"Goin' Downey Ocean, Hon?"

Some of you stopped by today to pick up some goodies as you were making an early get-away for Memorial Day 2009. We expect most of you will be heading out after work on Friday. We hope you'll also stop by to load up a "bag of yum" to help you through your weekend on the beach. In fact, here are a few meal ideas to make Summer 2009 start off relaxing and fun!

Breakfast
Our favorite breakfast is French Toast made with Challah. Be sure to add a little vanilla and cinnamon to it to fill your kitchen with that warm comforting aroma. If you want something fast so you can hit the beach early, pick up a bag of Groovy Granola or Cranberry Almond Instant Oatmeal. Whether eaten alone or with a cup of yogurt, both these items will fill you with a ton of energy to keep you going all morning.

Lunch
The weather is supposed to be fantastic this weekend. Mild temperatures and lots of sun. Why waste a minute of it by going inside. Pack a picnic. Pick up a loaf of bread, maybe Honey Whole Wheat, a jar of Naturally Nutty Almond Butter, a jar of American Spoon Fruit Butter or some of our delicious Farmer's Market Cream Cheese Spread, throw some sandwiches together, pack a cooler and you can stay out all day!

Dinner
At some point you may have to head back in and firing up the grill is the best reason we can see to leave the beach. We have some fantastic savory sauces from Stonewall Kitchen that you can add to your chicken, beef, fish or pork marinades. Just 1/4 cup added to white wine and some spices will be sure to impress everyone at your table. We'll be trying out some more Hardcrusted Breads on Friday. Grab a loaf (any variety will do) slice it, brush it with some of our Pino Dipping Oil and grill for 2 or 3 minutes. It's a great way to make a great summer version of garlic bread. And please don't forget the Chocolate Brownie Bread for dessert. Add a scoop of ice cream, some hot fudge and whipped cream and you will enjoy a little bit of heaven in a bowl.

If you really can't wait to savor the flavors of the beach, let us make you our newest sandwich, Eastern Shore Salad. With a variety of seafood, old bay seasoning and a light compliment of mayo, you will hear the waves lapping up against your feet as you take your first bite.

As you can see, there are many reasons for you to make Great Harvest your last stop before you head over the bridge and leave Central Maryland behind for a few days.

Your friends at the Great Harvest in Columbia.
http://greatharvestcolumbia.com