Nov. 6th ~ Savings - Thanksgiving and Ibotta

Ibotta released this year's "Thanksgiving" Rebate.  They changed it in several ways this year and I think I like the change.  The biggest change to me was we could shop at other stores and not just Walmart this year.

This year - the rebate is in 3 stages.

Stage 1 - buy/redeem the required number of offers (I had to redeem 16 offers but I found yogurt, chips, etc. to make it doable.  Several of the chips were BOGO so that made the offer even sweeter - or - saltier).

Stage 2 - completing stage 1 unlocks your FREE Butterball Turkey.  (Free 3# Frozen Butterball Turkey Breast or $14 cash back towards a bigger Butterball Turkey.)

Now you buy/redeem 4 more offers.

Stage 3 - completing stage 2 unlocks your FREE sides.

It felt like a scavenger hunt and now I'm really stocked up on some good items.  Next stage for me...I'm off to redeem my FREE offers.

If you haven't tried Ibotta out, you really should.  (Just click the + sign of the offer you want to redeem, buy the item, redeem your receipt through the app and you've made some $ back.)

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

Nov. 3rd ~ National Sandwich Day

I'm a sandwich kind of girl!  Just enough good things in the middle of some good bread and I'm a happy camper!

Photo by Mae Mu on Unsplash

I read some history on the sandwich, but nothing was concrete, so I'll just let you know my favorite places to get a sandwich and what that sandwich is.

Photo by Monika Grabkowska on Unsplash

Arby's Corned Beef Reuben - I used to make these but it's a lot easier to swing through Arby's.

Subway - anything at Subway and with all of the toppings!

Panera - same as Subway - pretty much any of their sandwiches.

5 Guys - Burgers - totally their burgers.

My Ginger - she makes a mean Grilled Cheese Sandwich.  I've never eaten one as good as the one she makes.

What about you?  What are your favorites?

I'm off to the kitchen to make a copycat of one of my favorites.

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

Oct. 26th ~ National Pumpkin Day

Did you know...pumpkins are a member of the gourd family  Other members of the gourd family are melons, cucumbers, squash (yellow and zucchini). Plus they're fruits - not vegetables.  Their history in North America goes back 5,000 years.

Pumpkin is also one of the best-known sources of beta-carotene (an antioxidant converted to vitamin A in the body).  They are loaded with fiber, potassium, and vitamin C.

Photo by Marius Ciocirlan on Unsplash

While I love melons (all kinds) and really love squash with onions, zucchini stir-fried and cucumbers just to snack on, I found these interesting cookies.

Side Note:  Dewey's Bakery was founded in 1930 in Winston-Salem, NC.  To read more about their history, click here.

Hope you have a good "National Pumpkin Day" and that there's a good pumpkin patch in your future this fall to visit.

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

Oct. 25th ~ Sourest Day

Welcome to "Sourest Day".  Today is the day for all things sour.  While I love green apples and lemons, I'm concentrating on candy today.

I polled two young people (my grandson and a young friend) about their favorite sour candy.  I received two different answers.  So here goes...

My young friend said Sour Patch Kids but it has to be the box not a bag.  Boy, was she right!  They are sour but addictive!

My grandson's answer was "Limon 7".  I'd never heard of it.  Limon 7 is a salt and lemon powder.  The powder can be eaten straight from the pouch or poured on to fruit.  I chose the pouch route.

I'm already thinking of other ways to use the Limon 7.  Since I have 99 more pouches of it, I wonder if I can come up with 99 more ways to use it.

Hope you enjoy "Sour Day" and thanks for visiting ~ Reia 

Oct. 24th ~ National Food / Bologna Day

National Food Day was celebrated for the first time in 1975.  The day was created by the CSPI (Center for Science and Public Interest).

Photo by Anna Pelzer on Unsplash

It was supposed to be like "Earth Day" and focused on educating people about healthy eating, good farming methods, etc.  I try to eat healthy, but I certainly wouldn't be the poster child for "National Food Day".  I do love a good salad though - honest!

In fact, I wanted to write about "National Bologna Day" but didn't buy any in time to take pictures or get the recipe for this "Bologna and Cream Cheese" cake.  Yes, it's a thing.

