3 Day Meat Sale at Fresh Market

I cannot emphasize enough that right now is the time to stock up on meat.  Prices are expected to be much higher for the rest of the summer, and possibly into the fall.
Fresh Market has a 3 day meat sale going on today, tomorrow, and Saturday.  The 2 items that interest me are ground turkey, sold in frozen 1 pound packages for $1.29, and boneless, skinless chicken breasts sold in 3 pound packages for $1.33/lb.  Ground turkey is an excellent substitute for ground beef.  This ground turkey is from Norbest, and does not include any fillers or other things you don't want in your meat.  According to the website, it is at least 90% lean. 
Other items on sale at Fresh Market include frozen sausage, strawberries for $1.25/lb (best price I've seen all season!), and whole chickens for $.79/lb.

75 cents off milk!

How would you like $.75 off of 2 gallons of milk?  Click HERE to get the coupon.  You can also access these same coupons on Swagbucks and get 10 swagbucks just for using the coupon! 

Be sure to print the coupon twice!

How to Dry Herbs

Herbs can be air dried, dried in a dehydrator, or dried in an oven.  This spring when I have dried herbs, I have used this last method.  I clean the herbs really well, then chop it up, and place on a cookie sheet.  I put the cookie sheet in the oven, then turn it on for 2-3 minutes to warm it up.  Be careful not to get it too hot, or else the herbs will turn black (but may still be fine to eat).  Repeat this step as needed to keep the oven warm, but not hot.  Turn the herbs every few hours to allow them to dry on all sides.  Just don't forget they're in the oven!  (Not that I have ever remembered them once they're black from turning the oven on to 400.)

How to Make a Green Smoothie

I make a very simple green smoothie.  There are better ways of making them that add more nutrition, but I like it simple and cheap.

Place a handful of spinach in a blender.  Add yogurt.  Then pile in some fruit.  I use anything I have on hand; this may be fresh, frozen, or canned.  I like using at least 3 different types of fruit.  Then I blend it up real well.  If it's too thick, I add juice or milk.  If it's not sweet enough I add honey.  Enjoy!

Tip:  If you add fruit, you can't taste the spinach at all.

Sales at Fresh Market and Smith's

Fresh Market has boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale for $1.69/lb.  This is a great time to stock up.  Because of flooding in the midwest, the price of corn will be rising.  This affects the price of meat, eggs, and milk.

Smith's has Tillamook cheese on sale ($3.99 for 2 lb. brick; coupon for an extra $1 off).  Great buy!  I'm excited for this one!  My family loves cheese!

Springtime

It is finally spring where I live.  Well, I suppose it's been spring for a while, but it is finally a nice spring where I can actually go outside.  The rest of the spring was very wet and rather chilly.  This is the reason that I haven't posted very much the past couple of weeks:  I've been outside and in the kitchen.  Here are a few preparedness related activities that I have been busy with.  Perhaps it may give you some ideas.

• Gardening.  I am really excited about my garden this year.  My sister is gardening with me.  We are almost done planting, and have begun harvesting spinach.  I love green smoothies!
• Rhubarb.  I have made rhubarb jam, rhubarb pie, easy rhubarb dessert, rhubarb syrup, and am in the middle of making rhubarb juice.
• Dehydrating herbs-dill, chives, and parsley.
• Grilling.  Thanks to the really cheap hamburgers I bought.  I have made hamburger buns, pasta salad with beans, dutch oven potatoes, coleslaw, and baked beans to go along with the hamburgers or grilled chicken.