FREE Pancakes @ IHOP on February 28th!

 

Free pancakes. Yes, I said FREE PANCAKES. February 28th is National Pancake Day and participating IHOP restaurants plan to celebrate giving away a free short stack of pancakes. Make sure you look up any participating IHOP locations near you and go have some free pancakes! This is while supplies last and limit to one short stack per guest.

High-Value Q For Welch's Fruit Fizz - $0.99 @ Target!

There is a new high-value coupon that will allow you to score Welch's 4pk. Fruit Fizz Sparkling Juice for $0.99 @ Target! Regularly priced they are $2.99, have been seen as low as $2.50 on price cut! I have never tries the Fruit Fizz Sparkling Juice, but I love Welch's! Their grape soda is to die for! :) Hurry and print this coupon before it runs out! Note: Says, "available at Walmart", but it is a manufacturers coupon, free to use anywhere.

Welch's Fruit Fizz Sparkling Juice (4pk.) $2.99

-$2/1 Welch's Fruit Fizz Sparkling Juice (printable)

Total: $0.99 after coupon

Giveaway - $25 Jamba Juice Gift Card - Ends 2/8!

Student Saving Buck's 2-year Blogiversary is coming up in about 3 months, and I have a great giveaway planned for then, but let us focus on today. I'm sure the cold weather is depressing BUT some nice juicy and delicious drinks at JAMBA JUICE might cheer you up. It sure cheers me up, I love the place! And fruit drinks/smoothies aren't just delicious, they're healthy. How do you think my little Hulk got ripped? lol

So, for all you Jamba Juice fans, you'll have a chance to win a $25 Gift Card below! All you have to do is enter via the easy Rafflecopter widget and leave a comment telling me what drink you like at Jamba Juice or what fruity drink/smoothie you like to make! My fav. drink to get at Jamba Juice is the White Gummy Bear. You will fall in love with it.

Want to win a $25.00 Jamba Juice Gift Card? Click "read more..." below to enter the giveaway!

FREE Sambazon Drinks @ Albertsons! Print Fast! + Free Bottle Coupon!

There is a high value $2/1 Sambazon printable coupon available that will allow you to score some FREE Sambazon @ Albertsons! I've actually have a couple bottles of Sambazon in my fridge, they are delicious! Glad this deal came up, time to grab some free ones :) If you have trouble finding it, make sure to look int he produce section! ALSO, Like Sambazon on Facebook to receive a coupon good for (1) FREE Sambazon Bottle (10.5oz.)!

Sambazon Drinks $1.99
-$2/1 Sambazon Smoothie or Drink [zip 90019] (printable)
Total: FREE after coupon and sale

Thanks SouthernCaliSaver!

My Top 5 Favorite Popcorn Flavors (+Recipe)

I'm a HUGE popcorn fan, over the years I have also experimented and eaten some pretty crazy flavors. At fairs and carnivals you'll always find popcorn, butter, cheese and caramel are ALWAYS present. Despite the regular flavors being so popular, I once bought a bag of cinnamon popcorn and my mind was blown! The popcorn was a beautiful bright red and the taste was incredible! The moment I got the recipe I tried making it myself and succeeded. I always have my friends asking me to make a batch, I think I've gotten them as hooked as me! I love popcorn, its such a great light and airy snack that comes in many different varieties, my top 5 favorite popcorn flavors are:

1 - Cinnamon Popcorn - My all time favorite! Great flavor and wonderful color.

2 - Caramel Popcorn - Love it at all times.

3 - Cheesy Popcorn - I prefer to eat this during the holidays, not sure why.

4 - Butter Popcorn - Best to eat during the movies!

5 - Nuts & Popcorn - Not exactly a flavor but the mix is great!

