Aldi, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways ..

I must admit, ever since we had to tighten our belts around the ol' Manintveld homestead, we decided not to waste our gas on any spur of the moment car trips.  Sad but, true!  Now here's the thing, we live in such a tiny town here in Missouri, sometimes we have to make our way to the big city every now and then.  The big city I'm talking about is about 30+ miles away.  Usually, we have to travel to the city of Springfield for certain reasons .. doctor visits for my Mama and ourselves, shopping excursions, dining out, visit my brother, etc.  We'll map out our trip to ensure we get more done with less running from one end of town to the other.  Then, there are days when we're really getting low in our pantry and need to restock it and where do we go for that?  You guessed it .. 

 

My Happy Place!!

I bet you're thinking, "Why go ALL the way to Springfield when you have a perfectly good Walmart Supercenter in your tiny little town .. and, you're employed with Walmart, why not stay true to the one handing out a paycheck to you every two weeks?"  I do stay true to Walmart where certain items are concerned.  There's a plethora of items we purchase from my fabulous store!  But one thing's for sure, I can stretch the rest of that money out better at Aldi!  Sure, it takes gas to get to Aldi .. no doubt.  But, here's my theory .. I stock up!  I don't go on a whim, I go when our cupboards are getting bare.  And even though the silly Dutch guy is finally working again, he only gets about 6 hours a week.  It helps us get through the rest of the week before I get paid again but, it's still not enough and we still have to be frugal!  Not to mention that my insurance at work changed and they're taking out even more per pay period so, I'm bringing home much less than before.  These reasons makes my decision to go to Aldi even stronger .. and their products are fabulous!

I first heard of Aldi when we were living in the Netherlands but, we had a closer and much better grocery store called Lidl .. it was the first place we went to when our money came in the first of the month, it was within walking distance and we had to pass a petting zoo along the way so, it was just so pleasant making that trip to get groceries.  Even when we moved to the next town over, we still made the trip by bus for our necessities while our other 'closer' grocery store (a block away) was for little things like meat and such.

 

Sweet, sweet memories of Lidl .. *sigh* How I love thee!

Lidl and Aldi are practically the same, hence, me loving to go to Aldi!  Even during Christmas this past 2009, we made quite a few foodie gift purchases .. various chocolates, coffee items, cookies .. they have it all!

We've been hitting the pantry pretty hard during the past month or so and we ARE starting to get low on toilet paper and paper towels .. the silly Dutch guy ought to start getting the car geared up for another run!  Anyone want to car pool?

9 Money-Saving Kitchen Staples

I'm sharing this tidbit of information from Live Solid 's Facebook Fan page:

BUDGET KITCHEN BASICS

Need it: Pancake Mix
Make it: Stir together 1 3/4 cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In another bowl, whisk 2 eggs and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil into 1 1/2 cups milk. Add liquid to dry mixture and whisk. Don't overmix; batter should be lumpy. Makes 10 to 12 pancakes.

Need it: Chocolate Syrup
Make it: In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together 1 cup water, 1/3 cup light corn syrup, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir constantly until just boiling. Cool and store in the fridge for up to 2 months.

Need it: Bacon Bits
Make it: Finely chop leftover cooked bacon and place in a zip-top bag, pressing out all the air when you seal it. Form into a flat, thin layer and freeze; simply break off a few pieces and crumble them when you need bacon bits. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Need it: Pre-Chopped Garlic
Make it: Chop a handful of peeled garlic cloves in a food processor; place in a sealable container and cover with olive oil. Store chilled airtight up to 2 weeks. Once the garlic is gone, use oil to flavor pasta or salad dressing.

Need it: Fresh Buttermilk
Make it: For 1 cup buttermilk to use in baking, mix 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice with 1 cup milk; let sit 5 minutes and use. Combining 3/4 cup plain yogurt and 1/4 cup milk works, too.

Need it: Packaged Croutons
Make it: Cut any type of bread into cubes and coat them lightly in oil, then sprinkle with salt or garlic salt. (Add even more flavor by tossing in oil-and-vinegar salad dressing or dry herbs.) Toast on a baking sheet in the oven, stirring occasionally, at 350 degrees F. until just golden.

Need it: Jarred Spaghetti Sauce
Make it: Saute half a chopped onion, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1/4 cup olive oil in a medium saucepan until onion is soft. Add a 28-ounce can diced or chopped tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon dry oregano and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with ground black pepper.

Need it: Taco Seasoning Packet
Make it: Stir together 4 teaspoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons dry oregano, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Use 2 tablespoons to season 1 pound ground beef, chicken, or turkey.

Need it: Packaged Bread Crumbs
Make it: Dry slices or cubes of any type of bread about 15 minutes in the oven at 300 degrees F. Crush in a food processor or with the bottom of a pan. For seasoned bread crumbs, add dry herbs like oregano or thyme (a little garlic powder tastes great, too). To make flaky panko-like crumbs, mince fresh bread by pulsing it in a food processor, then dry the crumbs at 250 degrees F.

Originally published in Ladies' Home Journal, November 2009.