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Win a Copy of Fabulously Frugal
Happy New Year everyone. I’d thought for this first post of 2019 I’d give away a copy of my latest e-book Fabulously Frugal-A 30 Day Makeover. It’s been on Amazon’s bestseller list in the business and money category and one winner is going to get a copy of it. Leave a comment or e-mail me and tell me why you need a money makeover this year. Contest ends Thursday January 9th, 2019, at midnight Eastern.
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Cranberry-Pear Sauce with Rosemary and Ginger
I thought we’d finish out the year with something that sounds expensive to make but it’s not. It’s super quick and easy to make and does not include any refined sugar. Instead, it gets its sweetness naturally from ripe pears and a touch of real maple syrup. Once you try this recipe, you’ll never look at store-bought cranberry sauce the same. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10-15 minutes, plus 15-20 minutes to cool Serves: 6 Ingredients: 12 oz. fresh cranberries 2 medium ripe pears, peeled and diced 2 t. fresh ginger, peeled and grated 3 T. fresh rosemary leaves, finely diced 3 T. real maple syrup ¾ c. water…
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30 Day Money Makeover
If a money makeover is on your New Year to do list, I hope you’ll check out my new e-book that I released yesterday. It’s already on the Amazon bestseller list in the budgeting category. Each day you’ll get a simple, quick suggestion on ways to save money…sometimes even make money. Best thing is it’s currently on sale for just 99 cents. You can buy it here on the BSG site…you can find it on the left of the screen or at Amazon…it should be available on other online stores later this week. I hope you’ll check it out and please tell others who want a quick and easy money…
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Garden Veggie Mason Jar Salad with Homemade Dressing
Holidays can be stressful, you can overeat and have less time. It’s the perfect opportunity to take a break from cooking and eating cookies and make some of these Mason jar salads. The key to success with Mason jar salads is the order you add your ingredients. Always add the dressing first, followed by harder vegetables that won’t break down from the dressing. Next, add softer, more tender vegetables and legumes. Last, but not least, add green leafy vegetables and fresh herbs on top so they don’t get all soggy from the dressing. You can experiment and use any combination of ingredients you prefer. This vegetarian version is filled with…
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Budget Minded Inspiration for the Perfect Christmas Dinner
Sometimes being on a budget means you relay on old favorites, but there are so many ideas out there to give meals a new twist. Here are some to check out… • YouTube – Do a quick search for Christmas Dinner Ideas and you’ll get a plethora of videos to watch. You can refine your search and ask for quick ideas, or vegan ideas, or different ways to cook a Christmas turkey. The sky is the limit with YouTube .• Facebook – This might seem a strange choice, but everyone asks all sorts of questions on their wall and in groups, and they get great answers. Just ask what other…
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Christmas Drink Ideas
Most of us focus on food during the holidays, but drinks can be just as fun to put together, check out these- • Mint White Hot Chocolate – This is a nice variation of hot chocolate and looks super-festive in clear mugs. For adults, you can use a shot of peppermint schnapps instead of the peppermint extract: https://lilluna.com/mint-hot-cocoa/ • Ice Cream “Egg” Nog – This isn’t real eggnog but it’s super-delicious. • Mulled Wine I love making this one when the temperature dips –slow cooker spiced wine recipe • Gingerbread Hot Chocolate – You can look for a recipe but you can just use packaged hot chocolate mix, and then…
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Christmas Breakfast and Brunch Ideas
If you’re feeding a crowd this holiday season, here are some Christmas breakfast or brunch ideas to help stretch your budget. • Overnight Casseroles – These are perfect for making for all your guests while not putting too much work on your schedule. You can choose from sweet or savory casseroles. • Easy-to-Grab Food – Often the morning is full of opening presents and thinking about getting dinner ready. So, if you want to, you can make a variety of finger foods so that everyone can wake up and grab food as they will. Muffins, individual quiches, oatmeal are fine for Christmas brunch. If you want to be creative, make…
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Holiday Mocktail-Cinnamon and Cumin-Infused Cranberry Spritzer
Cranberries and cranberry juice are on sale just about everywhere so it’s the perfect time to put together this fun and very refreshing holiday mocktail. Prep time: 5 minutes, plus chill time Cook time: 10 minutes Serves: 6 Ingredients: 1 c. fresh or frozen cranberries ¼ c. honey ½ c. water 2 T whole cumin seeds 4 cinnamon sticks 3 c. unsweetened cranberry juice 2 medium organic oranges, each cut into 8 wedges 3 c. sparkling water Optional Garnish: Additional cinnamon sticks 6 long rosemary sprigs, lower leaves removed, and threaded with fresh cranberries Directions: Add cranberries, honey, water, cumin seeds, and cinnamon sticks to a small saucepan…
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Holiday Appetizers and Snacks
If you’re throwing a party this holiday season and don’t have the budget for a full sit down dinner for your guests, one alternative is a snack and appetizer buffet. Here are a collection of ideas(some have links that take you straight to the recipes), you can try… Triscuits Snack Ideas – While a lot of Martha Stewart’s ideas are time intensive, these snacks aren’t hard and use a lot of leftovers to help make them really holiday worthy. You can also just put some tomato sauce, turkey pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese on a Triscuit and bake in the oven until the cheese melts. Crescent Roll Ideas – You…
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Easy to Make, Budget Friendly, Candy Cane Wreath
I know some of you love to make crafts (especially during the holiday season), so I asked my friend Sue to share one of her easy to make and very budget friendly Christmas crafts with you. Sue has her own craft blog and this month’s theme is homemade cards so go check it out. If you’re on a tight budget, yet love to decorate your house for the holidays, you don’t need to spend a fortune. In fact I have the perfect thing you can make and all the supplies are from the Dollar Store. Can’t get any cheaper than that, can you? The Dollar Store has a…
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