Wednesday, March 30, 2016

101 Things in 1001 Days: #26 - Add 50 New Amazing Recipes to My Recipe Book


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Sausage and Kale Pasta Casserole

by: paleogrubs.com 

Ingredients

1 lb. Italian sausage
1 medium spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 large bunch of kale, de-stemmed, and chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

 
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the squash in the microwave for 3-4 minutes to soften. Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Place the halves, with the cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 45-50 minutes, until you can poke the squash easily with a fork. Let it cool until you can handle it safely. Then scrape the insides with a fork to shred the squash into strands.
  2. Meanwhile, melt the coconut oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and brown. Once cooked through, remove to a plate. In the same skillet, add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Next add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and kale and cook for 2-3 minutes to slightly wilt the kale. Pour in the chicken broth and coconut milk and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
  3. Stir in the cooked sausage. Add the spaghetti squash into the skillet and stir well to combine. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the top has slightly browned. Serve hot.
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#26 - Add 50 new amazing recipes to my recipe book
60% Complete 

Sunday, March 27, 2016

CVS Coupon Haul Week of 3/27/2016: Saved 83%



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Transaction #1

(2) Softsoap Softsoap Bw Macadamia Oil: $4.99 on Sale for $3..50
Garnier Fructis Style Curl Shaping Spray Gel 8.5 fl oz: $5.29 on Sale for $3.00
Garnier Fructis Style Sleek & Shine Flat Iron Perfector Straightening Mist: $5.29 on Sale for $3.00
 Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2 in 1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum: $12.49
(2) CoverGirl Super Sizer Lashblast Mascara Black: $8.49

Manufacture Coupons:
  (2) $4/1 CoverGirl Blast OR Blast Pro Mascara - Print Coupon Here
  (2) $1/1 Softsoap Body Wash 15-oz + - 3/20 SmartSource
(2) $2/1 Garnier Fructis Style Product coupon - 3/6 Red Plum
 
CVS Coupons
None
 
Used $21.00 in ExtraCareBucks

Paid $9.42 and received $21 in ExtraCareBucks
Will receive an additional $5.00 ExtraCareBucks from the CVS Beauty Club
 
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Retail Value: $51.98

Paid Out Of Pocket: $9.42

($26.00 in ExtraCareBucks left over for next week)

Saved: $42.56

83%

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Sample Saturday: GLAMGLOW THIRSTYMUD™ Hydrating Treatment


GLAMGLOW THIRSTYMUD™ Hydrating Treatment

$22 avaliable at Sephora 

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I was surprised at the color and the consistency of this product at first but it really does perform.


Once applied to my face I immediately felt a cooling sensation as the mask went to work. After it was rinsed off, my skin felt amazingly hydrated. 

Although this product does what it says, I have a number of other skin issues and would prefer a product that has multiple benefits and not just one. With that said, If you are suffering from dry skin and are not concerned with any other possible skin conditions or don't have any I would suggest heading over to Sephora and picking this up.

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Look for Sample Saturday blog posts every Saturday :)

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Trunk Club Review: March 2016


I was recently notified that a new subscription box had hit the market. At first I was not interested as new subscription boxes seem to pop up daily but… Two things caught my attention, it’s a FREE personal styling service, and it’s owned by Nordstrom! Trunk Club was originally independently owned and was a styling service for just men. Nordstrom purchased the company and opened the styling service to women as well. The service itself is free of charge, they send around fifteen items (clothing, shoes, jewelry, etc.) to your home and allow ten days for you to try on decide if you are going to keep anything and mail the trunk back. You get free shipping both ways and can even schedule a UPS pickup from your house with no additional cost. All the items sent are items that are sold at Nordstrom in store as well as online. If an item happens to be on sale at Nordstrom you will also get the same sale price in your trunk. After a couple of initial questions your stylist will send you a preview of your trunk, then you are able to select items that you are not interested in receiving. Your stylist will replace those items and send out your trunk! Another fun feature of this service is that when your trunk arrives your stylist will send you an e-mail with suggested outfits made up completely from what you can find inside your trunk. You can set up your service to receive it monthly or even just contact your stylist and order just one trunk. Your stylist is your stylist and you will always have a direct line of communication to just her.


