not a formal meal the remainder of the day (unless I make wings). There are Italian Sausage Balls, Turkey Roll-ups, Rotel Cheese Dip, Assorted chips, crackers, Football Brownies, Football Sugar Cookies, Vegetable Tray, and a Savory Dip. The recipes and tips are available at http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_13frhrkmfs

This should give you something to look forward to even if you don't enjoy the game. Have a great Sunday and go Cowboys!!

$5 Dinners

This week's menu is all about using what is already in your pantry, freezer, and refrigerator. I wanted to share a wonderful website called $5 Dinners. This is a great site for very inexpensive meals that feed a family of 4. Be sure to check it out at http://www.5dollardinners.com/

I challenge you to spend as little as possible on groceries this week. Take the money you save and stash it in the holiday shopping fund! The savings quickly add up. I do this about four times a year and easily stash about $500-600.

Pantry Cleanup Menu

This week is my quarterly Pantry Cleanup. I try to always keep a well stocked pantry so that I can whip up a quick meal or a quick dessert. I also stock up on those items I use frequently when there on sale and I have great coupons. This makes for excellent money savings as well as convenience. It does create the need for me to monitor what is in the pantry and keep an eye on the expiration dates. The result is Pantry Cleanup week.

This week, we will eat based upon what is already in the pantry, fridge, and freezer. (Bonus - we can stash the saved grocery money into savings!!!!) I have written out the meals for the week from my kitchen to give you some ideas. All of the meals are super simple and inexpensive.

Have a wonderful week!!

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_12f9kwdb49

Cell Phone Contract Loop Hole

I was recently having a conversation with a friend who was complaining about their cell phone contract. The monthly fees seemed to just keep going up and she felt that she could do better. This got me to thinking, there has to be some way to actually get out of a cell phone contract. Research revealed that there is already a website setup for this. Cellswapper allows you to trade contracts. What a wonderful idea! I'm hoping it isn't too late for my friend to do so.

http://www.cellswapper.com/

Radiant Barrier = Energy Savings

You see the ads everywhere for radiant barrier and you wonder "Does it work?" We wondered the same thing and decided to take a chance on it. I cannot tell you how happy we are that we made this investment. It is an investment!

I'm not a fan of the Texas heat! I like it cool. Our thermostat is set on 75-77 during the day and 70 at night. You would think the electric bill to keep our 2000+ square foot home would be off the charts. Our bills are down 46% in June, 53% in July, and 51% for August! The radiant barrier has worked wonders.

The benefits go beyond the electric bill. Our upstairs use to be stifling hot in the afternoons - not anymore. Hate the harsh, hot air that first comes out of the vents when the AC turns on? Not anymore! It is not cold, but not hot either. The AC unit doesn't run as much either (this will extend the life of the unit) and you can actually go in the attic during the summer without passing out.

Most companies are running specials right now - EAS (Efficient Attic Systems) is the company we chose and were very pleased. The current special with them is 50% off the normal costs plus free insulation (less than $1000 for us). They arrived on time, finished the work in one day, and cleaned up after themselves. The service was exceptional! Topping off these savings is the Residential Energy Efficiency Credit allowed for 2009. This will decrease our tax enough to almost pay for the radiant barrier. It is definitely worth researching and considering!!!

Back to School Menu

Monday is back to school and my little one is not so excited. We've met the teacher (the one he wanted) and dropped off all of the supplies and still he shows no excitement. My solution - allow him to set the menu for the week. I hope you will find these kid favorites a hit in your home too!

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_11g7td96cg

Video Time Machine

Back to school is Monday and we've started those discussions about family rules regarding computer and video game time during the school week. Yes, I'm one of those that limits the video games to weekends unless extra time is earned. It keeps my son focused on his school work and gives him incentive!

