I told y’all I would be picking up an order from the Bountiful Baskets produce co-op. I got my first order today, and though I had been expecting a lot from the rave reviews my friends were giving me, I was still very pleasantly surprised by the actual amount and the condition of the food I received. How to prepare some of the produce is a mystery to me, but the group website offers a blog with tips and ideas for how to get the most out of your basket. And I discovered, from the Facebook page, that those weren’t plums after all, but delicious, delicious, delicious, juicy, ripe black velvet apricots.
Here’s what I got, and what I paid for it:
Handling Fee: $1.50
Total Price: $45.00
Item Name: Conventional Basket
Description: Roughly 50% fruit, 50% vegetables, and 100% healthy, fun and delicious!
Item Name: Veggie Lovers Pack – Italian Theme – Add extra veggies to your basket! Making dinnertime fun!
Description: Veggie Lovers Pack – Italian Theme – Add extra veggies to your basket! Making dinnertime fun! Italian Pack – Hoping for garlic, basil, oregano, rosemary, yellow and red onion, flat parsley, zucchini, regular mushrooms and eggplant.
Item Name: Sourdough Bread – 5 loaves – $10
Description: Ingredients: Unbleached Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Rye Flour, water, starter, salt
Item Name: Bountiful Baskets Granola – 2lbs – Oats, Honey, canola oil, roasted & salted cashews, dates, diced pineapple, sunflower seeds,
Description: Ingredients – Oats, Honey, canola oil, roasted & salted cashews, dates, diced pineapple, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, sliced almonds, and almond & vanilla flavor.
As far as I am concerned, this was a great deal. I can’t get out of the grocery store for those prices. Well worth the cost! I think Thor will enjoy shucking the corn with me. I haven’t done that since I was a child, and I’m not sure he’s ever seen corn in its natural state.
Check into the co-op and see if they have one in your area. They are across the country and have a lot of locations!
The Outside Lane 
FYI….what you think is cilantro in the Italian pack (it’s not used in Italian cooking at all) is actually flat leaf Italian parsley.