Sunday, November 30, 2014

Thanksgiving Leftovers Help

Looking for something innovative to do with all that leftover turkey and other stuff? Check out The Best of What's Left: A Guide to Thanksgiving Leftovers from Bon Appetit, or Thanksgiving Leftovers to Love from Food and Wine magazine. Or send some of that turkey my way. Ours for t-day, followed by turkey enchiladas Friday were both so successful, there's hardly anything left.

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Small Business Saturday

It's our first weekend of the season without a Farmers' Market in downtown Boulder, but hey, it's Small Business Saturday today, a chance to support our wonderful local businesses while coming away with unique gifts unlike anything you'll find in a big box store. Details from Downtown Boulder are here.

Friday, November 28, 2014

Whole Foods Black Friday Weekend Sales

Good post-turkey morning. Our local Whole Food stores are offering us a slew of specials for this weekend, this morning through Sunday, if you are still up for grocery shopping. Unfortunately their formatting is making it impossible for me to copy them in below (aside from that nasty black brick that won't go away), and there are just too many of them. Highlights include Christmas trees 30% off (although that's a better deal than the sandwich board outside the Pearl Street store seems to think they will be), made in-house breakfast burritos half off, and Norwegian salmon $9.99 a pound, very good for that. Check the store for several more options.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving

Best wishes for a splendid day filled with family, friends and fabulous food. Hopefully you have everything under control, but if not, here's a reminder of the Thanksgiving guides I posted a while ago.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Grocery Deals Continue

Wednesday is usually our day for new grocery sales, but on this Thanksgiving eve, they are continuing. Sprouts' sale runs through tomorrow, the 27th, at which point you can check for a newly posted one at Sprouts' website (click on Weekly Specials or My Flyer). Previously reported sales at Whole Foods continue through December 2nd and at Vitamin Cottage through December 13th (use the list of posts at the lower left to find those). Good luck with the Thanksgiving prep!

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Blackbelly Is Great!

No use trying to keep this a neighborhood secret, it's clear Top Chef champion Hosea Rosenberg has a winner in his new east Boulder restaurant Blackbelly. We only had time to stop in for happy hour yesterday, but we'll be back for dinner as soon as the rush of Thanksgiving week is over. His happy hour charcuterie plate is delectable, and we also ventured to try the "fried thing of the day," which yesterday was a sort of corn fritter with chiles, probably Hatch. Come to think of it, I think Chef Hosea hails from Taos, New Mexico, one of my favorite places on earth. As we left, the chef himself was in the parking lot talking with one of his vendors and asked how everything was. We'll definitely be back for dinner absolutely as soon as we can. I can't wait to try the grits that a vendor (I think from Mississippi) wouldn't sell to him until he convinced her he really planned to do justice to them.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Salmon At Alfalfa's

Apologies that I just saw this, but today is the last day of a weekend sale at Alfalfa's, where they have farmed Scottish salmon for $9.99 a pound. The salmon are raised with non-GMO feed.

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Last Downtown Boulder Farmers' Market Today

And with Boulder temperatures expected around 60 and Thanksgiving coming up next week, who could ask for anything better? Here's what the Farmers' Market says:

Don't Miss the Last Boulder Market of the Year!  
With Winter Market following, December 6 & 7

Our rockstar customers and vendors at last weekend's snowy market

Make sure to stop by the last Boulder Farmers' Market of the season this Saturday, rain or shine! Many of our farmers have harvested the last of this year's crops and will have plenty at the market this weekend: potatoes, radishes, apples, turnips, mushrooms, spinach, carrots, onions, garlic, kale, arugula, winter squash and locally raised beef, lamb and chicken eggs. Look forward to grabbing a cozy drink from Forest Coffee or Silver Canyon, a baked good or warm prepared food to keep you going while you're shopping! See below for specials. 

