Mixed Berry Crisp Recipe

We recently went wild raspberry picking out in the country.  Last year, we found plenty to pick and made some wild raspberry jam.  This year, we did not find enough raspberries to make jam, but we found enough to make a little bit of something.  I decided I would use the raspberries to make a berry crisp.  I added the wild raspberries in with some frozen mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries) and made a mixed berry crisp.  This dessert goes well served with ice cream or topped with whipped cream.  Yummy!

Mixed Berry Crisp

4 1/2 cups berries of your choice
1/4 cup honey
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups quick oats
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix berries and honey together, set aside.  In another bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Mix well, then add melted butter.  Continue to mix until crumbly.  Place half of the mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan, pressing with a spoon to make a crust.  Top the crust with the berry mixture, and spoon the rest of the oat/flour mixture on top.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

Enter A Giveaway, Help Save An Orphan

Many have heard of the Reece's Rainbow orphan ministry.  Their focus is on helping international orphans with special needs find good, loving homes.  Many of these children would face almost certain death in mental institutions after they reach four years of age.  When these children are adopted by loving families, their lives are literally saved.  One of my friends adopted several children through Reece's Rainbow.  I have seen firsthand not only what it takes to adopt even one of these children (alot of love and commitment, and unfortunately alot of money too), but I have also seen the difference a loving family makes for these children. 

The blog With Love To Share is having a giveaway to raise funds for their upcoming adoption of an HIV+ orphan.  They are giving away an American Girl Doll of the winner's choice.  To enter, hop on over to their blog and make a donation of $10 for one entry, or $25 for three entries.  Even if you don't win, you will be helping to save the life of a child.  The giveaway is open through September 15th. 

50-70% Off At Borders Bookstore - Going Out Of Business Sale

As many people know, Borders Bookstore is going out of business soon.  While I am very sad the store is closing (we adore books and reading in this family), it does mean that some good deals are to be had.  We stopped by our local Borders today to check out the sale.  Everything in the stores is now 50-70% off.*  Some of the items were pretty well picked over, but there was still plenty to browse through.  We didn't spend much, but did come out with a few bargains.  My girls found some paper doll books that ended up being 80 cents each after the discount (they were bargain priced, with an additional 60% off), I found a book for myself, and we also bought a jewelry craft book.  All in all, we spend a little under $7.00 and came out with a few things to keep us busy (for now, anyways!).

*These deals can only be found in Borders stores, and it excludes items from Borders.com.

Kohl's Discounts - Just Sign Up For Their Emails

Do cashiers at department stores ever try to convince you to sign up for their credit cards because of the coupons and discounts you will get if you do?  This is the script I hear oftentimes when I shop at Kohl's - all the wonderful discounts imaginable will be mine if I just sign up for their credit card (they just don't mention the exhorbitant interest fees on the card that will eventually cancel the discounts out in the long run).  Of course, I always decline.  I don't want their credit card! 

Kohl's consistently offers extra discounts to those who do not hold their credit cards, you just have to sign up for their email.  I signed up in the store a few years ago, and I often receive printable coupons and online coupon codes for and extra 10-15% off of my total purchase, and this includes all sales and clearance items too.  When I shop at department stores, most of the time the only things I purchase are on the super duper clearance racks.  It ends up being an even better deal when I add my coupon.  Over the years, I have gotten some really great deals at Kohl's, and I get higher quality clothing at sometimes cheaper than Wal-Mart prices by doing it that way. 

You can sign up for the discounts at the store, or online here.  Right now when you sign up online, you get a $5 off coupon for your next in-store purchase, and a 10% off coupon towards your next online purchase. 
In my experience, the best deals are found in the store, but there are still a few good deals to be found online.

Safeway Fuel Discount - Now You Can Stack Them!

Over the last several years that I can remember, Safeway has always offered a fuel discount for every $100 of groceries purchased.  The usual discount was always 10 cents off per gallon for every $100 spent, but you could only use one 10 cent discount per fuel purchase.  We have recently discovered that Safeway is now allowing these discounts to accumulate and be used together.  I just saved 30 cents per gallon today when I filled up, for a total savings of $4.50 off of my tank of gas.  Woohoo!

We have a tendency to not always use all of our fuel discounts because Safeway fuel is on the other side of town, and it wasn't worth a 10 cent per gallon discount to drive all the way over there.  Now that we can let them accumulate, it will be worth the drive there when we have amassed a few discounts.  They do have an expiration date once accumulated, but Safeway separates them by yearly quarters.  Just thought I would pass on our recent gas discount discovery!

Crockpot Salmon, Veggies, and Rice

We were recently gifted some lovely salmon filets.  I have been mulling over exactly how I wanted to cook them.  I did a little internet search and discovered that they can be baked in a crockpot.  The nice thing about this is that it is a crockpot dish that can be put in the crock in the afternoon, and ready by dinnertime.  It only takes a few hours to cook.  My husband, who thought he would not like salmon, really enjoyed it.  This meal is one that bakes the side item and the main course all in one dish (convenient!).  For the veggie part, I had just recently harvested from our garden, so I chopped up those veggies and utilized them for this recipe.  We had green beans, pea pods, some white eggplant, and a few carrots.  Plus I added an onion to the mix.  I think this dish would turn out well with just about any veggie combination.  As for the salmon, I had a very large salmon filet, which was enough fish to feed five people.  I am fairly certain that this recipe would also work with several smaller filets together as well.  For this recipe, I put the salmon in tin foil and placed it on top of the veggies and rice as it baked.

Crockpot Salmon, Veggies, and Rice

2 cups brown minute rice, uncooked
2-3 cups chopped fresh veggies
1 cup water
1 cup Italian dressing, plus a little extra to drizzle on fish
Salmon

Place 2 cups of brown minute rice in the bottom of the crockpot.  Place chopped veggies over the top.  Pour one cup of water over veggies and rice, followed by pouring one cup of Italian dressing evenly over the top.  Place salmon filet/s on a piece of tin foil (large enough to wrap fish in).  Drizzle desired amount of Italian dressing over fish.  Wrap in foil and place on top of veggies and rice.  Bake on high for around 3 hours.  Fish is ready when it flakes easily with a fork, and veggies are tender.

August Vitacost Coupon Codes

I just received some new Vitacost coupon codes for August.  Vitacost doesn't offer coupon codes for money off of a total order very often, so I definitely wanted to pass these on! 

$5 off a purchase of $100 or more + free shipping
Source Code: EMFNOW

$10 off of a purchase of $125 or more + free shipping
Source Code: EMTNOW

$15 off of a purchase of $150 or more + free shipping
 Source Code: EMFTNOW

These codes expire on 8/31/11.