Wordless Wednesday Fresh Lemons

Fresh lemons from off of my Semi-Dwarf Eureka Lemon trees.

Ozeri INSTAVAC Green Earth Nesting Food Storage Container Set Review

I received this free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

The Ozeri INSTAVAC Nesting Food Storage Container Set is a handy way to store food in the fridge and freezer to keep it fresher longer. This set of containers have lids with a patented one-way valve that that when you press the lid down on the bowl it forces air out of it to create a vacuum seal. There is no need for any extra pumps, motors, or confusing parts. This valve reduces the air volume inside so naturally occurring bacteria is less able to grow. You can also open the valve lever to release pressure and prevent spills and splatters in the microwave. The lid also has a date dial to properly record when you first stored the food and you can monitor the days the food has been in the refrigerator so you don't have any surprises. The wave pattern on the bottom of each container raises cut fruit and vegetables above any water or juices. The set comes with 4 different sized containers with lids: 21 cups (5.0 liters), 12.7 cups (3.0 liters), 6.3 cups (1.5 liters), and 3 cups (0.7 liters). These are BPA-free, stain-resistant, shatter-proof and as transparent. They are also freezer, microwave and dishwasher safe.

Our Thoughts:
These are handy containers that work as described and create a good seal all around the lid when properly used. You can hear and feel the air coming out of the valve when you press down on the lid to seal. To show the bowl was airtight and the lid was secured to the bowl, even before the flaps were snapped into place, my daughter held the lid by the flaps after we produced the seal and it did not release from the bowl right away.

The Ozeri 8-Piece Food Storage System is better than storing food in old sour cream containers or regular containers like I used to because they keep your food fresher longer and you know exactly when you placed the food in the fridge. The dial makes it easier to know when it was stored in the fridge and how long it has been there. I love that I don't have to mark these with masking tape and permanent marker or be oblivious as to how old the food placed in these are. These containers also help save money because you don't throw away as much spoiled food and these are reusable.

Ozeri INSTAVAC Green Earth Nesting Food Storage Container Set Features.

The Ozeri INSTAVAC Green Earth Food Storage Set is great for storing all sorts of food in the fridge and freezer. I love the larger one for leftovers or a tossed salad for my family of 6. The smaller ones are great for raw veggies or fruits and single or double portions of leftovers. The smaller sizes would be great to take in a lunch as well. They are also great for storing prepped ingredients well ahead of time for dinners or entertaining guests.

These neat food storage containers are super convenient, easy to use, and saves: food, money, space and time. I have used these a while now and have noticed no staining, warping, leaking, or sealant issues. I love that they nest together neatly for easy storage in small spaces when not in use. So far these are holding up very well. I recommend these for anyone needing a better storage solution for their food in the refrigerator and freezer and for heating up leftovers/food in the microwave.

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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Ozeri INSTAVAC Nesting Food Storage Container Set

I will be receiving this product free to facilitate a review later. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Ozeri INSTAVAC Nesting Food Storage Container Set:

• Instant vacuum freshness without pumps, motors or confusing parts; Simply press down on the lid and air is forced out via the one-way valve.
• Patented valve removes excess air to reduce naturally occurring bacteria; It also releases pressure to prevent spills and splatters in microwaves.
• Wave pattern on bottom of each container keeps cut fruit and vegetables elevated from water and juices.
• Handy date dial allows you to record when food was first stored and monitor days kept in the refrigerator.
• BPA-free, stain-resistant, shatter-proof and as transparent as glass; Freezer, microwave and dishwasher safe; Satisfaction guaranteed.

Order Today




DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the Ozeri INSTAVAC Nesting Food Storage Container Set Offer I am getting a free Ozeri INSTAVAC Nesting Food Storage Container Set. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information and free product. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Zaycon Fresh Is Looking For Influencers! Also A Chance To Save!

I am working as an influencer for Zaycon Fresh! They have a brand new affiliate program! If you are interested in working with them, please use my referral link they gave me to pass on to other influencers! I love their fresh, all natural meat!!!!

Link for New Influencers/Bloggers:
https://www.zayconfresh.com/influencer/finamoon

If you are not a blogger/influencer and you want to get in on a great deal on meat I have something for you too! New customers use code: BL20 code (offer only valid from 1/2/2017 - 3/31/2017) for 20% off the first order for new customers.

