Walgreens - Kleenex Deal week of 3/15/09

Haven't seen this deal listed anyway. On the back page of the Walgreens flyer is a coupon for Kleenex 110 count facial tissue - each box is 89 cents after using the store coupon and there is a 3 item limit. Use that coupon in combination with a manufacturer's coupon for 50 cents off any three Kleenex facial tissues (expires 3/31/09). The final price is a little over 73 cents per box. With cold and flu season still upon us, this is a pretty fair deal. Don't forget, spring and summer allergies are close at hand. Stock up!

Bill Davidson; Piston's Owner Dies at 86

Bill Davidson, the Detroit Pistons Basketball team owner died yesterday, March 13, 2009. He wasn't a flashy team owner. He never appeared on a reality show or sought the spotlight. Mr. Davidson loved sports and the Pistons were his baby - his pride and joy.

Let's be clear, Bill Davidson was a very smart business man. He rescued a wholesale drug company from bankruptcy in just three years. Three years! He followed this remarkable accomplishment by repeating his efforts with a surgical supply company. Then, this talented man took the family business, Guardian Glass, and made it debt-free. You know Guardian Glass. They are a huge player in the float glass industry. Automobile window shields use this type of glass, so do storm doors. Add glass insulation for homes and businesses to the mix and you'll understand the scope of the family business.

That's three championships under Mr. Davidson's belt before he purchased the Pistons. Before he owned the Shock, the Vipers, the Neon, and a host of other teams. He was pretty good at managing people and understanding business law. You could say that.

Not many people know that the Piston's owner was an athlete himself. He was inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He ran track and played football.

He was also a lawyer that knew how to negotiate a contract. Bill Davidson knew a good deal when he saw one. He believed in hiring talented people and letting them do their job. I worked for the Palace of Auburn Hills at one time and I seem to recall that he also liked to hire nice people. I can't remember any information or memo that crossed my desk about this, but it's a memory that I have of the man. Yet, I never met him in person.

It was a unique organization in that it offered vision benefits within 30 days of your hire date. I always suspected that we had the same benefits as the players received. Again, I have nothing in concrete to substantiate my claim. This small gesture, this small benefit made a world of difference to me. Not many companies offered vision, dental and health benefits outside of the Big Three automotive group. Bill Davidson made certain his employees were taken care of so they could do the best possible job for him and his organization.

I am grateful for Mr. Davidson's contributions to sports, entertainment, education and the business community and wish his family peace at his passing. The world of sports lost a leader and gentleman.

Easy Chickpea Salad - Courtesy of "Real Simple"

Easy. I like that word when it comes to cooking.

I found an easy recipe that uses chickpeas, a great source of protein, in the April, 2009 edition of Real Simple Magazine. I made a few adaptations. These were slight. I used watercress instead of mixed greens and omitted the red onion.

Give the recipe a try. So yummy you won't even realize it's good for you.

In a food processor, pulse 15.5 ounce of canned chickpeas (rinsed), 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, a chopped garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon cumin and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Scoop the mixture into eight 1/2 inch patties and coat lightly with flour. Two tablespoons of flour should suffice.

Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Cook the patties for about 3 minutes per side until golden brown.

In a small bowl, whisk 1/2 cup plain, non-fat yogurt, three tablespoons fresh lemon juice, a pinch of salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Divide eight cups of salad greens, one cup of grape tomatoes, 1/2 cup sliced red onion and chickpea patties into four servings. Drizzle with yogurt dressing.

The Scum Also Rises

I've been cooking a lot of chicken lately. When you boil chicken, the fat and connective tissue separate from the meat. The result is scum and fat rising to the top of the pan. And it's mostly scum that rises quickly, the fat appears later - much as in life.

What am I referring to? Consider Bernie Madoff. Scum or fat? I vote for the former. When the heat came on, there was no meat just scum that remained...and some fat. People are being bilked left and right in this economy. They were being swindled before, but they were able to recoup most of their losses prior to this recession. (Yes, we are in a recession and have been for at least two years). There's less meat for each citizen figuratively and literally.

How do we get more meat? How do we survive? Cut out the fat. Cut out the scum.

There's also something else that rises and that's cream. It has a high fat content, but no scum. It rises when the fresh, whole milk is very, very cold.

Embrace fresh thinking. Take yourself out of your comfort zone, out of the warmth of what you know and go into the cold unknown. It's only by learning something new, trying something bold that cream will rise in these tough economic times.

Meijer Deals 2/28/09

These are very specific deals on Pillsbury pie crusts and Hershey's chocolate.

