Happy Memorial Day weekend!  Hope you’re all having a good weekend so far and take some time to remember the meaning of the holiday.  Hats off to those our servicemen and women and their families.  Typically on a holiday weekend there are no coupons and you won’t find any in this Sunday’s paper.  I’m actually glad because I’m behind on clipping coupons from previous weeks so maybe I can get caught up!  Fingers crossed.

If you need a coupon fix you can check the current printables and grab any that you want:

• Coupons.com
• CouponNetwork
• RedPlum
• SmartSource
• Also check SavingStar and add any e-coupons you want to your store loyalty cards!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

I love potatoes. My parents are from Northern Maine, potatoland if you didn’t know, and I think we ate them for dinner nearly every night when I was a kid.  Usually we had them baked, but no one made homemade french fries like Dad.  So, I cultivated a love for potatoes early on and my family loves them too.  Who doesn’t like fries, right?!  Of course they’re not the healthiest thing ever but you can tweak your recipe like we did and make some fry-like potato wedges that are flavorful and baked so they’re at least a bit more guilt-free.

Just cut your potatoes into wedges lengthwise and add some chopped garlic, olive oil (flavored oil would be awesome…maybe rosemary infused?), and a little salt and pepper.  We let this sit in the fridge for a couple hours before baking.

Lay them out on a baking sheet and cook them up until they’re tender.  If there’s one thing I LOVE it’s roasted garlic. Scary breath afterwards, but I could make a meal out of it.  I know, yikes. But it’s SO good and really good for you!

Dip them in a little ketchup if you’d like or eat them as is. They’re flavorful and delicious, really easy to make, and a much healthier alternative to french fries. My kids gobbled them right up!

Ingredients:

• 6-8 potatoes (we used Russet potatoes), cut into wedges. Should get 6-8 pieces per potato. 
• 3 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Season Salt to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Toss potato wedges with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Let them marinate in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before you bake them.
• Arrange the potato wedges on a  baking sheet in a single layer.  Lightly sprinkle with season salt. If you don’t have that, paprika would be fine to add a little color.
• Bake for 45-60 minutes or until they are fork tender and a little browned.

Enjoy!

I am participating in the Meatless May Challenge this month with a group of other bloggers.  We’ll each be posting 10 recipes in the month of May made without meat!  You can find all of our group’s recipes for this month below:

Happy Memorial Day!  I hope you have some fun plans for the weekend and also take some time to remember the reason for the holiday.  Sending out a HUGE and heartfelt thank you to all of our servicemen and women and their families.  We appreciate you and your sacrifice!  This is a big sale weekend and there are a bunch of deals to be had if your out and about doing some shopping. Thank you to Military Wives Saving for sharing her list with us!

Happy Memorial Day!

Home Depot- 10% discount for Veterans (a 10% discount is offered all year to Active Duty and immediate family members as well)

Lowes – 10% discount for Veterans (a 10% discount is offered all year to Active Duty and immediate family members as well)

DIRECTV – Get a FREE Direct Cinema Movie through May 27 (everyone with Directv)

Hooters – 10 Free Wings on Monday May 27 with any drink purchase

Jo-Ann Fabric – 20% Off discount (includes sale and clearance) May 24-May 27

Tanger Outlets – FREE coupon book for Memorial Day Weekend (everyone)

24Hour Fitness – workout for FREE during Memorial Day weekend

7 Eleven – $0.49 Slurpees from May 24 – May 27 (everyone)

Shoneys - Get a FREE All American Burger on Monday, May 27th, 2013 for Memorial Day (thanks, FrugalFabulousFinds)

Charley’s Subs – free grilled sandwiches at participating locations

BAJA FRESH 25% Off Military Discount (through May 27)

Premium Outlets – special savings during National Military Appreciation Month

Sam’s Club – Get a FREE $15 gift card when you enroll

Walgreens – 15% Off name-brands and 20% Off Nice! and store brand items Monday May 27 nationwide

Westgate Resorts – 31% Off the best rate for 23 resorts in 11 destinations from May 24-May 27

California’s Great America Free Admission – Free Admission for active or retired U.S. servicemembers and Veterans and up to 6 family members can get tickets for $19.99

A Story Before Bed (free, recorded readings for deployed parents and children)