Link for New Customers:
https://www.zayconfresh.com/refer/finamoon



They are having a big ground beef sale right now!

Sales Going On Now:

• From 2/21/2017 - 2/25/2017 you can use code: GBDEAL and receive 22% off your order of Fresh 93/7 Super Lean Ground Beef and/or Fresh 80/20 Ground Beef.
• From 2/21/2017 - 2/23/2017 you can use code: DOGDEAL and receive 12% off your order of All-Beef Hot Dogs!

About Zaycon Fresh:


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this post to let my readers know about this great opportunity and deal. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Foodie Friday Sweet Pepper & Tomato Crustless Quiche #FoodieFriday

I love living on a farm and owning chickens! One of the benefits of having my 8 hens is the free abundance of farm fresh eggs. We get many different colors and sizes. Sometimes we are blessed with an unusually large egg. I am not sure which one of our hens laid the one shown in the picture, but it turned out to have a double yolk inside!

I also love that I can teach my kids where our food actually comes from. Having it come straight from our own farm is a wonderful teaching and learning experience for them. I believe that this is extremely important for future generations because so many children now grow up thinking that food comes from the grocery store or supermarket. I love that I have this awesome opportunity with my children to teach them gardening, agriculture, home cooking/baking and other dying skills that need to be passed on.

Speaking of home cooking, my kids and I made two Sweet Pepper & Tomato Crustless Quiches the other day for dinner. I love a good quiche and crustless ones are so easy to whip together! My chickens' eggs also make them the best! Here is the recipe for this one...

Sweet Pepper & Tomato Crustless Quiche

Ingredients for one quiche:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large sweet pepper; seeded, destemmed and diced (We used a green and red one because we made two quiches, but any color is fine.)
• 5 eggs
• 1 medium onion; peeled and diced
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• A handful of dried tomatoes (We had these in a bag from a summer of slicing, dehydrating, and freezing them. If you don't have homemade dried ones I suggest getting some sun dried ones from the store.)

Equipment needed:

• 1 - 9 inch round pie plate
• 1 whisk
• 1 - 12 inch skillet (I love my cast iron ones!)
• 1 spatula
• 1 mixing spoon
• 1 mixing bowl 
• 1 oven with stove top

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in the middle. 
2. Lightly butter the inside of the pie plate to make it nonstick and set it aside.
3. Saute the onion and sweet pepper in butter in the skillet over medium-high heat, stirring with the spatula occasionally, about 5 minutes.
4. Whisk together eggs and milk in the mixing bowl, then add the onion and sweet pepper mixture and most of the cheese, saving some out to go on top before baking. Fold this mixture together with the mixing spoon.
5. Pour this mixture into the pie plate, sprinkling the last of the cheese on top.
6. Take the handful of dried tomatoes and place them evenly on top.
7. Bake uncovered until top is golden and egg blend has set in center, about 35 minutes.
8. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes, before cutting into wedges.
9. Enjoy!
 

Summer Fun With Trudeau Review

I received these products free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Summer is here and Trudeau has some fabulous products that I love and they are great gifts for people of all sorts. I have picked four of my favorites from their innovative kitchen tools, gadgets and other houseware products that would be perfect to wrap up for a gift on someone's special day. Their products are perfect to gift to those that love cooking, baking, and entertaining guests as well.

Trudeau Toss & Chop makes making salads easy!

Toss & Chop: This kitchen gadget is wonderful for making a fresh tossed and chopped salad, salsa, etc. right in the bowl, plate, or pan! These special scissors have dual micro-serrated stainless steel blades that never need sharpening. The scoop and salad tongs gently lifts and tosses ingredients to mix them evenly throughout the dish. The ergonomic, soft grip handles lock in place for secure and compact storage. These are great for any salad or salsa lover. I love to take fresh greens and vegetables from my garden and make a delicious salad with the Toss & Chop. I also love mine to make freshly chopped taco or tostada toppings. These also make chopping an onion so easy. I love how these make the process of creating fresh, healthy meals even simpler. These shears also clean up easily and are dishwasher safe, but hand-washing is recommended. Comes with use and care instructions and important safeguards. 5-year warranty. MSRP $24.99

Trudeau Stress Less Can Opener makes opening cans effortless.

