Pork burgers with feta and tzatziki

Remember when I posted that recipe for Paleo pork balls? Ever since that time, I've thought about making pork burgers with feta and topped with tzatziki. But, for whatever reason, I never got around to making them. And while I do love the pork balls, I've been getting a little bored of them lately as they are in frequent rotation on my 'busy working momma' menu plan. Boredom is the mother of invention in my kitchen and so, enter pork burgers with feta and tzatziki!

I had some idea about how I wanted the burgers to taste and a quick internet search gave me the rest of  the tips that I needed to make my recipe come to life. These burgers would be great if they were cooked on a BBQ but since mine is currently buried in snow, I fried them on the stove and finished them in the oven when they didn't seem to be cooked through in the middle.

I ate my burgers topped with tzatziki plus sliced tomato and cucumber. I've really cut back on the amount of wheat products that I eat and a big bun didn't seem like it would go well with this meal. However, I think that these burgers would be yummy inside pita pockets, thin burger buns, or even butter lettuce. They would also be good with some thinly sliced red onion but I was fresh out. C'est la vie!

Pork burgers with feta and tzatziki (Adapted from TasteofBBQ.com)

Ingredients:
1 lb ground pork

10 shakes Worchestershire sauce (approx. 2 tsp)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp ground garlic

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup crumbled feta

Instructions:

1. Place ground pork in a medium-sized bowl. Add all ingredients and mix together with pork. Only combined until just mixed. 

2. Use your hands to form pork mixture first into balls and then into patties. 

3. Make small indentation in the middle of the burger. 

4. If cooking on the stove top, heat pan over medium high heat. Cook patties until golden brown on each side but take care to not flip burgers too frequently. Burgers are cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees. 

5. If using the BBQ, heat it to 400 degrees. Cook patties for approximately 5 mins per side or until cooked to 160 degrees.

6. Topped with tzatziki and serve with tomatoes, red onions, and/or cucumber slices. Enjoy!

Makes 4-5 patties

Baked halibut with pesto sauce

Hey there! Wow, it's been a LONG time since I've done a post...I guess that you could say that life's been a tad busy over these past five months...

We enjoyed the summer of 2013 as a family - Scott and I were both off on parental leave and we spent much of it on holidays. We were away from Canmore for weeks at a time. We visited family in Grande Prairie and on Vancouver Island plus enjoyed lots of camping, climbing, hiking, and mountain biking.

.

Sadly, we had to return to real life by mid-September as both of us needed to get back to work. Being a working momma with two kids has been both challenging and overwhelming at times but we are finally starting to settle into a routine. Scott's new business venture (Windtower Construction) has added a whole new level of busyness to our lives but we're managing. I look forward to a time when things settle down a little but I suspect that this is our new reality.

And since this blog is supposed to be more about food than my family life, I'm finally going to post a new recipe! Our fish order arrived at the end of October and again, I'm thrilled with both the quality and quantity of fish that we received for our $250. I only opted for one piece of halibut which we enjoyed this past Sunday. I searched the internet for a new halibut recipe and came up with the one posted below. It's been modified slightly from the Barefoot in the Kitchen website.

Baked halibut with Pesto Sauce

Ingredients: 

1 large pieces of Halibut (or 2 smaller pieces)
2 tablespoons flaked almonds
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 tbsp pesto
2 tbsp mayo
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Grind or chop almonds into medium-sized pieces using coffee mill or large knife.
3. Mix almonds, pesto, mayo, parmesan cheese plus salt and pepper in a small bowl.
4. Place halibut on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread pesto mixture evenly on top of halibut.
4. Bake in oven for 15-20 mins. Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Enjoy!

Sugar vs Agave Nectar

I recently made a batch of Paleo brownies (recipe to be posted once I fine-tune it a bit). The recipe did not have any flour in it and it called for agave nectar instead of sugar. I've been pondering the difference between sugar, honey, and agave nectar for awhile now but hadn't found any information that nicely summarized the differences for me. This article from the Globe and Mail does a reasonably good job of comparing agave syrup and Stevia to sugar. As I suspected, they really aren't all that different from one another. I'll keep researching but this info is certainly something to keep in mind when considering whether sugar is a 'less healthy' option than the other alternatives.