So, here's the 1973 commercial floating around in my head as I thought about my post for "National Bologna Day".

Oscar Meyer Commercial - 1973 

Thanks for visiting on this day that's all about food ~ Reia

Oct. 22nd ~ National Nut Day

 Happy "National Nut Day"!  Liberation Foods - a Community Interest Company that's owned by smallholder farmers around the world - designated Oct. 22nd to be "National Nut Day" in 2015.

Photo by Tom Hermans on Unsplash

For some interesting "Nut" Facts - visit RitiRiwaz.  One that caught my eye is - Pistachios aren't a nut - they're a seed.  (There goes the photo I was going to use.)

Photo by Pavel Kalenik on Unsplash

Did you know there's a website called - Nutcracker Museum?  The site even has a "Puzzle" page for Kids.

Photo by Chris Briggs on Unsplash

The Minimalist Baker shows us how to Make our own Nut Butter.

Thanks for visiting on "National Nut Day"!  Reia

Oct. 21st ~ National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day

New facts to me - 1) "National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day" was declared in 2011 and 2) Cheesecakes date back to the 5th Century B.C.

I found a recipe that turns a regular Cheesecake mix into a Pumpkin Cheesecake.  (I'm learning all kinds of things with this project I've taken on.)

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake (by Taste of Home)

It's been a busy day so I'll edit this post once my cheesecake is ready for it's debut.

Be back in a bit.  Pumpkin Cheesecake to check on.

The Pie/Quiche Plate is Pfaltzgraff's Yorktowne

Here she is - I used my Young Living Clove Essential Oil for the Clove.

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

Oct. 20th ~ International Chefs Day

International Chefs Day was started by the Late Chef Dr. Bill Gallagher in 2004.  Today's purpose is to celebrate chefs and spread awareness about eating healthy.

I found a fascinating website - World Chefs.  The website is full of information and events to include today's celebration.

Now for some of my favorite "Chef" Competitions...

Great British Menu (can be streamed for free on Tubitv)

Top British chefs compete against each other and are scored by a panel of acclaimed judges.

The Final Table (can be streamed on Netflix)

Teams of chefs vie to impress some of the world's toughest palates.

There are others but these are my favorite International competitions.

My favorite "chef" quote - "Chefs don't make mistakes; they make new dishes."  Elizabeth Brigg

Here's to International Chefs Day!

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

Oct. 19th ~ National Seafood Bisque Day

Happy National Seafood Bisque Day!  Bisque you ask?  Dictionary.com defines it as "a thick cream soup, especially of puréed shellfish or vegetables."

Bowl is Pfaltzgraff's Naturewood pattern.

While Longhorn Steakhouse calls this dish a chowder, it reminds me of a Bisque.  Today's "National Day" was reason enough for me to do a curbside order.

Buy online - I did find a few Bisques to buy online at Amazon (I'll add links later) and I found Tomato Bisque in our grocery stores.

Recipe - I found a recipe online for "Super Easy Shrimp Bisque" at 100 Days of Real Food.

Happy "National Seafood Bisque Day" everyone!

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

Oct. 18th ~ National Chocolate Cupcake Day

National Chocolate Cupcake Day - celebrating Chocolate Cupcakes is right up my alley.

Apparently Amelia Simmons wrote the first American cookbook, American Cookery.  Published in 1796 (Hartford, CT) and the cupcake was born.

I bought the cookbook (Kindle and Print).  The recipe is titled - "A light Cake to bake in small cups".  The recipe calls for... 1/2 pound of sugar, 1/2 pound of butter, rubbed into 2 pounds of flour, one glass of wine, one do (ditto - glass) rose water, 2 do (ditto - glass) emptins, a nutmeg, cinnamon and currants.

I love this!  The cookbook has a glossary and I'm thankful because I didn't know what "do" or "emptins" were.  Emptins were "semiliquid prepared yeast".

Ths Hostess company was the first to mass produce cupcakes in 1919 and they're still producing today.

Thanks to all who create and bake cupcakes.  Especially today on "National Chocolate Cupcake Day"!

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia