Meal Planning For Two...

Newly weds. Empty-nesters. Roomates. First time Momma's with hard (late) working husbands.

What to do when 5:00 jumps up...

Yes, I've been there too: chiseling a 10lb frozen chicken breast brick, trying to portion out packs of steak, or just making too much soup because you can't divide 4 full cans or anything into a 2 portion meal. And your dinner companion starts complaining that your good 'ol stand-ins are the only three options you make.

Don't give up! There are ways around such dilemmas my friend. Dinner can be enjoyable once again!

Tip no.1: Know your butcher. He'll save your day months in advance. You see, for FREE your local butcher can individually pre-package bacon, steaks (beef or fish), chicken, sausage, lunch meat, and hamburger for a dainty meal size- even from store pre-packaged meats.

EXAMPLE: So, I go to buy roast when it is on sale, I chat with my friendly butcher (Smith's off 8th and Main in Logan) and ask him to trim it and grind it for 80% lean. He's happy to help! And will even package it in 1/2 lb portions, freezer wrapped, labeled and dated. This is much cheaper on two fold: 1) on sale roast is much better than regular priced hamburger (tastes better and is fresher too) and 2) I don't throw out good meat due to too many leftovers or freezer burn.

This is wonderful for freezer space, on the spur BLTs, and completely removes the hassle of freezer wrapping everything myself.

p.s. he'll even trim your fatty roast and remove the bone, and re-weigh it and mark it for less money. yes! he does!

Tip. No.2: plan a meat to last 3 meals. The first meal the meat is the main course (served whole or a hearty serving), the second meal it is sliced, the third it is ground/minced/chopped. Example: Roast beef with mashed potatoes and greens, Hearty stew, (drain) English Pasties. -or- Orange Chicken with Almond, Stir Fry with green beans and carrots, Garden wraps with Chicken. (you get the idea? ) This dramatically decreases your leftovers, salvages any budget, and eliminate the hassle of daily meal planning: choose two meats and your week is done.

Low Carb Salad

1 head of lettuce, roughly chopped

3 fried bacon strips, chopped (5 Tb. of bacon bits)

1 cucumber, sliced

1/2 c. salted sunflower seeds (shelled)

Toss together!

Add you favorite vinagret (or ranch to keep it low carb). Surprisingly cheap and delicious!

Deals through the 13th

Smith's

Meat Sale

99 cent/lb all chicken (whole, thighs, breasts)

$2.99/lb boneless beef rump or sirloin tip

$2.99-$3.99/lb. Deli sliced ham and turkey (go to Deli for fresh sliced, 1/2 the price of pre-packed name-brands, fresher too)

10 for $10 anthenos hummus, pepsi or 7up 2 liters,

2 for $4 neslte toll house chocolate morsels 10-12 oz bags

Droger flour, $1.79 5 lb

A Fresh Marketplace

$2.79/lb cross rib pot roasts

$1.59/lb sirloin chops

$1.49/lb split chicken breats

Paper COUPON 15 for $10 vitamin water, powerade, fuze

2 for $5 Guittard baking chocolate chips

99 cent candycanes

Macy's

$1.99 lb lean ground chuck

$1.49/lb chicken breasts

2 for $3 clover clbu potato chips

79 cents Langer's apple cider (10 oz., $1.79 for 24 oz)

78 cent langer's frozen juice

79 cent mini and large marshmellow

79 cent WF white or wheat bread loaves

89 cent pineapple, canned (LOWER than case lot prices)

5 for $5 hunts marinara, WF gummies, WF stuffing, chef boyardee, roarita, kool-aid bursts, WF skillet meals, and picsweet frozen vegi (same at Lee's)

89 cent 3-pack dry active yeast

$1.99 Hershey's and Heath baking chocolate chips (! lowest)

Lee's (see previous listing)

lowest price for overall produce, esp. citrus

Deals through Dec. 10th

Wintertime! Food in season: citrus, butter, cheese, meats, bread, and whole nuts.

For dates on seasonal items on sale on the calendar year, check out the 3 Month buying guide on the lower right hand corner. (Wait to buy hot cocoa when it's 50 cent a box, and not $1).

Great buys going on right now:

Lee's

39 cent/lb navel oranges in bags (you select)

34 cent/lb navel oranges in boxes

99 cent/lb tangerines

33 cent/lb grapefruit

50 cent each avacado

50 cent each green pepper

39 cent/lb russet potato

99 cent/lb Roma tomatoes

10 for $10 WF sour cream, fruit snacks, pineapple (canned), WF pasta, jumbo refridgerated biscuits, stuffing mix, mini marshmellows, pasta skillet meal mixes, marshmellow cream, picsweet frozen vegetables, Hunt's marinara sauce (canned), Chef Boyardee pastas, Act II microwavable popcorn, Tropicana frozen orange juice concentrate

93 cents Langer's Frozen Juice Concentrate

59 cent WF diced tomatoes

$1.99 WF 32 oz corn syrup

BOGO FREE colgate toothpaste with store coupon

Milk: $1.79 gal.

Large eggs: $1.39

Macy's (through Tuesday the 6th)

99 cent/lb apples

49 cent/lb bananas

79 cent DaVinci pasta

69 cent WF pasta mixes (sides)

99 cent Holiday wrapping paper

Smith's

89 cent/lb Broc. and Cauli

44 cent. yellow onion

10 for $10 Barilla pasta (whole wheat pastas, too), snackpack pudding cups 4pck, Kroger canned fruit, Twix, Snickers (same deal at A Fresh Marketplace too)

3 for $5 5lb flour

$1.89/4lb sugar

2 for $3 Langer's Apple Juice, 1/2 gal

99 cent Kroger Cream Cheese and Neufantzel Cheese

Eggs, large: 4 for $5 ($1.25)

A Fresh Marketplace

10lb for $10 apples and pears

4 for $5 powdered and brown sugar (case lot price)

10 for $10 mix and match deals (see Smith's)

FYI:

Lower's Outlet, 700 South 200 West

Richmond, Utah 84333 (on the highway, on the eastern side, the outlet is the new red cabin addition to the huge Lower's Food factory). Monday-Friday, 10am to 6pm.

Lower's Outlet in Richmond is a great place to buy meats. They are a meat supplier for resturants and Deli's, meaning the have a wide selection of meals ready to go (just heat): pot roast, roast beef in a'ju sauce, pulled pork, and a great selection of pulled chicken (taco, lime, bbq, wood smoked) and deli meats that you can through into sandwiches, tacos, crepes, paninis all 1/2- to 1/4 the cost of grocery store prices. (20lb. chicken for $12, $2/lb pastrami that is usually $8/lb, etc.). Buy in bulk, bag meal sizes for your family, and freeze up to 12 months. Save hundreds of dollars a year!

Marshmellow Cream

Also Known As Mountain Peak Frosting and Royal Mountain Frosting,

This is cheap, easy, and impressive to most (who don't know the secret).

4 Egg whites

1 c. sugar

1 c. water

1 Tbl. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1. In a small saucepan, dissolve and boil the water and sugar until you reach firm ball (abt. 250 F or until a sample of the syrup creates a firm ball in cold water).

2. While the syrup boils, whip the egg whites in a large bowl (I love Kitchen Aid Mixers with a whisk attachment, but you can do this with an electric beater as well) to a stiff peak.

3. On a high speed, whisk the syrup into the egg whites by pouring a thin stream into the bowl as you whisk. The heat will cook the eggs, and the high speed will ensure even cooking (no egg or candy clumps) and a glossy finish.

And walah! Marshmellow cream you can frost with or make fudge with or top pies with. Enjoy!

p.s. Some recipes add in 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar, or elaborate on the simply syrup to be 3/4 c. carol syrup (corn syrup) with 1/3c. water and 2/3 c sugar.

Butternut Squash

This gorgeous gourd is cheap, huge, and plentiful throughout the next two months.

This nutty flavor pairs well with apples, carrots, potatoes, and anything you'd put pumpkin in. To start out the (return of) fall, here's two recipes (variations) I made up this weekend.

We went to market yesterday and picked up a gourd for $1.75. We cut away the hard skin, quartered it, tossed it in olive oil, and roasted it at 350F for 1 hr (until fork tender). It warmed up our home and filled it with this cozy, nutty aroma. So worth it.

Saturday Dinner: Savory Butternut-Apple Bisque

A bisque is a hot, creamy soup that was blended.

