Fresh & Healthy: Our Garden – Fresh Lettuce, Spinach, Radishes, & Broccoli
Directly from the garden to the table! Fresh Spinach, Broccoli, and Radishes . Love Garden Veggies! I have been enjoying our Vegetable Garden this year. Many thanks to my amazing husband for putting in the time and energy to help get it started for me. The girls are thrilled to help me pick veggies. The vegetables are fresh, delicious and they can be taken directly in to eat at dinner. This week we picked A LOT of lettuce (a variety of leafy lettuce), some spinach, a few radishes, and a couple small broccoli heads. My broccoli doesn’t get as big as the ones in the grocery store but they taste good! I even made homemade White Pie Pizza topped with fresh spinach from the garden, black olives (from the box sale), and mushrooms. All the neighbors and some of their family members have received lettuce from our garden already this year. It is amazing how having a garden will encourage your neighbors to come over and visit for a few minutes every week. The girls helped me deliver lettuce to those who haven’t had the chance to stop by the house this week. I am thankful that we have been blessed with a garden this year, I LOVE being able to eat fresh veggies and share with others. It has been a wonderful adventure and has already been a great venue for teaching the girls about giving to others and how to cook what we grow.
Fresh Garden Vegetables we picked this week! We were able to take lettuce around to the neighbors this week, we had a great time catching up with everyone! 
Fresh Garden Radishes, the girls comment on their taste was "SPICY"! 
Fresh Homemade White Pie Pizza with Fresh Spinach from the Garden, Olives and Mushrooms! Save A Lot: Deals for the week of May 11 – 17, 2011
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Fresh Bone-In Split Chicken Breast – $0.99 per pound
Pork Spare Ribs – $1.79 per pound
Sugardale Bratwurst (14 oz) – $1.99
Bone-In Assorted Pork Chops – $2.49 per pound
Sugardale Super Dogs – $3.99
Hillshire Farms Sausage – $1.99
Use $1/1 coupon from Hillshire Farms
$0.99 each after couponHolten Beef Patties – $3.99
Hillshire Farms Lit’ Smokies – $2.59
Use $1/1 coupon from Hillshire Farms
$1.59 each after couponPick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Fudgsicles or Popsicles – $1.00
Borden Singles or Grilled Cheese Melts (12 oz) – $1.50
Wylwood Mini Corn on the Cob – $1.69
World’s Fair Ice Cream (1 gallon) – $4.99
World’s Fair Round Top Sundae Cones – $2.49
Crisp Premium Orange Juice – $2.69
Take & Bake Pepperoni or Supreme Pizza – $5.99
Take & Bake Cheese Pizza – $5.49
Stouffer’s Party Size Lasagna (90 oz) – $8.99
Use $1/1 coupon from Nestle Family
$7.99 after each couponHousehold
Colortex Bath Tissue (12 double rolls) – $2.99
Wrightware Foam Plates (100 count) – $2.00
Solo Plastic Cups – $0.99
Wrightware Napkins – $1.55
Kindle Charcoal Lighter Fluid – $2.49
Royal Oak Charcoal (8.3 pounds) – $2.99
Produce
Fresh Strawberries (1 pound) – $1.50
Extra Large Green Peppers – $0.33 each
Grocery
Gatorade (1/2 gallon) – $1.69
Cowboy Billy’s Pork & Beans (16 oz) – $0.50
Senora Verde Tortilla Chips – $1.29
Senora Verde Mild or Medium Salsa – $1.49
Senora Verde Taco Dinner Kit – $1.99
Senora Verde Refried Beans – $0.79
El Monterey Steak & Cheese Taquitos – $2.99
Kurtz Yellow Mustard – $0.69
On the Side Pasta Salad – $0.99
Kurtz BBQ Sauce – $0.99
Portmann’s Real Mayonnaise – $2.29
Kurtz Ketchup – $0.87
Kurtz Sweet Relish – $1.29
Save A Lot Brand Soda (12 Pack) – $2.29
Crystal 2 0 Drinking Water (24 pack) – $2.49
Frosty Flakes, Circus O’s or Captain Choco’s Cereal – $2.99
Toast Em Strawberry or Brown Sugar – $0.99
Malt O Meal Cereal – $0.99
Ralston Crisp Crunch Cereal – $1.99
Ralston Essentially You with Red Berries Cereal – $2.49
Pebbles Cereal – $1.79
Velveeta Cheesy Potatoes – $1.99
Kraft Homestyle Mac & Cheese – $1.99
Use $1/1 coupon from insert 4/17 Smart Source (Expires 5/17/11)
$0.99 each after couponBakery
Bakery Fresh Cherry or Apple Pies – $2.99
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.
