Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips
  
  
  
  
  
• 1 tablespoon brewed coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white
• 10 fresh strawberry halves, optional

Directions

• In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, cocoa, flour and salt. Gradually stir in water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in the chocolate chips, coffee and vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
• In another bowl, beat eggs and egg white until slightly thickened. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Fold into chocolate mixture.
• Transfer to ten 4-oz. ramekins coated with cooking spray. Place ramekins in a baking pan; add 1 in. of boiling water to pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or just until centers are set. Garnish with strawberry halves if desired. Serve immediately. Yield: 10 servings.

No joke! This is absolutely the easiest, no fail fudge you will ever find and it is SO GOOD!


Here's what you need:

2 bags of Creme Drops candy
1 cup of Peanut Butter

What to do:

Place the Creme Drops in a microwave safe bowl and melt them down.
Add 1 cup of Peanut Butter.
Stir well.
Pour onto wax paper and let reset.

That's it, Folks! You now have fast, easy, cheap fudge that people will think you slaved over!

This is one of the goodies I am making for Thanksgiving. I am so hooked on this.

I was so happy to come across this little jewel. I am constantly getting the hiccups and everything I've ever tried to rid  myself of them has never worked.

Until NOW:

Take 2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon of sugar or any dry drink mix (cocoa, Ovaltine, Tang...) and swallow it. Do not add it to anything, just swallow it dry, which isn't easy, but it will "short circuit" the hiccups.

All these years and it's as simple as this!







21b74553cdc5a42995f105bf67ba059c397a4c730a9342bad6

I promised you some very unique, homemade products to save you money and this is a great example. This cleanser will cost about $.50 to make. How much money do we normally spend on cleansers, toners, scrubs, moisturizers... and so on? More than we want to admit, I'm sure. Then, we get them home and they don't even work! What else is great about this product, besides the cost? The ingredients are more than likely in your house already and, if you don't like the facial, use the products in this one for breakfast.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon finely ground oatmeal
1 Tablespoon Yogurt (any kind)
1/2 teaspoon of honey

Directions

Before starting, clean your face thoroughly with any natural cleanser so that you can immediately apply the deep-cleansing facial mixture as soon as it's stirred together.

In a clean bowl, combine the yogurt and oatmeal, mixing to a spreadable consistency.
Place a small bowl into a large bowl of hot water, warm the honey and pour it into the yogurt and oatmeal mixture.
Using a spoon, blend the ingredients thoroughly.
Immediately apply the mask to your face, avoiding the eyes, and let it stay on for 10 - 15 minutes.
Wash it off with warm water.
Pat skin dry and apply a toner and moisturizer to your face.

Mmmm........ you'll love this tasty treat, just in time for those Holiday Get-Togethers.

This salsa is perfect for those of us that cannot handle the hot salsas. It is an Italian variation of a party time favorite.

Ingredients:

1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 small red onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large, nonreactive bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil and basil.
Toss to combine all the ingredients.
Add salt and pepper.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours to allow the flavors to develop.
The salsa is best eaten on the day it is made but will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

 Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

METHOD
No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

I borrow this Kid-Friendly recipe from Paula Deen. Hope you like it!

Ingredients:

For the Magical Peanut Butter Cookies:
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberry Ice-Cream:
1 cup whole milk
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups diced strawberries

For assembly:
6 tablespoons strawberry preserves
Peanut butter chips or chopped peanuts, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet.
In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, the egg, and vanilla, and stir well with a spoon. Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet. With a fork, dipped in sugar to prevent sticking, press a crisscross design on each cookie. Bake for 12 minutes, remove from the oven, and sprinkle the cookies with some of the remaining sugar. Cool slightly before removing from pan.

Strawberry Ice-Cream:
In a small bowl, whisk together the first 5 ingredients. Puree the strawberries in a food processor and add to cream mixture. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker. After freezing in the ice cream maker, transfer to a container and place in the freezer, to freeze solid, for 6 hours before serving.

For assembly:
Spread the strawberry preserves on a peanut butter cookie. Top with a small scoop of strawberry ice cream and cover with another cookie. Roll sides in peanut butter chips or peanuts, if desired.

I battle dry skin year round. Particularly on my face and legs. Seems no matter what I do, I have dry, flaky skin.

I have a simple, easy to make shaving gel that will take care of the dry legs, leaving them soft and moisturized, not to mention, taking away the expense of buying. It can be made out of items already in the bathroom.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Conditioner
2 Tablespoons Shampoo
1/2 - 1 teaspoon baby oil
1 teaspoon hand cream

Directions

Start with a clean bottle with a secure cap.
Pour 2 Tablespoons of conditioner into the bottle.
Add 2 Tablespoons of shampoo.
Mix together.
Add the baby oil and then the hand cream.
Secure top and shake until all the ingredients are well blended.
Let mixture sit for about an hour before using.

To Use

Lather legs or underarms with the gel, shave and rinse the skin thoroughly.
The shaving gel should keep for about a month in the bathroom.
If mixture separates, just shake it up before using it.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 pound sliced pepperoni sausage
• 1 (14 ounce) can pizza sauce
• 2 (12 ounce) packages refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough
• 1/2 onion, sliced and separated into rings
• 1 (10 ounce) can sliced black olives
• 1 (4.5 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place ground beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Stir in pepperoni, and cook until browned. Drain excess fat. Stir in pizza sauce. Remove from heat, and set aside.
2. Cut biscuits into quarters, and place in the bottom of baking dish. Spread meat mixture evenly over the biscuits. Sprinkle top with onion, olives and mushrooms.
3. Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle top with mozzarella and Cheddar cheese. Bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
   

Now, just go and enjoy all that ooey, gooey goodness! Yummy!

Most of you who have seen the Food Network are familiar with Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. Now Sandra Lee has decided to take it even further with the Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Money Saving Meals television show and cookbook.




Who doesn't like to save money on meals? We sure do and I know you do, too. This cookbook is full of delicious dishes, sure to please anyone on any budget.


Mmmm.......

The Giveaway

In honor of our new blog, Tabitha and I have decided to giveaway a copy of the Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Money Saving Meals cookbook.


The contest will run until November 2nd at 11:59 pm CST. Please make sure you leave an e-mail address or that your name links back to one, otherwise your entry will not be valid. Leave a separate comment for each entry.


Ooh! How Do I Win?

We are trying to draw attention to this brand new blog and round up some followers, so, if you want to win, it's as easy as following our blog publicly.

I Know... You Want Extra Entries

(1) Follow @TabithaMichelle on twitter

(2) Follow @SereneMoments on twitter

(3) Tweet the giveaway and leave us the link to see it. (Can be done once daily)

(4) Follow Tabitha's blog: All Things Tabitha

(5) Tell us your favorite, money saving meal.

(6) Follow Gena's blog(s): (leave an entry for each or tell me you already do)

Hello, I would like to welcome you to our blog. Tabitha and I, are joining together to bring you:

* Recipes for great eats and treats: Our own and some borrowed.

* New type of Recipes that will be for "Make at Home" products to save money.

* Tips to make life easier.

..... And anything else we can come up with to satisfy YOU, our reader.

We also plan on throwing in Reviews and Giveaways along the way. You won't want to miss those.

We are currently under construction so bear with the changes as they come.

We love followers and comments, so keep them coming. Please share us with your friends, too.