More cookbook sales!

These past few months have been busy and fun for me as a first-time author. I'm doing my own advertising and have contacted several book stores in the San Jose area for book sales and book signings. Everyone who's purchased my cookbook seems to have a favorite recipe. One person bought a copy just for my macaroni and cheese and fried chicken recipe. And, another person who said, "Oh, is peach cobbler in there? I love peach cobbler," bought my cookbook for my peach cobber recipe. I've sold seven copies so far this month (one person bought four). The holidays are just around the corner, and my cookbook would make a great gift for anyone who enjoys cooking and trying new recipes like I do. My cookbook, "Everyday Comfort Foods with Family and Friends," is available for $8.95 at IUniverse.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and Amazon.com.

Love the foot scrub at Bath & Body Works

I received a coupon for a "free item" at Bath & Body Works (up to $6.00) so I got a True Blue Spa foot scrub. I absolutely love it! It's makes your feet feel soft, smooth, and clean. Use it in the shower and rub it on and rinse off. In just minutes, your feet feel clean and revived. Rub some of the True Blue Spa foot cream to your feet afterwards ($15.00 for a 4 oz tube), and they'll feel soft and smooth all day! Go ahead - pamper yourself!

The last of my baked turkey

Last weekend, I made chicken enchiladas and cooked some homemade Pinto beans. They were delicious, but after four days in a row, I decided to freeze the rest for later. Then, I decided to use the last of my cooked turkey meat in a soup. And, was it delicious! It's so similar to homemade chicken noodle soup, but has turkey instead of chicken. It's a one-pot meal, which is always great because it cuts down on the cleanup afterwards. I cooked the slightly frozen turkey meat in about a quart and a half of water for 15 minutes with some onions, garlic, and celery. Then, I added some sliced mushrooms and seasonings (salt, pepper, seasoning salt, parsley, lemon pepper, and cayenne pepper) and let the broth continue to cook for about 15 minutes longer. I added a little over a cup of uncooked macaroni noodles and let it simmer for about 15 minutes more. The result was a delicious pot of homemade turkey soup. The soup can be served with crackers, corn bread muffins, garlic bread, or French bread.

Get your free sample at Bath & Body Works

I received a free 2 ounce body lotion at Bath & Body Works today with a coupon (a Facebook Fan Exclusive). It's one of their new scents - Be Enchanted, and it smells wonderful. Be sure to pick one up for yourself. It's available now til tomorrow, October 16th.

Another great buy at Macy's!

It pays to shop at Macy's - all year long! And, if you have time and remember, it pays to check prices on items you've purchased for price adjustments. A few days ago, I was browsing through the womens clearance section at Macy's Oakridge when I had a clerk check the price of a lovely, black dress I purchased a week ago. To my surprise (and the clerk's), the dress went down a few dollars (four to be exact), so I got a price adjustment. "You are great!", the clerk said. Since the item was over $30 dollars, I used one of my "$10 dollar off" coupons, bringing the total down to $25! I ended up saving a little over $15.00! Every bit of savings helps.

Get ready for Oprah's Life Class

I, like millions of people, will probably tune into the OWN Network on Monday, October 10th at 8pm (7pm central) for the return of Oprah Winfrey's new show, Oprah's Life Class. I watched "Behind the Scenes" on OWN earlier today and agreed with something Oprah said on the set of her new show: "When I get something, or when I learn something, or when I know something, or when I find something, I always want to share it. Because, life is better when you share it." This is the reason I started a blog! I like to share things with people - good buys on food, clothes, recipes, and other information I discover. I hope my blog is informative for everyone who follows it.