On the plains of Eastern Colorado, my primary job is homeschooling my five children, ages seven to sixteen. The whole family stays busy with Scouts, American Heritage Girls, church, and other assorted activities.

Getting wholesome, real food on a reasonably consistent basis without spending a fortune is always a priority. For the past two and a half years, Bountiful Baskets has made that easier, and more fun too!

The entire family has discovered some new favorites, like persimmons, fennel and Brussels sprouts. A highlight of the week is discovering just what is going to be in the baskets, and figuring out what to try this time. The teen boys are getting pretty adventurous in the kitchen as well, and they especially like experiments that involve either LOTS of food,or dessert, or both. I’ve always enjoyed tweaking recipes to use what is on hand, or what is on sale. “Well, I did start with a real recipe, but…” is frequently heard in this home.

My recipes are not going to be fancy. You can expect family-friendly meals on a budget, ideas for canning and freezing, and maybe some thoughts on using some of the items that are a bit past their prime. And hopefully some encouragement to just experiment a little bit yourself.