I was excited when a large box arrived on my doorstep, and when I opened it…this is what I found!  I knew that Family Dollar was sending me something, but I had no idea it would be this big!

Inside this beautifully wrapped package were all sorts of goodies. There were things for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas!


In my gift basket for “Halloween Happiness,” there were Spooky Lollipop Rings and Halloween Suckers plus a Halloween pumpkin. (Family Dollar has good prices on their candy for trick or treaters! Note the Lollipop Rings are just $2.) For Thanksgiving, there were several things: an apron (a bib apron with two large pockets AND with DuPont Teflon fabric protector to protect from stains), two holiday dessert recipes from the Family Dollar Holiday Recipe and Coupon Booklet, and a fall leaves bowl.

By the way, you might want to get the Family Dollar Holiday Recipe and Coupon Booklet to help with your entertaining needs and your budget.

The “Christmas Corner” included a Family Dollar Christmas Toy Book which has 24 pages of value packed Christmas toys, affordable for every family.  Our daughter (Christi from Frugal Novice) was visiting when I opened my Family Dollar “Fall Entertaining Toolkit” basket of goodies.  When she saw the toys they sent me, which are in the Family Dollar Toy Book, she was impressed and said that she would definitely be going to Family Dollar to purchase some toys for gifts.

They have $5 toys for kids of every age, and they feature popular name brands like Hot Wheels, Disney, and Bakugan.  In fact, they sent me a Bakugan toy.  I have to admit that I had no idea what that was, but our daughter was very familiar with Bakugan toys.  When I gave it to our grandson (Christi & Brian’s three year old), he was fascinated with it.  In the picture, you can see our grandson, dressed in his red pajamas, playing very intently with his new toy. He liked it so much that he slept with it that night, and even went to sleep with it clutched in his little hand.  It was definitely a hit!

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Family Dollar has everything from kids’ favorites like full-function Radio Control Kid Cruisers to $5 board games to Kidget clothing for newborns-toddlers to hot-priced electronics.  They have play huts for $10 such as the Disney’s Tinker Bell and Disney’s Princess.  They have something for everyone!  What is really impressive is their great selection of $5 toys and gifts.  Also available are wrapping paper and seasonal home decor accents at great prices. No wonder they’re one of the fastest-growing discount chains in the United States and also a Fortune 500 company.

If you visit Family Dollar.com, you can enter the Family Dollar Holiday Dream Dash Contest for a chance to win a 90 seconds holiday shopping spree in one of their stores.  You can enter now through November 19, 2020.  Be sure to go back and vote the week of November 22nd.

Note:  Family Dollar offers a 10% discount on bulk toy purchases of $100 or more, perfect for the charitable gift-giver!

Here is an easy festive chicken dish:

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 large chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 can whole cranberry sauce
• 1 package onion soup mix
• 1 small bottle of Fat-free Catalina Salad Dressing

Brown chicken in olive oil.  While browning chicken, mix cranberry sauce, onion soup mix, and salad dressing.  Put chicken in 9 x 13 inch baking dish and pour sauce over the chicken.  Cover with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

This is definitely a recipe for holiday occasions.  I’m not sure if this is a recipe they use in their bakery or one they recommend.  Either way, it sounds delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 5 cups flour

Cream sugar and shortening in a large bowl.  Add eggs.  Blend in salt and vanilla.  Mix baking soda and buttermilk in a bowl.  Add flour and buttermilk to sugar mixture, alternating until the dough is stiff enough to handle.  Take some of the dough and roll out on a floured surface.  Roll it out to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, depending on how crisp you want the cookies.  Cut out with cookie cutters and place on cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper.  Sprinkle with colored sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for a few minutes, until lightly browned.  Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing them.

It was such a blessing to be with family during the holidays.  Our son was home from college, and we had a great time being together.

We have many blessings!  We’re so thankful for both of our children, son-in-law, grandbabies, my mother-in-law, and our friends.  God has blessed us and is taking care of my husband and I through our job search.  My most precious blessing, though, is my relationship with God.  Jesus is not only my Savior, he is my best friend!

The first Thanksgiving was a feast of thanksgiving to God for the harvest of food with which they were blessed.

Psalm 100

A psalm of thanksgiving.

¹ Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
² Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
³ Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

(Biblegateway.com)

Stuffing:

• Fritos Cornbread Stuffing

• Laura Bush’s Corn Bread Dressing

Sweet Potatoes & Veggies:

• Holiday Sweet Potatoes

• Easy Sweet Potato Casserole
• Holiday Vegetable Casserole
  

Salads:

• Mother’s Holiday Fruit Salad
• Peach Pie Salad
  
• Raw Cranberry Salad

Desserts, Muffins, & Breads:

• Cherry-Banana Bread (Low-fat)
• Chocolate Chip Pie (Awesome!)
• Company’s Coming Cookies
• Crustless Pumpkin Pie
• Eggless Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – Cookie Dough Safe to Eat!
• Frito Candy
• Harvest Pumpkin Muffins
• Holiday Pineapple Nut Bread
• Oreo Truffles
• Pecan Pie Muffins
• Pillsbury Turkey Sugar Cookies
  
• Pineapple Delight
• Sopapilla Cheesecake

Pie Crusts:

• Graham Cracker Pie Crust
• “Mix in the Plate” Pie Crust

• Never Fail Pie Crust (Make ahead of time)

Appetizers:

• Cheese Ball

• Cheese Log
• Blackeye Pea Salsa
• Olive Garden’s Artichoke-Spinach Dip
• Mixed Nuts with Rosemary & Shallots (serve warm)
• Rolled Chicken and Asparagus
• Sausage Cheese Balls
• Sausage Rolls
• Southwest “Cheesecake” Dip

• Texas Stuffed Jalapenos

Ideas for left-over turkey:

• Brown Rice, Turkey, & Broccoli in Mushroom Sauce
• Campbell’s Country Turkey Casserole
• Turkey and Vegetable Soup
  

This turkey was from when our son was in kindergarten 13 years ago.

This is a delicious mix of vegetables:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cans asparagus
• 2 cans peas
• 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts
• 1 4-ounce can mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• Buttered bread crumbs OR Chinese noodles

Layer 1 can asparagus, 1 can peas, 1/2 of the water chestnuts, 1/2 of the mushrooms, 1 tablespoon onion, and 1/2 cup cheese.  Add 1/2 of the soup.  Repeat layers.  Top with bread crumbs or noodles.  Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.