Coney Corndog Casserole

This recipe was the truest form of a So You Forgot to Defrost moment.  I got home from work a little after 6 o'clock and didn't have so much as a plan for dinner.  The sausage had still been in the freezer so I threw it into a sink of hot water while I prepared the corn muffin mix.  By the time that was done the sausage was thawed just enough to cut through.

My daughter was less than thrilled when I told her my plan for dinner since she doesn't like chili but she ended up LOVING it and even had seconds.

My hubby who also doesn't care for chili or corn bread had a second helping and will have it for lunch a couple more times this week as well.

All and all, I would say it was a success!

Coney Corndog Casserole

Ingredients:

2 8.5 oz boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix

3 eggs

3 Tbls vegetable oil

1 small can diced green chilies

2 cups shredded cheese, divided, I used Pepper Jack

1/2 cup sour cream

1 lb kielbasa or hot dogs, cut into bite size pieces, honestly I think most any meat would work, I used Cajun spiced Andouille Sausage

1 40oz can prepared chili

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

sour cream, if desired for topping

Directions: 

Combine eggs, oil, chilies, 1 cup shredded cheese, and sour cream in a large bowl until blended.

Add muffin mix and combine just until moistened, batter may be lumpy.

Spread half of corn muffin mix into the bottom of a greased 13x9 casserole dish.

In a large skillet brown sausage pieces (if using burger or other raw meat cook until brown throughout)

Once browned, add chili, brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder and pepper.

Heat until hot mixing to distribute spices evenly.

Once hot add 3/4 cup cheese, stir until melted.

Remove chili from heat and pour it over the corn muffin mix in the casserole dish.

Top with remaining corn muffin mix doing the best you can to spread it across the top without mixing it into the chili.

Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese (I may have used more)

Bake uncovered for 28-32 minutes until corn bread is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to set for 5 minutes before serving.

Say grace and enjoy!

Free Cereal, Free Jasmine Rice and more!

The Fillows cereal rebate reloaded to my gallery yesterday, so I once again scored 5 boxes of cereal that were free after the rebate.

The Mahatma Jasmine ready to serve rice was also free after the $1.88 rebate.

We really enjoyed the .48 Hormel Natural Choice snack packs so I bought 5 more of them since they also reloaded to the gallery.

How about Hunt's Best Ever Ketchup for .43 after a $1.75 rebate? Yes please!

Added in lots of other goodies using the Ibotta rebate as well.

Below is  my total purchase, $54.85 at the register, only $21.47 after rebates! Plus, since I redeemed 10 rebates I'm very close to earning several bonuses.

If you'd like to join my team use referral code cjbduxp when you get the app.

$0.47 Noosa, $0.63 Bird's Eye Sides

Noosa printable paper coupons are available on their website.  Ibotta rebates are not effected by the use of coupons so these savings can be stacked.

I had two paper coupons that were $1 off with the purchase of two Noosa yogurts.  The Ibotta rebate was $1 off when you buy three.

I purchased four at $1.22 each, had two $1 off coupons and $1 Ibotta rebate making these .47 each.

The Bird's Eye Steamfresh sides were only $1 to begin with at Walmart and my Ibotta rebate was for .75 off when you buy two, bringing these down to just .63 each after rebate.

We can earn bonuses faster as a team.  If you'd like to be a part of my team use referral code cjbduxp when you get the app.

Creamy Cheesy Tortellini Soup

Creamy Cheesy Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

8 cups chicken broth

19 oz bag frozen cheese tortellini

12 oz bag frozen peas and carrots

16 oz bacon or sausage

1/2 cup heavy cream

shredded parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top

Directions

1. Bring the broth to a boil over medium high heat in large soup pot.

2. Meanwhile, pan fry bacon or sausage until cooked, drain off grease.

3. Once broth is boiling add frozen veggies and return to boil.

4. Add the tortellini, cook 3 minutes.

5. Add bacon or sausage.

6. Add heavy cream and simmer an additional 2-3 minutes.

7. Season with salt and pepper to taste and top with a pinch of parmesan.

Say grace and enjoy! 

Free Cereal, Get Your Rebate Fast!

Free Cereal, cheap snacks and a fast return on your rebate

Some people don't like or can't afford to have their grocery budget wrapped up in rebates, I totally understand.  Ibotta is a rebate program which means you have to put the money up up front.  They don't allow you to withdrawal until you have $20 in rebates.  If you're only earning rebates a quarter at a time it may take some time to build up that $20.

Once in a while though higher value rebates come along and you can earn your $20 in one transaction.

Just today I saw that Fillows cereal was being offered up with a $3.00 rebate and could be redeemed up to five times in a single transaction.  I checked Walmart's website and sure enough, the price on Fillows had been rolled back from $3.64 to $3.00.  That makes this cereal, all five boxes free after the rebate.  I don't buy a lot of sugary cereal but for free if we don't eat it I can have it on hand for local food drives that always increase as we near the holiday season.

So that is $15 of the $20 I need to cash out my Ibotta rebates.  $5 to go.

Last week I posted about how much my daughter and I are enjoying the Sargento Balanced Breaks.  I noticed a rebate for Hormel Natural Choice snack packs.  The rebate was $1 and can be redeemed up to five times in a single transaction.  Price at Walmart is $1.48 or .48 after the Ibotta rebate.

Basically, I spent $22.40 today and earned $20 in rebates.  I can now cash out that rebate and it will be returned to my checking account within 48 hours.  What a fantastic way to stretch your grocery budget.

Bottom line, I got five family size boxes of cereal and five Hormel Natural Choice snack packages for $2.40.

Use referral code cjbduxp when you sign up for Ibotta to join my team.

Cash Out Bonuses

I decided to cash out $300 in Ibotta rebates to start my grocery shopping fund for the month of September.  Upon cashing out I was prompted to use part of my balance to purchase a Cabela's gift card.  With the purchase of a $25 Cabela's gift card I would earn a $2.50 Ibotta bonus.  In this house a Cabela's gift card is as good as cash so you can bet I took advantage of this offer.

I wasn't super impressed with very many rebates this week, plus I'm pretty well stocked up on most of our necessities from last month's shopping. But I did take advantage of picking up this Hunt's BBQ sauce for .75 after Ibotta rebate.

I've mentioned that my daughter's favorite Sunbelt granola bars were the fudge dipped coconut but when I was passing the clearance section at Walmart they had a couple damaged boxes (nothing inside was damaged at all) of banana oat marked down to .96, after the Ibotta $1 rebate these granola bars actually ended up being a .04 money maker per box.

If you'd like to be part of my Ibotta team and start earning for yourself use referral code: cjbduxp when you sign up.

.67 Pringles, .38 Pasta, 1.25 Toilet Paper, Let's save together!

Happy September to you all!

School is starting soon and for us that means quick breakfasts, packed lunches, after school snacks and speedy dinners.  My focus starts to shift to the holiday season and budgeting for Christmas gifts.

With that said I am always on the lookout for an amazing bargain.  Have you heard of Ibotta?  Ibotta is a rebate app you can put on your android or apple device.  You can get rebates for the items you're already buying.  You do have to pay for the items up front but you have the choice of cashing out your rebate after you've earned $20, or you can let it build up, I'm getting ready to cash out $300 from my Ibotta account, it will be sent directly to my checking account. You can earn bonuses for purchases and as a team.

As part of a team you may earn bonuses faster.  If you'd like to be a part of my team use referral code cjbduxp . 

Below I'm going to show you some of the my favorite deals I got the month of August.

I earned over $190 in Ibotta rebates of which, $41.25 was bonuses in the month of August.

My husband likes to take chips in his lunch daily and occasionally enjoys a few when he gets home from work as well.  When I had the chance to pick them up for .67 a can you can bet I stocked up.  Here's what I did.  Walmart's regular price was $1.44.  Ibotta offered up a .44 rebate that could be redeemed up to 5 times in a single transaction.  I printed out a coupon for $1 off when you buy four from coupons.com. When I got to Walmart Pringles were on a roll back for $1.38.  $1.38 - .44 - .25 = .67 a can.  You can use paper coupons at check out and still redeem your Ibotta rebate.