Sautee:

1 Tb. butter

1 small onion

3 chopped carrots

Heat til dissolved (just before boiling):

2 cup. water

2 Tb. bouillon, chicken or vegi

1 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. sage, dried and powdered

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Place root vegetables and broth into blender and puree with:

8 oz butternut squash, roasted and chopped ( abt. 1/2 gourd, chunks the size of two closed fists or 1 -1 1/2 lbs)

1 granny smith apple, chopped

1 tsp. salt and black pepper

Serve hot with optional garnish or sides: sour cream, creme leche, chives, apples, wheat crackers and mozzarella (or any mild cheese), peas, butternut crostinis.

Store covered in fridge for 4 days.

Ginger Butternut-Chocolate Chip Muffins

(the lighter cousin to pumpkin-chocolate chip)

Mix thoroughly:

2 eggs

8 oz (1 lb) roasted butternut squash

1 1/2 cup white gran. sugar

2 Tb. vanilla

1 1/4 cup. canola oil ( or you can do half oil and half plain yogurt)

1 Tbl. ginger powder

1 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. cinnamon

Sift together and add gradually to sugar/butternut mix:

4 c. flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder.

Whip till fluffy.

Fold in

4 oz (1 1/2 cup or half a bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pour into GREASED muffin tins, 3/4 full each cup. Bake until brown tips (abt. 8-12 min.) at 350F. Cool in pan. Enjoy!

*these are deliciously moist and will stay uncovered a few days on the counter top.

Plum Torte

Plums are in season! One the easiest (and cheapest) desserts to make is a plum torte. I baked this one this morning from the New York Times by Marian Burros. The caption read:

Because of reader demand, this recipe was published in one form or another in The New York Times almost every year between 1983 and 1995, when the then editor of the food section told me to tell my readers it was the last year it would be published, and if they lost it, it was too bad. She suggested they cut it out, laminate it, and put it on the refrigerator door.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Plum-Torte-108123#ixzz1Zw30DkxU

Plum Torte Cake!

This is one of my favorite fall favorites. If you don't have a spring form pan, oil and coat with sugar and cinnamon a loaf pan for plum torte cake. ohhh.

Oct. 5- Oct. 11

A Fresh Market Place

99 cent/lb New Crop Apples

$4 coupon for Dessert Deal: ice cream, brownies, and whipped topping for $4.

WF gran. white sugar 5 lbs. $2.99 with store coupon

Macy's

69 cent/3pk active dry yeast (GREAT DEAL)

BAKE SALE!

cho. chip $1.77/bag

4 for $5 brown and powdered sugar

$4.88 10 lb. white gran. sugar

2 for $3 large can pumpkin puree

4 for $5 sweetened condensed mile

99 cent: spary oil, pie crusts, Betty Crocker Super Moist cake mixes, swiss miss hot chocolate packs, coconut milk, marshmallow cream, betty crocker fruit snacks,

Aurgurson Farm's Gluten Free mixes and Lecithin Powder (see store add for details)

A Month of Easy Dinners -- RealSimple

RealSimple is a great source for practical and fast dinners that are nutritious and delicious. View their latest month's listing for FREE at:

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/dinner-menus-00100000066454/index.html?xid=weeklynews-10-05-2011

Fall Flavors

Below are some great (and easy) fall Recipes from epicurios.com. Epicurious is a site compiled by restaurateurs and chefs as a cache site of recipes with ratings. It's free and it's a great resource to look up food combinations you already have under their search tab (example: chicken sage rice) with pictures, tips, and time frames.

Butternut Squash, Ricotta and Sage Crostini - a great lunch or appetizer

Pan Roasted Stilton Chicken with Apples - be sure you have a pan that you can sear and roast in, like a Calaphon pan, i.e. no plastic or wooden handles

French Apple Tart

Stuffed Rice Balls - Italian technique, fired rice-covered deliciousness

Potato Cake with Cheese and Bacon

Rosemary Roasted Turkey with Gravy -- great with those whole chickens on sale

Sweet and Sour Radicchio

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, and Sage

Sauteed Parsnips and Carrots with Honey and Rosemary

Enjoy!

