Beat the summer heat by using your slow-cooker more often.  You’ll save on energy too!

Our family loves peanut butter and they LOVE this recipe!  Enjoy

Chicken in Spicy Peanut Sauce

Slow-cooker

Ingredients:

1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with peppers

1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tbsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

Set cooker to low setting. Heat peanut butter in microwave until you can stir it with a spoon.  Combine rest of ingredients in the slow cooker (don’t drain tomatoes). Stir until peanut butter is well blended. Add chicken, covering it with the mixture. Cover with lid and cook 6 to 8 hours until chicken is cooked through. Spoon chicken and sauce over rice to serve.

When money gets tight and you start looking at ways to cut expenses cutting out cable TV is a good place to start.  But what if the only way you can get any news or TV is to pay for Cable?  If you are not ready to cut the cord, the Cable cord that is, check out Six Ways to Save On Your Cable Bill for some great money saving ideas.

This recipe will feed a family of four for around $10.00.

Ingredients

1 lb. Sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette, plus additional for brushing

1 (8-oz.) package white mushrooms

1 each: small zucchini and small yellow squash, sliced

1/2-inch thick

1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares

1/2 sweet Italian onion, cut into 1-inch squares

Bamboo Skewers, soaked in water

Hot cooked rice (optional)

Directions

Place meat and vinaigrette in a resealable plastic bag; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to marinate. Thread meat and vegetables onto bamboo skewers; discard marinade. Grill over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, brushing with additional vinaigrette during the last few minutes of grilling.

by Martha Matthews

1. Drive the Speed Limit

This may sound obvious, but when you speed you waste a lot of gas.  The faster you go, the more wind resistance your car has to overcome.  When you drive slower you meet less resistance, therefore your car is not consuming more gas trying to maintain a faster speed.  Depending on the age and model of car you drive, going the speed limit could save you anywhere from 2 to 5 gallons of gas per mile.  At today gas prices that is a lot of money!

2. Don’t Take Off So Fast

When you start out at a green light or from a parking place, don’t take off like you are in a race.  When you take off at a fast pace you press the gas pedal down farther which uses much more gas than if you increased your speed gradually.

3.  Brake Early

By taking your foot off the gas pedal and coasting a little before you use your brakes to a stop, not only will you save more on gas but you will also prolong the life of your brakes.  Hitting the brakes right before you come to a stop wears out your brakes pads more quickly and wastes gas that you don’t need to use.

4. Coast Down Hill

If you are traveling down hill take advantage of your momentum.  Coast as far as you can without pressing the gas pedal.  If you drop below the speed limit, then and only then should you press the gas pedal.

5. Don’t Be Idle

Never let your car’s engine idle longer than necessary.  Every minute you idle your car wastes about one half a mile of gas according to the California Energy Commission.  That means don’t warm up the engine when you first start it.  Today’s cars don’t require being warmed up.  Also, don’t stop in the middle of the street to talk to others and let your engine idle.  You should also consider parking and walking into your favorite fast food restaurant instead of using the drive through.  Maybe you should just skip the fast food all together.  Eat at home and save even more.

6. Get Inflated

Make sure that your tires are inflated to the proper amount.  Get a tire gauge and keep it in your glove box.  Check your tire pressure frequently and inflate them to the proper amount based on your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

7. Do a Combo

Combine errands and plan your route so that you drive as little as possible. Another tactic is to drive to your farthest destination first so that your car’s engine reaches its most efficient operating temperature.  Then do your errands on the way back home.  That way your engine will run more efficiently for the whole trip.  This saves more on gas than if you had stopped and started your car several times doing your closest errands first.

If you can forgo or postpone doing an errand, do it.  This will allow you to make fewer trips and save even more on gas.

The price of gas won’t be going down any time soon.  Conserve gas as much as you can by following these tips.  You’ll be glad you did!

If you have tips you’d like to share, you can send them in the comment box below.