SEARCH AND DESTROY MISSION - Week One - Jan 2009

Well, today I was on a 'search and destroy' mission. The last couple of days while watching TV I had cracked up about a pound of pecans that I gleaned from the ground from a tree at work. I thought I'd make some "turtles" with them. So I got on the Internet in search of a recipe. I found one that called for Rolos and pretzels. I'm thinking...oooh, cool...don't those look yummy. I chose that because I thought that might be a good time saver and I didn't know if I'd be willing to stand at the stove and do up my own caramel. I would have needed to buy corn syrup anyway, so I figured the Rolos would be a good answer to both.

I decided to hit up the Farmer's Market which they hold year round by my house and see what yummy things I could come up with from there. I like the idea of buying "local" but I also want it "organic" if I'm going to pay the premium price for it. The combination at even the Farmer's Markets are hard to find.

In order to go to the Farmer's Market, I needed cash. There is one branch of my bank, but it was in the opposite direction of where I was going to be and I didn't want to waste the extra time and gas to go there just for $20.00. I knew if I used a "foreign" ATM I would be charged between the 2 banks - $3.50. NOT! Sooooo....I headed across the street to Safeway and purused their "sale" rack and came up with 2 packages of Organic Linguini on closeout for $1.00 - Savings of 50%. I bought 2 bags for $2.00 and got $20.00 cash back for ZERO fee!

Next was the Farmer's Market. With re-usable bag in hand I ventured down the rows of "redi-huts" to see what good stuff I might find. I picked up 1 dozen locally grown, range free medium organic eggs, 1 pint size jar of local organic honey and 4 locally grown organic Fuji apples.
Quality costs, but I believe in the premise of locally grown and organic food so I don't mind the additional cost. Total spent for these items $16.50 (Eggs - $4.50; Honey - $8.00 - Apples - $4.00).

Next stop (right across the street) was Target. I went in to have a prescription transferred to them and to sign up for their Pharmacy Rewards program. By doing so I will receive 1- $20.00 g.c. and 1 - $10.00 gift card! Cha-ching! FREE money! Works for me! I have to get it filled anyway, so might as well get something for it! My co-pay is the same regardless of what pharmacy I use and I then turn that into my FSA plan to get reimbursed.

I've had my eye on a rice cooker at Target (not sure if I "REALLY" need that tho') so I'm still pondering whether it fits into my "needs" or "wants" category and if its an 'ecofriendly' choice or not. Still weighing that. Well...as it turns out - the very rice cooker I want is on sale for $30.00! Hmmmm...fate? I dunnno...we'll see.

Next stop (right around the corner) is Cost Plus. Here they had all holiday items (not just wrapping paper and ornaments) on sale at 90% off!! I picked up, the following:

2-Sugar Cookie mixes (in cannisters that will be used to store and/or ship items in) 2 Snickerdoodle Cookie mixes (same containers) .79c each. (Reg. $7.99each)
4-Cans of organic pumpkin - will be great for pies and cookies - .24c each! (Reg. $2.49each)
2-"Caramel" Fondue sets - complete with caramel, sticks and other goodies - .89c each. (Reg. $8.99each) I will be 'canabalizing' these for my turtles! Certainly cheaper than a bag of Rolos or the Caramel Syrup.
4 china-type luncheon size plates for .49c a piece. (Reg $4.99each) These will be perfect for cookie plates for gift giving (post man, banker, etc.)
1- purse size tin of Pomegranate Green Tea. It contains six (6) round, unbleached tea bags with green tea, hibiscus tea (great for blood pressure) and pomegranate juice. I will be able to refill this and use again and again.

Total paid w/tax: $10.78

Next stop was the Eco-Thrift store. I have made up my mind that I am not going to buy 'new' if I don't absolutely have to. I need a new pair of jeans and I've been looking for a black 8"x10" frame that I want to frame a print out of the Serenity Prayer in so I though - "I'm going to stick to my pledge and check there first. It's an excellent thrift store - well organized, clean and they regularily run "50% to 75%" off sales on certain colored tagged items. I was in luck! My main "need" was jeans. I've been limping along with ONE pair (which were previously used and donated to me by a good friend) however, they were beginning to wear thin - so another pair to 'trade off' with, would be nice. I found a pair, my size (which was miracle in itself - hahaha) and guess what? It was 50% off! Nice! $2.14 for a pair of jeans! Sweet!


Last stop - In and Out Burger. I rec'd a gift card in my stocking for Christmas from a friend. If you haven't had an In and Out Burger they are awesome! I decided to treat myself to the "full meal" (I've been trying to not purchase soda as it's grossly marked up and I have other alternatives to drink at home usually) A $6.01 In and Out Double-Double Burger complete with fries and a drink cost me $1.01. I was so stuffed with the burger, I shared the fries with my daughter.

By the way, here's the "Turtle Recipe" for anyone that might be interested.

The chocolate and caramel in Rolo candies softens and oozes all around the salty, crunchy pretzel. Top it off with a pecan half, and it’s a homemade treat that won’t last long in a candy dish. Well, truthfully, they probably won’t make it to the candy dish; Rolo Turtle Pretzels are addictive when they’re warm off the baking sheet. Prepare to make a double batch!

Rolo Pretzel Turtle Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
Rolo chocolate candies
Mini pretzels
Nuts - pecan halves (if you don’t like pecans, you can use almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

1. Unwrap your Rolos.

2. Place pretzels on the baking sheet in one layer.

3. Top each pretzel with a Rolo.

4. Bake in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chocolate just begins to melt. The Rolo candy should be soft but not completely melted.

5. Remove from oven, use a spatula to lift the pretzels on cooling rack and immediately squish the Rolo candy with a nut. Watch the caramel ooze out!

UPDATE:
The "Caramel Foundue Kits" - came with 8oz. of regular caramel, 8 oz. of chocolate caramel, bag of toffee pieces, bag of chopped nuts, bag of cookie crumbs (oreo type) and 8 wooden skewers. Not bad for .80c - NONE of this will go to waste - not even the "grass stuff" that it all laid on in the box! I, of course, will either repurpose the box or recycle it. It's the kind with the flip top and nice fold in sides.

OH BY THE WAY...
The shells from the pecans I cracked are not going to waste - they will be used with old candle wax pieces to make fire place starters. Had to tidy up that loose end! Ha! This is a great way to recycle the pecan (or any nut) hulls, old remnents of candle wax and old magazines or papers that comes in packages or is used at department stores to wrap "fragile" items in. The paper is used to wrap around the candle wax and nut hulls after it "sets". For me, I just use old magazines or newspaper, but you can make these look really cute and give as 'gifts'. Recycle 'curling ribbon' to tie up the ends even. Makes for easy 'lighting'. Although I don't have my own"how to" instructions, here's a pretty good link. Just substitute nut hulls for saw dust.