Stress Less Can Opener:  This exclusive can opener is part of Trudeau's Stress Less line of kitchen tools. These tools are designed to help those that have arthritis, limited dexterity, or reduced hand strength. They decrease tension on hands and joints, making the gadgets easier to use. The Stress Less Can Opener has an ergonomic rotating arm that you crank creating more leverage and requires 50% less effort than a traditional can opener. The safety cutting mechanism makes a smooth edge and since it cuts on the side of the can it never comes in contact with the food. Incorporated lid pliers help lift the lid away safely, cleanly, and hygienically. The folding crank handle tucks away compactly for neat storage. I love this can opener! It doesn't hurt my hands and moves effortlessly to open cans without any trouble. I have used it to open small cans like tuna up to large #10 cans and it does perfectly on all of these. Great for a righty or a lefty. Lifetime warranty. MSRP $19.99

Trudeau Reusable Tie Wraps come in very handy!

Reusable Tie Wraps: These green silicone multi-use ties are environmentally responsible and eco-friendly. They are made to hold virtually any kind of bag closed, just wrap the tail around the bag opening like you would do with a wire tie and thread it through the hole in the leaf shapes at the other end pulling snugly. These can also be used for securing electrical cords/wires. I love how these look like green leaves and are so much better than the throw away wire ties. Heat resistant to 428°F - 220°C. Available as a set of eight. Dishwasher safe. 5-year warranty. MSRP $6.99

Trudeau Provençal 2 in 1 Spice Mill is wonderful for both herbs and spices.

Provençal 2 in 1 Spice Mill: This 2 in 1 spice mill is great to add savoury flavors to your meal. It dispenses dried herbs and spices two different ways: twist the top to grind dry herbs and spices with the ceramic grinding mechanism directly onto your dish or push down to distribute the herbs or spices whole. I love how you can also create your own designer blends out of your favorite herbs and spices. You can also see the herbs and spices because of the clear plastic viewing window. The wooden top and base makes it look fabulous in my kitchen. Lifetime warranty. MSRP $19.99

Be Social:
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/trudeaucuisine
Twitter - http://twitter.com/trudeaukitchen
YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/trudeaucorp

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You can purchase the Provençal 2 in 1 Spice Mill and other items from Trudeau.  Or you can help me out this season by purchasing on Trudeau on Amazon with my affiliate links. Thanks...



DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received these products for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Wordless Wednesday Chickens and Eggs!

Our new chickens (Rhode Island Reds)...they had a rough time at their previous location...their friends got snatched up by what we think was a bobcat. Hopefully we won't have the same issue with predators.

Top: Our first egg from our hens that they laid at our farm, Left: Our chicken eggs vs store bought, Right: Our first dozen...well sort of, LOL!

My chickens in their makeshift coop. More eggs, yay!

Schwan's Home Delivery Service Review

This review is sponsored by Schwan's through USFG.

Schwan's Home Delivery Service is a great convenience for saving time when meals at home need to be faster than homemade and healthier than fast food. On their website they have a great selection of whole meals, entrees, desserts, appetizers, sides, and drinks. They have items you can pick from that are especially great for people with special dietary needs including: gluten free, vegetarian, sugar free, heart healthy, low calorie, and low sodium. The food is delivered right to your home by refrigerated truck and it is so very easy to order the food online.

I received a $25 gift certificate to Schwan's to pick something out online. I wanted to pick out something that might feed my whole family of 6 and that my whole family might enjoy. I also wanted something semi-healthy. I selected the Home Style Chicken Bake, Pineapple Orange Juice, and Golden Fruit Blend. I was a little disappointed that they did not offer more organic items. There are only 4 organic items and they are all fruits and vegetables. I ended up going a little over the $25 with my order subtotal being $28.97 and the delivery fee being $1.75. I ordered my items and picked the date and time for it to be delivered.

My Schwan's driver, Harold, and his truck.

On the date and time I selected, the Schwan's driver from my area drove up to my drive in his refrigerated truck and knocked on my door. He introduced himself as Harold and was very friendly and punctual. When he got my order out of his truck he also handed me a current Schwan's catalog so that I could order again at my leisure without needing to look online. When he handed me the items I had ordered he let me know briefly about each one and what he likes to do with them at his home.  He also said I could peruse the back of his truck to see if there was anything more I wanted before he left. I politely declined his offer and told him it was nice of him to ask. He even posed for me with his truck so I could have a picture for my review.