Cinnamon Popcorn Recipe:
•2 tablespoons vegetable oil •1/2 cup unpopped popcorn •1/2 cup butter •2 tablespoons light corn syrup •2 (2.25 ounce) packages cinnamon red hot candies

1. Heat oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour in the popcorn, cover, and shake a couple of times to coat the kernels with oil. When the corn starts to pop, shake pan continuously until popping stops. Pour popped corn into a large paper bag.
2. Combine the butter, corn syrup and red hot candies in a microwave safe bowl or saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally until the candies have melted. Pour the hot syrup over the popped corn, and shake the bag for 1 minute, until completely coated. Cool, and serve.

Disclaimer: I am participating in a blogger campaign by Bucks2Blog for popcorn and was compensated. However, views & opinions are my own.

Giveaway - Freschetta Pizza "Proud To Support Pink"

I recently got the chance to pick up a Freschetta Pizza, we got the Canadian Ham and Pineapple variety. I can't say I'm too crazy about it, did love how fresh it looked right out of their great packaging. Smelled deliciously fresh, popped it in the oven and everyone got a slice. I like my pizza chewy with some crunch, and this Freschetta pizza was just not it for me. It was a little too chewy for my taste, but the sauce, Canadian bacon and Pineapple toppings were finger-licking good. It definatelt didn't taste like frozen pizza.

Freschetta is making a difference in October with their Proud To Support Pink program. The Freschetta Proud to Support Pink program aims to donate $50,000 to the Memorial Sloan-Jettering Cancer Center. From 9/25 to 10/31 Freschetta will donate $1 for every purchase of their specially marked packages of Freschetta Pizzas and Artisan Pizza Crusts. Just visit ProudToSupportPink.com and enter the code found in the specially marked packages.

Freschetta is also holding a sweepstakes where they will giving away 50 Pink iPod Shuffle Players each week! They also will be donating 50 Pink iPod Players to four cancer centers for patients to use during treatments. A great program for a great cause. I personally don't know anyone who has been struck with his horrible disease, but have read stories from many survivors online. There is hope, lets help Freschetta reach their $50,000 donation goal! Here is your chance to win a coupon for a FREE Freschetta Pizza of your choice and + goodies.

Want to win a Freschetta "Proud To Support Pink" Pack? Click "read more..." to enter the giveaway!

Spreading Smucker's Traditions Recipe & Essay Contest + Recipe

We are in the midst of Hispanic Heritage Month and Smuckers is having a great tasty contest that will have us reuniting :) Smucker's believes some of the sweetest memories are created by sharing family meals through the generations, and that is very on point with Latinos from all countries and cultures. Smucker's Traditions Recipe and Essay Contest is open for entries through November 16, 2011. To enter you would need to share your original recipe that incorporates at least 1/4 cup of Smucker's Jams, Jellies, Preserves or Fruit Butters AND an original 200-word or less essay in English or Spanish about how the recipe is part of your family traditions and how it makes family celebrations special.

Five contest finalists will be selected and flown to New York City for a live recipe demonstration and judging. The grand prize is $20,000 towards a dream family reunion! What a great prize, family is a very important factor in my life and I have not seen the majority of my family in many years. For more information, rules and regulations about the contest, visit www.smuckers.com.

Del 14 de septiembre al 16 de noviembre de 2011, Smucker’s invita a los consumidores a visitar  www.smuckersenespanol.com para compartir sus recetas originales elaboradas con al menos ¼ taza de mermelada, jalea, confitura o mantequilla de fruta Smucker’s y escribir un ensayo original de hasta 200 palabras en inglés o español describiendo cómo la receta forma parte de las tradiciones familiares y de qué manera hace que las celebraciones familiares sean especiales. En marzo de 2012, cinco finalistas del concurso serán seleccionados y trasladados a New York City para realicer la demostración en vivo de su receta que será evaluada por un jurado, y el ganador recibirá $20,000 para una reunión familiar de ensueño.

Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive a Smuckers Care Package,  from the company or their representing PR company, free of charge in exchange for mentioning the contest. All opinions are my own. I received no other compensation.