All about steak

We are eating quite a bit of steak this summer. This makes sense considering that we ordered half a grass-fed cow last fall but unfortunately, I'm not as good at cooking steak as I'd like to be. Enter this handy tip sheet from Hoven Farms.

While we don't order our beef from Hoven, I have had it in the past and can't say enough good things about its quality. Hoven Farms has an excellent reputation with sound farming practices. I appreciate their recent social media efforts and I was thrilled when they answered my question about free-range eggs! So, thanks to Hoven Farms for the great info sheet on steak.

And in case you were wondering about the difference between grass-fed and grain-fed (or conventional) beef, check out this other handy little tip sheet:

An update on tuna

In May, I had posted a link to information about buying sustainable tuna. At the time, I mentioned that I had never seen the Safeway brand of tuna at my local grocery store. Well, lo and behold, I did recently notice that they carry it here in Canmore. And as you can see from the photo, it is reasonably priced compared to other conventional tuna. I'm not sure if it is sold at other Safeway locations but I imagine that it should be. Best of luck in your search!

Blueberry Vol-au-Vent

Wow! It's been quite awhile since I've posted. So much has happened in our little mountain town since my last blog post. Thankfully, our house was fine but the homes of friends and colleagues suffered significant damage. Canmore and Exshaw are both on the road to recovery but it will be a long time before things get back to normal.  Personally, we have had a lot on the go as well. Scott started parental leave in June and we've been camping, biking, and visiting family over the past month. We have high hopes for this summer's holiday plans but given the recent circumstances, time will tell if those plans come to fruition.

This recipe has been in my blog 'to post' pile for quite awhile. It is one of my go-to dessert recipes when we have friends for dinner. It's lovely to make during the summer when blueberries are fresh but it's equally delicious in the winter when you use need to frozen berries. This recipe is originally from the Pepperidge Farms website but I've adapted it by significantly reducing the sugar and enhancing the flavour with additional lemon zest, butter, and vanilla. A word of advice - watch your pot carefully when you are making the pastry cream as it burns quite easily. Stir it frequently and keep a close eye on it for dessert success!

Ingredients:
1 package Tenderflake frozen puff pastry
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries or 1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water
2 tsp grated lemon zest

1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Bake pastry shells according to package directions.
2. To make blueberry sauce, mix berries, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, water, and lemon zest in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Cover and refrigerate.
3. To make the pastry cream, mix 1/4 cup sugar and flour in a saucepan. Whisk in the milk. Cook and stir (using a whisk or wooden spoon) over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and gradually stir half of the hot mixture into beaten egg. Return egg mixture to saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Place plastic wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream and refrigerate for an hour.
4. To assemble - spoon 1 tbsp blueberry sauce into each pastry shell and top with 1 tbsp pastry cream. Alternate until pastry shell is full. If desired, top with fresh whipping cream (yummy but not necessary).

Summer's here! Go forth and enjoy the outdoors. 

Free-range vs Free-run Eggs

One of my goals while on maternity leave is to source out a good supply of farm eggs. I've tried a few different options over the past few years but haven't been totally happy with them. I'm still in the process of researching and will create a post soon that outlines all the options for buying local eggs in the Bow Valley. In the meantime, check out this video that Hoven Farms created about the difference between free-range and free-run eggs.

Sustainable tuna

Other than worrying about whether or not dolphins were harmed during tuna fishing, I honestly haven't given much thought to the sourcing of canned tuna. However, I came across this post on the Eco-Bravo website and I thought that it was worthwhile information that should be shared with others.

The original list comes from the Greenpeace Canada website which is nice because it means that the information is Canadian-based. Having said that, I've never seen the Safeway brand of tuna at my local grocery store but I do plan to ask if they can bring it in. I did look at the prices of the Wild Planet and Rainforest Trading tuna at Nutter's and for me, these are too expensive for my grocery budget. But the Gold Seal brand is available at all local grocery stores and regularly goes on sale. And so for us, this seems like the most reasonable compromise for our family.

The price of cheese

We eat a lot of cheese in our family. I ate a lot of cheese as a child so it is not surprising that my love of cheese continues to this day. So when LCW texted me this morning to let me know that cheese is on sale at Sobey's this week ($4.99 for 500 gram blocks), I was reminded that I need to write a post about buying cheese.

