Mailbox Monday for increased Traffic

This is a great idea for anyone who wants to boost their subscriber count or just traffic to your blog.  These girls are on to something!  I am so excited to give this a try.  Click on the Mailbox Monday button to give this a try!

Personal 72 Hour Emergency Survival Kit

This is a great buy at $59.99 plus with every order, you get a free Food Storage Calculator which is worth $14.95

This comes from Disaster Necessities .  Check out their site!!

I have put these together myself and I know I spent way more than this!  You can add a few personal things to this and it will be ready to go!



Product Description


Personal 72 Hour Emergency Survial Kit “EVERYTHING KIT”
*As FEATURED on the TODAY SHOW!!!*



This 72 Hour Emergency Survival Kit has a little of everything, from search and rescue to trauma medical supplies.


1 – Large Backpack

1 – 3 Pack 8.5 oz. Water

1 – “D” size Flashlight

1 – Pack Alkaline Batteries

1 – 2400 Calorie Food Bar

1 – Pair Goggles

1 – Solar Blanket

1 – Hard Hat

1 – Work Gloves

1 – Burn Free Jel

1 – Gauze

1 – Bandages 1 – Clipboard

1 – Pencil & Accountability Forms

1 – Dust Mask

1 – AM/FM Radio with Batteries

1 – Whistle with Lanyard

1 – 15" Pry Bar

1 – Roll Duct Tape

1 – Roll ‘Caution’ Tape

1 – Safety Vest

1 – CPR Mouthpiece

1 – Ice Pack

1 – Adhesive Tape

Get all your 72 Hour Emergency Survival Kits from Disasterncessities.com!

All Prices in US Dollars

*Keep in mind this is only for 1 person.  You would need to get one for every person in your house.

7 Steps To Food Storage

Follow This link to find a guide called The 7 Steps To Food Storage.  This comes from AreYouPrepared.com a great website for all your emergency preparedness needs.

Cartoon Yourself!

If you want to have a little fun, go to MyWebFace to cartoon yourself.  You can actually do alot with your photos on this site.  Save your pic and add to facebook or save to computer photos to use as an avatar!

One Way To Get A Little More From That Ever Shrinking Dollar

Be sure to sign up for email alerts from the Dollar General website .  They have lots of coupons to apply to their already low prices and an awesome sweepstakes going on right now.  Check out this site for amazing savings!

Sign up for FREE Newsletter and Lots more!

Lots of coupons for Holiday cooking and Great recipes.  Join here and save big!

Emergency Preparedness: FOOD STORAGE NOW



I think the the very best thing anyone can be doing right now is to store extra food.  Store the food you like to eat and use from it and then replace it. 
Depending on our geological location we are all faced with different emergency situations.  But according to all credible sources on inflation, we are about to see food prices explode!  Most experts feel by June of 2011 the food we use every day will quadruple in price!  That is crazy!  Right?  Actually, that is a modest projection.  Click here  for a report by NIA.
Why not be on the safe side?  Better safe than sorry! 
There are many ways you can do this.  You can just buy extra when you go to the store or you can shop with  food storage specialists like Emergency Essentials
I have personally used this online preparedness store for years and I have never been disappointed. 
Whichever method you decide on, it is important to decide! 
I will be posting on this subject every day, as I feel it is of utmost importance to all of us.  Check bank for ideas and resources to help you in this endeavor.

Joni

Free Printable Thanksgiving Dinner Planner

Need help planning for Thanksgiving Dinner?  This wonderful and FREE printable from Moms Budget is so awesome!  You can download it Here or visit the website .  There are also many other Holiday printables and organization helps.  Check this website out!! 

While searching the internet for deals, I have yet to come across anything better than Old Navy for babies and toddlers.  I ordered this onesy for $2.99 along with some other great deals.  They always have very cheap items.  Sometimes you have to look hard for them, but keep looking, they are there.  For instance, this color of onesy was the only one that was $2.99, the others were higher.  Sign up for their email alerts and get a free gift and gift on your birthday.  Also, free shipping always with orders over $50.
And, if that wasn't enough, from 11/11 - 11/18 you can get a coupon to take an extra 30% off just for liking Old Navy on Facebook.  Just go to your facebook page and type in Old Navy and like their page.  Scroll down a little and you should see the offer for 30% off.   Happy Shopping!

