Aldi Peach Crisp

I think I've mentioned that when I'm stressed, I bake. Well, lately I've been under a considerable amount of stress. On Sunday night, I had to bake something.

This recipe harkens back to a peach crisp I made in OCNJ in 2006. My step-father had rented a house down in OC for us to have our vacation. During one of his visits to the shore house, he brought fresh Jersey peaches that were just perfectly ripe. And they were delectable! Of course, my stepfather being the generous man that he is bought about a bushel of them! There was no way to eat them before they'd go bad! So...necessity being the mother of invention, this recipe was born.

To Aldify (I'm working on adding this to the dictionary!) it, I had to alter the peaches, but it turned out really well.

Hope you try, hope you like it, and don't forget to add the whipped cream or the ice cream!


Peach Crisp

1 Can Fit & Active Peach slices in light syrup
1 Cup Millville Quick Cooking Oats
1/2 Cup Baker's Corner Light Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Grandma's Best Flour
pinch of Sebree Salt
6 Tbs. Country Creamery Unsalted Butter

Open and drain peaches well. Pour in to a shallow 8" or 9" pie plate.

In a bowl mix together flour, brown sugar, oats and salt. Melt butter in microwave or slowly on the stove. Mix into flour/sugar mixture.

Sprinkle/spread this over the top of the peaches.

Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes (until oat mixture is browned and crispy looking).

Allow to set for about 5 minutes before digging in!

NOTE: I'll come back later to add the cost, I need to dig out some receipts since some of the ingredients have been in my pantry a while!

Peanut Butter Cup Cake

You got your chocolate in my peanut butter!


You got your chocolate in my peanut butter?



I mean, really, is there a more perfect combination that chocolate and peanut butter? I LOVE BOTH. And if you knew me in person, this would be quite obvious when you see the size of my bottom. Oh well.

This weekend, we had dinner with good friends. No, great friends. No, family. LOL :) In this certain circle, I've been labeled the dessert goddess, and usually people secretly wish I'm bringing dessert, even if I don't say I will. In all fairness, these people were friends before I knew I could bake well...so they got to eat a lot of my experiments.

Baking for me is very cathartic. It's the only thing I want to do when I'm stressed out. I used to work at a REALLY high stress job (pre kids, and even part of it pre husband). I'd work 20 hour days, come home and bake for 3 hours before I could go to bed. My co-workers loved it because I would bring my baking creations in the following day. My one boss used to joke about finding ways to stress me out so that I would bake something to bring in. :)

This recipe is a conglomeration of a few recipes I'd tried in years past.

Peanut Butter Cup Cake

Cake:
1 Box Bakers Corner Yellow Cake Mix
1 1/4 Cups Water
3 Golden Hen Eggs
1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/3 Carlini Vegetable Oil (or Canola Oil)

Filling:

1/2 Cup Country Creamery Butter, softened
1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 Cup Friendly Farms Half and Half
2 to 3 Cups Powdered Sugar

2 Tubs of Baker's Corner Milk Chocolate Frosting

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Using and electric mixer beat all cake ingredients together. Start slow for 30 seconds until combined. Then beat for 2 minutes on medium speed, scrape sides as necessary.

Pour into two round cake pans with parchment paper cut to fit the inside. Bake 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center come out cleanly. Cool for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen cake from sides of pan, cool for 1 hour before proceeding.

Prepare Peanut Butter Cream Filling. Cream together peanut butter and butter. Add half and half. Add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup at a time until the frosting is creamy and thick and desired sweetness.

After cakes are completely cooled, gently cut each cake in half horizontally (you'll end up with 4 thin circles of cake). Spread half of the peanut butter filling between two of each circle of cake.

Top one cake with a generous helping of chocolate frosting. Place 2nd cake on top. Frost top and sides with the rest of the chocolate frosting.

Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until ready to serve.

Aldi Springs Chicken

I LOVE Outback Steakhouse. I love a good steak, and good potatoes, and a good bloomin' onion! BUT, I LOVE their Alice Springs Chicken. A few years ago, for Mother's Day, my husband made a replica of it for me. It was just as good, if not better. And lets face it, who wants to lug all the kids to a restaurant, shell out $13.99 for a plate of chicken that you know you can make at home for a fraction of the price?

Tonight, for dinner, I tried my hand at Alice Springs Chicken, and so as not to steal the name, I've renamed it "Aldi Springs Chicken". I don't believe there truly is an Aldi Spring, but we can pretend for a delicious recipe, right?


Aldi Springs Chicken

1 1/2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken breasts (about 3 large or 4 small) ($6.49/2.5 lbs)
1 16 oz bottle Fit & Active Light Honey Mustard Dressing (1.69)
1 16 oz package Fit & Active Lower Sodium Bacon (2.49)
1 8 oz package Happy Farms Monterey Jack Cheese, sliced thin (1.79)

Place 1 cup of salad dressing and the chicken in a large resealable bag. Marinate for 4 hours or overnight.

Prepare bacon. I prefer to bake mine on a cookie sheet. This makes for easier clean up and it doesn't destroy the stove, either.

Grill chicken. I have a table top grill (like a George Foreman), but you could certainly grill outside or pan fry. Grill until ALMOST done - you don't want to overcook the chicken, and you will be baking it for a few minutes.

Move chicken to a baking dish or cookie sheet. Cover each breast with bacon (I find about 3 strips per breast works well, this will leave you a few left for snacking or BLT's tomorrow). Cover bacon with cheese. Bake at 350 until the cheese melts and chicken finishes cooking (about 5 minutes). Serve immediately with the remainder of the honey mustard dressing for dipping.

Serves 6 (cut the breasts in half if using 3 large) for $1.62 per serving. To keep with the steakhouse theme, serve with a baked potato and a wedge of iceburg lettuce, this adds only about .15 per serving! MUCH CHEAPER than going to Outback.

(I made my own honey mustard for dipping because I wanted to try my hand at it. I used a recipe from www.allrecipes.com, but did not use Aldi ingredients which is why I'm not sharing).