The price of cheese fluctuates greatly. However, it is a loss leader item and it frequently goes on sale. In Alberta, 700 gram blocks of Cracker Barrel are normally priced at $11.99. However (usually twice per month), they go on sale for between $7.99-$8.99/block. On rare occasions, they are priced at $6.99/block. I find that the easiest way to remember whether cheese is a good deal is to know that big blocks shouldn't be much more than $1 per 100 gram. Because cheese goes on sale so frequently, I refuse to pay full price for cheese. It stores well in its original package so I will usually buy 2-4 blocks at a time (or whatever the limit is for the sale price).

*after reviewing the Cracker Barrel website, I thought that it was interesting to see that their cheese has no artificial preservatives, no artificial growth hormones, or antibiotics. I'm no expert on how organic cheese differs from conventional cheese but these points make me feel somewhat less guilty about buying non-organic cheese as it's VERY expensive and I find it hard to justify the cost given how much cheese we eat!*

CSF Send-off BBQ in Calgary

If you were interested in learning more about Community-Supported Fishing, consider attending the  annual send-off BBQ. Info is below:

Your fisherman is coming to town . . .

Calgary BBQ, May 21st   Hello! Our 5th season as a CSF is getting under way!  Each year, in spring, Skipper Otto and his son Shaun head to the prairies to say hello to our CSF members there before fishing gets underway. This year, our season send-off BBQ in Calgary will be as follows: Location: Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Centre, 1320 5 Avenue NW   Date: Tuesday May 21st   Time: 6-8pm Details: We will BBQ salmon and invite you to bring side dishes, drinks, or dessert to share.  Past members are encouraged to spread the word and invite friends and loved ones to enjoy the evening and learn more about our Community Supported Fishery.   Shaun and Otto will be making a presentation at 6:30 and are happy to answer questions, tell fishing stories. If you haven't already joined for 2013 but are planning to, this is also a great opportunity for you to join or pay for your share in person.     Thanks again for supporting our fishing family and looking forward to seeing you in Calgaray soon! Sonia, Shaun, Otto, and the whole gang

Community-supported fishing (and a random tale about the sea)

As the bio on my blog says, I love the ocean. I grew up on Vancouver Island but left when I was 19 years old. I miss many things about the sea - the smell of the fresh salty air and the sense of calm that envelopes me when the waves are lapping against the beach. 

It was this sense of calm that my mom, my sister, and I sought out after Angie finished the Boston Marathon on April 15th. Our time in Boston was brief and while we immensely enjoyed the initial part of our visit, the trip certainly did not turn out as we planned. We were never in harm's way after the bombings but we were scared and confused by the events that unfolded around us. 

After the bombings, our emotions were high and we sought refuge in a trip to the Massachusetts seaside. We drove out of the city to find the ocean and walk in the sand. We chatted with New Englanders who were horrified that their most treasured event had been marred by terrorism. We ate good food at a diner in Salem and enjoyed a most fabulous supper in Gloucester.  After a long day on the road, we returned to the city, still on edge but with a feeling of peacefulness that comes from spending the day together with the ones that you love. 

The story of our trip to Boston doesn't have much to do with community-supported fishing but our meal at Alchemy in Gloucester certainly did. Despite the fact that Gloucester is a fishing town right on the Atlantic ocean, Alchemy sold salmon that had been brought in from the Faroe Islands. This is because Atlantic salmon has been horribly overfished and most Atlantic salmon sold in stores today is farmed. While I'm not interested in debating the merits of farmed vs fresh salmon, I personally will not buy farmed salmon. However, given that I live in Alberta, fresh fish (never mind good-tasting fish) is hard to come by, not to mention incredibly expensive. Enter Skipper Otto's Community-Supported Fishing (CSF). 

I first heard of Skipper Otto via CBC Radio in Calgary. The CSF concept was being profiled on the radio and I was intrigued. I contacted the individuals at Skipper Otto and requested the names of clients who were willing to act as references for their business. I spoke to a few people who had ordered from Skipper Otto in the past - all were thrilled with the quality and taste of the salmon that they received. I took the plunge and purchased a share last summer. Truth be told, the salmon we received is some of the best that I have ever eaten. It is not fresh when we receive it in Alberta but it is frozen very soon after being caught and tastes almost as good as fresh. 

