Posted By Nicole Humphrey

I figured with Adgitize I finally found the silver lining. If you read the previous post, about how I won the grand prize for this blog back in September ‘09 and I just discovered it yesterday, then you realized I didn’t have high hopes for Adgitize to still award me the prize money. Honestly, it is their right, since I took nearly five months to contact them. I waited on baited breath for a positive outcome, but would never have blamed them, as it was my fault. I used an email address that I quit using shortly thereafter because of spam, and my hosting/blog wasn’t working the way it should and letting me know of pingback and trackbacks. Honestly, if I hadn’t been having trouble with my blogs, I might never have figured it out when I went to combine the hosting.

So, are you waiting for an update? Are you wondering if Ken Brown is everything that everyone claims he is? I can assure you that he is and more. This is the email I received.

HI Nicole,

We will be more than happy to pay out the $75 to you. You won it fair and square. Once I hear back from you that this is a good email address then you will be able to login to Adgitize. Update your PayPal Address in the Profile section and send me an email that it has been updated then we will send you the $75.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Ken Brown
Adgitize

You do realize they so did not have to honor this after all this time. That company has the type of business ethics that every company should strive for. I am so proud to be a member, and am so pleased with their decision to honor it anyway.

So tonight I should have the money paypal’d (I think I just made a new word LOL) to my account, and I am so excited.

Thank you Adgitize for the honor of the grand prize back in September. Thank you Ken Brown, for not only honoring the prize after all this time, but for being patient with me in the past 24 hours as we sorted it all out.

If you haven’t checked out Adgitize, I strongly suggest you do. I will be posting information on all my blogs about my experience with Adgitize to help spread the word and get others involved.

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Posted By Nicole Humphrey

After being completely aggravated by my hosting company and the merging of the hosting accounts (which didn’t quite work the way it was supposed to), I had to restore everything on my blog. While I was restoring everything … suddenly my “links” updated and I could see who was saying what about my posts. So I follow them, just to check them out and I come across this post.

Does anyone want to just scream with me now? My blog won the grand prize of $75. So first, I think… well why wasn’t I notified? Is this the only way they notify you? Nope.

Unfortunately, I set up adgitize with an old acct (it was active at the time) that got inundated with spam, and so I quit using it. I went to adgitize and realized there is no way to change your email address.

At any rate, I checked that email acct, and low and behold… here’s what they sent me:

Hi Nicole,

I want to congratulate you on winning $75 USD in the Adgitize August Fireworks Contest. Go to http://www.adgitize.net/blog/2009/09/02/winners-in-our-august-fireworks-contest/ to see more details.

As our Grand Prize winner you were chosen from 62,076 entries. Thank you for joining our contest and congratulations.

If we have your PayPal email address in our system we will send you the winnings later today. If you have not given Adgitize your PayPal email address then please go to the Member’s Lounge ==> Profile ==> Member Payment section to enter your Paypal address.

If you have any questions or problems please let us know.

Thank you and Congratulations.

Sincerely,

Ken Brown
Adgitize

http://www.adgitize.com

Arrrrrgh!!! Who couldn’t use $75?!?!?! So anyway, I replied to him and then CC’d it to my private email, so we shall see what comes. I am sure it is FAR too late to even get the $$ now. So, now I’m bummed so I am going to go make dinner on my new George Foreman grill and pout in silence. I am not EVEN going to ask what else could go wrong, because I know that it could be much worse.

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Posted By Nicole Humphrey

Per a few requests, I have decided to pop a few pumpkin recipes in throughout the coming weeks. I have some delicious recipes that we have made several times that are just heavenly. This pumpkin pancake recipe I found last year and have made several times. The kids just love it and it just screams cool, brisk morning. The house smells awesome too!