Citrus Apple Tart

Prep Time: 25 minutes || Cook Time: 1 hours, 5 minutes || Yield: 8 servings 

Click "Read More..." below to see the recipe, ingredients and directions for the Citrus Apple Tart.

Subway Deals - Free $5 Footlong & $2 Subway 6" Subs in Los Angeles!

Have you guys been following the Subway deals lately? Where have you been? I am a HUGE fan of Subway and here are two great deals I posted this month!

FREE $5 Subway Footlong - Offermatic is offering a $5 rebate to Subway when you sign up! That makes for a FREE $5 Footlong Subway Sub of your choice (I suggest the Spicy Italian, yum!). You can also use the $5 rebate towards any other regular sub, in that case I recommend The Big Philly Cheesesteak or Chipolte Chicken Subs, I DIE for those! -Read the post here.

$2 Subway 6" Subs During September in Los Angeles - ONLY 5 DAYS LEFT to grab your $2 Subway Subs at Subway stores in the Los Angeles area. You can grab the Cold Cut Combo 6-inch or Meatball Marinara 6-inch sub for only $2! What a great deal, but it ends September 30th so grab your by then! -Read the post here.

FREE Better Than Bouillon Paste Jar (Chicken or Vegetable)!

Better Than Bouillon Paste is giving away FREE Jars of Chicken or Vegetable Better Than Bouillon Paste to those who sign up on their Facebook page! I chose the Chicken! I've always used bouillon cubes so I am dying to try the paste! :) 

Thanks FrontPageFreebies.com!

HOT! - BOGO Jamba Juice Coupon For Los Angeles and SD Area!

Are you in the Los Angeles or San Diego area? Feeling the 90-100 degree weather lately? Head on over to Jamba Juice's Facebook page and "Like" it to print out the Buy One, Get One Free Jamba Juice Drink Coupon! I KNOW you guys are feeling this hot weather, and nothing is more delicious than a Acai Super-Antioxidant Jamba Juice smoothie on a hot day!

The BOGO Jamba Juice coupon is only valid to those in Los Angeles or San Diego area. Coupon is valid through October 4th. Thanks for the heads up Josie from SouthernCaliSaver.com!

T.G.I. Friday's Entrees for One + Fun Freezer Contest!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of T.G.I. FRiDAY'S for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

T.G.I. Fridays is having a Fun Freezer contest  where you get to let out your creative self and decorate your freezer! Yup, dress is up, get some graffiti on there, give it a mohawk, anything you want! Just be creative, and if you need inspiration, you can follow the Fun Freezer contest link and look at some entries. Prizes are great too! TWO Grand Prize winners get a new TV and Home Theater System and an entire year's worth of the New T.G.I Friday's Entrees for One. What better way to have the man in your life watch his Football games? I'd be there watching too though!

So, the grand prize is a year's worth of T.G.I. FRiDAY’S “Entrées for One”, have you guys tried them? We got the chance to sample one of our choice, the boyfriend chose the Sizzling Steak Fajitas Entree. He likes himself some meat, so meat he got. The entree comes with seared steak, strips of bell peppers, onions, cheesy rice and 3 flour tortillas. All microwavable. The boyfriend loved it, I know so because he always licks his fingers (and the plate) when hes done. He said the steak was perfectly juicy and tender, the veggies were good with crunch and the rice wasn't too cheesy. He liked that he could roll it all up nicely on the flour tortillas. Men and meat were meant to be. T.G.I. Friday's has a lot of very tempting Entrees for One, including the Sesame Orange Chicken and Sizzling Chicken Fajitas the boyfriend was eyeing at Target.

We are big fans of T.G.I. Friday's and according to the boyfriend, the frozen Entrees for One meals were just as good as the food in their restaurant. We came up with a really fun idea for the T.G.I. Friday's Fun Freezer contest and can't wait to enter! Make sure you guys enter too, it looks like a fun contest with some GREAT prizes! :)

FREE $5 Subway Footlong via Offermatic!

