This is our second time receiving a Bountiful Basket. It is fresh produce that gets delivered to specific locations every two weeks and you go pick it up. The gal at Mc's work who told everyone about the program has set up their work as a location for those in the company who wanted to participate, which is really convenient for everyone. We don't know what we'll be getting in the box each time, so it's kinda fun seeing what we will have to work with for the next two weeks.
This time we got a pineapple, some apples, oranges, blackberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, radishes, lettuce and broccoli. We had a choice of a few extra things that we could order, and what sounded best to me was apples... only catch was there were 40 lbs. of them! Mc asked me a few times, "Are you sure you want that many apples? You're sure?" and yes, I am. :D I got quite a few good suggestions from Facebook friends for recipes that require apples, and with 40 lbs. worth of apples I will have enough to try all of those recipes and even mess up on the first few.
I'm not looking forward to messing up on some of these recipes but I know it's inevitable on the first few because our oven does not cook at the right temperature. For instance, a recipe requires cooking at 350 degrees, so I put it at 350 degrees and whatever I'm cooking comes out overcooked, even at the low end of the cooking time. So now I have to guess and play around with the temperature nob to find the right setting, and unfortunately the food will pay the price until I get it right. Last night I set the oven to about 340 instead of 350 and I used the pineapple from our bountiful basket to make Pineapple Banana Bread. It turned out really well... except for the burnt outside. I get sad when the house smells really good at first and then starts to smell of burned food before the food is done cooking. So tonight for our dinner I get to try again. It's discouraging but I'll get it right eventually.
The bountiful baskets are forcing me to cook and eat more healthily because I know we'll be getting fresh produce on a regular basis and I don't want the food to go bad. I'm looking forward to seeing what new foods Baby Girl can and will eat. It's a good feeling to provide meals for my hubby and daughter; it makes me feel like I'm a successful wife and mother. :)
4 comments:
I've heard of Bountiful baskets. It sounds like a lot of fun. It would force me to cook fresh, include fruits and veggies in our meals and cook new things. Smart idea.
Oh, and we got a box of apples and were cooking applesauce, apple cake and apple bread for days.
I've been thinking of trying Bountiful Baskets too, but am a little weary of not knowing what I'll be getting each time. Anthon loves fresh fruit and veggies so maybe I should try it.
My oven did that too. What happens is your oven starts low and heats to the max. For best results put your food in the oven and then turn it on. We had to replace the thermasat.
It's a great alternative for those who don't have a garden and who don't want to go to a farmer's market. I've figured out the settings for our oven so now I'm more confident in trying recipes. Mmmm... apples...
Post a Comment