40 Pounds of Strawberries

Dinking around on the computer has gotten me into a mess, or at the least, a predicament. Every other week I participate in bountifulbaskets.org. If you're not familiar with it, I highly suggest you check it out. It's a co-op of fruits and veggies. Every other week I get a supply of various yummies that typically lasts my family the entire two weeks. AND, it only costs $15.00. This program has saved me a ton of grocery money as well as time and aggravation in grocery shopping. I use what I get at the co-op. It's a great way to try new things (although the majority of the stuff I get is pretty normal - apples, potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, etc.). They sometime have special offerings. This week, in addition to my fruit and veggie basket I am getting 4 loaves of Alpine Honey Wheat bread at $2.00 a loaf.

Every once in a while, they offer something huge . . . something great . . . something you can't pass up . . . and something that you need to decide RIGHT NOW whether you will participate or not. Last time it was flats of raspberries. I passed on that one. But today, I got an email for . . . strawberries. They are selling flats for $8.75. Now, the trick is that it's first come, first served. There was no time to think about it. You either order it right now or you miss out on FLATS OF STRAWBERRIES FOR $8.75!!

It's these split second decisions that get me in trouble. When I don't have ample time to think and agonize over a decision, I typically make a bad decision. Now, take my poor decision making ability and couple it with the fact that I had no idea how much (weight-wise) a flat was and you've got a recipe for disaster.

I decided to buy some strawberries . . . 5 flats of them. I put my order in, gave them the payment, and it was then, after I submitted my order that I saw how much a flat weighed . . . I don't know why I didn't see it earlier . . . these flats are 8 pound flats.

I just bought 40 pounds of strawberries. And there is no turning back. I will go to the co-op pick-up site on Saturday and claim my strawberries. I will bring my strawberries home. My husband will look at me like I am crazy. My children will be in awe of so many strawberries. I will most likely cry.

So, I put it to you - what do I do with 40 pounds of strawberries? I plan on making some preserves out of it, but as I am not confident in canning, I don't plan on wasting 40 pounds of strawberries on sure-to-be botulism-ridden jam/jelly/preserves.

It really comes down to this - if I weren't dinking around on the computer, I would never have gotten that email that exclaimed: WE HAVE STRAWBERRIES! FIRST COME FIRST SERVED!!

Back to cleaning my bedroom . . . at least it's safe in there. I hope.