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Sunday, August 17, 2014

Back To School Giveaway: Win an iPod Touch or a $75 Target Gift Card

I'm joining with several other blogs in a big Back To School Giveaway! You could win an iPod Touch or a $75 Target gift card! Go here to enter!

Sweet & Salty Fall Brownie Pizza & Kraft Printable Coupons #PackedWithSavings #shop #cbias

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
Fall prep is in full swing at our house and this afternoon I made my first fall dessert of the season! Kraft had a bunch printable coupons online, so I took advantage and got some ingredients to make this easy and super yummy Sweet & Salty Brownie Pizza. The coupons are available for just a limited time, so make sure to check them out and clip the ones you need.

I love it that finding and printing coupons is so easy. Like everyone else, I love to save money when I can, and using coupons allows me to purchase more for my money, as well as choose the name brand items I prefer.

I found coupons for Planters peanuts and Philadelphia cream cheese---both of which I would use in my dessert recipe. I also grabbed this coupon for sliced cheese since I'm planning on making the kids grilled sandwiches for dinner this week.

I shopped at Walmart for my ingredients. Using the .50 off Philadelphia coupon, I was able to buy the name brand for a lesser price than the store brand! After adding the peanuts to my cart, I grabbed a few more toppings for the pizza: Jet-Puffed Marshmallows, candy corn and chocolate chips.

This brownie pizza is really easy to make, if you use the right technique. When you bake brownie mix on a flat surface with no sides, you want to make sure to put down a layer of parchment paper first. I use the pan to trace out a circle and then cut about 1/4 inch inside the circle when cutting it out.

After mixing up the brownie mix, I smooth it into a circle, leaving a half inch or so around the edges. Then I bake it for 10 minutes or so on 350º.

After the brownie is cooled, I spread on the peanut butter cream cheese mixture. I work in small batches with this mixture, and spread it all one direction, so it doesn't tear up the brownie.

Finally, I add toppings to the pizza and we all dig in! I'm loving this festive feeling we've got going on. I think I'm going to put up fall decorations this week!

Sweet & Salty Brownie Pizza
1 brownie mix + ingredients to make brownie
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. powdered sugar
toppings: peanuts, chocolate chips, marshmallows, candy corn

Prepare pan with parchment paper lining, as shown above. Mix brownie mix, according to package directions, and smooth out into a circle on top of parchment paper. Bake at 350º for about 10 minutes, or until the brownie is done. Cool on a wire rack. Mix cream cheese, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until smooth. Carefully spread out on brownie, using small amounts at a time, as explained above. Arrange toppings and use a pizza cutter to serve.

#PackedWithSavings
#CollectiveBias

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Broccoli & White Cheddar Soup

Every year, about this time, I start wondering if it's too early to start doing the "fall thing". Fall is my favorite time of year and I'm just so anxious to get out my decorations and start making some cooler weather dinners. Usually, though, if I start wondering now, I convince myself that it's too early. So I wait. But then life gets in the way and, before I know it, I'm putting up my fall decor super fast in mid-October so we have time to enjoy it before it's time to take it down and put up all the Christmas stuff. Well, I asked my son, Michael, last night what he thought and he said we should jump in! So here's my first colder weather recipe of the season: Broccoli & White Cheddar Soup.

Usually I avoid things like this because I don't have an immersion blender and every recipe I find calls for one. Well, yesterday I got smart and used the awesome KitchenAid blender my mom gave me. It was just one extra step, transferring the soup to the blender and back, but getting to taste this delicious soup was totally worth it!

Broccoli & White Cheddar Soup

1/2 c. butter or oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 c. flour
5 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. milk or cream (or mix of both!)
3 c. broccoli florets
4 c. sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, salt and pepper, and sauté a few minutes until onions are clear. Stir in flour and cook for one minute. Add broth, a little at a time, and works out any clumps. Then add the milk and stir. If your skillet is getting too full at this point, transfer the mixture to a soup pot. I had no problem with mine---I think it's a 12 c. skillet. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat and then add broccoli. Simmer until soup has thickened a bit. At this point, either use an immersion blender to break up the vegetable chunks, or transfer the soup to a blender, half at a time, to smooth it out. Return soup to the skillet and simmer another five minutes or so until it's the thickness you want. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese until it's all melted.

Enjoy!

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