Did you know that this Saturday is the 9th annual Great American Backyard Campout on June 22, 2013?!? It’s the perfect opportunity to head outside for some great food and family fun this summer. We love love love being outside, and eating outside…and the boys just might get the tent out (if they can stand to sleep in the heat, we’ll let them!). If not, they might set the tent up in the playroom and sleep indoors!

If you’re looking for some new things to try (Try 13 Challenge!!) on the campfire, or grill, this weekend, check out these ideas:

• Pigs in a Sleeping Blanket: For an easy twist on the classic campfire hotdog take an 11 ounce can of breadstick dough, slice each dough strip in half and wrap each strip around a hotdog leaving a small area uncovered for the face. Roast over the fire until the hotdog and bread are cooked, let cool, then use ketchup and mustard to make fun faces.
• Silver Turtles: This hearty option is a simple way to fill your campers’ stomachs. Simply place a hamburger patty in a piece of aluminum foil and top it with potatoes, carrots, onions, salt, pepper and a pad of butter. Fold the foil tightly around the turtle and cook over the coals for 20 minutes or until cooked thoroughly, then let cool and enjoy. For a side dish, try wrapping corn on the cob or whole potatoes in foil for delicious grilled corn or baked potatoes. Remember to let them cool then add your favorite toppings.
• Gourmet Lasagna: If you’re up for some Italian, try this easy Dutch oven recipe for lasagna. Start by pouring a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the Dutch oven and add a little water. Then cover with lasagna noodles and a layer of ricotta or cottage cheese and chopped spinach and add another layer of sauce to top it off and repeat the layering until you reach the top of your pot. Top your lasagna off with sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, cover and let bake for 30 minutes. If you are looking for a more meaty dish try adding pepperoni or ground beef between the layers.

And room for dessert…

• Dipped Strawberries: Dip strawberries in Marshmallow Fluff and roast over the fire.
• Orange-Chocolate Cake: Hollow out oranges, fill (about half way) with chocolate cake mix, wrap in foil and heat in the hot coals for about 20 minutes.
• Singing Apples: Place an apple on a cooking stick and roast over hot coals until the peel starts to split and “sing.” Carefully remove the peel and roll apple in cinnamon-sugar.

Fun and adventure are only as far as your backyard, so let’s get outside!

Visit www.backyardcampout.org for more information.

Are you looking for a good activity for your kids this summer?  Check out these colored pasta beads!  Lots of fun crafts can be done with these!  Head on over to My Name is Snickerdoodle to learn more!

If you are looking for some coupons and freebies to to help you save on dinner on the town, date nights, and for when you need a break from cooking, then you’re in the right spot!

While we certainly know that eating out is more expensive than eating in, it is nice to treat yourself and your family every now and again to a meal out on the town. Our family eats out 2 or 3 times a month, and we’ve been able to do so for less than $60 for the month…in part because of all the great coupons, daily deals, and other offers from restaurants in our area.

Check out the latest coupons, deals and offers that will help you spend less on your next “out to dinner” night!

Restaurant Gift Cards

Don’t forget that you can earn “swagbucks” for searching online and redeem them for restaurant gift cards. Refer your friends and earn faster!

Restaurant Coupons

• Baskin Robbins Coupon – $1 Off Any Medium or Large Frozen or Iced Beverage (exp: 6/30/2013)

• Blimpie Coupon – Buy 1 6 Inch Sub Get 1 Free WYB 22 oz. Drink (sign up for free eClub to access coupon)

• Chili’s Coupon – FREE Flatbread to the First 1 Million (exp: 6/30/2013)

• Del Taco Coupon – Free Baja Shrimp Taco WYB Any Beverage (exp: 6/25/2013)

• Friendly’s Coupon – Buy 1 Fribble Get 1 Free (exp: 6/18/2013)

• Godfather’s Pizza Coupon – Buy 1 Regular Priced Large Specialty Pizza Get Medium 1-Topping Pizza Free (exp: 12/31/2013)

• Hardee’s Coupon - Free Small Fry and Drink wyb Any 1/3 lb Thickburber (Must enter zip of nearest Hardee’s)

• Joes Crab Shack Coupon – 10% Off Entire Purchase (exp: 7/8/2013)

• Krystal Coupon – Free Krystal or Sunriser with Any Purchase (exp: 8/31/2013)

• Macaroni Grill Coupon – 10% Off Entire Purchase (exp: 7/8/2013)

• Marie Callenders Coupon – Buy 1 Entree Get 1 50% Off WYB 2 Drinks (exp: 6/27/2013)

• McDonald’s Coupon - $1 Egg White Delight McMuffin (exp: 6/20/2013)

Kids Eat Free

• Bob Evans – Kids eat free on Tuesdays with adult entree purchase

• Earth Fare – Thursdays from 4 – 8 pm, with $5 adult purchase

• Ikea: Kids eat free on Tuesdays

• Olive Garden Coupon – Free Kids Meal with Adult Entree Purchase (exp: 6/20/2013)

Thanks to Savings Lifestyle, Common Sense with Money, and Surviving the Stores for helping us compile this list!