We will be back to the Boulder County Fairgrounds for our 8th Annual Winter Market onDecember 6 and 7 from 9am-3pm

 
Boulder Farmers' Market Saturday 11/22, 8am-2pm
  • Weigh Your Bounty contest: Come weigh your market purchases at the info booth, and compete for wonderful prizes of Market Bucks and merchandise. Try and beat Jim, who had a whopping 126.5 lbs of market food! 
  • Market Specials:
     
    • Oxford Gardens: 5 lb and 10 lb bags of storage carrots for $3 per pound.  
    • Ela Family Farm will have their storage apples at market. Stock up on organic Fuji, Braeburn and Granny Smiths for just $32 a case (20 lbs!). When kept cold, the Granny Smiths and Braeburns will stay crisp and delicious until December 1st. Fujis will be delicious until the new year! Also, 2nds for $20/box. Great for applesauce, apple butter and dried apples. 
    • Rocky Mountain Fresh: Tomatoes are done growing for the season, except if you grow them inside! Rocky Mountain Fresh will have a sale on 15 lb boxes of tomatoes. $20 for red tomatoes and $25 for mixed heirlooms. These are freshly picked, hydroponic, pesticide-free tomatoes. $2.50/lb for reds and $4/lb for heirlooms. 
    • Aspen Moon Farm: Bulk storage sale! $1/lb or 30 lbs for $25 butternut squash, $2.5/ lb or 10 lbs for $20 butterball potatoes, $2.5 /lb or 10 lbs for $20 yellow storage onions, $3/lb or 10 lbs for $25 storage carrots (4 types), $2/lb or 10lbs for $15 rutabaga and/or purple top turnips, $1.5/lb or 10 lbs for $1/ lb
    • Plowshares Community Farm: They will be offering holiday hams for Thanksgiving and Christmastime. Stop by their booth to find out more information, to pick up a Thanksgiving ham, or to reserve yours for next month! 
    • MM Local Foods: MM Local will have their very seasonal jarred pumpkin and butternut squash. They are flash-pasturized with outstanding flavor and color, sourced from Full Circle Farms and Isabelle Farms. 

Friday, November 21, 2014

New Library Spot Will Be Seeds Cafe!

As previously noted, in a really cool move the Boulder Farmers' Market will be operating the new cafe at the Boulder Public Library main location. And the name winning the public naming contest is Seeds Cafe, the one the Farmers' Market was hoping for! It beat out Aesop's Tables, which also had resonance, but I'm so glad the name will be a great match with the actual operators. Here's what the Market says:

Official Library Café Name 

After weeks of nominations and voting, our café space opening in February inside the Boulder Public Library finally has it's name: Seeds Café.

See you at Seeds in a few short months! 

Prosciutto On My Mind

With today's flash sale on prosciutto di Parma at Whole Foods (see a couple of posts below for details), I have prosciutto on my mind for this weekend's dinners. One of my favorite things to do with it is asparagus and leek risotto with prosciutto from Bon Appetit, which is also a good choice since asparagus is also on sale, $2.98 a pound at Whole Foods and $1.48 a pound at Sprouts. strisce all Chiantigiana from Bon Appetit. Yes, technically that one calls for pancetta, but it's great with prosciutto too. There are just so many things you can do with prosciutto - heck even use it with a fine cheese and good bread to make the grilled cheese sandwich from heaven. And the best thing is that none of these ideas even hints at Thanksgiving-type foods. There will be enough of those shortly.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Boulder Natural Turkey Prices, 2014 Edition

At least a minimal view. I posted Vitamin Cottage prices quite a bit ago here, and among all those options, the prime takeaway is that a fine Mary's free range turkey with all the assurances that go with Vitamin Cottage meats would be $2.69 a pound (but reservations and deposit required).

You can see all Whole Foods' turkey offerings here by checking their online shopping then clicking turkeys right up at the top on the left (they know what you want to find now). Quick takeaway is that a very fine fresh Diestal bird, the kind we've gotten for a decade or better, is $2.49 a pound

The intriguing thing to me is that Lucky's Market in both Boulder and Longmont is offering a fresh Plainville turkey with Lucky's "never ever" standards for $1.99 a pound. (In keeping with its tendency to also go lower, the Longmont store also has an "all-natural" turkey from Amish Country fro $1.39 a pound, without the "never ever" standards.)

Sprouts' all-natural fresh turkey is $1.49 a pound, probably similar to the Longmont Lucky's one, and they are also advertising an organic option for $3.99, which the other stores also offer if you have the time to look further.

So after years of Diestals from Whole Foods, this year I'm experimenting with the Plainville from Lucky's. Motivation is at least three- if not four-fold. First, it's 50 cents cheaper per pound than my usual, no big deal although with a large bird that does mount up. Second, while I have no prior experience with Plainville, it's the brand Whole Foods has chosen to do its brined turkeys this year, which unfortunately are only available as frozen (confirmed with conversation with a Pearl Street butcher). So while I'll be buying a fresh one from Lucky's, the brand has also seen a thumbs up from Whole Foods. Third, while I could reserve and pick this Plainville bird up from either Lucky's store, the one in Boulder also has its associated Bakehouse, which advertised a pumpkin pie with gingersnap crisp crumble that in effect made me crumble myself. Turkey reservation went in immediately with order for pie at the Bakehouse next door (something in the area of $17). Sure, I'm also thinking about Whole Foods' special on its pumpkin cheesecakes for $19.99, but how many desserts can we eat? Hmm, maybe two. And I don't have multiple hours to spend in the kitchen doing these dessert things from scratch.

With the nearby opening of Top Chef winner Hosea Rosenberg's Blackbelly restaurant and market, my real hope for this year was to get one of the turkeys he hoped to have pre-brined himself, but when I called about them, was told they weren't able to get the turkeys ordered in time, and they are thinking maybe for Christmas. That won't help me, as two turkeys in the space of four weeks is just a bit much, and we'll be looking towards a rib roast instead.

So good luck in your turkey choice - lots of fine options out there!

Flash Sale At Whole Foods Tomorrow

And this is the only special sale I see them listing for the weekend, which makes sense, with everybody focused on their own Thanksgiving plans. For tomorrow only and only between 4 and 7 pm, you can get genuine prosciutto di Parma for $10 off per pound. The $19.99 a pound price is lower even than that for the very good domestic prosciutto they also carry. Here's what they say (and why always with so much space at the end I can't delete?):

Fri, Nov 21st 4-7pm
FLASH SALE 4-7pm 11/21

Prosciutto Di Parma, $19.99 lb

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

One-Day Sale At Whole Foods

And goodness, it's today. Here's what they say:

Wed, Nov 19th
ONE DAY SALE

Creminelli Bacon Salami, 9.99 ea

This Week's Hot Grocery Deals (IMHO)

And what an important week it is, with the sales that will lead us into Thanksgiving a week from tomorrow. There's a new sale starting today at our Boulder Sprouts stores, while the current one continues at Whole Foods through December 2nd and at Vitamin Cottage through December 13th (use the post list at the lower left to find those previous reports). I also hope to say something about Lucky's shortly too. Here's what's looking good to me now.

I usually start with meat and seafood, but at Sprouts through November 27th, it's some other happenings that are particularly striking to me. First and foremost, my favorite Imagine organic broth is on sale for $1.50 a box, wow! Sales on this always happen around the holidays, but it rarely gets that low, and it's a stock up item to enhance soups, stews, casseroles, rice dishes, etc. for months to come. Also, all Spice Hunter items are half off, bulk coffee is just $5.99 a pound, some Lundberg rice bags are 25% off (I really like their festive blends), and while I don't buy much conventional produce, asparagus is just $1.48 a pound.

Back to meat and seafood at Sprouts, value packs of boneless skinless chicken breasts are just $1.88 a pound, but who is going to be emphasizing chicken just prior to a week of turkey leftovers? Ditto the whole or split chickens for $1.69 a pound, and chicken sausage (pork also) is $3.99 a pound for links, $2.99 a pound for bulk. If you are looking for a holiday turkey alternative, their "presidential cut" standing rib roast is $9.99 a pound. In fish, previously frozen Alaskan cod fillets are $7.99 a pound, and fresh farmed salmon fillets are $6.99 a pound.

Sprouts is always good for organic produce, and this week broccoli or cauliflower are both $1.48 a pound, acorn, butternut or spaghetti squash are all 98 cents a pound, gala, Fuji or Granny Smith apples are all $1.48 a pound, green beans are $2.98 for a one pound package, russet potatoes and yellow onions are both 98 cents a pound, and five pound bags of table carrots are $2.98 each.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Cuisinart Mini-Oven Fun

Good warm, toasty and cozy morning, Boulder. Yesterday's adventure getting the furnace revived was even food-related, as husband's ill-fated upgrading of a kitchen outlet that amazingly knocked out the furnace was inspired by my acquisition of a new countertop appliance, a Cuisinart Oven Central. This little gadget is amazing; it browns, sautes, roasts, steams, bakes, toasts, and who knows what else, all in one little appliance that takes up very little counter space. I've been eyeing quality toaster ovens for years, wanting something that could bake small items like a couple of russet potatoes without heating the whole big oven, but the good toaster ovens all take up too much prime countertop real estate space. This little Cuisinart does more functions than I ever imagined, all with a very small footprint. So its arrival also inadvertently caused a very expensive electrical adventure, oh well. Next time we'll leave outlet upgrades to the professionals.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Thanksgiving Dinner Guides

Am sitting here wrapped in multiple clothing layers and typing through gloves, waiting for a master electrician to try to revive our furnace after husband's handyman project yesterday had the definitely unintended consequence of leaving us without heat. Good thing it's about 30 degrees warmer than a couple of days ago. In any case, the cold means it's more than time to start planning for Thanksgiving dinner, and here are a few guides to help you out: Thanksgiving Menus, Recipes and Cooking Tips from Epicurious, Thanksgiving Recipes from Food and Wine magazine, Thanksgiving from Saveur, and as they did last year, Cooking Light has an all purpose Celebrate the Holidays that can take you right through New Year's.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Let's Bag Hunger Starts Today!

One of my favorite charitable events of the year, Community Food Share's "Let's Bag Hunger" starts today and runs through November 26th. During this time, you can fill however many bags you want at your usual Boulder grocery store (seems like all participate) with non-perishable groceries to drop off right there for Community Food Share. Cash donations are also of course welcome. You can see all the details, including foods most needed or to donate cash, on Community Food Share's website. If you are thankful for having a bountiful Thanksgiving table this year, consider donating to feed those who don't even have the basics.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Catch Nearly Last Farmers' Market This Year

Sure we're back down to super chilly temps after a balmy 40 degrees yesterday, but time is growing short for our last Boulder Farmers' Market season in downtown Boulder, and it sounds like you might catch some wonderful produce harvested in a rush as our crazy deep freeze arrived. With the Colorado Dance Company onstage, I do hope they get to wear some cute little parkas and lots of leg warmers! Here are the details from the Market:

Don't Miss the Final Markets of the Season! 
2 more markets in Boulder plus Winter Market 

We hope you're as excited as we are for the market this weekend!
The snow has arrived, marking the end of the growing season for most outdoor crops on the Front Range. Many of our farmers have harvested the last of their crops and will have plenty at the market this weekend:
 potatoes, radishes, apples, turnips, mushrooms, spinach, carrots, onions, garlic, kale, arugula, winter squash and locally raised beef, lamb and chicken eggs. It's looking like it will be nice and chilly, so look forward to grabbing a chai or hot chocolate from Silver Canyon, baked good or warm prepared food to keep you cozy while you're shopping! See below for specials. 

We still have two weeks left of the market season downtown Boulder on 13th Street. Then we will be back to the Boulder County Fairgrounds for our 8th Annual Winter Market on December 6 and 7 from 9am-3pm

 
Boulder Farmers' Market Saturday 11/15
  • Cornucopia Days: It's that time of year again! Cornucopia Days at the Boulder Farmers' Markets. We're celebrating the season with a Weigh Your Bounty contest each Saturday. Come weigh your market purchases at the info booth, and compete for wonderful prizes of Market Bucks and merchandise. See if you can beat last week's winner, Jim, who had a whopping 126.5 lbs of market food! 
  • On stage: Colorado Dance Company
  • Market Specials:
     
