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Make your own Seasond Butter and Olive Oil Saute Starter -

I’ve been travelling a lot lately and with three trips in the next three weeks, I’m feeling a little guilty about leaving my husband home to fend for himself. It’s not that he can’t; in fact, he’s very capable. But he’s the hardest working man I know and with a full-time job as a firefighter and a part-time business as a finish carpenter, leaving behind some easy-to-make or ready-made-meals when I’m gone, is the least I can do.

Safeway June Dairy Month Shelf TagsI took a few minutes this weekend to go shopping (you can see my whole shop here) and lucky for me, Safeway is having a “Save $5 when you spend $15” offer that I was thrilled to take advantage of. Many of the participating products are some that we already love like Land O’ Lakes Butter, Kraft Shredded Cheese, and Philadelphia Cream Cheese. So I stocked up on all three and used them to plan out some simple meals.

I purchased organic herb plants from the produce department which I’m going to plant soon on the deck to give me fresh herbs all summer. It takes just a few minutes to make enough to stock the freezer for a few months.

DIY Herb Butter & Olive Oil Saute Meal Starters

First soften 1 pound of butter. Don’t try to soften it in the microwave! If you want to soften butter faster, cut it into small pieces. While the butter softens, chop 1 small onion very finely, 3 cloves of garlic (or use pre-chopped roasted garlic), finely chopped herbs (your choice of herbs – 3-6 tablespoons depending on what you like). 6 Tablespoons good olive oil.

Put the softened butter into a large mixing bowl – slowly add oil while the beaters are running. Mix just until mostly incorporated. Add onions, garlic, and herbs. Wrap the herbed butter in waxed paper (I like waxed paper bags) squeezing the butter to force it to the bottom and into a roll shaped. Fold over the wax paper, roll, and then place all of the butter logs (three in my case) in a marked freezer bag. Freeze for up to 4 months.

To use your homemade herbed oil and butter saute starter, remove a log from freezer and cut off the amount you need to roast or saute chicken, fish, or vegetables (more than just potatoes! Try carrots, asparagus, broccoli, and more). Heat the oil (or microwave carefully) and and roast or saute as usual.

Seasoned Butter and Olive Oil Saute Starter Step 2

I’ll be using the cream cheese to make some mini cheesecakes for the freezer so he has a sweet treat now and then and the Kraft Shredded Cheese (Mexican style) will be the filling and topping for some easy Chicken Enchiladas. I’ll make them on Tuesday before I leave and he’ll bake it Wednesday with leftovers for lunch on Thursday.

Dairy Discounts in June

There are plenty of other products included in the Safeway sale (by the way, if you don’t have Safeway in your area, it’s also going on at Vons/Pavillions, Genuardi’s, Randall’s, Tom Thumb, and Dominick’s). Just look for the shelf tags which mark all of the participating products and at checkout you’ll receive a $5 off your next purchase coupon. You save now AND on your next trip!

The special dairy discounts are valid from now until 7/2/13 and don’t forget, the vast majority of them freeze beautifully so buy extra so you’re covered all summer

Safeway June Dairy Month EverydayDairy Savings

Participating products:

Kraft Shredded Cheese, Kraft Natural Slices, Kraft Singles, Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Sargento Shredded Cheese, Simply Orange Juice, Dannon Activia Yogurt, Nestle Coffeemate, Fage Yogurt, Chobani Yogurt, Klondike, Magnum, Frigo String Cheese, Sorrento String Cheese, Weight Watchers String Cheese, Florida’s Natural Orange Juice, Smart Balance Butter Spread, Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (and other Pillsbury refrigerated baked goods) Land O’ Lakes Butter), Kozy Shack Pudding Cups, JellO Pudding Cups, Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, Lactaid, Tropicana Orange Juice, Daisy Sour Cream, YoCrunch Yogurt, Silk Soy Milk, International Delight Coffee Creamers

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