FREE Welcome Home Signs

Operation Love Reunited Portraits

FREE Photobook from USO & Rocketlife

Operation Heal Our Patriots – FREE marriage seminars & events

FREE Cup of Joe for a Joe

FREE ‘I Served’ Stickers

Our Military Kids – grants for sports, fine arts, camps, and tutoring programs

FREE Military Care Package from Scion

FREE Sittercity membership

VetTix.org – FREE tickets to sports events, concerts & more

Nickelodeon Suites Resort Military Discount

Disneyland Military Discount

Disney World Military Discount

Shades of Green Disney World Military Discount

Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort Military Discounts

Birdies for the Brave – FREE PGA Tour or Champions Tour Admission

Under Armour ONLINE 10% OFF Military Discount

Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge Military Discount

Ford Military Discount

Universal Studios Military Discount

Here’s to the Heroes (Hero Salute) – Free one time admission at either SeaWorld®, Busch Gardens®, Adventure Island®, Water Country USA®, or Sesame Place® for military personnel and as many as three direct dependents

Blue Star Museums – Free Admission to more then 1,800 museums from May 27 through September 2, 2013

National Parks – Free admission (this is actually offered all year long)

GreenCare for Troops – families of those deployed can sign up to have their lawn taken care of for free

For the kiddos (and great for teachers)!

• Free Memorial Day clip art
• Flag and stars coloring page
• Memorial Day coloring page
• American Flag coloring page
• Memorial Day American flag and balloons coloring page
• More free Memorial Day printable coloring pages
• Memorial Day American flag ribbon
• Free printable American flag for Memorial Day

My kids have always loved Maisy books! We have a bunch of them but I actually don’t think we have any of these three. Today one of the Kindle Daily Deals is all three of these Maisy books on sale for only $1.99 each!

This discount is only good today. Grab your books here!

Want more Kindle deals?  Check out all the Kindle Daily Deals and this month’s batch of 100 books for $3.99 or less.  And be sure to check out The Big Deal with over 500 books on sale for up to 85% off!

Don’t have a Kindle? Just download a free Kindle reading app!

Amazon has a selection of Kindles here (prices start at just $69)

Amazon can change their prices at any time so please verify the current price before buying.  If you’re not an Amazon Prime member check it out! You’ll get free 2-day shipping on most items – no minimum order, access to streaming movies and TV shows, and free Kindle books!

Be sure to sign up for UPS MyChoice for free so you know when all your packages are coming!

Check out other great Amazon deals here!

This popular magazine deal is back today! Grab a subscription to Every Day With Rachael Ray magazine for only $4.99 per year! Use code PANDORA to subscribe at this low rate for up to 4 years.

I renewed by subscription last time this deal came around. I love this magazine for great new recipe ideas. Definitely worth $.50 an issue!

This sale is only good today.  Head over and grab your subscription!

$1.00 off any one Reynolds Bakeware Product

$1.00 off one Snapple Tea or Juice Drink, 6-pack

$0.70 off any one VELVEETA Toppers

$2.00 off Any Tim McGraw Fragrance Purchase

$1.00 off any 3 Gerber Organic 2nd Foods purees

$1.00 off any ONE bag of TERRA Chips

$1.00 off Valvoline’s Motor Oil AND FRAM Filter

$4.00 off Valvoline’s Motor Oil AND FRAM Filter

$7.00 off Valvoline’s Motor Oil AND FRAM Filter

$0.50 off any (1) STAYFREE Product

$5.00 off two Prevacid24HR 28ct or 42ct Products

Groupon has a fun new deal!  This Gypsy Stix Hair-Color Chalk Set is on sale for only $11.99 (reg. $45).  Shipping is a flat $2.99 if you order one, but orders of $15 or more (so that would work if you bought 2-3 sets) will ship for free. We have a set like this and it’s so fun!

• 32 highly pigmented, blendable chalk sticks
• Semipermanent dye lasts up to three days
• Built-in conditioner helps soften strands
• Works with any hair texture or color
• Can be used on wet or dry hair
• After applying the chalk, your hair can still be curled, straightened, or accidentally erased by a grade-school teacher

Head over to Groupon and check it out!

You can find more great deals by browsing all of the Groupon Goods and new Vacation Deals!