I paid $250 for a CSF share last year and received approximately 8 large salmon fillets (1/2 of a whole salmon) plus a few packs of smoked salmon. This priced out to be less than the farmed Atlantic salmon that you can buy at Costco. The quality was superior and as mentioned, the taste was excellent. We will be ordering a CSF share again this year and I'd encourage you to consider doing the same*. Skipper Otto delivers in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, and Saskatoon.  

*I'm not afflicted with Skipper Otto in any way and receive no financial benefit or incentive from writing about their fish*

Yam, chickpea, and quinoa salad

We have had some glorious spring weather over the past week here in the Rockies. As always happens when spring arrives, my thoughts turn to salad. Specifically, grainy salads. I'm a little obsessed with quinoa and love the variety of salads that can be made with this one simple ingredient.

This current quinoa salad incarnation arose from the dried chickpeas that I bought at this month's 20% discount day at Nutter's. My friend Carrie talked me into trying dried chickpeas in an effort to reduce our grocery bills while on maternity leave. Using dried beans is very easy but to be honest, it is a bit of a pain. You need to plan ahead and start soaking your beans the day before you want to use them. Once you've soaked them for 24 hours, they need to be cooked on a slow boil for 40-60 minutes. (check out this website for more info on using dried chickpeas). Using dried chickpeas is MUCH cheaper than buying cans at the store and the sodium content is significantly reduced. I also found that the flavour was much better. Going forward, I think that I will use a mix of dried and canned beans as I don't think that I will always have the time needed to use dried.

Anyways, back to this salad…It's a hearty salad that stores really well in the fridge. It was adapted from  one of the Whitewater Cookbooks but I'm not sure which one. It's not a super fast salad to make but the effort is well worth the result.

Ingredients:

Dressing
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/4 cup good olive or canola oil (I have been using Highwood Crossing lately)
Salt and pepper to taste

Salad
1/2 cup quinoa
1 large yam (about 1 1/2 cups), peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp olive oil
2 x 14 oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds or pecans
1 cup spinach, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup feta, crumbled

Directions:
1. Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Toss chopped yams with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread on a cookie sheet and baked at 350F until just tender (about 30 mins).
3. Add quinoa and 3/4 cup cold water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 mins on low. Fluff with a fork when done. Leave lid off to let cool.
3. Place chickpeas, red onion, sunflower seeds, spinach, parsley, and feta into a large bowl. Add cooled yams and quinoa.
4. Pour dressing over ingredients and mix gently until combined.
5. Store in fridge for up to a week.

The sesame seed search

A good friend (and my partner in crime when it comes to saving money on groceries!) is looking for help - she finds the price of sesame seeds in Canmore to be ridiculously high. I've tried to find sesame seeds for her at Costco and Superstore but I can never find them. Anyone know where to get a good deal on sesame seeds?!

The easiest way to save money at the grocery store

An alternate title for this post could be "The nerdiest thing that I know" because I'm going to tell you about the 'Scanning Code of Canada' (brace yourselves - this is exciting stuff!).

When I was a child, my mom was pretty diligent about managing our family's grocery budget. She would always check the receipt before she left the grocery store and she would often find errors on her bill. I have followed in my mom's footsteps, and like her, I often find that I have been overcharged on multiple food items (A rough guess would be that 25% of my grocery store bills have mistakes on them). And while both my mom and I would return to customer service to get the error corrected, I have since taken things a step further and found a way to make those mistakes work to my advantage. Enter, "Scanning Code of Canada".

The Scanning Code of Canada (as pictured above) states that when a customer is overcharged for an item, they are entitled to receive that item for free (up to a value of $10.00). Example:

Canned beans: Advertised price - $1.79/can
                      : Price you are charged - $1.99/can

Many cashiers will try to simply refund you the .20 cent difference. However, you are entitled to receive that can of beans for free. You will receive a refund for the price difference on any subsequent cans purchased.

