Recipe: Valentine’s Day Strawberry Cheesecake

Valentine’s Day Strawberry Cheesecake

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Valentine’s Day Strawberry Cheesecake

This is one of my favorite cheesecakes especially for Valentine’s Day. It is so full of flavor and just enough sweetness to share with those you love.

Ingredients

    CRUST:
  • 7 whole graham crackers
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons nutella
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • ½ tablespoon cinnamon
  • STRAWBERRY TOPPING:
  • 1 pound fresh or frozen strawberries, washed and stemmed
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
  • CHEESECAKE:
  • 2 (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups strawberry topping (see above)
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • Fresh strawberries for garnish

Instructions

Crust

In a food processor or blender grind the graham crackers until they are in a fine powder.

Add the butter, nutella, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder and process until thoroughly mixed.

You may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl/blender a few times.

Press the crust evenly into the bottom of an 8 or 9-inch Springform Pan .

It should come up the sides slightly.

Strawberry Topping

In a saucepot add the strawberries, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water.

Cook over medium heat until the strawberries are quite soft.

Use a blender to puree the fruit and then return to the pot to finish cooking.

Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl.

Allow it to sit for about 1 to 2 minutes.

Transfer the gelatin to the strawberries and gently cook over low heat.

Whisking just until the gelatin is completely dissolved, and then remove pan from heat.

Reserve 3/4 cup of the strawberry mixture for the top layer of the cake.

Cheesecake:

In a stand mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-low speed until smooth.

Add the vanilla extract and the strawberry topping, except the ¾ cup you have reserved for the top layer.

In a separate bowl whip the heavy cream until medium peaks.

Fold the heavy whipped cream into the strawberry cheesecake batter.

Gently folding just until it is all combined.

Pour the cheesecake into the prepared pan.

Tap the pan gently on the counter to bring any air bubbles to the surface.

Let it sit, uncovered, in the refrigerator for about 2 hours or until it is set to the touch.

Once the cheesecake is set, pour the remaining ¾ cup strawberry topping over it.

If the topping has set up in the pot, gently heat it for a minute, just until it is pourable (or heat in microwave for 30 seconds).

Place the cheesecake back into the refrigerator and allow to set, uncovered, for another 30 minutes, or until the topping is set.

At this point it is ready to serve or you can cover the cheesecake with plastic and it can sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Before unlocking the Springform Pan , run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it.

Top with the fresh strawberries.

http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/2013/02/recipe-valentines-day-strawberry-cheesecake.html

Cuisinart AMB-9SP 9-Inch Chef's Classic Springform Pan
Cuisinart 9-Inch Chef’s Classic Springform Pan, Silver $13.95

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Football Cake Recipe

Football Cake

 

 

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Anytime we gather together to watch the Super Bowl or have a tailgate party for our local high school football team, this cake is a hit!

Cooking Cake

Place the measuring cup straight on the racks of your oven to cook!

Cutting CakeCut the cake down the middle.

Super Bowl Party: Football Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 box Cake Mix (whatever flavor is your favorite) or make your cake mix from scratch
  • 1 container Chocolate Frosting
  • 1/2 cup Coconut
  • 3 drops of Green Food Coloring
  • 1 cup Mini Marshmallows

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix cake mix as directed on box in a medium bowl.

Spray 8 cup glass measuring cup with pam.

Pour cake mix in 8 cup glass measuring cup.

Place cake in oven on the 2nd to lowest rack level for 45 minutes. Stick a butter knife in the middle make sure the cake is done. When the knife comes up clean it's done.

Remove cake from oven. Slide butter knife along the inside of the glass pan to loosen the cake. (between the cake & the measuring cup)

Turn measuring cup upside down onto cutting board & cake will fall out. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Then cut cake in half. (When you cut the cake start at the top & cut to bottom so you have two halves that are identical.)

Place cake on cookie sheet (or whatever tray you would like to serve it on). Lay the cake down so the the long flat sides are on the cookie sheet & the bigger ends (this used to be the top) are facing each other. It will begin to look like a football as you lay it down.

Let cool an additional 15 minutes.

Frost the middle bigger sides & push them together.

Then frost the entire cake.

In a ziplock bag place coconut & food coloring, mix well.

Gently sprinkle the coconut around the edges of the cake (where it touches the cookie sheet), this will look like grass.

Take marshmallows and lay them on the top of the cake in 1 row the length of the cake, then 3 shorter rows the width of the cake.

http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/2013/01/football-cake-recipe.html

 

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My favorite kitchen tool for this recipe is my 2 quart Ovenproof Glass Batter Bowl.