I do find it hard to keep up with how long he has been playing the Wii when I'm running errands, baking, cleaning or some other activity. No more....enter the Time Machine Children's Time Management gadget. The children earn tokens to operate the game system. I love it! Now, he can earned those tokens and play until they run out. Just be sure you remember where you stash them so that you have plenty when you want to play!

http://www.amazon.com/Time-Machine-Childrens-Management-System/dp/B000W4H6FQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1239579062&sr=1-1

Reduce Junk Mail

My household recycles, conserves water and tries to live green. I've noticed junk mail makes up a majority of our recycled paper. Finally, there is a way to stop most of it. You will notice that there are 5 different registries (6 counting the Do Not Call). I for one have done all of them and am on my way to less paper (and less temptation!)

National Do Not Call Registry
https://www.donotcall.gov/

Opt-Out Services This will stop credit card and insurance offers.
https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t

Direct Marketing Assn. This will stop catalogs, magazine offers & flyers.
https://www.dmachoice.org/dma/member/home.action;jsessionid=52C038B324D5A2B18396CB273D916EAD.tomcat2

Valassis This will stop coupon inserts
http://www.valassis.com/1024/Contact/contact_home.aspx

Acxiom US This will stop all phone, mail and email contacts that come through this company.
http://www.acxiom.com/about_us/privacy/consumer_information/opt_out_request_form/Pages/Opt-OutRequestForm.aspx

Catalog Choice This will stop unwanted catalogs.
http://www.catalogchoice.org/

Menu & Recipes for August 16th

Happy Saturday!! It appears that the pinnacle of summer might have actually passed. There are no temperatures above 100 for the next week. The cooler temperatures make meal planning and preparation so much more enjoyable. I cannot wait for fall. Most of my favorites are cooler weather dishes and I am looking forward to sharing them with each of you!

I hope each of you will enjoy the next week. Those of you with little ones have one last week of summer before school starts so take advantage. (We are sleeping in!)

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_10mnjrj5gc

Story Time - The Bake Shop Ghost

There is something so relaxing about a good book and an hour in my hammock. Then there is story time with my nieces and nephew. I love finding wonderful books to share with them. The Bake Shop Ghost by Jacqueline K. Ogburn is one such treasure.

I found this wonderful book at an independent gourmet kitchen shop in Lee's Summit, called A Thyme for Everything. I have already read it three or four times myself and heard my son read it another half dozen times. I highly recommend this read! Another suggestion, find it at an independent bookstore and help support Main Street USA! They are more than happy to order it if not currently in stock.

This is going to be one of my Christmas gifts this year. I'm going to record myself reading the story on CD and place it with the book for my god daughter and nieces. We can share story time even when I can't be with them!

Limited Time Only Deals

We are all looking to shop wisely and save as much money as possible. I always keep my eyes open for really great sales & special deals. (Hate that I missed that 50" flat screen on www.bestbuy.com this morning that was listed for $9.99!) I want to share two really good deals that are one-day-only offers. But first, I want to remind you that you are only saving money if you are purchasing something that you already need and will use.

Kroger grocery stores are going to double all manufacturer coupons up to $1.00 for one day only - Saturday, August 15th. Get to clipping, sorting, and making lists!

Coldwater Creek is celebrating their birthday Aug 27 - Aug 31 by taking 25% off all in-store purchases.

Menu & Recipes for August 9th

The last of the summer days are flying by too fast. This week's menu is a little late, but full of great dinners. Surprise your family with one of the Summer Sweets for a wonderful dessert!

This menu offers a couple of great recipes to get the kids into the kitchen - Golden Chicken & Rice Casserole and Baked Basil Pasta are easy enough for the kids to help prepare. I hope you will enjoy some extra time sharing the love of cooking with your angels! Have a really wonderful week.

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_9td5kmrhs

Back to School

I cannot believe that the kids are back in school in just two weeks! This summer has definitely sped right by us. I finally found all of the items on the school supply list - including the green, medium point pens (Staples).

