If you are a busy mom like me, you definitely need EmailsforYou in your life.  This is an online service that helps you do customizable web based meal planning.  They will help you with recipes, shopping lists, wine pairings (I seriously needed this), techniques, and just overall ideas to help you!  You can get all of this for one year for $36!  Now, if you use the code COOKIN-23, I can save you an additional $8!  You will not find all of this elsewhere for this low of a price!  Think of it this way — this is just the cost of a dinner at a restaurant.  Cut that out, and you’ve got meal planning made easy for a whole year!  My personal favorite part of this site is that it will scale the recipes down for you (you can go as low as 2 people).  I personally hate having a recipe and standing there trying to figure out the math to cut it down (it has been a long time since I have had to divide fractions).  Now, since I have such great readers, I am able to give away 3 ten year memberships to their site!

How to Enter:  I need to know is your favorite recipe to make.  The recipes should be:

• makeable in 30 -40 minutes,
• using products and ingredients that you would normally have around the house,
• something you have made (no downloads from websites).

Your recipe also needs to fit under one of the categories listed here.

Besides the free memberships, the winners will have their recipes published both on the Emailsforyou blog and their site.  You will be given credit for the recipes on the sites too. I will also be mentioning the winners on a post on here with credit to you for a great recipe.  The judges for this contest will be me, EmealsForYou, Elizabeth from MomCooks.net, and Val from Fun, Crafts, and Recipes.

I’ll be running this contest until Dec. 15th at 8:00pm CST, so good luck.  I am looking forward to some new ideas to be making this holiday season!

I just recently had my first experience with Ghirardelli chocolate.  I had always heard it was good, but had never tried it myself till now.  Now that I have tried it, I am impressed.  It is very good chocolate.  It is some of the best chocolate I’ve ever had actually!  I got several different varities, but I have to say my favorite is crisp. The chocolate is rich but not too rich.  It was also filling, so it took two sitting for me to finish one bar off.  My husband, who isn’t even a chocolate fan, loved these too.  You can buy these candy bars at your local Wal-Marts, Walgreens, Borders, and Linens N Things.  They will be in Target, Blockbuster, and Cost Plus stores soon.  Now, I didn’t get any of their brand new kind of candy bar, but I’d love to try those too!  They look like they are filled.  The one I shall be trying shortly is the peanut butter filled one.  I have a feeling that I will have another new favorite kind of candy bar afterwards.  I wish I could say that I am giving these out for Halloween, but I am keeping them all for myself.  What is your favorite chocolate?

Like most people, we are a very busy family here, so we often order out which can quickly add up.  However, with the economy taking the downturn it has, everyone is looking for ways to save money.  I recently read in my local newspaper that people are joining food co-ops and buy whole cows to save money.  Another great way to save money, is to quit ordering out.  Instead, you can save a lot of money by making homecooked meals.  This easy to make recipe is not only easy but pretty cheap to make also.  This recipe will make 4 servings, and the total cost of this meal is $13.04 (which include the serving suggestions).  Where else can you feed your family for that cheap?  I do have to thank Prego for this great recipe to try out.   My family loved it and I am sure yours will too!

1 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 jar Prego Chunky Garden Mushroom & Green Pepper Italian Sauce
8 oz rotini pasta, cooked and drained

Heat oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned stirring often.

Stir the sauce in the skillet and heat to a boil.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.  Serve chicken mixture with the pasta.

Serving suggestions:  Served with whole green beans and soft wheat dinner rolls.  Dessert should be mini-eclaires.