I saved up 1,000 Swagbucks for the Cyber Monday sale!!!

I made it to 1,000 swagbucks. I normally cash mine out for a $5 Amazon gift card as soon as I earn 450 points. But, I saw on a blog that last year they had a sale on the gift cards on Cyber-Monday so I thought I would try to save all of mine for the month of November and see if I can score a few deals.

If you’re not familiar with Swag Bucks, it’s a free rewards program where you can earn points for doing web searches, online shopping, taking polls and more. Just a few searches a day can help you rack up points pretty quickly. Plus, you earn 30 Swag Bucks right off the bag just for signing up for the free program.
Every Friday is Mega Swag Bucks Day, which means you can earn Swag Bucks in increments of 50, 100, 200 or even 1000 just by doing routine web searches. A $5 Amazon gift card is just 450 Swag Bucks, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get your hands on one.
If you’re new to Swag Bucks, or even if you signed up some time ago, here are five tips to help you earn Swag Bucks quickly.

• Search Regularly at SwagBucks.com. I usually log on in the morning and search facebook or Google to check my mail. Just try to be natural in your searches. Don't keep searching over and over for the same word, the system can tell. One of these usually gets me first win. It may take a few minutes, but it’s always a rush when you win Swag Bucks!

• Once you Win, Come Back in a Few Hours. Once you win Swag Bucks doing web searches, come back again in a few hours. It does happen, but it’s rare. I figured the pattern that works for me is about every four hours I get a win. It varies but I will probably not search swagbucks for about four hours after a win, I switch back to google.

• Download the Swag Bucks Toolbar. I love having the toolbar because not only does it update me on how many Swag Bucks I have, but it is also a source for a code to pop up in! Gotta love those free bucks!

• Check out Swag Bucks Outside of SwagBucks.com. Visit Swag Bucks on twitter, facebook and on the Swag Bucks Blog to get codes that you redeem for more Swag Bucks!

• Tell Your Friends. Once you sign up for Swag Bucks you have the opportunity to grab a referral link that you can send to your friends to encourage them to sign up. You’ll earn a Swag Buck for each one that your friends earns (up to 1,000 Swag Bucks) on searches. 

• Swagbucks TV. All you have to do is watch a video that interests you.  At the end of that video, you may get anywhere from 1–5 Swag Bucks. You won’t win every time you watch a video, but you can win multiple times a day. Personally I have won 5-6 for each of my TV wins.

I have earned $65 in Amazon gift cards. I am saving mine for a Kitchen Aid mixer. I see a lot of my friends save them for Christmas and that can add an extra $100-400 to your Christmas Budget.

Oh my GOSH, ...ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh

*Excuse me while I try to squelch the panic...
For the last hour I have been pacing in my house. I have opened every cupboard and drawer in the place. Here is how we got to this point...

I woke up this morning, all snuggled into a warm ball (yes, I really curl up in ball to sleep). I opened my sleepy eyes and the Sweet One was putting a cup of coffee on my bedside table. Awwwe! I know what your thinking, how does this lead to pacing?

Well I got up to see him off, lock the door, and turn up the heat. Then he called from the car to say can I pull some articles for his class to read over the Thanksgiving break. He just wanted to start reviewing options.  I was fine, wrote it on a post it and stuck it to my laptop. Then IT hit me in the face.

Today is November 1. Where did October go? No really, there were things I was going to do in October that aren't done yet! So I started pacing the house looking at all the things that need to be done, NOW!!!!

November starts a downward slope for us at the Smith-Harrison's. We Start the month with going back to Chattanooga to have friends over for a vacation. The next week we go to Raleigh, NC to spend the Holiday with his other two kids. We come back and turn around the next weekend to see his parents. After that We hit December. He finished us teaching and giving finals, I substitute and proctor, then help grade. I also have a ton of meetings for the law program I am in. We have no less than 8 holiday parties to attend.

And one big stresser. We split up in the middle of the month. He goes back to Raleigh to For his daughters birthday and then brings the kids down to Chattanooga for Christmas with the Family. In the mean while I will finish shopping for the kids and get things ready to go to Chattanooga. One week before Christmas I head down to visit with family and help Smoochie-Kins mother prep for the Christmas Eve Party (we have over 30 friends and family for a sit down dinner). It is no small feat. I am not organized enough this year. Having his son around just throws it all off axis for me, big time. So I just walk around the apartment opening drawers and cupboards and looking at everything that needs to be done and then I take an anti-depressant and cup of coffee and climb back in bed with my laptop.

The Thanksgiving plan

I have been going to my Boyfriends ex-wife's family the last two years for Thanksgiving (there will be a whole other post about that). The number of people is high, probable 20 people at least. To say they are good cooks is putting it nicely. What can I say. I am a southern girl who owns her kitchen. I know how I want things done and if I don't see it happening I will over-rule with an iron rolling pin!

This year I want to take over the desserts. Last year I made my mother's famous pecan pie and it was a hit! This year I want to make a chocolate tart, pumpkin pie, and the pecan pie. I also would like to get the mashed potatoes done the night before and in the freezer. I will of course have my fingers in every pot on The Day. But this is my game plan.

Chocolate Tart

Ingredients

• 450 Lindt chocolate - 75% cocoa solids
• 250 ml milk
• 225g softened unsalted butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 175 g fine castor sugar
• 60 ml Cointreau (Grand Marnier is just as good)
• Blind baked sweet, short-crust shell
• Shaved dark chocolate shavings – use a thick slab or block to make good shavings
• Unsweetened cocoa powder to garnish

Method

• Pour milk into a heavy-based pot on very low heat, add chocolate and stir constantly until chocolate just melts
• Remove from stove and stir until both are well blended, setting aside to cool
• Cream butter and sugar until light and pale, using electric mixer and add yolks, one by one and whisk very well
• Whisk the chocolate mixture into the cream and butter mixture and finally whisk in the Cointreau
• Pour the filling into the blind baked shell and chill until set.
• Garnish with more chocolate, dusted cocoa.
• Serve with cream on the side if you wish.

Silky Smooth Pumpkin Pie
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, November & December 2008

Ingrediants

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk (I used 2 cups of half and half instead of one cup each of cream and milk)
• 3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup drained candied yams from 15-ounce can (regular canned yams can be substituted)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (I used 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground because I’m not a huge fan of fresh ginger)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon table salt

Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Roll out dough on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to make 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang all around pie plate.

Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Using thumb and forefinger, flute edge of dough. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.
Remove pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil and fill with pie weights or pennies. Bake on rimmed baking sheet 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate. Bake 5 to 10 more minutes until crust is golden brown and crisp. Remove plate and baking sheet from oven.

Make the filling: While pie shell is baking, whisk cream, milk, eggs, yolks and vanilla together in medium bowl. Combine pumpkin puree, yams, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in large heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring to sputtering simmer over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue to simmer pumpkin mixture, stirring constantly and mashing yams against sides of pot, until thick and shiny, 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove pan from heat. Whisk in cream mixture slowly, until fully incorporated. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl, using back of ladle or spatula to press solids through strainer. Re-whisk mixture and transfer to warm pre-baked pie shell. Return pie plate with baking sheet to oven and bake pie for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees. Continue baking until edges are set (instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 175 degrees), 20 to 35 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours. (The pie finishes cooking with resident heat; to ensure the filling sets, cool it at room temperature and not in the refrigerator.)