The Godiva cake mixes I nearly didn't purchase.  In the beginning of August I saw the rebate for $1 off a cake mix, I put the offer in my "cart", I thought how much can a boxed cake mix be.......$4.68, that's how much. I've never spent that on a boxed cake mix and I wasn't about to start now.  Then I noticed an additional $1 coupon from coupons.com.  Would I buy it for $2 off, nope, still didn't want to spend the $2.68 even though the molten lava cake seemed amazing.  Then it happened, Walmart rolled back the price on Godiva cakes to $3.67.  For $1.67 I thought I would give these luscious desserts a try.  I have tried the Godiva instant pudding, thanks to Ibotta, and let me tell you, it puts Jell-o brand pudding to shame.

Best Foods Spicy Dipping Sauce was .48. $2.98 regular Walmart price, $1.00 paper coupon in last Sunday's paper and $1.50 Ibotta rebate.

American Beauty Pasta, I know what you're thinking, pasta is cheap always, why bother? I say why not? If you're buying pasta anyway why not get it for .38 a box.  Walmart regular price $1.38 less a $1 Ibotta rebate.

The Sunbelt Bakery Fudge Dipped Coconut bars where a very welcome addition to my cart.  These are my daughter's very favorite granola bar, they taste like a Girl Scout Samoa cookie.  Regularly $2.13 at Walmart they were rolled back to $1.93 and Ibotta offered a rebate of $1 a box up to 5 boxes per transaction. .93 a box was a stock up price for me.

Haven't tried Toffifay? It's amazing!!!!!!

Normally $2.18 a box at Walmart.  Ibotta had a $1 rebate, so I bought one for $1.18.  Once I got home I realized that there was an additional $1 bonus when you redeem two separate Toffifay rebates. So I waited two days for the rebate to reload and bought another for essentially .18 because it once again had the $1 off, plus I have now received the $1 bonus.  So I got two boxes for $1.36.

Sargento Balanced Breaks have quickly become a favorite snack for my daughter and myself.  I told her not to get attached because once they aren't on rebate I won't be buying them anymore.  You get a 3 pack for $2.98 at Walmart so they are nearly $1 per serving.  Ibotta had $1 rebate and then I found a printable coupon for an additional .75 off, making them .41 per serving.

Now as much as my daughter likes the fudge dipped coconut granola bars, my husband loves these Jif Power Ups. Rolled back Walmart price $2.86, $1 Ibotta rebate and .75 paper coupon brings these down to $1.11

Ok, I'm not sure about these but my daughter and niece love them, they have popping boba in them.  Regular Walmart price $2.48, .75 Ibotta rebate, .75 paper coupon brings these 4 packs down to .98 or less than a quarter per serving.

These are everyone's favorite right now,  regular Walmart price $3.48, .75 Ibotta rebate, $.75 paper coupon makes the final price $1.98 a box.

These were not a paper coupon or an Ibotta rebate, they were just a crazy good unexpected deal that I thought was worth mentioning.  We were traveling and popped into a Fred Meyer to pick up a snack.  These are one of my all time favorites.  Fred Meyer had them for $1.99 a bag, nothing special about that. But......when you bought 5 bags you got $5 off your purchase making these $1 a bag.

Dollar General bargains right here! This weekend DG was running a Buy One Get One Free deal on Cottonelle toilet paper.  Regular price for six jumbo rolls was $4.  In addition to the BOGO deal, if you spent $15 on Cottonelle products you got an additional $3 off your total purchase.  

Sparkle paper towels were on sale for $5.50 for 6 jumbo rolls (not a super great deal, but competitive, I needed them and they were going to help me get an additional discount)

My husband has sensitive skin and needs perfume free laundry soap so this all free and clear had a $2 off digital coupon.

I also bought a broom and dustpan for our back porch in the same purchase.

I got all of that for $22, much to my surprise DG took the $3 off the $15 toilet paper purchase off the four free packages as well as the ones I had to pay for.

I also had a digital coupon for $5 off any $25 purchase.

So I got 8 - 6 jumbo roll packages of Cottonelle toilet paper for $1.25 each, 6 jumbo rolls of Sparkle paper towels, all free and clear laundry, 39 pacs, and a broom all for only $22.

The best part of Ibotta is that many offers reload to what they call the gallery within about 48 hours of redeeming them.  The Pringles, for example I purchased five different times, as well as the pasta and coconut granola bars.  When things are offered at a stock up price I try to do just that.

During the month of September I will be posting the best deals I find, whether, in store ad, Ibotta rebate, paper coupons or hopefully any combination, because that's where savings really happen.