Greetings!
I have exciting news…..
This morning I cooked chicken and it turned out pretty great! (it was one of the first times I’ve ever cooked raw chicken by myself…and I’ll admit I didn’t have high expectations for the end result 
)
I marinated it with this dressing:
and added garlic powder, pepper, & poultry seasoning. Well, marinate is probably not the best word choice…since I only let it sit for about 4 minutes before popping it in the oven. Oh well…I’m still learning here!
Also on the plate:
- broccoli
- homemade sweet potato fries (didn’t turn out very good…I think the potatoes I bought are going bad?)
- baby carrots (2 pound bag cooked with 1 tbsp. butter, 1/8 cup sugar, 1/8 cup brown sugar on the stove for about 45 min.). YUM!
This was a tasty lunch, and a welcome change from our Thanksgiving leftovers!
For dessert: vanilla frozen yogurt with a Ghiradelli peppermint bark square. Yes, I ate it out of a plastic wine glass (although it looks like a bowl in this picture!). So fancy!
And now, for some holiday money-saving tips!
1. Make a budget, and stick to it.
2. Homemade gifts are often better than store-bought ones. Friends and family are 99% more likely to love (and remember a lot longer) a framed picture or hand-sewn blanket than a giant Hershey kiss shaped like a Santa hat that’s on sale for $19.99 at your local supermarket. Just saying…
3. Shop around, and don’t be afraid to return items if you find them cheaper somewhere else!
4. Giftcards are a great option (especially for those hard-to-shop-for people in your life). Lots of stores & restaurants have great promotions going on right now, where they give you a small giftcard if you buy a giftcard. You can find a master list here!
5. Give everyone a lump of coal.
Just. Kidding.
Hahaha.
I have seen gum that’s made to look like coal at CVS…a very tempting stocking stuffer 
And in honor of Freebie Friday, here’s a free offer just for YOU!
Restaurant.com is giving out FREE, yes, FREE $10 egiftcards to everyone! You can email as many as you want to friends and family. Pretty awesome!
Question of the Day:
What’s the most special homemade gift you’ve ever given or received?