Keens are probably my favorite brand and the only better than a new pair of shoes is a great deal on a new pair of shoes, right?!  6pm currently has a selection of Keens for up to 50% off and all orders ship free. These are perfect for summer. Most are waterproof, machine washable, and durable so they’re great for being outdoors.

I love these for my kids. They each have outgrown last year’s Keens so I need to grab some new ones. They wear them all the time in the warm weather!

Head on over and check out the selection. This sale ends on Sunday May 26.

Check out their awesome Memorial Day Sale, too!

This popular deal is back today and with perfect timing. It would make an awesome graduation gift! One of Best Buy’s Deals of the Day today is a gray Barnes & Noble NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight for only $79.99 (reg. $119.99), free shipping included!  Compare that to the B&N price. This is a great deal! I have a Nook that I totally love.  If you’ve been wanting one or think this might make a nice gift, snatch it up while the price is so low!

This deal is back today! Self magazine is on sale today for only $4.49 per year.  Use code PANDORA to subscribe at this low rate for up to 3 years.  You’ll get 12 issues annually, so only $.37 per issue!

This offer is only available today.  Check it out!

These are handy in the summer when you’re on the go or having company!  Print this $1.00 off one Snapple Tea or Juice Drink, 6-pack. This should be available in all zip codes. The best coupons don’t always last very long so grab it now while it’s available! You can print (2) of each coupon by hitting the back button on your browser.

PRINT THIS COUPON HERE

Seventeen magazine is on sale today for only $4.49 per year! I loved this one when I was a teen!  It wasn’t *that* long ago, right?!?!  Use code PANDORA to subscribe at this low rate for up to 3 years. You’ll get 10 issues annually, so only $.45 per issue.

This offer is only good today. Head over and check it out!

Hope you all had a great week and have some fun plans for Memorial Day! It’s time for another Free Friday Nook Book.   Today’s pick is Head to Head by Linda Ladd.  From Nook:  After moving from Los Angeles to Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, homicide detective Claire Morgan has at last adjusted to the peaceful rhythms of rural life. Until a grisly celebrity murder at an ultra-exclusive “wellness” resort shatters a quiet summer morning. . .One of Dr. Nicholas Black’s high-profile clients, a beautiful young soap opera star, has been found dead, taped to a chair at a fully set table. . .submerged in the lake. Back in L.A., Claire investigated the rich, famous, and the deadly–but she never expected the problems of the privileged to follow her to this sleepy small town. Just as she never imagined crossing the line with her prime suspect. . . What do you think? I’m going to grab this one! Looks pretty good and gets some great reviews!   You can read more about it on the Barnes and Noble Nook Blog, then follow this link to download your free copy of Head to Head.

 The Free Friday Nook App today is the Animal Park Tycoon App! Animal Park Tycoon offers you an empty plot to create the most fabulous and attractive zoo.Discover new creatures and collect legendary species to make your animal park unique and famous.This app is recommended for ages 7+.   You can download this app here.

• Free Nook books
• Nook books under $5
• Nook books for kids
• Recent Nook deals I’ve posted including all Free Friday books!
• Find out how you can download a free audiobook here!

I post the free Friday Nook book weekly and lots of other Nook deals!
Follow Pandora’s Deals on Facebook and subscribe to my daily email to make sure you never miss another great Nook book offer!

What are you reading?
What are you reading right now? I just finished Hopeless by Colleen Hoover. LOVED this book. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. It’s a romance of sorts but the story is just amazing.  I’ve picked up Dirty Red to read next.  This is the second in a series and I read The Opportunist, book 1, a while back and loved it.  The writing style is great. This book has me cracking up!

Come join me on Facebook and make your book suggestion!

$0.55 off ONE Always Xtra Protection Liner

$0.55 off ONE Always Infinity 12ct or higher

$0.75 off any (1) Georgia-Pacific Printer Paper

$0.75 off 1 Colgate Total Toothpaste

$3.00 off Gluten Cutter

$1.00 off 1 Dream Non-Dairy Beverage

I haven’t been to the circus in years and right now Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s ‘Built To Amaze’ is in Hershey, PA and we took the kids.  WOW!  That’s really the one word that sums it up. This truly is the Greatest Show On Earth! I asked my husband to describe it and he said it’s like a Dr. Seuss book come to life. Non-stop action and entertainment.  All four of us, my kids included, completely loved it!