Joni

Turkey Helps

These wonderful helps come from http://www.myrecipes.com/ which is a compilation of recipes from Cooking Light, Southern Living, Sunset, Real Simple and Health Magazines.



Buying the Thanksgiving Bird


There are basically seven different types of whole turkeys: frozen, fresh, natural, organic, free-range, heritage, and kosher. Frozen is the cheapest and most widely available. The drawbacks: you'll need considerable time to thaw in the refrigerator, and it may be injected with a salt solution to keep moist. See Sunset.com's "Pick the Perfect Turkey"  for a quick primer on the differences between the turkey types.

How Much Turkey to Buy


A good rule of thumb is to buy 1 pound of turkey per person to allow for seconds and leftovers. So if you're having 8 guests for Thanksgiving, you'll need an 8-pound bird. You know your crowd best, so buy the size that fits your needs.
Get ready for the feast with our ultimate collection of  Thanksgiving Recipes.

Turkey Defrosting Tips


The best–and safest–defrosting method is to set the bird in a shallow pan in the refrigerator for 24 hours per 5 pounds of turkey. Keep in mind you'll need to save room in the refrigerator as this will take several days. The turkey is fully thawed when the thick part of the turkey registers 40 degrees. For tips to defrosting in a hurry, read, "The Turkey is still frozen"  at RealSimple.com.

Roasting Turkey for Beginners


The key to roasting a perfect turkey is the temperature; you want moist, juicy meat on the inside and a crisp exterior. Keep your meat thermometer close by to ensure the bird reaches a safe internal temperature of between 165 and 180 degrees. An average 12-pound turkey with giblets will take around three hours to cook at 325 degrees. For a step-by-step guide, go to CookingLight.com

Deconstructing Turkey Carving


"The whole turkey may look really pretty, but taking slices from the outside of the breast is difficult," says Cooking Light Test Kitchens staffer Sam Brannock. For a step-by-step guide, watch our "how to" video on turkey carving or read more of Sam's tips at CookingLight.com.

Check out the link below for 9 different turkey ideas.  This is the first one!
Dry-Cured Rosemary Turkey


First-time Thanksgiving hosts might relate to Lori P, who shares this success story:

"This was rated by the most critical of my family to be the best turkey of all time. It was great that it was my first large-scale hosting of Thanksgiving for the family.... it made me proud."



Double Chocolate Warm Pudding Cake



This is from Very Best Baking .  Check out their great Holiday recipes!


Prep:10 mins
Cooking:20 mins
Cooling:0 min
Yields:9 servings

Guests will love the combination of moist cake with chocolate sauce. Enjoy this simple take on southern baking warm from the oven and topped with light whipped topping or ice cream.

Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk, divided
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water
Lowfat whipped topping or ice cream (optional)

Directions

PREHEAT the oven to 350° F. Spray 8-inch-square baking pan or dish with nonstick cooking spray.

COMBINE flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup evaporated milk, oil and vanilla extract; whisk until just blended. Spread batter into prepared baking pan.

COMBINE remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa in small bowl. Microwave remaining 1 cup evaporated milk and 2 tablespoons water in small, uncovered microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute. With wire whisk, stir in sugar-cocoa mixture into milk mixture until blended. Gently pour over chocolate batter in pan.

BAKE for 20 to 25 minutes (25 to 30 minutes if using glass dish) or until cake layer forms on top and edges are bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes. Spoon into serving dishes, spooning chocolate sauce over cake. Top with whipped topping.

TIPS: • Individual servings can be reheated in microwave for 10 seconds.

Southern Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

A Family Favorite!

1 9-inch unbaked Pie Crust Shell

1 Cup Pecan Halves

1/2 Cup semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

4 Eggs slightly beaten

1/4 Cup melted Butter (no substitute)

3/4 Cup light or dark corn syrup

1 Scant Cup granulated Sugar or 1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Spread the pecans and the chocolate chips over the bottom of the unbaked pie crust.  Beat eggs slightly.  Add melted butter, corn syrup and sugar; blend well.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour egg mixture over pecans and chocolate chips in pie shell.  Bake for 45 - 60 minutes until center of pie is set.  Cool before serving.  While cooling, melt 1/4 chocolate chips and 3 Tablespoons of whipping cream in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until melted.  Garnish with melted chips and pecans.