Schwan's Home Style Chicken Bake, Pineapple Orange Juice, and Golden Fruit Blend in packages.

The Home Style Chicken Bake said it served 5 and although it wouldn't feed my complete family I figured that I could supplement with something else to go with it or make it on a day my whole family were not all home for dinner. I guess I could have picked the Six Cheese Tortellini which serves 9, but I was in the mood for a pot pie of sorts. The Home Style Chicken Bake was delicious and so easy to make! This meal has to be kept frozen until cooked and eaten. It can be cooked in a conventional oven or micro-baked (a combination of microwave and oven). It has no preservatives and has a gravy that is made from scratch with fresh frozen vegetables. When I opened up the one I received part of the flaky pastry crust that topped the gravy, chicken, and veggies was broken a little bit which probably happened in transit. I didn't really care about the presentation as much as the taste though. After I cooked it in the oven I tasted it and it was delicious! The combination of the white chicken meat, russet potatoes, sweet peas & carrots in chicken gravy topped with the pastry crust was so good. If you like pot pie you will love this even better!

The Pineapple Orange flavored juice beverage comes in a package of six 8 fl oz cartons that each make 1/2 gallon of juice when the concentrate is mixed with water. Although this is thirst quenching it is not the healthiest juice. It does have high fructose corn syrup and sugar as the very first ingredients with preservatives and dyes. The flavor of the drink is too sweet for my taste, but my kids loved it. I am not sure how they made the pineapple flavor since pineapple juice or concentrate isn't listed as one of the ingredients...just natural and artificial flavors (whatever that means). I did like the combination of pineapple flavor (however they made it) with the orange and apple juice concentrates, but once I put some ice in it and a bit more water I liked it a whole lot more. It contains only 15% real fruit juice, but every 8 fl oz serving provides 100% of the daily value of Vitamin C. Next time I think I will buy their 100% Orange Juice fortified with Calcium that has no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. It is a much healthier choice, although also more expensive, go figure!

The Golden Fruit Blend is all natural 100% Grade-A cut chunks of pineapple and mango with thick-sliced peaches and strawberries. It is delicious and my favorite fruit blend, but I wish that it was organic. It has 6 - 3/4 cup servings in a 2 lb. resealable bag, Serves 6. This great as a snack, with yogurt, or put in a smoothie! My kids ate this up because they love frozen fruit...they hardly left any for me (see the small cup of it below). At least it is good for them and better for them than other snacks.

Schwan's Home Style Chicken Bake, Pineapple Orange Juice, and Golden Fruit Blend prepared.

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When you sign up to Schwan's Rewards you can also earn points worth 5%  back from every purchase to be used on a future order!

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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this complimentary $25 for Schwan's as part of my participation in The US Family Guide Blogging program. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. No other compensation was received. 

Schwan's Home Service Savings Offer

US Family Guide provided me with this promotional offer information to share with my readers. I am getting a $25 Gift Card for posting this information.

For over 60 years, Schwan's Home Service has provided superior frozen foods with convenient home delivery. Our foods are flash frozen at the peak of freshness and flavor. Choose from USDA Choice meats, wild-caught seafood, flavorful skillet meals, Grade A fruits and vegetables, plus our heritage ice cream, distinctive desserts and much more.

We offer delicious foods to satisfy everyone, including family members with special dietary needs including:

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Schwan's offers weekly specials, coupons, online hot deals and new customer special offers. Join the Schwan's Rewards program and earn 5% back on every online purchase, to be used on a future order.

100% Guarantee! Love It or Return It! If you're unsatisfied one of our products - for any reason - we will gladly replace it or provide a refund.

My Readers Save $ On Your First Order at Schwan's Home Service!
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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the Schwan's Home Service I am getting a $25 Gift Card for posting this information. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information and free GC. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Zaycon Foods Chicken Breast Review

I had heard very good things about Zaycon Foods, but had never tried them out before. They have fresh: meats, produce, and sometimes even milk in bulk at rock bottom prices because they cut out the middle men. These are all natural, fresh, and better for you than the usual store bought.

USFamilyGuide gave me the opportunity to experience them for my first time and get 40 pounds of chicken for free. These were their 100% natural, additive-free, hormone-free, minimally processed, USDA inspected, boneless, skinless chicken breast for about $1.84/lb. These go straight from the farm to the refrigerated truck and then to you. They do not take the long journey that regular store bought chicken does.