I recently came across Offermatic and LOVE IT! Offermatic is a bit like Ebates, but unlike Ebates, you don't have to wait for 3 months to get your money back. Offermatic has your cash back in your card within 7 days! How it works is you sign up, and upon signing up as a new customer, you have the choice of a FREE $5  Automatic Rebate of your choice: Target, iTunes, Gas Card, Nordstrom or Amazon.

Offermatic is offering a $5 rebate to Subway when you sign up! That makes for a FREE $5 Footlong Subway Sub of your choice (I suggest the Spicy Italian, yum!). You can also use the $5 rebate towards any other regular sub, in that case I recommend The Big Philly Cheesesteak or Chipolte Chicken Subs, I DIE for those!

IF you don't want a $5 rebate to Subway, feel free to sign up here to get a $5.00 Automatic Rebate to your choice of Target, iTunes Card, Gas Card, Nordstrom or Amazon! See my last post about Offermatic!

Jif® - Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest

Peanut Butter is something we are always stocked with in my house, we absolutely love it. We also have some interesting recipes that included Jif Peanut Butter. Most people just make plain PB&J sandwiches, we don't. If you are like us, and have an interesting and creative sandwich recipe be sure to check out Jif's Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest for a chance to win some great prizes!

It is open now through October 12, 2011. Open to kids, age 6-12 who are legal residents of the U.S. Contestants are to enter their creative peanut bitter sandwich recipes for a chance to win a $25,000 College Fund plus an additional $10,000 for educational products and one Jif Peanut Butter gift basket. This is the 10th year Jif runs this contest, last year's winner won with her "Wushu Chicken Tacos", impressive sounding, right? So get your children and get their creative sandwich ideas running for this contest because it will be judged on creativity, taste, nutritional balance, visual appeal and ease of preparation. 

Runner-Ups and Finalists also get some great prizes; 4 Runner Ups will receive a $2,500 college fund and 1 Jif Peanut Butter gift basket each. The Five Remaining Online Finalists will each receive a Jif Peanut Butter gift basket worth $50! Five finalists will go on to compete in New York in March 2012. So make sure you enter before October 12 and head on over to Jif.com and complete the downloadable entry form.

El Concurso de Jif del Sándwich de Crema de Cacahuate Más Creativo esta abierto a niños entre 6 y 12 años que sean residentes legales de los Estados Unidos. Crean una receta original de sándwich con tu hijo/a utilizando crema de cacahuate Jif® Peanut Butter para participar. El gran premio es un fondo universitario de $25,000. Otro $10,000 para productos educativos y una cesta con productos Jif. Para más información y las reglas del concurso, visita JifEnEspanol.com

Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive a Jif Care Package,  from the company or their representing PR company, free of charge in exchange for mentioning the contest. All opinions are my own. I received no other compensation.

Hot! $2 Subway Subs During September In Los Angeles

What a great deal for us in Los Angeles! Its September and weather is still scorching hot. Thankfully we'll have 2 fresh 6-inch subs waiting for us at select and participating Subway stores during September. We can choose from the Cold Cut Combo 6-inch or Meatball Marinara 6-inch sub for only $2! What a great deal!

This deal is only valid at participating Subways in the Los Angeles area. Also, check your mail for a flyer full of "FREE SUB wyb SUB" coupons! Yum! I hear the Cold Cut Combo just calling out my name right now!

Review - Al Fresco's All-Natural Chicken Sausage

I love sausage of all kinds, but really haven't had chicken sausage a lot in the past. Just recently I had the chance to review Al Fresco's All Natural Chicken Sausage, we received Sweet Italian Style, Spinach & Feta and Sweet Apple fully-cooked chicken sausage to try. Al Fresco conveniently has some great recipes to try for their products.

