Free Taco From Taco Bell

There were two bases stolen last night in Game 1 of the World Series, so Taco Bell is making good on their offer to give out free tacos.

Just keep in mind that there are some specifics in getting your free Crunchy Seasoned Beef Taco. You can only get it between 2-6 PM on Tuesday, October 28 at any participating Taco Bell in the U.S. Their press release has all the details.

Recipe: Egg And Cheese Stuffed Croissants

I love those filled croissants that you get at the bakery or coffee shops, but they tend to be pretty pricey. Today, I got a little bored with my lunch options and decided to whip up something similar with ingredients I had on hand.

Egg and Cheese Stuffed Croissants
1 package Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough
2 eggs
1 slice Muenster cheese, or any shredded cheese that melts easily

Preheat oven according to package directions (usually 375° F). Open package and separate the crescent roll dough. You should get 8 triangle-shaped pieces. In a bowl, beat two eggs and about a tablespoon of water. Add egg mixture to a heated pan and scramble eggs until they are just barely cooked (remember, they will be going in the oven). Divide up the scrambled eggs and spoon onto the fullest part of each dough triangle. Tear cheese slice into small pieces and place on top of scrambled eggs. Shredded cheese is also an option here, though I didn't have any on hand.

Carefully roll up dough around egg and cheese mixture, pinching dough together at ends to keep contents inside. Bake at 375° F for 11-13 minutes or follow package directions. Remove when done and serve while still warm.

The results? 8 flaky buttery croissants-like rolls filled with scrambled eggs and cheese.

Saving energy... by skipping the clothes dryer?

Lately, I've been seeing a lot of green sites advising people to line-dry clothes to save on energy because your average clothes dryer is a major energy waster.

From Tip The Planet:

Air drying your washing instead of putting it in the dryer is a great way to save energy. It uses no electricity or fuel, and requires little if any equipment.

But is this really feasible in the average household? I live outside of Chicago, where today's high temperature was only 54° F. I can't imagine myself hanging clothing outside to dry in winter.

Turns out that I don't need to go to those extremes just yet. Like with any lifestyle change, it's best to start out with baby steps. For me, the first step was to start line-drying cleaning rags instead of tossing them in the dryer. It was easier than I thought. I just folded them in half and hung them up on a towel bar, with one or two extras folded neatly on top of washer because I ran out of room. Even on a cold day without heat, they dried overnight.

I still can't imagine line-drying all my clothes, but I also don't see the point on wasting electricity to dry rags. The next step is seeing if I can rig a clothesline in my bathroom, because I don't see the point of throwing socks and undies in the dryer either.

Just a head's up...

Just as a head's up that Heather from Freebies 4 Mom has an interview on Inside Edition that is going to air tomorrow. Freebies 4 Mom is a good site to follow for leads on freebies and great coupons.

Recipe: Pizza Quesadillas

I love this recipe because it's a way to use up leftovers, like extra tortillas, but with a little bit of a twist.

Pizza Quesadillas
4 tortillas
1 1/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup pasta or pizza sauce
6 slices vegetarian pepperoni, cut into thin strips (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place tortillas on a flat surface. Divide 3/4 cup of the cheese between the tortillas, sprinkling it on one half of each. Top cheese with pasta sauce and pepperoni, then divide remaining 1/2 cup cheese between tortillas, sprinkling it on top of the pepperoni. Fold tortillas over, pressing down lightly. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Arrange 2 tortillas in skillet and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Repeat process with remaining tortillas. Allow quesadillas to cool slightly, then cut each into triangles and serve.

I'm not a fan of pepperoni, so I'll substitute cooked chicken strips instead, or add whatever veggies I have on hand. I like using things like broccoli florets or slices of tomato.

[Adapted from wholefoodsmarket.com]

Start The Week Off Right

With the start of a new week, here's what I'm doing to keep on track:

Make a big pot of soup for dinner on Monday night. It should last me a few days.

Take inventory of my kitchen appliances. I pretty much inherited the kitchen and appliances from my parents, and I really don't know what I have on hand. A few of the recipes I'm looking at call for a blender, food processor, and crock pot.

Pick up a new, silicone pancake/omelet turner. I found a really nice one at Amazon.com, but first I want to check out if Bed, Bath & Beyond has it because I have a coupon.

Try out my sister's portobello mushroom casserole recipe, if I can get her to write it down.

The nice thing is that I took a quick look at my checkbook over the weekend and noticed that since I started cooking more often, I'm spending less on food. The trick is that before I would buy groceries, then go out to eat. Now I'm getting more use out of my grocery budget by planning ahead, and pocketing the extra money that I was dropping on take-out.

Don't forget that Whole Foods coupon for $5 off a purchase of $25 or more is still good until Wednesday! Get a good look at your fridge and your pantry before then and see if you need anything before then.

What I'm Reading This Weekend

Kitchen Essentials, And Items You Can Pass On. Which reminds me, I accidentally melted a cheap plastic pancake turner last week.

Once-A-Month Shopping: Save More by Shopping Less. I'm not sure if I could go for a month without buying groceries, but I get the underlying concept that frequent trips leave you open to impulse buying.

How To Keep Fruits And Veggies Fresh. You don't want to waste your money by buying fresh food and not getting to use it before it goes bad.

Creamy Butternut Squash Casserole. I need to try making something with butternut squash. I'm seeing it everywhere all of a sudden.