Sunday, May 30, 2010

Pantry Potpourri: Sliced Bread

Pantry Potpourri:

The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread? Sliced Bread!

You may have heard it said before that a new gadget or product is “the greatest thing since sliced bread.” As a self-proclaimed carboholic, I say, nothing is greater than sliced bread itself!  You may think of bread as simply a PB&J caddy, but rest assured this pantry staple is more than just a sandwich maker.  Bread is an inexpensive addition to any pantry and a miracle worker for solving many a household task.  Here are a few of my favorite uses for white bread:

Food Softener:

If you don’t own a brown sugar bear there’s no need to fret.  Your hard-as-a-rock brown sugar can again be as soft as the day you bought it. Put the brown sugar into an airtight container and place a fresh piece of white bread on top of the sugar.  Seal the container and leave for 1-2 days until soft.
This same principle applies to stale marshmallows.  Now, personally, I love stale marshmallows, but if you didn’t let your’s harden on purpose, add a piece of bread to a re-sealable plastic bag filled with hardened marshmallows and let it rest a few days.  Voilá! Newly fluffed mallows!

Fresh Protection:

Add 1-2 slices of white bread to your sealed cookie jar to extend shelf-life freshness for home-baked cookies.

Scorch Remover:

If you forgot to check the rice you made for dinner and now it smells scorched, don’t throw it out, just add white bread! While it’s still hot add a slice of white bread to the pot.  Put the lid back on and wait 10 minutes.  Remove the bread and the scorched odors/taste with it.

Odor Eraser:

Oh, I wish I had learned this as a child!  I would have snuck bread onto every pot of steamed broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussell sprouts when my mother wasn’t looking had I known that adding a piece of white bread to the top of the pot would absorb most vegetable odors. You can add this to the exterior lid or on top of steaming vegetables in the pot. Oh well, I guess I still would have had to eat it – so better to see it coming and mentally prepare myself to swallow them whole.

Oil Absorber:

Too much grease in the ground beef?  Too much grease smoke from the broiler?  White bread is an excellent oil and grease absorber.  Adding a piece of bread to the frying pan or a few slices to the drip pan decreases broiler smoke and removes excess pan grease.  As an added benefit, the less oil in your pan the less splatters and potential burns and the less chance of oven fires!  Remove and discard used bread after cooking.

Floor Cleaner:

If you’ve ever shattered a glass or ceramic dish on a tile kitchen floor you know it can be nearly impossible to sweep up every little shard.  The big pieces are easy to pick up, but it’s the razor thin and almost invisible needle-sharp pieces that remain ominously unseen. You may vacuum and sweep, but invariably someone will step on a stray fragment and get cut or you’ll end up getting poked by fragments in a sock in the dirty laundry. To clean this mess effectively, sweep the floor surface well and then use a vacuum handle attachment to suck up as much of the small remains as possible.  Then simply press a slice of white bread over the entire area and prepare to be amazed at how much glass you’ll still find. Fold used bread in half and discard carefully.

Bee Sting Extraction:

If you’ve been stung by a bee and the stinger won’t come out, apply a bread and milk poultice.  Briefly soak a piece of white bread in milk and then squeeze out any excess.  Apply to the sting site and wrap lightly in plastic wrap and a bandage.  It’s said the yeast in the bread will help draw the stinger out and the cool compress will help alleviate pain and swelling.

Bread may be the staff of life, but it can also be a real household lifesaver! It’s likely your cupboard is rarely without this pantry staple, but just in case, make sure it’s on your shopping list.  Remember, you can freeze bread from the grocery store for up to one month in its original packaging or up to 4 months in freezer quality plastic wrap/bags if all air has been removed.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Walgreens Register Rewards


:: Walgreens Register Rewards Program ::

Walgreens offers a rewards program they call Register Rewards.  These can be a little complicated but also very rewarding! Walgreens issues instant checkout register coupons with your purchase which are good for cash off your next shopping order.

If you're new to Walgreen's Register Rewards program and wondering how it works, here are the rules:

1. You can only get one Register Reward per promotion in a single purchase. You can buy 2 of the same item, but they would have to be rung up separately. You can get multiple Register Rewards in one purchase when you buy products from different promotions.