There is an elementary school near our home that is asking for help with school supplies. The majority of families that attend are without jobs. The local recreation center started a supply drive to help out. I'm sure that there are other schools that are facing the same challenge this year. If you and your family are able, take a moment to inquire at your school. Most of the supplies are low cost (Walmart has great prices this year) and they are also included in the Texas Sales Tax Holiday on August 21st - 23rd. It is an investment in the future!

Summer Sweets

Summer cookouts are a staple in my family. Hamburgers, steaks, hot dogs and the Southern fish fry, but.....what about the desserts? Everyone always has their eyes on the dessert table. We start planning which one (or ones) we want long before the meal is served.

I love baking! It has to be my favorite stress reliever! (I sometimes have people intentionally stress me out just so I will bake.) Today, I'm sharing some of my favorites that stay on the quick and easy side - Strawberry Cream Cheese Bars, Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies, Lemon Brownies and Fresh Strawberry Bread. I hope you will enjoy sharing them with your family and friends!

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_8gw2745dw

My Country Kitchen - Menu for August 2nd

I love finding new recipes and sometimes tweaking those recipes. This week includes a new recipe that takes many of us out of our norm - Spaghetti alla Carbonara. This is a great pasta dish! It really doesn't take much to prepare. Hope you enjoy it!

Be watching for a special My Country Kitchen bonus this week....it is going to be too sweet to miss!

Have a tasty week!

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_6dbr2cfdm

The Change Jar - Home Energy Audits

Texas summers are scorchers. I hate opening my electric bill from June through September. They aren't as bad since we had radiant barrier installed, but I'm sure there is more that we could do to make the house more energy efficient. Luckily, this comes with tax credits in most cases!

Oncor is working with an approved list of contractors to have free residential energy audits done along with some basic services. This is at deeply discounted rates or even free. Check it out and take a load off - energy that is. http://www.oncor.com/electricity/teem/default.aspx

Porch Know How

People ask me How To questions all of the time. I'm sure that some of you wonderful Porch Friends have a few as well. This is my invitation for you to send me your requests at nellescountry@yahoo.com I will try to respond to each one. If I'm stumped, then we'll put it out there for additional input. I can't wait to hear from you!

My Country Kitchen - Menu & Recipes July 27th

This week has flown by and I still have a long To Do list. How does that happen? Of course, grocery shopping is now at the top.

This week's menu contains a lot of meals that can be prepared without heating the kitchen up too much. Even the Pesto Chicken & Bowtie can be done without much heat - try a rotisserie chicken from the local market.

I hope you are enjoying these menues and recipes! Please feel free to send me any requests.

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_4dkmbrqd5

The Change Jar - Coupon Sites

I love saving money! It is like winning a game each time I save 40% or more on my grocery bill or gift shopping. Please make note of some of my favorite websites that help in saving.

http://promotionalcodes.com/
http://www.retailmenot.com/
http://www.dealtaker.com/
http://www.fatwallet.com/
http://www.restaurant.com/

EcoPrint - Computer Recycling

It is that time of year when we start considering new computers. Back to school is just around the corner and so much of today's assignments are computer-based. What about that old computer?

Staples and Best Buy will recycle your old computers - both laptops and desktops. There may be a $10 fee for some monitors and laptops, but Best Buy will give you a $10 Best Buy gift card in return. One last note, be sure to wipe the harddrive out before you take it in.

Be sure to schedule this trip with other errands to save gas and emissions. Just one less footprint on our environment.

My Country Kitchen - Menu for Week of July 20th

Here is the menu for this week. It contains a couple of items that are great to prepare ahead of time.

The Chicken Spaghetti can be started one night (boil the chicken) and completed within the next couple of days. The leftovers are an absolute favorite for lunches. This is also a great meal for families with older babies or toddlers on baby food. Just place the chicken spaghetti in a food processor and process until it reaches desired consistency.