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents Built To Amaze!SM, the 143rd edition of The Greatest Show On Earth ®. Surprise and wonder delights audiences with over-the-top feats of strength, agility and courage. As the momentum builds so does the anticipation, anything can happen when Ringling Bros.® Presents Built To Amaze!

This show was just SO fun!  My son loved that traffic cone guy and said he was his favorite part of the circus!

My daughter loved the poodles. They were so adorable and so darn smart with all their tricks.  All of the performers made their stunts look so easy.  I was in awe of them.  It really was an amazing display of talent. And there was never a dull moment.

The show is at the Giant Center in Hershey from May 22-27 and I have a discount code to score your adult tickets for only $15!  Use code BLOGGER to grab this deal.  You can purchase your tickets online or by calling 800-745-3000 or 717-534-3911.  

*Valid May 23 at 10:30 AM, May 23 at 7:30 PM, May 24 at 7:30 PM.  Not valid on previously purchased tickets.  Cannot be combined with any other offer.  Not valid for Circus Celebrity, Front Row or VIP seating.  Additional service charges and handling fees may apply.

Not local to Hershey? Check out the Ringling Bros. website to find out when the show will be in a town near you! Check out their website, Facebook page, Twitter page, and YouTube channel for all kinds of circus fun and behind-the-scenes looks!

I was provided with complimentary tickets in exchange sharing this review with my readers.  You can read my full disclosure policy here.

Omigosh!  This movie looks freakin’ HILARIOUS!  I love Vince Vaughn and can’t wait to see Delivery Man in theaters this fall. It comes out on November 22.  Check out this sneak peek and you’ll see what I  mean:

Doesn’t it look so funny?  I think Vince Vaughn is a riot.  Right now you can enter to win a Delivery Man Sweepstakes, too! Share your funniest photos of your Dad on Twitter and Instagram for a chance to win a 50′ TV and other great prizes! Awesome!  You can submit entries through June 6.  Get all the details here.  Now I have to find a ridiculous photo of my husband to share…  Shouldn’t be too hard.  

Stay up to speed with all the latest Delivery Man news by following on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

Delivery Man hits theaters November 22!

Retweet and tell your friends!   

Hilarious new sneak peek of #DeliveryManMovie with #VinceVaughn! pandorasdeals.com/sneak-peak-of-… Fun #sweepstakes, too! In theaters 11/22!

— Lindsay (@PandorasDeals) May 24, 2013

Toothpaste coupons always come in handy! This is one of those items I won’t pay for because I can always get it for free.  So grab this one and we’ll look for a deal to pair it with! Print this $0.75 off 1 Colgate Total Toothpaste. This should be available in all zip codes.

PRINT THIS COUPON HERE

I have fallen in love with a kitchen appliance.  Seriously, I love this Nesco Gardenmaster Dehydrator and have been using it to make the best snacks. Healthy and so inexpensive, too!  Check out my review for some great pictures of the dried fruit, fruit roll ups, and beef jerky I made.  Be sure to follow Nesco on Facebook to be the first to hear about their latest products and promotions!

The model that I am using is the Nesco American Harvest FD-1018P 1000 Watt Food Dehydrator Kit and Nesco generously wants to offer one of you the same model!  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents ages 18+ and will end at 11:59pm ET on June 3, 2013.

Good luck!

Photo Credit: Coupon Closet

I’m sure all of you, like me, are horrified by the loss left in the wake of the tornado in Oklahoma.  The pictures and footage I’ve seen on the news is just devastating.  And the fact that it hit an elementary school…ugh, my heart breaks.  One of my fellow bloggers at Coupon Closet is local to the area hit and has put together a nice list of places that are accepting donations.

Please, use good judgement about where you send your money. Unfortunately there’s always someone looking to capitalize on a tragedy like this.  The American Red Cross is always a valid place to donate.

Couponers, these folks need specific items and if you have them to spare on your stockpile this would be a great time to pay it forward.

If you are a local Lancaster/Central PA reader, 101.1 The Rose has partnered with Stauffer’s of Kissel Hill and this Sunday May 26, they will have a Coach bus parked in the Roherstown location parking lot to accept donations that will go to Moore, OK on Monday.  Read more here. Raid your stockpiles and try to help!

