The best thing I ever did was listened to my mother when she told me to plant some garden herbs. I am not really the sort of person that thought I could just go outside, cut some garden herbs and cook with them. She was purchasing some things for me for my birthday, I asked her to help me with my garden, so I went with it...Well, how many times have I used them? Numerous!!!!!! I have basil and rosemary.. The rosemary goes on potatoes, chicken and in many marinades. The basil goes in anything and everything...Caprese salad, Lemon basil pasta salad, homemade pasta sauce..etc...When I am in a bind..I know I always have these, so I plan my menu around them and WOW....it tastes homemade, fresh and gourmet. I am saving so much money, as I used to purchase these things, use half and discard the portion I did not use....and these plants are growing like crazy..When I cut some off, it seems as though it multiplies!!! So, do not be wary of these grown in your own garden, hey are better than things grown on a farm somewhere with unknown chemicals, etc...My lemon pasta consists of:

1 box of the pasta of your choice
Juice from 2 lemons
1 bar of mozzarella cheese
A few Roma tomatoes
A small can of sliced olives
10 leaves of fresh basil chopped julienne
Splash of olive oil

Cook pasta according to box. Drain. Combine the rest of the ingredients.

Extra tip....After many times of cooking this, it tastes best with a splash of lemon juice from the "real lemon" squeeze bottle that can be found in your produce section. It adds a bit of sweetness to your pasta salad...

Enjoy!!!

Design on a Budget

It's almost that time!! As fall and back to school are quickly approaching...it's nearing the time to pull out those seasonal decorations. We will be posting tips on how to create a fantastic space with your items..without it looking like a garage sale!! As you may be feeling that your space is drab and in dire need of a "sprucing up"....remember that painting your walls is an easy and affordable way to give you a fresh look as we approach a new season. We will be posting sales at local stores on items that would definitely personalize your home. Check back for the latest on color trends for your home!!

Green Tip

Have you ever found yourself asking your children to go in another room because you are spraying some sort of cleaning product that may not be safe to "inhale"? Well, we have a sister-in-law that has been doing a lot of research on this, and she has come up with some awesome things! These are environmentally friendly and will definitely be kind to your pocket book! In many cases, it is proven that these are more effective than the products we pay top dollar for!! We plan on posting these simple recipes for cleaning products that will clean your entire home! We will break down the dollar amounts on the quantities and show you how you can save a lot of money!! Not to mention breathing easier in the home!! Check back periodically for green tips and recipes!!!! Let us know what you think and what you would be interested in finding out about!!!

Saving on Utilities

Saving on utilities can be easier than you thought. Did you know that several service providers such as; phone and satellite companies will offer deals on your bill? You don't even have to "bundle"! In many cases these companies are affiliated with each other and will offer money off of your actual bill every month. For example, our local phone company offers a credit every month on your bill if you are a customer of Directv! It's definitely worth the phone call to your providers to see what they offer. Many of these offers are not advertised!!