We pan-fried the Sweet Italian Sausage and incorporated it into our simple spaghetti dish. I must say, the aroma of this sausage was delicious! We decided to heat up the last link in the microwave for two of our Siberian Huskies and our house smelled as if someone was baking a fresh pizza! Needless to say, the dogs ate it happily, lol. This was, by far, my favorite of the bunch. The wonderful chunks of red and green peppers are very visible and the sausage itself was great.

The Sweet Apple Sausage was a challenge. Al Freso's recipes were hard to choose from, but we went with the Cornbread Stuffing w/ Sweet Apple Sausage. We would've never came up with something as good as that on our own. The recipe was rather simple to make, we had everything on hand. In addition to it, we added a couple handfuls of raisins, which made it much more to our liking. It was refreshing, which was quite odd for a hot dish. We served this along side some grilled chicken, but was good all by itself. The sausage had a hint of sweetness, which makes me want to buy more and serve it for breakfast with some hash and eggs!

Last was the Spinach & Feta Sausage. I am not a fan of spinach or feta cheese, so this sausage I was not particularly fond of. We used it in a fettuccine dish, which was rather simple to make. I didn't like the taste of it grilled or with the fettuccine. I think it would be better off in a salad of some sort, but not my liking. I made this with a friend, and to my surprise, it was his favorite. Our tastes are quite different.

Al Fresco's many products include chicken meatballs, uncured chicken franks, deli turkey breast and fresh and cooked chicken sausages in wonderful varieties like Wild Blueberry, Chipotle Chorizo, Buffalo Style and many others. They are free of nitrites, nitrates, preservatives and artificial ingredients. A huge thanks to Al Fresco for the opportunity to review some of their great and delicious chicken sausages!

Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I did receive the product in question,  from the company or their representing  PR company,  free of charge in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have provided a fair and honest review. I received no other compensation for my review nor was I under any obligation to give a positive review.

Los Angeles - $0.88 Whoppers @ Burger King 8/8 Only!

So, while having no other place to grab a cheap and quick drink while on a long drive we ended up passing by the nearest Burger King. I got a huge ice water (and a cone; no I didn't go cone-ing lol). I noticed a sign on their window stating Burger King will be selling their Whopper Burger for $0.88 on August 8th from 8AM - 8PM ONLY (get it? $0.88 on 8/8 from 8-8). I took a handy picture from my iPhone4 for you guys!

Yesterday we got a flyer with coupons from Burger King in the mail advertising the Whopper event and stating it was only available at valid locations here in Los Angeles. So, if you want to take a break paying $3.49+ for a Whopper, stop by your local Burger King on said date for a cheap treat. I use to LOVE Whoppers, but haven't had one in over 4 months since starting Nutrisystem. I've been a good girl, and $0.88 is too good to pass up :) I might just grab one too.

DiGiorno Rising Crust Pizza Found @ 99¢ Only Store!!

This weekend we were surprised to find DiGiorno at the 99¢ Only Store by my home. There were stacks of DiGiorno Rising Crust pizzas in the frozen food/produce area. This was a surprising find, as these usually go for $4-$5. If you are a fan of these, check out your local store to see if you find them! At $0.99 without coupon is an awesome STOCK UP PRICE! My little siblings love pizza, so this was a good deal and we certainly stocked up.

Doles California Cook-Off! Hurry & Enter, Ends May 15th!

Do you have a mouth-watering grilled dish that incorporates Dole products? Have you heard about the 2011 Dole California Cook-Off Grilling Contest? Dole is looking for delectable dishes that incorporate their products for a Cook-Off Grilling Contest to be held in Los Angeles. If you think you have one on your hands, head on over to Facebook.com/Dole to enter you recipe! 

The contest ends Sunday, May 15th. If you're chosen as a finalist, you'll get an all-expense paid trip to my area of the world, Los Angeles, California for 3-days / 2-nights. You'll meet up with Celebrity Chef Ben Ford to compete for the cook-off Champion Tittle and a $2,500 cash prize! The cook-off will take place at The Grove, which is one of the most beautiful outdoor malls around here. I wish I had one to enter, all we can grill is burgers, hot dogs and cinnamon pineapples, lol!