Pumpkin Pancake Recipe

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 c. canned pumpkin
2 eggs
2 Tbs. vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ginger. In another bowl, combine the eggs, evaporated milk, pumpkin, oil and vanilla extract. Stir combined wet ingredients into dry ingredients until moistened. Scoop batter by 1/4 cups onto a preheated hot griddle sprayed with cooking spray. When bubbles begin to form, flip the pancake over. Cook until golden. So delicious!! You can serve with syrup, but we usually serve with whipped cream that has been seasoned a little with pumpkin pie spice.

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Posted By Nicole Humphrey

We made these for the first time last night, and they absolutely rocked. I almost didn’t try them because I am trying to do with as little dairy as possible, but after one sip I needed another which eventually turned into a mug full! But I wasn’t actually on the banana diet thing anyway, so I enjoyed a really yummy cup of this delicious drink. My kids adored it and we figured out it could be made with lots of flavors of ice cream as well as extracts.

Hot Almond Cream Drink Recipe

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar, packed
2 c. vanilla ice cream
2 tsp. almond extract
3/4 c. boiling water/cup
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (optional)

On low heat, in a pot, melt the butter and mix in the sugars on the stove top for about 5-10 minutes stirring nearly constantly and careful not to allow it to burn. Pour the sugar mixture into a large bowl and add the ice cream and the almond extract. Using a mixer, beat until the whole thing is smooth. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl frequently. Now you have your basic part done.

To make a cup of the delicious beverage:
Spoon 1/4 c. of the mix into a mug. Next add 3/4 c. boiling water and stir well. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve. My kids enjoyed it with some whipped cream on top but I opted out of that. This recipe makes about 3-4 mugs full out of it. So be sure to halve, double or triple to suit your needs. Hope you enjoy and let me know how you like it.

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Posted By Nicole Humphrey

Have you walked through the grocery store recently? The price of food has gone up drastically in the past year, and it seems it is still on the rise. Trying to stretch your grocery dollars might be something you are focusing on. Obviously we need food; it is a necessity in life. It is certainly something we cannot do without. So how do you save money on something you have no choice but to buy? Here are a few ways to quickly save money on groceries.

1. Make it from scratch. Even if you only substituted your boxed or frozen meals only twice a week with a homemade meal, you could wind up saving $5-$10/week. Do it four times a week and you’re looking at $15-20 worth of savings. If you add it up over a whole year, you are on your way to truly saving some money. Made from scratch meals are definitely cheaper and can be stretched further and if you’re worried about waste, use your freezer to save portions for another day. Better yet, double your meal as you are cooking it and freeze one of them for a later date.

2. Coupons are available everywhere for nearly every product known to man. Clip them, organize them and use them. When you are making a shopping list, grab the weekly ad from your local grocer and pay attention to what is on sale. Perhaps even create your meals around these items. If a deal is particularly good, and you have the storage room, stock up. Use your coupons to bring the cost even further down. The first time you get groceries for $42 that would have cost you $109, you’ll get more excited about the coupons. In addition, it takes about an hour a week or so in organizing, but can save you thousands of dollars a year.

3. Buy in bulk, but only if you actually use the item frequently. Avoid purchasing anything in bulk that will spoil before you use it all. Consider splitting the cost with someone else and sharing the product. Ask someone, you might be surprised at how eager they are to do the same thing. You won’t know if you don’t ask. Buying in bulk definitely saves money, but you want to eliminate the end waste if you can.

4. Before you shop, eat a quick sandwich, or an apple or anything that might make you less hungry. You don’t want to be full, unless you shop exclusively from a list (which I strongly recommend). You’re more apt to not purchase anything because nothing will be appealing to you. If you shop when you are hungry, you will wind up with many items you probably would not have purchased otherwise.

5. Meal plan, make a list, stick to it. The best advice I have for you, make one grocery trip a week if you can help it. Consult the store ads, check out your coupons and then plan your meals ahead of time. Make a list of what you need to prepare those meals. Once you have made that list, go to the grocery store and stick to what you have listed.

I will go more in depth of each of these points in the coming days. It is my goal to help you save money!

What’s your favorite way to save money on groceries?