For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
Fresh & Healthy: Downtown Farmer’s Market (Saturdays) Fresh Produce & More!
It is the beginning of produce harvest for a lot of local farmers which means the Farmer’s Market is opening. Many local communities will host Downtown Farmer’s Markets to help connect the farmers with the local people who want to purchase fresh fruits and veggies for their family.
Families in the Greenville area who are looking for some fresh in-season vegetables, fruit, local honey, gourmet foods, seafood, fresh flowers, diary products, coffee, nuts, baked goods, handmade crafts, woodworking and a wide variety of other goodies from more than 50 vendors can come to downtown Greenville on Saturday mornings starting May 7th through October 29th.
Downtown Greenville Farmer’s Market Details:- What / Where – Downtown Greenville’s Saturday Market (Main Street at McBee Avenue, Greenville, SC 29601 )
- When – Saturdays from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM ( May 7 to October 29)
- Cost – Free Admission (the only cost is for the items you purchase from the local farmers / vendors)
- For More Information / Activities – Saturday Market Live / 864-467-4494
Downtown Greenville has music and special events during the Saturday Farmer’s Market. Please go to their events section for more information on upcoming musicians, cooking demonstrations, and special events.
Easley just started a Downtown Farmer’s Market a few years ago. It is smaller than the one in Downtown Greenville but for a small community it has a lot of amazing produce to offer. Each year it has grown bigger with more vendors offering their fresh produce and goods to the local community.
Downtown Easley Farmer’s Market Details:
- What / Where – Downtown Easley Farmer’s Market (205 North 1st Street, Easley, SC 29640)
- When – Saturdays from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (April 9th to End of Season)
- Cost – Free Admission (the only cost is for the items you purchase from the local farmers / vendors)
- For More Information / Activities – Easley Farmers Market / 864-855-7900
2011 Special Calendar of Events – Easley’s Farmers Market:
- May 7 – Smoke House & Sparky
- May 14 – Parent Magazine & Fun Kid Activities
- May 21 – SunLit Moon Entertainment
- June 11 – Parent Magazine & Fun Kid Activities
- July 2 – 2nd Annual Pie Baking Contest & July 4th Celebration.
- July 23 – Square Root Entertainment
- More activities being scheduled check back often
Photo by Natalie Maynor & Swami Stream
Fresh & Healthy: Flash Freezing Fresh Strawberries
Our family went Strawberry picking recently so we have been busy making strawberry goodies. The day we picked the strawberries we separated them out into containers for the ones we wanted to eat immediately and ones we wanted to freeze to eat later. We chose to flash freeze our strawberries whole.
How to Flash Freeze Fresh Strawberries:
- Rinse the Fresh Strawberries with cool water
- Place on wax paper in a pan
- Cut off the stems of the strawberries
- Put the strawberries on the pan evenly spaced so they are not touching each other
- Put the pan in the freezer until the strawberries are completely frozen (usually takes several hours for them to freeze completely)
- Once the strawberries are frozen put them into freezer bags (I usually put them into Quart or Gallon, 2 cups or more at a time)
When you flash freeze the strawberries they will not stick together when you take them out. You can take as many or as little strawberries as you like throughout the year. Here are some of the pictures of the process below:
Rinse the fresh strawberries! 
Line the pan with wax paper. 