Using the Scanning Code of Canada to your advantage requires a few techniques. 1) You must have some awareness of the cost of each item on your grocery bill. This can be difficult as it means remembering many prices. However, errors most commonly occur on sale items so, to start, pay closest attention to those. 2) You must check your receipt before you leave the store. It's easiest to get your money back if you act quickly as you are less likely to lose your receipt and/or forget the price of sale items. 3) You have to be willing to remind cashiers of their obligation to follow the Scanning Code. While the Code is voluntary, almost all stores in Canada adhere to it and often times, cashiers are simply not aware of the policy.

It may seem petty to use the Code to help save money on your grocery bill but groceries often take up a huge portion of a household budget and I'm a firm believer in saving money wherever I can!

Organic Beef, Chicken, and Grain orders in the Bow Valley

From Farm Box:

Place your orders online before March 14th for the following Spring Offers:

Prairie Roots Organic Chicken - Sunworks Farm, Armena AB.

These truly superior products come with a long list of certifications, including Organic, Free-Range, Humane, and Local Sustainable.

Several combo boxes available as well whole chickens.

Place Your Chicken Order
____________________________________________________

* NEW* Organic Grass-Fed Beef - Sunworks Farm, Armena AB

This grass-fed, grass-finished cattle share the organic pastures at Sunworks Farm with the chickens who follow them in an intensive grazing method that keeps the grasses healthy & well fertilized, and the animals naturally fed.

Place Your Beef Order
___________________________________________________

*NEW* Highwood Crossing Organic Grains & Oils - High River AB

Highwood Crossing is a beautifully sustainable family grain farm and processing facility near High River AB that produces a diverse selection of whole grains, flours and cereal mixes as well as amazing Cold-Pressed Canola Oil & Flax Oil.

Some of you may have sampled these exceptional products from our market stall last year. This year rather than package these products into a grain share, we will offer seasonal bulk orders.

Place Your Highwood Crossing Order
____________________________________________________

We are working with a New Online Order/Registration System!
Zone4 Systems is working it's magic for us, so please note that you will receive confirmations from this system in your inbox when you place your order!

Farm Box

farmbox.ca

Join Us on Facebook! ...For updates, recipe ideas & Local Food For Thought!

Cooking chicken

I've long struggled to cook chicken breasts in a manner that I'm happy with. I like to BBQ them in the summer but am stuck for other cooking options throughout the rest of the year. Moist chicken breast is elusive to many, hence this instruction set from TheKitchn.com.

I've tried this method twice - I used too much flour the first time so I was only lightly dusted each breast with a smidge of flour this time. Much better! I sprinkled each breast with Hazelwood Herb Farm Chicken Blend, paprika, and salt + pepper before dusting them with the flour. I followed the directions (almost) exactly as posted and was very happy with the results. I used the chicken in salad on this occasion but it would also go nicely on top of pasta. I've copied the instructions below for ease and included my minor changes.

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon dried herbs (parsley, paprika, oregano etc)
Olive oil
1/2 tablespoon butter

Equipment
10-inch sauté pan with lid
Instructions

1. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness with the handle or flat of a knife (I skipped this step because my chicken breasts were already fairly even in thickness).

2. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken breasts. Sprinkle with dried herbs of your choice.

3. Quickly dredge the chicken breasts in the flour, so that they are just lightly dusted with flour.

4. Heat the sauté pan over medium-high heat. When it is quite hot, add the olive oil and butter. Let them melt, and swirl the pan.

5. Turn the heat to medium. Add the chicken breasts. Cook for just about 1 minute to help them get a little golden on one side (you are not actually searing or browning them). Then flip each chicken breast over.

6. Turn the heat to low. Put the lid on the pan. Set a timer for 10 minutes, and walk away. Do not lift the lid; do not peek.

7. After 10 minutes have elapsed, turn off the heat. Reset the timer for 10 minutes and leave the chicken breasts in the pan. Again, do not lift the lid; do not peek.

8. After the 10 minutes are up, take the lid off, and tada! Soft, tender, juicy chicken breasts that aren't dried out in the least. Double check them to make sure there is no pink in the middle. Slice and eat.

Food happenings in the Bow Valley

Finally - a new blog post! Baby Z is now 9 weeks old and life is settling down enough for me to return to cooking and blogging about food. I've also received a few emails over the past week about opportunities to support local agriculture which has further inspired me to write this post.

