The Checkout Chicks

It’s official! Summer is on the way! That means sunshine, warm weather, and plenty of outdoor activities. it also means tons of in-season fruits & veggies, cookouts, and great seasonal dishes that you only get to enjoy during the summer!

If you are like me, you look forward to the warmer months because it is the time of year to enjoy yummy produce: strawberries, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, blueberries — let’s not forget the summertime favorite: WATERMELON! Mmm. . .

The best ways to get a head start on your summer spending are:

• shop smartly for summer produce
• stockpile for your summer menu
• have some “go to” summer recipes ready (and stockpiled!)

Don’t Blow the Budget on Summer Produce
One of the secrets of buying summertime produce is to shop at farmers markets or local fruit & veggie stands. Benefits to this are: you know your produce is fresh, you are supporting local growers; and, more often than not, it is cheaper to buy fresh produce this way.

Look for local farmer’s markets, berry farms or produce stands in your area and do a little comparison shopping. You’ll find that your local growers are often cheaper than the grocery store. This is the best time of the year to get fresh produce and it’s the best time to start stockpiling that produce for use throughout the upcoming year. How? FREEZE that produce for use later! Check out this link from about.com to get a feel for all the great things you can freeze.

Many of the hearty soups and stews that I make for my family throughout the year use veggies that I had purchased during the previous summer and froze for later use. Many of our smoothies include strawberries that I buy at rock bottom prices during the summer or even pick myself at a local berry farm and freeze.

Stockpile for Your Summer Meals
Grilled chicken seems to be a staple of summer cookouts. With the amount of summer grilling I do, I stock up on chicken when it is priced to sell (I NEVER pay more than $1.99/lb for boneless skinless chicken breasts).

Buy less popular cuts of chicken for grilling out - they are always cheaper and will save you some money. Chicken legs (a.k.a “drumsticks) don’t make for a very good chicken casserole, but they are simply delish when cooked on the grill. Try to buy the cheaper types of chicken to cook on the grill when boneless skinless chicken breasts are not on sale/stockpiled. Evaluate the types of grilled foods your family likes and make it a goal to watch for those items to go on sale. Here is a sampling of items that I usually stockpile for use during the summer months:

• Chicken Breasts
• Penne Pasta
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Lemon Juice
• Aluminum Foil
• Flour/Sugar
• BBQ Sauce
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Balsalmic Vinegar
• Feta Cheese
• Italian Dressing

These are all items that I use often in my summertime recipes. I try to stockpile them throughout the year so that I have them on hand when summer starts and do not have to pay full price for them.

Seasonal Dishes for Events
There are quite a few dishes that my family and I enjoy only during the times which I can get fresh produce: homemade pasta salad (recipe below), sauteed squash & onions, tomato & cucumber salad, homemade salsa, the list goes on!

Not only are there seasonal dishes, but summer is the busiest time of year for attending barbecues or picnics. Rather than run to the grocery store and purchase an overpriced container of potato salad, choose a few favorite recipes so you can be sure you always have those ingredients on hand. Having the ingredients on hand for a few dishes will eliminate the need to run to the store at the last minute and pay full price for the items that you need. Plus, it saves you tons of time and stress when you get invited for a last minute get together with friends!

For me, it’s my homemade pasta salad. My family loves it and most times that I take it to a social event, others ask me for the recipe. Because of this, it is my “go-to” item for any event that I must bring a dish to share.

Aryn’s Pasta Salad

• 1 box of penne pasta
• 1 small container of grape tomatoes, halved (or quartered, depending on preference)
• 1 cucumber, sliced and quartered
• 1 8 oz block of mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
• 1 small container of crumbled feta cheese
• 1 bell pepper (red, green, orange, or yellow), seeded and chopped into small pieces
• Fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 cup Italian dressing
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• splash of balsalmic vinegar

Cook entire package of pasta according to package directions. In a very large bowl or Tupperware container (it should be pretty big) combine cooked (and cooled) pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, mozzarella, bell pepper, basil, Italian dressing, olive oil, and balsalmic vinegar until well mixed. Add more dressing, olive oil, or balsalmic vinegar to taste. Add salt, if needed. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Just before serving, sprinkle feta cheese over the top. Serve and enjoy!

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