Italian Parmesan Meatloaf

1 1b. Ground Beef

2 Eggs

1 ½  cups Italian Breadcrumbs

1/4 cup chopped onions (optional)

½ cup Parmesan Cheese

Kraft® Fresh Take Italian Parmesan

2 tbs. Parsley Flakes

Salt and Pepper

Marinara Sauce

Preheat oven to 350°.  On a large plate, spread Kraft® Fresh Take Italian Parmesan.  In a large bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, onions, Parmesan cheese, parsley flakes, salt and pepper.  If mixture is too moist, add more breadcrumbs.  If mixture is too dry, add some water.  Once mixture is firm, mold into a loaf.  Coat loaf in Kraft® Fresh Take Italian Parmesan.  Place loaf in baking pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly.  Serve with marinara sauce.

Servings:  6

The Best Online Deals and Coupons

Online shopping saves time and money.  Of course, the online shopping Mecca consists of hundreds of stores.  Thankfully, there are sites dedicated to bringing the best deals online directly to you.  These sites are a bargain hunter’s delight.

Corralling the best online deals all in one, convenient location, shopping sites help you stay updated on store promotions and online coupons from top-rated retailers, including JC Penny, Macy’s, Shadora, Petsmart, and Barnes & Noble.  Many of these sites even offer cash back on purchases made through their respective site, sweetening the deals.

When searching for online deals, be sure to check out Target and Walmart.  Known for providing quality products at incredibly affordable, these bargain powerhouses offer an online selection of merchandise that surpasses what is offered in store.  Well-known bargain giants Overstock and Amazon feature discounted merchandise on everything, including apparel, toys, books, and electronics, and offer free shipping on select products or when you spend a certain amount.

No matter what you are shopping for, there is a deal waiting to be found.  To get a sense of the possible deals online, check out these deals going on now.

Apparel:  Juniors Plus Speechless Tiered Tube Dress ($9.80 at Kohl’s, a savings of 90%), SO Ribbed Tank and Striped Yoga Pants Set ($12.99 at Kohl’s, a savings of 62%), R2 Women’s Dax Boots ($59.99 at Famous Footwear, a savings of 33%)

Jewerly & Accessories:  Sterling Silver & Glass Heart Pendant available ($39 at Amazon, a savings of 87% with free shipping), Handcrafted Leather Clutch ($34.99 at Red Envelope, a savings of 60%), With Love from CA Print Sunglasses ($9.99 at PacSun, Buy 1 Get 1 50% off)

Electronics:  Viewsonic 15” LCD Digital Photo Frame ($149.99 at TigerDirect with free shipping), Gateway-One 20” All-in-One Computer with 4GB Memory and 500GB Hard Drive ($429.99 at Best Buy with free shipping), Sony Blu-Ray Player ($69.99 at Best Buy, reg. $99.99)

Exercise Equipment:  Sole F80 Treadmill – 2013 Model ($1299.99 at Sears, a savings of $1200), Everlast 100-Pound Heavy Bag Boxing Kit ($74.54 at Walmart), Total Gym is offering 10% off its machines plus free shipping

Toys:  K’nex Classics Transport Chopper Building Set  ($13.98 at Best Buy), Scratch Art Flurorescent Paper ($32.50 at Melissa & Doug), Nodor English Bristle Dartboard ($59.99 at Target)

Along with these great deals, think of all the gas money you’ll save by not having to travel from store to store.  Online, the deals come to you. 

Get All Your Holiday Shopping Done at Once

When shopping for Christmas gifts this holiday season, consider making your purchases from the comfort of your own home.  Finding the best shopping deals has never been easier, thanks to the Internet.  From bargain sites to clearance sales, online shopping makes it easy to save both time and money.  Plus, the Internet provides instant, 24/7 access to all of your favorite retailers.  Get started on your holiday shopping at zuuzs.

A great source for store promotions and online coupons, zuuzs features top-rated retailers and bargain sites.  Another bonus of shopping through zuuzs is the ability to earn cash back as you shop.   There are a number of shopping sites that reward its members with cash back, but only zuuzs offers additional cash back bonuses when someone you have referred shops through zuuzs.  The more friends and family members you refer, the more cash you can earn.

As you shop for him, for her, and for the kids, go to zuuzs for some terrific gift ideas.  The best deals on jewelry, flowers, home décor, electronics, and toys are brought to you in one convenient location.  There are a variety of gifts to choose from for every budget.

If you are looking for gifts under $25, check out the Multimedia Keyboard ($5.99, orig. $19.99) and the 2-Pack of Stereo Earbuds ($5.99, orig. $29.95).  For kids on your list, check out Rock Revolution for Xbox 360 ($4.96, orig. $19.99), the Talent Show Playhouse ($21, orig. $70), and the RC Buggy ($24.95, orig. $100).  The ASOS Color Block Rugby Shirt ($16.71, orig. $56.29) is a great gift idea for guys.