Check out more of our delicious Recipes!

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Simple Fruit Dip Recipe {Only 3 Ingredients}

This is a quick and easy recipe to help you jazz up any fruit you may be serving. This dip is especially great for parties. I was surprised how easy it was to make and thrilled that I had all the ingredient in my pantry.

Ingredients:

7 oz  Marshmallow Creme

8 oz  Softened Cream Cheese

1 tsp Vanilla

Mix together all ingredients and dip…

dip…

dip.

Enjoy!

Search for coupons for these ingredients.

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Grocery Budget Challenge {Week 29}

How are you doing with your Grocery Budget?

Did you know we have a weekly challenge going?  Lucky for you, it’s not too late to join!  Here are the details about our 2012 Grocery Budget Challenge. Even if you are not yet using coupons you need to start saving by setting some goals!

We hope you will join us! Set a goal today and get on the path to taking control of your grocery budget!

Here is how the fabs are doing on their budget…

Monica: Feeding a family of 4

Monthly grocery budget: $150

Spending this week: $37.47

Savings this week: $56.05

Spending For July : $108.02
Savings For July: $220.05

Year to date spending:  $938.28
Year to date savings: $1,389.26

Becky: Feeding a family of 3

Monthly grocery budget: $200

Spending this week: $33.72
Savings this week: $138.14

Spending For July: $117.80
Savings For July: $255.88

Year to date spending: $1163.90
Year to date savings: $1917.80

 

Amber: Feeding Family of 4

 

Find out what happened to Amber’s budget.

 

 

 

So are you ready to track your spending and join our challenge?

#1 – Pick a monthly grocery budget amount. {Tips for setting a budget goal}

#2 – Complete the form below with your #’s, and be entered to win our monthly $20 amazon gift card drawing.

#3- View the results below and see what sort of goals other Fabulessly Frugal readers are setting!

 

Tools to help you:

  • Here is a grocery budget tracking spreadsheet to help you keep track of your spending/saving each week. It’s nothing fancy, but it will help you track your spending so you can quickly enter in your #’s each Monday afternoon.
  • {NEW!}  We also encourage you to download our Fabulessly Frugal Budget Tool to easily set a budget, track your spending and compare your actual spending to the budget you make.

Enter your goal and spending here:

See how other Fab FruGALs or Fruguys are doing here

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Free Kindle Books {Read Them Anywhere on Almost Any Device}!

FREE Amazon Kindle Books

Amazon Prices change ALL the times, especially on their ebooks.  While these ebooks were all free when I put this post together, they may not be anymore. 

Recipe Books

Romance

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Shopping With The Fabs {Kearna’s Fred Meyer Shopping Trip}

Check out the deals on the Buy 10 Save $5 Instantly Promo this week at Fred Meyer!

Transaction 1

Buy (5) Snapware Containers $2.49
Buy (2) Polly Pockets Playsets $3.99
Buy (3) Tillamook Butter $1.67
 (the store I visited was out of the Fred Meyer Butter & was substituting Tillamook)
Buy  (1) Smart Balance Butter $0.75
Buy (4) 1/2 Gallons of FM Milk $1.00
Buy (1)  Banquet Brown N Serve Sausage $1.00*
Buy (4) Del Monte Canned Fruit $0.89*
Buy (5) Pepperidge Farms Goldfish $0.99*
Buy 2lb package Blueberries $4.88
Buy 1 doz FM eggs $0.99
Buy 2 Outdoor Toys $2.99 each + 50% off

Use (5) $2/1 Snapware conatainers from 4/29 SS
Use $5/2 Polly Pockets Products printable coupon
Use (2) $.75/1 gallon Milk (valid in Utah & Idaho)
Use in-ad milk coupon

Use $.75/2 Pepperidge Farm Goldfish from FM mailer
Use in-ad Butter coupon
Use in-ad Egg coupon
Use in-ad Milk Coupon
Use in-ad 10% off Home coupon for the Polly Pocket Toys and Outdoor Toys
Receive $5 instant savings from the buy 10 save $5 promo (discount already reflected above)
Final Price: $25.72 (that’s a 50% savings!)

What are you finding at Fred Meyer this week?

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Money Saving Tips: Polish an Old Pair of Shoes


Are you looking for some simple ideas to save money? We have simple solutions that you can easily apply to your lifestyle to save money!

