SALES ALERT!

Hey everyone...I was in my local Aldi the other day and picked up the new flyer! I'm sooooo excited!!!!

A large variety of Fit & Active products will be coming back to the stores starting July 14th. Shakes, Egg whites, low sodium bacon, and snack bars just to name a few!

Also, Sundae Shoppe Juice Bars are coming! $1.99 for 12. These are the like Minute Maid push-popcicles. But cheaper. And, well, in my opinion, tastier! :)

ENJOY SHOPPERS!

I PROMISE more recipes are coming...

School is over, portfolios turned in. First gymnastics camp is almost done....cooking will commence!

I've been working on a few recipes to share, for sure....I even took pictures of them, I just need the 10 minutes it takes to type up the recipes and get them into the computer!

The most exciting Aldi News I can share right now is that Aldi has started selling FRESH Chicken! YAY!!!! Boneless Skinless Breasts for $2.59 a lb! WOW. Also, they have a good selection of bone-in legs and breasts and thighs. Truly become a one stop shop for me now!

Be on the lookout for some recipes using these newly available items!

:)

Stuffed Pepper Rings

Last week, I IM'd with my husband at work. I was trying to figure out, yet again, what to have for dinner. He was craving Stuffed Peppers, but I didn't have the ingredients. I haven't been able to get it off my mind since then, so here goes!!!

Stuffed Pepper Rings

1 package Green Peppers (2 in a package) (1.69)
1 package Multi-Color Peppers (2 in package, usually 1 red one yellow) (1.99)
1 20 oz package Fit & Active Ground Turkey ($2.49)
1 cup cooked rice (I used from leftover Chinese Takeout from the night before) (.25)
1 egg (.10)
2 slices whole wheat bread, crust removed (.20)
Milk (just enough for bread to soak up) (.20)
1 28 oz Jar Reggiano Spagetti Sauce (1.09)
Salt
Pepper
1 Tbs Garlic Powder (.08)
1 Tbs Onion Powder (.08)
1 Tbs Italian Seasoning (.08)
8 oz Happy Farms Mozzarella Cheese Block, shredded (1.79)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare peppers. Cut tops and bottoms off, then cut at least two rings out of each pepper (about 1" tall). Using caution, cut seeds and membrane out of rings. Set aside.

In a small bowl, place bread slices. Cover with milk and set aside.

In a large bowl, add ground turkey, rice, egg, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning. Add soaked bread and milk. Mix together well.

Place a small amount of the spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a 13 X 9" baking pan. Spread out. Lay rings evenly in the pan. Scoop meat mixture and press into each of the rings. Cover stuffed rings with the remaining spaghetti sauce. Bake, covered in foil, for about 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 more minutes. Add shredded mozzarella cheese the last 5 minutes.

Let stand about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy this with a green salad and garlic bread!

I would say that this serves 6 (it served us, a family of 5, with leftovers) making it $1.64 per serving. There are ways you could make this a little less expensive per serving, also. Using the ground turkey in the tube for .99/lb would reduce it. Also, check for peppers more in season, or use all green peppers would also reduce the cost.

Zucchini Pancakes

I know. I haven't been around in a while. Life has been just plain crazy around here! Dinner has been from the 4 OTHER food groups: Order In, Take Out, Frozen and Canned. :)

FINALLY, I got to cook something. Something I've been dying to try, actually. I think I was watching a show on Food TV when I started drooling (of course, isn't that how it always starts????). I've had to adapt, of course, to Aldify it. But, the end result was just plain delicious. :)

I love zucchini. I didn't always love zucchini. When I was a child, I ate like a child and didn't like it. I was 21 before I had zucchini in a way that just was delicious. I have since that time loved all things zucchini and have tried many different things. These are YUMMY. I hope you enjoy. And if grow your own, or have a Mom who does, all the better!


Zucchini Pancakes

2 large zucchini, grated (1.39)
1 cup Baker's Corner All-Purpose Baking Mix (.20)
1/2 medium onion, diced small (.30)
2 Golden Hen eggs (.20)
2 large cloves garlic, minced (.10)
1 tsp Spice Club dried Parsley Flakes (.05)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup canola oil (.40)
1/2 cup sour cream, for serving (.20)

Directions
Grate the zucchini. Place the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze well to remove the excess water.

In a large bowl combine the zucchini, baking mix, onion, eggs, dried parsley and garlic and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Mix well to thoroughly combine. Let sit about 15 minutes (this allows the parsley to soak up some liquid and not have the "dried" texture).

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. I used my cookie scoop to make consistently sized pancakes. Place in the oil and flatten slightly. Cook about 2 minutes on each side. Move cooked pancakes to paper towels to drain. Makes 12-14 pancakes.

Serve warm topped with a dollup on sour cream.

.48/serving....cheap tastes good!!!

Grilled Pork Loin w/ Grilled Potatoes

I really cannot take credit for this recipe, simply because it's too easy. AND because, my husband did it. I am, admittedly, afraid of the grill. Whether it be the fire, the heat, the uncontrollable cooking (I AM a control-freak), etc. But, my husband is a grill-master extraordinaire. I do not joke. He can take an awful cut of meat and turn it into the most delicate, delicious grilled fare to be devoured. Um, I mean enjoyed!!!

Anyway, the Roseland Boneless Pork Tenderloins have always intrigued me. I've never cooked pork tenderloin before and was apprehensive. After I defrosted it yesterday, I realized the directions gave an option for grilling. And the weather was perfect for grilling. "Oh Honey.....how do you feel about grilling out tonight?" He jumped at it!!!


Grilled Pork Loin w/ Grilled Potatoes

1 Roseland Boneless Pork Tenderloin (they are 2.99/lb - mine was $4.10 and about 1.3 lbs)
1 Cup Fit & Active Light Honey Dijion Salad Dressing ($1.69/bottle)

Marinate pork loin for several hours in the salad dressing.

Heat coals on grill (or heat gas grill to med-high heat). Grill pork loin for 25 minutes in a covered grill, or until the internal temperature reaches 160. My husband did turn it a few times to make sure it got good "bark" on it.


Grilled Potatoes

4 Red Potatoes (about 1 lb - $2.49/3 lbs)
Olive Oil (about 1 tbs)
Salt & Pepper

Cut potatoes in half. Coat in olive oil, salt and pepper. Place potatoes cut-side down on grill for about 10 minutes, make sure grill cover is closed for cooking). Turn potatoes over and grill for another 15 minutes.

I added a salad made from garden-grown salad greens from my friend.

This meal serves 4 nicely, and only costs $1.45 per serving!!!

Sunrise Surprise!

Hello folks!

I know, it's been a while. Lets just say, 2 root canals, and tender gums and teeth had changed my diet drastically in the last few weeks! Factor in a crazy busy schedule, and well, food is catch as catch can.

BUT...will be more faithful. Things are STARTING to slow down, and even though my diet still looks like that of an 87 year old nursing home patient, I will be cooking more.

I thought I'd share an economical tip today.

As you know, Aldi's cereals are cheap, cheap, cheap. We don't do sugary cereals much in this house. The one exception being Vacation, I will buy the junk food cereals. Anyway, while shaking the plethora of boxes in my cabinet to prepare for my shopping trip yesterday (and erroneously thinking we had tons of cereal because there were at least 14 boxes in the cabinet), I realized that there was less than 1 serving in each box!!!! Not to be one to waste a buck, I combined them all into a fancy IKEA container and created what I call "Sunrise Surprise". All the interesting tidbits of leftover cereal created their own culinary heaven.

My two oldest ate it for breakfast today, and loved it!!!! Now they're going to be asking me to make this all the time, aren't they???

An easy Mother's Day Breakfast...

Are you nervous? Mother's Day is SUNDAY! Did your order flowers? Send your card? NO? Well...wait....I have an Aldi Product Review that is VERY TIMELY!

How about make your Mom something delicious for breakfast?

I bought this, Breakfast Skillets, for $1.99 in the freezer section at my local Aldi. I chose the Sausage version because my family is partial to sausage. They also have Ham.

VERY EASY TO DO, add 6 golden hen eggs (they were 1.25 this week for a dozen!), and I added about 4 oz of shredded Happy Farms cheddar cheese.

For the most part, it was very yummy. The only comment from my hubby was that there were a lot of potatoes. I would add that the over-abundance of potatoes necessitated adding salt and pepper liberally. But it was overall yummy, quick, easy and very inexpensive!

Hope you enjoy!

And Happy Mother's Day to all you Mommies out there!