Monetary Donations:

You can donate any monetary donations via THIS website. This is the United Methodist Church and the money will go directly to those affected.

*************************************************************************

Non-perishable food, water, clean-up supplies, diapers, clothing etc. can be taken to:

FEED THE CHILDREN – 333 N Meridian (Corner of Reno and Meridian)
FOOD BANK – 3355 S Purdue (972-1111) (Corner of 29th and McArthur)
CHANNEL 9 NEWS – 7401 N Kelly (843-6641)
KFOR – 444 E Britton (424-4444)
KOCO 5 – 1228 E Wilshire (478-3434)

*************************************************************************

Yukon High School

The Yukon high School StuCo and Leadership will be collecting

• water bottles
• Gatorade
• diapers
• baby wipes
• baby formula
• work gloves
• trash bags
• individual wrapped snacks
• hand sanitizer, hand towels
• sunscreen, batteries
• flashlights and money 

These will be delivered to the Salvation Army for distribution.

Please bring items to the Yukon High School Rotunda by Wednesday 5/23/13 at 3:30pm

*************************************************************************

All Edmond Schools are taking donations

The high schools in Edmond are collecting donations. North is collecting water, Santa Fe is collecting canned goods and Memorial is collecting clothes.

*************************************************************************

St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church

This is my friend’s church and it is located at SW 119th  and May. They need non-perishable food items, water, and clean-up supplies (rakes, shovels, heavy duty gloves, etc).

*************************************************************************

More Ways to Help:

www.SalvationArmyUSA.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). Text the word “STORM” to 80888 to make a $10 donation through your phone; to confirm your gift, respond with the word “Yes.”

Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma
www.regionalfoodbank.org or call 604-7111 or text FOOD to 32333 to give $10 to relief efforts.

American Red Cross
Visit redcross.org, dialing 1-800-REDCROSS or texting REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

*************************************************************************

Donate to the Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief to help provide tree removal services, laundry services and meals to victims of disasters. Send checks to BGCO, Attn: Disaster Relief, 3800 N. May Ave., Oklahoma City, OK., 73112. (please do not send clothing)

*************************************************************************

If you would like to Volunteer to help you can apply here.

Remember to pray for these families!

I will be updating this post, as we get more information.  

This cute magazine deal is back!   Thomas & Friends is on sale for only $14.99 per year (62% off) today only. Use code PANDORA to subscribe at this low rate for up to 2 years.

Thomas & Friends is a Fun to Learn bi-monthly magazine for children 2-7. Each issue is filled with stories your children will love, a collectible poster you can hang on your wall, and a pull out workbook filled with activities like counting, matching, and reading. This magazine subscription features Thomas the Train and his friends like Sir Topham Hatt, and Oliver.

This sale is only good today.  Check it out!

Wowza! Amazon has some amazing DVD deals right now with a special promo code.

Here’s the deal:

• Save $4.00 when you order a select movie on DVD and use the promo code 4OFFDVDS at checkout.
  
• Save $6.00 when you order a select movie on Blu-ray and use the promo code 6OFFBLRY at checkout.

Horton Hears a Who is on sale for only $4.98 right now, so you can use the code 4OFFDVDS to bring that down to only $.98?!  Can’t beat that!  If you order a DVD and a Blu-Ray, be sure to enter both codes at check out to get your discount.  All of these DVDS qualify for free Prime or Super Saver (over $25) shipping.

Other movies included in this sale are:

• Ice Age movies
• Rio
• Robots

Grab a few for gifts while they’re so cheap!  

Amazon can change their prices at any time so please verify the current price before buying.  If you’re not an Amazon Prime member check it out! You’ll get free 2-day shipping on most items – no minimum order, access to streaming movies and TV shows, and free Kindle books!

Be sure to sign up for UPS MyChoice for free so you know when all your packages are coming!

Check out other great Amazon deals here!

(Thanks, The Centsible Family!)