If you take good care of your shoes, they’ll last longer.  Here’s a quick how-to on shoe polishing.

1. Start with a polish that matches the color of your shoes.
2. Change into some clothesyou don’t mind getting dirty.
3. Lay down some newspaper as to not make a mess on the floor.

4. Clean off any dust or dirt off your shoes using a cloth.  Wet the cloth if you need to.

5. If the shoes have laces, take them out and set them aside to avoid stains.

6. Dab the polish onto a rag—and with the cloth wrapped around two fingers— swirl the polish around on the shoe in small circles until you have covered the whole shoe.  Be sure to get in the creases of your shoes.

7. Keep polishing until you have reached the desired color.

8. For extra shine, spray shoes with water from a spray bottle polish them dry.  (This gives it the “spit shine” effect).

9. When you’re done, buff the shoes with a cotton ball or a shoe brush.

 

Read more money saving tips. Sign up for daily money saving tips.

Find out why we are giving you a daily money saving tip and how else we are helping you save money in 2012!

 

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Garlic Knot Rolls

Ingredients:

Dough

  • 1 3/4 c Warm Water
  • 1/4 c  Olive Oil
  • 1 t  Salt
  • 1 T Sugar
  • 1 1/2 T  Active Dry Yeast
  • approx. 5 1/2 c all-pupose, unbleached Flour

Garlic Coating

  • 1/8 c Olive Oil
  • 2 T unsalted Butter
  • 4 cloves Garlic, finely crushed
  • 1/4 c finely chopped fresh Parsley
  • 1/4 c Parmesan Cheese
  • Red Pepper to taste

Directions:

    1. Combine water, 1/4c olive oil, sea salt, sugar, and active dry yeast in a large resealable container or bowl. Mix to dissolve yeast.
    2. Add flour.  Mix in flour, cover, and set in a warm spot to raise until doubled in size .
    3. Roll out dough to form a 10×16 inch sheet of dough. Cut the sheet into 3/4 inch parallel strips.
    4. Then cut these strips in half making about 24 pieces.
    5.  Tie each strip into a knot and place these knotted strips of dough close together in a greased pan.
    6. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown.
    7.  Remove the knots from the oven, place them in a big bowl.
    8. While the knots are still hot, drizzle them with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic, cheese, parsley, red pepper and salt. Toss well and serve.
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Preserving Summer’s Bounty {How to Freeze Sugar Snap Peas}

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Summer’s heatin’ up and the veggies in my garden are really starting to come on. We’ve been eating fresh greens for weeks, and I’ve been sending fresh kale over to my cancer-fightin’ friend Steffany since late May. One vegetable that’s really been doing well is my peas. I am growing sugar snap and Asian peas, different in shape, size, and form, but equally great for things like stirfry and my homemade orzo salad. And because I have lots of pea plants, I have…you guessed it…lots of peas! So much so that I decided to freeze some for winter’s use. I love being able to pull out sugar snap peas for a stirfry in the dead of winter and know that they came from my garden. So, I wanted to show you how to freeze peas in case you have a lot in your garden as well. Here we go!

Here’s what you will need:

  • Sugar snap peas in the pod
  • A large stock pot of boiling water
  • A large bow of ice water
  • Ziplock freezer bags

Step 1: Pick your peas.

Pick your peas when they are ripe and plump, but haven’t turned dry and woody. You might be tempted to wait until the peas inside the pod are super big, but it’s not necessary. Since you can eat it pod and all, it’s more about the total flavor, not the size of the pea inside. You can freeze any amount you want. Here’s a disclaimer: Whenever you can, eat them fresh. The texture is much better than thawed after being frozen. This is purely for a super abundance of peas that will end up going bad if not preserved.

Step 2: Wash your peas.

Wash them in cold water to make sure they are clean, even if you don’t use fertilizer or pesticides.

[Read more...]

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National Stores Top Deals



We try to get the best deals for you every week at stores that are relevant to you!  We have several guest bloggers who send us the top deals of the stores we cover, and we post them for you so Fabulessly Frugal can be your one stop couponing shop!

Find all the stores here!

Here are Some Highlights

Here are just a FEW of the highlights our guest bloggers have sent us!

Find all the stores here!

All of These Stores Have Updated Deals!

Simply click on the store’s logo, and it will take you to the top deals our guest bloggers have given us!

Here Are The Stores We Blog About Every Week!

Clicking on a store’s logo will take you to  the posts about that store!  Easy Peasy!

Amazon Grocery Deals

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