    • Ela Family Farm will have their storage apples at market. Stock up on organic Fuji, Braeburn and Granny Smiths for just $32 a case (20 lbs!). When kept cold, the Granny Smiths and Braeburns will stay crisp and delicious until December 1st. Fujis will be delicious until the new year! Also, 2nds for $20/box. Great for applesauce, apple butter and dried apples. 
    • Rocky Mountain Fresh: Tomatoes are done growing for the season, except if you grow them inside! Rocky Mountain Fresh will have a sale on 15 lb boxes of tomatoes. $20 for red tomatoes and $25 for mixed heirlooms. These are freshly picked, hydroponic, pesticide-free tomatoes. $2.50/lb for reds and $4/lb for heirlooms. 
    • Aspen Moon Farm: Bulk storage sale! $1/lb or 30 lbs for $25 butternut squash, $2.5/ lb or 10 lbs for $20 butterball potatoes, $2.5 /lb or 10 lbs for $20 yellow storage onions, $3/lb or 10 lbs for $25 storage carrots (4 types), $2/lb or 10lbs for $15 rutabaga and/or purple top turnips, $1.5/lb or 10 lbs for $1/ lb
    • Blair's Herbals: Bath salts special-this Saturday only! $2 off large and $1 off medium epson bath salts for your enjoyment on these chilly days. They make great holiday gifts! 
    • MM Local Foods: MM Local will have their very seasonal jarred pumpkin and butternut squash at the next 2 markets. They are flash-pasturized with outstanding flavor and color, sourced from Full Circle Farms and Isabelle Farms. 

Friday, November 14, 2014

First Bite Boulder

Just a reminder that First Bite Boulder, where many of Boulder's finest restaurants are offering three course meals for $27, starts today. You can get all the details and menus here, but remember I warned you weeks ago to make reservations well in advance. And can we possibly actually reach 40 degrees today before more cold and snow moves in tomorrow?

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Vote For Library Cafe Name

We're so fortunate that the Boulder Farmers' Market will be reestablishing a cafe at the Boulder Library, one that other operators closed a year or two ago. The library is doing a poll for the name of the new cafe, and the Farmers' Market is hoping for votes for Seeds Cafe, with obvious reference to their roots (oops, pun). When I just voted using the Farmers' Market link to the poll, Aesop's Tables was winning, with Seeds in second place of four choices. I have to say Aesop's Tables is clever, but my heart is with the origin of the food. Think about it and vote! Update: Voting is now closed, so we'll wait to see what the winner is.

Weekend Sales At Whole Foods

I'm not seeing the usual one-day sale Whole Foods frequently does on Fridays (doesn't mean you won't find one in the store), but our local stores are offering us a duo of special sales for tomorrow through Sunday. Mrs. Meyer's hand soaps, one of my faves, will be nearly half off at $2.99 each, and Cambridge smoked salmon sounds great at $14.99 a pound, $7 off.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Boulder Farmers' Market Fundraiser

The Boulder Farmers' Market will hold its first ever fundraiser this Saturday, and it sounds like quite the event! Lots of local food and drink from the best Boulder has to offer, a silent auction, and even a farmer poetry slam. Here are the details from them, with sincere apologies if it cuts off on the right (my preview shows the whole thing, but that's not always how it posts):

1st Annual BCFM Fundraiser
Farm-to-table menu, beer pairings, silent auction, CSA share raffle, live bluegrass & farmer slam poetry  

Boulder County Farmers' Markets is putting the final touches on the farm-to-table event of the year! We hope you'll join us in celebrating our next step in the community, taking over operations of theBoulder Library cafeWe have a night of amazing farm-to-table dishes, live bluegrass, a local food-themed silent auction, a 2015 CSA share raffle and farmer slam poetry in store for you and can't wait to kick it off!  


Farmer + Chef + Brewery Custom Pairings
 

Cure Organic Farm + The Kitchen Restaurants + Wild Woods
 Oxford Gardens + Cafe Aion + Sanitas Brewing
Toohey & Sons Organic Farm + Riffs + Crystal Springs
Ollin Farms + Niwot Market + Twisted Pine  


And the Best Silent Auction in Town

Wine dinners, Great American Beer Fest tickets, 2015 CSA shares, a custom designed and built backyard garden, farm dinners, private coffee and tequila tastings, a charcuterie and cheese picnic, restaurant dining at Frasca Food & Wine, Salt, The Kitchen, Mountain Sun and more! For a sample of silent auction packages, click the Silent Auction Items tab on the event page. 


Reserve your ticket today! 
Visit our event page for more information
BCFM vendors: email community@bcfm.org for your discount  
 


This Week's Hot Grocery Deals (IMHO)

Good snowy and bitterly cold morning, Boulder! A high of 7 sounds just ducky, doesn't it? Meanwhile, we have new sales starting today at our Boulder Sprouts and Whole Foods stores, while the current one continues through December 13th at Vitamin Cottage (use the list of posts at the bottom left to pop back to that one). Here's what's looking good to me now.

