The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 4,882 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—6,641 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! MJ

For this week’s Farm Kitchen/Bustin’ Out Merit Badge, I decided to home in on my grocery shopping skills, and drag along invite my BFF, Midge, as well. See, Midge is a bit preoccupied with her triplets these days, so she hasn’t been as on top of the whole organic thing as she wants to be. And let’s face it, peeps, I can get better at it myself (says the girl with a hidden shelf of Twinkies. Ahem. ‘Fession time!)

So, I tossed those Twinkies with nary a tear (hoping they will biodegrade in a hundred years or so), and slung my reusable shopping bags over my shoulder. I brewed some chai to keep the pep in our step and we were off! I don’t know about you girls, but it’s more difficult for me to eat all organic or local during the winter months. The Farmers’ Market is closed and a girl can get tired of nothing but spaghetti squash, know what I mean? But we were optimistic. Well, Midge was just happy to be out of the house with a clean shirt on, but you get the drift.

Luck was on our side right from the get-go: as soon as we pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store, we noticed a farmer’s stand advertising local, organic honey. He was kind enough to dribble a spoonful into my chai and I was totally sold. Yum, a better sample than even old Costco can provide!

We entered the grocery store, and I firmly steered Midge away from the center aisles. She didn’t know this little trick, so I explained that’s where they stock the bad-for-you/bad-for-your-wallet kind of stuff. She said thanks, but when I turned my back, she was sprinting for the potato-chip aisle. I think there needs to be a 12-Step Program for Recovering Bad Eaters.

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The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 4,945 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—6,765 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! MJ

For this week’s Farm Kitchen/Cheese Making Merit Badge, I was excited about two things:

1. It isn’t a recipe as much as it is a guideline.

and

2. I got to braid my hair in my favorite, but underutilized, hairstyle: Swiss Milkmaid.

First up: buttermilk.

Now, buttermilk is one of those things I forget even exists until I watch my yearly screening of White Christmas and Rosemary Clooney asks Bing Crosby for a nice, cool glass of buttermilk and a liverwurst sandwich. (She had me at buttermilk, she lost me at liverwurst). But then I learned having buttermilk on hand for all my baking needs (which there are a plethora) made my scones moister, my muffins softer, my cakes lighter, and my homemade ranch dressing a real crowd pleaser. So, now I’m sold: there will buttermilk in my fridge at all times.

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