Deals Oct.3-8th

Cache Valley Farmer's Market, Merlin Olsen Sat. 9am-1pm

Appenzell Eggs: free range, pure and fresh eggs! Bring in your empty carton and get 25 cents off your carton. We buy the small or spotted eggs for $1.75. So good! They also have great prices on chicken (and soon to be turkey and rabbit).

Basil: $1/bag or $5 a grocery bag (pesto)

Tomatoes: $7/10 lbs.

Peaches: $2/bag

Watermelon/Cantaloupe: sometimes free... $1 melon

Onions: 4 for $1

Beets, carrots, chard: $1/bundle

Fresh Greens: $1-2 bag

Apples, pears: $1-3 bag (wide variety)

Pumpkins: $1-4 gourd

Squash: 5 for $1

Beans: $2/bag

...And don't forget Mary's gorgeous flowers! $3-$5 a bouquet (or state your budget and she'll make a bouquet for you).

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Case Lots Sales are in Full swing!

Lee's

WF Canned Beans, Corn, and Mixed Vegetables: 49 cent/can

SpagehettiO's 2 for $1

Western Family Pineapple 98 cent/can

WF 25 lb. Flour $7.49

WF 25 lb. White Granulated Sugar $12.99

WF Brown and Powdered Sugar 4 for $5

WF Table Salt 44 cent/canister

WF 20lb Rice $9.99

Dried Egg Mix or Powdered Eggs 36 oz. $12.99 (it's hard to find a good egg substitute for shelf stable items; this is the best out there -- and it's safe to eat raw, i.e. edible cookie dough and cake batter)

WF Canned Applesauce 59 cent/can

WF Canned Anaheim Chillies 2 for $1

80 oz. Clover Honey $10.99 (Be sure to check and see if it is 100% honey; it should last indefinitely, but will crystallize. If this happens, then simply heat the honey in a warm - not boiling- saucepan on low heat)

Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks - buy 4 get a voucher for $4 off Paper Coupon(99 cent ea.)

58cent/lb. Broc. or Cauli (lowest price, can be Ziploc frozen for 18 mon.)

WF Mac&Cheese 39 cent/box

WF Frozen Vegi 16 ox 58 cent/bag (lowest price!)

$3.99 Purex Laundry Detergent (all machines incl. HE) 28 oz crystal/72 oz. liquid

*best bleach is still LA Totally Awesome Bleach for $1 at the Dollar Tree

A Fresh Market Place

99 cent: Kikoman Soy, Powdered Sugar (CHEAPEST PRICE OF THE SEASON), American Beauty Dried Pasta

$1.69 Dole Spinach Package

89 cent/lb. Valencia Oranges

49 cent/lb Yellow Onions

case lot sales will be announced Tuesday, Oct.4

Macy's

99 cent 8oz cream cheese

88cent ShurSaving Whipped Topping 8oz tub

2 for $5 10lb. Idaho Potato Sacks

69 cent SurSaving Aluminum Foil

4 for $1 Onion Soup Mix

case lot sales will be announced Tuesday, Oct.4

Smith's

99cent/lb Gala Apples

99 cent/lb chicken (thighs, breasts, or legs or whole chicken)

Kroger Butter 2 for $5 16oz boxes

$3.99 72 oz All laundry detergent

BOGO Free Holiday Card

BOGO 1/2 off all Board Games

Pumpkin Deliciousness

Home.

Ummm. Pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, apple cider. Warmth. Indoor Sunshine.

Ohhhh--- Fall is coming with all the Holiday splendor and good, good food.

FYI: Pumpkin

There was a freak frost last year and killed many consumer patches, rendering the canned pumpkin paste rare and at a skyrocketed price. The manufacturers are still recovering, so the prices are still a little too high. However, Cache was spared and you can purchase the pie pumpkins (aka sugar pumpkins, little pie pumpkins) for about $1/gourd. It's a little time consuming to process your own, but you'll save yourself money (half the store price) and ensure that your pumpkin is fresh and unaltered by weird fertilizers and pesticides.

It's pretty easy (and it'll warm up your home with the oven roasting the pumpkin shells). The best tutorial is from Pioneer Woman at http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/10/make-your-own-pumpkin-puree/

You can vacuum seal or Ziploc the puree and keep it for 18 months.

Some great recipes will be posted under the Recipe Page on the bottom right.

Deals through Oct. 4th -- Case Lot Sales!