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Posted By Nicole Humphrey

My kids love to change up the flavors to this yummy dessert. We usually use frozen yogurt because its a healthier choice than ice cream and tastes exactly the same. So easy, the kids can make it.

Purple Cow

3 c. vanilla ice cream (we substitute vanilla frozen yogurt)
1 c. milk
1/2 c. thawed frozen grape juice concentrate (undiluted)
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Place the ice cream, milk, grape juice concentrate in a blender and process until smooth. Serve. Yum!

The best part is you can change the frozen concentrate to any flavor and just call it the color it is “Pink Cow”, “Yellow Cow”, etc. Best part is, kids can actually make this by themselves!

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Posted By Nicole Humphrey

My mother gave me this recipe when I was first married. I’ve always loved Dill Potato Salad and she had a great one that she had received from my grandmother.

Dill Potato Salad

1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mayo
3 Tbs. vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dill weed
6 c. sliced cooked potatoes
1 c. thinly sliced celery
3/4 c. minced onion
1/2 c. diced peeled cucumber, well drained
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced or chopped

In a medium bowl, mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise and dill weed. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, celery, onion, cucumber, green pepper and the egg. Add the sour cream mixture to the veggies in the large bowl and mix well. Chill in fridge for about 2-4 hours to allow flavors to blend.

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Posted By Nicole Humphrey

I adore this easy to make dinner recipe, and my kids love it because it has such a fun name. Even the older ones think its funny that it is called Hay and Straw. Tastes great, super easy and a nice inexpensive dinner. If you are looking for more inexpensive dinner ideas, check out the Cooking section over at Frugal Changes.

Noodle and Ham Recipe or Hay and Straw Pasta Recipe

1 pkg. (16 oz.) linguine noodles
2 c. fully cooked ham, julienned
1 Tbs. butter
3 c. canned or frozen peas
1-1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. In large skillet, saute the ham in the butter for about 3-4 minutes. Add the peas, and heat through. Drain the pasta, and dump into a serving bowl. Toss the ham mixture with the noodles. Add the cream and the parmesan cheese. Serve. So good!

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Posted By Nicole Humphrey

My awesome smoothie maker I purchased last summer has been a blessing in disguise. We’ve created smoothies, slushes, ice cream drinks, shakes and so much more. We’ve experimented with different fruits and combination’s, flavors and syrups and just had a ton of fun. One of my favorite drinks we created is what we call the Sunny Hawaiian Smoothie because it reminds us of a hot summer day in Hawaii, and we’ve served it twice at two different Luau’s we’ve hosted. It’s a big hit and I’m usually asked for the recipe.

Sunny Hawaiian Smoothie

1 c. orange juice
1 can of crushed pineapple with juice
2 med. bananas
2 tsp. sugar
1 carton plain or vanilla yogurt (We found coconut cream yogurt once and tried it and yeah… wish I could buy it in big size because it was amazing!!)
1 c. ice
splash of grenadine syrup for color, if desired

Add the ice, pineapple, sugar and bananas in a blender; process until smooth. Add the orange juice and yogurt and blend. Pour into glasses, and add a splash of grenadine syrup for color if desired. Serve immediately. You can garnish the side of the glass with a pineapple slice for decoration.

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Posted By Nicole Humphrey

Grilling season is upon us and it is one of my favorite ways to cook! First, keeps the kitchen from getting too hot, but then the taste of meat grilled is definitely better than any way made inside. This great recipe for Grilled Sirloin steaks was given to me about a year ago from a neighbor when I found her outside grilling one day. I followed my nose and found a great recipe!

Grilled Sirloin Steak

2 Tbs. yellow mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 boneless beef sirloin steaks
1/4 c. butter, softened
3 Tbs. fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

In a small dish, combine the mustard and the pepper and rub all over both sides of each steak. Grill, covered, over a medium heat for about 4-6 minutes per side or until the meat reaches the desired doneness. In another small bowl, combine the butter, parsley, garlic and cumin. Serve on top or with the steaks.

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