From Farm Box:
Hello Local Foodies! You are invited:

Farm Box Winter Pow-Wow
@ Communitea Cafe
7-9pm, Thursday, February 28th

Join us for snacks, learn about what's NEW for 2013...& Meet Your Farmers!

Lots of Change & Growth in 2013!
We are excited to share with you what we've been working on this winter, including:

* The New Faces of Farm Box

* Our New Location

* Farm Box goes Year-Round

* Urban Agriculture Project

* Changes to the Shares

* New Working Shares

* You'll also have a chance to meet several of the farmers that Farm Box works with! *

Please RSVP by Monday, Feb.26th so we know how much food to prepare!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Avni and Chrystel

Farm Box
farmbox.ca

Also from Farm Box:

Hello Foodies and Farm Boxers!

Farm Box invites you to fill your freezer this Spring with pasture-raised, heritage-breed pork from Fisher Farms.

 This season, Fisher Farms is offering a variety of gourmet sausage and nitrate-free bacon!
And for those of you seeking less processed options, they've got roasts, chops, & ribs available. 

Please place your order by Feb. 28th for delivery the following week on March 7th.  

Fisher Farms raises Berkshire and Tamworth hogs on their pasture near Didsbury Ab. These happy hogs are raised with compassionate, responsible and ethical practices. Farmer Nolan Fisher is committed to maintaining high standards of animal welfare and product quality. This sustainable farrow-to-fork operation “strives to produce the best pork products available, by raising our free range pork the way Mother Nature intended.”

All products arrive frozen, labelled and vacuum packed.

Nitrate-Free Boneless Hams (2-2.5kg) limited qty! $15.40/kg

Pork Chops - Thick Cut, Boneless (4/pkg) $23.96/kg
Pork Chops - Thick Cut, Boneless (2/pkg) $23.96/kg

Ground Pork (0.5kg pkg) $13.24/kg

Shoulder Roast (1.5-2kg pkg) limited qty! $18.60/kg

St. Louis-style Side Ribs (0.5-0.9kg pkg) limited qty!  $18.60/kg

Baby Back Ribs (0.5-0.8kg pkg) limited qty! $23.43/kg

Pork Belly (0.5kg pkg) limited qty! $18.60/kg

Pork Fat (2kg pkg) $4.00/kg

Bacon!

Nitrate-Free Back Bacon (0.5kg pkg) limited qty!  $31.99/kg
Nitrate-Free Bacon - Sliced (0.5kg pkg) limited qty! $23.96/kg
Nitrate-Free Bacon - Unsliced (0.5kg pkg) limited qty! $23.96/kg

Sausage! (all gluten free except breakfast)
Nitrate-Free Bratwurst (0.5kg pkg) $23.43/kg

Mennonite Sausage (0.5kg pkg) $22.04/kg
Farmer Sausage (0.5kg pkg) $22.04/kg
Breakfast Sausage (0.5kg pkg) $22.04/kg
Garlic Fry Sausage (0.5kg pkg) $22.04/kg
Smokies (0.5kg pkg) $22.04/kg
Summer Sausage (0.5kg pkg) $23.30/kg

From Iain (the farmer that I order grass-fed beef from):

Please let us know at your earliest convenience if you are considering buying beef or pork from us in 2013 with an indication of quantity. There is no binding commitment to purchase on your part until you send back a completed order form/cutting instruction sheet by the end of August deadline (end of July for first time customers) Letting us know your requirements now however guarantees you supply and allows us to manage our inventory so that we know when to stop accepting new orders. All product will be allocated on a first come/first served basis.

Thanks,
Iain

Iain's beef goes quickly so if you are interested, email him soon to get your name on the list. I plan to attend the Farm Box Winter Pow-Wow and hope to find out about options for purchasing local eggs. It's the one big item missing from my (wanna-be) 100 mile diet aspirations. I'll keep you posted!

Bad blogger!

A sick computer (maybe the Apple store will finally fix it properly this time!) and a newborn baby seem to have brought my blogging to a grinding halt. I promise to be back soon with some new recipe ideas (I made a fabulous turkey soup over the holidays) and ideas on how to save money at the grocery store (my food budget has been cut dramatically given that I'm now on mat leave).