October!

Seasonal buys to be sure to cash in on: apples, pumpkins/large gourds, cheese, pears, tomatoes, basil, sage, carrots, beets, onions and garlic. The best place for pumpkins: Cache Valley Farmer's Market at Buba's Pumpkin Stand 50 cent - $4/pumpkin with an assortment of gourds (ghost, cinderella, baby bear, warty witch, etc.). Merlin Olsen Park, Sat. 9am - 1 pm.

Lee's

Campbell's Spaghettio's 2 for $1

Langer's Apple Juice 4 for $5

Canned mushrooms: 58 cent/can

WF Table Salt 2 for $88

20 lb White Rice $9.99

15 lb Russet Potatoes: $2.50

WF Frozen vegi 58 cent/16oz. package

WF canned pineapple: 98 cent

WF frozen juice 4 for $5

Gala apples 98cent/lb

BOGO Twinkies (*one of the items discussed at the car kit seminar that will not deteriorate in the car)

2 lb. WF Cheese: $4.99/loaf

WF cream cheese 4 for $5 (do NOT freeze)

WF spice/seasoning mixes (taco, Hollandaise, ect.) 3 for $1

Cantaloupe 49 cent/lb

Dole salad mixes 3 for $5

Jalapeno Peppers 79 cent/lb

80ct baby wipes 88 cent

5 gal water jug $3.99

Iso. Alcohol 2 for $1

WF Bottle Water Case $2.99 (24 bottles)

A Fresh Market

99 cent: American Beauty Pasta, 8oz Geisha Mandarin oranges, WF Powder and Brown Sugar, Kikkoman Soy Sauce, WF pudding mix,

BOGO free 32oz Gatorade

BOGO free Twinkies

2 lb. WF Cheese: $4.99/loaf

Valencia Oranges 89 cent/lb

For additional coupons on-line that you can print, go to http://www.freshmarketstores.com/coupons

Macy's -- One of Cache's top Case Lot Sellers

Broc. and Cauli 69 cent/lb

Bulk Carmel Cubes $1.49/lb

4 for $1 Generic Onion Soup Mix (great for soups, dips, and casseroles)

59 cent baking cups (cupcake)

99 cent coconut flakes

BOGO free Twinkies

2 lb. WF Cheese: $4.99/loaf

WF cream cheese 4 for $5 (do NOT freeze)

WF spice/seasoning mixes (taco, Hollandaise, ect.) 3 for $1

$7.99 29oz dried milk

39 cent/bundle green onion

79 cent/lb Roma Tomatoes

$1.99/gal car windshield wash refill

Smith's

Chicken breasts, thighs, legs 99 cent/lb

$1.99 Keebler Cookie packs

Yogurt 10 for $6

$2.99/2 lb. loaf Kroger cheese

2 lbs $5 (2 boxes) Kroger Butter

2 for $5 CowPals String Cheese Packs

$4.99 Oscar Meyer Bacon

60%off Apparel Sale (off 7oo-800 north and Main)

For additional coupons and deals on-line, go to http://smithsfoodanddrug.mywebgrocer.com/Circular/SMITHS-MARKETPLACE-477/004773335/Other/11/15

Car Kit Seminar -- Great Sucess!

A special thank you to Adam and Sarah Zabriskie for joint-hosting the Car Kit Seminar on Tuesday. We appreciate all who took interest and supported this activity. Car Kits are such a relief in the event of a snowstorm, downpour, break down, heavy traffic/traffic accident and a great peace of mind for those long (and sometimes unexpected) road trips. The Zabriskies put together a list (below), and I drafted a guide for purchasing the items with tips on the best times and places to buy. If you want to purchase items this week, your best bet would be Macy's:

2pk jersey knit gloves 50 cent 48 count Black Forest gummies $6.99 Keeblers Variety Snack Pac (12 count large snack bags) for $1.99 with in store coupon (on display) $5.99 Charmin toilet paper 12 pack $1.50 Johnson's and Johnson's First Aid Kit $6.99 backpack

Happy Shopping and Best of luck!

Forget Not

The “what” and “how” of obedience marks the way, yes, and it keeps us on the right path. But the “why” of obedience sanctifies our actions, transforming the mundane into the majestic. It magnifies our small acts of obedience into holy acts of consecration.

