ShopEasy with Barb

Hi, everyone 🙂 I’ve had several inquiries as to whether I am back to shopping yet or not. Unfortunately, the answer is no. If you didn’t read my earlier post, I sustained multiple fractures of my calcaneus (heel bone). You wouldn’t think such a relatively small part of your anatomy could cause so much trouble. I’ve had surgery (see photo) and I’m finally out of a boot (four months later), but full healing will take about a year and a half. I’m not sure yet at which point I’ll be able to return to shopping - I have to be able to manage steps, uneven terrain, and long hours on my feet.

I’ll try to keep you updated as best I can or, at least, when there’s news to be had. Stay safe and stay well!

Hi, all. If you follow this page, you might know that I was out for a couple of months with a broken wrist. The wrist has healed, but in this week I took a bad fall and severely damaged my right foot. Unfortunately, I will be out of commission for at least three months. I encourage you to check in with my fellow shoppers if you need anything. Thanks!

Here's a special everyone can appreciate: I've been asked to help my friend, Scott Yusavage, as he campaigns for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Man or Woman of the Year. We hope to raise $10,000 (or more!!) for valuable blood cancer research and treatments. I have very personal reasons to support LLS and its efforts to eradicate cancer, and I'm honored Scott asked me to be part of his team.

To help reach our fundraising goal, I am offering all of my customers, new and old, a complimentary shop - i.e. no service fee - for every contribution of $35 or more. PLUS, if you purchase a raffle ticket for Scott's raffle by 8pm on Thursday, April 15, I'll add another complimentary shop. The raffle prizes include a 5-course dinner for 8 people with wine pairings, a Lenovo laptop computer, Starbucks and Lowes gift cards, a cash prize of $500, a top-shelf bourbon basket, a top-shelf vodka basket, and more. See the links, below, to donate and/or purchase tickets! Thank you, and good luck!

For donations:
https://pages.lls.org/mwoy/wpa/pgh21/bjohnson

For raffle tickets:
https://www.computerfellows.com/raffle/

Raffle - Winner to be published on this page on 4/16/2021 - Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington County, Butler | Computer Fellows Inc Link to mobile friendly page.

Hi, all! If you're planning your Christmas grocery list, keep in mind time slots are filling quickly. I'll try to accommodate everyone, but even I have limits :). Remember, if you need a last-minute gift, I'm not limited to groceries - wine stores, Macy's, Target, or whatever store you want for whatever you need!

I feel extremely fortunate for your loyalty and patronage this past year! As we approach Thanksgiving, I'd like to pass on my gratitude and ask for your assistance to help those who are struggling. For the month of November, I'm hosting a virtual food drive: When you place an order, please tell me if you would like to add either particular items or a dollar amount to donate to the food drive. I'll match each donation and, to thank you for your efforts, credit you $10 towards your shopping fee. At the end of the month, I'll deliver all of our donations to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. I hope you'll join me to help others!

Back from vacation and so excited to see all the great seasonal items at Trader Joe’s! Can you say “pumpkin”??

Mums the word!! To freshen your curb appeal for fall, consider picking up a few of these lovelies for your front steps, walkway, garden, entryway, etc. These beauties are from SHOP ‘n SAVE and are two for $10 right now.

Who doesn’t love corn on the cob! It’s plentiful in the grocery stores and at the farmers markets right now and if you have a microwave you can enjoy this fresh, sweet, crisp taste of summer in no time at all.

To microwave corn, keep them in their husks. Limit batches to no more than four ears at a time for the best results. For one or two ears, microwave 2 to 6 minutes; for three or four ears, microwave 3 to 8 minutes. You might need to adjust the time based on the size of the ears, size if your microwave, and your own preferences (crisp vs. mushy) . Once you remove them from the oven, let the ears sit and cool slightly (they’ll be very hot on the inside). Then, simply grab the top of the husks, silk and all, and pull downward quickly. You’ll appreciate how easily the husks come off.

At this point you can either top with butter, salt, and pepper or your own favorite toppings, or roast the cobs on the grill for a couple minutes. You can also use a knife to cut the kernels off the cob for use in salads and other dishes.

Enjoy!

Did you know I shop farmer's markets? If you're craving fresh produce, locally sourced meats, cheeses, honey, and even wine, check out the local markets including Mt. Lebanon (Wednesdays), Upper St. Clair (Thursdays), Bridgeville (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays), and others. Use the FMNP Market Locater available for iPhone and Android or visit the following link for a daily listing of local markets: https://goodfoodpittsburgh.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-pittsburgh-farmers-markets-2020/.

Here's a great pasta recipe to use those fresh, in-season tomatoes and inspire you:

Ingredients
12 oz of spaghetti noodles or other thin pasta
2/3 cup of olive oil
2 - 2 1/2 pints of grape or cherry tomatoes
5-6 basil leaves - roughly chopped
7 minced garlic cloves
8 oz. burrata cheese
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

Directions
• In a large skillet, cook olive oil and garlic on medium heat for 1-2 minutes; do not let the garlic burn.
• Add tomatoes, salt & pepper, and balsamic vinegar and let cook on medium heat for about 6-7 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta according to the directions on the package.
• Once pasta is done, combine tomatoes from the skillet and toss with the pasta. Top with chopped basil, burrata cheese, and garnish with olive oil and salt & pepper.