::: Download the FREE $5 Dinners Toolbar – never miss a recipe, coupon, deal or meal plan! Learn more. :::

A

{Photo Credit – Tyler and me at the 2011 Summit in Colorado Springs. This year, I’ll just have baby Austin in tow.}

So it’s been a super busy spring for me. And the next 2 weeks are the busiest of my year, every year. This week is the 4th annual Savvy Blogging Summit in Cincinnati. We gather with fellow bloggers once a year to network, swap blogging ideas, talk trends, tips and tricks of the trade and also have lots of fun too!

It also means that I step away from my computer for almost a week. Then I dive into the “post-event” stage of following up and making future plans, etc.

That being said, I’m taking the rest of June “off”. We will still continue to post the usual weekly posts and I have a number of recipes that I whipped up last week to share between now and the end of the month. Be back full steam soon!

Erin

Here are some of the latest and hottest printable coupons:

Food

• $1/1 A.1. Steak Sauce, 10 oz+ (exp 07/03/2013)
• $0.50/2 Breakstone’s or Knudsen Sour Cream, 16 oz+ (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Cardini’s Salad Dressing (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/2 Country Time Drink Mixes (exp 07/03/2013)
• $0.50/2 Cracker Barrel Cheese, 6 oz+ (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/2 Crystal Light Liquid Drink Mixes, 1.62 fl oz (exp 07/03/2013)
• $0.50/1 General Mills Chex Cereal SavingStar (exp 06/30/2013)
• $0.50/1 General Mills Lucky Charms Cereal SavingStar (exp 06/30/2013)
• $1/1 Gevalia Coffee, 12 oz (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1.50/1 Gevalia Coffee Single Serve Cups (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1.25/1 Girard’s Salad Dressing (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/2 JELL-O Refrigerated Snacks (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/2 Kool-Aid Jammers Juice Drink, 10 pk (exp 07/03/2013)
• B10G3 Regular Kool-Aid Unsweetened Envelopes, up to $0.75 (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/2 Kool-Aid Sugar Sweetened Drink Mix Canisters (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/2 Kraft Barbecue Sauce, 17.5 oz+ (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/2 Kraft Dressings, 16 oz+ (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Kraft Homestyle Macaroni & Cheese Microwavable Bowl, 3.6 – 4.1 oz (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Kraft Mayo or Miracle Whip Dressing, 22 oz+ (exp 07/03/2013)
• $0.50/2 Kraft Natural Shredded Cheese (exp 07/03/2013)
• $0.50/2 Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese (exp 07/03/2013)
• $0.75/2 Kraft or Polly-O String Cheese (exp 07/03/2013)
• $0.50/2 Kraft Singles, 12 oz+ (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1.50/2 Lucky Leaf Pie Filling SavingStar (exp 06/30/2013)
• $1.25/1 Marzetti Slaw Dressing (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1.50/1 Maxwell House Coffee Single Serve Cups (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Maxwell House International Coffee, Maxwell House or Yuban Instant Coffee (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Maxwell House or Yuban Coffee (exp 07/03/2013)
• $2/1 Milk wyb (2) Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut Cereal, gallon (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1.25/2 New York Brand Frozen Bread Products (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Orchard Valley Harvest Item, 8 oz+ (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Oscar Mayer Carving Board Meats (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Perdue Short Cuts Carved Breast Strips (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Perdue Refrigerated Breaded Product (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Planters NUT•rition Mix, multipack or canister 7.5 – 18.25 oz excludes Single Serve (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1.50/2 Pompeian Oils, 16 fl oz+ SavingStar (exp 08/07/2013)
• $1/1 Sister Schubert’s Dinner Yeast Rolls Product (exp 07/03/2013)
• $3/1 StarKist Selects Product Purchase of $12+ SavingStar (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Star Olives, 7 oz+ (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/2 Velveeta Cheesy Skillets Dinner Kits (exp 07/03/2013)
• $0.75/1 Velveeta Loaf, 32 oz (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Weight Watchers Chicken Breasts, Tenders or Burgers (exp 07/03/2013)

