FREEBIE of the Day - 11/30/06

Sports watch from DHL. They will send you a free watch for taking a survey on shipping needs for your company. I didn't expect much, but this is really cool looking. It has a black band and digital time and date display. If you would like to get a really neat watch, click here!

Free donations to worthy causes

All you have to do is click on the free donation button and that's it. I know I have posted this opportunity before, but sometimes when it's out of sight - it's often out of mind. I have made it really easy for you. All of the sites are listed, just click on the site name. Here are the listings:

The Literacy Site - Help children read by giving them their own books.

The Child Health Site - Help prevent life-threatening diseases, restore sight to the blind and help amputees with prosthetics.

The Bible Site - Donate bibles to persecuted christians worldwide.

The Hunger Site - Give food to the hungry at no cost to you.

Noggin: Get ready to read - Donate books to needy children.

The Animal Rescue Site - Provide food and care to rescued animals.

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/29/06

ASPCA animal poison control magnet. I know most of us keep the poison control number handy and this is great to have for our pets safety. To get your free magnet, click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/28/06

3M Print to last paper. This is very durable printer paper and they will send you a free sample pack. To try it for yourself, click here!

RECIPE of the Week - 11/27/2006

With the Thanksgiving week over, I'm returning to the recipe of the week format. I'm sure we are all fairly sick of turkey at this point, so I'm giving you a recipe that isn't poultry related.

Butterfly Shrimp Parmesan

1 ½ pounds large shrimp
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Parmesan Cheese
¼ cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter substitute
¾ cup chopped red bell pepper
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
6 tablespoons 2 percent low fat milk

Peel the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Then butterfly each shrimp by cutting it along the outer curved edge almost all the way through. Open the shrimp up like a book and remove the dark vein.

In a small bowl, toss the cheese with the breadcrumbs and set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter is hot, add the bell pepper, green onions, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 5 minutes or until soft.

Add the shrimp and sauté for 5 minutes or just until the shrimp turn pink and opaque. Stir in the parsley.

In a small saucepan, bring the milk just to a boil, and then stir into the shrimp mixture. Stir in the cheese mixture and cook until the cheese is melted.

Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and a lemon twist!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/27/06

Belegenza shampoo and conditioner samples. These have a patent-pending sea extract formula that adds incredible body and soothes scalp. The formula energizes & revitalizes hair & scalp. The moisture rich conditioning shampoo begins repairing split ends & stops breakage. This is great for overprocessed hair or just to keep healthy hair in top condition. For your free sample, click here!

A Point Worth Pondering

"He who receives a good turn should never forget it; he who does one should never remember it."
(Charron)

RECIPE of the Week #6

If you still have leftover turkey that you are trying to find some new and tasty ways to prepare, try this pasta salad.



Turkey Pasta Salad

2-1/2 Cups tri-colored rotini pasta, cooked and drained
2 C. turkey (white meat preferred), cooked and cubed
1/2 C. scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 C. celery, chopped
1/4 C. fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 T. dried)
1-1/2 t. fresh chopped tarragon (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
1 T. canola or olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. mayonnaise (preferrably Miracle Whip)

In a large bowl, combine pasta, turkey cubes, scallions, celery, parsley, and tarragon.

In a small bowl, mix together the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and mayonnaise. Add to turkey mixture. Mix well, coating all surfaces.

Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or until chilled throughout.

Makes 4 main dish servings.

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/26/06

Nourifusion skin cream with aloe, vitamin A & vitamin E. This is a nourishing cream that leaves skin soft and smooth. For your free sample, click here!

RECIPE of the Week #5

Soup is a great way to use your leftover turkey and the evaporated milk in this soup combined with the chicken broth gives it an extra rich flavor.


Wild Rice Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 C. diced turkey
1/2 C. uncooked Uncle Ben's wild rice and long-grain rice
1 seasoning packet from the wild rice mix
1/4 t. pepper
3 (14 1/2-oz.) cans chicken broth
1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
1/3 C. all-purpose flour
1 C. frozen green peas, thawed

Place onion, celery, carrots, turkey, 1/2 cup wild rice and long grain rice mix, rice mix seasoning packet and pepper in slow cooker. Pour broth over all. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours or until wild rice and vegetables are tender.

