Everything From Housewares to Personal Accessories - Check Out Our Great Selection of Items on eBay

Bookmark this page and keep checking back. We're adding new items to our eBay listings all the time. Happy Shopping!

Burberry Sunglasses, Children's Software & More on our Ebay Site

Check out our current eBay listings and watch for more great deals to come!

Getting Organized - How to Get Started Without Losing Your Mind

It is a new year and many people resolve to get organized, so we thought we would talk about how to do just that. We encourage our readers to leave comments and share your organiztional tips too. Together, we will organize the world - one messy closet at a time!


Park-a-Purse - Purse Organizer

Have you ever felt like everything around you is in total disarray and you don't know where to begin to get organized? Of course, I have never had that problem (LOL) but I have come up with a way to de-stress while I declutter. You need to choose one spot in one room to begin. It sounds pretty obvious, but in reality that is why it is often so difficult to begin organizing. Here is what you need to do:

1. Choose one drawer or one cabinet or one shelf in a closet.


2. Pull everything out.


3. Clean the surfaces.


4. Throw away anything old, damaged, out of date, or things you have not used in the last six months.


5. If you have a bunch of small items, group them by category, put them in a clear plastic container and label them.


6. Put everything you are keeping back into the drawer/cabinet/closet and close the door!


7. Throw out the trash. Recycle or donate items when possible.


8. Walk away and give yourself a treat! You have just started on your way to being organized.


9. Repeat this process every couple of days and before you know it your closets and cabinets will be clean!

If you need some organizational items such as plastic containers, closet organizers, drawer organizers, etc. check out the following orgaznizational supply stores and you'll find some terrific sources of organizing tools at some really great prices.

Up to 75% off at StacksandStacks.com

10% off $100.00 or more purchase (Coupon Code: A9639) You must use the coupon code at checkout to get the discount.


Come on back to our site often for more tips and articles.
Don't forget to leave us some of your great tips. We look forward to hearing from you!

Karen

The Return of Finster, the Find More Facts Detective

After a bit of a hiatus and several requests from regular readers, we have decided to bring back Finster, our Find More Facts Detective. You may have noticed him appearing in several of our holiday postings. We find Finster a way to a bit of extra fun to our blog, so we hope you will enjoy his return. He'll be sniffing out a lot of great deals for you in the near future. 2008 promises to be a great year and we look forward to bringing you many new features and helpful tips this year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Rick & Karen

Mashed Potatoe Casserole Recipe

We frequently serve this delicious mashed potato recipe on the holidays. It is one of our favorites and you can make it ahead. Just let it come to room temperature, then warm it in the oven about 20-30 minutes, adding the cheese the last 5 minutes.

Mashed Potato Casserole

Serves 8

Ingredients:

6 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tsp. salt

Dash pepper

1 tsp. chopped chives

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

Grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. Bring potatoes to a boil in lightly salted water in a covered sauce pan. Reduce heat, simmer until tender. Drain potatoes.

In a large bowl, mash the potatoes until most of the lumps are gone. Add the butter and continue mixing until smooth. Add the milk, sour, cream, salt, pepper, & chives, mixing until well blended. Place mixture in the prepared casserole dish and cover with the cheese. Bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

This recipe doubles well baked in a 3-4 quart casserole.

Happy Holidays!

Rick & Karen

Wine and Food Make Great Christmas Gifts!

Adding to our holiday shopping deals - because who doesn't like to receive delicious food as a gift! :-)

THE ISLAND TREASURE'S COMBO

Omaha Steaks make an always appreciated gift and their steaks and side dishes are outstanding! I would order some for yourself as well. You will truly enjoy the quality and taste of the food.

Save up to 55% on the Ideal Gift Collection plus 2 FREE Gifts from Omaha Steaks!

BV Century Cellars Holiday Spirit Duet Gift Basket

If you have a wine lover on your list, this is the place to shop. Wine.com has an extensive collection of spectacular wines, with wine recommendations available. They also have some beautiful gift packages and wine club memberships.

Save 10% on a 6 month Wine Club Membership at Wine.com. Enter promo code: 10GIFTCLUB at checkout. Offer ends 12.31.07.

Wine Gift Sets – Why bother picking individual wines? We’ve done the work for you. Give premier wines grouped by theme, varietal or region.

Happy Shopping (and Eating)!

Karen & Rick

Our Annual Holiday Shopping Discounts and Deals List - Part One!

Here are some more excellent deals just in time for the holidays. These discounts are in additional to already reduced prices on housewares, cookware, and more!

Extra 25% Off All Open Stock Dinnerware - Ends 12-12

Up to Extra 40% Off Home Accents: Furniture, Lighting & More - Ends 12-12

Up to Extra 30% Off Kitchen Essentials: Cookware, Cutlery, Appliances - Ends 12-12

Up to Extra 25% Off Towel Sets - Ends 12-12

Up to $150 Off Down Comforters, Mattress Pads & Pillows - Ends 12-12

Up to Extra 75% Off Bedding Essentials: Sheets Sets, Duvet Sets, Comforter Sets, Blankets & More - Ends 12-12

Don't miss out on these outstanding bargains and check back soon. We'll have more of our holiday savings list posted soon.

Happy Shopping!

Karen & Rick

Online Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

While shopping online is a great time saver, very convenient, and can offer a better selection than local stores, there are precautions you need to take to safeguard your identity and your credit cards. Here are a few tips to help you shop safely and securely. Just take a few precautions and you can comfortably complete your holiday shopping from home while everyone else is out in the cold! :-)

1. Always check the security of the checkout pages of any online merchant you are purchasing from. This means that when you are on the checkout page you should see "https" in the web address, the "s"indicates "secure." Also at the bottom of the page, you will see a graphic of a closed lock or unbroken key indicating the site is secure.
   


2. Another way to check security when you are on the checkout page is to go to the top menu and click "File,"then "Properties." You will get a Properties pop-up screen that shows the Protocol as "HyperTextTransfer Protocol with Privacy" and the Connection will state "SSL with (at least) 128 bit encryption."You will also see a restatement of the https web address. Make sure it matches the address of the page you are supposed to be on. If all of these factors are in place, you can be relatively certain that you are on a secure site.
   


3. Read the return policy before you buy. If you don't like the policy, buy somewhere else.
   


4. Be sure you can locate the contact information for the merchant easily on the site.
   


5. Print a receipt of your purchase before logging off of the site. Don't just rely on an e-mailed copy of a receipt. Sometimes even e-mails get lost.

Follow these few simple guidelines and you'll have your holiday shopping done in no time! Check back soon for our annual listing of top online places to shop and special online offerings.

Happy Shopping!

Smartbargains Shopping and Calphalon One Cookware

Smartbargains is one of our favorite places to shop for all kinds of items for the kitchen and home adn even for some extra personal goodies. :-) From now until December 10th you can Checkout with PayPal and earn 20% Cash Back on your order! This is an awesome deal as their prices are already quite low and the shipping charges are very reasonable.

For example, check out this fabulous Calphalon One Nonstick 8pc Cookware Set.

It consists of:

• 8-quart stockpot with lid


• 4.5-quart saucepan with lid


• 3-quart chef's pan with lid


• 10" and 12" omelette pans
  

It is a wonderful set to cook with and would make an awesome gift for that special cook in your life (even if that happens to be you!)

Keep checking back for more great finds and special reader discounts and deals!

Pumpkin Cake Recipe

If you are looking for a little twist on the traditional Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, here is a delicious recipe for a pumpkin layer cake. Even those who don't like pumpkin pie usually enjoy this moist and flavorful cake. Let us know what you think!

Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 pkg yellow cake mix with pudding

3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup oil

3 large eggs

Cinnamon Whipped Cream Frosting:

2 cups whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans. In large bowl, combine all cake ingredients. Beat at low speed with mixer until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at high speed. Pour batter into pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pans. Cool completed on cooling rack.

In medium bowl, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and cinnamon; beat until stiff. Place 1 cake layer top side down on cake plate. Dust off loose crumbs. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top frosted cake with remaining cake layer; top side up. Spread sides and top of cake with remaining frosting. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Enjoy and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Karen and Rick

Interior Designers - A Great Asset for Your Home Improvement Project

Sponsored Review

While we are on the subject of remodeling and redecorating, we wanted to discuss the point that using an interior designer for your home remodeling project is a great idea. Interior designers often have access to resources that the ordinary consumer does not. Additionally, interior home design is not always an easy proposition for some people and a bit of professional advice can go a long way.

Interior designers can be hired to do an entire project or you may be able to hire one for just an hour or two to get some advice and direction for your interior home design project. Look for a designer with American Society of Interior Designer credentials (ASID). You'll be sure you are getting a well qualified professional.

