A Thrifty Rose by Any Other Name...

Where has the time gone I started blogging to share ideas I have gathered from life experience and online for saving money.  Then life got in the way!

I am ready to restart my blog with a new name.I HATE THE THRIFTY ROSE moniker.  Must have been on Equate's version of Oxycodone when I thought it was a good name.

Any Ideas? I want to incorporate my own name ROSE with something that is fun and says I am about saving money!

I have some time this summer to add more projects and money savers so stay tuned!

$1 Store Halloween Wreath

Ahhh, the Dollar Tree. My mothership!  Here is a fast fun EASY wreath with everything from The Dollar Tree's 2012 Halloween collection

Supplies:
Pool Noodle
Duct Tape
Crepe streamer paper in orange and black ( 2 in a set)
2 bundles black roses
gift wrap tape

Take pool noodle and make a circle, attach clear or colored duct tape to ends.

 Wrap with orange streamer. Simple use tape to attach beginning and end pieces.

Cut black streamers into strips. Wrap around noodle using tape.

Cut flower stems about 2 inches from base of flowers and stick them into the noodle.  Remove a few spiders from the flowers and attach them to other areas of the wreath! Hang and admire your budgety talent!

Quick & Creamy Dreamy Stroganoff-ish Sauce

Hubby wanted meat balls and spaghetti sauce with dinner tonight. I had no tomato products in the house so I had to make something up.  So I flung together this Stroganoff-ish sauce. It was incredible!  I added my big ole meatballs, penne pasta and a thrifty meal was born.

Ingredients:

1 can fat free low sodium Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup chicken or beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon Sea or Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and heat on cook until heated through. Or if making with pasta simply add all ingredients to hot pasta pot and mix with pasta. Enjoy!

So Crisp! So Cheap! Micro Popcorn NOT in a paper bag!

You've probably seen on Pinterest the idea of popping corn in the microwave in a paper bag. I tried it, loved it for the most part. But the bag can tear open and it's wasteful.  So I thought I would try a regular microwave container and voila!

Fast, healthy and easy popcorn in minutes. And is is SO crisp and fresh. I use my Pampered Chef Micro Cooker but any plastic microwave container and lid will do!

I use 1/4 cup corn kernels.  (I buy the Store brand for 39 cents a bag and get about 20 bowls of popcorn NOT BAD!)

Important! Make sure you use a lid but I would recommend NOT attaching it.  For example, the micro cooker lid snaps on but I just lay it on without snapping, in case the popcorn overflows.

Cook for about 1 minute 45 seconds to 2 minutes or more, depending on your microwave.  Take out when popping slows.  I add a splash of melted butter, a dash of Parmesan and sprinkle of sea salt and pepper!

Note: You will more than likely have a good helping of unpopped kernels.  I save these and toss them out for the squirrels.  Or you can put them in a Ziploc baggie and put them in the freezer for a no mush ice pack for kiddies boo boos!

Less than $4 Halloween Door Decor

Scrapbook paper and clothes pins! Easy Peasy. Took 30 minutes to do.

6 pieces of 12x12 patterned paper ( I used 3 double sided!  Cost: $1.80!)
White glue (I like ULTIMATE GLUE but Elmers is fine too for $1)
Scissors
Salad sized plate
30 clothes pins ($1 for 36 at Dollar Tree)
Scrap yarn
Scrap Cardboard
Paper trimmer or ruler
Black Sharpie

 1. Take one sheet of patterned paper to use as the center.  Lay salad plate on paper, trace then cut (does not have to be perfect, pins will hide imperfections. repeat with cardboad

2. Glue paper circle to cardboard.

3. Attach pins to circle, simply clip on!

4. Measure length and width of pin.  Cut 6 measured strip of 5 different patterns.(30 strips total)

5. Spread glue thinly to first pin, lay paper strip on top and smooth.  Continue with other 4 patterns and then repeat patterns until all pins are covered.

6.  Hand cut 4 triangles for banner. Hand write EEK! or any other words you like. 

7. Glue yarn under 2 pins.  Attach each triangle with thin line of glue in back of each banner.

Hang with command strips or string ribbon or yarn from back with tape!

Chicken Pesto Alfredo Casserole - Freezer Meal

I love love love this casserole!  This is my first ever freezer meal creation and it is a HIT!  I would love to claim that I created this but I got it from my  Taste Of Home Freezer Cooking book.  I highly recommend it.

(photo courtesy of TASTE OF HOME)

For original recipe click HERE -TASTE OF HOME

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) penne pasta
• 6 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Italian cheese blend
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1 jar (15 ounces) Alfredo sauce
• 1-1/2 cups 2% milk
• 1 jar (8.1 ounces) prepared pesto
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chicken, cheese blend, spinach, tomatoes, Alfredo sauce, milk and pesto. Drain pasta and add to chicken mixture; toss to coat.
• Transfer to two greased 8-in. square baking dishes. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and oil; sprinkle over casseroles.
• Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly.
• To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Nutritional Facts1-1/3 cups equals 612 calories, 30 g fat (13 g saturated fat), 111 mg cholesterol, 829 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 42 g protein.

Big Ole Juicy Meat Balls, I mean Meat MOUNDS

This is the easiest meatball recipe.  No rolling with your hands to make uneven meatballs, everyone comes out exactly the same size.  Because you use a cookie scoop they are not really meat'balls', more like meat'mounds'.  But they are BIG and juicy and full of flavor!

1 lb ground chuck (80% lean)

2 slices bread ( I use whole wheat)

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Worcesteshire sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 small white onion diced

1 egg

Heat oven to 400°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. (If using a baking stone, no foil is needed.)

Pour milk into medium sized bowl. Tear bread into tiny pieces and add to milk, stirring to make sure each piece is covered.  Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes.  Drain any remaining milk.

In large bowl, mix all ingredients. Mixture will be very moist. Using a large cookie scoop, (2 tablespoon size) scoop balls of meat onto pan or stone. ( Should make 12-14 meatballs)

Bake uncovered 20- 25 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Add to spaghetti sauce, serve on a roll or eat them one by one!