$0.50 off ONE BOX Reese’s Puffs cereal

$1.00 off TWO BOXES General Mills kid cereals

$0.75 off any variety Oatmeal Crisp cereal

$0.75 off Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch cereal

$1.00 off TWO BOXES General Mills Big G cereals

$0.50 off any ONE BOX Chex cereal

$0.50 off ONE BOX Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal

$0.75 off TWO any LARABAR UBER bars

$0.75 off Cascadian Farm product

$0.75 off TWO any flavor Yoplait kid products

$0.40 off SIX CUPS any variety Yoplait Yogurt

$0.50 off TWO BOXES Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks

$1.00 off FIVE Yoplait Greek 100 yogurt

$0.50 off TWO Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad

$0.50 off TWO BOXES Nature Valley Granola Bars

$0.75 off ONE BAG Food Should Taste Good chips

$0.80 off FOUR BOXES any flavor Hamburger Helper

$0.50 off ONE BOX Original Cheerios cereal

$0.75 off ONE BOX Fiber One cereal

$0.75 off ONE BOX Multi Grain Cheerios cereal

$1.00 off any ONE (1) 16 oz Right Guard Body Wash

$0.75 off 2 Betty Crocker Frosting and cake mix

$0.50 off select Bisquick products

$1.00 off ONE meat-free Gardein™ frozen entree

$1.00 off any (1) o.b. brand product

$0.50 off any CAREFREE product

$1.00 off two (2) Breyers Toppings

$1.00 off TWO Campbell’s Slow Kettle Style soups

$1.00 off (1) Minute Maid 12-pk cans, any variety

$4.97 value Crayola when you Buy $10 Crayola Color

$1.00 off any five (5) Campbell’s Condensed Soups

 I’ll admit I have a few kitchen appliances shoved in a cupboard that get little to no use. I should really yard sale that Quesadilla maker.  So I’m a little leery of bringing new appliances into the house that do nothing but take up valuable space. Having said that, I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a dehydrator for a while now. We grow a pretty big veggie garden in the summer and I’ve been getting fruit really cheap at the farmer’s  market each week and would love to capitalize on inexpensive, healthy snacks.  I started using the Nesco Gardenmaster Dehydrator a few weeks ago and I am head over heels in love with this thing!

I’m going to tell you all about it and show you some of the goodies I made, but the biggest think I want you to know is how completely simple it is to use.  You literally just put your food on the trays, turn it on and walk away.  I let it sit in the box for a few days when it first arrive until I worked up the energy to read the directions and get started. Then I realized I was an idiot because there really are no directions and it’s completely foolproof.  Honestly, the only prep you need to do to use it is to wash up the trays.  Easy peasy.

The model that I am using is the Nesco American Harvest FD-1018P 1000 Watt Food Dehydrator Kit.  I don’t see this exact one on the Nesco website, but it looks to me like it’s an expanded FD-1010.  That is, it has some more trays that come with it and from what I can see the two are pretty much the same.  The kit I have came with 8 stackable trays. You can add more to that if you want to (up to 30!) or use fewer, only as many as you need.  The most I needed for my little projects was 3 but I can definitely see that increasing this summer when I want to preserve more fruit and veggies while they’re in season and cheap.

There are a couple of instructional books that come with the set to get you started.  Really all I needed to read out of there was the temperature settings for each food I was drying.  Using the dehydrator is so intuitive and simple.  So the first thing I made were three trays of dried fruit!  I was so excited to try this.  I had some plums, apples, and kiwi on hand so I sliced them up, trying to keep them as uniform in size as I could, and laid them on the trays.  I used one tray for each type of fruit but you really don’t need to. Fruit dries at 135 degrees, so I just stacked my trays, set the temp, turned it on and walked away.  My fruit was dry in about 5 hours.  If you find that one tray is done before another, just pull that tray out.  It sounds like your bathroom fan or a hairdryer blowing in the background while it’s on.  It’s not so loud that it’s annoying by any means, but it’s not silent either.

I put all my newly dried fruit in a bowl and took it outside to my kids and husband and it was GONE in about 5 minutes!  So there’s my next big tip: make a lot!  Whatever you make goes fast (trust me on this one) and though it is not even a little bit hard to use the dehydrator, it is a waiting game so you have to plan ahead. Don’t start a batch of dried fruit at bedtime or you’ll be checking trays in the middle of the night.  This fruit was delicious.  The drying process really concentrates the sweetness and the flavor. Tasted almost as good as candy and was obviously waaaay healthier!