I ordered the chicken early on July 29th just to be sure that I would get my order in. These events sell out fast! The ordering process was easy on their website and they sent us reminder emails about the event a few days before so that we wouldn't miss it.

Zaycon Foods refrigerated truck.

On the morning of October 11th my husband and I headed over to the Elks Lodge in Kelso Washington to pick up the chicken. We pulled into the parking lot and followed the signs to the refrigerated truck. We drove up and volunteers checked our information and loaded the box of chicken into our van. We didn't even have to get out or load the chicken ourselves. They even laid some plastic down before putting the box in just in case there was leakage.

The box of chicken in our van.

Zaycon Foods chicken being separated out into freezer bags.

When we got home we unloaded the box and pulled out huge bags of chicken breasts. These were giant boneless skinless chicken butterfly breast with rib meat and came from Wayne Farms. We were very happy with the size of them. We unpacked them and repacked them in freezer bags with about 3-4 of them separated out per bag. It was a cold slimy process, but well worth it because it was a lot of chicken. You could go in first and trim off the fat and separate the chicken breasts further if needed, but I was kind of feeling lazy.

We now have a freezer full of chicken and they are so yummy cooked up in all kinds of recipes!


To Get Started Click on this link https://www.zayconfoods.com/refer/zf141740

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received 40 lbs FREE Chicken from Zaycon Foods through USFamilyGuide to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this review. There is also affiliate links in this post. Thank you for supporting my blog.

Safeway Fresh and Local Produce Tour with Ron Rivers Pear Orchards and Duckwall Fruit

Me at the Pear Orchard (photo
credit: Safeway)

This free trip was sponsored by Safeway. I also received free swag for going, but I was not obligated to write up this post. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting.

On August 22nd I was whisked away to a gorgeous pear orchard nestled in the Hood River Oregon Valley. This is one of many farms and orchards that supplies Safeway stores with fresh produce locally. This particular pear orchard is owned by a 5th generation grower and farmer named Ron Rivers and Duckwall Fruit. They have been producing and perfecting pears since 1919.

I carpooled with a local blogger, Maryann Collier and her colleague Dawn from Coupon Savvy. We headed to Portland to meet the other bloggers, media and Safeway representatives, etc. at the Hawthorne Boulevard Safeway. When we arrived we were greeted warmly by the Safeway representatives and put on a very large tour/shuttle bus complete with its own bathroom for the journey to Hood River. They also had made us each a large gift basket filled with goodies to sit next to. I felt very spoiled ;)

When we got to the Hood River Safeway we picked up some other Safeway representatives along with Fred Duckwall (President of Duckwall Fruit), Ed Weathers (VP and Sales Manager of Duckwall Fruit) and Scott Bradley (VP of Safeway produce). They answered some of our questions as we were transported to the farm. When we got to the orchard we all got out, took in the gorgeous scenery and had a lesson on pears from the experts. We met Farmer Ron Rivers and his wife. They told us the ins and outs of having a pear orchard.

Ron Rivers has over 200 acres of pear orchard located in the foothills of Mt. Hood outside of Parkdale Oregon. We learned that because of the micro-climate and fertile soil that is rich with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from the volcano, Hood River Valley is one of the best places to grow pears and other fruit. A single pear tree can produce pears for over 100 years and some of the trees we saw while we were there were over 50 years old! When frosts threaten the crop they turn on large fans and heaters called smudge pots to help the orchard warm up and create a smoke blanket to protect the fruit trees from radiative cooling. A pears skin is fairly delicate so the really cold moisture can damage it or the blossoms before fruition. On the Ron Rivers farm they have about 55 employees that work 10 months out of the year to prune the trees, thin the fruit, and hand pick the fruit. Hand picked fruit is in better condition with less bruising than fruit picked by machine. Duckwall Fruit gets over 2.5 million cartons (7000 bins) filled with pears annually that were picked in the 60 day long picking process. The pears are transferred from the farm to a ambient air cold storage or controlled atmosphere storage (CA) facility at Duckwall Fruit to be further hand sorted and graded. The CA storage suspends the normal ripening process and allows the fruit to be held up to eight months after harvest. You can read the complete process at Duckwall's website.