Cut off the strawberry stems, place on wax paper & stick in the freezer! 
Layers of Flash Frozen Strawberries! 
Bags of Flash Frozen Strawberries - measured and dated for future meals! Family Outings: Strawberry Picking
We went Strawberry picking this past weekend and had a blast! The entire family was picking so we had our gallon done in no time. We stopped by Hunter’s Farm in Easley, South Carolina. The strawberries were $8.50 a gallon if you pick your own and bring your own container. Here are a few pictures from our adventure Strawberry Picking:
Karlie and Brina picking fresh strawberries at Hunter's Farm! 
Brina with a handful of strawberries! 
Karlie with a handful of strawberries! 
Brina showing off her strawberries! 
Karlie showing off her goodies! 
Brina enjoying her time picking up strawberries! Gallon full of fresh strawberries! 
Fresh Strawberries!!! Save A Lot: Deals for the week of May 4 – 10, 2011
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Fresh Bone-In Split Chicken Breast – $0.99 per pound
Pork Spare Ribs – $1.79 per pound
Sugardale Bratwurst (14 oz) – $1.99
Bone-In Assorted Pork Chops – $2.49 per pound
Sugardale Super Dogs – $3.99
Hillshire Farms Sausage – $1.99
Use $1/1 coupon from Hillshire Farms
$0.99 each after couponHolten Beef Patties – $3.99
Hillshire Farms Lit’ Smokies – $2.59
Use $1/1 coupon from Hillshire Farms
$1.59 each after couponPick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Fudgsicles or Popsicles – $1.00
Borden Singles or Grilled Cheese Melts (12 oz) – $1.50
Wylwood Mini Corn on the Cob – $1.69
World’s Fair Ice Cream (1 gallon) – $4.99
World’s Fair Round Top Sundae Cones – $2.49
Crisp Premium Orange Juice – $2.69
Take & Bake Pepperoni or Supreme Pizza – $5.99
Take & Bake Cheese Pizza – $5.49
Stouffer’s Party Size Lasagna (90 oz) – $8.99
Use $1/1 coupon from Nestle Family
$7.99 after each couponHousehold
Colortex Bath Tissue (12 double rolls) – $2.99
Wrightware Foam Plates (100 count) – $2.00
Solo Plastic Cups – $0.99
Wrightware Napkins – $1.55
Kindle Charcoal Lighter Fluid – $2.49
Royal Oak Charcoal (8.3 pounds) – $2.99
Produce
Fresh Strawberries (1 pound) – $1.50
Extra Large Green Peppers – $0.33 each
Grocery
Gatorade (1/2 gallon) – $1.69
Cowboy Billy’s Pork & Beans (16 oz) – $0.50
Senora Verde Tortilla Chips – $1.29
Senora Verde Mild or Medium Salsa – $1.49
Senora Verde Taco Dinner Kit – $1.99
Senora Verde Refried Beans – $0.79
El Monterey Steak & Cheese Taquitos – $2.99
Kurtz Yellow Mustard – $0.69
On the Side Pasta Salad – $0.99
Kurtz BBQ Sauce – $0.99
Portmann’s Real Mayonnaise – $2.29
Kurtz Ketchup – $0.87
Kurtz Sweet Relish – $1.29
Save A Lot Brand Soda (12 Pack) – $2.29
Crystal 2 0 Drinking Water (24 pack) – $2.49
Frosty Flakes, Circus O’s or Captain Choco’s Cereal – $2.99
Toast Em Strawberry or Brown Sugar – $0.99
Malt O Meal Cereal – $0.99
Ralston Crisp Crunch Cereal – $1.99
Ralston Essentially You with Red Berries Cereal – $2.49
Pebbles Cereal – $1.79
Velveeta Cheesy Potatoes – $1.99
Kraft Homestyle Mac & Cheese – $1.99
Use $1/1 coupon from insert 4/17 Smart Source (Expires 5/17/11)
$0.99 each after couponBakery
Bakery Fresh Cherry or Apple Pies – $2.99
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.
For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