Household

• $1/1 Cottonelle Toilet Paper, 24 pk+ (exp 07/03/2013)
• $0.25/1 Mardi Gras Napkin Package (exp 07/03/2013)
• $3/2 Purex Liquid or UltraPacks Detergents, 128 oz 54 ct or Larger Only (exp 07/03/2013)
• $0.50/1 Pruven Oxy Powered Stain & Odor Remover with Scotchgard (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Quilted Northern Ultra Soft and Strong

 

Personal Care

• $2/1 Centrum Silver, 100 ct+ (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Disney or Marvel Gummy Vitamin Product (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 Dry Idea Product SavingStar (exp 09/06/2013)
• $2.25/1 Nature Made VitaMelts (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1.75/2 Nature Made Vitamins (exp 07/03/2013)
• $1/1 any REACH Brand toothbrush
• $1/1 Right Guard Xtreme or Total Defense 5 Body Wash or Bar SavingStar (exp 09/06/2013)
• $1.25/1 VO5 Salon Series Professional Hair Care Product or Hot Oil Treatment (exp 07/03/2013)

Be sure to check out all the printable coupons available at Red Plum, Smart Source, Coupon Network and Coupons.com!

Looking for a coupon for an item on your shopping list? Or a coupon for your favorite product? Be sure to check for it in my coupon database!

Never miss a coupon! Get the latest and greatest coupons delivered straight to your inbox, just moments after they are posted!

A

The $5 Dinners Weekly Meal Plan with Printable Grocery List

Every week I will post 5 links to archived recipes, plus an additional 1 or 2 recipes for breakfast, snacks or batch cooking recipes.  You can click through to see the original recipe and print that recipe if you like. (Or go green and just come back to this post to get to the recipe.)

We’ve been out by the pool a.lot. this week and I quickly found that having a meal in the slow cooker on the days we will be at the pool is a lifesaver. And sanity saver. And energy saver. And money saver. This keeps me out of the drive through line, and confident that I won’t have to slave over dinner after an afternoon out in the heat and sun. That being said, I slipped a slow cooker recipe onto this week’s plan. Also, be sure to check out the 75 Summer Slow Cooker Recipe series over at Eat at Home!

The Recipes

• Slow Cooker Mango Chicken

• Quinoa and Black Bean Burritos with “Guac de Gallo”

• Wedge Cobb Salad

• Thai Beef Cabbage Roll Bake

• BLT Sliders with Parmesan Mayo

• Healthy Breakfast Burritos

• Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

Also, don’t forget to check out the amazing resources at Food on the Table!

And feel free to check out all the previous weekly meal plans with printable grocery list for other options!

Scroll down and you’ll see a list of ingredients for each of the recipes included, in the order they are listed above. I’ll include ALL ingredients, including many that you already have in your pantry, refrigerator, or freezer. If you have those ingredients, just don’t click them!

Put a check mark by each of the ingredients, and then print your grocery list and be on your way to the grocery store!

Slow Cooker Mango Chicken

	6 small boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1 1/3 lb.)

	Olive oil, drizzles

	Red wine vinegar, drizzles

	Garlic powder, sprinkles

	1 small red onion

	1 medium zucchini

	1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (or 2 medium garden tomatoes)

	1 mango

Quinoa and Black Bean Burritos with “Guac de Gallo”

	1 cup quinoa

	2 cups liquid – water or vegetable broth

	1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

	2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15 oz. can black beans

	2 tsp ground cumin

	Juice from 1 lime

	4-8 tortillas, depending on size and how many burritos you want!

	1 avocado

	1 tomato

	1/2 green pepper

	Couple dashes ground cumin

	2 sprigs cilantro

Wedge Cobb Salad

	4 slices bacon

	2 eggs, hard boiled

	1 head iceberg lettuce

	1 cup homemade ranch dressing

	about 1 cup shredded chicken

	about 1 cup chopped tomatoes

	about 1 cup chopped cucumber

	Couple pinchfuls of shredded cheddar cheese for each salad

	Other favorite cobb salad toppings, whatever you have on hand – sliced ham or turkey, blue cheese crumbles