I told Mr. Rivers that I had a farm with a couple of pear trees on it and he told me that he would love to visit sometime and give me pointers on my small orchard. I thought that would be fantastic and told him I would like that very much. We then rode the tour bus to the next area where they had set up a yummy looking spread of food and some tables and chairs for us to sit at all under a canopy tent. We were welcomed at the entrance by a Safeway banner that said, "Welcome Have fun and enjoy the farm!" It started raining and we could hear thunder and see lightning in the distance. We hurried with our cameras and other blogging devices to the closest shelter. Mr. Rivers saw me trying to get photographs of the canopy with Mount Hood in the background and he personally invited me up to his covered upper deck that overlooked the valley. It was a breathtaking view!

Chef Ben from the Celilo Restaurant and Bar in Hood River prepared a feast that incorporated pears into everything we ate and drank. For the drink we had Sparkling Pear Soda with Honey Drinking Vinegar. It wasn't overly sweet with the honey and minced pear and it had mint or basil to bring out the flavor. Next on the table was Phyllo Wrapped Pears and Curry Butter. These were really good and I loved the interesting combination of sweet and spicy. Next was Pear Endive Spears with Walnut Vinaigrette. These were one of my favorites. They had a great crunch with the endive spears and the pear that was paired with the nuts and tangyness of the dressing was perfect. Next was Pear Jam and Crackers. I love the Open Nature Multi-Grain Cracker Crisps they picked for spreading the jam onto. I am definitely going to have to seek out a box of them at Safeway. The Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Pears were so good with the salty and the sweet! I also loved the smokey flavor of the Cedar Planked Pears that were grilled to perfection. Then there was the Grilled Pear, Turkey, and Brie Sandwiches with Roasted Garlic Aioli. These were actually two sandwiches skewered together and since I love brie and garlic this was delicious!

Me dishing up the yummy food. (photo credit: Safeway)

I was getting a bit full when they brought out the desserts! There was a Thai Sweet Chili Glazed Pear Tartin which was something I wouldn't have thought of to put together, but it was really good and there was Roasted Pear Pie Butterscotch and Caramel Parfait which was, in my honest opinion, too sweet. I wanted to finish the parfait, but I just couldn't. While we ate under the canopy we listened to the rain and thunder. Wow so much yummy food! They also gave us some pears and large bags to bring home some extra food if we wanted to. How could I pass that up!?

Once the rain cleared we had pictures taken of everyone and headed back on the bus.

We stopped off at the Hood River Safeway again and got a first hand look at the display for the Duckwall Fruit pears with Ron Rivers' picture hanging over it. We then wrapped up the day with our last questions, headed back to Portland and then back home with our swag. Safeway is an awesome host! This was a very fun and productive day. I learned a whole lot and wouldn't mind visiting the pear orchard and Mr. Rivers and his wife again if they would have me.

You can go to Safeway's Website and see other fresh produce that is in season and in their stores now. You can also read and watch video clips about other farmers that harvest fresh produce for Safeway.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I went to this event because I was invited. I wanted to let you, my readers, know of the awesome farmers behind the scenes of Safeway's produce so I wrote this post. Thanks to Safeway and their representatives, Ron Rivers and family, and Duckwell Fruit for providing me with the information and inviting me to this event. I received free swag for attending. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting.

Chewy.com True Chews Premium Jerky Cuts Chicken Tenders Dog Treats and Beef Bully Stick Dog Chew Review

We received a 4-oz bag of the True Chews Premium Jerky Cuts Chicken Dog Treats and a 6 in. True Chews Beef Bully Stick Dog Chew from Chewy.com free to facilitate this review.

Chewy.com is a great place to find items for your dog or cat. They have a great selection of food and treats, bowls and feeders, health and wellness products, flea & tick products, toys, cleaning and potty training products, grooming products, leashes and collars; beds, crates and gear, litter, etc. They conveniently ship 200+ brands of pet food and other stuff direct to your doorstep, anytime of the day. They have competitive prices and offer free shipping on any order of $49 or more. They have 24/7 customer service, just call and ask your question(s). Through their referral program, customers receive a discount on their next order and Chewy.com donates $10 to Best Friends Animal Society.

True Chews are 100% natural dog chews and treats. They contain no fillers and are rawhide-free. All are made in the USA in Independence, Iowa.