The Italian Sausage Soup satisfies even my picky eater. It can be prepared ahead of time and frozen. I like prepare a double batch of this soup and freeze for future meals. It freezes well then you just thaw it out and add the orzo or rice and simmer for 30 minutes.

Enjoy! http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_4dkmbrqd5

My Country Kitchen - The Ultimate Grocery List

Picture this - you have spent the day doing all those errands on your list. Last stop was the grocery store. You are putting away the groceries when you realize you forgot something. Ugh! I hate that. Another trip to the store in this Texas heat.

No more, I found the most comprehensive, pre-printed grocery list ever!!! It is even called the Ultimatest Grocery List. Want one? Just visit www.grocerylists.org/ultimatest and print one off. There is even a bonus....you can peruse grocery lists that others have left behind.

Finally...One Stop Planning for Busy Families

Life is busy! I have a calendar on the pantry door, at work, on my cell phone and on post-it notes in my purse. Little reminders of who needs to be where, when and with what. My friends are always talking about how hard it is to keep up with their schedules. It seems impossible to keep everything in sync.

No more! There is an online family planning tool at www.cozi.com that will allow you to enter everyone's schedule, color-code each family member, import into Outlook, get cell phone reminders, or print out the calendar. Awesome!!!!

My Country Kitchen - Menu for Week of July 12th

It is that time of the week again. Time to think about a new menu. Here it is with recipes. Enjoy!

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_3vfjb5vhq

The Change Jar - Free Ringtones

Yes, I'm guilty! I love ringtones of my favorite songs. I love having special ringtones assigned to family & friends. It is great hearing our wedding song when my husband calls. It is also nice to know it is the boss calling so that I can redirect my thoughts (or not answer)!

I do not like the fees!! I recently found a couple of websites with free ringtones. Myxer even allows you to create a ring tone from mp3 files on your computer. Love it! Like ringtones? Take a stroll www.phonezoo.com or www.myxer.com

My Country Kitchen - Lemon Pound Cake

Per request, here is a great summer dessert recipe!

Lemon Pound Cake

1 cup butter
½ cup butter flavored shortening
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon extract, plus more if you like a lot of lemon flavor
10-12 drops yellow food color

Preheat oven to 350F (325F if using dark, nonstick pan). Spray 10 cup bundt or tube pan with nonstick baking spray (Baker's Joy works very well). In large bowl, cream butter, shortening, and sugar until creamy. Add eggs, milk, flour, and baking powder; mix thoroughly. Add vanilla, lemon extract and food color; beat well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50-65 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. This is great served with fresh fruit or frozen sweetened strawberries and whip cream.

My Country Kitchen - Freezing Fresh Berries

My family loves blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries. They are really great right now while in season, but we want them all year long. There are a couple of great blueberry farms in East Texas where you can pick your own or buy them in bags. They are just as tasty after being frozen.

To freeze the berries

• Wash under cold water
• Spread out on towels to dry
• Place in a single layer on jelly roll pan
• Freeze for 2 hours
• Place in freezer-safe container - I like to use the Foodsaver containers.

Gadget Garden - Foodsaver

The benefits of buying in bulk and/or buying what is on sale are well known. I do this a lot! I love to match my coupons to the sale ads for even bigger savings. There is also the great fresh produce this time of year. I love to pick blueberries and freeze them to use throughout the year. The Foodsaver is my go-to gadget for these types of items.

The Foodsaver is super easy to use, light-weight and works great. I split up and freeze steaks, bacon, chicken, fish, and fresh produce. I love their containers for my blueberries and strawberries! They one key to getting a good vacuum seal on the bags is to be sure that there is room on the sides for the air to move around the food.

They can be found almost anywhere. I suggest watching Kohls for sales. I was able to get the nicer one at 55% off plus an additional 20% off at Kohls. The sales usually apply to the bags too!

The Change Jar - Discounted Gift Cards

I love gift cards! My son loves gift cards to Barnes & Noble and Blockbuster. They are great to use when teaching children how to budget and spend within their means.

