Simply Carolina Dreamz » Creative Domestication

OH, the Taco!

Image by simply_carolina_dreamz via Flickr I adore tacos. We’ve been eating them all week. I’m hoping to have a more creative menu next week. Don’t hold your breath, though. My creativity is disabled, at the moment. *blink blink* I prefer corn tortillas. I love flour tortillas, too, though. Especially fresh home-made flour tortillas. In my book, tacos should crunch. Crunch is a relative term, though. I’ve decided there are some must-have’s in the taco world.. My taco must have: meat cheese lettuce That’s it. If we don’t have meat, cheese, or lettuce, we can’t have tacos. Bonus items include: Beans (Kidney or Pinto) Fresh Tomatoes Salsa Chopped Cilantro (Yes. I’m one of those people.) Sour Cream Guacamole Bacon (hahaha.. I’ve never had bacon on a taco.) Onions (fresh or sauteed) Cooked peppers (I prefer red, orange, or yellow bell peppers.) Jalapeno’s (I prefer them pickled.) What did … Read entire article »

Filed under: Feeding the Needz, Frugality, HomeMade

Bi-Lo introduces Chef’s Catch Seafood Line

I was fortunate to be invited to the Super Bi-Lo, in Hanahan, for a taste testing of Bi-Lo’s new Seafood Line, called Chef’s Catch. From their site: Satisfying your next craving for restaurant-quality seafood, just became affordable and convenient!  You no longer have to dress up and dine out to enjoy the same freshness, quality and selection a restaurant can provide. With our new Chef’s Catch Fresh Seafood, the only thing we won’t match is the restaurant-quality price. The Press Release mentions the color coding system, they’ve chosen for this new line of seafood. Fresh, Never Frozen is Blue Previously Frozen at sea is Purple Ready to Cook (seasoned or marinated) is in Orange The Chef’s Catch Line includes pre-packaged, ready to cook, restaurant-quality seafood, to include Salmon Filets and Steaks Tilapia Rainbow Trout Steelhead Trout Wild Ocean Perch Cod Haddock Flounder Sea … Read entire article »

Filed under: coupons and dealz, Creative Domestication

Kohl’s is a Deal Maker

So much has been given, to me, from Kohl’s since I figured out how to Play their game. Last month, I signed up for a Kohl’s charge card.  I was buying some sterling silver jewelry, that was already 60% off and the speaker above my head kept telling me I could get an additional 15% off if I opened an account. I figured that if I don’t keep a running balance on this card, I won’t have to worry about their horrendous percentage rate. Since I opened that card, though, I’ve had many unexpected surprises. @HeatherSolos and I braved shopping, one afternoon, and a package of knives, that I had been wanting to buy was on sale.  As I reached to pick up this three-pack of sharp kitchen knives, the package split and all … Read entire article »

Filed under: coupons and dealz, Creative Domestication, Feeding the Needz, Frugality, Unexpectations

Bi-Lo Kohl’s non coupon offer

As a follow-up to my Bi-Lo post, the other day, I wanted to let you know that there is a fantastic deal promotion if you buy Kohl’s gift cards at Bi-Lo. You would get the free $10 Bi-Lo gift card and you’d get .20 cents in feul perks rewards, by buying $200 in Kohl’s Gift cards, from your local Bi-Lo.  Offer expires 8/17/2010. **disclosure: SimplyCarolinaDreamz received a beautiful gift bag, some coupons for an upcoming promotion,  and $50 in free Bi-Lo Gift Cards** … Read entire article »

Filed under: coupons and dealz, Creative Domestication, Frugality

New ways to earn Fuel Perks at BiLo

There are some exciting new things coming, from BiLo.  Check back for some fun stuff to come. BiLo now includes fuel perks on gift cards you buy in their “gift card mall.” (the full list is here) but we find will be rearranging the way we spend our money, for the following stores: Barnes and Noble Best Buy Cold Stone Ebay Home Depot IHOP JC Penny Kohl’s Lands End Logan’s Restaurant Michael’s Petsmart Regal Cinemas Staples Subway There are many more.  There are two gas stations and an air line on the list. Oh, and Starbucks, too! Fuel Perks is easy to participate in. Other than special bonuses, the general bonus is $.05 in fuel perks for every $50 spent.  There are weeks when they double the bonus, and right now they are sponsoring some special ways that you can get more fuel perks. I do about 1/3 of my … Read entire article »