Thai Beef Cabbage Roll Bake

	2 teaspoons sesame oil

	1 tsp garlic cloves

	1 onion

	3/4 lb ground beef

	2 tsp ground ginger

	1 Tbsp brown sugar

	3 Tbsp lime juice

	up to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

	1/4 cup peanuts

	1 small cabbage, 12 large leaves gently removed

	1 8 oz. tomato sauce

	1 tsp ground ginger, garlic powder, each

	Crushed red pepper, optional

	Serve with Bread or brown rice

BLT Sliders with Parmesan Mayo

	1 package turkey bacon

	1 package Sister Schubert’s dinner rolls

	2 small tomatoes

	4 lettuce leaves

	1/2 cup mayo

	1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

	1/2 tsp garlic powder

	1/2 tsp onion powder

	Chips and fresh fruit for serving

Healthy Breakfast Burritos

	8 small tortillas

	8 large eggs

	1/2 cup milk

	2 tsp butter

	1 small onion

	1 medium green pepper

	1 small red pepper

	1/3-1/2 cup shredded cheese

	Dash of hot sauce (optional)

Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

	1 store-bought brownie mix (or your favorite homemade batter, like this one without the cashews or caramels)

	16 dollops of chocolate-hazelnut spread

	1 cup of chocolate chips

If you are seeing this in an email or in your reader and you’d like to print your grocery list, then click here to access the list feature, which is only available on the website.

Find this useful and want to get a FREE $5 Dinners Weekly Meal Plan, complete with printable grocery list options, delivered to your inbox every Sunday evening…just in time to make the week’s meal plan!?

{Pin by clicking the Pinterest Button below!}

This is your weekly (and friendly) reminder to check out the latest coupon matchups for the following grocery stores and Target…click on each link to find the current deals, coupon matchups and extra savings offers!

Grocery Stores

• Aldi

• Giant Eagle

• Kroger – Cincinnati Region

• Kroger – Great Lakes Region

• Meijer – Indiana

• Meijer – Ohio

Big Box Stores – Nationwide

• Target

(Learn more about the Grocery Nation coupon matchup mobile app.)

Head on over and get the latest deals, and enjoy watching as you shave dollars and dollars off your grocery budget this week!

Every week I’ll be posting the best deals and coupon match-ups for all products at the different national drug stores. Here are a few highlights, and links to the complete list of deals.

{View the Complete CVS Coupon Match-up}

{View the Complete Walgreens Coupon Match-up}

{View the Complete Rite Aid Coupon Match-up}

I hope this helps you decide whether or not to bop into the drugstore this next week to pick up any staples!

Sale prices valid, starting this Sunday. Visit the $5 Dinners Coupon Match-Ups page for a complete list of the all coupon matchups. .

This is one of those “it just came together” meals…

A few weeks back, we took the kids downtown during Fiesta week to go to the River Parade. They were serving some delicious tex-mex options in the section where our seats were located. They had fajitas, as well as bean and cheese tostadas. The kids had never had a tostada before, as I rarely made them in Ohio because the tostadas were quite expensive. Now that we are here in south Texas, there are tostadas practically on every corner, and they are cheap.cheap.cheap.

(Did I mention they were cheap?)

So I’ve added them to the “regulars” section of my grocery list. My grocery list consists of “regulars,” or items that I buy every week, along with deep discount and sale items like produce and BOGO offers, and lastly the “stockpile” section for products that I can get free or nearly free by matching sales with coupons or other store offers.

Two of the 3 older boys love refried beans on the tostadas…just like that. The other turns his nose up at beans, so he likes the other toppings. And while I rarely “short-order cook,” this meal is great…as the kids got to pick what they wanted on top!

We recently had Mexican Haystacks, and this is super similar…just seven layers, on top of a tostada. My tostada is pictured above…

• Refried beans
• Shredded chicken
• Homemade Guacamole
• Chopped orange pepper
• Black Beans
• Salsa
• Shredded cheese

Other topping ideas include: sour cream, black olives, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, red beans, avocado chunks.

This meal really just came together…I had all the right fixings and ingredients in the pantry to make a well, rounded and delicious dinner that we all enjoyed!

What would you put on your Seven Layer Tostada?!?

(Also, you might need a fork!)

You may have already seen this floating around, but Chili’s is giving away 1 million free flatbreads! Click the banner to join the Chili’s Email Club to get your Free Full-Size Flatbread, plus you’ll also get the latest happenings and exclusive offers. So sign up, get your free flatbread, and head on out for a yummy dinner!

(Also, if you use Swagbucks…save up and “buy” a Chili’s gift card with your swagbucks!)

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