Not a cook? You can also enter to be a Fan Judge and win an a 3-day / 2-night all-expense paid trip to Hollywood with a $500 cash prize. The Fan Judge will be among Chef Ben Ford and other distinguished judges helping to crown the winner of the cook-off! 

Disclaimer: I was NOT paid for this post, however I will be compensated with coupons from Dole. I received no other compensation for my this post nor was I under any obligation to post it. This post provides information for my readers about a contest being held by Dole..

"Cooking With Ai Mei" - Arroz Con Leche

(Photo Credit: Creativegan.net Gracias!)

Sure, treats like Hot Chocolate are great during these cold Holidays, but I prefer something else. Arroz con Leche, which translates to "Rice Pudding" (literally, rice with milk). It is one of the most common desserts in nearly all Latin American countries. The origin of this dessert is unknown, but most likely was brought over to Latin America from Spain. There are very many variations of this dessert, but if you want the simplest form, its just milk and rice. Here is my version with variations we usually make.

Recipe:

■ Rice, any type (1 cup)

■ Milk, (2½ - 3 cups)

■ Water, (1 cup)

■ Sugar, (1½ - 2 cups)

■ Vanilla Extract, (1 teaspoon)

■ Cinnamon Stick, 1

■ Ground Cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to boil on medium-heat. Throw in 1 stick of cinnamon.
2. Wash 1 cup of rice and pour it into the saucepan and reduce the heat to low and let simmer. Stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Its important to boil the rice in water before adding the milk, it will speed up the process to soften the rice.
3. Add the 2½ cups of milk to the saucepan, stirring frequently on low-heat. As the rice absorbs the milk you can add more if you you want a more liquid consistency. Let simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes and add 1½ - 2 cups of Sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or add both to your liking).
4. Let simmer for about 10 - 15 more minutes, or until rice is tender and its reached a consistency you like.

Now, serve nice and hot with some ground cinnamon on top. You can also leave it out and let it cool and eat it that way too, which is the way I prefer :)

Variations: With the recipe above, we sometimes add raisins which we soak in rum (Flor De Caña, Gran Reserva). Also, we sometimes add some butter, nutmeg, we add orange and.or lemon peel during step one and remove it around step 3. Other variations around Latin America include the addition of sweetened condensed milk, which replaces or combines the sugar; adding coconut milk instead of regular white milk; the addition of nutmeg, lemon or orange zest and crushed pineapple is also common. 

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I hope you guys try this and enjoy it. This dessert is readily available to buy at many stores, but when YOU make it, you get a great treat and satisfaction. Oh, and bragging rights! :) I hope to have more of these "Cooking With Ai Mei" posts in the future. 

Yummy Enchiladas. Suggestions For Cooking On Grill?

 

I never thought I'd love to cook as much as I do now when I was younger. I really do enjoy cooking. And you know you do when you find yourself cooking for hours and not wanting to eat it after its made. I know I'm not the only one who does that, right? =) One of my readers, Eileen, mentioned on my older post that she gets stuck making the same things, and I do as well. Thats why I love to read food blogs, they have some amazing recipes!

The picture above is of some Enchiladas I made 2 days ago. They were so good, I decided to make them with flour tortillas instead the usual corn ones. I had some chicken left over so I sprinkled it on top with the cheese and enchilada sauce. I made 8 and they were gone before the next morning. My family sure does love to eat my cooking. I don't fry them, I bake them, it makes a huge difference in taste. I'm also very exited because my George Foreman Evolve Grill arrived today and I can't wait to try out some new recipes. I'll be reviewing it and my post will be up within a month.

I've never had a grill so I don't know what to make on it. It has a deep dish tray to make casseroles and I want to make one with it. I hope you guys can help me out and recommend some good dishes I can make with it.

Any suggestions or recipes or links to recipes you guys recommend for me?

=)