mamasaysmine

Especially in NYC? 

And even if you could do it, would it be worth blogging about? Probably not if it was me doing the shopping and cooking!

BUT, this little blog, 30 Bucks a Week does, and does it incredibly well. They’re vegetarians, which cuts out a chunk of the grocery bill, and shop at a Co-Op (note to self: find Co-Op for incredibly cheap food) in Brooklyn, and I’m already drooling over several of their recipes.

Even if you aren’t a vegetarian, adding at least one (or one more) meatless meal a week is a great way to lower your grocery budget AND help the environment!

I know, I know.  Sounds too good to be true.

And, in some ways, it is.  BUT, if you’re detail oriented AND have the money in your budget right now (because you’ll be reimbursed later), signing up to be a mystery shopper can be a great way for all or most of your family to get to go out to dinner for free.

Here’s how it works:

You sign up as a mystery shopper.  (read Money Saving Methods’ awesome post here for details, and please note that you should NEVER pay to be a mystery shopper)

You check your email religiously and wait until there’s a lunch or dinner shop in your area where you can bring your family, then you QUICKLY sign up for the shop.  (food shops go quick)

You go out with your family, follow all the rules of the shop (some require specific purchases, some require that you sit in a certain area) etc. and note every single detail.  Then you go home and fill out the form.  You usually have to scan the receipt and attach it to the form.

Then, you wait 30-90 days to get paid.  I’ve been mystery shopping for a few years now and have never had a problem getting paid, but you definitely have to have money in your budget to go out right now.  Once you’re in a groove, you just let January’s mystery shop payment pay for your outings in March, but this takes time. 

Here are some Mystery Shopping Corporations I’ve used:

Beyond Hello
Secret Shopper
Service Sleuth

There are tons of others out there - please share if you have a favorite! (and leave me a comment if you’re going to sign up - sometimes there are referral bonuses for both parties!)

One of the things many of you want is recipes.  My sweet husband is thrilled about this, as he seems to think that I might actually GIVE AWAY some of my cookbooks on this blog.  Hah!  Never!  (plus, I am a notorious slob and every single cookbook I own displays the evidence of this fact.)

Here’s something quick and easy that I’m making for my family’s Christmas Eve spread.  It does need to sit for a few hours, which is great for me, as most of my cooking is done while Hurricane Eva naps.

New Orleans Crab Spread

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
• 1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
• 8 oz. imitation crabmeat chopped (I use my handy-dandy Pampered Chef Food Chopper)
• 1/4 cup chopped celery (I always skip this, as I don’t like celery)
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper (I use red peppers because I don’t like green)
• 1 garlic clove, pressed (I use 3 because I love garlic)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning (I use Emeril’s Bayou Blast - found it in the spice aisle)

Directions:

1. Place cream cheese in small batter bowl.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds or until softened.  Add mayonnaise and whisk until smooth.  Chop crabmeat, celery and bell pepper using Food Chopper. 
2. Add crabmeat, celery, bell pepper, garlic (pressed with Garlic Press) and seasoning mix to cream cheese mixture; mix well.  Cover; refrigerate 3 hours to allow flavors to blend.  Serve with toasted bread slices or crackers.

Yield:  2 cups (approx. 16 servings)

This is a Pampered Chef recipe found in the All the Best Cookbook.  This cookbook is my gold standard whenever I need a crowd-pleasing recipe.  Should you not be able to resist buying the cookbook and all the products mentioned in this post, just click here.

One little note:  sometimes your meat counter will have imitation crab meat for sale there - in my area, it’s always cheaper to buy it this way then to buy it by the package.  Worth checking out!

One more little note:  this recipe features two of my all-time favorite Pampered Chef products:  the Food Chopper and the Garlic Press.  I love to practice my knife skills (and I really am getting better!) but when it comes to getting things done quickly, the Food Chopper can’t be beat.  I’ve tried the knock-off choppers and they just don’t compare.  (and the Food Chopper is also great at mashing up baby food - who knew??)  If you aren’t using fresh garlic because you don’t want to deal with chopping it up (and really, who can blame you), GET A GARLIC PRESS.  It will change your life.  And, it may be magical thinking, but I kind of feel like eating garlic helps me stay healthy in the winter.