I'm back!!

It's been a very long time since I've posted in here. I kept telling myself "Monday, I'll do this." "Next week I'm going to post a new blog" "After the holidays I'll get started again" Of course, all of those came and went and there were no new blog entries. :-/ *Sigh* Well, now here I am sitting by myself in an unusually quiet house and decided that this was the perfect time. I'm sure I will get right into the middle of this only to have my toddler wake up. So off I go to type as quickly as I can!!

This weekend I went to our local co-op called Bountiful Baskets (http://www.bountifulbaskets.org/) to pick up my produce basket and 5 loaf pack of sandwich bread. It was really cold and windy (and early!) but I was happy to be getting my stuff since it had been a while. We love the sandwich bread more than the basket itself. The inexpensive produce just seems to be a bonus for us. For those who don't know what BBs (Bountiful Baskets) are, is as produce basket from your local & surrounding states that is in season at a reduced price from the grocery store. The baskets are only $15 and the bread was $10 (for 5 loaves). This is what my basket contained this week...

1 bag of small Yukon Gold Potatoes
3 Turnips
7 Tomatoes
3 Yellow Squash
2 Acorn Squash
1 bunch of Spinach
1 bag of Green Beans
7 Bananas
5 Apples
17 Minneolas
4 Mangoes
1 Pineapple

And I say again "All of this for only $15!" I think it's a great deal. Even with price comparing, checking sales, shopping in season and shopping multiple stores, I don't think I could match this. Plus, it's all in one location and I don't have to go to the store and wonder "What do I buy this time?" I love it because it gets me to try new things as well. I don't think I've ever had a turnip in my life, so this will be new to me. If anyone has a great recipe, feel free to share!

Upon returning home with my basket I immediately got to work. I washed my apples and put them in the pantry. My toddler loves to steal these when I'm not looking so I like to have them washed ahead of time because I by the time I realize he has one he's usually halfway through it. I split up the minneolas. One half to put in the fridge to snack on and one half I peeled and separated to put in the freezer for smoothies. I snapped the ends off my beans, rinsed them, then blanched them to put in the freezer for later use as well. The potatoes I rinsed, cut in wedges, placed in a bowl with 1 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil, 1 tsp Parlsey, 4 minced garlic cloves, tossed together and put in a baking pan to bake for about 40 min (until tender & browning) in a 425* oven to freeze for a later dinner as well. I have yet to do anything with the pineapple though. I will be taking that for snacking for our road trip on Wednesday to New Mexico. Or maybe we'll have pineapple smoothies for breakfast on the way?! I need to prep my squash today as well because I don't know if it will hold up until we get back from our trip. I hate to waste!