2. You cannot use the exact Register Reward on the same promotion in a following transaction. Ie.. if you buy Olay and get a RR (Register Reward) you cannot use that RR to buy another Olay. If you do so, you will not receive a second RR. You either have to pay for the soap and accumulate the catalinas for a different purchase, or you'll need to use the catalinas from a different promotion to pay for the second Olay.

3. You have to have as many items purchased as coupons (RR is considered a coupon)! If you bought one Olay and tried to use a coupon and a RR it would not be accepted. You would need to buy one more item so you have 2 products and 2 coupons.

4. Register Rewards and coupons can not be applied towards sales tax. You will always have to pay the full tax amount for every purchase even if the products were free.

Register Rewards can save you a lot of money but are somewhat complicated. Make sure you understand how they work before you get started!

Learn how to save more at Drugstores!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Kmart K'Ching Surprises


It's easy to win!  Every time you shop and present your Shop Your Way Rewards card at checkout, you'll automatically be entered to win a K'Ching Surprise. 

    I have won a 3 pack of Cracker Jacks, a 24 ct. box of Crayola Crayons and an 8 oz.  bottle of Hand Sanitizer!  When you win a K'Ching surprise the cash register notifies the cashier immediately.  A prize coupon will print out on your receipt.  Take your receipt to customer service and redeem your prize immediately.

    Prizes vary from smaller items up to $2,000 Home Appliance or Entertainment makeovers. (Now, if only I could win those!)

    Kmart Birthday Club



    As a member of the Kmart Birthday Club, you’ll receive:


    • A Birthday Surprise Fun Pack

    • $5 in Birthday Bucks (redeemable at your local Kmart store) on your child's birthday

    • Age-appropriate toy and gift suggestions

    • Information on developmental milestones from 6 months through 12 years

    • Tips and advice for planning a memorable birthday celebration

    Kmart Shop Your Way Rewards

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    What is Shop Your Way Rewards?

    Start earning with every purchase! Shop Your Way Rewards is a free program that you can use at:
    • Sears, Kmart, Lands' End and the great indoors stores
    • sears.com, kmart.com, landsend.com, thegreatindoors.com, craftsman.com and mygofer.com
    • By phone (1.800.MY.SEARS)
    Simply use your Member card to earn points every time you make Qualifying Purchases at participating Sears, Sears Grand, Sears Hometown, Sears Home Appliances Showrooms, Sears Hardware, Sears Outlet, Sears Auto Centers, Kmart, Lands' End and the great indoors stores located in the United States and Puerto Rico, plus at sears.com, kmart.com, thegreatindoors.com, craftsman.com and mygofer.com. Then redeem your points on the things your family needs or save them for something special.
    • Earn 10 points or more for every qualified $1 you spend
    • Earn and redeem points in store and online
    • Receive exclusive weekly bonus offers so your points will pile up fast
    • Present your card, email or phone number to earn points
    • Redeem points for everyday items or save up for something special
    • Return items without a receipt

    Kmart Shop Your Way VIP Membership:


    The more you spend in a year, the higher your status and the more benefits you enjoy. Plus, you get a personalized Member card and a dedicated 800 phone number.





      Kmart Deals

       
      :: Kmart Weekly Deals List ::




        **Kmart Shopping Tips **
        Kmart frequently runs double coupon sales!  These events typically last the entire week of the Kmart sale flyer.  Kmart's double coupon event varies slightly at each offering.  Kmart double coupon events can be:
        • Limited to a specific department, ie. Health & Beauty products only
        • Limited by coupon amounts, ie. 5 coupons per household per day
        • Unlimited products and coupons
        • Regular Doubles, ie. Coupons up to $1.00 will be doubled.
                          $0.25 = $0.50
                          $0.50 = $1.00
                          $0.75 = $1.00
                          $1.00 = $1.00 
        • Super Doubles, ie. Coupons up to $2.00 will be doubled
                            $1.00 = $2.00
                            $1.50 = $3.00
                            $2.00 = $4.00


             
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