The True Chews Premium Jerky Cuts Dog Treats are made with real chicken and contain no artificial flavors in addition to the above items. These are a great source of protein. Prince really loved the tender, chewy smoked jerky flavor. They have a yummy aroma that dogs love. They are a good size jerky treat and the bag has recommended daily treat chart for different sized dogs. They are easy to tear for treating convenience and come in a convenient re-sealable bag for locking freshness in. For Prince, since he is a large dog and is over 50 lbs, they recommended 4 treats daily. I only gave him 1 per day when he was behaving because I wanted them to last longer and he really loved them.

The True Chews Beef Bully Stick Dog Chews are slow-roasted to lock in natural smoke flavor and chewiness. If your pooch has problems with rawhide these are great alternative chews for your dog. These are also great for dental care because chewing will help scrape the tarter and plaque off the teeth and helps toughen gums so your dog will have a prettier, whiter smile too. Prince loved this chew stick and it kept him occupied and happy for hours.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Zaycon Foods

All information is provided by USFamilyGuide.com and Zaycon Foods. I will receive 40 lbs FREE Chicken for posting. There is also affiliate links in this post. Thank you for supporting my blog.

How does Zaycon Foods manage to provide such high quality super fresh meat and produce to its customers at such low prices? The answer is strength in numbers. And not our numbers, yours!

Zaycon Foods can sell its products at bulk rate prices to individual consumers and families because our unique sales event business model brings lots of people together, adding all their purchasing power into a combined bulk food purchase. And when you buy as part of a group that’s committing to such a large purchase, the power is in the hands of the purchaser! It’s the ultimate group buy in terms of both price and consumer empowerment.

You can pre-select exactly what you want to order from a given Zaycon sales event – sometimes you may want to stock up on our amazing meaty back ribs and sometimes it might be all about the Zaycon bacon – and then, on the day of the sales event, you and a whole big bunch of your neighbors will find yourselves in a nearby parking lot watching as an entire tractor trailer’s worth of high quality natural food is unloaded into all of your cars! You will be amazed at how quickly one of our refrigerated trucks goes from being filled with natural, fresh chicken or hundreds of gallons of grade A non-homogenized milk to being empty and back on its way to the farm!

A Zaycon Foods truck sales event often lasts less time than you would spend on a trip to the grocery store, yet you will leave with a whole lot more food than you’d get at the market, and for much better prices, too!

When you use the Zaycon Foods sales event as your preferred place to purchase meats, milk, and any of our other fine products, you get advantages even beyond the bulk pricing that comes with our special sales model. You also have the peace of mind of knowing exactly what you’re going to get! A trip to the grocery store can involve wasted time wandering around looking for various foods spread out across the store; at a Zaycon Foods parking lot meat truck delivery (or milk or berries or fish delivery, too!) you have pre-ordered your foods, so all you have to do is show up and wait for our friendly staffers and volunteers to load up your car.

Also, unlike in the grocery store, the prices you will pay for a Zaycon Foods product are locked in on our website, so you will know how much you are going to spend before you have committed to a purchase.

At a supermarket, you might pay one price for chicken on one day, and then a higher price on another day. With Zaycon, you decide that you want to order a case of our fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts, you check the price and then you commit to it, knowing that from that moment on, we are committed to getting you your fresh, natural food!

Watch this video to find out more:



To Get Started Click on this link https://www.zayconfoods.com/refer/zf141740

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: All information is provided by USFamilyGuide.com and Zaycon Foods. I will receive 40 lbs FREE Chicken for posting. There is also affiliate links in this post. Thank you for supporting my blog.

Chewy.com Orijen Regional Red Freeze-Dried Dog Treats Review

We received a 2-oz bag (60 treats) of the Orijen Regional Red Freeze-Dried Dog Treats from Chewy.com free to facilitate this review.

Chewy.com is a great place to find items for your dog or cat. They have a great selection of food and treats, bowls and feeders, health and wellness products, flea & tick products, toys, cleaning and potty training products, grooming products, leashes and collars; beds, crates and gear, litter, etc. They conveniently ship 200+ brands of pet food and other stuff direct to your doorstep, anytime of the day. They have competitive prices and offer free shipping on any order of $49 or more. They have 24/7 customer service, just call and ask your question(s). Through their referral program, customers receive a discount on their next order and Chewy.com donates $10 to Best Friends Animal Society.