Mix milk and flour; stir into soup. Cover and cook about 20 minutes or until thickened. Stir in peas during last 15 minutes of cooking.

Serves 6.

Sherri's Useful Tips

STAIN REMOVAL FOR FABRICS:

Grease: Dawn Power Dissolver does a great job. Just spray on clothes and launder as usual. Regular Dawn does a good job too - why do you think they use Dawn liquid on wildlife after an oil spill. You can also put cornmeal or flour on the spot and the grease absorbs up through them.

Ink: Put the fabric into a cup of milk and the ink stain will start vanishing. My favorite, though, is simple rubbing alcohol. Place a towel under the garment and put alcohol on the fabric and rub gently.

PROTECTING YOUR PET FROM FLEAS:

Dogs: Give your dog yeast supplements
Cats: Sprinkle their food with a hint of brewer's yeast
- yeast makes the animal's blood taste offensive to fleas.
- add some salt to your vacuum cleaner bag and this will kill the fleas
that are trapped in the bag.

COOKING TIPS:

Broiling - add one cup of water to the bottom of the broiler pan. This absorbs the smoke and grease and makes the food more tender (Not to mention, you don't have so much smoke)

French Fries - soak fresh-cut potatoes in ice cold water for 5 minutes, drain and pat dry. This cuts down on all the starch that makes the potatoes clump together while frying. For really crispy fries, dust them lightly with flour before frying.

Fresh egg test - put egg into salted, cool water. If the egg sinks, it is fresh; if the egg floats you need to discard it.

Onion smell on hands - we have all had to deal with this menace. To remove the odor, run your hands under cold water while rubbing them against a stainless steel butter knife. You'll be amazed at how well this works.

If you have any hints that you would like to share, click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/25/06

Post-It photo design software to make your own personalized greeting cards. Turn your photos into really special holiday cards. For your free download, click here!

RECIPE of the Week #4

We are always looking for ways to prepare leftover turkey. Here is a recipe from Diana Rattray that has a unique twist.

Turkey Pot Pie with Cornbread Topping

1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted (approximately 10.5 ounces)
1 cup milk
1 cup frozen peas, cooked
1 tablespoon chopped pimiento
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, heat soup, milk, peas, pimiento, and turkey. Transfer to shallow 2-quart baking dish. Mix together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt; cut in shortening. Mix egg and milk together; add to dry ingredients; mix well with a fork.

Pour over turkey mixture. Bake at 425° for 20 to 25 minutes.
Serves 4.

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/24/06

Russ Beary Christmas Tree Ornament. They will send out 1 of 8 of their designs (their choice). The ornaments are absolutely adorable, so no matter which one you get, it is a great deal. To get a really cute ornament for your tree, click here!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

On this special holiday that we share with our family and friends, my family and I would like to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving. There are so many things that we are thankful for and have been blessed with. We may go through trying times occasionally, but the Lord always brings us through and we become stronger through our trials.

As you may have noticed, I have been posting recipes every day this week in celebration of Thanksgiving. I will continue this for the rest of the week and continue with one a week thereafter. As always, I welcome any recipes or stories from you; I love passing them along to others. Take care and enjoy today (for tomorrow we diet)

Blessings to all of you.

Sherri

RECIPE of the Week #3

This is truly the best pecan pie you can imagine. This was a big seller at the bakery and we also baked them for a local restaurant.

Butterscotch Pecan Pie

3 eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup pecan halves
pie shell, unbaked, 9-inch
sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk eggs to beat slightly. Stir in corn syrup, salt, vanilla, brown sugar, and butter; stir to blend well. Stir in nuts and pour into unbaked pie shell.

Bake at 400° F. for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and bake 30 to 35 minutes longer. Outer edge of filling should appear set. Let pie cool completely on a rack.

If desired, decorate the edge with whipped topping, or serve with whipped cream or whipped topping.

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/23/06

LaCoste Pour Femme sample. This scent was inspired by the fragrance of Jasmin-Sambac flowers in a french garden. To try this unique fragrance, click here!

RECIPE of the Week #2

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple, well drained
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups chopped firm ripe banana

Cream Cheese Frosting:

16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°. Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon together into mixing bowl several times. Add eggs and salad oil to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are moistened.