Filed under: Foodie Frenzy, Frugality, LowCountry

Fun stuff going on in the world of PaperBack Swap

Are you using paperbackswap?  You should be.  I’m having so much fun with it and have saved so much money, that I would have spent in the big name bookstores. Here’s a look at my current statistics: Let me explain what you see.. I have 7 books, that I’ve requested, with 7 of my book credits, from several different members.  My current list has the following books on it: Life Balance (Linda and Richard Eyre) Endowed from on High (John D Charles) Looking for God in Harry Potter (John Granger) What I wish I’d known before my mission (John Bytheway) Romancing the Ordinary (a Sarah ban Breathnach  book out of print that I’ve been looking for everywhere.) A Woman’s Worth (Marianne Williamson) These 7 remain in this queue until the member has mailed the book to me. The second tab has … Read entire article »

Filed under: Creative Chaos, Frugality, Unexpectations

Thanks for the Sloppy Joe’s Heather

I can’t eat the “canned sloppy joe stuff.”  Besides disliking the taste, there are too many ingredients that give me a headache, in it. The best use of Sloppy Joe’s, I’ve ever experienced, was potluck style, at a HomeSchool Association camp-out.  After setting up camp, its dark and everyone is tired.  The meat was kept warm in crock pots and we just put out a bunch of accompaniments.  Its always a go-to potluck meal. When I was in the midwest, it was served to accommodate out-of-town relatives, that were arriving at alternating times.  They called it “BBQ.” No matter what you call it, this recipe is a winner.  We added granulated garlic, and didn’t add the Montreal seasoning, but next time I’ll try it with Toronto Seasoning (Whole Foods version of Montreal Seasoning.) When … Read entire article »

Filed under: Foodie Frenzy, Kitchen Miracles, Monday Menu

Whole Wheat Ranch Bread

While I was researching dough conditioners, I fished around on the Mormon Foodie’s Bread Maker Blog and found some inspiration to use my Ranch Dressing Mix, with my Whole Wheat Bread and new Dough Conditioner. I get brave, like that. Sometimes. :) (I, successfully, have substituted 1/2 the flour in my corn bread recipe, for tamale pie, with 100% White Wheat Flour. I, also, used Pinto Beans and Black Beans, in it, to make it more colorful. So, feel free to experiment with beans. Yay me.) So, anyway.. where was I? Oh, yes! My first Whole Wheat Bread, from the Bread Machine. Its ugly, eh? A Bread only a mother could love? I love it. :P This is not as dense and heavy as my previous whole wheat experiments. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Creative Domestication, Foodie Frenzy

Thank Suzie’s for Non Hydrogenated Saltines

For taking the Gunk outta my Ranch Dip/Dressing Mix! … Read entire article »

Filed under: Creative Domestication, Foodie Frenzy

Planner, Calendar, and Coupon Binder

I really didn’t want to buy another planner. I really needed to get my calendar and planner organized. I really didn’t want to buy another planner. Oops. Sorry. *wink* So I go to Staples.. The Boy needed to meet someone there, to pick something up.. so I’m feeling rather proud of myself that I know where my Staples Reward card is.. I check.. I take it with me.. so far so good.. I find this binder, that I love.. I hate that its made in China (MIC) but what can I do? I don’t want to “make” a binder. It was really hard to take photos of it, while its empty, so I’ll share the photo on the front, that shows better the features. The accordion file part is detachable and slides … Read entire article »

Filed under: Creative Chaos, Frugality

Home Made Laundry Soap

Making Home Made Laundry Soap has become so simple, to me, that I’m quite disgusted that I’m using some commercial product, right now, because I got behind on grating and drying some Zote. Here are the basics to start with: My recipe is very simple: 2:1:1 (2 parts dried powdered soap, 1 part super washing soda (sodium carbonate), 1 part 20 Mule Team Borax (sodium borate)) First I grate the Zote (my favorite choice for soap) in my food processor.  I lay it out into a plastic box to dry a couple of days, then I use my magic bullet or blender to make soap into a fine powder. (A friend, of mine, used Ivory Soap bars and it works beautifully, too.) There have been times when my super washing powder and/or borax is very … Read entire article »

Filed under: Creative Domestication, Frugality

Menu Monday – August 2, 2010

I’ve been having a lot of problems in the kitchen, lately.  With so much going on, I’m just out of ideas. I’m hoping to get some things going by making better plans, for dishes, others can make, here too. Monday: Hoagie Roll Pizza Tuesday: Taco Tuesday (ground meat and rotisserie chicken from the freezer) Oops forgot.. Birthday Dinner Tuesday Night.  The boy is 19! Wednesday: LowCountry Boil Thursday: Sloppy Joes on Kaiser Rolls, Butter Basil Green Beans Friday: Ground Pork Burgers, Asian Cole Slaw Saturday: Spaghetti with meat sauce, angel hair pasta, garlic bread, green salad with HM Ranch Sunday: Tamale Pie , Broccoli Casserole (substitute 1/2 cottage cheese for 1/2 mayo) Find More Menu Plans at I’m an Organizing Junkie … Read entire article »

Filed under: Monday Menu

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