Cheap and Cheerful Chatter: Are you Krazy?

I'm not quite krazy yet, just a little bit crazy for good savings. I love the coupons the Krazy Coupon Lady just posted for board games at Target. Can you say "time to stock the gift closet"? My son is starting Kindergarten this Fall and you all know what that means: weekends = birthday parties. Now I just need to find some time to get to Target without either child in tow because you know what taking the kids to stock up on games means: buying toys for others = crying and pouting. Wish me luck!

Cheap and Cheerful Chatter: Find me on Facebook and Twitter (and on page 88 of the April Sacramento Magazine!)

Thank you to Nan Fitzpatrick for hooking me up with an interviewer from Sacramento Magazine. I'm on page 88 of the April issue. It's the cover story about bargain shopping. Excitement!

Are you on Facebook? Become a fan of Cheap and Cheerful. I post links and bargains on FB daily. Tell a friend!

I'm just experimenting with Twitter -- Follow me at cheapchatter. Mostly I post links to articles about frugal living, post giveaway information, and sometimes a funny anecdote or two.

Cheap and Cheerful wants to know: Do you tweet? What should I tweet about?

Favorite Things: Hippity Hop, Hippity Hop -- The Easter Bunny is on his way!

While my husband loves Peeps and I've been known to eat a Reese's Peanut Butter Egg (or two!), I love finding Easter treats that are fun and practical. If you can keep a secret, I will tell you what is in the kids' baskets this year. I got all of this for under $25! I shopped early since I gave up Target for Lent this year!

* Dive sticks (On sale for $2.99)
* Water colors (Used Target Crayola coupon for $1.50 off two items)
* Art paper
* Books (Two each; $1 paperbacks from Scholastic)
* Matchbox cars (On sale for $.75)
* Stickers

* Bubbles
* Candy (Used $2 off Hershey brand candy coupon)

They have adorable baskets that they've used the past two years so no need for a new one.
Now if I can just make sure the Easter Bunny leaves something special in a yellow and orange wrapper for me ...

Cheap and Cheerful wants to know: What is the Easter Bunny stashing in your basket this year?

Favorite Things: Liberty of London Top from Target

My mom got me this top today! So cute with any color of denim and only $19.99. I will be wearing it all summer. Sold out online so check your local Target.

Cheap and Cheerful wants to know: What is your favorite Spring or Summer find so far this year?

Cheap and Cheerful Chatter: Kohl's Rewards from Safeway

For Safeway stores in Northern CA, there is a great Kohl's Rewards promotion going on. For every $50 you spend at Safeway between March 17 and March 21, you earn a $10 Kohl's Rewards certificate. The Kohl's Reward is valid between March 22 and April 3. I've used the Kohl's Rewards before to stock up on items for my gift closet such as Melissa and Doug puzzles, board books, picture frames, and baby layette items. Maybe you can use it to grab a discount on Easter basket items or an outfit? Since I shop at Safeway anyway, this promotion works well for me. Great savings on grocery items, plus free cash at Kohl's = one happy shopper.

Deal of the Day: $5 Magazines on Amazon

Just in time for a little St. Patrick's Day treat or for stuffing in the Easter basket ... the $5 magazine sale on Amazon. Some titles are more than $5 but there are some good deals to be found.

Cheap and Cheerful Cooking: Strawberry and Apple Crumble

From Sara's Kitchen on the Food Network

Ingredients

1/2 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced, plus sliced strawberries for garnish
1/2 pound cooking apples, like Granny Smith and Jonathan, peeled, cored, and sliced
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup crushed walnut halves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 pre-baked (4-inch) tart shells, recipe follows
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup oatmeal
9 tablespoons packed brown sugar
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Serving suggestion: Vanilla ice cream

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the strawberries, apples, granulated sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft.

Divide the strawberry-apples mixture among the tart shells.

Sift the flour into a bowl, rub the butter in until it looks like fine bread crumbs and add the oatmeal. Gently mix in the brown sugar. Sprinkle a thick layer of the crumble mixture on top of the fruit. Arrange the crumbles on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned and hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Divide the crumbles among plates, place a scoop of ice cream on the top of each, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Garnish with strawberry slices.

Tart Shells
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 beaten egg yolks
1 dash cream
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar; then add the eggs slowly, mixing well. Add the cream. Add the flour all at once and mix to a smooth dough. Divide the dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap. Let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough into a large square, about 1/8 inch thick. (Freeze the other half of the dough for another use.) Cut the dough into 4 parts and line 4 (4-inch) tart pans. Line each tart with parchment paper and fill with dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the parchment and beans, and bake for 15 minutes more.

Let cool on a rack.

Yield: 4 to 8 (4-inch) tart shells