At Sprouts through November 19th, previously frozen wild Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets are $8.99 a pound, while farmed tilapia is $6.99 a pound. (Swordfish is also $6.99 a pound, but I bet it isn't domestic.) I'm pleased to see stew beef at $3.99 a pound (London broil also), since Sprouts has been advertising that at $1 more and even higher in recent months. Three types of chicken sausage are $3.99 a pound, but sale chicken otherwise is dark meat this week. With Thanksgiving coming up, it's probably good to start eating alternatives to poultry before the week of turkey hits. Bone-in ribyeye roasts or steaks are a possibility at $9.99 a pound.

In organic produce at Sprouts, Braeburn and red delicious apples and yellow onions are all 98 cnets a pound, green bell peppers are 98 cents each (very good for organic), some Earthbound Farm organic salads are $1.98 each, curly green kale and green, red or rainbow chard are all $1.50 a bunch, raspberries are $2.99 for a six ounce container, and green or black grapes are $2.99 a pound. Elsewhere in the store, I'm liking some Earth Balance buttery spreads for $3.49 (although they're $2.99 at Vitamin Cottage), and some gluten-free holiday favorites are on sale, including my favorite Crunchmaster crackers at just $2 a bag.

In Whole Foods' new sale through December 2nd, I'm liking Diestel fresh turkeys at $2.49 a pound (usually my go-to turkey, although this year I might look for a pre-brined one), and American Homestead or Wellshire spiral sliced hams for $4.99 a pound (and at Whole Foods you're assured nothing has been added). Fresh Icelandic cod is also tempting at $12.99 a pound, although king salmon makes for a pretty pricey dinner at $17.99 a pound (fresh/frozen not specified, but the fresh salmon season should be over). I mostly buy organic produce, but asparagus, presumably conventional, looks festive at $2.98 a pound, and green beans are pretty cheap at $1.48 a pound. Whole Foods' own organic rosemary sourdough is $3.99 a loaf, Fromage D'Affinois is $4 off at $14.99 a pound, Udi's gluten-free dinner rolls are $2 off at $5.99 for a six-count package, and here's a hot one: all Frontier spices are 25% off. Finally, if you aren't up for spending all day making your own Thanksgiving desserts, six inch pumpkin cheesecakes are $4 off at $19.99 each.


Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Vitamin Cottage Turkeys

Vitamin Cottage (aka Natural Grocers) is taking reservations, with a $5 deposit, for your Thanksgiving turkey. They offer Mary's turkeys, which are fed a non-GMO vegetarian diet, without antibiotics or preservatives, and are free-range raised. They are air chilled to 26 degrees for freshness, with prices as follows:

Mary's heritage turkeys - $6.99 a pound

Mary's organic turkeys - $3.99 a pound

Mary's free range turkeys - $2.69 a pound

Mary's organic bone-in turkey breasts - $6.99 a pound (these are new)

Mary's free range geese - $7.99 a pound (also new)

P.S. Happy Veterans' Day, with many thanks to all those veterans out there, including in my family.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Blackbelly To Open Tomorrow

Finally, finally, Top Chef winner Hosea Rosenberg will open his Blackbelly restaurant tomorrow just off Arapahoe a little west of 55th Street, significantly increasing the already rising culinary profile of east Boulder. You can read what Eater Denver has to say about it, including a peek at the menu here.

Current Sale At Vitamin Cottage

Enjoy a nice warm morning, Boulder. Sixty one degrees right now before 7 a.m., and it's going to be downhill from here. High of 17 predicted for Wednesday! That means stocking up on food and hunkering down for the duration. The current sale at Vitamin Cottage, lasting through December 13th can help you out. I'm liking five pound bags of organic russet potatoes for just $2.39 a bag, Horizon organic butter $3.69 for a pound, select Earth Balance buttery spreads (no cholesterol) just $2.99 each (usually over $4), some Back to Nature crackers $2.55 a box, and two of my favorite snacks, Blue Diamond Nut Thins or Lundberg rice chips both $1.99 each. Newman's Own Organics cookies are looking good with the Family Recipe ones at $2.25 a bag and Fig Newmans $2.99 for the 10 ounce size. The big 25 ounce size of Westbrae organic canned beans is just $1.99 each, and it's eggnog time already, with Horizon organic eggnog $2.99 for 32 ounces. Looks like it's not only time to stock up for Thanksgiving, we're starting to think Christmas. And now is when I start to look for the best prices on my favorite Imagine organic broth, but it looks like Vitamin Cottage isn't going to help on this round; they have Pacific broth on sale instead (but Imagine soups are on sale if you like a prepared soup). I'm betting that will mean a really good price on Imagine broth as soon as the next sale starts in December.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Boulder Farmers' Market Today