Bathroom Remodeling - Choosing Floor Tile and Wall Tile

Thinking of starting a bathroom remodeling project or just looking for some new ideas. We are going to discuss various products available for freshening up one of the most used spaces in the house.

Rick and I have started looking at products to redo our master bath. We decided to start with the floor and wall tile and found that there are a myriad of choices now available. You can find marble tile, granite tile, porcelain tile, clay tile, ceramic tile, metal tile, and glass tile. The choices are almost as endless as your imagination. In our upcoming posts we will talk about some of the pros and cons of the different types of tiles and show you some great examples of each.

Stay tuned and have fun!

Beef Burgundy Recipe - Boeuf Bourguinon

Here is a tasty beef burgundy recipe, perfect for a fall dinner. Serve with some warm, crusty bread, a tossed green salad and the remainder of the wine. Delicious!

BEEF BURGUNDY (BOEUF BOURGUINON)

3 slices bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
16 white mushrooms, medium in size, wiped with damp cloth to clean, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
1 cup frozen pearl onions, defrosted and drained
2 pounds lean sirloin, 1-inch thick, trimmed and cubed into 1 inch pieces
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup burgundy wine
1 1/2 cups beef stock
Bouquet of 3 or 4 sprigs each sage and fresh thyme, tied with kitchen string

Herbed Egg Noodles

12 ounces wide egg noodles, cooked to package directions
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, 2 handfuls
12 blades fresh chives, snipped or finely chopped

Directions

Heat a large deep skillet with a heavy bottom and a lid over medium high heat. Add bacon to the pan and brown. Remove crisp bacon bits with slotted spoon. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons butter to the pan and melt into bacon drippings. Add mushrooms to the pan and turn to coat evenly with butter and bacon drippings. Season the mushroom slices with salt and pepper. Sauté mushrooms 2 to 3 minutes and add onions to the pan. Continue cooking onions and mushrooms 2 to 3 minutes longer, then transfer to a plate and return pan to the heat.

Add remaining butter to the pan and melt it. Add meat to the very hot pan and brown evenly on all sides, keeping the meat moving. Add flour to browned meat in the pan and cook the flour 2 minutes. Add wine to the pan slowly while stirring. When the wine comes up to a bubble and you have scraped up the pan drippings, add the stock and bouquet of fresh sage and thyme sprigs to the pot. Cover the pan. When the liquid boils, reduce heat to medium. Cook covered 5 minutes, remove lid and add mushrooms, onions and bacon back to the pot. Simmer with the cover off until sauce thickens a bit. Adjust seasoning and remove herb bouquet.

Toss hot egg noodles with butter and herbs. Place a bed of noodles in a shallow bowl and pour beef burgundy over the noodles and serve.

Mexican Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

Here is a great Mexican recipe to go along with our Spanish lessons as promised.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 chicken breasts (or 6 halves)
1 (10 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (8 ounce) can diced green chilies (hot or mild, or a small can of each)
1 (10 ounce) package cheddar cheese, grated
1 small onion, diced
1-2 teaspoons oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
8-12 corn tortillas (you can also use flour tortillas if desired) cut into strips or shredded
16 ounces sour cream


DIRECTIONS:

Place Chicken in large saucepan and cover with water. Sprinkle in a 1-2 teaspoons of oregano; add the garlic powder and salt. Boil about 20 minutes. Remove chicken from stock and shred the chicken off the bones, saving the stock.

Mix soups, sour cream & chilies in large saucepan adding only enough stock to slightly thin. You will need less stock if you are using low fat soups.

Taste the soup mixture and re-season as needed. You may wish to add a bit of cumin to enhance the flavor. Simmer on low 15 minutes.

Add the chicken and diced onion to the soup mixture.

In 9x13 casserole dish, arrange ½ the shredded tortillas across bottom, spoon in 1/2 the sauce and sprinkle 1/2 the cheese. Repeat with a second layer.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Variations:
If you want to add a bit more zest to the casserole, consider adding some fresh, diced jalapenos or salsa to the mix. You may also want to sprinkle in some chopped olives or diced tomatoes for extra flavor and texture.

Try low fat soups, cheese and sour cream to reduce fat and calories.

Notes:
This dish freezes well and is a good “make ahead” dish. Leftovers served the next day are even tastier.