—President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Relief Society General Broadcast Address, Sept. 24, 2011.

As Easy as Mac-n-Cheese

Don't have time for dinner? Tired of box-meals?

Try these two -- they are as simple as boiling pasta and stirring in some good stuff. They are the 15 min., one-pan wonders that help your busy day go a little smoother. Enjoy!

Creamy Penne with Green Vegetables

1 box (5 servings) of penne whole grain pasta

4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 package)

1 Tb. onion powder

1 Tb. garlic salt

1 tsp. ground pepper

1 tsp. table salt

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 cup. chopped brocolli, peas, snowpeas, thin green beans, or asparagus (any combination you like)

In a large sauce pan, boil pasta in salted water (1/2 - 3/4 full). Place a colinder ontop of pan and steam your vegetables as the pasta cooks. In a seperate bowl, toss together parm. cheese, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Lift the vegetables from the steam when fork tender (aprox. 7 min.), drain pasta when al dente (aprox. 10 min.). Combine all ingredients in the hot pan, stirr/toss until all pasta is coated. Serve hot, approx. 6 servings. Store covered in fridge for 3 days. *** while the pasta and vegis cook, you can sautee chicken breasts for a heartier meal. The whole grain and peas (legume) make a complex protein, so this is filling by itself as well.

Pesto Pasta and Fresh Tomato with Mozzerella

Pesto

3 cups rinsed basil leaves (1 sandwich bag full)

1/2 cup. olive oil

3 minced garlic cloves (1 1/2 Tb. garlic powder)

1/2 cup pine nuts (can substitute in almonds)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

Blend together until spread is smooth. Store for 1 week in fridge, covered/sealed; or freeze in ziplock bag for 6 months. *I love freezing it flat, so I can break off bits from the pesto sheet and toss into hot pasta for a quick meal or side.

1 box pasta

3 garden fresh medium tomatoes (any variety), diced

2 ounces diced mozzerella cheese

2 Tb pesto

Boil pasta until al dente. Combine all ingredients in hot pan and toss until pesto is evenly coated throughout the dish. Serve hot or cold. Serves 6. Store covered in fridge 3 days.

Great Local Buys! 17-24th

Farmer's Market (Saturday 24, Merlin Olsen, 9am-1pm, cash or check)

Tomatoes: 50 cent-$1 lb (heirloom, cherry, Roma, zebra)

Snowpeas: $1/bag

Green Beans and Wax Beans: $2/bag

Basil: $1/bag *****pesto****

Parsley, broadleaf: $1/bag

Sweet Carots: $1/bag

Cantaloupe: $1 melon

Pumpkins (!): $1-$3/gourd

Onions, shallots, garlic: $1-$2/bag

Lee's

Broc. or Cauli: 69 cent/lb

Pineapple: 99 cent/lb

2 for $5 Keebler or Chips Ahoy Cookies

McCormick Grinders (pepper, salt, rubs): 2 for $3

Golden Grain Pasta Roni: 5 for $5

Barilla Pasta: 98cent/box

Acorn, Butternut, or Spaghetti Squash: 89cent/lb

Yellow Onions: 50 cent/lb

Bartlett Pears: 99 cent/lb

Smith's (two locations: off 400 n , off 700 n and Main)-- CaseLot Sale!

Del Monte Canned Fruit: 89cent/can (caselot price)

Kroger Canned Fruit: 79 cent/can

Libby's Canned Veg. (Corn, Beans, Peas): 50cent/can

10 for $1 Ramen

Kroger Cream Soup (great for casseroles, dips, soup) : 63 cent/can

Kroger Apple Juice: 4 for $5 (case for $10)

Quaker Rice Cake Minis: 10 for $10

Kroger Gummy Snacks and Toaster Treats: 10 for $10

Kroger 24 ounce Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Sour Cream: $1.99

99 cent/lb Zuch. or Yellow Crook neck squash

Kroger Candy Corn 10 for $10

M&M's, Snickers Party Bag: 2 for $4

Macey's

88 cent:applesauce and pudding cups 4pck, 2 packages of canister roll dough, Idahoan potato mix, Green Giant vegetables, Le Grand biscuit canisters, Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper and Potato Helps mixes

$4 off COUPON when you purchase 8 General Mills products

68 cent/lb- Jalapeno peppers and Roma Tomatoes

A Fresh Market:

$4 off COUPON when you purchase 8 General Mills products

10 for $10 Red Peppers

Snack Ideas!