We're down to just the downtown Boulder Farmers' Market on Saturdays at this point, no more Saturdays in Longmont or Wednesdays at either location for the rest of the season (except the special Winter Market in Longmont the first weekend in December), but fortunately we still have a bit more time with the Boulder Saturdays, and today's is looking good!  Enjoy the summer-like temperatures before Arctic air moves in Monday for a few days. We've been sooo lucky this fall. Here's what the Market says:

You Wouldn't Believe It's November! 
The amount of local produce at the market will blow you away

This weekend at the markets you will find an abundance of:
 potatoes, radishes, cabbage, apples, turnips, pears, mushrooms, spinach, carrots, romanesco, cauliflower, onions, garlic, kale, arugula, winter squash and locally raised beef, lamb and chicken eggs. Don't forget about the delicious baked goods, locally-made beverages, artisan cheese and wonderful prepared foods at the market. 

We still have three weeks left of the market season downtown Boulder on 13th Street. Then we will be back to the Boulder County Fairgrounds for our 8th Annual Winter Market on December 6 and 7 from 9am-3pm

 
Boulder Farmers' Market Saturday 11/8
  • On stage: Them Raggidy Bones 
  • Boulder Valley School District locally-sourced food truck breakfast
  • Art activity at BMoCA (all ages): Stop by the front steps of the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (right next to the tea house) for a fun family art activit

Friday, November 7, 2014

Weekend Dinner Plans (Not)

This exemplifies why I've largely stopped posting the menu plans that were the genesis of this blog at the request of friends. As time went on, I found myself always expecting to do links to gourmet recipes instead of the simplicity of my original decent cooking for a busy life, then it was further complicated by the opening of the Lucky's Market in Longmont with some very good specials, in my travel path, unlike the north Boulder Lucky's. So why share menus focusing on specials outside my supposed Boulder coverage, and reverting to simplicity? Case in point is this weekend, when tonight we'll do the easy option of crab cakes from the Longmont Lucky's for just $2.99 each (the Boulder store may also have them but possibly/probably not at that price, no time to check). With beautiful weather still in store for Saturday (Monday and Tuesday look like a wild return to seasonal and/or winter after this warm weather), we'll send the family griller out in the dark to do the New York strip steaks previously reported as a one-day sale at Whole Foods today (look just below). Then for Sunday I'll turn to an old favorite, chicken paprikash from Cooking Light, given that the Longmont Lucky's has natural boneless skinless chicken breasts for just $1.98 a pound through Wednesday. I doubt the Boulder Lucky's has that price, as I've mentioned before, the Boulder store goes with the higher "never ever" standards, while Longmont goes with natural and tested for antibiotics. Anyway, that's the plan, for what it's worth.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Weekend Sales At Whole Foods

Our local Whole Foods stores will offer us a trio of sales from tomorrow through the weekend, and this week's selection is a good one, particularly if you like a good steak. For tomorrow only, the 7th, their very fine New York strip steaks will be $10.99 a pound, $8 off. Then for tomorrow through Sunday, Illy coffee (medium and dark roast espresso) will be $9.99 each, $6 off, and Giovanni 2chic shampoo and conditioner will be $5 each, also a significant discount.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

One-Day Sale At Whole Foods Today

Ah, the return of the now rare Wednesday one-day sale at Whole Foods. For today only, vegetarian sushi rolls will be half off at $2.99 each (doesn't say what size that gets you).

This Week's Hot Grocery Deals (IMHO)

We have a new sale starting today at our Boulder Sprouts stores, while the current one continues at Whole Foods through November 11th (see the post just a little below for that). There also should be something new happening at Vitamin Cottage that I need to check out. Here's what's looking good to me now.

At Sprouts, the big news, already posted just below, is that for today only, the 5th, $100 gift cards are $89.99. There will also be a 72 hour sale for this Friday through Sunday, where you'll find 1.5 pound bags of organic French fingerling or Russian banana potatoes for $1.98 each and all full service seafood (both fresh and previously frozen, wild and farmed) at 30% off, among other deals.

