Celebrating Fall Hot Apple Cider And Candy Apples Recipes #HarvestFun #ad #throwback

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias #ad #HarvestFun

This is a #throwback from 2013 of one of our favorite #shops we have done with #CollectiveBias

My favorite season is fall, and here, the leaves are already beginning to turn gold.

 I'm very excited about the fall baking that I will be doing, and making favorite fall recipes and discovering new ones, too.

I love making fall treats for family and friends. I'm a grandmother to four little ones, and they love it when I make or bake something delicious just for them.

This weekend I could feel fall in the air, so I decided to make candy apples with Candy Corn flavored M&M's, and some delicious Mott's hot apple cider.

I went shopping at Walmart to buy the new fall packaged M&M's. They come in four flavors, including Peanut, Peanut Butter, Milk Chocolate, and the flavor I bought, Candy Corn.

I have made candy apples with M&M's before, and they are always a hit. They are great for fall activities where a treat is needed, and the perfect cute spin on giving an apple to your child's teacher.

Candy apples are easy to make, and it's fun to find different ingredients to make the outside coating taste delicious.

Candy corn is something we always have on hand in the fall, so I knew the Candy Corn flavored M&M's would be great to roll the caramel apples in. I just used my mini Magic Bullet to chop the M&M's, dipped the apples in the melted caramel, and then rolled them in the candy.

I really love giving candy apples as an unexpected little gift, or a thank you. I almost feel guilty for how little effort it took to make them, when the receiver is so happy to get them.

These were a huge hit this weekend with my kids and grandkids, so I'll try the other flavors of the fall M&M's too, especially the peanut kind.

I also made some hot apple cider this weekend, and we sat outside on the deck with it in the evening. This could be the last time we will be doing that, as the evenings are getting quite chilly.

I like making my apple cider with a bit of a citrus twist, by adding orange juice and lemon juice to the Mott's apple juice. This recipe can be doubled or tripled for a larger group, and not only do the adults love it, but the kids do to.

And your kitchen will smell deliciously like cinnamon and spices.

I've been buying the Mott's brand of apple juice for years, and gave it to my children, and now to my grandchildren.

It's the base of this great tasting apple cider with a twist. I like heating a cup of this cider in the microwave for myself in the afternoon or evening.

For me, nothing says fall like apple cider. It's so easy to make your own, and it tastes so much better than the bottled kind.

I love how cute these apples came out, and my daughter thought they would make sweet gifts for the teachers on Back To School Night.


Recipe for Candy Corn Flavored M&M Candy Apples

Ingredients:

5 apples, washed and dried
5 popsicle sticks
1 11 ounce package Kraft Caramel Bits
2 bags Candy Corn flavored M&M's

Directions:

Insert popsicle sticks about half way into apples.

In batches, chop up M&M's in a Magic Bullet or blender. Heat caramel bits according to package directions.

Dip apples in caramel and twist by stick to  remove excess. Roll in crushed M&M's, then place on waxed paper. Place in fridge to set and cool.


Recipe for Mott's Hot Apple Cider With a Citrus Twist

Ingredients:

1 quart Mott's Apple Juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 table spoons cloves or cider spice mix
Additional cinnamon sticks for serving with cider

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine the first 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat: simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
Strain, discarding cinnamon stick and cloves. Serve warm, garnish with additional cinnamon sticks.

Makes 5 cups.

For more great ideas visit the Fall Baking and Entertaining Pinterest Board.

Trident Vibes Gum Free $5 iTunes Gift Card Rebate from Walmart #TridentVibes #ad

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TridentVibes #CollectiveBias #ad

What’s better than getting something free after purchasing your favorite gum? You simply upload your Walmart receipt, including the purchase of Trident VIBES® gum, and wait for it to be validated and you'll receive a $5 iTunes gift card. Trident VIBES® has this rebate offer running until 11/1! 

Easy Meal Time with Chef Boyardee Rollback Prices at Walmart

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LowPriceMeals #CollectiveBias #Ad

With winter almost behind us, I am looking for easy, scrumptious meals for my family. Less time in the kitchen means more time for other fun activities. Now through March 16, 2015, each 14.5-15 oz can of Chef Boyardee is on rollback at Walmart for only $0.75. Chef Boyardee raviolis, mac & cheese, and spaghetti and meatballs are just some of the varieties you can enjoy at a low price. Be sure to head to Walmart and stock up on this great deal while supplies last!

