One Hundred Dollars a Month - Page 1437 of 2143 - I am your typical housewife living in high maintenance suburbia. I have a handsome husband, 2 kids and a flock of pet chickens. I try and feed my family with $100 a month. With the help of coupons, gardening and bartering I am able to squeeze the most out of our grocery budget and still manage to have a little fun along the way.

Mavis Garden Blog – Cleaning Up the Pumpkin Patch

The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure
By Mavis Butterfield on October 11, 2013 · 13 Comments

Yesterday I spent part of the afternoon picking the remaining pumpkins and squash. Maybe I’m weird, but I always feel sort of bad for all the little squash that don’t make it.

If only they had another month to grow, or if the weather was warmer… they’d all have a chance to reach their full potential.

These were the last of them. I’m hoping that once I place the greenish orange pumpkins on the porch they’ll ripen in time for Halloween. If not, I suppose I’ll just cut them in half and give them to the chickens to munch on.

Do you remember me telling you I planted 1 seed potato beneath each pumpkin mound?

Well I did. And even though I didn’t get a chance to harvest the potatoes yesterday {these ones popped through the soil as I was pulling up the spent pumpkin vines} I plan on harvesting the rest of our spuds today. {I see a bear and a duck, what do you see?}

And then I’ll spend the rest of my garden time clearing the area of weeds and other random plants that sowed themselves into our pumpkin patch this year.

Gardening is fun, even if you forget to rotate your crops and end up with a small harvest.

Life is good.

~Mavis

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Mornings with Mavis – Amazon Deals, Free Kindle Books, Keen Sale, Maidenform Bra Sale, Dansko and More

The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure
By Mavis Butterfield on October 11, 2013 · 4 Comments

Happy Friday everyone!!

Have you found your footy pajamas yet? C’mon, go find them. It’s October already… time to get them on. Just don’t forget to change before you pick the kids up for school. Because, umm that would be awkward. 😉

♥ Mavis

Amazon Gold Box Deal of the Day – Panasonic Arc 4 Mens Electric Shaver w/ Dual Motor and Multi-Flex Pivoting Head. Don’t use an electric razor? Check out the Dollar Shave Club and have blades delivered to your door.

Available Kindle Books I think are cool…

Survival Pantry: The Prepper’s Guide To Food Storage FREE
Vegan Baking Classics: Delicious, Easy-to-Make Favorites FREE {Awesome Reviews}
The Secret Lessons to Happiness: Change Your Life Around FREE
Gravy :The Ultimate Recipe Guide – Over 30 Delicious & Best Selling Recipes FREE
How to Sprout Raw Food FREE
Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man’s Fundamentals for Delicious Living $10.91 {I might have to get this for the HH}

The prices on Kindle Books can change quickly, so grab them while you can.

Take an extra 30% Off all Maidenform orders plus get Free Shipping {no minimum}.

This is on top of the Everyday Bogo and sale items. You can get Bras & Shapewear for 1/2 off when they purchase 2 items PLUS 30% off that amount PLUS will not have to pay for shipping within the US. I stocked up last time Maidenform had a sale. 🙂

Zulily is having a HUGE Keen Shoe Sale today!! Lot’s of styles for Men, Women and children. They’ve also got a nice selections of women’s pajamas on sale too! 🙂

Already a Zulily Member? Go HERE to Get This Deal

White Skull Print Shawl Scarf $2.54 shipped
Big Skull Pendant with Chain $2.95 shipped
Forever Pashmina Silk Scarf with Skull Pattern $10.99

6pm has Dansko Shoes, boots and heels on sale for up to 60% off, plus you receive FREE SHIPPING.

Back in stock!!

Get the Chezmoi Collection White Goose Down Alternative Comforter {Queen} for only $39.99 shipped!

Check out these deals on Hot Wheels:

Hot Wheels 9-Car Gift Pack $8.00
Hot Wheels Blastin Rig Semi-Truck Vehicle $12.00
Neat-Oh! Hot Wheels ZipBin Ramp It Up $15.51
Hot Wheels Team Hot Wheels Double Dare Snare Track Set $16.25

Homestyle Mac and Cheese is on the dinner menu at our house tonight. If you’ve never made homemade macaroni and cheese before try this recipe. It’s awesome.

Amazon currently has the Victorio 4-Tray Kitchen Seed Sprouter on sale for $15.22. If you have never grown your own sprouts before, I show you how to grow sprouts HERE.

Zaycon Bacon & Sausage Event

Zaycon Foods is offering Hickory Smoked Bacon at $3.49 a pound and pork sausage links for $2.79 a pound. I was able to split a case of this yummy bacon with my neighbor Girly Girl last year and we both really liked it. Head on over HERE to find out if this deal is available in your area.

Amazon has Spy Love Rain Boots on sale starting at $28.95. There are tons of fun and funky styles to choose from.

2 New Printable Candy Coupons are available:

$2.00 off 3 SNICKERS, TWIX or BITES Brand Bags
Buy TWO MARS Chocolate Brands get ONE free

Find More Printable Coupons

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Pumpkin Risotto

The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure
By Mavis Butterfield on October 10, 2013 · 1 Comment

I typically roast my pumpkins because it’s yummy and an easy way to prepare them. Occasionally I’ll grill it or something, but this was a totally new way to prepare it for me. And man was it good. If you’ve never made pumpkin like this, I’d totally recommend it. I give it 5 stars!

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped
2 cups pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and chopped{1 squash equaled 4 cups for me}
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine {sub white grape juice, chicken broth or water if you don’t have wine}
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Over low heat, warm the chicken broth in a small saucepan. While broth is heating, saute onion, salt, and pepper in the oil for about 4 minutes over medium heat. Add the sage and continue cooking for 1 minute. Add the pumpkin and garlic and cook an additional 4 minutes. Finally, add the rice and cook for about 3 more minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the wine or wine substitute and cook 3 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often. Slowly add in the broth about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring occasionally and waiting until absorbed before adding more. It should take about 30 minutes from start to finish for all the broth to be absorbed. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the cheese.

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Salmonella Outbreak in Foster Farms Chicken Could Lead to Factory Shutdowns

The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure
By Mavis Butterfield on October 10, 2013 · 26 Comments

Apparently, due to an antibiotic resistant strain of salmonella in chickens {Salmonella Heidelberg}, the USDA may shutdown 3 of 4 Foster Farms Chicken operations. In an NPR article I read, Foster Farms must get their plan of attack to the USDA by today.

According to the article, the strain of salmonella is likely antibiotic resistant due to the antibiotics given to birds, for the most part to encourage growth. Foster Farms does not use antibiotics for the purpose of growth promotion, but most chicken companies routinely give antibiotics to healthy animals to promote growth: “As a result, bacteria become resistant to these overused antibiotics.”

The outbreak has effected 278 people, and hospitalized 42% of those people. 53 of those people were confirmed to have eaten Foster Farms Chicken. Yikes!

I’ve always been happy with the Foster Farms chicken I have bought in the past, especially the whole chickens I use for roasting.

“On October 8, 2013, the FSIS reassured the public that: “Foster Farms chicken is safe to eat but as with all raw chicken, consumers must use proper preparation, handling and cooking practices.”

Please know that establishment or plant code numbers only indicate the locations where FSIS is pursuing further testing. These plant numbers are not associated with any product recall; nor specific products. Further, Foster Farms has already implemented additional controls with these plants to fully ensure safety.” Foster Farms

So, what do you think, should Foster Farms get shut down until they can get the problem under control? Should they recall their chicken?

~Mavis

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.