Stir in vanilla, pineapple and 1 cup pecans. Stir in the bananas. Spoon the batter into 3 well-greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes,or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Combine cream cheese and butter; cream until smooth. Add powdered sugar, beating with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

Frost the tops of all 3 layers, stack and then frost sides. Sprinkle top evenly with the 1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans.

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/22/06

Scoop NYC fragrance. I must admit that I am not familiar with this fragrance, but I did request a free sample, so we'll see. For your free sample, click here!

Angel on the Highway

I was driving home from a meeting this evening about 5, stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd., and my car started to choke and sputter and died.

I barely managed to coast, cruising, into a gas station, glad only that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't even turn over. Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the "quickie mart" building, and it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a gas pump! So I got out to see if she was okay. When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen. She was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up to give it to her. It was a nickel.

At that moment, everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff with 3 kids in the back (1 in a car seat), and the gas pump reading $4.95. I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying "I don't want my kids to see me crying," so we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California and that things were very hard for her right now.

So, I asked, "And you were praying?" That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person and said, "He heard you, and He sent me."

I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so she could fill up her car completely, and while it was fueling walked to the next door McDonald's and bought 2 big bags of food, some gift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids in the car who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little.

She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City. Her boyfriend left 2 months ago and she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay the rent January 1st, and finally, in desperation, had called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about 5 years. They lived in
California and said she could come live with them and try to get on her feet there.

So. she packed up everything she owned in the car. She told the kids they were going to California for Christmas, but not that they were going to live there.

I gave her my gloves, a little hug and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she said, "So, are you like an angel or something?"

This definitely made me cry. I said, "Sweetie, at this time of year angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people."

It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow for a check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.

Sometimes the angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter of their wings.

"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." -- Psalms 55:22

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/21/06

Tresemme Color Thrive Kit. This is a shampoo, conditioner and daily color lock-in spray especially for your hair color. To keep your color in peak condition, click here!

RECIPE of the Week - 11/21/2006

Pink Salad

This is a very rich salad and really delicious.

1 can of cherry pie filling
1 can (drained) of pinapple chunks
1 large bag of pecans (chopped)
1 large container of Cool-Whip
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together (in large bowl) and serve chilled as a dessert. Enjoy!!

This recipe was contributed by Erika Philpot

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/20/06

Sally Hansen diamond strength no-chip nail polish. Sally Hansen has always had great nail products. For this great freebie, click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/19/06

Stainless steel ring that says 2SMRT4U. This ring encourages kids to be careful about what information they share with others on the internet. For a stylish reminder to be careful with your info, click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/18/06

Post-It sortable cards from 3M. These are great to help you get organized. To get your free sample, click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/17/06

Smiley face cards. These are cards that encourage you to be kind to others and to give the card to someone so that they can do a kind act in return. To order your cards, click here!

A Point Worth Pondering

Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road.

John Henry Jowett, Minister
1864 - 1923

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/16/06

Ring sizer from weddingbands.com. They have some beautiful rings, earrings, etc. For your free ring sizer, click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/15/06

Customized printable letters from Santa. This freebie comes to you from AAA South. You have 2 designs to choose from (Santa Claus or a snowy scene) and your child has a really cool letter from Santa. This is great, especially when your child's name is unique or has a different spelling. To get a personalized letter from Santa for your child(ren), click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/14/06

Sunsilk hairspray samples in a 3-pack. You can select the kind of hairspray that's right for your hair. Sunsilk has really great products. For your free sample of hairspray, click here!

RECIPE of the Week - 11/13/2006

Roast Goose with Fruited Stuffing

2 medium navel oranges
4 cups bread cubes, toasted (about 6 slices bread)
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped, about 1 cup
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 to 12 pound goose, not wild

Peel and section the oranges over a measuring cup; reserve 2 tablespoons of juice. Dice oranges. In a large mixing bowl, toss together bread cubes, diced oranges, chopped apple, raisins, pecans, reserved orange juice, salt, and nutmeg.

Cover and let stand at room temperature for 60 minutes; toss again.
Stuff body cavity of goose. With a sharp fork, prick goose legs and wings all over so excess fat will be released while roasting. Do not put any additional fat on goose.

Place goose on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast at 325° for 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours, spooning off excess fat from time to time.
Roast goose serves 4 to 6.

