1. Join Your Local Library
It does not get any better than free. Take yourself down to your local library with a driver's license or a recent bill and sign up for a library card. As long as you return your books on time and in reasonable condition, checking out books from the local library costs nothing. Most libraries allow patrons to check out an unlimited number of books and let you keep them for two to three weeks (except for brand new titles, which most places let you keep for one week). If your library does not carry the title you want, you can often request that your library borrow it from a neighboring library, also free of charge. Also, did you know that many libraries offer e-books? You can download titles directly to your smartphone, computer or electronic reader.

2. Trade Your Titles
Swap sites like PaperbackSwap.com, TitleTrader.com and Bookins.com currently offer over five million books free of charge. These sites let readers trade in titles on their bookshelves for others they would like to read. After listing a few titles, users will get credit for each one sent to another member. Credits can be redeemed for other books on the site. Depending on the site, users will pay shipping to send or receive a book, but not both. These sites have no fees and no hidden charges. Hardbacks, audio books and textbooks are also available.

3. Request Advance Reads Copies
As a marketing tool, many publishers offer advanced copies to readers free of charge. An advanced copy, also known as a readers edition, is a copy of a book before it is released for mass distribution. The readers edition usually lacks a dust jacket, formatting and binding. While it is true that some of these books go to book reviewers and celebrities in hopes of getting free publicity, many publishing houses also offer them to the general public. You can become an early reviewer by joining LibraryThing (http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index. ... _Reviewers), by contacting the author or publisher of favorite titles, or by befriending a local bookstore owner.

4. Host Your Own Local Book Swap
Gather a list of local friends and family and send out invitations. An evite is fine and its free. Include a short description of your book swap, including types of books to swap, the number of books to bring, time and location. Be sure to mention whether you will include refreshments or if you expect participants to bring something to share. Decide ahead of time if the books are being swapped permanently or if they will simply be on loan. If the books will be on loan, include in your invitation how the owners should be designated inside each book - telephone number, email address, or first name are common suggestions.

5. Buy used
You can save a bundle by purchasing used books in good condition. Many towns have stores dedicated to selling used books. Readers can also find used books at Goodwill stores, consignment shops, yard sales and thrift stores. Many local libraries offer annual used book sales as well. Check with your local librarian for dates and details. While they charge a bit more, web sites like amazon.com and half.com also offer deeply discounted used books for the public.

The post originally posted by Melissa from TriangleMommies on The Mommies Network national blog, June 3, 2011.

Every time I go to the mall, I can't say no to those delicious Mall Pretzels. The smell hits me as soon as I hit the food court. I love the crispy outside and soft inside. I enjoy dunking them in mustard or melted cheese.  Last night I was brain storming ideas for the Monday recipe and I thought pretzels! I told my husband right away that I was going to make mall pretzels. He looked at me and laughed so hard and said, "your going to bake homemade pretzels? Please don't burn down our apartment." Well this just made me 1000 times more excited to make pretzels, just so I could prove my husband wrong.



In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast, 2tbs. brown sugar and 1 1/8 tsp. salt in 1 1/2 cups warm water.



Stir in 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 cup bread flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. The video above is of me kneading dough. I thought I knew how to knead dough, but after I googled a how to video on kneading dough. I can say that I was totally wrong. Some tips I would share are first spray your surface with pam cooking spray and put flour on your hands and dough. If your surface and dough start sticking lay down more pam or flour. This will help the dough not to stick to you or your rolling surface.



Place dough in a pam cooking spray greased bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel, and let rise for one hour.





After the dough as sat and allowed to rise for an hour, cut into twelve pieces.



Roll each piece of dough into a 3 foot rope, pencil thin or thinner.







Twist the dough into a pretzel shape, and dip into the baking soda solution. The baking soda solution is 2 cups warm water and baking soda combined in an 8 inch square pan. I found a helpful video on how to twist your dough into the perfect pretzel shape. The video also gives some great suggestions on other uses for your pretzel dough. Honestly, rolling the doll out into the three foot long rope is the toughest part. I found working from right to left was the best for me.