The next thing I made were my own fruit rolls.  I can’t tell you how excited I was to try this and it was SO darn easy!  I only made two trays for my first run. My first tray was strawberry rolls, which I made by taking a 16oz. container of strawberries, washed and stems removed, and liquefying it in a blender. I had to add a splash (really, only maybe 1/8 cup) of 100% fruit juice just to get it going, but otherwise there were only strawberries in there.  The other tray I made was apple rolls.  And this could not have been easier: I bought natural applesauce at the grocery store and poured it onto the tray.  Yup, that’s it.  I should mention that I wiped a little vegetable oil on the trays before pouring the fruit on them just to prevent sticking.

My fruit rolls dried at 130 degrees for about 5 hours.  I was able to just peel them right off the trays and then I used a pizza cutter to make little triangles.  They went so fast I didn’t try to wrap them all, but next time when I make a lot more I’ll roll each one in a small piece of wax paper and then stick them in an airtight container. These were such a big hit with the kids. I even found my husband munching on them after the kids went to bed!

But nothing was as big of a hit with my husband as the beef jerky we made.  He actually said to me that we should never make it again because he can’t stay away from it.  I think that means he liked it.       Just like everything else we made with our Nesco Dehydrator this was very simple.  I bought a steak, trimmed the fat, cut it into thin strips, marinated it overnight, and then put it on the trays to dry. Jerky dries at 160 degrees and ours was done after about 7 hours. And it really was SO good!  Nesco makes a great cure that you can buy, or you can just marinate it in teriyaki sauce.  We did some of each.  I was only able to get this picture of three strips that were left after my family devoured the rest like a pack of wolves.

There are so many more uses for the Nesco Gardenmaster Dehydrator that I look forward to trying out in the coming months. We grow tons of herbs in our garden and I am going to dry and bottle them for uses in recipes year-round. You know how expensive it is to buy a jar of dried herbs at the grocery store?  It’s so much cheaper, and healthier, to grow your own.  I also read in the recipe book that you can dry tomatoes and then rehydrate them to make tomato paste, and one of my friends gave me the brilliant idea to make my own onion soup mix (I use it in pot roasts and dips) instead of buying the pre-packaged stuff.  I’m so excited to try all of these things!

If you’re on the fence about adding a dehydrator to your supply of kitchen appliances, I’m here to push you over.  I absolutely LOVE this thing and despite the fact that it’s kind of big, it hasn’t moved from my kitchen counter yet because I keep using it!  I do recommend getting a bigger model if you buy one. I love this one that I have because I don’t think I’ll ever need to buy additional trays.  It comes with 8 stackable trays, and then 8 fruit roll trays and 8 Clean a Screen trays (which have smaller holes in them so they’re good for drying things like herbs or flowers – yup, you can do crafts with this guy, too!). Like I mentioned above, this stuff goes fast once it’s made so I recommend loading up those trays and making a lot when you do it.  I think having 8 trays to work with is plenty for me, but I can see myself wishing I had more if I had a smaller unit.

This is the easiest way I’ve found to  make healthy, wholesome, and really inexpensive snacks for my family. And they’re perfect for on-the-go since anything dried isn’t going to be messy.  Head over to the Nesco website and check out their selection of dehydrators.  The exact model that I have can be found on Amazon.  Follow Nesco on Facebook to be the first to hear about their latest products and promotions!

I’d love to hear what you make with your dehydrator this summer!

I was provided with a Nesco Dehydrator to facilitate this review.  The opinions in this post are 100% mine.  You can read my full disclosure policy here.

My car needed new tires this past winter.  Wish this deal would have been around then because buying 4 new tires can be pricey!  If you’ve got some summer road trips planned and need to replace your tires be sure to check out the Cooper Tire Spring Savings Event.

I feel like I run all over the place now and school isn’t even out yet!  I honestly feel so much better knowing that I have good tires on my car.  And hey, if you’re going to get new tires you might as well score a great deal on them.  So, here’s the scoop: When you buy a set of 4 qualifying tires from a participating dealer in the U.S., Canada, D.C., or Puerto Rico, you can earn up to an $80 prepaid gift card! The amounts of the gift cards depend on the type of tire purchased  but they’re all between $60 and $80 in value.