Now, there is a website to buy gift cards at a discount. www.plasticjungle.com I love this website! I was able to purchase a Barnes & Noble gift card for 11% off. There are no shipping charges and no fees. Have a gift card you won't use? You can also sell or trade it at this site.

The Change Jar - Property Tax Appraisals

It is that time of year again. The mail brings those pesky property tax appraisals. How closely do you look at them? Do you notice the percentage by which the appraisal increased? What about the Homestead Exemption.

Now is the perfect time to really look at your appraisals. It can save you a lot of money! Recently, I was asked to help someone prepare to protest the appraised value for their property. The property value had been increased by 56% for structures only. This was for a rural home, barns and land. I suggested the property owners get a written statement from a realtor on market value and a replacement estimate for the shops and barns. They also requested the "worksheet" from the appraisal office. The "worksheet" is what the valuation is based upon. That worksheet was an eye opener! It was completely wrong. The "worksheet" showed overstated square footage for the shop, house, and barns, two sets of porches on the house, and a large enclosed carport. Even with the gross exaggerations, it still took multiple trips to the appraisal office.

The state does have limits on the amount that your property values can be raised each year. Many times, the appraisal districts bank on property owners not protesting the appraisals. They have nothing to loose. Our property value is raised each year and each year we protest. The result is always a reduction in the appraised value. In fact this year, it was decreased to an amount lower than last year's value. Stop hyperventilating - tax appraisal values are not the same as the market value of the house unless the house is less than two years old.

I have listed some of the steps to take to protest your property tax appraisal below. There is also a free kit available at www.AHAhome.com that is helpful. Yes, it does take a little work, but is worth it!

Protest Tips

• Do it yourself or ask a friend. DO NOT use anyone who says that they can lower your appraisal for a fee!
• Verify the square footage of your home
• Check values for similar homes in your area. Checkout http://realestate.yahoo.com/Homevalues.
• Check recent sales prices in your neighborhood. A realtor should be able to assist you with this. I have never had a problem getting one to pull up the MLS that shows the houses recently sold and still on the market in your area.
• Take pictures of issues within the house that would lower the value. Examples are walls that have been colored on, old faucets and fixtures, bad carpet, roofing issues. Take advantage of free estimates on getting the items repaired. It is hard for the appraisal officer to argue with a written estimate.
• Rural properties should ask for the "worksheet" that is being used. Make sure that there are no extra structures and that all measurements are correct.

My Country Kitchen - July 6th Menu & Recipes

I have lost count on the number of times that I have been asked how I plan out my menus for the week. It is so easy to stop in or drive thru for the evening meal. I still relish my time in the kitchen preparing a meal for my family. Yes, I recognize that the evenings can be hectic and a quick solution is demanded. I have several staples I turn to for these nights. This week the menu includes one such staple. My family loves the Bertolli brand frozen meals. They are super quick, taste great and still allow us to sit down as a family to a healthy meal.

I am starting with the basics and those comfort meals. It seems everyone qualifies their request for menus with "It needs to be super simple or dummy proof." I have tried to accommodate this request for the first week. I will throw in more involved recipes as time passes, but don't fret. They will include tips and tricks along with the recipes. Don't hesitate to tweak any of my recipes to your taste.

Welcome to the dinner table....

Menu http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_0fpn6jzfj

Recipes http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc7vbv4c_2crvq4jcg

Premier

Welcome to Nelle's Country! Here I will pass along thoughts, ideas, tips, menus and musings. Yes, I finally got it together and created the blog that everyone kept asking me to do.

I will pass along tidbits of information on a lot of forums - especially dishes from My Country Kitchen, finance tips from The Change Jar, the latest books I've perused in Hammock Readings as well as highlighting items still made in the U.S.A.

I hope each of you will find something helpful and give feedback on what you would like to see included. Pull up a chair and enjoy the porch.