After dipping the dough into the baking soda solution, place on a towel to soak up the bottom side of the dough. Then place the pretzel on a greased cookie sheet, reshape pretzel if needed. Let the pretzels sit on the cookie sheet for twenty minutes before putting in the oven. Sprinkle dough with salt if desired, before baking.

Bake at 450 degrees F for five minutes, turn 180 degrees and cook another five minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with garlic salt or cinnamon sugar.

The best part of this recipe is it is kid friendly. Kids will love playing with the dough and seeing what creations they can make. One warning I have is not to leave your balls of dough in reach of a two year old, they will eat it. Also it takes time to roll out all the dough so you may want to bag half of the dough and put it in the refrigerator.

The finished product is hot and delicious! Kid tested and mother approved!



Post submitted by Kathy from CentralPeidmontMommies.comOriginally posted on the CentralPiedmontMommies Blog on 5/16/11

If you grew up in the kind of neighborhood I did, then you remember people sitting out on their front porches in the evenings, kids playing out in the neighbors yard til it was too dark to see and the mad rush to the ice cream truck when that little jingle was first heard on the street.

Nowadays, that scene is almost non-existent. Many parents are working late, then have to pick up the kids from their day care provider and rush home to make dinner, spend a little quality time with the kids and then off to bed to start all over again. Parents are worried that the streets aren't safe. People drive everywhere, and the most you see someone is when you are both getting into your car at the same time.

There are many benefits to having a close relationship with your neighbors. Research shows that neighborhoods where people know each other by name and are connected to one another have lower crime rates. It has even been shown that kids who live in tight knit communities do better in school.

Maybe it is time for us to bring back the days of yesterday, and get to know our neighbors. One way you can do this is by making a neighborhood directory. Send a letter (or even better, deliver it in person) asking your neighbors if they would like to be included in a neighborhood directory. A sample letter can be found here. Have them complete a form that provides you with information to put in the directory. A sample form can be found here. Once you have collected the completed forms, print a directory and distribute it to your neighbors. You can also email the directory to them to save on paper costs.

Another idea is to start a website for your neighborhood. You can get a free website from Geocities (http://www.geocities.com) or Neighborhood Link (http://www.neighborhoodlink.com). You can put a calendar of events in your area on the site, or perhaps list the email addresses of the residents. A bulliten board can be used to post announcements or special needs.

What about an old-fashioned potluck dinner or backyard barbeque. Invite your neighbors and ask them to bring a covered dish or dessert to share! What a wonderful way to get to know the people in your neighborhood. You might enjoy it so much that you turn it into a monthly event!

In this day and age, it is even more critical that we know those who live around us. Our very safety might depend on it. But there is also so much joy to be found right in your backyard! A host of new friends (and babysitters!) can be found just a stone's throw away from your front door. And perhaps, all of your neighbors are just sitting there waiting for you to make it all happen!

Post originally from CharlotteMommies

Chicken Paprikash is so easy to make, it requires very little effort and not a lot of past culinary experience.

Ingredients:

1 pound of chicken (diced)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 stick of butter
1 small onion (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (diced)
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of milk
1 teaspoon of cornstarch
1 tablespoon of paprika
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup of chicken broth
1 package of spaetzle or you can make your own

To get started gather all of your ingredients and prepare them so this meal takes you 20 minutes from start to finish!




Dice up your onion and garlic


Melt 1/2 stick of butter in skillet


Add onions and garlic to butter and saute until soft


Combine sour cream, milk, cornstarch and paprika and whisk together, then set aside.


Add spaetzle to your butter/onion/garlic mixture and saute until golden brown.

If you are using your own dumplings you may opt to omit adding them to this mixture depending on their consistency.


Warm up the olive oil and then add chicken until it is cooked completely. Add the chicken broth slowly to deglaze the pan and turn heat to medium.


Add the sour cream mixture to the chicken, mix well, then add your spaetzle/onion mixture to it.

You are done, you have now made Chicken Paprikash! How easy was that!

This recipe was brought to you by Joelyn Morgan, Chapter Manager of ClevelandMommies.
Originally posted on the ClevelandMommies Blog on May 3, 2011