Here are the tires that qualify for this promo:

• CS4 Touring
• Discoverer CTS
• Cooper Zeon RS3-S and RS3-A
• Discoverer H/T
• Discoverer HTP (select U.S. retailers only)
• Discoverer LSX and LSX Plus (select U.S. retailers only)

Learn more about the Cooper Tire Spring Savings Event and how you can score up to an $80 prepaid Visa Gift Card!  If you’re in the market for new tires you might as well get the most bang for your buck!  This event ends on June 30, 2013.

Memorial Day and Father’s Day are coming up pretty quickly here.  If you’re in need of a grill this summer and wanted to get one in time for one of these holidays you  might like this offer from Lowe’s!  Purchase a grill for $399 or more and they’ll deliver and assemble it for free, plus haul away any old one you need to unload.

There are lots of grills to choose from!  The Grillmaster in my house (hubs) is a Weber fan but there are several brands to check out.

Head over to Lowe’s and shop around.  Pretty nice deal, not having to figure out how to get the grill home and set up, right?!  This offer ends on May 27 so check it out soon.

Oh yum! Here’s a delicious coupon for us.  Print this $1.00 off two (2) Breyers Toppings.  What’s your preference? Hot fudge or caramel?  Both?  Yup, both for me.  

PRINT THIS COUPON HERE

I love, love, LOVE Life Is Good t-shirts!  My husband and I each have a few. I recently bought this Boston shirt and it’s my new favorite, not only because it was purchased for a good cause but also because it’s so comfy and cool.  Life Is Good ships all orders for free (three cheers for that!) and they have some great new styles out for Father’s Day. Love this one for my husband who won’t let me near the mower…not that I’m complaining.  

There are some cool mugs, hats, sleepwear, even golf balls available too!  Love that Mr. Fix It mug!

These are two more of my favorite tees. Zero Tasking?  Hilarious!  I love it!

Head on over to Life Is Good and shop around. Honestly, this is probably our favorite brand for comfy tees and they last forever.  Can’t beat free shipping and awesome styles either!

]]> http://pandorasdeals.com/life-is-good-fathers-day-tees-more-free-shipping/feed/ 0 http://pandorasdeals.com/new-the-lone-ranger-trailer-on-itunes-in-theaters-july-3/ http://pandorasdeals.com/new-the-lone-ranger-trailer-on-itunes-in-theaters-july-3/#comments Wed, 22 May 2013 13:41:28 +0000 Lindsay http://pandorasdeals.com/?p=42450 Continue Reading...]]>

The Lone Ranger rides into theaters on July 3!  Hellooooo, Johnny Depp!    There’s a brand new trailer on iTunes.  Check it out below:

It looks so awesome! Can’t wait to see this one.

From producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski, the filmmaking team behind the blockbuster “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, comes Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ “The Lone Ranger,” a thrilling adventure infused with action and humor, in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes.  Native American spirit warrior Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid (Armie Hammer), a man of the law, into a legend of justice—taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption.

Want more?  Check out The Lone Ranger website and follow along on Facebook and Twitter!  You have to check out this trailer too!

The Lone Ranger comes out on July 3!      

Retweet and tell your friends!

AWESOME new #LoneRanger trailer on @itunestrailers!In theaters July 3. Cannot WAIT! pandorasdeals.com/new-the-lone-r… #TheLoneRanger #JohnnyDepp

— Lindsay (@PandorasDeals) May 22, 2013

1SaleADay has a couple of great sales today!  I’m excited for summer and plants and flowers and just hanging out on my patio with a cold drink.  If you’re with me, check out these sales.  First, this Bloem Spring Planters sale features some really cool pots for containers and prices are up to 84% off.  All orders from 1SaleADay ship free, too, so no hidden costs there.  Aren’t these cool looking?  And the items pictured above are 12-packs and 6-packs. so these prices are fantastic.

The other sale to check out is their Outdoor Living Flash Sale. There are some great pieces of furniture here! You’ll save not only on the price because discounts are up to 82% off, but also on shipping.  Shipping furniture can cost a small fortune and this stuff all ships free!

Head over to 1SaleADay and check out these sales!  They’re only here today while supplies last. Time to get ready for summer!