Don’t forget the barbecue sauce!

A little about Dumpling:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennysplitter/2020/06/30/grocery-delivery-app-dumpling-rival-instacart/

Dumpling Is The New Ethical Alternative To Grocery Delivery App Instacart Dumpling executives say their model is far more equitable than rival Instacart—empowering shoppers to have more control over their own business.

I and my kids are scratch cooks - we don't have any prepackaged, pre-spiced foods in our pantry, but thanks to our somewhat eclectic tastes our cupboard hosts a wide variety of spices, herbs, and oils. While shopping today for a client, I noted this when her choice of chili starter was out of stock. I've never used a chili starter. I have, however, experimented with a number of spices and seasonings so rarely is any batch identical! (Side note: add some dark, unsweetened cocoa or chocolate to your chili for depth and richness.)

With so many basics unavailable, I encourage you if you don't already to take the plunge and cook with your own spices. It's less expensive in the long run and not too difficult. Here are a few blends which you can mix ahead of time and store in small jars or air-tight bags. Most can be mixed with liquids to make dressings or marinades, added to sauces, or rubbed into meat, poultry, fish, etc. You can grind or process the blends into finer powders if you prefer. (Note: These blends utilize dried spices/herbs.)

CHILI SEASONING BLEND
2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika or smoked paprika
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

TACO/FAJITA BLEND
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder optional (for a spicier mix)

ITALIAN BLEND
4 teaspoons basil
4 teaspoons oregano
4 teaspoons rosemary
4 teaspoons thyme
4 teaspoons marjoram
4 teaspoons savory
2 teaspoons garlic powder

MEDITERRANEAN BLEND
2 tablespoons basil
2 tablespoons oregano
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon black pepper

GREEK BLEND
1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried mint
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. minced onion
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/4 tsp. minced garlic

Just for fun!

A big heartfelt THANK YOU to my customers who are helping to make sure I stay safe! Thanks for the masks, the gloves, the water, and the snacks. They are greatly appreciated! You rock!

One upside to the quarantine is that many folks are rediscovering the joy of cooking (allusion intended!) and getting back to the basics. I'm fortunate that my son loves to bake - I've enjoyed breads, baguettes, and pastries not to mention meat and chicken pies.

One of my favorite things to bake, though, is the scone. (Historical note: scone - pronounced to rhyme with "gone" - refers to destiny - the Stone of Scone originally was associated with the crowning of Scottish kings until the late 13th century when it was taken and placed under the British coronation chair where it resides today.) This simple biscuit-like pasty offers so many variations, savory to sweet, and is really quite simple. A few good rules to follow: Keep the butter and the batter cold for as long as possible, don't over-mix, and don't skimp on the butter or the buttermilk/heavy cream! Seriously, scones are meant to be savored and enjoyed without guilt. (Okay, maybe a little...) You can vary the recipe by adding icings (lemon, orange and cinnamon are delicious), fruit or nuts, or serving with clotted/Devonshire cream (Fresh Market usually has some available.)

This recipe (the hands-down favorite from a tea class I taught for CCAC years ago - another story for another day) is easily halved and can be cut or formed into individual rounds instead of wedges:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 teaspoons
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 teaspoons baking powder
10 tablespoons unsalted butter (frozen and grated, or thoroughly chilled and cut into small pieces)
1/2 cup buttermilk or heavy cream (not milk and definitely not skim!)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional, I don’t include it but others do)
(Optional adds: cranberries, raisins, dried cherries, grated lemon or orange peel, chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter two 9” cake pans. Combine dry ingredients (reserving the 2 teaspoons of sugar) in a large bowl. Add butter and cut in OR rub in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add fruit or other add-ins, if using. Whisk buttermilk or cream and 2 eggs in a small bowl (and vanilla, if using). Stir liquid mixture into dry ingredients. Turn out onto floured surface and knead gently until soft dough forms.

Divide dough into two pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Transfer one ball to each prepared pan; press out dough into 8” round. Using a sharp knife, deeply score top of each round into eight wedges. Whisk the remaining egg with 1 teaspoon water in small bowl. Brush mixture over scones (you can use cream or buttermilk instead). Sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons of sugar. Bake rounds until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Invert scones unto plate; turn right side up and cut along score marks.

ShopEasy with Barb updated their business hours.

ShopEasy with Barb updated their website address.

Hi, all! My name is Barb and I love to shop! If you're tired of those impersonal grocery shopping services, getting the wrong items (or no items at all!) or if you simply want to avoid the stores altogether, then I invite you to click through to check out Dumpling. I service most Pittsburgh area stores and offer competitive rates while offering a more personal, more friendly experience. I look forward to hearing from you!

It's now easier to contact ShopEasy with Barb.