For 61 delicious (and healthy!) snack ideas for adults and kids, visit Real Simple at:

http://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/healthy-eating/low-calorie-snacks-00100000063976/index.html?xid=weeklynews-09-07-2011

Welcome to bearallthings.blogspot.com!

This site is full of information to help college families live comfortably on a set (small) budget. The main page will have a weekly buying guide for locals deals, as well featured tutorials for seasonal products or sale food. Use the page tabs on the lower right to find past tutorials on storing food, planning menus, cheap recipes, and emergency preparation information.

Enjoy!

DIY Bottling (Fruit)

Fruit Havest!

September is the peak for orchard fruit harvesting in Cache Valley. Apricots have already come on, but you can still purchase them for less than the grocer in Perry, Brigham City, and at Cache Valley's Gardener's Markets (Merlin Olsen Park, 9am-1pm, and in Providence Square 3pm-6pm). Pears, peaches, grapes, and cherries are just coming in good prices. (I look for $20-$25 a basket for the fleshy fruit, and $1/lb for cherries and berries).

Before you bottle, inspect each jar for hairline cracks. The pressure and heat of sealing will crack or explode any unstable jar. Also, inspect your lids for any dents, smells, or uneven rubber seals. You rings should have no dents, rust, or discoloration as well. Wash and air dry your items, or steam sanitize them to avoid any food poisoning.

In a cold bath, rinse fruit thoroughly, half and pit, and place the fruit in the jars. (Pears and peaches should be skinned before cutting, a quick blanch loosens skin for ripe peaches and apricots, pears have to be peeled.) I leave my apricot skin on.

Push as many unblemished halves as you can into the jars; the heat of the sealing will soften and slightly cook the fruit, letting it float above the syrup so its important to place as much fruit as you can for tight fit for a more even preservation and less discoloration.

Over high heat, boil a simple sugar syrup until the sugar is dissolved. (For 7 qts or one batch, I had 8c white sugar and 16 c water). Some ladies to a 1:1 ratio for a heavy syrup. In a small saucepan, boil to sanitize the lids. In a bottling pot, fill 1/2 full with water and bring to a rapid boil. Trick: to avoid any glass from shattering in extreme temperature change, I fill a shallow pan with warm water next to the bottling pot and place the filled jars into it before I pour in the hot syrup.

Fill the jars with syrup (easier to dip a measuring cup with a spout into the syrup pan and pour over the fruit). Slid a butter knife or the end of a spoon along the side of the jar to wiggle any bubbles out of the pitted core, and top off the bottle with syrup. I fill the syrup up to the bottom ring of the lid-- Do NOT fill to the lip of the bottle. Syrup will boil and seep under the lid and prevent the bottle from sealing; so a little air gap is the goal.

After pouring the syrup, take a clean, damp rag and wipe clean the top of the bottle where the lid will be placed. If there is even a crystal of sugar, the lid will not seal, so it is the most important step in bottling. CLEAN, clean, clean! The lip will air dry within 30 sec.

Place the sanitized, hot lid on top of the glass bottle, then carefully screw on the lid without tipping the bottle (keep it the bottle level throughout the remaining steps to avoid breaking the dry rubber seal with the syrup).

Place all bottles in the rack and gently lower into the boiling water. Submerge the bottles in a rapid boil for 30 min.

After the boiling, gently take the bottles out of the water bath (without tipping) and place on a toweled table to cool. Trick: I place a towel over them as well to prevent a breeze from cracking the bottles and to prevent uneven cooling. After an hour, they should be cooled to the touch. Check your seal by pressing on the lids. They should be tight and firm; you'll know if they didn't seal if they make a metal popping sound (like a musical saw being flexed).

These should be good up to five years, but I rotate through mine every two years. So, last year I did peaches, pears, and beans; this year I'm still eating those and will make apricots, beats, and pickles. A special thanks to my Momma Lisa and sister, Courtney who team up with me on these bottling nights! Girl chat makes everything seem so much better. :)

My hats off to those pioneer women who did this on their own with two burners, inside, year after year!