See the entire list of great Chef Boyardee 14.5 - 15 oz cans on rollback price:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T0KEogmmH2...

While shopping at Walmart, be sure to look for the Rollback signs for Chef Boyardee in the Canned Food aisle!

Saying Happy Birthday With A Gift From T-Mobile Simply Prepaid™

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ChangingPrepaid #CollectiveBias

Birthdays have always been very special occasions in our family. When my kids were growing up, planning their parties, baking cakes, and buying them presents are some of the happiest memories I have. And just because all five of them are all grownup doesn't mean I have to stop making a big deal about the day they were born.

My youngest daughter Megan is almost at the end of her 2-year contract with a big name cellphone service provider. She hasn't been very happy with them, especially when her bills are unexpectedly high and she has to try and talk to a representative with the company to get some answers. So for her birthday, I decided to get her the T-Mobile Simply Prepaid™ plan and Samsung Galaxy Avant cellphone.

Megan and I had talked about her switching to a prepaid plan, so I knew this was something she wanted to do. Like lots of young people her age, she just went with a big name carrier when it was time to start paying for her own cellphone service, and not knowing there are better choices.

Introducing Simply Prepaid™ from T-Mobile lets you get unlimited talk, text, and data with your choice of a high speed data amount starting at $40/month. And there are no overtures, credit checks, or annual service contracts required.

This makes this plan a great choice for young people just starting out or on a budget. And I love that T-Mobile offers the best in wireless, now in prepaid.

Living in the city and paying high rent, I know that having a low-cost phone plan will help Megan balance her budget much easier each month. She's actually very good with money, but opening her phone bill every month was a stress that I'm very happy she won't have to deal with anymore.

I went shopping at Walmart to find my daughter's birthday present. I knew I wanted to pick out the perfect phone and plan for her, and I couldn't wait to give it to her. We are big on presents in our family, though I don't usually give cellphones, but I knew how much she would appreciate this gift.

With Simply Prepaid™ you get 4G LTE data on T-Mobile. And how cool is the Samsung Galaxy Avant phone? I know it will be great for Megan's super busy life and let her stay connected to family and friends with ease.

Look for T-Mobile Simply Prepaid™ at your local Walmart. You can find it in the No-Contracts Phone aisle.

Don't settle for second-rate prepaid wireless. On T-Mobile's Nationwide 4G LTE Network, there's no reason you have to.

I'm off to meet the birthday girl and give her this great new phone. I know she'll love it. I know I'll love that she loves it. And with this fabulous new phone, there is no reason at all why she can't call her mother.

Disney Planes Rollback Prices at Walmart

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PlanesToTheRescue #CollectiveBias

Looking for last minute holiday gift ideas? Delight the little ones in

your life with Disney Planes items now on Rollback at Walmart! All

items listed below are on rollback through the holiday season!

#PlanesToTheRescue #ad

Disney Planes Flight to the Finish Speedway ($24.97)

Disney Planes: Fire & Rescue Die-Cast Vehicles, 3-Pack ($14.97)

Disney Planes: Fire & Rescue Deluxe Talking Vehicle Assortment ($19.97)

How To Make Budget Friendly Meals Taste Great With Kraft

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

When you have a large family, simple dinners and budget friendly meals become even more important. And when some of the kids are picky eaters, it can really be a challenge to make a meal that appeals to everyone, and lets you stick to your grocery budget.

Since I'm a regular shopper at Walmart, I am always happy to hear about their fabulous Rollback prices. This means that already low prices are even lower, and that lets my dollars stretch further, which makes me very happy.

I've been challenging myself to make dinners for $20 or less lately, and that is not easy. But with careful meal planning and Walmart's Rollback Prices on Kraft products, I'm doing it!!

The other night, I made a yummy dinner for my family that everyone loved. We eat sandwiches at least once a week, and these turkey meatballs that I made for these sandwiches are one of my favorite budget recipes.

Many of my favorite Kraft products are on Rollback pricing right now, so I can take advantage of that to help me stick to my budget.

These are items that I have been buying for years, especially the Kraft Mayo and Kraft Singles. And with barbeque season in full swing, we can never have enough Kraft Barbeque Sauce.

My grandchildren adore the Velveeta Shells & Cheese, and it's so easy to make. They enjoy it for lunch or dinner, and sometimes I add a veggie to it, and they still love it.

I know that money is tight for lots of families around the 1st and 15th of the month. We try to take advantage of low prices, use coupons, and love it when we find a buy one, get one offer.

These turkey meatballs are easy to make, and taste delicious. I've tried various recipes over the years, and come to the conclusion that simple is best.

It's just turkey, chopped onions, an egg, breadcrumbs, seasonings, and Kraft Mayo. I always used milk as the wet ingredient, but a friend told me about using the mayo, and it really does make all the difference. The meatballs are more tender and flavorful.

Whenever I find a great deal on ground turkey, I'll buy it and make lots of meatballs to freeze for later use. We do use a lot, especially for one of our favorite dinners, spaghetti and meatballs.

It doesn't take long to cook the meatballs, and then I pour on the Kraft Barbecue Sauce. I cook them a few more minutes in the sauce because I just love how the sauce clings to them for added flavor.

I just love meatballs, and always sneak one or two out of the pan before we eat!!

Velveeta Shells & Cheese tastes great on its own, but sometimes I add a little something to it.

This time I added 1/2 cup of petite diced tomatoes from a can. Just stir them in after it's done, and make sure you drain them so there is no extra liquid going into the Shells & Cheese.

 It's a little boost of flavor, and I love adding healthy tomatoes to dishes whenever I can.

We buy a lot of this product, so I took advantage of the Rollback Prices to stock up. I like having lots in the pantry, and feel great saving money.

Kraft Singles, Kraft Mayo, Kraft Barbeque Sauce and Velveeta Shells & Cheese are all available at Rollback prices at your local Walmart.

Look for lots of other Kraft products that are also on Rollback, and let them help you save money on your grocery bill.

Keeping an eye out for these great prices will let you #RollIntoSavings and let you get more for less.

#CollectiveBias

Here's my simple but tasty recipe for my meatballs. You can substitute ground beef for the turkey, but turkey is healthier, and I think just as flavorful.

I also sometimes find packages of ground turkey on a buy one, get one free sale. I never find them on ground beef, so this is another good reason for me to buy turkey.

Recipe for Turkey Meatball Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
3/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Kraft Mayo
1/2 cup diced onions
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

For making sandwiches:
3/4 cup Kraft Barbeque Sauce
6 sandwich buns
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and cup into strips and sautéed
12 slices of Kraft Singles

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for meatballs (except olive oil) until well mixed. Shape meat mixture into 1-inch balls.
In a large frying pan, add the olive oil. Over medium heat, fry meatballs until browned. Carefully turn every few minutes so they don't burn.
When done, add the barbeque sauce and stir to coat the meatballs, and cook 3 more minutes.
In a sandwich bun, lay 2 pieces of cheese, cooked bell pepper, and top with meatballs.

Makes 6 sandwiches.

Enjoy!!

Enjoy Summer Family Fun With DIGIORNO® Pizza



I am a member of the Collective Bias® and Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and it's advertiser.







One of my family's favorite summertime activities is playing board games together. We spend hours out on the deck playing, and there is always some friendly competition going on among us.

We love playing Scrabble, and there are plenty of word challenges where we have to get out the dictionary to settle things. I love this, and it makes me grateful that we can spend this time together.

All the game playing calls for some great tasting food, of course. So this weekend I bought some DIGIORNO®  pizzas for us to enjoy. The weather was gorgeous, and we had a lot of fun.

I went to Walmart to pick up my pizzas, some drinks, and some snacks. I love the DIGIORNO® RISING CRUST® Pizza. My family loves them too, so I usually pick up a few.

Since I always enjoy trying new products from brands I like, I also bought the new DIGIORNO® Design A Pizza™ Kit, and the pizzeria! from DIGIORNO®.

It saves me so much time and money when I buy these oven ready pizzas, and with so many different kinds to choose from, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

My grandson made this masterpiece from the DIGIORNO® Design A Pizza™ Kit. The kit is a fun way to get creative, and there are severable kinds to choose from.

In the middle of our game, the pizzas were ready. Yum, hot and delicious, just the way we like them!

What kids don't like pizza, and my grandchildren certainly do. I like that when I buy DIGIORNO® Pizza, I always know it's going to be family pleasing.

This Tuscan Chicken flavored pizza was my personal favorite, and one I will have to go back to Walmart and stock up on. Really delicious and flavorful, and I love chicken on my pizzas.

Our summers here in the Seattle area are unpredictable, and we do get rain at times. That makes the time that we do spend outdoors even more special.

Family time is precious to me, and I don't want to spend a lot of time cooking when we manage to get everyone together. So, great tasting, oven ready DIGIORNO® Pizza is a favorite for us.
#CollectiveBias

Look for the DIGIORNO® Design A Pizza™ Kit, DIGIORNO® RISING CRUST® Pizza, and the pizzaeria! from DIGIORNO® at Walmart.

Summer is a great time to enjoy some good old-fashioned family fun, either by playing classic board games like my family does, or creating your own way to make some fun memories.

Pick up some great tasting pizzas and lots of #summergoodies for plenty of summertime fun.

Finding The Best Coffee Maker To Help Me Enjoy My Morning Coffee Journey and A Giveaway!!

Like so many coffee lovers, my day starts out with that first cup of freshly brewed coffee. For me, brewing coffee is a special beginning to my day. So I am beyond excited to have just gotten this gorgeous new drip coffee maker from Mr. Coffee®, and it's ability to make my morning coffee taste delicious.

Since I live in the Seattle area, there really is coffee to be found everywhere, and I do my share of buying coffee when I am in the city.

But for me, waking up to a quiet, early morning cup, really is the best way to start my day.

I got my new Mr. Coffee® Optimal Brew™ coffee maker at Walmart, and while I was there, I decided to pick up a bag of coffee to celebrate. Yes, celebrate because I haven't had a new coffee maker in years, and I know this new beauty will be making me great coffee for years to come. For coffee lovers, a new coffee maker is a big deal for sure!!

When you have just bought a fantastic coffee maker, you have to buy some fantastic coffee to go with it.
Millstone® coffee is one of my favorites, and I always love opening a bag, and inhaling that delicious aroma. Especially if it's one of the flavored coffees they offer, like this Hazelnut Cream. It makes a rich and aromatic cup of coffee every time.

Millstone® coffee is available in light roast, medium, medium roast, and dark. Their flavored coffees are lightly roasted to allow the gourmet aromas and flavors to shine.

Love the flavored coffees!

Even though I spend a lot of time on the computer, my day starts with my datebook and that first cup of coffee.

It really is my special alone time, time to think about what I want, what I need to do that day, and catch up on mail, or read a new magazine.

I've been a mom for many, many years, and now I am a grandmother. I finally have time to drink my coffee at a leisurely pace, and it really is enjoyable. The special moments I enjoy with my coffee in the early mornings at my desk, are treasured.

Talking about how much I love coffee wouldn't be complete without talking about my father.

My dad was a Marine, and a gruff man who was busy earning a living for his family. He worked very long hours every day, but on the weekends, he made us pancakes. And every Saturday morning, he let me finish the last half cup of his coffee.

It was sweet with cream and sugar, and the aroma of that half cup is one that I can still recall to this day, some five decades later. That morning coffee was his love, shown to me in a way that he didn't have the words to express.

I also enjoy sharing coffee with my own grown-up kids. Plenty of heartfelt, happy and sad moments have been played out over cups of coffee for us.

The coffee maker aisle at Walmart was loaded with so many different kinds. Since I hadn't shopped for a coffee maker in years, I was surprised to see so many choices.

But I have trusted the Mr. Coffee® brand for decades, and it was actually the brand of my very first coffee maker. So when I saw this new Mr. Coffee® Optimal Brew™, I knew that was the one for me.

It brews 10 cups of coffee, and has a stainless steel vacuum-insulated carafe that keeps your coffee fresh and hot for hours. It also comes with a Brewing Pause 'n Serve feature, Water Filtration, Removable Water Reservoir, Auto Shut-Off, and a Removable Filter Basket.

Of course, it also lets you pre-set it so that you can wake up to freshly brewed coffee whenever you choose.

And see how great it looks!! I have a fondness for stainless steel appliances, so this is one I am proud to display on the counter.

Good looking and hard working are what I look for in kitchen products, and my new Mr. Coffee ®  has both features.

I picked up my bag of Millstone® coffee along with my coffee maker, and couldn't wait to get home to try them out.

Pairing Millstone® coffee with the Mr. Coffee® Optimal Brew™ coffee maker results in a great tasting, rich, aromatic cup of coffee, every single time.

Coffee is such an important part of my life, that I am quite picky about the coffee I use and it's brewing methods.

And I couldn't be more pleased with the results of using these two wonderful products together, for a great coffee experience.
#CollectiveBias

My daily #coffeejourneys are something that are very special to me. I love talking about coffee.

Guess what else I love? I love giveaways!!

So I am super excited to tell you that I am giving away one Mr. Coffee® Optimal Brew™ coffee maker and a bag of Millstone® coffee!!!


Enter in the Rafflecopter below, and one lucky winner will be able to enjoy their own delicious coffee drinking experience.

**Giveaway Has Ended the Winner is:
Entry #307 Cathy K. following on Pinterest


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Disclosure: *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts April 22, 2014 and ends on May 2, 2014 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. This giveaway will be fulfilled by Frugal Family Tree. This is a sponsored giveaway.

Slam Dunk Dinner With DIGIORNO Stuffed Crust Pizza

Watching sports on TV has always been an activity that our whole family enjoys. With two sons, and two son-in-laws, you can bet there is some serious basketball games watching around here.

That calls for some serious eating too, and that's where DiGiorno Stuffed Crust Pizzas come in. We all love the great taste of DiGiorno, and the fact that we can pop as many as we need in the oven, and in 20 minutes or so, we have hot, delicious pizza without any fuss.

Since we lost our beloved basketball team here in Washington State, my family and I have been watching a lot more college games. And I have to say, I'm having a lot of fun following and cheering on our local Washington college team. Basketball is so fast paced, and exciting, that I don't want to miss a minute of it by being stuck in the kitchen.

I went to Walmart to pick up a couple of DiGiorno Stuffed Crust Pizzas because some of us were getting together to watch a game. The selection of different kinds of DiGiorno was amazing, and I always seem to pick the stuffed crust, because really, why wouldn't you??

All that super yummy cheese in the crust is irresistible to me. So I picked out a DiGiorno Stuffed Crust Buffalo-Style, and a Stuffed Crust Sausage, Peppers, and Onions pizza.
#CollectiveBias

Everyone in my family is a true pizza lover, and we love a good hearty pizza with several toppings, especially sausage.

The Stuffed Crust Sausage, Peppers and Onions was a big hit, and we sadly ran out pretty quickly. I didn't know how great this tasted, and you can bet we'll be stocking up on this.

So good!!

The Buffalo-Style Chicken pizza was fabulous tasting, too. Pizza with chicken is one of my personal favorites, and the sauce on this was tangy and flavorful.

Why spend time in the kitchen cooking, or spend all that money for delivery, when DiGiorno gives you delicious pizza so quickly, and at such a great price?

And it's so much easier to invite friends and family over to watch a game when you don't have to worry about what to serve to eat. We love being spontaneous, and it's so much fun to celebrate the season by having people over to watch the games with us.

My grandson Jayden is seven now, and he's become a big basketball fan. He loves watching it, and playing it with his friends at school.

While we were watching the game, he was showing me how good he is getting at dribbling the ball. All this while eating a piece of pizza, too!!

I like letting everyone choose the kind of pizza they want to put on their plate, so really all there is to do is just slice them. So easy, and good. My favorite way to entertain!!

Our team got beat, but we all still had a great time. Basketball season is a lot of fun, but really, for me, it's a chance to spend time with my family and good friends.

You can bet I'll be buying more of the DiGiorno Stuffed Crust Buffalo-Style Chicken, and Stuffed Crust Sausage, Peppers, and Onions pizzas on my next trip to Walmart.

These two kinds of pizzas are definitely my #NewFavorites, and I bet they'll be yours, too.