In Sprouts' regular sale through November 12th, I'm liking center cut pork loin chops for $2.99 a pound, chicken breast tenders okay also at $2.99 a pound, their own stuffed chicken breasts $3.99 a pound, frozen Cornish game hens $1.99 a pound (how long has it been since we've done those?), very fat-free (99%) ground chicken breast $4.99 a pound, and chicken Italian sausage (pork also) $3.99 a pound.

In organic produce at Sprouts, gala or red delicious apples are practically being given away at 98 cents a pound, ditto green curly kale 98 cents a bunch, red, green or black grapes are $2.50 a pound, rainbow heirloom carrots are $1.98 for a two pound bag, butternut squash is 98 cents a pound, and six ounce containers of raspberries are $2.98 each. Elsewhere in the store, I'm liking Near East rice or couscous mixes $1.50 a box, Wallaby organic yogurts 89 cents each, and Eat Well hummus is BOGO. My favorite Blue Diamond Nut Thins are $2.50 a box, but Whole Foods has those for just $2 this week.

Sprouts Gift Card Deal Today Only

For today only, the 5th, you can buy a $100 gift card at Sprouts for $89.99 (limit of 10 cards per customer), effectively making everything you buy with it an additional 10% off.  Or get started on your holiday shopping for friends and family.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Superior Supports Boulder Humane Society

Cruising along with a cool borrowed mifi after yesterday's lightning knocked out our modem and/or router. Might just stick with this and cut the Comcast cable!  Anyway, Superior Liquor (in Superior, obviously) has a long history of supporting the Boulder Valley Humane Society, and this year it seems they are starting their club points donation program even earlier than usual.  It's kind of like donating free money anyway, and once again they have lined up wonderful sponsors so that your donation actually triples!  Here's what they say:

Monday, November 3, 2014

Current Whole Foods Sale

Good cold and previously snowy morning, Boulder.  There was a clap of thunder right over my house at 5:30 this morning that was loud enough to wake the dead and also strong enough to knock out my Internet connection.  So where does one go for alternate Internet?  To the library, of course!  Meanwhile, it's about time I got things back together. I'll just skip the current sale at Sprouts since we'll have a new one there is just two more days, but the current one at Whole Foods lasts through November 11th, so that's worth a look.

Organic produce is looking good at Whole Foods, with Fuji apples $1.98 a pound, green kale $1.50 a bunch, and Bartlett pears $1.48 a pound (plus there are Whole Foods' relatively new lower everyday prices on things like organic broccoli).  Miller or Pine Manor whole chickens are about a third off at $1.98 a pound, and wild sockeye salmon fillets (doesn't specify but I'd think previously frozen) are $2 off at $12.99 a pound.  For my gluten-free friends prepping for the holidays, all Gluten Free Pantry baking mixes are 25% off.  San Pellegrino sparkling waters are $1.25 a bottle, good to have around for a break from the holiday wine, and my favorite Blue Diamond Nut Thins are very good at $2 a box.  If you can't get enough turkey, turkey breast is $13.99 a pound in both the prepared foods deli and as a cold cut.  Fage Greek yogurts are $1.25 each, and fans of MyChelle skin care will like the entire line at 25% off.

So if Comcast doesn't get its Internet lines back up and running in my neighborhood, maybe tomorrow I'll actually give myself a break with a day off!

Sunday, November 2, 2014

First Bite Boulder Coming Up

While I enjoy cooking at home, I also look forward to First Bite, when over 50 great Boulder restaurants offer special three course dinners for a mere $27 each. For most, the third course is dessert, but I like to look for the ones that offer three savory options instead, not being much of a dessert person. This year it runs from November 14th through the 22nd, and being so popular, reservations are a must, preferably done considerably in advance. You can tantalize your tastebuds by perusing the various menus offered on the First Bite Boulder website.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Farmers' Market And Time

As time marches on, tonight will be time to set your clock back an hour (if you still have some needing manual adjustment like I do!) and get an extra hour of sleep for daylight savings time. That also means that today will be the last regular farmers' market of the season out in Longmont, but our one in downtown Boulder will run considerably longer. Enjoy!