This recipe really speaks to my English ancestry.

Thanks Patty!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/13/06

California Raisins tote bag. I used to really love those guys. They haven't been around as much anymore, but here's your chance to get a really great tote bag. For this freebie, click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/12/06

Premium Belgian fondue chocolate sample. The Chocolate Guy out of San Diego is sending out free samples of fondue chocolate in your choice of milk, dark or white chocolate. To get your sample, click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/11/06

Oregon scenic calendar. There are some absolutely beautiful pictures in this calendar and you can never have too many calendars! For your scenic calendar, click here!

Words to live by

"Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

Joshua 1:9

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/10/06

Vitabath Expressives shimmering body lotion. They offer 4 scents for you to choose from. The body lotion is irridescent and has rich moisturizers. For your free sample, click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/09/06

Christmas card from Hallmark and Wal-Mart. It's always nice to see different types of Christmas cards. To get your free card, click here

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/08/06

2006 Kid's Corner Advent Calendar. This will help the family prepare for a meaningful Christmas. For your free calendar, click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/07/06

Vanilla Mist body spray by Calgon. Calgon has had some very nice scented body sprays, even though vanilla isn't my favorite scent personally, you might really enjoy this product. To get your free body spray, click here!

RECIPE of the Week - 11/07/2006

This was one of our best sellers at the bakery my mother and I owned in the '80's. It tastes just like pecan pie in a convenient little bar. The crust is buttery and will melt in your mouth!

Pecan Pie Bars

Crust:
2 C. flour
1 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. crisco
1/2 C. butter
1/2 t. salt
1 egg yolk
1 t. vanilla

Filling:
4 eggs
3/4 C. sugar
1 1/4 C. dark corn syrup
1/2 C. melted butter
1/2 C. flour
1 t. vanilla
2 C. pecans, chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine all crust ingredients; blend well. Press in bottom of ungreased 13x9x2 pan. Bake 12-15 min. or until golden brown. Set aside.

In medium bowl, combine eggs & sugar. Stir in corn syrup & butter; blend well. Mix in flour & vanilla; add pecans. Pour filling over warm crust. Bake 18 - 20 min. Filling will set as it cools.

Sorry for the late postings

The postings have been really late the last week or so. There's a really good reason for that - we are all sick here. Just when you think it's getting better, you get knocked down again. Here's hoping we finally get over all this. Thanks, for being patient.

Sherri

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/06/06

Rosenborg 2007 Calendar. This company makes Rosenborg Danish Bleu Cheese. The calendar features a different recipe each month. If you're like I am and lacking in bleu cheese recipes, click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/05/06

Tide Simple Pleasures liquid laundry detergent. They have 3 scents: Vanilla & Lavender, Water Lily & Jasmine and Rose & Violet. You have a choice of 2 of the 3 scents; vanilla & lavender or rose & violet. Tide is a trusted name for years and has always been a really great brand of detergent. To get your free sample of Tide Simple Pleasures, click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/04/06

Golden Corral is offering a free buffet to active or retired military personnel on Monday, November 13th from 5 - 9 p.m. We appreciate all that you do for us and the sacrifices that you make to help keep us safe. If you want to check out the different daily buffets or other information on this great deal, click here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/03/06

Rimmell London long lasting lipstick and fragrance sample. To get the fragrance sample, you have to check a box when you enter your information. For some really great lipstick and a chance to try a new fragrance, Click Here!

Give Donations for Free

If you visit the Breast Cancer Site, you can click on free donation and they will donate money to them for free. Also, you can give free donations to fight hunger, help children get adequate health care, feed hungry animals, etc. This is a really worthwhile cause and it takes you less than a minute to do, so please give your free donation by clicking here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/02/06

ESPN t-shirt. I don't normally list clothing freebies on this site, but this is a pretty cool looking t-shirt and no cheesy logos. If you'd like to add to your collection of t-shirts, Click Here!

FREEBIE of the Day - 11/01/06

Alpha Male skincare products. I realized I had samples that women really liked, but not that many for the men out there. There are 6 product samples that they send out: daily face wash, refining face scrub, smooth shave formula, saving face lotion + spf 15, cooling body scrub and no sweat hand lotion. To get these great samples, Click Here!