Capture the Little Things @ Home

Last week, I got a check in the mail for $10.17 because I had purchased an item online! By going through a site called Ebates , I am able to get coupons and cash back by shopping online! While most sites offer 4% cash back, I've seen as much as 16% cash back at certain sites! Now, that's the way to shop! It is so very worth it!! There are many online stores that have coupons and cash back rebates via Ebates ... JoAnn, Barnes & Noble, JCPenny, Kohl's, Adorama, Groupon... the list is quite extensive! They even have cash back on gift cards!! image via There is no secret "catch" to it and this isn't a scam of some sorts. It's very legitimate and I've been doing it for over a year now. You won't get rich off of it, because it's not a money-making venture - remember you're shopping. Think of it like coupons or rebates because you actually get cash back. Really, you have to check out Ebates , set up a free account, and start s...

Normally, when shopping on eBay, my biggest concern is that I might be getting ripped off by the seller. I've heard stories of others who have purchased something and paid for it, but when it arrives, it's faulty in some way or another. I never really considered the fact that I could be getting ripped off by the buyer.  The buyer scamming me? Really?! Yes, it happens. Admittedly, I don't do much on eBay, so maybe it's a bigger problem than I'm aware of. I never even thought of a buyer trying to rip me off... until it nearly happened to me! Our Story I was trying to sell my iPod Touch on eBay with the option of an action price or a "buy it now" price. Within a few hours of posting, we received an email saying it had been purchased.  A few hours later the buyer contacted us and told us he was buying the iPod to send to his nephew in Nigeria for his birthday. Although he himself was from California, he was currently on business in Spain, so he wo...

For a quick treat to take along to your family gathering, try this... Patriotic Pretzel Rods It's so simple, there's really not a recipe. All you need are pretzel rods, white almond bark {white chocolate chips would work as well}, and patriotic sprinkles. Dip the pretzels into the white almond bark, lay them on some wax paper, then lightly cover with the sprinkles. When dried, place them in a basket or container of choice - don't forget to stick a small American flag in with it! Super easy and tasty! Remembering our fallen heroes...

For many years, I've used my mother's fantastic meatloaf recipe. In my opinion, there is no better recipe! It's full of flavor, moist, and just plain wonderful! There are so many meatball recipes out there with rave reviews and I thought that I should probably at least give some of them a try. I tried this recipe that I found on AllRecipes.com and actually really loved it! I think I'll definitely try it again! The recipe is for mini meatloaves, but I don't see why you couldn't make it as one dish. image from allrecipes.com user "mominml" Mini Meatloaves 1 egg 3/4 cup milk 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup quick cooking oats 1 teaspoon salt 1 pound ground beef 2/3 cup ketchup 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). In a bowl, combine egg, milk, cheese, oats, and salt. Add the ground beef, mixing well, and form this mixture into eight miniature meatloaves. Place these l...

This past week, I decided to make waffles from scratch rather than the box. I was pleased with the result! They smelled amazing and tasted pretty good too! I don't know that there's anything "earth-shattering" about these waffles, but they sure do beat a Jiffy mix! image courtesy of Allrecipes.com Classic Waffles Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons white sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups warm milk 1/3 cup butter, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar; set aside. Preheat waffle iron to desired temperature. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, butter, and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture; mix until blended. Ladle the waffle batter onto the preheated waffle iron. (I like to spray my iron with olive oil.) Cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

I've had some kielbasa in my freezer for several months and finally decided it was time to pull it out and make something with it. I was surprised to find very few recipes using kielbasa. Honestly, it's a rare ingredient for me and I bought it because it was on sale! :) I managed to find this recipe with good reviews and decided to try it. I was glad I did! We loved it!! Creamy Kielbasa and Potato Soup photo and recipe from AllRecipes.com Creamy Kielbasa and Potato Soup 4 potatoes, cubed 1 onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 (14 oz) can beef broth 1 (14.5 oz) can chicken brother 1 cup water 3/4 pound kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces 1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup ground black pepper to taste In a large pot over medium heat, combine potatoes, onion, celery,  beef broth, chicken broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer  until potatoes are tender, 15 minutes. Stir in sausage an...

Those of us who use Pinterest know how easy it is to pin a great recipe or idea and then never try it. We're all guilty! I've been in a mode of trying new recipes lately, so figured I might as well make the recipes I've pinned. Earlier this week when I needed to make to make chocolate chip cookies (yes, needed !), I headed for a recipe I remembered seeing on Pinterest . It was quoted the "best ever chewy chocolate chip cookies" with a "secret ingredient". This I had to try! Original photo and recipe from Apple A Day Best Ever Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients: 3/4   c.   unsalted butter, softened   3/4 c.   brown sugar   1/4   c.   granulated sugar   1   egg   2   tsp.   vanilla extract   2   c.   all purpose flour   2   tsp.   cornstarch   1   tsp.   baking soda   1/2   tsp.   salt   1 c. bittersweet chocolate chips ...