To stay under $50, buy her a Puffer Jacket ($49.99, orig. $200) or the Vila V-Neck Sweater ($43.98, orig. $79.16).  What woman doesn’t like jewelry?  Check out the Blue Topaz Earrings ($34.99, orig. $200) and the Green Agate Pendant Necklace ($49.99, orig. $49.99).  A 12-Piece Fondue Set ($36.99, orig. $99.99) is great for foodies or holiday entertaining.  Master Moves Mickey ($49.97, orig. $69.97) is a kid favorite this year, along with Smokey the Firetruck ($35, orig. $70).  Another fun toy is the Roller Coaster Ride-On Car ($39.99, orig. 74.65).

Under $100 gifts include the Megellan GPS ($89.99, orig $199.99) and the Dr. Dre Diddybeats ($69, orig. $179.95).  Any man will be thrilled to unwrap a Speaker System ($89.99, orig. $199.99).  Lady Gaga fans will go gaga for her latest Fame Gift Set ($59, orig. $89).  What little girl wouldn’t want a Dollhouse Kit ($65.99, orig. $149.99)?

If you have a little more to spend, the Laptop Bundle is a fabulous deal for $288.86 (orig. $398).  Snag a Nook HD 8GB for only $199.  Treat the special woman in your life to White Gold Certified Diamond Earrings ($197.99, orig. $559.99) or a Linea Pelle Suede Handbag ($185.50, orig. $425).  For the kids, or the kid-at-heart, buy a Nintendo Wii Bundle for $159.  To capture holiday moments, purchase the Samsung 3D Digital Camera ($139, orig. $279.99).

For these and many more deals this holiday season, become a member of zuuzs.  Not only will you find great gifts at even greater prices, you will also earn cash back on any purchase you make through zuuzs.  Instead of battling Black Friday madness, sit back and relax as you shop online and get the same deep discounts.

Great Gift Ideas for Guys

The holidays are just around the corner, which means trying to find the perfect gifts for the men in your life.  Whether he’s a sports fan or video game affectionado, it doesn’t have to be a chore to track down the right gift.  Sure, gift cards are nice, but rather boring.  Let’s find something that will really put a smile on his face come Christmas morning.

Spruce up his wardrobe with a spiffy necktie.  Of course, not just any tie will do.  Visit One Stop Fan Shop and check out the fabulous selection of team ties along with everything else a true, blue fan would love to own.

Electronics are always good guy gifts.  For men who are natural born gamers, buy them the latest in video games and consoles, like the Xbox 360 or PS3.  For a music lover, consider purchasing an iPod or other MP3 player.  We all know men would rather end up in Timbuktu than ask for directions, so they could all use a personal GPS.

They say the way to a man’s heart is through food, and we all know that’s not too far-fetched.  Harry & David is a great source of manly fare, including wild Alaskan smoked salmon, sausage and cheese gifts, and savory pot pies.  For the man who’s been extra good all year long, get him the Steak and Lobster Feast.

Most men love a good steak.  High Plains Bison backs its steaks with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  With less cholesterol than even skinless chicken breast, bison meat is a heart-healthy alternative to beef.  Choose from filet mignon, NY strip, rib-eye, sirloin, t-bone, and cowboy. 

If you still can’t seem to find just the right gift, give the gift of time.  Treat him to a movie, dinner, or both.  Take him to see his favorite band live in concert or cheer beside him at a sporting event.  After all, it really is the thought that counts.

The Best Shopping Search Engines

The easiest way to comparison shop is to go online.  There are a number of shopping search engines designed to navigate various online stores and find the prices on items you want, saving you time and money.  Plus, many of these sites have product reviews, giving you helpful consumer feedback to aid in your decision-making.  These sites do not sell any products; they are strictly for comparison shopping.

A leading resource for both shoppers and retailers, BizRate was the first online consumer feedback and ratings site.  BizRate seeks to help customers find the best value for all the products they are looking to buy.  Search for products from hundreds of online stores and get prices, merchant ratings, product reviews, and tax/shipping information. 

Other top shopping search engines (as rated by CPC Strategy and Search Engine Watch) to try are Become.com, Bing, DealTime, Froogle, Google Product Search, MSN Shopping, mySimon, NexTag, PriceGrabber, TheFind, Yahoo Shopping.

As with bargain sites, I find that it’s best to use more than one comparison site at a time, as each site has unique features, reviews, and targeted retailers.  Consumer feedback and professional product reviews are indispensable when choosing between brands or determining whether a product is right for you.