The refrigerated Pillsbury pie crusts are reduced to 2/$1. There is a coupon that apeared in the newspaper a while back for 50 cents off 2 packages. Meijer doubles the coupon so the pie crusts are free! But wait, it gets better. I bought 4 packages, used 2 coupons AND got a coupon for $2.00 off my next shopping order. Meijer paid me $2.00 to buy pie crusts.

There was a sign posted "Buy 3 and 3 free" on Hershey products at Meijer. Essentially, buy one get one. I had 3 buy one get one free Hershey coupons that expired today, Feb. 28. The coupon specified buy one Hershey's milk (1.41 -1.45 oz.) or dark chocolate (1.55 oz) and get one free. Use the coupons in combination with the in store ad and get free chocolate.

Maybe I could make a chocolate pie :)

Discontinued Food Items at Meijer

Kraft whole wheat BagelFul's are reduced to 52 cents each. When you buy 2, you get a coupon for $1.00 off your next Meijer purchase. Buy 4 and get a $2.00 off coupon. Technically, you only spent 8 cents for 4 boxes. This deal is only good on the WHOLE WHEAT version and the coupon stops printing February 22, 2009.

Another hot deal at Meijer is the bacon cheddar AnyTizer from Tyson. These are now 92 cents. And there was a coupon in January for 75 cents off this product. That means 24 cents for a snack.

Hormel Pepperoni Deal at Meijer 1/11/09-1/17/09

Detroit area Meijer stores have Hormel pepperoni on sale this week for $1. These are the 2 inch, maybe larger, circular slices of pepperoni found in the DELI area, clear packages without any cardboard surround. Before Christmas, there were coupons for 75 cents off ANY Hormel pepperoni. After coupons, the pepperoni is 25 cents. Original price was $4.99. Big difference in price.

And, here's another deal. Detroit area Meijer stores reduced the price of Kellogg's Special K Waffles to 69 cents. There is a coupon for 75 cents off Kellogg's Special K Waffles. Can you say FREE??!! There are no signs for the waffle clearance. To find out if your store reduced the waffles, use the in-store price scanner.

Enjoy!

Snippet Soup

It's raining today. And the rain is turning into ice or what meteorologists refer to as freezing rain. Ah, those technical terms.

It's a perfect day for making soup. Since the roads are slick and dangerous, I am using what I have in my kitchen for the soup. It's usually a snippet of this and a slice of leftovers that goes into the broth, thus the name, "Snippet Soup".

Throughout the year, I freeze ends of carrots, bits of cabbage, potatoes and other veggies in a plastic bag. I plop a pot of water on the stove and insert the vegetable fragments bringing the mixture to a boil, then simmer for about a half hour.

This batch includes sweet corn cobs, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, onions and beets. I had the last of the champagne last night. Before I recycle the bottle, I filled it halfway with water, and emptied the contents into the stock pot with the veggies. Should give the soup a wonderful flavor.

Once the veggies have infused the water, I'll remove them and add a bay leaf, brown rice, and mushrooms cooked with just a touch of minced garlic. I found an Asiago cheese rind so I'll toss that into the mix. (Rinds can be rinsed and reused over and over again once there flavor is released into the stock). Top the finished product with some fresh grated black pepper. Salt is optional.

Smells fabulous. It's the perfect dish to warm the soul on an overcast day.

Shelby's Necklace

This necklace is made of an oblong tiger-eye bead, silver twisted, a brushed and cut aluminum dangle with one purple and one green glass bead separating the tiger-eye and the aluminum piece. The Shelby necklace is held together with a waxed black cord. Very simple, yet bold.

Tiger-eye stones are believed to strengthen confidence and conviction for people. This stone is also thought to offer protection in travel.

Winter Classic at Wrigley Field

New Year's day and the NHL is playing an outdoor game today at Wrigley Field in Chicago. It's the Detroit Red Wings against the Chicago Blackhawks. A fierce rivalry that goes back to at least the 1950's that's certain to provoke passion. How cool is that?!

What intrigues me is the fact they are playing this year's game outside. Growing up in Michigan, I am use to seeing boys playing hockey on lakes. My brother-in-law grew up on Lake St. Clair ice boating, skating and playing hockey.

My family taught me how to skate. No inside rink for me. They took me to a pond, laced up the skates and let me loose. I promptly fell on my caboose. Not to worry, my mother bundled me up in so many layers I didn't feel a thing. I was padded more than any NHL goalie.

Sometimes, as I drive to work, I pass by homemade rinks complete with lights so kids can play hockey at night. And the children leave their wii's and ipods to play outside. Feel the cool wind in their face and the glint of sunlight as it blinds them to the oncoming puck aimed straight for their nose.

Hockey is a brutal sport. But it builds stamina and character (no high sticking).

Horray for outdoor hockey. Horray for the Red Wings and Blackhawks organizations. I hope the tradition lives on for many years.