I decided I wanted to try out the service because I had nothing to lose and there was no obligation to buy. Nordstrom can be pricey so I made sure to tell my stylist to keep the cost on the low end of things. Of course I was expecting a few big ticket items to be thrown in my trunk.

Below are the items I received in my trunk:


Next I will show you the outfit suggestions I received as well as pictures of me trying on the suggestions:























All in all I was really impressed by this service. In the future when I need an outfit for an event or something special I will probably contact my stylist and order a trunk! If you are interested in trying out this service you can click the link below to be connected to my personal stylist:

Monday, March 21, 2016

CVS Coupon Haul Week of 3/20/2016: Saved 93%


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Transaction #1

(2) Colgate Total Advanced Pro-Shield Mouthwash: $5.99 on Sale for $3.99
(2) Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste: $4.49 on Sale for $3.49
(2) Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Brazilian Smooth Shampoo & Conditioner : $4.49
(2) CoverGirl Super Sizer Lashblast Mascara Black: $8.49 on Sale for Buy One Get One 50% Off
(4) Wet N Wild Lipsticks: $.99
(4) Wet N Wild Eyeliner: $.99

Manufacture Coupons:
(2) $.75 Off Colgate Toothbrush - Print Coupon Here
  (2) $.75 Off Colgate Mouthwash - Print Coupon Here
(2) $2 Off 1 Garnier Shampoo, Conditioner or Treatment - 3/6 RedPlum
(2) $.75 Off 1 Wet n Wild Eye Product - 3/13 SmartSource
(4) $.50 Off 1 Wet n Wild Product - 3/13 SmartSource
(2) $3 Off 1 Covergirl Lashblast Mascara Product - 2/28 P&G
 
CVS Coupons
$2 off two (2) Colgate toothpaste, or any other toothpaste 
$1 off Colgate mouthwash, or any other mouthwash 
 
Used $21.00 in ExtraCareBucks

Paid $16.00 and received $21 in ExtraCareBucks
Will receive an additional $5.00 ExtraCareBucks from the CVS Beauty Club
 
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Retail Value: $55.14

Paid Out Of Pocket: $4.39

($21.00 in ExtraCareBucks left over for next week)

Saved: $50.75

93%

Sunday, March 13, 2016

CVS Coupon Haul Week of 3/13/2016: Saved 87%


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Transaction #1

(2) Colgate 360˚ Total Advanced Toothbrush: $6.49 on Sale for $3.39
(2) Sundown Naturals Vitamin C Gummies: $10.49 on Sale for $5.50
(2) Hershey's Kisses Brand Special Dark Chocolate 12 oz: $4.79 on Sale for $3.00
(4) Sally Hansen Advanced Hard As Nails Strengthening: $4.99

Manufacture Coupons:
(2) $.75 Off Colgate Toothbrush - Print Coupon Here
  (2) $2 Off Sundown Natural's Gummies - Coupons.com
(4) $1 Off Sally Hansen Nail Care - 2/7 RedPlum
 
CVS Coupons
$1 off $6 Candy or Chocolate (excludes gum)
$2 off Sundown Natural Vitamin Gummies
 $2 off $10 any Vitamin purchase, includes CVS brand
$3 off $15 COVERGIRL, MAYBELLINE, REVLON, L'OREAL or any CosmetiC
 
Used $18.00 in ExtraCareBucks

Paid $8.76 and received $21 in ExtraCareBucks
 
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Retail Value: $64.02

Paid Out Of Pocket: $8.76

($21.00 in ExtraCareBucks left over for next week)

Saved: $55.26

87%

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Sample Saturday: St. Ives Refresh and Revive Pear Nectar and Soy Body Lotion

St. Ives Refresh and Revive Pear Nectar and Soy Body Lotion 21 oz

$4.96 (21oz) available at Target.com

Believe it or not St. Ives partnered with Influenster and sent me full size products to try and review. 