If you have a favorite shopping search engine, please share in the comments.

Win a Hallmark Prize Pack

Enter to win a Hallmark Prize Pack including a Jingle Interactive Storybuddy, a Hallmark Recordable Storybook, and Signature/Greetings.  The giveaway ends today (Dec. 4), so enter right now.

Drug Store Diva is sponsoring the giveaway. 

 I am a big fan of Hallmark and just love Jingle.  I'd like to win for my niece, as I think she'd really enjoy the recordable storybook and storybuddy, too.

Earn While You Shop

When shopping for Christmas gifts this holiday season, consider making your purchases from the comfort of your own home.  The Internet provides instant, 24/7 access to all of your favorite retailers.  Plus, you’ll find other great shopping sites, exclusive online deals, not to mention avoiding the holiday hassle of shopping mall traffic.  Finding the perfect gifts has never been easier. 

Earn while you shop by taking advantage of one of the many sites that reward you for shopping.  It’s fast and easy to become a member, and they are all free to join.  Before making any online purchase, check these sites to see which one offers the best reward and shop through that site to get the most bang for your buck.

ShopAtHome has cash back offers averaging between 3-6% of purchased amount.  Unlike Ebates, ShopAtHome has a Top Cash Back guarantee.  If you find a better cash back offer, ShopAtHome will apply 110% of that cash back offer to your account.  Along with cash back, ShopAtHome has grocery coupons, restaurant coupons, exclusive deals, prescription discounts, financial services, free stuff, and more.

Ebates has cash back offers averaging between 4-8% of your total purchase, but as high as 20-30%.  Ebates is a great site for printable coupons and promo codes.

FatWallet has cash back offers ranging from 1-40% along with great deals and promo codes.  Shop sales, product deals, and even deals in popular cities, including Baltimore, Boston, Lancaster, Seattle, and Washington D.C.

Zuuzs is another cash back site, but is unique because not only do you receive cash back on your purchases made as a zuuzs member, you will earn cash back on purchases made by anyone you referred to zuuzs.  Cash back offers average between 1.8-3.2%.  Like most other reward sites, zuuzs has promo codes and featured deals. 

Shop Your Way is a rewards program unique to K-Mart and Sears.  Earn points good for cash back on every purchase you make at any K-Mart or Sears, in store or online.  Sign up now to receive exclusive access to Black Friday doorbusters and deals before they are available in stores.

Swagbucks is a popular site that allows you to earn Swag Bucks through online activity, including making purchases, playing games, taking pools, and searching the Internet.  Earn between 2-11 Swag Bucks for every dollar you spend at specific online retailers.  Swag Bucks can be redeemed in the Swag Store for gift cards, electronics, and more.  Recently awarded prizes include a $5 Target Gift Card for 500 Swag Bucks, a $15 Amazon Gift Card for 1,500 Swag Bucks, and a $50 Walmart Gift Card for 5,000 Swag Bucks.  Earn 30 Swagbucks when you sign up.

Along with reward sites, there are sites dedicated to bringing you the latest promo codes and online deals.  Retail-Me-Not features printable coupons, grocery coupons, free shipping codes, and discount codes.  Sign up to receive email alerts for your favorite retailers.

Groupon is one of the most popular online deal sites.  Find discounts in your area for everything from restaurants to boutiques.  Groupon Goods for items drastically discounted, including electronics, beauty products, apparel, shoes, and household items.  Enjoy free shipping with a $15 purchase or more and free returns.  For discounted travel options, check out Groupon Getaways for national and international hotels and resorts.

Much like Groupon, LivingSocial has deals for cities in all 50 states and Canada.  Find deals for takeout and delivery, getaways, shopping, family events, and local adventures.  Earn 5 Deal Bucks once you activate your account to use towards a LivingSocial purchase.

Check out CBS Local Offers for exclusive discounts for restaurants, spas, gyms, concerts, sporting events, getaways, and more.  Browse local or national deals.

Shop nomorerack for unbeatable deals on jewelry, electronics, apparel, shoes, toys, household goods, and more.  New deals are added everyday at noon EST.  There is a flat shipping fee of $2 per item. 

Totsy is a site featuring mainly deals for women and children’s products, but often includes house wares and home décor.  Free shipping is offered on orders over $75.

Other great sites for deals:  8moms, Amazon Local, Brad’s Deals, CoolSavings, Coupons, CouponCabin, CouponMountain, EverSave, jDeal, MyCoupons, Promo Codes 2012, SlickDeals, sneakpeeq, SmartSource, and Tanga.

In my next post, I will discuss price comparison sites and apps.  Stay tuned.