Orijen dog treats are less than 6 calories per treat and are loaded with muscle-building protein. These are made with 100% natural meats, and nothing else. No preservatives, no additives, and no artificial flavors or colors. These are also grain free and are perfect for dogs that have allergies. The special flash-freezing techniques are used to fully retain and preserve the nutrients, flavors and fresh ingredients you would loose if it was cooked. These treats take advantage of your dogs carnivorous needs. These are whole prey treats made from 100% meat, poultry or fish and delivered fresh or RAW as nature intended to nourish your dog.

We received a 2-oz bag (60 treats) of the Orijen Regional Red Freeze-Dried Dog Treats. These are made with ranch-raised wild boar, Black Angus Beef and free range lamb. These red meats are raised on ranches in Alberta, Canada. I gave this special treat to my dog for reinforcement of good behavior and he absolutely loves them. They are soft round treats that he can chew easily. He loves the flavor and when I get the bag down from our snack cabinet he wags his tail happily and comes up to the bag sniffing it begging for more. We highly recommend these treats and are hoping to try some more of the Orijen line of products.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Oransi Ionic Fridge Air Purifier Review and Giveaway

My refrigerator gets a lot of use and abuse. It is an older model that we got second hand when we moved here over 6 years ago. The handle of the door has completely fallen off and the bottom shelf has broken. My husband tried to fashion a front piece for it out of wood so that things wouldn't slide off the shelf because the lip of the original was splitting and breaking off, but now the tabs at the sides that hold the shelf into position have broken and so now my fridge drawers are the only thing holding the shelf up. So getting into my fridge drawers is difficult at best. The temperature inside isn't evenly distributed either as the top of the fridge is colder because it is closer to the small freezer above. This wear and tear is also from it being used by 6 people, not just its age. My fridge gets things spilled on it constantly from little hands not properly closing containers of things to things being dropped there. I clean it when I can, but frankly it probably isn't often enough. Even when I do it still seems to have lingering smells.

Oransi Ionic Air Purifier for Refrigerator is a little device that creates a odor free environment in your fridge or other small enclosed space. It is great for Refrigerators, Cloakroom/Coat Closet, and Shoe Cabinet. It is silent with no fan and does not require a filter to replace or clean. It also kills bacteria, prevents mildew and mold and reduces food from spoiling. The air purifier uses 2 AA batteries that require replacement approximately every 45-90 days. Built-in intuitive micro processor operates the air purifier so it will cycle on and off to save battery life. It sterilizes the fridge or other small enclosed area every 2 hours. The patented Piezo-electric technology allows for a high negative ion output to freshen your refrigerator without the harmful side effects of ozone that is found in standard ionizers.

My thoughts: When I received this I was surprised at how small this air purifier actually was. I took it out of the box and literally could hold it in the palm of my hand. I read the instructions and placed 2 AA batteries in it and pushed the on button. It immediately made a very soft whirring sound...if you don't listen for it you won't really be able to hear it. It has a nice LED indicator light that shows you the product is working. It lights up when initially turned on for the first 30 minutes continuously and then for 5 minutes every 2 hours. For when ever the air purifier cycles on again in those 5 minute intervals after being dormant, it lights up blinking briefly every 2-3 seconds. When indicating low voltage the light will blink constantly and tell you to replace the batteries soon. I liked how easy it was to install the batteries and turn it on.

It was not too hard to find a nice spot to place the air purifier in my fridge as it is very small and can fit a bunch of different places. I did find that I liked to have it up front on the shelf or in the door. Since it is so small I could see it getting lost in the back of my fridge somewhere so I try not to have anything in front of it. Also, I found that if I had something in front that the button on the front of the air purifier could be easily bumped, turning the whole unit off.

My fridge initially smelled of onions and roasted garlic from the leftovers we also had in containers overnight in the refrigerator. After a couple of hours with the Oransi Fridge Air Purifier inside my fridge with the door shut I opened it to check the status. All I could smell was very pleasant fresh air. I was thoroughly impressed that this tiny air purifier could work so well.

Not only does it get rid of the odor, but it also is supposed to keep your produce fresher longer. I am going to love saving money on my grocery bill by not having to throw away food that would have spoiled without this awesome little device. I am so very glad I have it and overall it is very cost effective. The unit is initially $39 (on sale right now for $29!!), the batteries for this only costs an average of $1 a month and it comes with a year warranty.

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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product to review and one to giveaway for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.