Pros: 
Paraben free
Comes with a pump
Great smell
A little goes a long way
Inexpensive 
 
 Cons:
It's not the most moisturizing lotion I have ever used
I feel the need to reapply every couple of hours

In the future I think I like this product enough to pick up if I can get a decent deal on it (or if I had a coupon). Even at $4.96 I don't think I would pay full price.

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Look for Sample Saturday blog posts every Saturday :)

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

101 Things in 1001 Days: #26 - Add 50 New Amazing Recipes to My Recipe Book


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Baked Mustard Lime Chicken

by: elanaspantry.com

Ingredients

1 pound chicken thighs
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

 
Directions
  1. Combine lime juice, cilantro, mustard, olive oil, chili, salt and pepper in a food processor
  2. Pulse until ingredients are well combined
  3. Rinse chicken breasts, pat dry and place in a 7 x 11 inch baking dish
  4. Pour marinade over chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 6 hours
  5. Bake at 350° for 60 minutes uncovered, or until an instant read thermometer reads 165°
  6. Serve with extra sauce spooned over top
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#26 - Add 50 new amazing recipes to my recipe book


58% Complete 

Sunday, March 6, 2016

CVS Coupon Haul Week of 3/6/2016: Saved 80%


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Transaction #1

(2) Garnier The Soothing Remover Cleansing Towelettes25 wet towelettes: $$7.49
Physicians Formula Concealer Twins: $10.49

Manufacture Coupons:
$2.00 Off Garnier Cleanser - 2/28 RedPlum
 
CVS Coupons
$3.00 Off $15 in Facial Care

Used $13.00 in ExtraCareBucks

Paid $5.87 and received $12.00 in ExtraCareBucks
 
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Transaction #2

Scott Unscented Bathroom Tissue Extra Soft 18 rolls: $12.49 on Sale for $6.99
Scott Choose-A-Size Paper Towels 6 mega rolls: $8.49 on Sale for $5.49
(3) Palmolive Ultra Dish Liquid 10 fl oz: $1.57 on Sale for $.99

Manufacture Coupons:
$.65 Off Scott Paper Towels - Print Here
$.65 Off Scott Bath Tissue - Print Here
 
CVS Coupons
None

Used $10.00 in ExtraCareBucks

Paid $4.45 and received $5.00 in ExtraCareBucks
 
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Retail Value: $51.86

Paid Out Of Pocket: $10.32

($12.00 in ExtraCareBucks left over for next week)

Saved: $41.54

80%

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Sample Saturday: Mitchell and Peach Body Cream English Leaf



Mitchell and Peach Body Cream English Leaf (Sample Size 1.01 fl oz.)

$69.97 (180 ml) available at Fishpond.com

One of my favorite things to receive samples of is lotion. I love having miniature lotions on my desk at work to use throughout the day. I've received products from Mitchell and Peach before and really liked the quality. This lotion however I don't care for. The lotion felt as if it was hydrating your skin at first but once an hour went by my hands felt as dry as they were before applying. Considering I couldn't really find where to purchase this lotion, the price, and the effectiveness, I am not interested in purchasing a full size.

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Look for Sample Saturday blog posts every Saturday :)

Friday, March 4, 2016

2016 Reading Challenge: Book 11 of 2016


A must read! I myself have not been very knowledgeable about politics or government throughout my life. Now that my college major requires me to get into both politics and government books like these really interest me. Hearing about the running of The White House from the staff on the inside puts a whole other spin on things. If you are even a little interested in reading this book I really suggest you do!

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

2016 Reading Challenge: Book 10 of 2016


I was initially excited to read this book because I thought this book would be extremely humorous. It was funny but it was also packed full of research and explained in great detail how technology has changed the dating world today. This was a great read and I would highly recommend it.