Buen provecho! Enjoy your meal!

I love to find great products at bargain prices, especially for the kitchen. Here is a set of Cuisinart Kitchen Knives that I really like and I think it's at a really great price:

The Cuisinart Continental 14pc Cutlery Set
includes an 8" chef's knife, 8" bread knife, 8" slicing knife, 4-1/2" utility knife, and 3-1/2" paring knife, plus six steak knives, 10 " sharpening steel, kitchen shears, and a storage block. All of this for only $99.98. That is a great deal! You can find it at SmartBargains and if you go through the following link you will get 12% off for New Customers - Ends 11-1-07.

If you are needing some new cutlery, this is a great set to try. You can also get October - Free Shipping on Orders of $75 or more - Ends 10-15-07

Happy cooking (and shopping!)

Learn Spanish While We Talk, Cook, & Eat

¡Hola!

Hello Find More Facts readers. I am so excited right now because I am finally doing something I have always wanted to do...Learn to speak Spanish!

Actually, Rick and I are doing this together. After much searching and review, we found a great Spanish Language course that we really like and it is downloadable and easy to use right from your own computer.

I like this course because it presents Spanish in a conversational manner and then breaks it down word by word for you to practice speaking and learn the vocabulary and correct pronunciation. They have actually managed to make learning to speak Spanish fun!

To celebrate as we go along we will be posting some delicious Spanish/Latin/Mexcian recipes along with a few of our newly learned vocabulary words. Come on and join in the fun and take some Spanish lessons with us! You can even get the first 6 lessons free to try it out.

¡buena suerte! (Good luck!) Be sure to let us know how you like the Spanish lessons and the recipes.

P.S. You can access the Spanish Lessons site through this link.

Taco Salad Recipe

Here is a nice taco salad recipe that doesn't include using the dried package taco seasoning mix.

Taco Salad

· 1−1/2 Pound Ground beef
· Bottled French dressing
· 1/4 Cup Onion, chopped
· 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
· 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
· 1/2 Teaspoon Dried oregano, crushed
· 1/2 Head iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
· 2 Tomatoes, cut in wedges
· 8 Ounce Can corn, drained
· 8 Ounce Can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
· 1/2 Cup Radish slices
· 1−6 1/2 oz Package Tortilla or corn chips or a taco salad tortilla bowl
· 1 Avocado, peeled and sliced
· 4 Ounce Cheddar cheese, shredded
· Pitted black olives, sliced
· Sour cream

Brown meat and drain off fat. Add 1/3 cup French dressing, onion, salt, pepper and oregano. Simmer 5 minutes.

Combine lettuce, tomatoes, corn, beans, radishes and enough dressing to moisten. Toss lightly.

For each salad, serve meat mixture over tortilla chips or in tortilla bowl. Top with lettuce mixture, avocado, cheese, olives and sour cream, as desired. You could also add some sliced jalapenos if you want to add a bit of heat to the salad.

Bon appetit (or Buen appetit)!

Decorating Using a Focal Wall & the Color Wheel

You will often hear it recommended that you use a focal wall when decorating. What this means is that you take some architcetural element or important piece of furniture or artwork and draw attention to it by creating a focal area in the room. This is often accomplished by painting that wall a different color that the other walls in the room. It can also be accomplished by using wallpaper on just that one wall, or creating texture on that wall with fabric, wood, or other treatments.

A focal wall, while a useful decorating tool, should not be overused. Every room in the house does not require an outstanding focal wall. Also, be careful of how you use color when creating the focal wall. Consider complementary colors when using paint or fabric (colors opposite each other on the color wheel) or for a subtler effect, consider adjacent colors. This will give it enough differentiation to make the feature stand out without being overly aggressive.

What is an Eggplant - Answer to Food Word Game #6

Here are the answers to our latest Food Word Game:

What is eggplant?

A vegetable 60%

A fruit 40%

A legume

An plant that grows egg shaped nuts

While 60% of our players thought eggplant is a vegetable, it is actually the fruit of an Indian plant. You will occasionally find a dictionary that calls eggplant a vegetable however, it is a berry related to tomatoes and potatoes. Amazing!

Burberry Sunglasses 9421 Grey Lens NEW & AUTHENTIC! eBay Auction

We're clearing out some merchandise on eBay, so check out the fantastic merchandise we are offering at unbelievable prices! Here is our latest listing: